Thursday 16 May 2013

CYCLING

July may be the month that most people consider as cycling's time to shine, but for me it's May! Well to be more specific, May while in England and the weather has turned to what I can only describe as a wetter, colder, windier version of what we call spring/summer. Basically in addition to my own personal daily races I come home in time to watch the final 20-50km of the Giro which is usually incredibly exciting (to watch)...I'm sure those racing it would use different words to describe there feelings towards the final 50 KM each day. Either way, fun to watch. After a nice little dinner and some relaxation the Tour of California pops up its live HD (and I mean HIGH DEF) coverage of the final 2 hours or so of the race. Now on one hand I am a true cycling fan at heart and really enjoy the excitement and agony you see in the race..the flip side of the coin is that I have raced the Tour of Cali on 2 occasions - 2010,2011 - and had a little success in each one (getting in a break...about as much as most domestic teams hope for). So, it's a bit bitter sweet to watch an event you've been part of in the past. Not to take anything away from from what I'm doing over here, I'm really enjoying the experience and the new races/racing on this side of the pond, I think I might just chalk this one up to a "the Grass is always greener" type situation. If I was racing in the US I would probably look at something like Tour de Haut Var and have similar feelings.

Speaking of Haut Var, when I look back that seems like AGES ago, I mean it was nearly 3 months ago but the memory from that first race has been archived well into the past. The thought of that though also made me realize that the season is now over the hump. I'm not in count down mode at this point but it seems crazy to think that we're half way through the season already. Looking back at the first part of the year I think there are a lot of things I can take away from it and positives I can draw from. Racing over here has truly opened my eyes and made me a better cyclist for sure (even if the results don't exactly reflect that) but I have to say the real perks to being here  are all the amazing places I've been able to see thus far, Southern France, Belgium  Paris, Girona, Majorca, All over England, Northern France...Planes, trains and automobiles...its been a great few months.

On the racing side of things the team has continued it's success domestically this past week with Lach and Rich Lang scoring 3rd&4th respectively at round 2 of the premier calendar and than the guys followed that up with a Win at round 1 of the prestigious Tour Series. The ball is certainly rolling now and I think with the guys we've got on the team we'll have no problem keeping that momentum going! In the theme of looking back to that first race I think I may have mentioned something about great things having simple beginnings....

Well, the rain seems to have subsided enough for me to sneak out the door and get some work done! Check back later next week for some exciting news....exciting to me anyways.

Rob

...aaand the good stuff...
I knew I could smell coffee roasting... disappointment of the century!

The young man after playing "footy" with a wine glass

Ah summer in Derby...that was a good couple days

R-E-C-

O-V-E-R-Y

all work and no play

yes, that little ball of spikes is a wild hedge hog...who happens to live in the hedges outside our door

Mexican Night, my 2nd favorite night of the week

Sometimes I have a room with a s view

it's no Prima Strada but it is tasty and the company was exceptional

5 hours on the bike not a drop..5 min ride to the store..soaked to the bone.

how most mornings start these days

GREEN

Sanctuary 

Proof I was in fact in a break in Cali...couple a nobodies...




2 comments: