Uniquely unUnique

Some stuff from nationals:

From Nationals 2009

Elite men, lap 1:

From Nationals 2009

After DNFing in Portland

From Nationals 2009

We've got love for the old country

From Nationals 2009

Course on friday for 45+

From Nationals 2009

After 45+, Jeff, Ferg, Nicole

From Nationals 2009

I don't see anything

From Nationals 2009

Alright then. Ended up this season the right way: on top

1. National collegiate cyclocross champion
2. Georgia State cyclocross champion
3. SECC Conference Div 2 champion
4. Nestor Cup champ
5. Georgia State Crit--Masters 2nd
6. Trans Rockies-3rd
7. National Masters cyclocross-6th

Somehow, I turned what was supposed to be a more strict 'school-time' in my life into one of the most successful seasons I've ever had.  11 wins (counting Nestor cup...) with a few new jerseys to wear. I'll post pictures and movies tomorrow.

Its cracking me up that all of us (regional cycling bloggers) are all listing our triumphs, which is in a way marginalizing the majority of the races we've had (ie the crappy ones).  We're a delicate bunch, if not serious poseurs.

Deep discount

I came out here to race the USGP in Portland last weekend as a tuner up for the nationals.  Last time I raced here was for the Nationals in 2004, when Fort-GPOA was a regional powerhouse and we gathered a bunch of podiums and Wes won the B race on a similar course.  I was so proud of those guys.

Now I feel so humbled racing UCI events anymore.  II feel a combination of frustration, acceptance, annoyance and stubborn pride.  I just don't have the UCI game in me anymore (or right now).  Seems like once you're out of it-out of double race weekends for 3 months-it is difficult to be competitive (ignoring Todd Wells...).  What was once a second or third row start at USGP races is now 12th row.  What was once an amazingly fast start is now mediocre for me.  This past Sunday as I was warming up (or trying to) my fire went out. I just didn't care.  I'm going broke coming all the way out here and I completely lose my head game before it even starts.

Before this gets too whiney I'll stop.  This is fun, it's just difficult to step back in and be way off par.  Having raced and won master's nationals at the first try, I can't help but have that bar set.  But if I'm honest about it, that's a long shot considering that field.  I may have a shot at the Collegiate race (Division 2 woot!) but that one is laced with unknowns.  Luckily I learned a long time ago how to lose.

Maybe I'll have to settle for amazing coffee, beer, food and old friends here in Pdx and Bend. Turn the heat up, please.

Unraveling

Although I've become a pessimist to some extent, I generally don't think or say things like "i'm having a bad day" and so on.  But last week was completely shitty.  I had a bad week. Sunday my back went out somehow (not sure why) which left me crawling on hands and knees for a few days.  I had to pee in a bowl, because the bathroom was too far away and how was I supposed to stand up?  It was also the final week of school, which is usually a killer. To top it off, it was end-of-days for camilla and I.  We broke up just before my final presentation. 

Great. 

So I'm glad it's next week now.  The stress, the pain and the sadness had lifted somewhat. We still live together, although we stay in different rooms and we're trying to play by new rules for the time being.

On the way to Hendersonville to race cross this song made me cry, and I'm not sure why. I guess it doesn't matter.

Here is something i designed in Furniture Studio this quarter.

This is lovely. Finally a concept bike that actually makes sense!

So my back went schizo on sunday, after a nice 'cross ride. I was stretching on in our padded wresting room floor and couldn't get up.  I'm 32 and twice now I've had major back spasms.

This is sucking.  At least today I can walk. So I've got that going for me, which is nice.

I'm kinda loving these do-it-yourself videos, like steevo's.  The one other SCAD kid that rides cross is totally this guy.

I'm also kinda loving riding my cross bike at Hutchinson Island. I made up a little loop that has more elevation change (hah: read 50') than most any ride around here.  And although it is autumn the leaves don't fall down here in the low country, the trails are covered in some small green leaf that is falling now.  You have to watch out for the banana spiders that seem to only make webs across the trail. And these fuckers are no joke-scary as shit. Never saw on this big, but easily 3-4" across.

 

I see that my very own tyler durden is registered for some race up in MD.  Since school ends this Thursday, I'm jammed with cross for the next few weekends:
NC Grand prix
Portland USGP
Nationals (masters & collegiate)

Victory lane

I won the twilight 'cross here in Savannah on saturday night and my buddys, in good dirt track car racing form mock interviewed me after the race, which is a joke only if you've been to dirt track car racing and witnessed America at its finest.  Here is the formula:

1. Thank your tireless mechanic for making the machine tip top
2. Talk about the tires hooking up and how the track surface changed
3.  tell the chump's you beat they raced real good and be real modest, say you had a lot of fun
4. Rattle off your list of sponsors, which should include a autobody shop, your wife and Jesus.

This guy is pro:

Then I did some burn outs (after I thanked the big guy in the sky).

Thoughts on the Georgia Cross scene:  it seems so young/small-this small? really?/ courses are pretty good/promoters don't know how to set up pits (should be longer than 5 bike lengths)/ Wow, these are slow starts compared to MAC or UCI races/ 1 race every 2 weeks/ driving 4 hours for that one race/ Good core crew/lots of room for growth/ down-home feel.

If you're up there in Mid Atlantic or New England (hi Meg!) be real thankful for what you've got. I'm totally gunning for nationals, but honestly I don't know if racing down here is really preparing me.

Two weeks of school left, then 6 weeks off.

Nice to meet you again

My girlfriend has been away for over a week now, with another week to go. I'm a pretty independent person, so I sort like the by myself parts of life as much as I enjoy the opposite.  What this really means is that I eat tons of frozen thin crust pizzas topped with hot sauce and a side glass of OJ.  Which I guess really really means nothing is all that different than when she is here.

Now that I'm not racing full time in the fall, like I have been for the last 7 or 8 years, I basically pulled an all nighter on halloween being Dale the asshole hickster.  I don't just dress up, I pull on a full character that pretty much is my uninhibited self calling everyone a pussy and talking about buck huntin.  The best costume was Nacho Libre, f'ing spot on costume, body type and face.

So that was fun.  But I still miss destroying myself on the bike twice a weekend.