Elgin Crit 2008 Course

I took the time to map the course for the 2008 Elgin Criterium. I think I'll race Cat5 and Masters 30-39 that day. Should be fun!

Flyer can be found here: http://downtownelgin.com/Bike%20Race%20Flyer%2008_web.pdf

Almost out

I am almost out of the South. Time to rant again. People in the South drive slow, work slow, and seemingly think slowly as well. We made it to Somewhere, KY.

Part of me wishes I was back in Chicago and racing this weekend or at least riding in Wisconsin. With all of the riding I was able to pile on during vacation I think I was able to keep a lot of the normal vacation weight gain at bay. I haven't been on a scale, but I am feeling just as good as when I left. I think the 210-ish miles helped.

Superweek is coming up. I was hoping to put in for the Bensenville race(s). Only working 4 1/2 days this week because of RAIN next weekend. I realized today that I will have spent 3 weekends in a row crossing Indiana. Twice along the North-South route, and twice East-West.

Before I know it the Elgin crit will be here. I also wanted to get my TT setup rolling right and do more of the Chicago TT series. Summer is going by real fast. So fast I forgot that the tour was/is starting.

I can go on about the tour forever, but I am feeling like I don't care about this year's. I'll leave it at that.

Space Signals

Last ride for this vacation is in the books. I tried to make it a longer one. I got over 50 miles in, but the heat was absolutely brutal. This was, by far, the hottest ride of the week.

I went through 5 of the 24 ounce water bottles (the big ones) in just under 3 hrs.

I also realized today that when a cyclist takes off his shirt at a beach that their pasty white chest could be used to send signals to space. Again I was the weirdest looking dude on the beach.

The 'stache helped them all to realize I was cool though....

I feeling a little...flat

I was climbing the walls yesterday. The "Vacation" has been dragging a bit and it was time for a change. We promised not to ride so we went and did something as a family....then when we got back....I went on a ride.

Part of the bargain was that I had to be out and back in an hour. I decided to push myself by making the flatness entetaining...by doing intervals. 2 minute on 1 minute off. It really made the mileage go by.

Everything was going well - well over 20mph during the on. Then...the inevitable happened. Just as I was hammering home I started to feel the rear tire getting soft.

Flat.

Boo.

First one in a few years. Fished out a piece of glass on the side of the road. Luckily I was able to find a tiny bit of shade. It was hot out...like the devil had a hard time keeping his car from melting kind of hot.

I got dehydrated - even in just an hour. It is brutal down here.

Moustache check:

Moustache

No...not the name of some middle-eastern special agent....rather it is what I decided to grow to entertain myself while on vacation.

Taking a line from David Zabriskie and Steve Cozza I decided to grow the latest in cycling accessories.

Zabriskie - Who every American man wishes he was.

Cozza on Right with Dr. Lim on Left I believe.

The beginnings of mine. 2 days worth. Sad I know....

So I went on a bike ride and a shooting broke out.

http://www.myfoxgulfcoast.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=6900006&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.1.1

I was riding today and got to a 1/2 way point and had to dodge all of the police and ambulances heading back towards the direction I came from. On the way back the road was closed and there was a helicopter taking off in the middle of the bike path.

Locals I guess. Surprising too considering the amount of vacationers here you would think one of them just got too sick of their in-laws.

I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

Not awesome.

The ride was OK. The lack of hills is really ragging on me. The long flatness is sad. Riding the same road for 30 miles of every ride get super old.

Gone fishing

Today was a "rest" day. Fishing. We went into the gulf about 50 miles and dropped lines. Fish tacos for everyone.

Good stuff.

For the fish it was the suck.