The Tribe

Well it's quite interesting how small the actual cycling community is.  

How do I know this.... well I was able to check out the ToM today.  The Cycling Gods were smiling down on me today when the man decided to call an early day at the last minute.  Swwweeeetttt!

I'm going to have to make a sacrifice of something soon to keep them on my side.

Many a face was present for the event, old cycling partners, old customers, and good friends.  The faces at an event is always a treat. The ability to touch base with those I haven't seen at all this season puts a smile on my face.  Seeing how fit some of the boys are looking for CX this is a little intimidating.

Oh yea to that small race that entered town.  The peleton couldn't have asked for better CX weather than today.  Wait I forgot this is a road race.  It was 56 degrees light wind with a steady mist.  Perfect!!!

Cavendish's boys pulled off a fabulous lead out and he pulled away from Tyler Farrar at the 75meter banner and showed him how it's done.

Some interesting notes:

Mike Creed of Rock Republic doesn't ride a DeRosa.. .Last year's System Six with DeRosa downtube stickers, and a Cdale head badge??  R&R also had a hodge podge of rigs in and around the Cadi's.  How well is Micheal Ball running this team?

Team Columbia only had one set of 7900 DA?

Rabobank didn't have any 7900 DA?

Sparkasse had these cool Red Bull bikes with LightWeight wheels.

Well that's all that I can come up with now.

Beer of the Week

I'm To Sexy For My Shirt....

But not to sexy for this....

Please tell me if you like it from the back!

3 For 3

Well I hope  the season goes as well as registering for all the UCI events I wanted to has.

JP MadCross... Front Row

Jingle Cross.... Front Row

USGP Derby City.... First Registered.  sweeett!  Unfortunately being a national event registration doesn't guarantee a thing, but I'm there baby.

Things are falling slooolwy together for the new A bike.  But soon things will be ready for the first big endeavor.

Training has been coming together quite nicely.  Next up starts and shouldering.  I'm feeling the love of cross for sure this year.

Smack Talk

As long as I've been involved in sports that term"smack" has been used.

The only difference is that the sports I'm referring to are those of a team aspect.  Now cycling is an individual sport.  You, a bike, and the rest of the racers.  The oft used phrase for many coaches in 'ball' sports is "There is no I in team"  well now I am the team.  Me, Myself, and I take responsibility for my training, my bike prep, my registration for the race, and my transportation to the event.  Don't get me wrong cycling can be a team sport in the right setting i.e, road racing, but most of you that read should know how the sport works.

I often give my sage advice to those who are in the circle.  Sometimes to no avail, but I do try and bang my head against those who have the uncanny ability to dispense knowledge from their ass!

Now the CX season is starting it's time to talk shit! 

1)  Results.

2)  I like this beer very cold.

3)  I like my bills in this style. 

4)  I like my coffee this way.

5)  I like my dinner here.

So here are some tips for those who feel the need to lay down the smack!  

I will be waiting for you at the finish line to collect my bets!

As one professor once told me " A B.S. means Bull Shit, an M.S. means More Shit, while a PhD stands for Pile High Deeper!"  At this juncture I have enough "Life" credits built to make my B.S. into a PhD.

Right Around the Corner...

CX that is. The CCCP(Crusty's CycloCross Program) is in full effect.  

Finally kick off the dust on the Orb.  I also decided to get a little artsy!

The secret CX training area.

Wildlife is in full abundance here.

Nice little 1km kicker at the end.Here is a shot for H-Man, yep that's a Turkey Hawk crossing the road in front of us.

The Boss was there to make sure that my CX program was up to snuff.

This sign is on the riding and walking trail at Legacy Park.
These trails remind me so much of the network of commuter trails in Colorado Springs, CO.
Nice wooden bridges to go over.
Some with a good view of the lake.
It's been a while since I posted stuff so  I'm going to try and cover somethings in one fell swoop.

For those in the area I recommend your attendance to hone your CX skills here.

I need to give a shout out to Endo for the new CX clothing (other stuff) coming in soon.  RV gets big props for making me look cool and seeing with clarity. (Where is the race report from Leadville 100?)  Bobke for having to deal with me and my "Can you get?" BS!  The other Craig for "Is it here, yet?" 

 Last person with whom I owe the most to is the Boss for letting me have a long kitchen pass this CX season.

You Get What You Ask For...

That is if you watched the Olympic MTB.  Both Men and Women complained about how the course was just a dirt road course.  Well pay back is a bitch.

If you watch the video you will see that this course really resembles the type of courses we encounter here in the Midwest.  Undulating, unforgiving, and unbearable hot with lots of humidity.  Many a rider paid dearly for opening their mouths and complaining about the ease of the old course.

Well after that they(UCI) sent in the four cross professor to set up the course to add some complexity to the course.  Let me tell you by watching that race he did an excellent job.  It is a very demanding trail with lots of baby heads, log jumps and drops and  nice little ditches to descend.  

I'm absolutely amazed by Julien Absalon.  Watching him descend was unbelievable but the real skills demonstration was by Jean-Christophe Peraud, a handy cyclocrosser from France.  Also take note, yeap the legend CX World Champion might be switching to fat knobby tires. I would be very nervous if I was in the World Cup series as soon as he makes his mind up what he wants to do.

Oh yeah CX season practice starts in two weeks, I'm really fired up for that.

BTW, if any of you crackheads are wearing My Wife Inc, wind vest please don't disgrace it to bad.  I would really like it back in the condition I left it on the road.