Small Differences

I urge anybody and everybody to take the time to go a foreign country. While there, leave the hotel and take the time to go into town and get lost an the local market. Regardless of what continent or country you are in, it will always be interesting and enrich your life in some small way. I always try to ride some sort of bike because you can see so much more of the city or country side. I had the oppertunity to ride my Trek in Belgium for a few days before heading to France for some more miles.

Being on my bike which I'm intimately familier with, I focused on everything else and not the bike. I noticed the small differences. Roads in Belgium are so smooth. The drivers are so considerate. They wait behind you until its safe to pass and when they do pass, they smile and wave. I can count the times this has happened to me in Wisconsin this spring and I can think of exactly 0 - but thats not my point. I watched a guy from Australia go the wrong way into a traffic circle (they drive on the wrong side of the road in Oz) and almost crash head on into a car. Which side of the road you drive on is a small difference but arguably can become a huge difference depending on the situation.

Watching professional cyclists ride up a cobbled climb is interesting. They do it with speed, power and grace and watching from the comfort of a living room or bar it looks easy. Basic though process is "Oh yea. I can ride that". Then you take that trip to Belgium and turn off the paved road onto the cobbles and start pedaling hard to get up the climb. The difference you are not seeing on TV is how steep the climb is and how impossibly bumpy the cobbles are. Riding your bike up a hill inside of a massive paint shaker would probably be easier. 20 seconds in there is the massive realization that there is a significant chance that you may not make it to the top without choking and putting a foot down. You just have to suck it up, keep grinding and listen to your tires squeeking on the cobbles. I made it; the pro's make it with grace, speed and strength and still have enough energy to crush the decent AND the next 60k of roads. My second time up was slightly better than the 1st but not much better. Another small difference; I rode it, the pros ride it for a living.

The world is a cool place. Be perceptive and notice stuff. Watch small things become big things - you'll be amazed what happens.

And yes. I took these pictures of Fabians bike and tomorrow will be cheering for him with beer-fueled energy.

Scott kick'n the cobbles!

dblomme
Scott's keeping us jealous with more great rides. From all the photos posted lately, it's fair to say most of team has had some epic spring rides and memories.

Belgium

:)

Belgium is so cool

Belgium is so cool.
One if the best things about.my job is that I get to travel all over the world. One of the worst parts of my job is that I have to travel all over the world.
I like my job.
I'm currently in Belgium, in Brugge. Brugge is where the Tour of Flanders starts this Sunday. I was inns little spin this afternoon when I rode by a nice little Best Western on the outskirts of town.
Three Days of De Panne just finished and the mechanics were cleaning bikes from todays stages and the same model bike that I was leaning against was being power washed on the stand. Where else in the world would you run into a Pro Tour team working on bikes in a parking lot? Belgium.
Belgium is so cool.

Scott

Trek Travel Mallorca Ride Camp

While other teammates spent some time out at Trek Travel's Ride Camp in Solvang, I had chosen to try their camp in Mallorca, Spain instead.

 

Mallorca is a small island off the coast of mainland Spain.  And, I'm sure I don't have to explain to any of you all, one of the world's road cycling meccas.  It seems any given road at any time of the day is filled with hundreds of riders.  And the climbing?  Let's just say it is quite epic.  One ride had us climbing up the side of a mountain overlooking the Mediterranean sea.  Others took us up and over mountain tops climbing elevations of over 600 meters which converts to A LOT of feet.  And the cars pretty much let the bikers rule the roads.  I can see why many of the pro teams choose this spot for their training camps.

 

And Trek Travel plans it all for you.  Guided, supported rides, 3 meals a day (with dinner being a 3 course meal), and 5 star accommodations.  This, is how I want to put on a buncha miles and elevation - not having to think about anything while staying somewhere amazing.

 

Can't wait to see what routes and torture TT has for the remainder of the trip!  I hear a Cat 1 climb is on tap for tomorrow.  Ugh.

 

- Jennifer

 

Below find a link to Strava for one of the "shorter" rides of 50 miles that include a Cat 2 climb :

http://app.strava.com/rides/5796229

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malibu climbing

We are spending the last few days of the team training camp in the Santa Barbara area, and today we climbed a bit farther south, in the Malibu area. Amazing climbing right off the ocean - from the Pacific Coast Highway, take your pick of canyons to climb! We climbed Latigo Canyon (see the picture below) and Mullholland Canyon (picture below of Barney cruising up - he makes it look so easy!), both about 2,000-2,500 feet of climbing. And tomorrow we end our trip with a climb up Gilbraltar Road (an hour-long climb) in Santa Barbara - excellent way to finish our trip!

All told, we should have about 30,000 feet of climbing under our belts from this trip - now we'll be ready to tackle the 5 minute climbs back home!

The 7:30 crew

dblomme
Great riding west of Madison this weekend despite my 3 flats. I carried as much as my jersey pockets would allow (and more) so all was good. Thanks to the crew for waiting while the flats were fixed!

 

Solvang

A few pics of our visit to Solvang so far..

Did some awesome rides and visited a miniature donkey farm!

The 9:30 crew

Another great ride in March in Madison
Thanks folks!

Another Tough Day in Paradise

On our way up to climb Figueroa Mountain, about an hour-long climb, something we certainly miss having in the Midwest! And there is Shelley on the front of the pace line, torn ACL and all! A beautiful day to be out on the bike!