I feel guilty

So today Andy and I went to tsali and rode. It was one of those magical days where everything is perfect and then you get on the bike and everything gets even better. 4 hours went by like it was ten minutes. I have talked to lots of people who ride a lot and they all say that on some days, everything is absolutely wonderful. Those days don't come around all the time, well quite a bit here, but this was exceptional.
The weather was Perfect, about 60 with a few clouds, no wind, the trail is in absolutely wonderful shape and Andy and I carved that singletrack like it was nobody's business. The hills didn't seem too steep at all and the downhills had some amazing flow to them.
This is why I ride my bike. I felt guilty--for a little bit, putting my bassoon life on hold for a bit, while i pursue racing and enjoying the life of a bike bum. This ride reminded me why I am doing this, and that is because I LOVE IT, I absolutely love riding my bicycle. It was so wonderful and I was so content with my life and everything involved with it afterwards. It definately made the 8 hour round trip worth while. We used to come down here when I was living at home, but I don't remember loving it this much, maybe it is my sweet mtb I get to use this year. Thanks Paceline Bicycles.
Tsali is the best trail in the world for a roadie, it is so fast and so smooth, you can just go the whole time and not get tired.
We almost ran out of gas on the way there, which is in BFE..good thing i have more gas after when the fuel light goes on than I thought.

OUR SWEET BIKES!!
Western NC at it's finest


What a way to spend wednesday.

So congrats to Sanjaya Malakar, who is the least favorite american idol...he just made it to the final 10...YEAH!!!
Gotta go, I have some Dogfish 60 Minute IPA in the fridge calling my name.

Roadies gone Wild

Went to a mtb race this weekend...it was 24 miles of the most tight, twisty, rooty, muddy, gullieing, annoying singletrack ever. IT WAS AWESOME. I got spanked, by the ground, trees, my bike, mud, and more trees. It was a cool course, but my mtb skills are not up to par, but I am working on it. The race went well I ended up 5th in the pro/semi pro category while andy got 9th. Jon Hamblen was there also and he stuck it to all the mtb ers there by winning by a good margin. It was funny to see all us roadies showing up to a mtb race where technique is so important. I guess that is a good way to get better and it will help this fall in cyclocross.
I ate this because I figured that this is what MTB racers eat...yum


The weather is supposed to be awesome this week and I am looking forward to a week of solid training. I am going to tsali on wednesday and I can't wait. I haven't been there since the secret training camp days.

GO to www.votefortheworst.com and do your part to ruin the show "american idol"
lets not worry about global warming or anything, just taking down that show...see i am doing my part to make a difference.

Spring Break Madness!!!

So the spring breakers have just left...booohooo. We had so much fun I can't even beging to explain. Last night dave (guy with his hand in the gumball machine) cooked a fantastic dinner, it was wonderful. Some of Ryan's female friends stopped in on their way back to Miami University and they were super cool. It was a top ten night of all times--no joke but now my foot is discolored because I actually finally went swimming in my pond. What???


This was lunch yesterday on the ride, YUM!!

Gammers BACK!!!

The Gammer is back here for some spring break action

This is Dave...HI DAVE.

Ran into Garth 2 weeks ago at a MTB race. I always bump into him in the most random spots. Why are you eating doritos and wearing those shades?

It is going to be 80 today...going out for the triple hump.

A&F Gettin It Done

Look at all these people watching the finish of the road race.



So this weekend was the first weekend of "REAL" racing, not just training races. Rich Harper, Andy Applegate, and myself all headed over to beautiful Knoxville TN for some racing; no we did not make it to Dolly World, although I really wanted to.

The race on Sat was a 85 mile road race through some awesome rolling country roads. The racing was pretty negative at first, but we were attacking and trying to get something going. I ended up the road solo with about 40 miles to go while Rich and Andy controlled the field. A group of three bridged up to me after ten miles and we worked real well together until about 7 miles to go. I attacked up a hill and went solo to the finish for the win. It was great. Rich and Andy totally shut down the field and allowed our break to ride away and it was a great team effort. YEAH!!!!

After the race we did some serious recovery with 32 oz dos equis and burritios followed by more high carb adult beverages--in pure Mark Hendershot style.

