Back in Action

So its been a little while since I've updated... some blogger.com problems! Should be sorted out so here goes -

A nice long break from training and traveling spent well - relaxing at the lake in Bloomington, on couches, sleeping, a whole lot of much deserved nothing really. I am feeling profoundly better than when I arrived wore out, exhausted and road weary. After the week totally off the bike I resumed training with some nice long easy rides with friends and a very fun night of track racing in Indianapolis with my friends where I was 1st, 2nd, 2nd and 3rd in my events, which was a great way to resume racing for the season. After the racing was the annual 'Nite Ride' that the CIBA organization puts on, where thousands of cycling enthusiasts take the the streets from about midnight to 2am and do a lap of downtown Indy with a police escort - no cars allowed! I had a blast there as well, though I was pretty blown out after racing really hard then "cooling down" for 20 miles of dodging other riders at night... then driving home.
The photo hardly does justice to the madness of this group ride..a bike light competition, 3,000+ riders of all ages and abilities, I highly recommend going, what blast.
Safety first in the Nite Ride... even with all the lights out there, we saw a few pretty gnarly pileups. Don't drink and ride guys.

We also had the good fortune of running into the riders of the Race Across America, or RAAM. These crazy fools RACE from coast to coast in some 10 days or so... whoa. Many years ago I worked as a crew member for a RAAM team, driving the RV and feeding the riders, so it was a big deal for me to have these people racing literally 2 miles from my parents house. I stayed out pretty late in the night screaming my head off with encouragement for the tired bike riders, hopefully it pumped them up to continue racing through the night --often the RAAM riders fore go the luxury of sleep and just crush the pedals ALL NIGHT LONG.

I am back at it tomorrow, heading with the team to the Fitchburg stage race. The second half of the season officially starts for me Thursday at the prologue TT, so wish me the best in my journey through the rest of 09'.