Great Quote

Yet the very next day, Landis attacked on the first climb back up the same mountain range, the 201km stage to Morzine-Avoriaz, and didn't stop until he left his opponents out of breath and in denial. The gamble was so audacious, so hardheaded and risky that as word of Landis' plan rippled through a peloton worn out after a week in the Pyrenees and Alps, several riders pulled up alongside and begged him not to try it.

''I just told 'em,'' Landis would recall, '''Go drink some Coke, 'cause we're leaving on the first climb if you want to come along.'''

-- from an AP story

DOPER?! Time will tell...

Catching Up

Ok, here we go...getting back into it again. Work/training/social life has been crazy lately, and so this had to give, unfortunately...please, stop crying.

Lets see if I can keep updating this more regularly now. One post at a time. Currently training for Culpepper sprint tri, and getting pumped for my weeks of vacations coming up in August! Woop woop!


Keep it gangsta.


Good Song: Muse - Starlight

Triathlon-ing

Half-way through the "Andy B. Endurance Event world tour"...it started with Eagleman, continued with Xterra East Champs. last weekend, Bath County Sprint tri this weekend, and THEN the grand finale with the 11th Annual Tour DAY Burg!!

Xterra was a blast, and it was great chance to change it up once in a while with an off-road event. Didn't really finish as strongly as I would have liked, but no worries...the road is where I'm more suited and I'll have my chance to shine bright and early tomorrow! Following this tri is a post-race celebration with a couple friends at a Dave Matthews show up at Nissan Pavilion. Hopefully I'll have some energy left to enjoy it.

Work is busy, and thus the reason I've been lacking in the posting department. My B(ad).

Get outside!



Good Song: Fine China - R-Rated Movie

Eagleman re-cap

Well, its over. In the books. I came away with a 5:02:and some change finish, and a 5th place in my age-group. A solid result, but not exactly my goal time. The amount of chop during the swim, and lack of tail-wind on the bike was something I just wasn't expecting, and both combined to take the proverbial wind out of my sails. No worries, I came away with one bad ass tank top sun burn and an award with a sweet eagle on it as a result. The race weekend was a total blast, and am glad I got to spend it with a lot of friendly faces. Time to get started on my active recovery for Xterra Richmond coming up. Its going to be another amazing weekend! Cheers!


Good Song: The Rosebuds - Shake Our Tree

Eagleman

1 day to go. I'm feeling strong physically, confident mentally, and those two combined make me a bit nervous. Which, when I think about it, is probably a good thing so that I stay on my toes and don't get over-relaxed come race day. I'm hoping for a strong result tomorrow, and wish that I come away with one of those precious Hawaii slots. Its going to take a perfect race, perfect(read: HOT) weather conditions, and a bit of luck. We'll see what happens! Thanks to all the warm wishes and good vibes sent my away. See you at the finish line!


Good Song: Paco - Who Do You Think You Are?

Daydream

Sitting in my cube at work(working diligently, of course) I sometimes wish I could just escape to probably the coolest little town in the U.S....Crested Butte, CO. All the snow sports you could want in the winter, and all the mountain biking/hiking you could ever need in the summer. Get me there!


Good Song: Ambulance LTD - New English

Its coming!

11^th Annual Tour De Burg – June 30^th – July 5^th -- Harrisonburg, VA

No Drama, no hooplah, just 6 classic stages to highlight the best rides in the area and provide the route that is the Tour de Burg. Fine dining at the homes of Harrisonburg friendlies will help ease your homesick blues and the pain in your legs. Please join us to start the second Decade of Slummin.

OK a little drama… A strong performance last year sent the Cupcakes home with 3 of the 5 jerseys – Churtle the Women’s Champion, Keefer the KOM, and the Mouth in green as the Sprint King. While Bishop’s umpth trip to the top of Podium gave the Burg the title and 3 of the top 5 spots. Cupcake Harlan Price was a serious threat only 5 minutes in arrears and is off to a hot start in 06. The disgracing loss of the green jersey has left the Burg scrambling to find a sprinter – with a number of Quinns in training, perhaps the jersey will stay in the south. A new Team Orange will be led by previous Tour Champion Jeremy Vimpty and various high strung veterans. Orange already has their eyes on the Sprint Jersey – expect some shady sprints! After Buschetti took home the title in 05, C-Ville managed only to defend the DFL. Now that the Wo has defected to the burg who will carry C-Ville in 06? Rumors have even slipped out of committee about podium girls (or boys) and strict drug testing standards. Enough speculation – who will be present on June 30^th at 5pm ready to ride?

The 2006 Tour will begin at 5:00 pm on Friday, June 30^th at Todd Lake near Stokesville, VA.

• There will be sag support & race supplies for each stage
• We will provide dinner/meal after each stage – locations TBA.
• We will be collecting donations (suggested $100 Tour or $20 Stage).
• Please attend and contribute as you see fit!

Rules-ish

General Classification

§ To be considered for the general classification – you must finish each stage in its entirety.

§ Individual with the best combined time (all stages) will wear the leaders jersey.

§ You must start the stage with the group (i.e. no riding on your own).

