I think autumn…which I believe today is the first day…is every cyclist favorite time of year.  It is comparable to summer vacation for school kids except you can watch football.  For nine months out of the year we cyclists spend our time training, racing, traveling, not eating dessert, etc. which is all fine and dandy but come September we really enjoy a change in routine. 

Since my last official race of the season I have been trail running, hiking, eating dessert and best of all watching football!  Football is great…it gives me a sense of purpose to sit on the couch all afternoon and watch tv and drink diet soda!

 Speaking of tv’s it is not too shabby watching games on our new 42″ HD Plasma tv with surround sound!  Anyone want to come over and watch with me?

 My two day diet soda consumption totals!

Contrary to what you might think I am not a complete lazy slob when it comes to football Sundays.  I did get out for an hour trail run up Mt. Sanitas this morning.

 However, on the way down I took one tiny misstep and pretty much rolled down the mountain back to Boulder.  Never thought I would have to wear a helmet trail running but I cracked my head pretty good and took some minor gouges out of my palm…all on top of looking really retarded!

 However, my post-operative bandages were worth the fall and I think it helped the Packers win today…they are 3-0 by the way and are going to win the Super Bowl.

Aside from watching the NFL today, Rory, Will, Cheynna, and I went to the CU-Boulder football game yesterday which was a blast!

 Rory, Will, and Cheynna getting the ThunderSticks warmed up.

 The wonderful cheerleaders of course.

 CU crushed Miami of Ohio 42-0 and we had really good tickets…so it was a good day.

 The Buffs cheering section.

I think it is time for another diet soda….

later, g.

Today was day one of off-season training…a fifteen-mile, seven-and-a-half hour hike up to the Arapahoe Peaks (~13500 ft).

After a late night airport run Frank had to drag me out of bed this morning.  Actually, I got up on my own but only about three minutes before Frank came to pick me up…sorry Frank but hey I need my beauty rest.

Anyway, here are some pictures from the hike.

 Not that this is related but be careful going down stairs after getting out of the hot tub!

 The start of the hike in the trees.

 Frank “The Navigator” Pipp leading the way.

 Above the tree line with the Arapahoe Glacier and Arapahoe Peaks in the background.

 An Alpine Tundra DoDo Snow bird…okay I have no clue what kind of bird it is but they did look like they would taste good!

 The climb was rather technical but not if you have skills…I had to help Frank most of the way!

 Frank eating an apple with Arapahoe Glacier in the background.

 Arapahoe Glacier and North Arapahoe Peak.

 Frank “The Navigator” Pipp on top of the 13,384 ft South Arapahoe Peak.

 En-Route to North Arapahoe Peak.  The attempt fell short however, due to the lack of a ladder…it was a technical route and we were scared of falling off the mountain…or at least Frank was!

 Some random dude who also got denied from the top of North Arapahoe Peak.  Also where I broke my camera making it impossible to take pictures on the way down.

Today was a great hike but my legs are absolutely wrecked and I hate to admit this but Frank was the stronger of the two of us today…yes write that down because I will never say it again!

Time to go eat handfuls of Ibuprofen…

later, g.

Quite a lot has happened since my last update but to keep things short and sweet I will say the team rode awesome at the Tour of Leelanau in Michigan this past weekend.  It was an important race for us considering Priority Health, Bissell, and Advantage Beneftis are all Michigan based companies.  With that in mind we had some awesome crowd support and I was fortunate enough to come away with my first victory of the season while Scotty rode awesome and got third with Teddy coming in fourth!

Since it was the final team race of the season I would like to say a huge thanks to Priority Health and all of the employees that came out to support us not only in Michigan this past weekend but then entire season, Mark Bissell who is stepping up huge next year, Bob Hughes for supporting the team and letting us take over his lake house for the past week, Mark and Cheryl Olson and Glen for dealing with us riders, Benno for working on our bikes all year and not killing me when I changed my cranks for the fifth time in three weeks, my teammates, and the billions of others that have helped out along the way.

Wow, I had to go and get a tissue!  Anyway, aside from looking forward to next year and trying not to get fat this winter I still have a few races left.  For the next week I will be at home in Boulder and then to Vegas for Interbike and the crit there the following week.  Lastly but certainly not least I will be in Trinidad and Tobago from October 1-10.

Time for some more coffee and sorry for the rambling.

later, g.

For the past few days the weather here in Michigan has been a bit sub par.  However, that has not prevented us from getting out and pre-riding the Tour of Leelanau race course…it should be a fun race.

 Yes we did end up riding with the enemy and in the rain.

 A view from the front.

Aside from that Tom, Scotty and I were on tv today.

 The tv guy, Amy Miller, and Tommy Z.

 I did try to pick a flower for our PR director Amy Miller…not sure if it would have fit in her car though!

Time for dinner…..

later, g.

Yay for rain and cable television!  Since I don’t train in the rain I can catch up on some missed episodes of “The Hills”

 The rain rollin’ in.

 We locked “The Rookie” outside in the rain…maybe his i-phone can keep him dry?

 The boys waiting for the rain to stop.

 Me waiting for the rain to stop…what am I watching?

 ”The Hills”  That is Audrina talking to Lauren about Jason…for those that don’t know.

 later, g.