Make it snow

She just wanted to make it snow. Is that so wrong?

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/88ca2e8d42/sorority-girl-just-wanted-to-make-it-snow-from-that-happened

Not much..

...to report. Weather has been incredibly cold and nasty. No outdoor activities for me. Unless you count pulling home theater and automation wire in a 20,000 square foot duplex...

Past week has seen some time in the gym, a few more cans of food at the Food Bank, office party (bowling and drinking), and a play at the Ellen in downtown Bozeman.

This evening I took the Madshus skis out of storage and went through the multi step process of waxing. Ended up doing 6 coats to get them ready. Should be good to go. I don't really trust my waxing job so a trip to Revolution is in order.

Also am getting my ride laced with some new wheels. Zipp 303 custom builds and a set of HED Ardennes. These should endow me with the ability to win races without watching what I eat or training. At least that's what the ads claim... In the end I can probably score the trophy for Biggest Poser. Yes!

Hope to see some folks in Cloud Town on the ski trails... Anyone up for a few loops? Ben? Mike? Kris? Kyia? Crash? Pat? I will be the guy crossing his tips, falling down and generally displaying very poor form. Can't miss me...

Stuff(ing)

Turkey Day is coming up and the temperature is going down. We purchased our Hutterite turkey and we will be sharing it with some friends up at the Big Sky condo. Big Sky is also supposed to open the day after Thanksgiving. Our Frequent Skier cards give us free skiing for that weekend so we may venture out on the slopes. I am sure there will be only a couple of runs open.

For the first time in my adult life I took some of my money and bought food for people who are less fortunate. Jenny and I bought two turkeys and two complete meals and dropped it off at the Gallatin County Food Shelf. I read in the paper that the food shelf has seen a 30% rise in use in the past 6 months. When we stopped by I was impressed by the size of the operation. Two huge warehouses stacked with huge bins of food. It was also depressing to know that all that food wasn't enough to meet the forecasted demand for the next few months. The past few months have brought a lot of change for Jenny and I and the economy has meant that we have dramatically changed our lifestyle. Though we are secure and safe it has made me realize just how easy it is to go from flush to broke. The older I get the more it's sinking in that there are so many people out there working their asses off for very little income. I feel that since I am doing OK then I have a responsibility to share some of my luck with people less fortunate.

Hope all of you are doing well during the Turkey season and I wish you all the best for your friends, familys and jobs!!!

3 oh 3 and other news

New wheels are in my future. First pair of tubulars in the form of Z I double P.

Racing yesterday was brutal. I haven't gone hard on my bike for over a month. Jumping right into a race was stupid. But, I finished and I am glad I did it. 8 laps on a really fun course. Mud, barriers, two run-ups and a fun crowd. Lap one I almost threw up twice. Litterally heaved a couple of times. Lap two I promised myself I would drop out when going through the start/finish. Lap three I recommitted myself to dropping out. After lap four I figured I was half way and may as well finish. Just rode my standard race solo time trial. I finished second from last and I guess that's about as much as I expected.

Jenny and Mario were out cheering me on and that helped. I was battling for last place with a Muleterro rider and that ended up being fun as the crowd got into our back and forth racing. At least I was smiling while suffering and providing entertainment for a fun crowd.

My interview with Shealy and Company went well. Wade and I are getting back in touch a month from now when we will discuss the next step in the job process. So for now it's back to home theater in the Yellowstone Club...

No Soup for You!

But there is soup for me. My wife made the most awesome, home-made lentil and sausage soup. I am going to eat that soup like there is no tomorrow. She rocks!!

No pictures

Ended the last post saying pictures would follow. I lied. No pictures of the ride up Hyalite. Was fun though.

Weather here has turned decidedly chilly. I have been working in the Yellowstone Club for the last week and a half and it's snowed every day up there. Little over two feet sitting on the ground now. This week we are finishing up a job with 12 50" flatscreens. Not too shabby.

Started back at the gym last weekend. I am super psyched and focused for this coming bike season. I know that most people haven't finished this season yet but I have been done for a while. I gained 7 pounds and that's all I am going to let happen. Last winter I gained 22 pounds between November and January and that sucked!

When I hit the gym last weekend I was feeling pretty strong because I have been biking a decent amount despite not racing. I saw a scrawny guy put up 940 on the leg sled and it got my ego going. While I couldn't put up that much weight I did make it through 4 sets at 780. What I couldn't make it through was work two days later. My legs were so f***ing mad at me. I had to climb ladders and stairs all day and I swear that I haven't had that much excersize induced pain, ever. I have since calmed down and just done my low weight, high rep workouts. I feel like doing some CC ski racing this year so I have been doing upper body workouts for the first time since college.

