Sunday, May 28, 2006

Getting away from it all


Ahhh,relaxation after a long ride( I know,its a lame pic)

Me and Sam escaped the heat for a day and went up to spirit mt yesterday.The wind was comming off the lake and we were in arm and leg warmers at noon when we started the ride.Chris Fisher and Brendan Moore were camping for the weekend and we also happened to meet Matt Gutowski and wild Bill that morning.It was a nice group and the trails were super fun.They haven't had any rain in 5 days but it was still wet in some spots.We made 2 loops at an hour each and that was enough for Chris,Brendan,Matt,and Bill.I was having so much fun and it was a perfect day so me and Sam went around 1 more time.After comming out of the new single track from last year (the really,really slow stuff)we were about to start the downhill but then ran into the K-J's and a couple of their friends.They took us on some of their secret trails for a while.Which included shouldering the bike up some steep stairs.The calves were not liking that one.But once at the top it was some single track to a stream and we decended along its side to a 4 wheeler trail.Me and Sam took the 4 wheeler trail back to the puker while they continued on.It was alot of climbing back and I made it just before a bonk was about to set in.It was at least a 3 hr ride.Afterwards we went up to the camp site and hung out there for a while.The temperature difference is amazing up there.We were standing around a fire with jackets on, then we came home to 80`.I wish we could've camped with them but with the parents gone we have house duty.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Anybody have any job openings?

We hiked wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow full of concrete into underwater adventures this morning.11 or so yards to be exact.Let me do the math 250steps one way x 3feet x 15 trips=11250ft/5280 ft in a mile=2.13 miles of walking with a full tub of mud.AAAAANNNNNNNDDDDDD I get the news that I get the privelidge and the honor to work the graveyard shift,which is 1:00am-9:00am.He never gave me a full answer on how long I have to do it but either way I'm getting time off for this one.By law I believe they are suppost to pay us 8 for working 7 in this shift but we are working the full 8.Tomarrow morning we are going to be pouring again.I'm going to be a wreck this week.

click here

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Eriks Spring Cup


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Some days your the hammer,and others your the nail.I was the latter this time around.I knew the start would be my weakness and I didn't know what to expect so I just gave it what I had.After the starting prologue I was at the tail end of a big group which included Sam,Todd M,Jay Richards,Josh S,Brady Larson,Paul Hanson, to name a few.I hung on for the first lap then got dropped when everyone fought for position at the start finish area.I kept the group within 20 seconds for the next lap and by the 3rd lap they were gone and I picked up Josh who had burped his tire in a corner.He then pulled me up to Jay Richards who also got shelled off the group.For lap 4 I was pulling untill I hopped my pedal on a corner and Josh took off while I regrouped with Jay.I pulled Jay around lap #5 and he thought we were on our last lap.Nope 1 more and I let him take over.He was putting in some surges to try and get away in some spots but I was riding comfortably behind him.Then it happened.One quick movement and my quads started to cramp.Every time I stood up on a surge I was on the verge of making that muscle freeze up on me.So I just did what I could to stay in contact.At the end Jay took an easy sprint with me behind him in 17th place.Thats the way it goes I guess.

The road racing payed off for Sam though and he was able to keep up the pace with Todd and the other big ring junkies.He rolled in 10th place.Just 5 min behind the winner Doug Swanson.Thanks to Skinnyski for the sweet pics and all our family members who made it out to the race.I hope Jason will race someday.
Wish I could write more but I have a big concrete pour at underwater adventures tomarrow morning and I gotta get up at 4:00am to make it on time.Nothing like the feel of a fully loaded wheelborrow of mud in the morning to wake you up.-EO

Monday, May 15, 2006

Slacker


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This is not my bike,but Sams after racing down in Mankato this weekend.He took 6th I think.I even opted out of the 40k tt this weekend.I know,I know. I'm getting soft,but I just didn't feel like racing this weekend being so wet,damp,and cold. I did go for a 4 hr ride by myself though if thats redeeming.On my ride I stopped at the tt to see who was braving the crummy weather and said hi to Dan before he went.Not to many people showed up and I was suprised.I also ran into the MS 150 ride too.They had a rest stop set up in Scandia and I rolled in just as it started to pour out.I poached some crackers and raisins from them but I needed it bad.I felt like I was battling a wind all day and was wore out when I got home.

Oh,yeh thursday night at Buck went pretty good.I put in a good effort and had alot of fun.Sam had a "No Chain" day and hammered it out with Paul Hanson for a couple of laps before taking a spill near the end but he still took 4rth.Brendan and Chris (who took 1 and 2) are workhorses this year.They trained alot together this winter and spring and are reaping the benifits.Chris is able to keep on Brendans wheel for a long time now.He even took the TT and stxc win in Mankato this weekend.Way to hammer it out man.I predict he will be a top 5 contender in the MNSCS this year if he keeps it up.Anyways I rolled in at 10th place for the day.I had to stop for a bit because I witnessed a kid take a huge spill on a switchback.That was a nasty one.

