Sup Y'all

So I've been a bit busy. Here are a few updates. Like most of us, I can't figure out where the first half of the year has gone. I'm already talking about the SM100 on Labor Day weekend... We haven't even had hot weather yet and I'm closing out the season.

I think I'm the first person in these parts with not one, but TWO jerseys from Mellow Johnnies bike shop in Austin. That's Lance's new bike shop. Susan was there last week and she brought me some presents. The woolie is from Earth Wind and Rider in MA and is pretty sweet. As nice as my Endura woolie but we'll see how it wears. Good first impression. The other jersey (see pics) is a REALLY nice jersey. Black and white, big-a$$ star on the right shoulder, for Texas, of course. It's a Capo Forma. I've never heard of it and I haven't googled it yet but it's REALLY nice. Big ups to the spousal unit. Dude from Austin managing the shop lived in DC for a few months and raced with us this Spring. Small world, fo sho. Some of the press about this new shop mentioned that Lance wanted to promote commuting and that that would be the focus of the shop. Uh huh... Susan said they have Seven, Trek, Merckx, De Rosa, Masi... Sounds very approachable. 'Yeah, can I get some fenders on that De Rosa?' I'm not sure if Lance would ask you to leave or if they just have staff do it... I dunno. It's possible.

If you haven't washed your helmets before OR if they just stink to high Heaven, it's time to do this. Fill up the sink with cold water and some regular dish soap. Wiggle the helmets around in the soapy water for 10-15 minutes whilst drinking a beer or two. The beer helps lubricate the washing machine. I'm on my third season with one of these helmets and it doesn't stink yet. And I sweat like bigfoot on the beach. No, not Joel, an actual bigfoot.

Speaking of Joel, I rode with Mr Gwadz on my home break of Patapsco on Sunday. The trails were perfect. I rode for about 2 hours then met up with him (don't ask him where 'the tunnel' is at Patapsco) then rode for another 2 with him then another hour looking for my cell phone. It's hard to stay in front of Joel no matter what but it's even harder 2 hours in when he's pushing his singlespeed around out there, sometimes literally. He's talking about a (gasp!) full-suspension bike. There aren't a lot of people that ride behind me at Patapsco that DON'T think about one...

There was some highland games people at the local library last weekend. Jeremy saw the 'fighting guys' and wanted to go check it out. These guys were hammering on each other with hard-foam swords and stuff. It was pretty funny. At least they were outside and active. I check the TV Guide and there weren't any Star Trek re-runs on so that explains it. They did have a Picard/Kirk debate though... Jeremy was throwing these big darts at stuffed animals, knocking them down. He had fun.

I went on a work outing to see some of the sites we handle and I saw this fish. There's a section of newly-constructed wetlands on the bay and our staff did such a good job with it, there's all these goofy carp spawning there. I wish the site was open to the public because it's beautiful. But it ain't. I've been fishing in the bay and many of its tributaries for almost my entire 33 years and I have NEVER caught a carp. These things were everywhere. I had no idea they were that plentiful. My buddy Kevin and I used to spend a lot of time at his grandfather's place in Bay Ridge and he had carp in a brackish pond behind his house but I always thought it was just in that place. I never asked. These suckers were probably 16-18 inches. Apparently, they aren't good eating. Like bluefish. It's a wonder that I even eat fish after growing up eating potentially the worst on the planet! Here's a feesh... He's giving me the stink-eye.

24hrs of Big Bear is 12 days away. I can't wait. It's such a fun race. Here's hoping... I just looked at the Expert team listing. There are five teams. So far, we are looking like a solid 5th. Oof. It kinda sucks to be the team that won the 24hr National Points series with Laird last year but then come to Big Bear to get our collective butts handed to us in Expert. Sure we won some races last year in expert and overall, but if you ain't winning at home, it doesn't feel right. That's when you just remember that this is actually FUN and not about winning. Honestly, after 15 years of racing, winning is nice now that I am FINALLY able to do so, but really, who cares. It's just such a great course and I'll be hanging out with some of the best people on the planet. Even when things go horribly wrong (Darren), it's a load of fun.

Oh yeah, good reports from the Stokesville-Douthat-Stokesville ride last weekend. Chris has some shots up at www.mtntouring.com. 14 hours one day, 12 hours back the next. I've GOT to make that next year...