A couple of minutes ago, a suburban nicked my left shoulder on CLCity.blvd
V72-CDG white Chevy suburban.
I followed him into his neighborhood but he pulled into someone else driveway.
I was just following him to get his license plate number.
I didn't say anything but he yelled out his excuses for nearly killing me.
I was doing 25-27mph 2ft from the curb when he flew by.
NOT A JOKE ( he was in full camo (shrt pnts and hat) dark Oakley shades and mustache) he was definitely on the hunt for something. SUPER REDNECK

I would like to call this in. Just in case this isn't his first time or in case he hits someone else they'll have him down as doing this previously.

Sorry I don't own a camera phone or I would have got a pic.

VO2 Test, Anerobic Threshold (AT) - V Slope Method

From the the data gathered, I most likley don't have a very high Anerobic muscle precentage.

Well I allread knew this, but this was another test to solidify the Hypothesis.

The test Result was 49 ml/min/kg. This is probably the lowest on the team.

So when I enter a Ferrari race in my Volvo, I better be a supper efficient driver. (with a Nitrous button for the end).

CX Memorial Park (you aint going hard enough unless you feel like DYING)

What are these things I thought this was a MTB race.

DYING,, now did anyone see where my legs went ..........................

Poor ForbEE he looks tired.

Houston Grand Criterium

I managed to win the first Prime on the 3rd lap.
Then I wrapped it up by placing second overall.

That first Prime was the hardest part of the race. I swore she said Oakley glasses Oh well. I sprinted from the first corner(way to early). I looked down 900+ watts, I knew this would not last. I settled into 450 watts, I kept looking back, The first 5 seconds they didn't respond I had a 30 yard gap. I looked back again the pack was coming.
I pedaled harder, 500 watts again, then 2 broke away and they were going to catch me if I didn't speed up. I thought all or nothing who cares I've already sacrificed myself for this might as well win the prime. My ass was off the seat, and my mind was wondering wheres that dam line at. These two pics kind of tell the last part of the story.
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152524870-L-LB


The finish was kind of un eventful
I started on the right, and accelerated from there, from about 10th and managed to move up to 2nd.
These pictures where of the last few seconds of the race.
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152531862-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152532230-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152522774-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152532550-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152532769-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152532966-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152533143-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152533305-L-LB

Luck of good positioning was in my favor.

I raced the double lake on Sunday finished mid pack, partly because I was in wedding the night before, and was up dancing all night with my beautiful wife. I took a good crash, but not as bad as some others in front of me. The track was very nice with only one major mud spot.

I realized after the race that I had forgotten to eat, I was wondering why that GU had such an awesome effect on my 4th lap, I was in a hurry to get to the race and had an egg and a couple bites of oat meal early that morning but forgot to eat and it was 4 hours inbetween the race start and another 2 and a half to finish man was I hungry...

It was a really fun race even though the course was very boring. It was like long distant running just you and the trail, and trying to beat a time.

That reminds me http://www.costarica2.com/albums/alyssa-matthew/ these are from our wedding, 11 more days and it will be a year. Gotta find something paper to give her for the one year.

A guy at work sent this out, in relation to Fridays tragedy.

John Donne said it best, four hundred years ago:

"No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; every man is apeece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for who the bell tolls; It tolls for thee."

THE WARDA
It was a beautiful race day.
Got a bad start.
I think I was 5th from last at the first turn.
Then suffered the bottle neck effect when we entered the single track.
I made about 3 passes on the first jeep road then 2 more after the barn.
Went around the pond and filed in behind Team Ortho as we entered the single track.
There where about four of us making are way through the woods. The two in front of me were doing there best to drop me, and it eventually worked, (I caught them on the last lap and put a minute on them) so now just me and another guy where trucking along. We came out of the woods and those guys were gone. kept my head down and headed up the jeep road to the next pond. I bombed down Gas Pass then made my way up the The Pass and descended down Mule Trace. First lap was over and 3 more to go but I was feeling fresh and every lap I went a little faster. Then put it down for the 4th lap past 5 more guys and got
16th
Matthew Morgan
Team Tilson Homes
2:03:01
I should have gone a little faster in the beginning and stayed at least in the top ten group.