Misc-I'm selling my Fuji team road bike.Full ultegra,Ritchey wheels,with new cassette,tires,and chain. 56cm.$600.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

The Barn was looking so good with the natural cedar,but then....


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The painters go and do this to it.What a color for an ice cream barn.

All the news channels have been out previewing the new ride at valleyfair which is right next to the icecream barn.The "Extreme Swing" runs on compressed air to swing the massive arms back and forth.I also got wind of some top secret inteligence about their next new ride.It sounds pretty big.
Yesterday Sam,Chris,Brendan,and me went to check out Harmon park.We got almost 2 laps in when the sky opened up and poured on us.Oh ,well.When we got back Jen cooked up some steaks with some pasta salad, mmmm.We all didn't care for it that much. The course has no character to it at all.Not one climb in it either.I hope they have a plan for a start finish area and more parking space other than the small school.The laps are 5 miles long and screaming fast cornering.Maybe the KX 125 should be the weapon of choice.Mua ha,ha.Chris timed 17 min laps last week.Bring your lap counters people,because when your half out of it, you will forget what lap your on.

The Dos Niner is almost ready and will get it this week some time.Pics to come.

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Avon RR

We had a perfect day for a race yesterday as the sun came out right before the start.The first 5 miles was a neutral rollout through town which was I really liked.As soon as the rollout ended it was a typical group ride pace for a while then some young guy named Jake B. and a super tall rider with a Minnesota Gopher jersey took a flyer but me and Sam had it covered.The real action lit up when we hit the big climb and Sam took the lead setting a nice pace up the hill.I took over for the last quarter and we had split the field down to about 10 riders.On the back side of the hill it was a long downhill.I wanted to keep things rolling to open up the gap more.It took a bit to organize a pace line but we got the hang of it after a while.Alot of the new young ambitious riders I noticed aren't very fluid in rotating as they would surge hard when they hit the front or don't move over resulting in guys losing wheels or getting caught without a draft.Then everyone gets fried and unorganized.When we finally turned with the wind we hit the rollers and shelled more riders.We were now down to 5 of us.It was perfect.Everyone settled down and we ran a pace line all the way with everyone rotating constantly. Jake did take a couple more flyers but we just let him sit out there keeping him at 50 meters. when we turned east with like 5 miles to go he slowed on one of the hills and everyone was back together.The main field was nowhere in sight so we kind of recovered for the sprint.The last 1.5k to the finish was in the wind and as soon as we hit the final corner Jake went out and no one responded so I jumped and brought Sam and another guy along back to his wheel.Now we had 4 for the final sprint.When I got back on Jakes wheel I should have just whipped around him and gone for it but I kind of sat up for a draft,then sam counter attacks right away with 200 m.Jake jumps on it and my legs are screaming bloody murder at this point.But me,Jake and another guy make it past sam.Jake slowly edges away while I see Sams wheel comming in between mine and the other riders.Right at the line I surge te bike out in perfect sprinting fashion taking 2nd place by just inches.Just like the Ore-to-shore finish.It was sweet.Sam took 4th.The race official that was behind us the whole race told us he has seen alot of races and this one was one of the best,especially for cat5.He was very impressed with our organization.
I know its only cat 5 but after the way I've been feeling the past 2 weeks,I like to see I'm starting to come around again.After the race we waited in vain for the prize money for 4 hrs.We did have some company but thats a different story.I just hope they'll mail it.-E.O

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Trying to recover

Ever since my crappy race on saturday I decided to just take some time off the bike to get my legs feeling right again.I've been feeling like an old man,waking up sore,going to bed sore,moving slowly.All day my legs feel just like I had ridden 3:00+hrs.Very unusual symptoms of something I guess.Monday after trying to spin the legs out in the rain(which didn't help) I made up my mind to take 2 or more days off the bike.For me history shows that when I have taken extended days off the bike I come back really strong. i.e.-last year before we went out to South Dakota I had that knee problem which forced me off the bike 4-5 days the week we were going to leave.After a day or two of light riding and being a little stale I had the best week of my life.Every day on the climbs I left Sam in my dust,and my legs never said no.I was totally suprized.Don't ask me why.This weekend will be the last road race for us (except the withrow TT) before gearing up for mtb season.So I'll have a couple of weeks to make a comeback before the MNSCS.

Since I talked about South Dakota,I'll put a plug in for that.This year we are planning on heading out there the week of the 4th of July.We loved watching one of the best fireworks shows in the country out there,and the military flyby's are awesome.Every year we base camp at Kemps Kamp in Keystone and ride our favorite routes from there.For something new this year we were thinking of taking a couple days and ride the Big Horns since its only a few hrs farther with much greater elevations.(If anyone knows any nice rides there let me know).And maybe another ride in the badlands if its not too hot.On the way back we are going to hit the Mankato mtb race which works out perfect.
If anyone is interested in going let me know.I want to bring a nice group with if possible.I have my 5x8 enclosed trailer this time so I can haul some extra gear.We make gas and campground fees pretty much the only expense.We live out of canned food most of the time.If you have any more Q's let me know.