Whats in the TC fridge????//

Well now that January has is hold on us like that molesting uncle on you mothers side of the family, and the Christmas rush followed by the return rush have both come to a tragic end things here at good old TC Manchester are just a little slow. So we start doing project IE: cleaning the repair bay, vacuuming the entire store, sorting though piles of old bike components, and of course cleaning out the refrigerator. Here are some pictures of the horrors that I found:

I started drink soy milk for the protein then was told i might damage the swim team so it sat and then expired in November.
Rudy was gnawing on this huge hunk of meat the day after Christmas. I think its still raw.
This cheese can totally stand alone
This pool of something (we believe it to be AIDS) sits, as you can see, just inches from our food.
So here is the morel if we offer you something think twice.

Middle Fork loop

I found out (by found out I mean that I actually looked at my schedule a few days in advance) on Thursday that Saturday was completely open. This meant one thing God might still like me and an epic ride was in order. I was setting my sights on the first century of the year until Chris Ploch suggested we do the newly founded Middle Fork loop. I agreed seeing it as a good opportunity to start training for the Ouachita challenge. The warm weather that we figured we would enjoy didn't seem to follow us south. However, the temperature was higher then it had been and we were both a little over dressed when we started out. We road the entire Middle Fork trail which is about 24 miles of some sweet single track and even sweeter downhills. The trail was pretty soft but mostly rideable with the exception of one cyclocross type mud pit. At the lovely little town of Oacts (sp) we hopped on the gravel roads for 10 miles back to 2 more miles of single track. The distance we had covered was already weighing down my legs when we started ascending a slight incline. Chris looked over his should and said "Did I tell you that the hardest hill we go up in on the gravel road?" a simple no was all I could replay while thinking we must be on it but i should have known by his shit eating grin what he was about to say "And this isn't it." We did conquer the massive climb on the gravel road and got back onto the single track, which we had already ridden the other direction. I was toasted and at one point Chris lovingly pointed out I was standing up in my granny gear. But I made it back to the car my bike trashed my legs rubberized but knowing i had just laid the first brick in the foundation that I will build a mansion of racing upon.

New Years Day Ride 2008

Well a very happy new year to everyone out there surfing the interwebs!!1 The start to my 2008 year took place at the lovely abode of Wes and Janelle surrounded most of the other DrJ's. We not only had one ball drop at midnight but two as Little Buddy streaked though the subdivision to Big Bend and back.
Only one thing better than a ridiculous party is a huge group ride on some of the best single track in Missouri. 25 degrees and heavy winds couldn't detour the 25+ riders that showed up. As we headed onto the trail after our warm up and the pack thinned out I started to feel really well about my riding. I was at this point that I realized I wasn't hung over and everyone else was. I did however finish that lap and had managed to sweat though my head band and base layer. 15+ miles in about 1 hour 45 min followed up by a giant feast equals a good time in my book. Here's to a Rocking Awesome year!!!

Can I just say that I am Stoked? I have just been watching video clips from Cyclocross races and the '07 tour and I am more ready to ride then a drunk 18 y/o slut on spring brake. Out of shape? Yes. stuck at work? Yes. Itching to leave a rubber foot print on something? Oh Hellz yes! So don't let the boss know I rode my bike around the shop a few times (the carpet is in bad shape anyway). Just one month and racing begins. Oh the pain of pushing past the physical limits of this carbon based goo bag. its like a splinter in my brain its such a necessary evil and I love every masochistic second.

Pe@ce~

good times again

So i got out on the road bike on the 27th. I was cold a little wet but mostly frustrating. I is hard to believe that in just 2 months i have lost so much fitness. Then again it is winter and i do have a few weeks to work at getting as much back as possible. So i spent 2 hours on the trainer the other night and thought back about the past season. so here are some pictures and just a reminder that I WON WINGHEVEN!!

Casey Ryback snapping my wrist as we race through rockwoods