ronbridal.blogspot.com

Snow Day!

2011-02-01T15:53:00.001-06:00

The best part of having a snow day? Spending the day with my wife and son. Its funny watching him play right now because at this point he thinks everything needs to go in his mouth. Including my nose, his soccer ball, or anything else you put in front of him!

Supper....Again

2011-01-19T20:16:00.001-06:00

As momma once said, "Come and get it!".

My culinary skills are improving. I bet I could make the sauce from memory and not screw a thing up! Looks and tastes good:-)

Supper!!!

2011-01-12T19:16:00.001-06:00

Cooked a complete supper tonight. Of course, Jess gave me the recipe and bought all the ingredients. But still. Looks good, huh? Chicken-Biscuit Pot Pie. Thanks goes to
Betty Crocker for the recipe also! Hopefully it tastes as good as it looks and smells!

Time off the bike...

2011-01-08T22:41:00.003-06:00

New Year's Eve was the last day I rode a bicycle. Yes, I'm been going crazy. By now though I'm just getting antsy about not doing any type of physical activity at all. Since I have been on a cycling hiatus I have had quite a bit of time on my hands. This is how I like to spend it...

1) with Ethan

2) with Jessie

3) working on my bicycles

4) working around the house

5) working

Alright, one of the above is not true. Can you guess the correct answer?

Bike Vacation

2011-01-02T22:18:00.002-06:00

Day two of my bike vacation has now passed and I am feeling more and more comfortable with taking some extended time off the bike. With the extra time I have been able to get a few things around the house accomplished and more importantly spent a great deal of extra time with Ethan and Jess. I plan to go for a screening this week at Advance Physical Therapy and see if I need to go in for treatment. Fingers crossed that some time off the bike and stretching does the trick.

2011-01-01T14:12:00.001-06:00

Turtle Slayer!!!

Soooo....it's been a while!

2011-01-01T12:51:00.000-06:00

The last time I posted I probably mentioned that I would post more frequently. Well, just about 6 months later I am finally getting around to adding a new post.

Right now my wife is in the bathroom giving our son Ethan a bath. I am watching the Arsenal game (winning 1-0). It is cold outside. I should be grading papers. There is plenty of work to be done around the house. And yet, I remain firmly planted on the sofa. Things to be done today?

1) Watch soccer. Arsenal just scored and went ahead 2-0
2) Play with Ethan
3) Rake leaves
4) Exchange Chrismas presents at Kohls
5) Remove stuck seatpost from Cannondale frame

Short list, huh? No bicycle ride either. I'm taking a short break. My back's been killing me.

Anyway, bath time is about over so it's time to go play with Ethan.

Later

Summer Update #1

2010-07-05T22:55:00.003-05:00

I have accomplished a few things from the original list for Summer of Fun 8. For starters, I have ridden my bike a lot. Not much of a surprise, huh? Our trip to Washington went well, although we did have a few complications along the way. Great River Soccer Camp was a huge success once again! We had over 100 campers in our Quincy/Keokuk locations... a record number for us I believe. We've done the camp 5 years now and it continues to get better and better. I have attempted to spoil my very pregnant wife as much as possible, but unfortunately for her it seems that I am not very good at it. I swear I will give her a proper foot massage soon though!

With our son due in 6 weeks I have taken it upon myself to tackle a few summer projects. Jessie helped me compile a "to do" list around the house and with the help of my wonderful Mother have accomplished most of them already. You know what that means, right? Yep...more time to ride my bicycle.

Speaking of bicycle riding, my form is coming along nicely I believe. I've had a couple of rough races the last month, but altogether am pleased with the way things have gone. I took a couple of DNF's (did not finish) in road races this year due to excessive cramping, but have done fine in the shorter higher paced crit races. My teammate David and I travelled to a couple of races together and we (and him especially) have had good success. David won the Fox River Grove crit and took second at the Champaign Crit. He followed that up by taking second at the Illinois State Crit Championship, while I finished 7th. Although not entirely pleased with my finish, I was at least satisfied with the result. I'm still training hard and expect to do well in the last two months of road season. After that? CYCLOCROSS STARTS! I can't wait.

