BACK IN THE OL' CO! Boy it sure does feel good to see some old friends and walk around speaking English but, it feels even better to get a little down time. That whole bike riding thing is fun again! I'm going to warn you right now by saying that I probably won't be updating the blog much for the next week or so. I'm doing everything I can to cram 6 months worth of living into the space of about a week!
Enjoying the sun,
alex
Monday, June 16, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The Road
Still in Belgium right now. Raced on the 8th, and preparing to race again today on the 10th. The race a couple of days ago went about as I had expected it would. Race, race, race, cough, cough, cough (I've been sickish for the last week), 20 guys go up the road, race, race, race, make it into a chase group w/ 5km to go, flat, finish mid pack. Normal stuff. I'm sure today will be more of the same.
I will say though, that hanging out here at the national team house is a very welcomed change of pace. Hanging out, speaking English, recalling war stories, watching English tv, and just enjoying riding bikes (or not riding sometimes! our "training session" at a playground in a near by town wasn't exactly the most strenuous ride), has me feeling happy as a clam here. Not to mention I don't have to cook dinner! I could most certainly get used to this.
Anyways, just got my ticket info and I'm officially heading to the states on the 12th! REALLY EXCITED!
Oh, and one more thing. A few of you were asking about my fight at Roubaix. It started when they neutralized the race after 60km and some hozer was pushing his way to the front. He pushed me down into the mud in an effort to move up and I grabbed onto his bike to preventing him from doing so. Upon regaining my footing, he had some choice words for me in his language and I had a few for him in my language. He swung, popped me in the top of the helmet (that had to hurt!) and in the heat of the moment I felt the need to give him a quick jab w/ the right. Pretty stupid, but I'm sure it was pretty funny to watch!
Goin' out swinging today,
alex
I will say though, that hanging out here at the national team house is a very welcomed change of pace. Hanging out, speaking English, recalling war stories, watching English tv, and just enjoying riding bikes (or not riding sometimes! our "training session" at a playground in a near by town wasn't exactly the most strenuous ride), has me feeling happy as a clam here. Not to mention I don't have to cook dinner! I could most certainly get used to this.
Anyways, just got my ticket info and I'm officially heading to the states on the 12th! REALLY EXCITED!
Oh, and one more thing. A few of you were asking about my fight at Roubaix. It started when they neutralized the race after 60km and some hozer was pushing his way to the front. He pushed me down into the mud in an effort to move up and I grabbed onto his bike to preventing him from doing so. Upon regaining my footing, he had some choice words for me in his language and I had a few for him in my language. He swung, popped me in the top of the helmet (that had to hurt!) and in the heat of the moment I felt the need to give him a quick jab w/ the right. Pretty stupid, but I'm sure it was pretty funny to watch!
Goin' out swinging today,
alex
Friday, June 6, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Crazy
(Finally have my camera harware back. Sorry for the lack of photos. Here's one from the iPod surgery to hold you over) Well Roubaix was pretty crazy. What else can I say? It was almost exactly what I expected. Mud, slick pave, pissed off euros, wicked fun. Don't be fooled by the results (I think I got 60th. The last guy to make the time cut), I had a pretty good day out there. My job for the day was to led Gatis and Evaldas into the cobble sections and I did just that.
Quick break down of the race- Marked breaks for the first 50km. Got a flat 5km before the first pave section. Motor paced back at 70kmph almost killed myself riding on the side walk then revved the engine at the front and launched Gatis into the pave. Race was neutralized after a moto crashed. Got in a fist fight during the neutral. Stayed upright by riding 15yards out into a mud field during the second section to make the led split of 25. Marked breaks till Gatis rejoined the front (crashed during pave section). Race, race, race. Bla, bla, bla. Pave, pave, pave. Crash w/ 30km to go. Got an epically slow wheel change and no help from the car after the change. Day was over. Packed it up and just dragged my tired ass to the finish. Damn seeing the finishing velodrome felt good!
One funny thing about the whole Roubaix experience is, before the race the staff told us that after the race we could drink all the beer we wanted. But saying that is like telling a little kid who is going in to get his tonsils taken out that, after the surgery, he can have all the ice cream he wants. After surgery the poor kid is in too much pain to get the ice cream down his throat so he just sits there staring at it in agony. We were not much different. After the race my hands were so trashed and bruised I could hardly even hold a beer can. Opening it was damn near impossible and drinking it.... not happening.
Anyways, Roubaix was fun and I'm really happy I got to race and even happier that I put in a good race and was able to really help out the team. However, there is no time to bask in the post Roubaix vibe; I've got a big month ahead of me. I'll spare y'all the details but I will say that in the next month I will visit 5 countries and 4 states. Yeah, that's right I said states!
Going home for a week,
alex
Quick break down of the race- Marked breaks for the first 50km. Got a flat 5km before the first pave section. Motor paced back at 70kmph almost killed myself riding on the side walk then revved the engine at the front and launched Gatis into the pave. Race was neutralized after a moto crashed. Got in a fist fight during the neutral. Stayed upright by riding 15yards out into a mud field during the second section to make the led split of 25. Marked breaks till Gatis rejoined the front (crashed during pave section). Race, race, race. Bla, bla, bla. Pave, pave, pave. Crash w/ 30km to go. Got an epically slow wheel change and no help from the car after the change. Day was over. Packed it up and just dragged my tired ass to the finish. Damn seeing the finishing velodrome felt good!
One funny thing about the whole Roubaix experience is, before the race the staff told us that after the race we could drink all the beer we wanted. But saying that is like telling a little kid who is going in to get his tonsils taken out that, after the surgery, he can have all the ice cream he wants. After surgery the poor kid is in too much pain to get the ice cream down his throat so he just sits there staring at it in agony. We were not much different. After the race my hands were so trashed and bruised I could hardly even hold a beer can. Opening it was damn near impossible and drinking it.... not happening.
Anyways, Roubaix was fun and I'm really happy I got to race and even happier that I put in a good race and was able to really help out the team. However, there is no time to bask in the post Roubaix vibe; I've got a big month ahead of me. I'll spare y'all the details but I will say that in the next month I will visit 5 countries and 4 states. Yeah, that's right I said states!
Going home for a week,
alex
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