Sorry for the lack of posts…this week has been insane at work and I have been trying to actually ride my bike too. Tues was a road ride to Ward, Mr. Kerkove has documented this post. I have been off the back with my photos. Tuesday, we rode to Gold Hill by way of Sunshine Canyon. That is my favorite road ride in Boulder… so much that I was doing that ride in the dead of winter multiple times a week last year. No wonder I started the season overtrained. It seemed like a good idea at the time… Yesterday was a loooong work day and no riding. And today, I get to spend some quality time with my mountain bike. We are going to ride at Betasso. I figure I better take advantage of it while the weather is still nice!!

This weekend will be awesome. Jeff and I are headed up high to freeze our butts off. People are asking me what I’m going to be for Halloween and I tell them, a frozen camper. It’ll be nice to get out of civilization. We are actually leaving our bikes at home and will do some hiking. I have 2 weeks left of my “off-season.” I admittedly haven’t been running as much as I would like…I’m not quite sure why. It seems like I’m always making an excuse. I’ll be adding a few pics to this post later tonight, so check back!!

I am well-fed with all of Mom and Dad’s great home-cooking. We are talking red chile enchiladas, flank steak, waffles from scratch, breakfast burritos, assorted delicious baked desserts, garlic green beans, and some quality Stone IPA and red wine. Now that I’m spoiled rotten, fat, and happy, it’s time to head back to the bubble and eat my normal high fiber diet and hop on the bike.

Looneys.

Not only was I spoiled with food, but I got to drive my dad’s Z06 Corvette more than once this weekend, and I was finally comfortable “gunning” it. I mean, 5000 RPM (you can take it to 7000) accelerating to 60mph in second gear, being slammed back into the seat with the engine roaring. It’s pretty intense for me, but not that impressive for someone who drives fast cars. Not only that, but he goes to this exotic car breakfast every Saturday. He asked me to come along. I didn’t only go to eat Dos Hermanos burritos, but to leave some of my drool on a few of the super machines. I took some photos:

There were actually about 20 cars there. Nice!

Mosler. These things are like $300k + and it’s super light – in fact, for us bike nerds, a lot of it is carbon. The owner was trying to explain why carbon fiber is a cool material…. haha I told him my bikes were made of carbon.

The engine is in the back.

Someone also drove an Ariel Atom. It’s definitely a track car and they have to wear helmets. It’s like having a motor cycle engine with a tiny car built around it.

Note the air freshener. haha

Viper ACR $$$

Believe it or not, this truck was the fastest vehicle there.

800 HP. Apparently on the race track, the front comes up when the guy puts the pedal to the floor

BIG engine. Sheeesh.

Ok, enough about cars. You guys can just go to my flickr account if you want to see more. Sorry to bore some of you, but I think the pics are pretty cool.

I got to check out a new brewery in town called Marble Brewery. I think they are owned by my other favorite brewery in town – Chama River Brewing . Make sure you stop in one of those places if ever passing through here.

I also got spend some time with one of my really good friends, Jolene. I have known her since I was 9 or 10! We have gotten in a lot of trouble together in the past. heee heee

Got some fun rides, camping, and hiking planned for next week. Yipee!

Well, sort of. Temps were a peachy 70 degrees today. Since I don’t have my mountain bike, but I can’t come to ABQ and not pay my favorite trails a visit. I laced up my running kicks and hit the dirt, but just for an hour. I really enjoy trail running, but it was kind of funny to be running on the trails I learned to mountain bike on. ABQ’s open space is the best kept secret. shhhhh… you can ride on trails for hours and you can do it year-round!

I intend to visit some of my favorite local breweries in ABQ (like Chama Brewery) and tonight, I’m trying a new place called Marble Brewery. I am a bit spoiled living in the microbrewery mecca of the US at least, but I definitely appreciate some malt and hops in my diet, and trying new things!

Also, this weekend is Veloswap (in Denver). It’s a super fun event, plenty of bike porn. Make sure you stop by the Ergon booth, give Jeff and Carney a hard time, and get your hands on some blow-out priced grips. Booyah!

It’s always a surreal feeling flying into the Albuquerque area, with the full frontal view Sandia mountains. I love coming home, but I can’t quite explain the feeling. It’s like I never left, yet like I have been gone for a really long time.

Anyway, I have been taking ‘er easy this week after my shenanigans last weekend on the bike. I’m going to do a bit of running while I’m here, and hop back on my two wheeled chariots next week. The off-season is officially over mid-November, so I better enjoy the lax riding schedule and do some more hiking, running, climbing, and other various assorted outdoor activities.

I’m finally getting settled into my new place. I like the location a lot better because it’s way more central to Boulder, and since I get around mainly by bike, my commute times are much shorter. I also might have mentioned that we moved part of our work office (Standard Renewable Energy) to another location which ironically is 3 blocks from my new place. Perfect for the winter months. It is certainly evident that the menacing winter is imminent as temps were a chilly 25 degrees until about 10 AM today. I didn’t do much skiing last year, but I intend to hit up the slopes at least a couple times while the mercury drops on the thermometer. I’d really like to try skate skiing too. I dig the hard effort, and the last few times I downhill skied, I felt cheated out of a workout. Sort of like riding the lifts to practice a Super-D course without doing the climb. I’m sick like that.