Summer of Fun 8

2010-05-27T17:00:00.002-05:00

Here are the top 8 events for SUMMER OF FUN 8 listed in no particular order:

1) The birth of my son (this does take priority and certainly deserves top spot haha)
2) Ride my bicycle, a lot
3) Celebrate our first anniversary! (suggestions anyone?)
4) Return to Washington, D.C. with 89 QJHS students..CAN'T WAIT TO GO TO THE CAPITOL!
5) Coach at Great River Soccer Academy (signup at greatriversoccer.com)
6) Visit my younger brother in Texas (and maybe bump into Lance...)
7) Race my bicycle, a lot
8) Attempt to spoil my very pregnant wife and help her stay comfortable during the hot summer months!

So I lied, the birth of son will certainly be the highlight of the summer. ETA 8/16/10. I'm trying to convince him to arrive a week or so early though, for purely selfish reasons of course. His actual due date is the first day of school so that would definitely complicate things in the beginning of the year...but who cares really. If he wants to stay in there a little longer then I would like I would be in no position to complain. I'm sure it wouldn't be the last time he goes against the wishes of his father! haha

Anyway, I celebrated the beginning of summer by going on a 60 mile bike ride and taking my wife to lunch. Two things I never get to do on a weekday during the school year. Tomorrow is graduation, which of course I will be attending as a chaperone. I'm excited about this, of course. Then Sunday and Monday I'll be racing in the Quad Cities area. I'm hoping to do well over the next couple of weeks as my legs feel great.

Off to do some yard work....which didn't even make the list this year!

Greensfelder XC Race Report

2010-05-13T09:28:00.003-05:00

Here are just a few things I have learned about mountain bike racing.
1) Mountain bike racing is hard.
2) I don't like mountain bike racing.
3) I am not that good at mountain bike racing.
4) In the Midwest we don't race on mountains.
5) There are few smooth sections on most mountain bike courses.
6) I really like to ride on smooth sections when I am racing my mountain bike.
7) I don't think I will be racing my mountain bike anymore unless the whole course consists of one LONG smooth section.

Ok, now for the race report.

I finished 6th out of 20 or so riders.

I don't like mountain bike racing.

Belleville Pro-Am Crit

2010-05-10T21:21:00.004-05:00

After the last couple road races I started to feel that my fitness level was pretty good. Sooo, when I arrived in Belleville I thought good things might happen that day. Only 35 riders lined up that day, but among them were some pretty good riders. The race started quickly on a 6 turn course that turned out to be a really nice time. Coming up the back side of the course was a 3 block long climb, and it's here where I knew the race would be decided. After talking to Darrell before the race and pre-riding the course a few times I knew it would be necessary to be first or second coming out of the last corner. From there the finish was only 200 meters away. There were few fireworks during the race, and as it drug on I knew an attack up the hill on the last lap might win the race.

I positioned myself well the entire race, and turning onto the hill I was positioned well for the attack. I only sat about 5 or 6 riders from the front, and when the pace slightly slowed part way up the hill I attacked up the outside. Immediately I had a sizeable gap. Then I heard the awful sound from behind that is very distinctive in bicycle racing. A crash.

I forced my head down and put all my effort into the pedals. I went into the second to last corner with my gap over the field intact. 100 meters to the last turn.

As I swung wide and took a glance over my right shoulder going into the final corner, I saw that my gap over the field still remained. 200 meters to the finish.

I knew at this point that the race was mine. I hammered on the pedals a few final times and was able to roll comfortably across the finish line with a fist clinched in celebration. Victory.

It has been a while since my last road win, so I felt very satisfied with what I accomplished on the day. I think you can sense my satisfaction from looking at the photos taken by Eville Mike that day. Winner.

2010 Belleville Crit, Cat 3 - 4

2010-05-09T21:52:00.000-05:00

Iowa City Road Race

2010-05-09T09:03:00.002-05:00

David and I decided to head to Iowa City to take on the corn fed crowd in the short Iowa City Road Race. Short by road race standards that is, we still had to race/ride our bicycles 52 miles. The drive to the race venue was quite interesting and was probably my favorite part of the day. I chose to get off the beaten path and stray from my google directions. Bad idea. While traversing through Amish country I about took out an old man driving too fast down the gravel road we were on. He thought it would be a good idea to drive down the middle of the road, then upon seeing me heading straight at him he swerved to his right. This threw his truck into a fishtail that he barely was able to bring himself out of it. It was a close call. And while I say the roads were gravel, most of the gravel had been washed away and the Honda was forced to play the part of an ATV while it squiggled its way through the mud. It was a blast!

I did finally race that day, and it was pretty uneventful. Small field... 30 riders or so. David and I attacked quite a bit but nothing stuck. Field sprint seemed inevitable. The finish was a bit unusual as we didn't have both lanes to sprint, and things got a little sketchy as speeds ramped up. After positioning myself poorly for the finish I was able to cross the line in a tie for 6th. Not a great result, but my legs felt great. I'm starting to think road races are not my forte. Maybe I should just stick to crits...

Tour of Hermann Race Report

2010-04-19T21:33:00.003-05:00

Let me begin by saying the Tour of Hermann is by far the hardest road race of the season. The course has CRAZY hills and they seem non-stop from start to finish. My main goal for the day was to make sure I got into the winning breakaway, and fortunately I was able to do it...unfortunately the break contained about 40 riders! Seriously, who would have thought the race wouldn't have broken up more!

Anyway, 75 riders rolled out of Hermann for the start of the 60 mile road race. Things went well for most of the race and I thought I would end up with a good finish. I usually have problems cramping in long races, so early on I made sure I was drinking plenty of water. On the start of the second lap the field shattered as I set a difficult pace up the Hermann Hill. At that point the main field was down to about 40 riders. A couple of breaks tried to get away for the next 20 miles but nothing serious ever materialized. Finally with 10 to go the field realized the last major hill would be where the race was decided and the leaders would make a mad dash into town for a field sprint.

With this in mind I made sure I positioned myself on the front line for the hill. From the summit we would have less than two miles to the finish, so I knew that I needed to be up front to have any chance at winning. My legs were feeling fine as we began the climb, but about half way up my legs began to cramp. It was a helpless feeling. I suddenly felt like I was riding in reverse after riders began passing me on both sides. All I could do to stay upright was soft pedal and hope to get to the summit without having to hop off my bike to stretch my seized up hamstrings. Fortunately I made it to the top, but I soon found myself behind almost everyone remaining in the main field.

Over the top of the climb, and with some relief to my legs, I began to let it rip on the downhill. I quickly caught up to the field but now found it difficult to squirm my way through the remaining riders to get my way to the front of the field. I gave it a shot, and inside that last mile gave myself an opportunity to sprint to a finish inside the top 20.

Officially... 18th. A disappointment for sure, but a result I will definitely learn from. Most importantly my fitness right now is the best it's ever been. Now all I have to do is learn to race a little more intelligently and I think the results will follow. As for the cramping issue, it still remains a mystery. Hydration wasn't the issue, but I think now I will have to begin drinking electrolyte replacement drinks in any race over an hour. I'll find out soon if this will work, as Saturday I go to the Hawkeye state to compete in the Iowa City Road Race, another 60 miler. Wish me luck ;)

UPDATE!!!

2010-03-31T20:52:00.003-05:00

I know I always say it, but I really do plan on updating this blog more frequently. So...

So much has happened since the last post, it's hard to know where to start. But I have a pretty good bit of info to begin with. MY WIFE IS PREGNANT WITH OUR SON!!!! Yeah, that's right... I'm gonna be a daddy! Scary thought, I know. We expect our son to be with us sometime in the middle of August. If he's really cooperative he may actually join us a week or so early. That would be nice :) His actual due date is the first day of school though! That could create some issues, but really, who cares. It will all work out. It has to :) Jessie and I (with the help of my parents) have already remodeled the nursery, and her parents have purchased the baby's crib for us so we are super excited. We even have a couple of bicycle themed outfits for him to wear. He will be adorable :)

Moving on. The job is great, no complaints here. Jessie has a new job as an admissions counselor at Vatterott College and it seems to be going well. I think she really likes it and plans to make a career of it. So good for her. I'm happy that she's found something here that she loves, I've been wishing she could find a job like this for so long now. It's nice to see her enjoying her work so much and talking about it being a lifetime career. It just makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside.

