Weekend Report

Lewis and Clark race was great! We had just over 100 racers. Woo-hoo! But only 2 ladies out off all racers. Ladies, I'm tellin ya, all you have to do is show up and you'll get a prize! I was putting on the event, so I couldn't race but it was fun watching those boys' faces as they came flying down the hill. So if you've ever wanted to get out to L&C, get out there while the trail is groomed and warn in. DO NOT use the trails used on the north side of the monument. The trail entrance is just to your left when you turn into the park, right behind the entrance gate. 

Thanks for everyone who came out. It was a gorgeous day and I just wanna put a shout out to all the peeps who came out to help: Troy, Andy, Dickey for helping Josh, Ryan and I get the course trimmed up and ready; Donna & John for registration and marshaling, Danna, Dale, Leah and friends for registration and marshaling and Tim Wieland for time keeping. Folks, we really appreciate the time. You rock!

So, because we didn't race and we got out of there in record time, RF and I went for a ride Sat. evening for a couple hours. 35 miles, 1500 calories. I blew that on a large banana split from Goodrich. Sunday was a ride on the RF pain train and I don't mean what you think I mean. We rode to Glenwood via Keystone to Plattsmouth and then around CB to ped bridge. All said, 72 miles 3500 calories. I'm in food deficit, having consumed a Qdoba burrito and later chicken kabobs w/ baked potato. And a beer. Think its time to eat again.

RF and I did some wedding stuff. He liked the tux I picked out (whew) and we registered for gifts. It's definitely more fun to shop when it's not our money. wink-wink

Now that's how you kill a weekend

Sorry, folks. I can't get my stupid Garmin to download my rides, so you're just going to have to take my word for it.

Rode Fri-Mon

Sat to Two Rivers with from Bike Masters

Time: 3hrs

Miles: 53

MPH:17.73 

Calories: 2487 

Sun: Bellevue Bridge to Manawa

Time: 3:06

Miles: 53

MPH: 17.54 Avg

Calories: 2264 

Mon: Fort Calhoun from home

Time: 3:36 (w/ stops)

Miles: 60

MPH: 16.71 avg

Calories: 2576

Totals

Time: 9:42

Avg: 17.32

Calories: 7327 (that's a lot of cin'a bons)

So, there you go. That's how you kill a weekend. And yes, I got wedding planning in there as well. Probably averaged the same amount of time. 

Hopefully I'll get the motion based app working again soon.

 

Wedding Planning 101

I kicked the hubs-to-be out of the house so I could spend Memorial Day weekend doing wedding planning. So while he's cruising around the trail in the Badlands, I'm cruising the malls and tux shops. Think he'll look good in this?

On my to do list:

Tuxedos

Registering for gifts (yes, I'll let him pick out something)

Get a ride in (check)

Shoes for me

Shoes for my maids (check)

Get a ride in

Writing the invite info

Start on my vows 

Get a ride in

I'm still pondering how to incorporate our cycling obsession into the whole event. We can't ride away on bikes b/c we're on a grassy hill (no, I ain't gonna go DHing in my gown...that's later). We will have a tandem, so maybe we ride on the service road next to the grassy hill for photo ops. For those of you familiar with Ponca State Park, that would be the road next to the visitor's center, that leads up to the start/finish area of the bike races.

I welcome your ideas...

Must do list

This has been on my to do list for a while and now it's the Trail of the Month! Someday, I'll ride that cowboy!

http://www.railstotrails.org/newsandpubs/trailofthemonth/index.html

Ride of Silence, May 20

Ride Of Silence - May 20

On May, 20 at 7:00 p.m., cyclists all around the world will take to the roads for the Ride Of Silence.  The ride is a silent rememberance of those killed or injured in cycling accidents, plus protest the continued carnage taking place on the streets.   Locally, the ride will take place in Bellevue and is being organized by the Bellevue Bicycle Club.  It will start at the parking lot next to the Keystone trail at Raynor Parkway and 36th Street in Bellevue.  Police motorcycles will provide an escort.   The ride hopes to raise cycling awareness during bike safety month to motorists, police, traffic engineers, insurance companies, and city officials. The ride is also a chance to mourn, in funeral procession style, those who have already been killed.   The Ride Of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph for no longer than an hour, and remain silent during the ride.   The ride requests black arm bands be worn, red only if you have had a bike/motor vehicle accident. Helmets are required; bright clothing and lights are highly recommended for the ride home. There are no fees charged anyone to participate.   To learn more, visit the Ride Of Silence website at www.rideofsilence.org.

Chica Ride

Lake Manawa

Meet at 5:45

Roll out at 6pm

See psycowpath.com for directions. Click on Manawa Mayhem under events and scroll down to directions.

See ya there!

