Raced yesterday in Arlington Heights, Illinois and the team did well. Karl won, Rich got 3rd, Wes 4th, Frank 9th, Sacko 12th……..etc. We pretty much cleaned up as a team.

How did I do? Well, first let’s go back a few weeks to the start of superweek. Before the first race of superweek I got a new saddle on my bike and if you know me that is quite an ordeal. I like to have things perfect and it takes me many weeks if not months to get a saddle how I like it. However, by the end of superweek I had the saddle dialed to the point that riding my bike was like chilling in a lazy boy. That definetly made me sleep well at night!

Fast forward a week later to Arlington Heights, Illinois where I participated in a local criterium. Five laps into the race I get my front wheel taken out, superman it over my bars into the grass, and break the saddle on my bike. SHIT! I had to ride the rest of the race on a broken/bent uncomfortable saddle. Miraculously, I was able to finish but solely for the good of the team! GUTS I tell you!

Seriously though the saddle thing sucks and now I have to get a new one. By the time I get it comfortable the season will most likely be over. I forsee a few restless/sleepless nights ahead!

I was unable to get a replacement saddle today so Pipp and I went mountain biking at Kettle Moraine. It was the first time I rode my mountain bike in sometime. Needless to say five minutes into the ride I took a corner a little too hot, almost hit a tree, and flipped over my bars. I ripped off all of the scabs on my arm from the crashes I had at superweek. Poor me!! I did look tough though with all of the blood running down my arm. Yes, it is possible to look tougher that I already do! My shoulder is sore and showering is going to suck again but I think I will survive.

We ended up riding for three hours and the single track was awesome. Frank fell over a bunch of times because he could not unclip from his pedals………very funny and so not pro! We rode pretty hard and I sort of forgot how tiring mountain biking is. I really don’t want to admit it but I am sort of tired. I, at least, can take comfort in the fact that if I am tired Frank must be completely hosed!

Tomorrow we are mountain biking again but this time with Tom Schuler. Tom said he was bringing his A-game which is nice to hear. Hopefully we won’t have to wait for him too long!

Then Tuesday the team is hitting the road again for Charlotte, North Carolina. Saturday is the Bank of America Criterium which has a prize list of $125,000…….HUGE! I think we will be gone for a week and then I am not sure where I am going?

later,
g.

Frank took a few pictures of me doing my 23 minute ab routine a few days ago. Apparently after two years of doing ab workouts I am starting to see the benfits. It is about time!

Now I wonder, why was Frank taking pictures of my abs in the first place? Oh that is right…………..I did see him carrying a purse around the other day!

The outcome of the weiner race at the Brewers game the other night was a bit surprising. I had aniticipated that Italian Sausage would win and I even put a dollar on him but he got smoked and got last. Hot dog ended up winning and Andy Smith came out six dollars ahead.

The baseball game was a blast. Seven of us: Nick, Frank, Wes, Andy, Steph, Kim and I all packed into Kim’s jeep and drove to the game. Thanks for driving Kim, you are awesome! We did not get there until the third inning and ended up sitting in the bleechers because we wanted the cheapest seats possible. Actually, the view was not that bad and it was convenient that we sat next to TGI Friday’s bar. That probably was not a good thing!

The game was great and the Brewers ended up winning 7-2 over the Diamond Backs. We took in the entire baseball experience since it is not everyday we go to baseball games! We had a few drinks, ate some peanuts and super rope and gave plenty of high fives. I even got my picture taken with the super rope girl. If you carry around candy all day you must be cool!

Aside from me (with Nicks assistance) spilling a beverage on the family in front of us we did not get into too much trouble. On the way out of the stadium I borrowed a brat from an unattened grill and there was even a bag of buns on the hood of the car that the grill was by. I believe the brat had been marinating on the grill since the first inning though because it was rock hard! I almost broke my tooth but the bun still tasted good! After playing catch with the burnt brat all of us headed downtown for some more fun.

The rest of the evening included going to a bar called the BBC, Wes getting really sick, and the rest of us taking a bit of a nap on the grass. When we got home I was soo hungry and rembered I had left over pizza from when I took the guys out. Each time I would try to get a piece Frank would take a bite out of it before I could get it to my mouth. He ate all of the pizza, what a fatty! I had to settle for the rest of the Rocky Road ice cream I had bought the day before.

Baseball games are awesome and I have included some pictures from the evening.

later,
g.

Yesterday was a pretty busy day. I went to the grocery store twice. The first time I went I bought salad. The second time I bought ice cream. I did not want to be too healthy, I guess, plus I burned enough calories just going to the grocery store a second time that I deserved ice cream.

After the ice cream purchase, Edy’s Light Rocky Road, which was a very good choice I sat on the couch and watched the season premiere of Laguna Beach on MTV. Not only was I eating ice cream and watching Laguna Beach I was doing so while being at a simulated altitude fo 20,000 feet. How many people get to say that they have ate ice cream and watched cable television at that altitude, not too many. Maybe I am the first?

Earlier in the day I met with the Altolab guy, Andrew, and his daughther at Team Sports and they hooked me up with their product. It is a thing you breath through and it simulates altitude without having to go there or sleep in a tent. Here is a picture of me making a summit attempt. I was amazed how warm and calm the weather was at such an altitude!

………and no, it is not a bong. Very funny.

The episode of Laguna Beach was a pretty good one even though I was dizzy for half of it. I even got Billy Jones hooked on the show.

Today I rode my bike with Frank and felt like crap. I have a major sore throat going and we got rained on. I am sick of being wet already.

Off to the Brewer’s game. I am not really a fan of baseball but the blue super rope they sell there is worth the trip. I also like the hot dog race and I think italian sausage is going to win tonight. I heard he has been logging quite a few hours lately compared to polish sausage.

later
g.