As for bike racing, it's really just getting started. I screwed up at Froze Toes and started my sprint too soon and pooped out well before the line. At Forest Park on Sunday I missed the winning breakaway as I sat comfortably in the pack hoping others would chase it down. Did I say comfortably? Let me mention that the temperature that day was 45 degress, it was raining, and the wind was blowing about 15-20mph. What a fun day on the bike! But seriously, I had a good time. Realizing the race was essentially over as the breakaway had nearly a minute on the field, I took a flyer off the front with 6 laps to go and hoped to hold my lead to the finish. I felt good and thought I had a chance, but with 300 meters to go I got caught by the field and was forced to sit up an roll SLOWLY across the finish line. I was smiling as I did it though. It took a hell of an effort to stay off the front for those 6 laps and the fitness I gained from it will pay off in the long run. I just can't wait until the next race!

Anyway, stay tuned. The blog WILL be updated more frequently, I PROMISE!

UPDATE...Summer of Fun 7

2010-02-09T23:25:00.002-06:00

Grass

I did actually have to cut the grass a lot this last year. I don't think it interferred too much with my riding...but there were some moments when I questioned my sanity.

I guarantee you I will be spending less time on this job in 2010!

As I re-read this, I am beginnning to realize that I'm not really that funny. I am sorry if you are reading this right now because this is absolute CRAP!

but check back soon...more updates to come...

Summer of Fun 7 Review

2009-12-17T21:27:00.004-06:00

???

Just a teaser...full post coming soon. I know you just can't wait. Check my May 28 post for details.

Gravel Roads Rock!!!

2009-12-17T21:00:00.006-06:00

Gravel road ride today. 2 hours. Columbus, IL loop. Not as much gravel road as I would have liked, only an hour or so out of the two hour ride. Still, not bad. The bummer is it just takes so long (20-30 min.) to even make it to a gravel road that heads somewhere out of town. Either way, here are some pics from today's ride.

Washington Cross - Last CX Race for 2009

2009-12-14T06:59:00.007-06:00

Final race of the 2009 cyclocross series was today in Washington, MO. Thanks to Jeff Yielding and the crew from Revolution Cycles for putting on such a great event. My season ended well, with me on the podium once again. Unfortunately I couldn't make it to the top step.

The race was very muddy. You can't tell that from my kit on the podium though. The conditions today were what cyclocross is all about. Mid 40's, with a sloppy/muddy course to power through. Below I am crossing the finishing line to take second on the day. Each picture after this one is from an earlier point in the race, andyou can tell how things got muddier along the way.

Jeff said the course was completely dry when they set it up Saturday...but a thunderstorm came through the area later that day which led to the epic conditions. You can see how the course became even sloppier as you look at each picture. As the temperature rose, the water seemed to seep out of everything.

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This was the first picture of the day, as you have seen, we only get muddier from this point on!

State Championship

2009-12-13T08:58:00.003-06:00

Traveled to Chicago last weekend for the state championship race. Despite an attempt by the organizers to screw downstate riders, I was able to cross the line first and claim my first state championship. I managed to wreck twice in the process, both through my own stupidity. Above is a photo of one of the three sandy areas we rode through. We rode along Lake Michigan for a bit before entering this section. This was my favorite part of the course. I was able to put a gap between the other riders and me almost everytime through it. Winning margin...30 seconds. Downstate rider 1, Chicago riders 0.

Jingle Cross 2009

2009-12-01T21:07:00.001-06:00

Jingle Cross is in the books for another year. Best finishes there to date. 11th on Saturday and 5th on Sunday, both in the 2/3 race. State CX race Sunday.

Summer of Fun 7

2009-05-28T14:01:00.003-05:00

The "Summer of Fun 7" officially started today with "Freedom Ride 1".

