Hi everybody……….I am still alive but barely after yesterday’s ride! It has been a hectic past few days and I now find myself in Atlanta, GA until Wednesday.
After the San Dimas stage race I drove to Oakland and hung out with my teamate Roman for a day. Roman was nice enough to bring me to the airport at 5:00 AM on Tuesday morning. I tried to convince him that by having such an early flight was a good thing becuase that way he would avoid traffic………..I don’t think it worked? I also forgot to buy him that tank of gas I promised! Thanks Roman and I.O.U. one take of gas.
Tuesday was a long travel day! I flew from San Jose to Denver where I had a connection. The connecting flight was delayed so I got to sit in the airport for several hours listening to everyone complain about the delay. Why get stressed about something that you cannot control? I remained relaxed thanks to Menzies “deep breathing technique” and probably was the only one there who was not pumping out massive quantites of cortisol!
I made it to Atlanta in the evening and Becca picked me up at the airport. It was great to see her! We ate some Indian food and went and saw the movie “V” for Vendetta which was okay……..at least for the parts I was not sleeping.
With all of the travel and time changes I have experienced the last few weeks I have absolutely no schedule. I am going to bed at crazy times and eating breakfast at lunch. Hopefully I get back to normal soon.
Atlanta is an interesting city. Becca and I went for a three hour ride yesterday and I now know why Atlanta is one of the worst cities to ride a bicycle. The traffic is crazy and we spent a majority of the time riding on the sidwalk. Great fun! I was going to take some pictures but could not take my hands off the bars……..maybe today?
Before I go I wanted to say thanks to Blair Robertson for writing a review of the Blog in the Sacramento Bee! It is an awesome article and if you care to check it out here is the link:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/story/14233781p-15055539c.html
There has been a request to copy and paste the article from the Sacramento Bee since it requires a login to access it. Here it is:
Blog: Wheel men share their experiences — Peltonen does it well


By Blair Anthony Robertson — Bee Staff WriterPublished 2:15 am PST Thursday, March 23, 2006
It has become fashionable for pro cyclists to write about their lives via the Web. Though such blogs are as ubiquitous as burly guys in snug Discovery Channel jerseys, a few of the online journals actually provide worthwhile insights for cycling enthusiasts.
One of the best is by Garrett Peltonen, who races for a top domestic pro team, Health Net-Maxxis, and lives and trains in Folsom.
Peltonen, 25, is a talented rider who also has a writer’s powers of observation and a comic’s wit. Through his blog, he shares everything from his obsessions (his abs, the position of his saddle, the width of his handlebars) to his latest adventure, racing - and choking down the smog - in Taiwan.
The bonus for us is that much of his narrative takes place in our backyard. You’re likely to see him riding on area roads or the American River bike trail.
Peltonen is smart and funny, and deserves a following.
One amusing aspect of his writing is the ongoing battle between his two selves: the devoted pro and the determined goofball.
After a race in which he and two teammates dominated, he wrote: “Time to head to the food store and stock up on goodies. I need some snacks for the few easy days that I am taking. I was thinking frosting in a can and Circus peanuts.”
Just days later, his alter ego weighs in: “Today it is raining and miserable. … I am going to ride six hours!”
Peltonen’s Web address is www.garrettpeltonen.blogspot.com.


later,
g.