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I love life out in Colorado. The weather, pretty much year 'round, is amazing. I can ride my bike out in the high plains east of the mountains or point the bike west and climb forever. I love my career at Boulder Fire, enjoy the highs and lows of helping people in very crappy situations and I love the women and men who serve next to me on the line. Life is good out here.

Michelle and I (and doggy) traveled out to Minnesota this past weekend for some bike racing and some reminiscing with old and new friends. Life in Minnesota is pretty sweet and I miss it out there. Unfortunately I'm starting to get used to the "fakey hippy environmentalist I'm from California and you're not" attitude out in Boulder, and so it was refreshing to go out to the "Land of 10,000 nice people."

The riding in Minnesota was spectacular. Many kudos to the organizers of the Headwaters 100 bike race and the beautiful bike tours also hosted that day. The race course was on some of the smoothest and safest roads I've ever raced or trained on and the scenery (when I had a chance to actually see it at 25-30 mph) was incredible. Saturday's road race was alternately tough and easy, depending on where I was sitting in the pack or what the terrain was like. Minnesotans know how to race and with few exceptions I was impressed with everyone's ability to stay cool when the tempo heated up. My Team Strong Heart comrades put on a good show and a special shout to John Rotach who can simultaneously race at the front of the pack and change out of a wind vest. Nice!

On Sunday, Rainbow Resort hosted the Laurentian Divide Challenge mountain bike race, which was a charity event for Camp Odayin and Team Strong Heart. I stupidly assumed before the race that because the course was being held near and around lakes that it would be a flat course. Wrong! Immediately the course climbs and heaves up and over some tough trails that are normally used as championship cross country ski trails. Think Olympic qualifiers, etc. So...I had brought my singlespeed Bianchi out to race with and there were a couple times where I was running rather than riding. Overall I turned out a good race, felt pretty decent despite the beer consumed the previous evening and I ended up placing first in the event.

Thanks to Rainbow Resort for hosting Team Strong Heart, Loon State and all the other people who showed up to race and support Camp Odayin. Michelle and I had an amazing weekend and will definitely be back next year.

Life in Minnesota is good. I was definitely reminded of that this past weekend. I dearly miss my friends and wish that the drive out there was a wee bit shorter. Packing up the truck and heading out there felt like a "mini-RAAM," and I was just as remiss to come back to CO as I was after finishing solo RAAM this past year.

Be thankful for who and what you have out there, all ye who call Minnesota home. Colorado has some altitude and some attitude, but y'all have some great bike riding, some great companionship and a wonderful place to rest your weary head at night.

Keep the rubber side down...

Tim

words to live by

"It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst, at least falls while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

--Teddy Roosevelt

movies

Fall

Next week I'll be headed out to Minnesota for the Headwaters 100 bike ride/race and also a charity mountain bike race out at Rainbow Resorts. Yeah, I'm the guy that races a century on a Saturday and then races his singlespeed mountain bike on Sunday. Not too bright!

I'm looking forward to getting out to MN after a prolonged absence. Actually, I can't remember the last time I was out there, though I suppose it had something to do with RAAM.

Team Strong Heart is looking more vibrant than ever for 2009. I'm ecstatic to be a part of the team again next season. Of course, your support is more than encouraged, it's demanded! Drop me a line at tim@timcase.net if you'd like to get involved with our organization.

I'm hoping to bring a bit of excitement to the weekend events in Minnesota. This has been a crazy year and cycling season, with a bit more to come from yours truly. Since the conclusion of solo RAAM, I've been obsessively plotting the next year out and am pumped to get going! Yeah, I know we've only had about three months to recover and rest up from my epic journey, but the time to plan is now...

At some point my physiology got me back on track post-RAAM. I'm back with intervals, long, hard rides and some mountain biking thrown in for good measure. I love this time of year. Although I've learned to embrace the heat (think Congress, AZ with about 2600 miles to go), I'm a sucker for the cold, wet fall. A part of me is hoping for some crappy weather next weekend in northern Minnesota. I do well in that sort of crud. Wind, wet and cold. Yes!

Having ridden and raced in Minnesota for a bunch of years, I can well appreciate the riders who get out the door from their warm homes in the dead of winter, just to eek out a few miles on the bike. I vividly remember some rides with the Loonies or racers from Squadra where we would ride for 45 minutes, drink coffee at the Starbucks by the U of MN for 2 hours and then ride home. Those were the coldest and the best days.

Racers out in Colorado are good. When you see a rider out here wearing a Garmin Chipotle team kit, chances are that guy's on the team. Some of my teammates on Horizon Organic resemble little horse jockey fellows who were born climbers. There is more bling on the average roof rack out here than a bike industry trade show. Go get something to eat and there goes the Rock Racing guys. Grab a coffee in North Boulder and half the HealthNet team walks in for some pre-ride brew. But....and this is a big but....alot of the guys here in Colorado can't take the cold. They like their riding hot and fast and did I mention hot. A chilly day in Boulder (see also: 45 degrees Farenheit) might drag most riders back indoors for a yoga or pilates class, but those are the days where I get the real work done. Perspective is golden and you really haven't lived 'till you've had icicles hanging from your facial hair or the corners of your mouth. I have Minnesota to thank for that.

