Believe it or not since I last updated my ass had to go under the knife once again!  This time it was my other ass cheek that needed to be drained.  As odd as this might sound with two new holes cut in my derrier I am starting to feel better since most of the infection has leaked out.

I definitely owe a huge thanks to Dr. Keith at race medical who got to know me on a very personal level!  By the sounds of it and after I finish my antibiotics that Dr. Keith gave me I should be good to go for Tour of the Gila which starts a week from Wednesday.  I will have to try all of the saddle sore prevention advice that I recieved (thanks) and see which works best.

Unfortunately I feel it un-blog-worthy to post pictures of my new drainage valves…however if you are a cute girl who is interested in such things I would be willing to give a little looksee in person!  Okay that was gross….any takers though?

Tomorrow it is suppose to snow here…yeeeehaw….I can’t ride so everyone else in Boulder might as well be miserable with me!

Lastly, on the plane ride today back from Atlanta I have decided to declare myself eligible for the NBA draft. I think basketball might be a bit easier and less painful than cycling.  However I am not going to get an agent in the case that I do not get drafted I can still go back to college.

Okay, Frank is going to kick my leaky ass if I don’t go help him take out the trash.

later, g. 

Yes that is right…as of last night I am a merely a spectator at the Tour of Georgia  after being DQ’d upon finishing yesterday’s Brasstown Bald stage.

Yesterday was definitely the hardest stage of the tour and for me it was one of my hardest days on the bike!  I had been dealing with a saddle sore for the previous few days but at the start of the stage it did not feel too uncomfortable.  However that was not the case afterwards….

Anyway, from the get go I was struggling. Whenever the road would go up I would go shooting out the back of the group and have to ride in the caravan and get back on.  In the end I don’t think the Chief Commisaire liked that idea and I got DQ’d after finishing the stage. 

On top of that lovely news the infectiong that I had brewing in the form of a saddle sore blew up.  After the finish much like in Europe last year I had to go and get a hole cut in my ass so the infection and am on a cycle of antibiotics!  (I would like to say thanks to the race medical staff who have taken care of me since day one of the tour….you guys are awesome!)

Needless to say I am very FRUSTRATED for not only getting DQ’d but for my saddle sore issues.  I am not quite sure what to do…experiment with different saddles…laser hair removal…racing on a recumbent….who knows?  I have pretty much tried everything so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

Later, g.

PS.  It was awesome seeing all the fans out on Brasstown Bald yesterday and I wanted to say thanks for all of the cheers and support on the way up it really helped!

Well, yesterday was “The first day that I almost got last ” and and believe it or not today was “The second day I almost got last!”  However, by combining “The first day I almost got last” with “The second day I almost got last”…..I actually am in last place overall in the Tour of Georgia.

Today was the longest stage of the TOG and I found myself in a break of three (Austin King from Jittery Joes and Glenn Chadwick from Navigators were the others) for about one hundred of the one hundred and thirty mile stage today.  It was hard….the three of us got caught….Ivan Stevic won….and I am still sore and now really tired! 

My teammate BJM did win the KOM jersey today which was awesome!  On a bad note Emile and Scotty went down but they will be fine to race tomorrow.  However, my teammate last year Mike Sayers, who rides for BMC this year, crashed also and DNF’d so I hope he is okay.

Apparently today was a flat stage in the tour…I thought it was pretty frickin’ hilly!  Not a good sign for tomorrow’s stage which actually does go into the mountains!

Time for bed!

later, g. 

PS. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all of the comments and support!  Jones I ate dessert tonight..was doing good but smashed the shit out of some Rice Krispy treats and now I feel guilty!

Yep, that was today…..I almost got last!  At one o’clock this afternoon the Tour of Georgia got underway.  Stage one was a 100 mile mostly flat affair which saw us race from Peachtree City to Macon, Ga.

Things started out good…I was in an early break that almost stuck but didn’t…so I guess it really was not that good!  Anyway, coming into the circuits here in Macon trying to help out our protected riderd for the day I went down in a corner and lost a bunch of skin…then had to ride the circuits all by myself off the back…it was exhilirating!

However, amid the confusion and frustration I somehow managed to pass a knee warmer wearing (It was probably 75 degrees by the way) Saunier Duval Euro dude and thus did not get last.

 I was told girls like tough guys…..does this count?  If anything the skin I lost will make me lighter for the mountain stages in this tour!  Why diet when you can just crash?

Then to make matter worse…once I crossed the line I had to go and piss in a cup for doping control before getting the scrubbed up by the medical staff. Where I worked up a rather nice sweat from the small amount of pain I had to endure while being cleaned…OUCH!

Alright time for bed….it is a little scary going to bed knowing how sore I will be tomorrow! 

Before I go I would like to say thanks to the TOG Medical staff who did an awesome job cleaning me up (especially Forrest) and to all of the riders who asked how I was doing…Thanks guys!  Lastly congrats to my teammate Emile who is currently 4th overall after stage one!

later, g. 

Yesterday, after spending a week in Chattanooga (Thanks for the great training Eddy) Teddy and I made the journey to Peachtree City, GA.  Peachtree City is where the TOG race hotel is located and is also where stage one of TOG starts.

Anyway, today has been pretty uneventful….actually it has been extremely boring!  After a good week of training I needed to take today off so I can rest up for the tour.  To pass the time I made a few bike adjustments and re-measured all of my measurements just to make sure they have not changed during the last couple of days.

 Aside from that I took a nap earlier in the day and this is Teddy my roommate napping in the afternoon.

 I also caught Davide Frattini adjusting the saddle on his bike from the balcony my hotel room….so I am not the only one who adjust shit.  I really hope Glenn and Coach O. see this.  

Speaking of Coach O….after doing a quick pinch test this afternoon I officially have less abdominal fat than he does which means he inherits the “custard guts” nickname.  Either he has gotten fatter or I have gotten leaner….I really hope it is the latter!

Time to go to the team presentation.

later, g.