After being dismissed from school I hustled home to saddle up and get the summer started! While I was the only participant in today's Freedom Ride, I still managed to set a blistering pace! I raced through the rural roads of Adams County and crossed the finish line in first place. With this being my first victory of 2009, I think it would only be appropriate to thank my sponsor, Dogfish USA, and my lovely fiance, Jessie! Without the two of them this all wouldn't be possible.

As for "Summer of Fun 7", there are already quite a few events and destinations planned. I will list them here for you in no particular order:

1. Cut the grass (a lot)
2. Pray that my basement doesn't get wet again until next spring
3. Ride my bicycle
4. Honeymoon in Jamaica
5. Play like Johnny Appleseed (but with fescue)
6. Get married
7. Enjoy my bachelor party
8. Race my bicycle
9. Visit my nephew
10. Relax and not think about school

Since this list was just "born on the bike" today, there will still be plenty of events/happenings added to it. Keep posted for updates.

I'll finish be asking my friends who are automatically alerted to new posts to let me know if they find this bothersome. I can make changes and pull you from your coveted spot on the list. If for whatever reason you enjoy reading this nonsense and think someone else you know would as well, feel free to pass along my site. I am always searching for new fans!

May your summer of fun be just as fun!

RB

Where to begin?

2009-05-25T08:56:00.002-05:00

A lot has happened since my last post, too much to even comment on really. So I think I'll pretty much ignore it all and just start up with the most recent.

I raced my bicycle yesterday. I took 5th place. I won $50. That is all.

The Grinch Video From Jingle Cross 2

2008-12-09T21:33:00.003-06:00

I totally forgot to provide a link to the Grinch belly-flop from the Jingle Cross 2 Cyclocross Race. Below is a link to the video. The Grinch slides down the hill very early, I then pass some time by taking in the surroundings. After a minute or so goes by you get to see Todd Wells (pro bike racer and eventual winner) come down the hill. Either way, the Grinch belly-flop is impressive. I also want to mention the fact that the guy dressed up as the Grinch is the promoter of the race (meaning he puts the whole 2 day event together). How cool is it that he can throw a great race/party and still have time to enjoy himself. Enjoy the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGBilHc7Hkg

Missouri State Championship Race

2008-12-08T21:22:00.004-06:00

I know. I don't live in Missouri. That only would prevent me from winning the coveted state championship jersey though. I could still win first place and all the money and wine that goes with it. Right?

Wrong. I took second. I led the race for the first couple of laps but after making a few mistakes and crashing hard a couple of times I lost the lead. The win was well deserved by the DRJ rider (good job Chris P) who took home the championship. The good news for me was that my second place finish netted me a $40 payday and a nice bottle of wine from the Hermannhof Winery.

I got off to a good start and knew I had to go into the hardest part of the course in the lead. This off camber turn (a turn on the side of a hill) was by far the trickiest part on the course. This is my first time through and I was able to make it through without crashing. On the third lap I wrecked though and got passed by the eventual winner.

Here is the infamous stair climb. I hate it. I'm so slow running up it that it's not even funnny.

Just kidding about hating the stairs. They're a great part of the course. In fact, had there been another lap the third place finisher, Casey Saunders from my team (Dogfish), probably would have caught me. He was flying around the course the last couple of laps while I seemed to be floundering.

Anyway, the course was awesome. Kudos to Jeff Yielding and Dogfish for putting on such a great race. Hermann is truly turning into a great race town. I look forward to heading back there many more times to come.

What do you think about the blue gloves? Stylish, I know. But really, it was cold and these glove were perfect for the conditions.

Friday I will be off to Kansas City for the National Championships. I'm hoping to score a top 25 (out of 100 or so riders) this year. I'll keep you posted.

Jingle Cross

2008-12-01T00:02:00.003-06:00

Here are a few pics from Jingle Cross yesterday and today. I'll try to set up an account somewhere to share more of them. As you can guess from looking at today's muddy pics, it was a blast!

The Infamous Mt. Krumpitt. This was Saturday's run-up.

A closer look.

The weather turned nasty for Sunday. This run-up was shorter than the big one on the other side of the mountain.

The real run-up was on the other side of the mountain. You can guess how hard it was after seeing this picture of the nasty descent.

