Back from Irene. A few days without power and thankfully nothing more. Her wrath changed a few things around here, namely mountain biking.  Big River was hit pretty hard. I havenʻt been in there for a few weeks - which makes me a crappy NEMBA member since so many people have been working hard to get the trails cleared out. Thanks people. Maybe next year I will buy a chainsaw. Or maybe Iʻll get one when I get my generator. I tell you this mother - there ainʻt no way weʻre gunna be without powah this winter.

Anywho, the focus now needs to be getting ready for ʻcross. My schedule is starting to come together. Looks like my first race will be October 2nd at New Englandʻs premier event Grand Prix of Gloucester. The following weekend Iʻm aiming for a Sat/Sun combo at Providence Cross Fest and then up to Maine for the Casco Bay Cross (as long as they donʻt cancel it again due to pending bad weather (such a non cross thing to do)). Following that start, the options are open. I would love to head back up to Maine the next weekend for the New Gloucester races. November is fairly open, but options are available every weekend. Itʻs just a matter of how far weʻre willing to travel. I hope to survive long enough to have my season conclude on home turf at the NBX Grand Prix of Cyclocross in Warwick in December, an event I hope to race both days. Like my first year racing in Seattle, it will be a learning experience. The events are much different, the terrain is different, the vibe is different, and I know the weather is going to be different. The reality sank in the other day while talking about tires - "well youʻll need some for snow and slush". Snow and slush, oh crap. Thatʻs right, this is New England.

I calculated my current condition to be that of about 30% of what it was this time last year. Someone asked my how I can up with the 30% and I just said "trust me, and Iʻm probably being more generous than reality". It basically comes down to this - I only started riding 30% into the year (May/June), Iʻm only averaging 3 workouts per week (at best), Iʻm 12lbs heavier, I just started running, mountain biking training has been way too few and far between. This is not some kind of sympathy request, Iʻm just trying to prepare myself mentally for the pain and suffering.

I did start running last week and am still working through those miserable aches and pains every time I start running again. I hope to increase my workouts. Last week the weather sucked, but I committed to the plan and worked out on both the stationary bike and treadmill. Weather is looking more promising this week, but wouldnʻt you know work isnʻt - hosting guests this week, and then potential travel the last week in Sept. I donʻt get this, all I want to do is ride/train. Why does work have to keep getting in the way. Stupid work.

Yesterday, I did go out for a killer ride. Some of my local roads but in a combination that I havenʻt done before. Iʻm getting closer to piecing together my epic workout ride, but I still need to eliminate route 102. It wasnʻt my plan to ride on 102 yesterday, but it was my only option for stopping to get some fluids which turned into a bit of an issue in the warm weather. Iʻm not sure if I am fighting a bit of a cold or what but every climb in the 4,500 vertical route seemed to wind me pretty good - thatʻs really what the epic rating on my "suffer score".




Pre Irene, I had a great ride up at Bradbury Mountain with Benjamin. Iʻm stoked that Ben is getting into biking (at the same age I got into back in San Francisco). Heʻs full of young energy and can motor on the trails - and make me work for my money to keep up. Iʻm loving Bradbury. This time around we first went up the "mountain", a 5 minute climb. On the way down Benjamin flatted, and of course didnʻt have a tube. Giving him one of mine wasnʻt an option as heʻs a studly 2-9er. But Maine being the incredibly friendly state that it is, someone in the parking log gave him a brand new tube. That made our day since it looked like it was going to be a very early end. We crossed the road and into the area we had ridden before, but checked out some new terrain. Namely, the "O" trail - a wicked fun, twisty, rooty, rocky, endless assault. If only I had access to this park more routinely....... maybe next weekend.