I saw John Seifert at the ski swap yesterday and I am meeting up with him at the end of the month for testing. Also participating in a study. Nothing like getting paid a pile of cash for riding a bike for two hours.

Biking Again

Out on the mountain bike yesterday. Did three laps on Bozeman Creek to the bridge for 2400ft of climbing. Felt good.

Today we are riding Hyalite for only the fifth time this season. 9 mile climb. Going to be fun and really cold. Hoping there is no black ice...

Pictures to follow...

Stuff

Haven't been on the bike too much recently. Started a new job this week and I have been pretty tired. Good news is that I don't work on Fridays anymore.

When I worked home theater in the Twin Cities I catered to the well healed and wealthy crowd. Here in Montana, Avitel caters to the ultra wealthy. Can you imagine spending $50 million on a new home that you will use 2 weeks a year? Or can you imagine spending $40,000 on a shower that covers you with 85 gallons of water per minute? Or how about spending $1.5 million on a home automation system? Or maybe putting 140 pairs of speakers in the ceilings of your home?

I can't imagine it either but for people up in the Yellowstone Club and Moonlight Basin it's second nature to spend money. There is something to be said for the "trickle down effect". The house I am working on now has roughly 40 people working full time, 5 days a week to build it. And it's been going 4 years now. That's job security. Not that I am arguing for tax breaks for the wealthy. I am starting to realize that no matter their tax bracket, the ultra wealthy will spend money like it's a problem to have it.

In other news, Bozeman will have a new bike team this spring. The Bechtle Slade team is being replaced by a stronger, more motivated team. We had a pre-team meeting to guage interest on Thursday night and almost everyone on the email list showed up. We have three powerful guys you just moved from SLC (including a former Euro Neo-Pro who raced with Dewey Dickey) and the rest of the crew from last year. We should be able to give GAS a run for their money at the races in 2009.

Past couple of weeks have been pretty busy. My in-laws were in town and we hung out in Paradise Valley for a week. Jim and Nancy are awesome and we had a lot of fund eating and fishing.

Back on the bike today for some serious climbing on the mtn bike...

Tobacco Roots

Fun weekend in the mountains. Mulv, Katie, the dogs and I went into the heart of the Tobacco Roots for a weekend of camping and mountain biking.





Saturday we set up camp next to Boulder Creek. We were car camping so we had the Coleman double burner and whipped quesadillas. We also put back a few beers and sat around the campfire until it was time to hit the hay.





Sunday we woke up late and made breakfast burritos, got the bikes in order and filled the camelbacks. I bike from the camp spot for an extra couple of miles of climbing and met the ladies and the dogs at the trailhead. The trail to Lost Cabin Lake is 5 miles of perfect single track with an almost perfectly steady grade the entire way. Once at the lake we took a short break and then headed back down. The trail was great. You could ramp up to high speed in just a couple of pedal strokes or just let the bike go and cruise through the pines at a comfortable pace.





The dogs were worn out at the end and I had fun going really fast back down the road to the camp. With the ride finished we packed up camp and headed back to town for burgers at The Garage.





Great weekend with great rides, food, views and people.

Good Times

If you are at all sensitive to the Bush administration, potty jokes, swearing, humor, synicism and stupidity please do not follow any of these links.

Thanks,
Troy


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fNgA5xLxao (Baracky II)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/37627e30b8 (sword fight)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/b7a344e5be (levi johnston)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5468 (car salesman)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2720 (WF as Bush)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f9f476b2bb (elevator)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/1ed3ecbc3c (bush zombies)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/b6eeb0100c (bert and ernie)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c6a5728047 (there will be bud)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/3672d8ff6e (amish seth green)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/0e7e65a11c (high five)

Cyclocross Time

Dusted off the Strong today and put on my new TRP brakes. They work perfect and I can actually undo my brakes to change wheels without undoing allen bolts. Amazing.

Also changed my position a little to better mimick the setup on my road bike. I am further forward and lower down than before. I feel much more "connected" to the front of my bike so handling should improve.

Next weekend I am going to Portland with Jenny. She is getting her Wilderness First Responder recertification during a three day course. I will have a lot of free time so I am going to go to two Cross races and a Kermesse. I will be doing the Hood River Double Cross #1 and #2. The cross season starts the weekend after in Montana so this should be a good introduction. The Kermesse should also be a good challenge. Its a 6km course at the Portland International Speedway. Half the course is fast gravel, the other half is pavement and "rough" pavement. I think that means Cross bike...

