Pics of My New/Old Singlespeed Road Bike

Jay T. inspired me with his Headwaters 100 singlespeed race to go out and get a lingering project bike of mine done. This is what happens when an old cross bike gets a new set of lungs...

RAAM Fall Festival

So I headed out to Terry Zrmal's house yesterday for the second annual RAAM Fall Festival. Terry is the Race Director for RAAM and the day was billed as a meet and greet for RAAM particpants and staff, past, present and future.

After fighting some crazy Boulder fall winds coming out of the west (think downhill riding at 10 mph), I made it to Terry's for the morning ride. It was a mixed group but everyone rode very strong as we hit a classic Boulder ride, the Fruit Loops... I was struggling from an interval workout the previous day but uncorked another hard ride, knowing that I'd get to "recover" today at work...

After the ride we ate BBQ (best part of the ride), caught up on things and traded stories about RAAM. David Jones, three time RAAM solo rider and great guy flew out to Colorado for the event and a few business meetings. It was interesting to hear his experiences and that of one of his crew people who was also in attendance for the party. I guess my crazy solo RAAM wasn't that unique after all...

Following the food we watched a rough cut of the RAAM DVD which will be out within a month, or so. The footage was spectacular, the commentary of the media crew was pretty funny and the whole movie was an engaging and moving recap of the 2008 Race Across America. That is my unbiased opinion...

It was encouraging to meet a couple of women from the Boulder based, Title 9 Cycling Team who are likely going to field a four woman team for 2009. I love sharing my experiences and limited understanding of the race with newbies and it was definitely cool to hear their questions and the blank look of disbelief as we told them about the race. The RAAM is definitely something to experience first hand. Seeing and feeling RAAM IS believing.

A couple of quirky things came out of the Fall Festival. I got an AMAZING workout/ride from a RAAM racer, Drew Clark who created what has to be one of the most insane rides I've ever heard about. I'll be posting the ride details in a few days, but the bottom line is that the ride covers about 100 miles, 14,000 feet of climbing and takes about 9 hours to complete. I'm looking to do the ride within the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned for that. Also, I heard a fairly credible rumor that Lance Armstrong is going to be racing his cyclocross bike in Boulder next weekend, during the big time UCI cyclocross event.

So...all-in-all the RAAM Fall Festival was a success and a solid day of riding and reflection.

Keep the rubber side down...

TC

Pics from First Cyclocross Race of Season

Who'd a thunk I'd be racing cyclocross this year???

So Long, Friend

I sold one of my road bikes today to make way for a new Bianchi over the new year.

I know it might sound cheesy, but when you ride as much as I do, every time you saddle up on your bike I imagine it feels similar to what a jet fighter pilot feels like as she or he gets into their favorite plane. Nice and smooth and familiar.

I took my road bike many places and had some interesting experiences. There was the first time I did well in a road race. Really well. I was shocked and confused by what was happening in the race, being in a breakaway wasn't a familiar experience at the time (and still escapes me most races, even now). I remember the time my bike and I, okay I, made the poor choice to "outrun" an approaching front and storm in Minnesota. The storm won the race and as the front crossed my path it literally picked my bike and I up off the ground and threw us into a ditch. That was crazy!

My bike carried me through my personal "slump" of 2004 and 2005 when life got in the way of my riding and put me down a path that eventually led to dear old Colorado. The bike became my refuge, my respite and now cycling has become more important than ever in my own definition of Tim.

The bike and all my other crap got packed up and we headed West, young man, to pursue that dream. As the statesman from New York, Al Smith Sr., wrote many years ago, "Walk into that Eternal sunshine."

That bike stayed put on the bike of our support vehicles for RAAM, two years in a row and was rarely called into service, but for a few miles in Kansas. Anyway, it was there and ready to go.

Life happens, people came and went and come and go, but that dear old friend, my red bike, stuck around for the ride.

Keep the rubber side down...

Tim

Evidence!

The preceding pictures prove and demonstrate why I will always be employed as a firefighter...it could happen in your own kitchen!

TC

Don't Know Much

More Pics from Minnesota

The Book

Those of you who came out this past weekend to the Headwaters/Rainbow weekend might have seen the book that Michelle created to commemorate my 2008 Solo RAAM bid. The book is a pretty sweet dedication to our accomplishments some three months ago. Michelle did an amazing job of recapping our amazing experience, from cover to cover. She's not the greatest spellchecker, but hey, you can't have it all! ;)

Well...Shutterfly, which was used to create the book, has decided to include the book as part of its "Featured Gallery Project" area, which highlights some of the websites favorite creations. If you click on this link, you'll be able to review the book and maybe even order a copy if you would like one. Makes a great gift!

For 2009, I am being a bit more proactive on the media front and will be producing a series of videos that will cover the lead up to the RAAM, the race itself and the "wonder" that is recovery from the race. We're going to get the whole thing on "tape" and will be putting out a video and new book some time after RAAM '09.

See you on the hard road to RAAM, look for some more pics from MN and welcome to Team Strong Heart...

Keep the rubber side down...

Tim