Punishment on the Pavement Part II

Good race this week. Easier than last week, but I also rode hard yesterday. I felt good overall and even won a prime. Its exciting to see that we will have a venue like this next year. Weekly fast races, the guys from Tidewater will dominate next year.

Does anyone have any pics from the race? I saw a lot of cameras out there.

Thanks to everyone who put these races on this late in the season. And thanks for everyone who showed up so it wasn't a waste of their efforts. See everyone in the next road race in February. I had a blast this year.

Saturday Morning Ride

I got up this morning and was excited to ride. I was planning on doing all three rides, something I rarely do. I felt good. I was glad that the first ride was a nice, easy pace for most of it. The wind was something else...wow. It was a good ride and good times.

Met another fellow blogger today. FiremanJohn, good to meet you. It has amazed me how this blogging has gotten me to know more and more people. We meet all the time during rides and races, but it seems I have really gotten to know people and made more friends with those same people after I started this blog.

Hopefully I see everyone at the race tomorrow.

Why do you ride?

The new edition of Road Bike Action gives the answer Why We Ride. Here are some of my favorite responses:

• Blurred lines of pleasure and pain.
• Because its the only sport that let's you sit down most of the time.
• I ride so I can live longer and then I can ride longer so I can live longer...
• Because it gives me another excuse to wear tights.

So why do you ride? I ride for a number of reasons. Health, fitness and the love of the sport are all the obvious reasons. But also because I like doing things that most of my friends at work don't know anything about. When I am riding my cross bike through the woods or my time trial bike through rural back roads, I think to myself, this is part of America that is not seen. And those that drive those roads may see them, but they don't experience them.

Its kind of like being a firefighter. When you see fire, and see how it reacts up close. And you feel that heat and hear the sounds, you are experiencing something that most people will not.

Cycling is a great sport. It is sponsored at the amateur level. Large companies give you money to ride your bike...that should make anyone feel good.

I have also made many new friends through cycling. Most of those friends have come to be closer because of this blog.

So I ride because it is part of who I am.

Why do you ride?

Punishment on the Pavement

Photo taken by Bob Devich and sent to me by K-Dawg. Thanks guys.

The first ever training crit at the Sports Plex was everything I thought it would be...FAST!!!

Very tough race, people showed up wanting to race and that was good. Plus I got to work on my tan lines. It was a little warm outside. A couple of people complain of cramping but not me. I complained of a heart that was beating too fast and lungs that wouldn't fill up with air fast enough.

It was good to see everyone out there. Gene, when you went I was right there on your wheel and my mind told me to go with you but my legs said "bullshit!". Good race guys. Kevin, I wish I had the remotivation that you did. I was on empty man, wish I could have gone with you.

See you next weekend.

Thank you Virginia Beach for providing this facility for us. And special thanks to everyone who had anything to do with this course. This should be very good for cycling in Tidewater. It should be an awesome training course for next year. Can't wait.

Alternative Plan

Trashmore Cyclocross practice was canceled due to rain. We don't mess up the park just to have a little fun...we would probably be banned if that happened. So alternatively we went to Seashore. I really didn't know what to expect, especially since I had never ridden all of trail. Well I got a taste of the Seashore Supercross Invitational.
Now that is what you are suppose to look like after a cross ride. I think I have sand in my eyes.

Thanks Mark and Kevin for pushing the pace, especially during the final leg. I was hurting. That was a fast ride. Kevin, help me out. I have forgotten the names of the other two riders. I know what they are but I'm having a brain fart. All About Bikes and Coastal guy. Well whatever your names are thanks for pushing the pace also, that was a fun ride.
Looks like I have a lot of cleaning to do.

Training helps prevent puking during racing

I am almost convinced that I will puke at least once during this year's cross races. Initially I was only going to be able to attend Tuesday's cross practice, but now I think I will be able to make both days. If the weather is nice my family will also come on Thursdays and cheer us on and hopefully get some pictures. My hope is this extra practice will get me used to the pain a little and reduce the chance of puking in October.

Also I think I will be riding my cross bike on some of the Saturday morning rides. Chris, I won't be showing up with a 48t, but I will be there with knobbies. So look for me...off the back probably. Once again, hopefully the pain will be worth it later. We'll see.

Are you drinking enough water?

Water has been linked to many health benefits. Some of them are more fun than others.


Are you hydrated enough?

Blue Steel

Do you think I have a chance at being a ridiculously good looking male model? Check out my best blue steel face, and I wasn't even trying. Zoolander has nothing on me.

