Pinewood Derby Day

This Saturday we spent the day at the pinewood derby. Here is Jack on his way to the Derby:




Competition was stacked as you can see:





But not as stacked as this:

Boulder CX #2 - SM35+ Cat 4 - Lap 1 from Dale Riley on Vimeo.

This race had 96 starters! (Video by Lisa, I think)

After four heats which start like this:



We finished fifth overall in our category. Jack still held out hope till the last for a win of some kind, but we lost by 1/10th of a sec. in two of the races. You can't win 'em all is the moral of the story.

We'll get them next year! Right Jack?



We have snow today so it's a good day to go shopping instead of riding. Like Bob Marley says, "For what I don't know"

As a fourth alternative we can always watch some football game that's on today.

Rough Week

All I got right now is one HUP. Some days all I got is all I got, but there is always something to remind me to stay on the path. Like the time I was lying in my tent in the Iraq Desert, tired of eating MRE's, contemplating if it had been three or four months since I walked on a hard surface. When all of a sudden the nerve gas alarm went off.

Yep, Just like this:




Now, not knowing if you're gonna die a horrible death, did you get your mask on in 6 seconds, yada, yada, yada, you get the drill. To have that debate inside one's head, I guarantee, will eliminate any self pity that resides in the brain. At least for a couple of hours. Every time I'm up against mental adversity, I remember, that in a split second my life can be taken away, and anything is better than that.

Also this week, I saw the trainer.

Not this guy:



He has his own problems

I thought I'd get one like this:



Minus the fixie.

Anyway, I will be on a power program for six weeks, then endurance for six weeks. By then it should be warm enough to ride, and the trails should be clear of snow and mud, and the spring flowers will be popping out, and the epic mountain bike races start, and the road rides get longer and longer, until it all culminates the second weekend in September...............

The road to 2012

Ah yes, and so it begins. The mad craze to actually get fit enough to not be embarrased at the Masters Cyclocross World Championship, or in my case try for a spot. Yesterday Cyclocrossers from all over the U.S., thought for a split second of what it would be like to pull on the Rainbow Stripes.

Not this rainbow stripe:




But something like this:




For me it was a split of the split, split second. None the less, I will do my best to achieve an unthinkable dream of rolling across the start line, (and maybe the finish too) at a World Championship bike race. So on to the road. For me it will be a process, first of losing fat, then gaining strength and power, and learning how to turn myself inside out for 45 minutes. I have many mentors to learn from the next two seasons so I will be bilking them for information.

First I'll start with diet, this looks good:





Many more well rounded meals to come.


I cant say I miss this:





Does anybody miss this? I did have a Tommy's burger a couple times in my life but not lately. Once a year visiting family in California I will stop at In n Out for a double double, fries, and a shake. All I can say is yum! Life is too short to not treat myself to what was once a staple food.

Now, I just might forgoe that indulgence for the next two years!

Cheers!