LOTOJA 2008

Game over. Mission accomplished.

Ben came out from MN to ride the LOTOJA Classic with me and four other team mates.

Before going any further it must be made clear that Ben is the hardest and most determined bike rider I know. Period. Ben lives at 900ft elevation and came out West to race at an average of 6000ft. He took his asthma and his severe knee pain and put them in his jersey pocket and grit his teeth through 206 miles to finish with us. My helmet is off to Ben for his amazing ride. Next time you see him, slap him on the back and give him props.

The ride was amazing. We started out at 6:30am and finished at 7:30pm. Our actual ride time was 10hrs 50mins. Almost 19mph average over three mountain passes for a total of 8000ft of climbing. Hit a personal speed record of 52.6mph and in the middle of that run did a full on BMX side skid at 46mph when my bike developed a severe high speed wobble. That was the single most terrifying moment of my life...

My friend Steve drove support for us and had full bottles and food waiting for us at the designated feed zones. At the end of the race we all had one tall boy Coors Light which none of us could finish because we started to feel drunk half way through the beer.

I felt great through the whole race and didn't hurt too bad the next day. I have been eating an insane amount of food the last couple of days. Have to cut back on that...

Thanks to Ben, Ryan, John, Drew and Doc for sharing the experience and I hope we do it again. And thanks to Steve for driving support and always showing up with full bottles...

In other news the road scene is over in Bozeman. Tonight was the final crit of the year and our team placed 1st, 3rd, 7th and 8th out of 15 starters. Not too shabby.

Cyclocross starts the last weekend of this month and 12 races have been posted on the calendar. 10 of those are within good driving distance so I may get my fill of cross this year.

Peace out. Troy

Beartooth Wilderness

Oregon / Washington

Summer 2008... the rest of it

Several updates to follow this one. I have some catching up to do...

Following a great weekend at the cabin I retreated back to Montana for some downtime. The next week I was back in MN for some more racing. Did the Tour of Granite Country and was happy to hang in with the big boys. I felt great in all the races but couldn't quite hang the last half mile of each race. I never trained for any fast, flat land racing this year. Next year...right?

Since then the job situation for Jenny and I has changed dramatically. Bechtle Slade PC dissolved (ask me about that sometime if you have a few hours) and we have taken new jobs. Jenny and I will now head up the Landscape Architecture and Land Planning division of Bechtle Architects. I think it's going to be a great place to work and we will have a lot of freedom to pursue work that we are interested in. Jenny would like to focus a lot more on residential design. So please put out the word!!

With the change in the job situation Jenny and I find ourselves with two months off from work! During the past three weeks we took two trips that we had always talked about taking but never envisioned having the time to do. Trip 1 was to the Pacific Northwest for a week of rainforests and beaches. Trip 2 was a week in the Beartooth Wilderness. 6 days of high alpine camping.

Jenny is now back in MN for some quality time with her family while I prepare for LOTOJA. Ben arrives on Thursday and we head to Logan with 5 team mates on Friday. Saturday at 6am our race starts. I believe we will all be finishing the race in good time.

After LOTOJA there is only one more crit race in Bozeman and then it's time for cyclocross! I will probably do three or four races and that will be it for this year of racing.

Friday afternoon I was out riding in my old Grandstay kit and was waiting at a busing intersection. I looked left and saw another Grandstay kit riding up the road. John Seifert, my bike coach from a couple of years ago. He has a position at MSU now and lives in Livingston. We are both excited to work together again and hopefully I can focus and take a step forward in my racing. He said MSU has a world class performance lab and he wants to get some bikers in there.

I hope life is treating you all well...

Troy

PIcture Time

Ben "Backstedt" Scherer



















Will someone please teach this guy to race in his drops!!!














Ever heard of riding outside?














Seriously, get in the drops!

Ok...Ok...Here it goes...

Been gone a while. Counting this coming weekend I will have been in MN 4 out of the last 6 weekends. Had a great 4th up at the family cabin. Ben, dad and I finished reroofing our section of the cabin and then we drank beer. Ben and I went on a killer 70 mile ride on the north woods highways and kept a killer tempo for most of the ride. Ben is looking stronger and stronger and he should be in fine form by the time we take on LOTOJA. 206 mile race...

My sis and I had some quality fishing time. We caught fish from 2 inches to 18 inches. Check out the photos.