Fire in the can!

The flashover simulator at the VBFD training center is a box in which a fire is lit in the high part and firefighters sit in the lower section. The fire is allowed to progress through free burning. The heat builds up, by products are released. The smoke takes on a different characteristic. It changes from a lazy white smoke (white is caused from a lot of moisture), to a dark, yellow quickly moving smoke. The carbon monoxide reaches its ignition temperature at 1128 degrees. At this point the smoke ignites and everything in the room is on fire. This is a flashover. For the last three days the Chesapeake Fire Department brought some crews here to put in the flashover can. So for three days I got to sit up front in the hottest part of the box. This is a great job. Tamayo, can't wait till I get to put you through it, you'll have a blast.


The simulator shortly after lighting. Free burning is going on.








Check out the change in smoke. A lot more fuel ready to burn in that smoke. Flashover is occurring inside the can. Temperatures are over 1000 degrees in places.

That's me after day three. I have to be careful not to touch anything on me. Gloves come off last or I'll burn my hands.






I got a little burn on my back. During the first day part of the fuel fell from the ceiling and landed on my shoulder. Because I was already hot and burning up, I didn't notice that the board was burning on my shoulder. I left a few blisters, but not too bad.

Overall it was great training. It has been a couple months since I was in it last. Love the heat.

Week one down...

First day of Kindergarten for Caitlyn was Tuesday. She was very excited to ride the bus. Since my wife, Jenni, is a stay at home mom this was a very big day. A very hard day to let her go.

And then Madelyn started Preschool on Thursday. Its only 2 days a week, but again hard on Jenni to let them go.
Jenni had a hard time hiding the tears at the bus stop.

The kids are growing up fast. It seems like just yesterday they were waking us up in the middle of the night because they were hungry. And now there going to school. I thought Jenni would be excited for this day, to give her a little break. But its only a break for an hour and half two days a week, and the thought of her girls growing up is hard to handle. She'll do better after this week.

Sally, thanks for checking in on Caitlyn. She told me "the girl in room 10 knows your name is Joshua."

Kevin, sorry I missed the cross day at Trashmore. Jenni set up a babysitter for a date night. I can't pass up date night...especially this week. I heard you are doing it Tuesdays and Thursdays. If that's true Tuesdays work a lot better for me anyway.

Congratulations to all parents who put kids on the bus this week. Enjoy the quite time.

Cross Over Again

Another week, another first time cross rider.
Nice bike Jon.

5 members of the Virginia Beach Wheelmen showed up at Ipswich to welcome Jon to the CX world. I think we are all getting a little more comfortable on the bikes. At least me, I am trying things that I didn't a couple of weeks ago (so my crash numbers are still staying the same).

Well Jon was packing up leaving a truck pulled up with another CX bike on it. Nice to finally meet you Albe. We are going to try and ride CX probably every Sunday. Maybe its almost time to start the Seashore Supercross Time Trials.

Another member of our team Amanda Goyet ran the Rock n' Roll 1/2 marathon this morning. Her husband James made her stop and kiss their baby at mile 10 for a photo-op. This took about 2 minutes. Finishing time 2 hours 1 minute 45 seconds...she blames James for not achieving her sub 2 hours. Good job anyway Amanda.

Bush vs Miss Teen South Carolina

I'm not making fun...I happen to be a fan of Bush and Miss Teen South Carolina.

Moving on

Bike Zone is closed. I spent Friday afternoon and night there loading up the last of the merchandise and stuff. They have had their "moving" sale for the past month and got rid of a lot of stuff. So the Virginia Beach Wheelmen will be looking for a new title sponsor this year.

The closing of Bike Zone means more to me than just losing a sponsor. I started working for Rick, the owner, in 1996 when it was Bike Line. I was the service manager, store manager then just part time guy who came in when he was needed manager. So after 11 years of working there, plus 3 years of working in that shop when it was A-1 Beach Bikes, the turning in my keys and the emptying of the store was a little sad for me.

As a team, we were hoping to use our kits for two years. We got new jerseys last year and were hoping not to have to order new ones for a little while. Since I do have to redo our clothing, I was wondering if anyone wanted to buy (for cheap) our jerseys from this last year. It would help our team recoop some of our money back from last year to use toward next years kits.

I have limited supply. Small, Medium (19" and full zipper), XL. I will let them go for $40 each. Good price for a training jersey, and now they will be a collector's item.

There are rumors spreading about the future of the Virginia Beach Wheelmen. I will just say we are keeping our options open. Thanks for everyone's input. Any further advice?