Sunday was a very technical crit through downtown Knoxville, which is gorgeous. Andy did a flying start and just took off like he doesn't need glasses anymore and just stole his bicycle. I managed to bridge up to him, by following a move from AT (1st grade teacher extroidinare). Andy, Dirk (local super hero) and myself lapped the field while Rich controlled it. I ended up going up the road again without any other lappers for the win while andy took third and rich took the field sprint. OH YEAAHHH!!!

All I can say is that is so cool traveling and racing with this team. We don't discuss what we are going to do, it is understood and we just get it done...it was great. We are racing as a team and it shows. It doesn't matter who wins as long as it is Abecrombie and Fitch.

Yeah I know this is a cheesy post, but A&F rocked it and we are excited for the season. I am enjoying this now, while the enivitible burnout is looming in a few months...

A shout out goes to Tim Jackson, who helped us out with our race rigs...I have never been on a full carbon bike before, and our bikes are not just carbon, they are "TOP SHELF" carbon and they are so sweet!!!! I was always in the mindset that a bike is a bike, but that is false. A racing bike is light and stiff and that is what we have and it feels like a weapon, not a bike. LIFE IS GOOD.

Back in winston, back to GA

Wow this week has gone by fast. Training camp wrapped up on sun morning after a night of good old fashioned male bonding which included tearing up downtown macon--it is actually a lot bigger than one would think. The team is awesome and going to be awesome all year. The personalities are very diverse and there is a comfortable cohesion among everyone.
So after 4 extra days of training this week in cold weather (50s every day) i am off again tomorrow for a day of mountain biking and the first circuit race of the year on sunday. Looking forward to it, nothing like driving to GA and back two weekends in a row.
I did manage to go to work this week. Paceline is moving this weekend to our new location right around the corner, unfortunately I am going to have to miss the pleasure of trying to move an entire store in one day. The new store is absolutely fantastic and it will increase our visibility dramatically.
So thanks to Jim B (teammate) my repertoire for cuisine has increased dramatically. I didn't realize I had a rice cooker in my possession, so I actually have made some real good meals as of late. I am not saying that I couldn't make rice before, but it is much easier in a rice cooker. Just be sure to put the water in the bowl and not underneath on the heater.

Team Camp Pics

Team Camp is AWESOME. Nothing like eating, riding, eating, eating, and sleeping. It is a good routine to get into. The weather has been outstanding and the riding in Macon GA is wonderful. Here are some pics from camp.

First and foremost this is Chad Thompson--The boss man--he gets it done and looks good doing it.


Mr Vice President and brand new first time parent Ryan Rish...gettin it done.


This is our view from hotel room. Someone knows what restaurant I like.


This my roomate at camp Frankie Dierking. He doesn't snore and likes good coffee so we have been getting along great.


This Bennet Vandergenugten--good ole dutch boy showing off his guns.


This is how he aquires the GUNS!!


Marco Aledia showing us how he rolls...this was not staged, he indeed was texting while riding...what can I say he is a BALLER!


Rich Harper trying desperately to be cool.


Neil Coleman, our weapon from the UK just being cool, must be the accent.


Me trying to show off our slipstreams. Slipstreams are ear guards which clip on your helmet strap and eliminate the wind noise. I love them as I need to protect my hearing and have been worrying lately about all the howling wind. They work great and look dorky, so I love them.


Us testing out our new carbon bikes and wheels, taking good care of them.


Riding in only shorts and jerseys...NICE!!!


Brandon Gavic is one crazy dude and a ton of fun.


MASI LOVE

Hey from Macon

So we are in macon ga right now and training camp is in full swing. Everyone has their new bikes built and has been all fit up. The new bikes are so beutiful, mine is the best bike i have ever had in my entire life, no exageration. They are SWEET.
We have been riding a bunch and I have some pictures, but I can't plug my camera into this computer, so maybe I can get some up soon.
The new team is awesome and we are having a great time. The riding here is beautiful and I will see if i can get some pictures up soon. We rode three hours this morning in the rain, good thing it was 65 out so it was quite managable. We are chillng for a few hours and then riding again this afternoon.
Good Times!!!

NEW WEAPON!!!

HOW HOT IS THIS?????

Ladies Week In NC--on to Georgia

Yes I know it has been a long time since I updated, but I am doing it now so just deal.