A weekend with the Death Star

The Death Star was officially broken in this week/weekend. I jumped on with Bike Masters on the WNR and suffered into a blustery wind after being shot out the back. Shark bait, I like to call myself at that point. No life raft's gonna save my ass. Well, unless you call the two guys I worked with for the first hour my life savors. Thanks, guys! I earned my Qdoba burrito that night.

Saturday was the Goat Hill Ride out of Bikemasters. At 8:30 twenty-some brave souls took to the hills of northwest Omaha. Again, that we had the wind howling out of the NW but the sun saved us. After looking at the profile on my Motionbase link, we had almost 6000 ft. of climbing. That alone earned me two pieces of wedding cake at a wedding reception for Ryan's cousin. Oh, and 800 mg of Ibu so I could dance to "We are Family" and "YMCA" with my soon-to-be outlaws. 

Sunday was a painful start. Still feeling the ride, RF and I drug ourselves onto the Keystone south into that God-forsaken wind. Seriously. Nothing like a fleet of 747s in your ears for an hour to get you in a good mood. Ryan was feeling the sting of the Goat, or should I say the hair of the dog, and so yours truly pulled most of the way. We rode to the Bellevue Bridge and once over, by orders from coach, I had to dig deep and do 10 min. of 30 0n / 30 off Zone 5s. Thanks to my Garmin, I can set an alarm to tell me when to start and stop so I can concentrate on the road. Once that was done, we cruised through CB via Kainesville Blvd and then up around Big Lake and back to the Ped Bridge. I had to put in a solid 3.5 so from the bridge we went to Carter Lake and north to McKinley (by Morman Bridge) and back to 52nd and home. That earned me a bag of popcorn at the movies (Angels and Demons, good flick) and a brownie at dinner. 

All in all 144 miles on the Death Star over 3 rides. The Madone is a great bike for the 2 hour training ride or the 4 hour death march. It climbs well and is comfy on the decents. It's so light the wind kicks me around a bit when it's coming from the side but really no complaints. It got many compliments on its look and design. I think this bike and I will be together a while

Talk the Talk

For a list of mountain bike slang terms, click here.

List courtesy of bikehacks.com, which I found on anadventurecalledbicycling.blogspot.com.

Okay, I'm done linking now.

Ride Your Bike To Work Week

Extreme Yoga = Extreme Pain

Note to self: Don't do hyperflexing yoga moves the day before a race. So, since doing this move to stretch a stiff lower back, I've been off the bike. A lot of good that did. I missed the yummiest conditions at Platte this weekend, then was docile on Sunday. I did ride with the Chicas Monday, but it was just a spin to see how the back was doing. It was mad after one lap at Tranq. Today it's better after seeing Dr. Rick, my back man for a couple of years. Hope to do a group ride Wed. and see what I can accomplish. 

But during my down time I'm back on the wedding planning wagon. I've put it off long enough. Only 5 months away. Wait. FIVE months? That's it? Crap. I better get on it.

Moms rule!

My mom is a rock star. (My brother, Jim, is pretty studly too). Don't forget to tell your mom how much she rocks today!
Love ya, ma!

Friday Curiousity

This learning moment & curiousity chasing experience is brought to you by Nerd Boy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayes'_theorem

Turkey Tuesday

Tuesday I rode the Bellevue loop backwards. I was still feeling the race from Saturday. You know you're tired when you can feel it in your eyes. Anywho, as I was riding the section of cobbles on Bellevue Blvd. a rather handsome gaggle of turkeys were taking an early evening stroll, strutting their stuff. They didn't want much to do with chick in the lycra, so my photos weren't all that great but there were at least a dozen turkeys. Funny, the house next to the "turkey yard" is for sale. I wonder if having turkey's for neighbors brings down the value? 

The wind was howling out of the south as I entered the Haworth Park entrance to the Bellevue Trail. With my head down, I just did my thing, really wishing I wasn't there. Just call me BA (recognize that from the A-Team? Bad Attitude is right!). Either I was still tired or I was crashing from my 4pm caffeine break. Then, Randy Crist went flying by and soon he chased me down after finishing his zone work out. I was so thankful b/c he pulled me all the way through the wind. What a guy! After that we put up our sails and cruised home. 

A Day in the life...

5:30 alarm goes off

dirt girl bounces to the window...SUNSHINE!

get up, Nerd Boy, it's racin time!

6:30 getting coffee for volunteers

7:15 pull up at Swanson to unload

8:15 our first registered rider.

"Ryan, turn on some tunes. Wake the neighbors with some Steely Dan", bellows Kent. Ryan loves a little Steely in the morning. (hehe) He obliges, cranks up the volume.

8:30-9:30 racers trickle in. It's madness. But in a good way. I'm stoked. Lots of energy. People are ready to race! So much so that one had his brother get him registered because he was running late. He just made it too. One guy got lost getting to the venue but he wanted to race so he did the Cat. 2 open. When it's time to get your dirt on, it's time to get your dirt on. Do whatever it takes. And so it was.