The races at the NVGP were fun. I didn't perform like an allstar but considering they were only my 6th and 7th races of the year I am happy. Since then I have lost 5 pounds and gotten in some considerable training. Rode 107 miles twice this past week and averaged over 20 on both. I feel great and this weekend should be awesome at the Tour of Granite Country.

My brothe may be hooking me up with a TT bike for the race. Will be my first race ever on a TT bike so it will be interesting to see how much difference it makes.

See you all this weekend...

Almost time...

To do some really serious racing. Problem is the weather in MT has been crap, crap and more crap. Still doing a lot of trainer time. Rained for 5 straight days last week.

Trip to Chicago was awesome this past weekend. Ate nothing but ethnic food and walked roughly 6 hours per day. Good workouts without being on the bike.

This weekend is the hardest road race in Montana. The Wolf Creek race is 87 miles of non-stop rollers. Here's to suffering...

Tough times are hitting the office and a couple of people were let go today including my sister in law Katie. On the up side, she is happy and will probably be heading to Alaska for some time in the mountains as a guide.

Last night I got caught in a hail storm as I was finishing my ride. Had to ride in hail for about 1.5 miles to home. Hail was big enough to cause some red marks on my arms but nothing too painful. The worst storm for me was about 6 years ago on County Road 24 in Medina. I was caught up in a major deluge and hail storm. That hail was big enough to make me bleed and cause some major bruising...

I will be back in MN in two weeks for the NVGP. My brother is taking friday off so we can hang out. Friday AM we are heading to Ohio/Cherokee hill to watch the pro men barf in their time trial. Then it's off to performance testing at St. Thomas to see how powerful I am not. Then downtown crit in the evening. Mankato and Stillwater crits should be fun. I am going to turn inside out to make it through but I am really looking forward to see all they guys in MN.

Until then...

Ramping up

Starting to feel good now....

Been riding a lot now that the weather has changed. Saturday and Sunday were both solid days on the bike. Ryan, John and I took turns bashing each other over the head with our bikes and called it good at the end of each day.

3.25 hours each day. Funny that both rides were the exact same time, average heart rate and average speed but completely different terrain. Saturday was all climbing in Bridger Canyon and Sunday was flat to rolling hills.

After a brutal race last Tuesday in 25mph winds and 40F weather, I am starting to feel some real fitness. I think the Tuesday night shocker was what my body needed to wake up. The last week has been great and I am feeling ready for this weekends race. Tomorrow night is the Bridger Canyon Road Race and then it's off to Belt for a Saturday omnium race.

TT is 5 miles with 700ft of climbing. Then onto the 62 miles RR with 2400ft of climbing. Should be fun. Hopefully less windy than when I was there two years ago. Better fitness this time around as well...

The last couple of days Jenny and I have hit up the local nursery for some serious amounts of plant material for our back yard. Transformation happening soon... Trees here are budding out and it's finally feeling like the good weather is sticking...

Spring Update

Spring? I am not convinced. It's going to take more than being 50F every other day to convince me that spring is here... The past two weeks has litterally been 55F, next day 3 inches of snow, next day 45F, next day 6 inches of snow...and repeat...and repeat...and repeat...

It's enough for a bike to say F this and migrate south. This time last year I had 5 "around the block" rides in, and at 104 miles each, makes for some great base training. Right now I am good for about 2 hours and then start to fall flat.

I am skiping racing this weekend and heading to West Yellowstone for some quality training in the Park. Although Yellowstone is now open to traffic I expect quiet roads as the tourist season really hasn't started yet. The few blue hairs cruising through town in their 40ft "motor homes" have a glazed and confused look on their face that says "What the F is all this white stuff on the ground?"

My parents were out a couple of weekends ago and we had a great couple of days together up at Big Sky. The annual Pond Skim happened on Saturday at the ski hill. We had fun chugging tall boys in the sun and watching suckers try their luck at skiing across a small pond at the bottom of the ski hill. Sunday was spent on the river and Mulv, once again, was the only one lucky enough to score a fish. I am sure that my dad is starting to think that the fishing around Bozeman is BS. One of these days dad, I swear...

Shout out to the MN bike scene, miss you guys, and it looks like Grandtay is off to a great start!

In other news, Liz is still working hard at grad school. When she was out here she reminded me she was only in her first year of school. I could have sworn it was her second. Ben just got back from running his first dirt demo at Sea Otter. Hanging with pros and industry types and generally having a good time. Yeah, I know its work, but it beats sitting at a computer. Ask him about the blistering attack he chased down when he was out riding with a couple of the Bissel pro guys... Oh yes, my brother is engaged. I guess that counts for something. He and Erin are in Florida and he has managed to come down with severe bronchitis. Poor Erin...