§ Sprint and KOM classifications do not count toward General Classification.

§ There may be times when a time cut is imposed in order to keep the group moving and to complete the stage in a somewhat timely manner. We expect to wait between 30 minutes to an hour during the regroupings. On certain timed sections (and depending on the scenario) if a rider does not finish a timed section in time (~1 hour) they may be rerouted or sagged.

Sprint – Fast Roadie

§ Points awarded to the top 5 finishers at selected sprint points

5 pts-1^st, 4 pts-2^nd, 3 pts-3^rd, 2pts-4^th, 1 pt-5^th

§ Individual with most points wears the Sprinter Jersey.

§ Safety First! Be careful on the pavement don’t cross the yellow line!

KOM – King of the Mountains

§ Points awarded to the top 5 finishers at selected KOM spots (in and out of timed sections).

5 pts-1^st, 4 pts-2^nd, 3 pts-3^rd, 2pts-4^th, 1 pt-5^th

§ Individual with most points wears the KOM Jersey.

DFL – Dead F… Last Place

§ Awarded to the last placed male in the General Classification.

§ Sandbagging encouraged- but be careful with possible time cuts!

11^th Annual Tour De Burg – June 30^th – July 5^th -- Harrisonburg, VA

Prologue July 4^th 5:00 pm Trimble Mtn Time Trial

The traditional opening Time Trial features 4 miles of twisty CCC style single-track. A 2 mile, 1000 ft climb followed by a 2 mile 1000 ft descent! Get fired up for the week, a good finish could go a long way.

§ 4 miles – 1,000 ft of climbing.

§ Starts/Park at Todd Lake Dump Area.

§ Dinner at Carpenter’s Home 8pm – 310 Ohio Avenue - Hburg

Stage 1 Saturday 10 am (riding) Mtn Shenandoah Mtn Trail

A whole lotta singletrack – good singletrack. Expect a long timed section(s) and Sprint in Deerfield. A 5 mile road ride leads to a tough 5 mile ~1500ft climb (KOM) then the classic traverse along ~20 miles of the SMT, finishing at Scotchtown Draft Road. A 25-mile road ride back to West Augusta awaits.

§ 50 miles – 5,000 ft of climbing.

§ Starts/Park at Braley’s Pond Picnic area.

• Dinner location TBA, 6:30pm

Stage 2 Sunday 10 am (riding) Road Mtn Valley plus Mtns

A rolly trip up mtn valley road will lead us to the steep climbs of Massanutten mtn. Hair raising gravel descents and mtn top finish will highlight 2 timed sections full of 1200 foot KOM climbs and lots of smooth summer gravels. 2 BIG sprint finishes for jersey pts and a 20 mile return trip on classic valley pave through Civl War stompin grounds.

§ At least 70-90 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing.

§ Starts at Shenandoah Bicycle Company.

§ Dinner location TBA, 6:30pm

Stage 3 Monday 10 am (riding) Mtn Union-Flagpole-Hearthstone-Narrowback

Jump on the MTB for a ride from town to Flagpole Knob. A leisurely jaunt west from the burg will culminate with a BIG sprint before the peloton climbs the feared Union Springs fireroad through Dundor Hollow all the way to Flagpole Knob (KOM). A cruise across Shenandoah Mtn to Reddish Knob (KOM) will lead to our 2,500 ft descent to Tilghman Road via Timber and Hearthstone Ridges. Maybe a surprise TT on Narrowback and a BIG sprint on the return trip to town.

§ 50 Miles – at least 3,000 ft of climbing.

§ Starts at Shenandoah Bicycle Company.

§ Dinner location TBA, 6:30pm

Stage 4 Tuesday 10 am (riding) Road Confederate Breastworks-Reddish Knob

A new parcour to Reddish Knob, features another mountain top finish and trip to the homeland for the West Virginians in the peloton. After a sprint in Stokesville, the Peloton will race through the National Forest, to Rt. 250 and west over a couple climbs into WV! Then upon the new route to Reddish, full of Pave and a 10 mile 2,500 climb. It could be a struggle back to the burg from Reddish but C’est La TdB – Get ready for a BIG sprint!

§ At least 80-90 miles – 6,000 ft of climbing.

§ Starts at Shenandoah Bicyle Company.

§ 4^th of July Cookout TBA

Stage 5 Wednesday 10 am (riding) Mtn Dowells-Hollows-Braleys

The perennial penultimate stage features 3 of the best downhills on the planet! Always a GC shakedown! An 8 mile parade from Braleys to North River Campground will lead to the first timed section – up Hankey Mtn fireroad – 5 miles big climb and down Dowells draft – 5 miles best single! Another 5 mile parade on rt 250 to Mtn House will lead us to the final timed section of the 2005 Tour de Burg. -4 Miles up Rt 250 to Confederate Breastworks, north across the SMT to Road Hollow down to Mtn House up 2 miles up Bridge Hollow and down Braleys to the Pond for the END.

§ 40 miles - 5,000+ feet of climbing.

§ Starts/Park at Braley’s Pond Picnic area.

§ The closing ceremonies and food to follow at Braley’s Picnic Area.