I gained about 5 positions on the last lap. I never have been good a reserves I save up to much.

Overall I'm happy how it went, and have learned a few more lessens that will hopefully put me in the top ten soon.

Warda Map

The Paper Clip / Part of The Neighborhood Nationals (southwest series)

No numbers No cash only (pros, wanna be pros, old throw backs from an era before you were born, and first timers getting drop ed off the back wondering how in the hell it just happened. (you know Big Gear Stelli / and Old Man Winter will be there) till the day there Heart gives out and there taken away in an stretcher (no other way to go for these guys)

I love this training ride/race.
You never know whats going to go down on the Crack Train.
Breakaways / Pack Separations
Sometimes the whole thing stays together till the last mile.
I feel like I'm in a pack of Wild Wolves, all the panting grunting and sweat.
Everyone in the pack is a definite animal.
The best part is the last 2 miles a fever comes over the whole pack, a sense of urgency envelopes you.
The Sit-in's wake up the Worker's work harder for 5 minutes the pack is alive.
The pace goes from 30 to 33 with a mile to go then it's at the hundred yard mark and the real speed comes out 35 and crossing under the bridge at 38 to 40.

(finish this later)

BMW CRIT PART II

The Start. All Smiles Here.

Next 5-6 laps I lead the chase to catch the junior who broke away at the start.





Next lap I slow down to see who's following me.
Me and the kid in blue and yellow were the only ones working so I told him I was going to sprint the next lap He stuck to my wheel and we broke loose , from the 4 other racers.
Seven more laps time to pick up the pace. I let (blue and yellow know, I'm going for it with only 6 laps to go, the junior finaly caught up road behind for the last 3 laps and pulled around for a sprint to the finish.

I got 1st in the Cat. 5's but the Junior that took off at the start won the over all, he later raced the Cat 1-2 race and got second there.

Momentum BMW Spring Criterium Series

It was bloody
This is where I'll be for every sunday I'm not MTB racing.
This past weekend we had 2 team wipeouts with one resulting in a hospital visit, and a cast.

Also there is no where to warm up so bring your trainers unless you like riding through the getto with a stop sign every hundred yards.

I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but I'm still building up for May so we'll see what next Sunday brings.

Alyssa's off of work and tonight is tax night.

This link is a quick and easy way to look back on all your past performances.
http://www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?compid=177903

THE NEW TAURINE WAS ROCKIN.
Sunday started at 6AM, James and Mark, were just dying to take me to the race, we arrived with 20 minutes to spare, 0810 and a 0830 race start.


I took off up the courses first climb for a fast warm up then made my way to the start, Yurgen looked at me and said aren't you racing the sport class.
Then he said we'll your going to need your race number, I closed my eyes and shook my head(you know the one that says yes I'm an idiot), so now I'm sprinting back to the car hoping it's not locked with my number inside, Mark's laying in the passenger seat(TG). I quickly put on my number and race back to the start. Tobins calling out the racers and calls out Richard Cabezza, so I line up in the back, now I'm hoping Yurgen calls the top 10 forward, and he does so I go from the right side up to the front left side, this gives me the outside lane on the first corner. Didn't want to risk a pile up on the inside corner, but everything worked out as you can see here. I had no idea they were that far back I figured they were right behind me.

The Plano rider behind me wanted by as we entered the trail so I let him, because we were turning around and heading into the wind. I figured I'd try to get back in the lead on the climb, I did for a little while. Red bike, Big Pig, Former UT and me exchanged lead positions on the first lap. It was uneventful but I took note of every one's strengths, I noticed on the flats through the canyon and across the fields I would put a pretty big gap or easily follow the leader, but on the climbs I would struggle to stay with them. So I stayed with them through the first lap knowing all I had to do was stay in the pack until the descents and canyon and make a break for it.

