bikeblogchicago.com

here: at Bicycling (Magazine).

#30 is one of my favorites — calling to mind a drive home from Hillsboro Roubaix and my comment that traffic was acting as if in a Cat5 road race. #38 while riding the North Branch Trail loop on my track bike mid-day during the week is actually what I credit the most for making me a competitive cyclist. And thankfully I’ve never experienced #s 43 or 55.

Being a cyclist is quite a unique thing, as the article clearly explains. There are constantly moments when you have epiphanies that deepen the significance of cycling in your life as well. Then, it’s the sights and smells that bring back memories of that first UCI race experience, an epic climb, even a horrific crash.  That said, here are some of the more poignant moments that have solidified me as the cyclist I am today:

1) The experience of getting paid to ride my bike and how it still motivates me when I look back on it; when it’s raining out, when where I’m sleeping – as comfortable as it may be – is not as desirable a locale as the cold morning streets, etc.

2) Descending at 50+MPH, laughing hysterically and being unable to hear it due to the wind’s howl past my ears

3) The smell of embrocation beating out the smell of my first girlfriend’s deodorant as all-time favorite scent

4) Watching several riders bumping wheels around me while in a fast chase group during a rainy crit and not being frightened, but getting goosebumps due to the fact that so few people get to experience that thrill

There’s maybe a dozen of those “rights of passage” I haven’t experienced — for one reason or another — and I can’t believe they omitted any mention of gluing/riding tubular tires, but it definitely shines some light on the oft misunderstood life of a cyclist. Even mine.

It should be somewhat obvious that I am enthusiastic about road racing. So when presented the opportunity to visit the Highland Park Trek Store to meet with the ATA and Robbie Ventura, I was very excited. While I am not a very serious road racer, I have the utmost appreciation for it and train just the same way for cyclocross as roadies do, for the most part. Also, being able to spend some time with the good folks from ATA and some of their members was a pleasure.

As you may know, I don’t own a Trek but do ride some Bontrager components. I had also only been to the Trek store in Michigan Ave downtown prior to Thursday. That did not stop me from being continually impressed by Trek. The Highland Park location is huge. Partly due to the fact that it also houses a Vision Quest training facility as well. I was immediately impressed be the magnitude — and there was a lot of awesome old US Postal/Lance Armstrong memorabilia on display.

The event served as a benefit to ATA members and as a social get-together. The presentation by Ventura was to be the highlight (despite the bicycle powered blender’s best efforts).

small bike or big blender?

He went on to explain Vision Quests’ mission as well as telling some very interesting stories about providing commentary on the Tour de France for VS. It made me, and hopefully everyone else in the audience, even more excited to see what unfolds in July (Contador has it locked!).

I have known people to use Vision Quest for winter training programs and they all spoke very highly of them. During the Q & A portion Robbie also mentioned that the spectrum of instruction they offer at VQ includes lessons on riding in a pack. It made me think back to my first Hillsboro, last year, when I was in a chase group without any of my own teammates. The two Vision Quest riders in the pack were able to keep the paceline organized despite alot of other riders’ inabilities. It really solidified my opinion of them as a class-act — and now I know why.

Overall the event was great! Next time maybe I’ll get to tell Robbie a bike racing story; like about the time I saw him jump a curb on Zipp 808’s at last year’s Glencoe Grand Prix!

Georgia was amazing! I really didn’t even realize the magnitude until i rode to work last Monday morning. i was FLYING (i ran into my friend Ben, too). the fact that there was no grade anywhere had become foreign to me. every time we rode in Blairsville, and the surrounding area, it was either up or downhill. a totally new experience for me. in fact, most of the team’s derailleurs were in some sort of dis-repair duing some point of the trip — (who needs a derailleur in Chicago, right?)

i had no idea what to expect. i had ridden a mountain bike down an actual mountain when i was in high school, but i had never ‘climbed.’ i left my 11-23 cassette on — that goes to show what little insight i had. the ascents were the stuff that could break mere mortals, and every time i thought i could stop pedaling without going backwards i gave serious consideration to quitting.

the descents, on the other hand, were mind-blowing. miles of road to play with at speeds approaching 40-45 mph. several times i could not stop laughing hysterically; my voice obscured to others as winds howled past ears. as far as training goes, i am about as fit as i figured i’d be (not very but not bad at all). i am also positive i gained weight due to the team chef’s amazing meals.

today offically begins the road racing season. or, for me, “training for ‘cross” and hopefully being super-domestique to some of my teammates. we’ve got 5 days of racing for all to enjoy, so come down whenever you can! the new RIVAL is awesome, but i wanna race it a couple times too before my review. here’s a picture

i am back from camp and i have never felt faster on a bike… well, at least not for how much effort i’ve been putting out sine i’ve returned to Chicago. it’s amazing how much a little grade makes just riding around that much more of an ordeal!

RIVAL report asap! for more info on camp, check the team site again