It feels like Fall: getting cross bikes ready, gluing tubies (with no tape you bitches!), closing windows at night so we don’t freeze in the morning, chopping and stacking wood and reading ski mags dreaming of new gear and pow. This is perhaps my favorite time of year. It was cold enough last night that we had cold feet when we climbed into bed. I love that. I have a big pile of wood going in the back yard, some cut, some split. Cutting and splitting wood by hand is very satisfying. Sometimes I wish "sustaining" was my only job. Not sure I would make it, but it would be cool to try.

I had a typical run-in with a tourist driver last night. I was doing some intervals (read training harder than I have in weeks) on a road that is known for moose. In a very moosey spot there was a car parked on the shoulder (most likely gawking at moose) so as I approached I glanced over my shoulder to see if there were any cars coming or if I could swing out so I didn’t get doored by some camera/moose happy touron. There was an SUV about 300 meters (so euro to list distances in metric) back so I had plenty of room and I swung out. The dude literally lays on the horn as he blazes by me giving be about 5 cm between life and death. I of course flip his NY-ass the bird.

At that point, I was blowing snot out every orifice after 10 minutes at 300+watts (whoa posting data, I am sure someone will make a crack. Yah okay 300 watts ain’t that much, but I have been drinking beer a lot, only weight 148.4932lbs and I did 4 of those mother effers. How you like them stats? If you are taking any of this serious, go read somewhere else. It is a joke. Relax.)

So, I finish my effort and I see that the guy has pulled into the local tourist watering hole and he yells “hey, I don’t care if you are Lance fucking Armstrong, get out of the road asshole”.

What can you say to that? Lance is so 2000. Why can’t he call my Erwin Fucking Vervecken? Enrico Fucking Franzio? Lance sucks.

Speaking of going all Euro . . megA posted photos of her new boiler . . . .a Buderus . . . .so freaking Euro I can’t believe it. Buderus sponsors all sorts Nordic skiing and cross racing in Europe. Plus you got a Reillo burner . . .you don’t need no stinking Amerikan made Webster burner. What you guys need now are Grundfos (pink) pumps and some Buderus panel radiators. . . .so freaking Euro megA.

I drive all over New England and beyond for work and racing. Martha and I always joke about making a collage of photos of things we see that make us shake our heads. Typical to my modus operandi, I have never started the collection. Until today.
This was my view driving thru Franconia Notch:

This is a blow up as I drove by. I was too embarrassed to take a photo of the driver, but you can imagine.

Coming back from vacation is never easy. You find the milk you left buried in the refrigerator, you have a pissed off cat that has been neglected for 10 days, you have a billion emails that require responses and you have to get back into the swing of daily life (that means less wine and more sleep). It is never fun, but the 10 days off were well worth it. Harpswell treated us well.

Now that we are back, I can’t stop thinking about cross. I took a break from the bike with the hopes of recharging the body and mind. It seemed to work, although I am still not too excited to train. That could prove to be a problem! My new cross setup will be ready this week so I am sure that will provided added motivation. The big question for me is what race do. Last year I moved up to Elites after a good season in the Killer B’s the year before. Let’s just say that my first year of racing with the big boys was EYE OPENING. I got shelled every week and never finished on the lead lap of a UCI race. Ouch. I am not sure if I am any faster this season, so it might be a long season racing Elites. I am old enough to Master’s race this year. That might be fun?!?!?

Call Yo Bluff

Okay, I didn't post my women's picks for tonight, mostly because I don't know too many of them.

That said, I just read megA's blog and I beleive I see a yellow powertap computer on her cross bike! True?!?!

If it is, my money is on her tonight. I suspect some "Secret Training" has been going down in the (happy) valley.

It Ain't Right

Cross season is in disarray already. How can people be racing tonight? It is freaking August. Even the Frites and Mayo crazed Euros haven’t raced yet. What is the Cross world coming to? What ever happened to tradition, damnit.

Looking at the start list here are my Picks:
1) Powers
2) Cody
3) White
4) (Von) Leach (Yah, I know I misspelled it. Get it?)
5) Aspholm

Also an interesting name on the start list: JD Bilodeau. Is this his return to fame and fortune? I haven’t seen him race since he was riding those banana skin looking Treks. Could be a dark horse?!?

Plenty of smack talking going on over at Dieter’s page. Glad to see it. I must say the MAC boys and girls sure are fired up. I have been getting 10-20 emails every day on the MAC Cross Yahoo Group. Good on you boys and girls.

This is getting to be a trend . . .yet another killer weekend has passed.
The trip was mostly for pleasure but Martha did have to squeeze in some solid PR schmoozing at the Eastern Ski Writers Association summer meeting. For the most part her trade show/cocktail hour and dinner went well. . . .if you overlook the food poisoning she got from the meal! She is still suffering the effects of the night. Not exactly the best way to loose 5 lbs!

We scored some great mountain biking at the new trail center at Saddleback, I got in a trail run to the summit ridge and yes we had a few beers. Sunday we made plans with Martha’s sister and brother-in-law to go fly fishing “in the back country”. I didn’t expect too much, but figures it was a good time to log some family time since they summer in Rangely.

All I can say is WOW! WE drove 30-40 miles on dirt roads up into country that you would have mistaken for Montana. I mean totally amazing. We dry-fly fished for native brook trout the entire day on virgin streams and lakes hooking plenty of fish. Take my word for it: Buy a gazetteer and drive north.



Back to training this week, starting the build up for cross.

Fast Approaching

Heading to Maine for a 3-day weekend tomorrow. Sahweeeet! We are packing both bikes (mtb and road) and even the running shoes! It is hard to believe, but Cross season is fast approaching. I need to start my running program. My running was poor last year so I need to work on that earlier this season. I even gave a fleeting thought to heading to NJ this weekend, but I resisted. I agree with Myerson (did I just say that?!?), Cross is not a summer sport. It was tempting though. Plus, my bikes are in disarray! Time to get the gear sorted. The cross season starts gangbusters in 4 weeks! Myles’ race is Labor Day!