I've never put in more miles on the bike than I have this year. Easily I've ridden over 10k miles for the first time in my short life. I've done some crit racing, will try my hand again at mountain bike racing, will hit the cyclocross season after coming back from Minnesota and did I mention I soloed RAAM this year?

Despite all of this, or maybe because of this, I'm feeling stronger and more energized than I have in a very long time. Don't get me wrong, beer is starting to work its way back into my diet (thankyou Cutthroat Porter and anything else from Odell's Brewery)and yes, I think I will have a second piece of pie, thank you very much, but with the change of the season, my leaves are changing to a hot and bright shade of red...

Keep the rubber side down...

TC

The word is yes

Press Release: Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas: September 9, 2008

Today, Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor, founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and cycling champion, released the following statement regarding his return to professional sports:

"I am happy to announce that after talking with my children, my family and my closest friends, I have decided to return to professional cycling in order to raise awareness of the global cancer burden. This year alone, nearly eight million people will die of cancer worldwide. Millions more will suffer in isolation, victims not only of the disease but of social stigma. After the passage of Proposition 15 in Texas, a $3 billion investment in the fight against cancer which is helping to make this disease part of the national dialogue in America, it's now time to address cancer on a global level."

Mr. Armstrong will discuss his cycling program and an international LIVESTRONGTM strategy on September 24th in New York City at the Clinton Global Initiative. A video statement by Mr. Armstrong is available at http://www.livestrong.com/lance2009/.

About the Lance Armstrong Foundation
The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) unites people through programs and experiences to empower cancer survivors to live life on their own terms and to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer. The LAF focuses on cancer prevention, access to screening and care, research and quality of life for cancer survivors. Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, the LAF has raised more than $260 million for the fight against cancer. Join 60 million LIVESTRONG wristband wearers and help make cancer a national priority. Unite and fight cancer at LIVESTRONG.org.

Don't Call it a Comeback

From: Velonews

Sources: Lance Armstrong coming back

By Neal Rogers

Lance Armstrong will come out of retirement next year to compete in five road races with the Astana team, according to sources familiar with the developing situation.

Armstrong, who turns 37 this month, will compete in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphine-Libere and the Tour de France — and will race for no salary or bonuses, the sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told VeloNews.

Armstrong's manager, Mark Higgins, did not respond to questions. And an Astana spokesman denied the report to The Associated Press.

"He is no part of our team," Astana team press officer Philippe Maertens told The AP in an e-mail. "Team Astana has no plans with him."

However sources close to the story have told VeloNews that an exclusive article on the matter will be published in an upcoming issue of Vanity Fair, expected later this month. Vanity Fair editors did not respond to requests for comment.

Rumors of Armstrong's return swirled at last week’s Eurobike trade show in Germany and this week’s Tour of Missouri.

The rumor speculates that Armstrong will reunite with former team manager Johan Bruyneel at Team Astana — a viable option given Armstrong’s long-lasting relationships not only with the Belgian director but also Trek, Astana’s bike sponsor.

According to sources, the Texan will post all of his internally tested blood work online, in an attempt to establish complete transparency and prove that he is a clean athlete.

The rumor, which has been rampant for nearly a month, gained legs when former Discovery Channel team director Dirk Demol signed with Astana for 2009.

“I am excited to be reunited with Johan Bruyneel," Demol said. "What Johan has been able to do this year with Team Astana is quite special and admirable and I look forward to being a part of his program once again. It will be a new team with some familiar faces, but I know the winning philosophy and structure have remained the same.”

Other rumors are that Armstrong will continue to pursue mountain bike racing, and may try his hand at cyclocross as well.

Should Armstrong return with Astana, it would bolster a squad that arguably boasts the sport’s best stage-racing team.

In Missouri, Columbia rider George Hincapie, a close friend of Armstrong’s and the only man to ride on all seven of the Texan’s Tour winning teams, simply smiled when asked what he knew about the rumor, saying, “I don’t know anything.”

Armstrong re-enrolled himself into the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s out-of-competition testing pool prior to August’s Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race, where he finished second to Dave Wiens, said USA Cycling chief operating officer Sean Petty.

USADA rules state that any athlete who wishes to come out of retirement must enroll in the USADA out-of-competition testing program for at least six months in advance of regaining eligible status.

A return to racing would no doubt bring large crowds to American races, and could perhaps save the Tour de Georgia, which is struggling to land a title sponsor.

Petty said that should Armstrong wish to return to racing, “it would be one of most exciting things to happen to American racing since he won his seventh Tour. Depending on his plan, if that is what he wanted to do, it would be tremendously exciting and would generate a tremendous amount of attention on the sport, and on what he’s doing. People would be very interested to see how he would do in a comeback.”

The last big-name rider to return from retirement was Italian Mario Cipollini, who signed with Rock Racing and competed at this year’s Amgen Tour of California after three years away from the sport. Cipollini failed to win a stage, but took third in a field sprint and said, “This finish means as much to me as any victory.” Following the race Cipollini had a contractual dispute with Rock team owner Michael Ball, and left the team.