My new Giro Pneumo 

40 mile TT

My time trial bike after I did my 40 mile time trial the day before the start of the Tour de France. I rode a hard 64 miles yesterday. Summer is really great!

Me in th Brookville time trial on June 18, 2005
I ended up winning by 31 seconds. It was a great time and the day was a beautiful day to ride. My Dad drove with me and Rich, Gale, and Gabriel went in another car. I had an asthma attack and a cramp in my right calf but I still won so I guess it is alright.

Indiana Cycling Team photo
Here is our new team photo after the 5-points crit. I was hanging in until a lapped rider cut me off in the second corner with 4 laps left.

5-points road race
Here I am finishing 10th in Indiana's 5-points classic road race. I attacked on the last climb and had an asthma attack. It was all I could do to hold on on the down hill and finish with the pack.

Race day

I completely screwed up on Sunday. My legs felt like lead and I fell out of the pack at the beginning of the second lap. I started too far back in the back and by the time I caught up I was cooked and I fell off the back soon after. I guess I'll try to do better also. Oh yeah, and I ate a scrambled egg and ham sandwich on a beagle from Kings, I'll never do that again.

My new bike and skinsuit
I've been doing alot of riding this week since we had a shortened week at school. I did my first week this year over 200 miles. I still love the new bike and will be making my first real attempt at a race tomorrow morning on it. Unlike last week when the race was canceled by our one day snow storm tomorrow is supossed to be 70 degrees and sunny. It should be a good time. I hope I can do well and not finish too far back. It will be a blast.

Cannondale R5000
Here it is, my cannondale R5000. The only thing I've changed from stock are the crankset and tires. I changed the crankset to Dura-ace and the tires to Vredestein. I changed the crankset only because I like the way the Dura-ace looks. On the other hand, I changed the tires because I love the road feel of the Vredsteins. This bike is really nice. I had a Specialized Allez Pro with full ultegra and it was nice but didn't fit me well so I had to use a really short stem and that threw some things off. This bike fits me well and I love it. The Dura-ace crankset along with the aluminum Caad8 frame and Ksyrium Elite wheels make this bike surge forward with every pedal stroke. I think the biggest difference I can tell from other bikes I've ridden is how stiff the crankset is. I guess that's it because it feels nothing like any of the other bikes I've ridden, even with the same frame. Don't get me wrong the frame is wonderful also. It is super light and the blue color changes depending on the light. It looks great. The Fizik seat is also really nice. Compared to the Selle San Marco saddles I had been ridind this thing is like a pillow. I have no numbness and no saddle sores so far. I went to race it today but the race was canceled because of snow so I'll have to report more on how it is to race on later, but I can't imagine it won't be exquisite. I still have to get the fit exactly right, seat and handlebar postition, and then I'll be able to do a much better review. So for now that's it, keep riding!

Race prep

We're supposed to get a few inches of snow tonight but that won't stop Rich and I from going to the race tomorrow in Mingo creek. I am almost finished prepping my bike and all of my stuff I'm taking tomorrow. I just have to load up in the morning and meet Rich at his house @ 6:15a.m., that's pretty early especially considering the time change.

lots more riding

I've been doing alot of riding and haven't taken time to write. I'm feeling good with race day only one week away. My new bike came in and is waiting at the shop in the box, ready to be built. I can't wait! I'm considering some upgrades and I'll comment more on them if I go ahead and get them. Happy Easter

days getting longer = longer rides

I've been getting to do quite a bit of riding over the last week. It has started to get slightly tollerable out and going outside isn't so terrible any more. Race season is less than 2 weeks away with a road race in Washington, PA on April 3. I went to the bike shop over the weekend and decided to test ride some bikes now that it is a bit nicer just to ensure I was getting the right size bike. It turns out I needed a 56cm instead of the 58cm we had ordered. Rich said he would change the order first thing Monday and when he called to change it the 58cm had already been sent. Now it has to be sent back and the other one ordered and it won't be here until the end of April. That is sooooo far away. I guess it won't hurt me to wait. Also, I won't be tempted to ride it and get it all dirty and grimy on these roads that still haven't recovered from a long winter.

Spring break was great! I actually even wrote a paper for micro lab and then found out it wasn't due for 2 more weeks. Then my father and I went for a bike ride. We went 20 miles and it was pretty cold. It was a slow ride but still nice.

It snowed last night. So after a weekend with temperatures in the 50's I was stuck inside on the trainer again today for 20miles. Oh well, I guess spring will be here soon or I'll go crazy, either way it won't be long.

It's a nice day to ride!
I just got back from Indiana and a 40 mile ride this morning. It was really nice outside, 55 degrees. It was very windy, with a tail wind the whole way to Indiana and then riding into the wind the whole way home. The good news is on the way there I felt like I was flying. I stopped at the bike shop and bike is not in yet but I'm more excited everyday. Get out and ride and stop reading this, it's too nice to be indoors today.

More base miles

Today was beautiful. Well, not really but for PA in March it wasn't half bad. Rich keeps telling me about these base miles I need to get in. I rode 45 more base miles today, actually 44.94 if you want to get technical. It was a really nice ride. I tried my new camelbak and hated it. It felt like it was cutting off your breathing the whole time you were wearing it and drinking was also difficult. It is impossible to breathe while sucking water out of this thing and breathing is sort of important when riding a bike. It's probably going back. The only reason I might keep it is to use as a backpack when on the bike. It was nice and aero and once loosened up didn't affect breathing other than when drinking.