Hey there.

So I have been busy.  Busy enough for many posts, but too busy to post them.  Here is the super condensed version of my life lately.  Sorry I can't satisfy your voyeuristic urges more.

-Been racing a bunch.  Buck Hill on Thursday nights.  The Woolly race last weekend.  Buck hill has been going well for such a short race course that does not favor me.  I ended up with second at the Woolly after an episode of breathing troubles on the first time up the hill in the first singletrack.  TJ W. was first and Barry T. nudged Eric O. for third.  Buck tonight, weekend at Cable.

-Sadly, my very good friends, the Carey's are moving.  Mark (Triguy) is gone already and Erin will soon follow next week.  They'll be in NC for the next 2 years, and I hope they return.  They will be greatly missed.  We already have plans to go see them.

-Abi is saying more and more.  She did her first bike race (see family blog).

-I am back working at the shop.  Beats being a fisherman in the Gulf right now.

-The Fisher 29er crew is now the Trek 29er crew.  I should be sporting new duds soon.

-I have not been in an endurance race for a long time.  Transwisconsin would have been fun, but Levis call my name again. 

-I keep getting the "your into gravel races, right?" comment.  Yes I am, when there aren't mountain bike races.  There has been some shock of my arrival at some races because there were gravel events the same day.

-We have 2 Superfly 100's (17.5" and 19") and a Hi Fi pro (17.5").  Seems not many locally are interested, but maybe folks from the cities are looking?

Tri out.

On all fours.

Once again, I found myself forced to the ground, not able to breath.  Thanks to me forgetting my inhaler and the extremely high humidity at the Sunburst Showdown in WI.  I was comfortably riding about 15th and looking to move up when the climb (very humid area) the second lap had me off the bike gasping.  I continued.  After the mowed single track (very humid area), it hit again with a vengeance; dizzy, weak, almost passing out.  After many minutes I got up and limped into the finish to DNF when I got hit again.  Forced to lay in shade, on a concrete slab, gasping uncontrollably, had me wondering if things like the Arrowhead are a good idea. 

Afton Alps

(Picture stolen after maliciously hacking into Sam Bushendorf's facebook account)

So quality blogging has been lacking lately. I'll try to catch everyone up on my super amazing life, starting with the most recent events and working back. This will take several posts.

First things first. Afton Alps and the MN series. This is the antithesis of what makes a good race course for me. Total my race contained; the climbing (an enemy of mine), the heat(another enemy), spending Saturday building a 10 foot high deck, stupid mid race moves that cost me a good chunk of time, stupid gear choices that cost me a good chunk of time (read unnecessary mid race stops), and a bad start.

Now that is all well and good and I can only point at myself to blame, but I am happy with the end result. I finished just outside the top ten (12th) after hitting the top of the first climb in the mid 20's. If you knocked out the pros I would have been in the top ten, but if you knocked out enough people I would have won the race. I guess I was first place in the 30-35 male racers on Gary Fisher bikes. It was fun out there duking it out with those around me. Good times, good times.

Oh, and the Superfly 100 is simply crazy awesome. I debated about running the hardtail for the lighter weight, sure glad I didn't.

Next big race might be the WORS race in Kewaskum. I happened to do it last year and the course was lame, but I will be in the area so who knows.

My daughter is waking up, so why don't you get back to work as well.

What is the saying?

Vote early, vote often?

Seriously, if you like shared access and well built mountain bike trails click the link and offer your vote.  Thanks!