We approach the feed I'm the only one that grabs a bottle 4 or 5 go racing up the first climb, I put it in my lowest gear and take my time up the climb, I'm in 3rd by the time I reached the top. Big pig(matt), got a rear tire flat, so now I'm following Red Bike(cody), With Former UT(federico) trailing right behind. We wind up the last bit of switchbacks(lowest gear track stands kind of switch backs), and I'm keeping close to Red Bike and were putting a little gap on Former UT.

Then We take the Plunge and now were pulling away from the pack on this high speed decent, I love Saint Jo just for this reason, you get fully rewarded for your climbing efforts you hardly have to touch your brakes, you just descend down like a hawk looking to snatch up the next rabbit that crosses the trail.

Now it's just me and Red bike. We've rounded the pond and we're climbing again, Just a small climb to another twisty decent, We've made it to the field and drop through the halfpipe, and a huge decent that will probably kill you if you forget to brake, because there's a huge tree that makes you hard turn it left then right.

Now we've made it to the canyon Red Bike lets me by, and I start mashing with 4-5miles left I put down a disappearing gap until the climb out of the canyon and I see him again. He's about 25 yards back, I hunker down and put another sprint across the field, this gives me a little more room but not much, now were in the trees the descents and climbs just roll on like 30 second intervals, with a 1 minute climb at the end, this leads to the last drop in, and it is sweet, all I can say is Roller Coaster heaven, I gave it my all and never looked back, crossed the field and made my way back up the winding false flats, a grueling up hill against the wind finish.

http://tmbra.org/results/spring_07/bash/ssm19.html

Expert Race, I just raced to Finish, and stop to feed, fix a chain twice and relieved myself and turn around at the feed zone because I drop a bottle...

5 Laps and I was cooked but my new Taurine was riding strong, never got off the bike to climb, and closed many gaps on the descents. When it comes to Endurance type racing I feel like a VW trying to make it on a cross country trip, things keep breaking down, but some how it takes you HOME, even if you have to use the whole roll of duct tape.


http://commiebike.com/BHSptTh/BHspt0859.htm



pictures provided by www.commiebike.com

Life saving feeds provided by James Janoch

Speed racer transport provided by Brian Freeze

During the race commentary provided by Mark Landeck

It's about time Cannondale made a bike just for me.

Hard tail / Solid Black / I guess I'll go with disk brakes it is 2007.

Under 20.9 pounds,before modifications. The thing is light without sacrificing stiffness AT ALL.

Some of the first modifications, nothing here sacrificed rideabilty for the sake of grams, these were just freeBEEs for the taking.

Grips -80 grams

Switched to a Maxxis crossmark (570grams)front tire with sealant (30 grams) (original tire was 700grams) -100 grams

removed rim strips -40 grams

added pedals +200 grams

removed odds and ends -25 grams

Now if I could just figure out how to remove those reflective stickers off the rims.

I've got one more part on the way, a Easton EC90 Carbon seatpost 31.6 x 400 supposed to be 80grams lighter.

I also might switch to titanium rotor bolts and a rear XTR Cassette.

Taurine




It came in Yesterday and I immediately left work to build it.


There were a few snags that kept me from finishing the build. The shipper some how managed to monkey the rear derailleur hanger into a big J, Webster Bike immediately called Cannondale and got another one on the way.


Then I replaced the front wheel bearings with some new ceramic enduro bearings, these things roll really smooth.


I'm going to try to leave work by 4 today and get up there and finish the build, All I need to do is trim the derailleur's cable then set the derailleur and I'm done.


The bike looks sweet minus my greasy Paw Prints.


.

Tapatio Race Video is Finally in

Click this and pick save as to watch a great vid provided by pedalmasher.