10:00 Racers are off and I have a breather to eat a turkey/bagel sammy in the hope that I'll be able to pull away and race too. 

Do whatcha gotta do. 

Not perfect. 

Standing all morning. Lifting boxes. Answering questions. Not focused. 

We'll see.

10:30 the next groups start registering. Madness, take 2.

Lots of hellos to peeps I haven't seen in a while. Yeah, this is where it's at. Right here.

11am - unknown cat. 1 women signs up. it's on now. dirt girl is gonna race.

11:30 kit up, kiss my volunteers good-bye and go to warm up (if you call two high cadence spins up and down the road to the fire station a warm up. Guess I'll warm up when the gun goes off.)

12:00 we line up with the cat. 1 men. Sweet. unknown cat. 1 woman is an adventure racer getting in some workout miles. ya wanna work out, do ya? 

12:10 We're off like rabbits. Around the field and into the single track. 35 riders + one narrow hole = traffic. Delay vomitting. Track stand instead at root climb. Whew, made it. Now pedal!

12:35 One lap down. Debbie's behind me but in sight. Nice work for a new mom. I'm way impressed. All those breathing exercises musta paid off! This was my first race without a camel back thanks to side entry water bottle from Bontrager. Not sure I dig it. I like having my hands on the bars. Just deal. Ride your damn bike. 

1pm - lap two down. time to settle in for crying out loud. where's debbie? There she is. WTF? Is she drinking her kid's formula? Awesome stamina! I think she should market that shit.

1:25 - lap 3 down. starting to tire a bit. F'd up the root of all evil. crap. I'm not riding very hard. What is the deal? Let's get this over with. I don't see anyone. 

1:35 - finished. time to recover. mmmm, hamburgers. whoa, stomach. not quite ready. but this chocolate milk will hit the spot.

2:15 - Make mine well done, please.

3:00 - Awards time. Bring on the rock stars.

4:00 - Nerd boy and I head back, unload

7:00 - Head to grad part. Hooray, bike peeps. They are okay with us devouring the snack tray.

10:45 - Heading home. 

11:00 - Tots

11:15 - In front of TV with tots and a beer. 

Now that's how you kill a Saturday, my friends. 

Chica Ride

Hello all lady riders! I want more girls to ride with so I'm organizing a ladies only mountain bike ride on Monday nights. I want to show you how fun it is to cruise around in the woods on two wheels. I want to help you feel safe on your bike by explaining how your bike functions. I want you to feel confident on uneven terrain by showing you how to properly ride your bike over natural obstacles like roots, rocks and bumps. Once you learn these fundamentals, the fun you can have mountain biking will be limitless.

What: Chica Ride
Where: Various mountain bike trails in Omaha, Bellevue and Council Bluffs
When: Monday nights, May 4-August 31; meet at 5:45pm, roll out at 6pm
Who: All levels, novice to expert
- Learn how to ride off road
- Non-competitive
- One-on-one instruction
- Fun and fellowship

A little bit about me:
I've only been mountain bike riding and racing for ten years. I didn't get on a mountain bike until I was in my late 20s and it's been a love affair ever since. In the beginning I didn't have anyone to show me the ropes. Instead I was shown the trail and was expected to figure it out. It was a bumpy road for a while but soon I got the hang of it. Within a year I was racing locally and within two years I was traveling to places like Colorado, Utah, and South Dakota riding and racing. My bike became my preferred mode of adventure travel or as I like to call it my "magic carpet" and it has taken me to many cool places like wide open deserts, high peaks and through many beautiful forests - all places I probably would have never seen had I not been on a bike.

A little bit about the Chica Ride:
This is the first time I’ve led the Chica Ride. It’s not my ride, it’s yours. Your pace is my pace. My goal on these rides is to create a supportive, beginner friendly experience. You can ride as fast or as chill as you want. Or maybe you want to practice a certain section over again. I encourage it. I'll be there mainly to cheer you on, give instruction and make sure nobody gets left behind.

First ride, May 4th is a Swanson Park in Bellevue.

DIRECTIONS:
Take HWY 75 South to Cornhusker. Go west for about a mile.
Look for the Bellevue Fire station monument sign on the north side of Cornhusker.
If you get to 36th street, then you went too far.
Parking lot is to the left once you turn north into the park.

Looking forward to the ride.
Roxzanne

PS - For questions, you can contact me at roxzanne.abbott(at)gmail(dot)com
PSS - Be sure to bring a helmet, bug spray and water.

Roxy Racin' this Weekend

Rox is getting ready to put on a heck of an event, the Swanson River City Shootout, hosted by Midwest Cycling Community, Trek Store of Omaha, and Highgear Bicycle Store of LaVista. Even if you've never tried racing before, this is the perfect venue for it. Come on out and give it a try! More at NebraskaCyclingNews.com and Psycowpath.com. Good blog chatter on mtbomaha. After a little wetness this week, conditions are gonna be tacky & fast!

Good trip photos here.