Studly K rode down from the Fort Collins to hang out with me in Boulder last night. It’s cool that it’s only a 2.5-3 hour ride. That’s pretty much the only place I drive at the moment, so I guess I’ll cut out most driving altogether and start riding up there as time and weather allows. Turns out the next car repair is to change my alternator belt which is no biggie, but still a pain, and to get some new tires. Mine are bald. Woops. With all the extra long commutes coming up, it’s a good thing for my supa fly pack. It’s what we used for the Winter Park expedition. Right now, there is only one pack between Jeff and I since it hasn’t been released in the U.S. I got too spoiled from the beauty of the weight distribution of the pack. I didn’t feel like checking bags today, so I stuffed a large daypack I have (frameless) full of my clothes and lugged that beast around. Sure enough, my shoulders are in pain after that… I miss my Ergon pack. I think they’ll be out in November, so Jeff and I won’t have to share anymore.

I’ll keep you updated with the haps, but I’m mostly catching up with friends and fam till Sunday when I will venture back to the people’s Republic,

I have had some questions about what team I’ll be riding for next year. Sobe Cannondale was the team I wanted to be on ever since I started bike racing. After 3 years of applying, I finally got a spot on the team and never thought I would be leaving so soon. They have been nothing but amazing to me and I’m sad to be leaving the team and all the great people.  I don’t look at this as leaving anything behind, but as a large step in the yellow brick road of my bike racing journey to carry me higher.   When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and when Topeak Ergon invites you to join their international team, you jump up and down and say HELL YEAH! I couldn’t be more flattered that they have asked me to join the family and am really excited for the ‘09 race season! I can’t tell you how excited I am. They are also adding 2 other U.S. riders that are still TBD.  Hopefully you guys will still love me in green, black, and white raging on a Rotwild!!  There are some other changes that are being made for 2009 for my racing career, so stay tuned!!!

Saturday was a ride up at Monument Gulch (outside Ft. Collins) with Mr. Kerkove and Andrew. My body is totally wrecked from moving last week (or maybe I’m getting sick.) I don’t really know. I’m pretty damn tired today too…. just washed out.  All I know is I felt ultra weak…so weak that I was shaking the whole time. I drank and ate food…but for some reason it was still really rough. I had to keep stopping and when I did, my whole body was quivering. Top it off with nausea and legs feeling like wet noodles and there you have it. I thought maybe Jeff would get me barfin with his helmet cam.  That would have been funny!!  A day to slog on through.  I still had fun, but it was more forced I have to admit.  I’m not riding for a week I think…

Still having fun.  Joking with the Carney.

rotten meat stick wet noodle legs.  They need to rest.

Jeff honing in on his art skillz.

There were TONS of hunters all around.  Lots of bright orange hats and big trucks… all I want is to see a moose!

Today, I’m just relaxing in Fort Fun with my honey (Watching Wayne’s World 2 at the moment after a nice lunch followed by coffee shop in Old Town Ft. Collins) and trying to embrace the fact that the Monday work day is imminent.

…and hanging with Chrissy’s (Jeff’s sister) pooches.
Rub my belly!

heeeee

I’m really looking forward to Thursday.  I’m going home to da Querque to visit the fam!  I haven’t been to Albuquerque since the very beginning of May… instead I have seen the fam in other places like Durango and Breck.  I make sure to see them every couple of months.  Love the Looneys!!!

Being from the Querque, the rattlers are common the trail. I have never seen one in Colorado. “Get your ass off the trail!!”

A few more Fort Rollins pics.

the new Macbook Pro. Don’t get me wrong. I love my 3+ yr old Powerbook, but still.

I guess I will follow Monsieur Kerkove’s lead and let you guys know I am on the facebook as well… I’m a veteran though. I don’t know if that’s a good, a bad, or an ugly thing. Also, Ergon has a really cool page you can become a fan of. You can even add your own photos or videos. I highly recommend checking it out. Click here ASAP!

Fun ride in FC today although my body is totally wrecked from moving, not eating dinner for two nights in a row, and then failing to hydrate properly. I was definitely nauseated, light-headed, and riding very half-assed. Hopefully a better day on the bike tomorrow Check back later for a funny video. I’m getting some quality chamois time…time to hit up the showa to be so fresh and so clean!

Ok. I hate laws and politics but this is relevant and maybe you can get some money to buy more to keep happily hydrated. Courtesy of my coworker, Geoffrey.

As promised…finishing up my Moab post a little later.

The Wind.

I heart Dave Nice.

My man is a model.

I guess I heart him too.

Some more 24 Hours of Moab pics after the wind died down.

Pure Sweetness.

Me and one of my best buds – Nina BAUM!!! She has taught me almost everything I know that is important. Techno, organic food, mountain biking, and coffee.  She is the best.

Eric Saletel. My mechanic this year. He kept my bike working through the year. I didn’t have any major mechanicals thanks to him. Thank you Eric!!

Sunday we rode the Slickrock trail. I had never one it and it was something I had to check off in my book. It was pretty different and took me awhile to “trust” riding up these crazy steep pitches and feeling confident I would keep traction. I prefer the dirt.

Then my rear brake pads died after being abuse all season.

Check out the clamp holder thingy.  It’s all bent up and and destroyed.

Hup! Hup! Hup!

Monday was the Sovereign Trail. It was my favorite trail we rode in Moab.

Riding in Ft Collins this weekend.  More to come.