A ton of stuff has been going on and it has all been positive. First of all, Ladies Week just finished here at the farm. I had the chance to put up the "so hot now" slingshot women's mountain bike team for a week of training. We had so much fun and did a crapload of miles. It was a rough weeks though, all I had to do was ride, and then come home and watch them cook me dinner while I drank the founders beer they brought me. We are not talking rice and beans here, more like chicken parm with pasta and spinach chicken enchilada casserole. Oh Yeah it was nice.

We had a great time and it was super nice having people to ride with here are some pictures from the week.

Here are Danielle (left) and Bonnie in the kitchen. (yes mom they are both married)

Here are the pancakes that Danielle tried to cook, oh yeah about what I said earlier about them cooking, I take it back. Bonnie was the one who cooked all the time. These pancakes were Danielles first and last attempt and at cooking. We still ate them.

The week was awesome and they have a pass to come back anytime they want. You can read all about it in detail at daniellemusto.blogspot.com

Jim showed up on friday night bearing gifts--one of the perks of putting everything in your life on hold to race bikes.

The new stuff is trickling in. Yes I know it is camoflaged.

I hope I have enough shorts, we only recieved 5 pairs each to go with our 4 skinsuits.

New Wheels to go with the new frames. MASI CARBON YEEEEEHAAWWW!!!!!!!

Tomorrow Jim and I are drving down to Macon GA for the A&F training camp. The camp goes all week and should be a ton of fun. It is supposed to be close to 60 every day so it will a little warmer than what we have had in NC. It has been a tough winter here. I think it got below freezing the other day. WOW. I hope all the northerners are loving the warmth up there. HA!!!!

Finally did it

So I finally shaved--first time since thanksgiving. I won the 2nd annual paceline bicycles beard growing contest. I won last year also, TWO IN A ROW. Here are the before and after pictures.

I went to asheville this weekend to race mountain bikes and train with my teamate/coach/friend Andy Applegate. We had fun, but it was COLD. On Saturday it didn't get above freezing which is cold to us weak southerners. Anyway the race was awesome, the trail was frozen and had packed snow all over which was actually quite easy to ride on. Andy and I both did all right. I had 2nd place in the bag but flatted with 1k to go, i rode it in and managed to hold on for 3rd. Andy got pimped at the line but still rolled in for 5th place.
I forgot how much fun mountain biking is, everyone is so laid back which is a nice change of pace from the pretencious (sp?) roadie world
Check out Andy's stem, he has another one on his tandem. I didn't even know nuke proof was still around when 1 1/8 head tubes came out.



My 30lb hardtail. Those wheels roll over everything though and make up for a serious lack of technical skills. Rocky decent? Just go straight down...its awesome.

NEW STUFF

SO I FINALLY GOT A NEW HOUSE, I MEAN CAR...PRETTY, PRETTY, PRETTY COOL

AND TO CELEBRATE MY NEW CAR, I GOT A NEW HAIRCUT



THINGS ARE GREAT, HAD A WONDERFUL VISIT FROM MY PARENTS LAST WEEKEND...IT WAS GREAT.
I HAVE BEEN TRAINING A WHOLE BUNCH AND EVEN DID A MTB RACE THIS PAST WEEKEND.

DONT CALL IT A COMEBACK

OH SNAP!!! The Grand Rapids Symphony (my hometown symphony) has an opening for 2nd bassoon. Time to start staging my return to my classical roots!! 4 months to prepare!!

back training

Training camp is in full effect, and the weather has been outstanding. I have a camera now, so I am trying to see if I can figure out how to make it work. Here are two of my new teammates shawn and brandon. Good times so far.

two good hands

It is amazing how easier life is with two functioning hands. I did get used to the cast, but I forgot how nice it is without it on. I have been doing all sorts of strange things this week. Since I got my cast off and a 100% go ahead jones from my doctor, I have just been going nuts and doing all the things that I normally don't do. I have vaccumed TWICE this week and I even made my bed once--weird. I don't know where this bizarre behavior is coming from and it makes me feel a little unsettled on my insides. I also finally cleaned out my car from a summer of racing...I vaccumed that too. Cleaning the car was an interesting, I found a whole bunch of waterbottles filled with urine underneath the seat that must have been there for a while. It didn't look or smell like mine...hmmm.
Rich Harper just came in--we are going to ohio for a meeting.
It looks like his eyebrows are waxed and he has been spending a bunch of time in a tanning bed.