Spring has finally sprung

The streets are being swept,the birds are singing,the ice is pulling away from shore,the lilies are sprouting,and the warm air is here.All within a week! Everybody is outside now.The best part is not taking 15 min to put on 5 layers of clothing.Just a base layer during the day is perfect now.I did the Afton loop tuesday in 55-60 degrees and no wind.Not having all the clothing to restricting me I was going about a gear faster and oh that warm sunshine feels soooo good.Yesterday on my way back from my ride I hooked up with John and Stephanie Thompson.Steph just got back from a collage race down in Kansas and took 3rd in the 2 day stage race for St Olaf.Good Job! Anyway its good talking to them again.John is a really nice and enthusiastic guy.I know Eric will be faster this year also.He can only get stronger as he gets older.

I went to Hed this week to pick up Sams power-tap and I got to talk to Mr.Steve Hed himself.They're in the need for some wheel builders badly if anyone is interested and has some experience. I told him about how my Alps wheel had a woble to it after just one ride,and he said I can bring it in and they'll swap it out for a Jet.Now thats service.The problem with the Alps is that its a rigid structured rim with just an aluminum rim cap.So when its molded its pretty much where its going to be.The nice thing about it is, because its so rigid if you break a spoke its still rideable,and it doesn't flex as much under alot of torque.It is lighter than the Jet because it only has the rimcap instead of a full aluminum rim with just the carbon skin for aerodynamics.But the Jet is truable.I guess team Discovery will be riding the Jets this year as well.

I actually have this week off which is really nice because I can do all the winter into spring change over.Like I said, you never know when your going to get time off in this business.My boss called me up Sunday night and said I have the week off.I am penciled in for a job down at Valley Fair next week so I hear.I will get to freshen up my sliver picking skills once again.This was perfect timing for a little break with the nice weather and all,I must say.

I put out my KX 125 for sale this week too. Hopefully it will go quick and the for the price I'm asking,which is decent.I have a feeling the Yamaha will be out on the corner for sale soon too.That thing is just a monster.I can hardly move it around with my $1.50 sized frame.Its made for someone 180+ lbs to handle it.If I sell those two then I can get the bike I really want.I am currently looking at the KLX 250. A good bike for cruising on the back roads and equally well in the dirt with some knobbies.I think that will be my keeper.Braaaaaaaap

Getting lost

Hey Pinocchio,where do you think your going?
Me and Sam got in a 5 hr ride finally.I didn't have a computer but I'm betting we were very close to 100 miles if not all of it.We did the usuall Scandia route but kept going north up to Osceola Wisconsin and came back on highway 35.Once we hit Summerset thats were everything got messed up and we were lost for a bit.At Summerset we took 64 west through town but when we met up with 35 again it was a freaking 65mph freeway with on and off ramps.We knew 35 is where we wanted to be at the end because Houlton and Stillwater were the next towns,but it ain't a freeway when it goes through them.We were both discombobulated and just thought Wisconsin is screwed up or something so we took the on ramp and went for about a mile. But we felt like we were riding down the interstate and I can just imagine what the drivers were thinking of us.So we got off on the next exit which was Co rd V."That sounds familiar".Which eventually came out on Co rd E and I knew where I was then.We took E into Stillwater and pinged the legs up olive st.With 4 hrs already under the belt those hills really hurt. My legs felt crump for a while but they recovered enough at the end and we both finished strong,sprinting the last climb at the end.Sam got me by about half a bike.No bonk on a 5 hr ride is a success for me.
Earlier this week I started ramping up the training and did 2-3hr very hilly rides followed by a day in the gym with some plyometrics.So going into todays ride I was a bit sore.
I've been all over this week finishing up some jobs we have for Menards.Monday and Tuesday I was at the Dome but we had to leave because of the NCAA tourneyments.Then I went to the Dundas Menards which brought back memories from last year,then Cottage Grove Menards,and ended at Maple Grove.Monday Its back to the Dome for the final push on the suite which has to be done by april 10th.
Sam bought a new bike.Its a Bianchi Velope.Kind of like my Surly for a bonk bike.So now his other beaters are up for sale if anyone wants them.He has a 17"Trek 970 mtb,and a 54cm Lemond Reno rd bike $60 take your pick.I'll put up some pics later if anyone is interested.