Still waiting for the day when I can take my new mountain bike out for a spin...

Selling bike parts on ebay... I can't believe how low you have to price stuff. Seems like I am the one getting ripped off...

Until next time...

Good Times

Life is slowly starting to seep back into my body. This past week my sister was in town visiting with her friend Kate. We managed to have an excellent time and spent the days skiing, hanging out at a Forest Service Cabin and going out to restaurants. We also made a trip to the Boiling River which seems to be a top weekend priority lately.

Just this past weekend I put in some time on the bike and reaquainted myself with the Pain Cave. The GAS boys are flying and John, Brad and Sebastian are really putting the hurt on the rest of us...

Yesterday, Mulv and I hiked in Emmigrant Gulch which is just to the northwest of Chico Hot Springs. The terrain was rugged and we were lucky enough to have the place all to ourselves. We spent about 3.5 hours hiking and just enjoying the sunny, quiet day.

Back at work for the week and already looking forward to the weekend. Jenny will be out of town so I will be putting in some saddle time. I think the first mtn bike ride of the year will be on Saturday when Ryan and I hit up the Lewis and Clark Caverns state park. Sunday is all about the Century in Yellowstone.

Until then....

Spring?

I wish it was. Weather here has taken a turn and I am almost ready to hang up the winter gear. My sis arrives out here early Saturday and we are hitting Big Sky for the day.





8 of our grad school friends made it out a couple of weekends ago and we couldn't have had more fun. Pictures will follow...





Today was the last day in our current office. Tomorrow morning is the big move. We have a brand new, remodled office.....50ft away. We are moving into Carl Strongs (custom bike maker) building. We took over the whole first floor and most of the second. It will be a big step up from our current office and we are all going to have more breathing room.





Bike season is in full swing now that it is staying light until 7:45. No comment on the training so far...

Sychronized skiing

Dinner in Big Sky

Oh, the snow

Today was a good day, I didn't even have to use my AK.

Office ski day landed on perfect conditions. Skied from 10am to 3:30pm and the last run of the day was in knee deep powder. Had great snow all day and it was still snowing hard when we left big sky at 7pm. Tomorrow is a work day then Mulv and I head to Jackson Hole early Saturday. Mulv is going to hook up with AK and Kev for a half day at Jackson Hole while I train at their CC ski facility. Looking for a good dinner Saturday and then back to training Sunday morning in Grand Teton National Park. Should be a good back drop for a three hour skate ski session.

Mulv and I also visited the condo in Big Sky this past weekend. Fresh pow both days. Saturday was also my first day at Lone Peak Ranch (cc skiing). I did a couple of laps around the golf course and then up to Big Sky and back. 900 ft of climbing and rolling terrain equaited to a 1hour and 50minute threshold skate session. NOT what I was planning on and by the end I was hitting the wall. But at least I know that I can maintain 165 for two hours. Sunday I was back on the spin bike for a long recovery ride.

On paper it seems like work should be slowing down but for some reason I leave work exhausted every day. I have had to do more and more "thinking" at work and less and less drawing. All our submittals are getting more complicated but I guess that means we are doing some interesting projects.

Hope this finds everyone doing well.....

Good Weekend...

Last weekend I was lucky enough to spend my days hanigng out with my most special lady friend. We actually sat around the house on friday and watched a movie! Amazing. Saturday was pretty low key. I fixed the gate on our fence, cleaned the garage and installed our new Swix pro waxing vise. The set up is awesome and I have no more excuses for slow skis or boards. Sunday we woke up early and headed into the Bangtail mountains to hike with the dogs. We hiked for three hours and gained some serious elevation. Hiked to the top of Stone Creek which in the summer is the mountain bike equivalent of Alp D'Huez. Something like 20 switchbacks and I am not sure how many thousands of feet of elevation gain. Once back in cell range I had a message to go riding so I put on the warm gear and headed out on the road bike for the years first rip up Sypes Canyon. Ryan and I are not quite on form yet but it felt really good to be on the road.

This week has been rough at work. Only managed two and a half hours of sleep last night. We gave a killer presentation to try and snag the Bozeman Airport remodel and expansion. Unfortunately we didn't score the project. The whole office spent the last few days working 17 hours a day getting the presentation done. Oh well...

This weekend looks to be mellow again. Probably spend some time up at Big Sky and Lone Mountain Ranch. My first 4 hour CC ski day is set for Saturday. I am not worried about the legs but my arms are going to be in a serious world of pain.

Hope you all are doing well.

Peace Out...