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...