Race Report

St.Paddies day pedal w/ TCBC

William O'Brian
I actually get to write a race report this week.Jay,you'll like this one.Right before I left the house yesterday morning for WO'B Sam told me they were having a race there.It was an 11k sprint course and close to 50 people showed up I guess.They let 2-4 people go at a time like a TT.I went towards the beginning because I didn't want too much lap traffic.I started with some older guy who stuck on me for the first few k's so I let him in front to pace for a while.He pulled away a little on the flat but once we reached the black diamond back sections I passed him back and slowly pulled away.I got caught by the leaders on the longest climb with about 5k to go.I could tell they've put alot of time on the ski's.They were so smooth and had great balance.I was loosing form however and my glide was getting crappy.On the last major climb the Forest lake high schooler passed me and I yelled at him to "Drill it",because the other two guys were about a 1min out and we had about 1.5k to go.That high schooler was 16 years old and the 2 leaders were 23 and 18 respectively.So not to shabby for a youngin.I took 5th overall and was only 5 seconds off 4th.The leaders got me by like 6 min.Full results are posted on skinnyski under Friends of Bill. I had fun doing it and I found out that the older guy I was with was one of Mike Halls former mtb teammates.Go figure.

After the awards I headed home just in time to throw the chamois(rock) on for the St.Paddies day ride with the TCBC.There had to be about 30 riders that came. It started out slow but the group soon split and the lead group was about 6 of us. Sam started it all when he went for a sprint and this other guy who was sitting in the back forever went after him.That mean't I had to join in as well and chased him.Dave (the clydsdale rider with a road bike) took the sprint,and after that the city limit primes were on.Dave I heard at the beginning of the ride did the headwaters 100 well under 5hrs.He is a pretty heafty dude too.Some of those guys can suprise you.They can really pull on the flats sometimes but as soon as the road turns up they put it in reverse. The next prime I didn't know was comming and I see Dave flying buy on the outside and I was the only one to give chase.I was slowly gaining on him but I couldn't make up the ground in time and he took it again.Dave would never go to the front and pull between primes however and so I went to the back and said "you do to know where all these sprints are"."No I don't....Thats one up there isn't it?" So I take off and start that one only to be beat out once again.Dang it!Granted I have the burly Surly with cross tires and bar end shifters and he has a DBR road bike.But this dude is like 5' 4" and well over 200lbs.On the last sprint I needed to win the Shoreview prime.I didn't know exactly where it was but my plan was after the only stop sign on Co rd J and 49 I would try a solo break away and make him work for the next one.When we got to the stop sign I saw the prime only about 100 yards away! Then out of the corner of my eye I see Dave swing wide around everyone.I was somewhat ready for this one and just hammered what gears I had, ripping through the pot hole infested road and victory was soon mine! At the end of the day I was so tired, and I couldn't eat enough.It was like 2 races in a day,and I felt good about it.

Winter gets the last laugh

Battlecreek


Just when you think its starting to be spring winter throws in one more blow.I waxed up the classic boards last night and went to battlecreek today.The classic track wasn't very good but once the next snowfall hits it should be excellent.Yep,another 4 maybe 6 inches tomarrow night into thursday.This weekend should be perfect for one last visit to William O'Brian.A farewell to winter.I guess this is good to get us off the bike.I'm sure everyone is ahead of schedual.My hip flexors will be moaning all day tomarrow for sure.I haven't skied since Maplelag and the muscles got pretty sore today.

Me and Sam busted out the mtb's this weekend for the first time since Thanksgivings turkey ride.I put on the slicks while Sam sported full knobbies and the bullet bottle.He still was hard to keep up with.You people better watch out this year he's getting pretty fast. To be honest I haven't been feeling very fast this week.Granted I'm not suppost to be riding that hard anyway but I just haven't been to motivated on the workouts.I think it might be I was preoccupied most of the time catching up on other stuff.I'm shure I'll get back in the groove and feel better.

Yesterday we went to Hollywoods open house and had some pizza while we meet and greet.I donated a refrigerator from the dome to him and it fit perfect under the front counter.He was pumped about that.Yeaaaaahhhhhhh!
Not much other than that.Pretty much stayed home and did taxes and such.

With the weather turning for the worst I don't know what I'm going to do this week.I'll play it by ear each day.I think its only 5 weeks to oxbow,and 3 weeks till daylight savings.No more lights after that.-wtyl

Spring is in the air

The weather finally got good enough where I could break out the good bike today.Impecable timing too,right when I need to run my first test on the P-Tap.I made my first interval 8 min and the second 10 min. Looking at the graph afterwards I was much smoother and consistant on the second one.I still need to get used to the software and be fluent in its usages.It was a good ride though.On the way back I almost biffed it right in front of Adam Bergman.I was going south on Lake st riding with no hands and messing with my stupid mp3 player that keeps freezing up on me and a gust of wind almost blew me over.Right when he was on the other side of the street going north.How embarassing that would have been.

Speeking of testing did anyone read that article in Velonews an issue back or so about Taylor Tolleson.Talk about geneticly gifted.At 17 years old his LT threshhold was at 325 watts.This last year he was up to 425! Vo2 max was between 74and 78,with a naturally occuring hemacrit level of 52,which is well above UCI's upper limit of normal and requires a special exemption.Look for this kid in the pro tours soon.

Tomarrow looks crappy and the guys want to go for a long ride in the afternoon but H'woods party starts at 2 so I think we'll be passing on the ride and stick close to home in the morning.I gotta do my taxes tomarrow and see how big my rebate will be.Usually the government cuts me a nice sized check each year.

Next week starts build 1 for me and that means intervals.Now the real pain begins.Another thing I gotta do is think of some workouts to do.Personally I hate trying to do precise timed workouts that keep you glued to the time,unless its sustained efforts.But as far as intervals go you pretty much gotta pick a hilly route and just do the efforts as the hills come.Trying to remember a complicated workout formula just doesn't work for me.

A news cammera came into the suite today and filmed a bit.They set up right in front of Jose who was working on one of the coffers and I was in the back ground on a ladder in a room when they panned to the side.Channel 5 or 11 I think.Watch for me if you catch the news tonight.-wtyl

Going as planned

Yes sir, the longest week planned for this year on the bike is done for me. 18hrs is plenty for me.I felt it is as much as I can take without overtraining while working at the same time.I did take my off day mid week because I was so tired wednesday I could hardly see straight.I finished up friday and saturday with back to back 4 rh rides.Friday night for my b-day I was out riding untill 8:30 then went to the Greenmill with my parents and I ate 3/4 of a pizza.Then Sat. morning me and Sam did the Afton loop which was another 4 hrs.I actually felt pretty good once I got warmed up.Sam started off way too hard and I was red lining in the first few miles."Have you ever heard of a warm up".But the HR stabilized after a 1/2 hr or so.I really liked the night ride I took friday night though.It was a little chilly but I was prepared.No wind and a clear sky with a big bright moon.Night riding is so relaxing because you can't tell how fast your going. You just settle into an easy rythem and you can just let your mind wander.

Yesterday we went to the bike expo.Nothing much to see there.They had some nice product and venders but nothing like a QBP show.I did walk out with some Nike windtex gloves.Salsa was there and I took a look at the new Dos Niner.Its alot nicer than last year with a spec that I like.The only person I recognized was Steve Tilford.Where was everybody?

I was working at the Dome most of the week but not on the new suite remodel.I was down in the Gopher locker room putting up temp. walls for the NCAA tourneyments comming up.Then I worked in the Twins locker room relocating some lockers.Just picture the locker room in "Major League" and thats what its like.When my boss got done telling us what to do I put my arm on one of the 3, 50" Plasma screen tvs that were still in the box in the corner and said,"And one of these goes in the back of my truck,right."While we were working this dude starts bringing in all this expensive sound equipment.He brought in some nice subs too.I guess the room that we took out the lockers was going to be a recording room or something. They had replaced all the tv monitors in the concorses with flat panel HD monitors now too.That is alot of expensive tvs. Tomarow after I'm done at Center point energy I go back to the Dome. We got a bunch of misc. stuff to do I guess before the season starts.Anyhew, I'm looking forward to this recovery week and getting some stuff done around the house and ready for spring.The first race is only 6 weeks away!-wtyl