A close up is definitely needed.

This is what greeted you at the bottom of the hill. There were some close calls as people buzzed by it. Myself included.

I have some video I'll try to link to also. The Grinch does a belly flop down the monster downhill and slides almost completely down it, a few moments later Todd Wells comes zooming by too!

I took 18th out of 80 something riders Saturday and followed that up with 13th on Sunday (which was good enough for 20 whole dollars!)

Deer!

2008-11-14T19:07:00.004-06:00

I saw three deer on today's ride.

I have now seen eight deer so far this fall.

Seven of those deer were alive. Deer season can't come soon enough.

Bubba #4 Creve Coeur

2008-11-10T17:58:00.006-06:00

Today's course was by far the coolest course I have ridden. As you can see from the photo below, it featured a flyover. I'm first down the ramp in this photo.

As you can see,we had to dismount our bikes on one side, climb the stairs, hop on our bikes on the top, and roll down the ramp. Way cool. Not only that but the course also featured two sand pits. Here is a picture of the second one. It was tough to get through because you had to turn slighlty to your right as you passed through it. You can see a rider on the deck who wrecked before even entering the sand.

Which, by the way, were the hardest part of the course. The guys who put this Bubba Series together definitley outdid themselves with this course. It was amazing! I felt good and finished 8th on the day. I might have been able to move up a spot if I didn't have so much trouble making it through the sand. I went down at least 2 times in the sand alone. Needless to say, I'm sore today. I can't wait until next week. Maybe we'll even have some rain this week to get things nice and muddy. I'll probably start doing my "rain dance" in a few days. Keep your fingers crossed.

Bubba # 3 Faust Park

2008-11-07T18:37:00.003-06:00

I got off to a good start and had what felt like good legs. Unfortunately I didn't bring my bike handling skills with me. I went down in a relatively easy corner after coming out of the woods. I probably took a bad line to start, causing me to correct too much. I don't know the order of what happened next, but I either rolled the front tubular causing me to wreck, or my front wheel washed out and the front tire rolled when I went down. Regardless, I fell. When I got up to check my bike I didn't even know the front tire had rolled. I first realized that my rear tire had rolled off the rim. Bummer. While fixing it I found that my chain had fallen off. Double bummer. Then when I went to hop on my bike I about went over the bars as the bike came to an abrupt stop. Why? Oh yeah, the front tire was off and wouldn't roll through the front brake. Triple bummer. After fixing it I hopped on the bike and took off. The result of the crash? I dropped from 5th spot back to 15th or 16th. Over the remainder of the race I proceeded to move up through the field, eventually making it up to 12th place, which is where I finished. Oh well.

The course was awesome! I absolutely love Faust Park. To make things better Jessie and my parents were there to watch the race. Before the race we even had the opportunity to stroll through the Butterfly House and show my parents where Jessie and I got engaged. It was a pretty good day. Here I am leading some guys through the trees. It's a pretty good picture. Enjoy.

Later in the race I even managed to shoulder check the tree I am going around. My shoulder still hurts today. I wish I could handle my bike better :)

Bubba # 2 Spanish Lake

2008-10-31T18:37:00.004-05:00

Well...not too good of a race for me at Spanish Lake. I'm not sure why I suffered so much on Sunday, but it was bad. I got off to a good start in the race and felt good for the first lap or so. After that though, things quickly went downhill. I was getting passed by what seemed like just about everyone in the race. Darrell and David flew by me, I tried to catch Darrell's wheel as he went by, and did for a couple hundred meters, but he dropped me like a bad habit. I was completely demoralized.

Here I am sucking wind behind the Dust Man.

What led to my poor showing? Beats me. I don't think the course was well suited for my riding style, it was more of a power course. I can't really use this as an excuse though. My lower back did begin to hurt a lot toward the end of the race, but I think it was just a by-product of my suckiness. The only other thing I could think of came a couple of days after the race. I didn't feel like riding hard at all this week and am thinking I might be slightly overtrained. Bummer. This week I avoided ALL intervals and didn't do any hard rides. I still spent several hours on the bike this week doing some 1-2 hour endurance rides, but nothing hard. I even found the opportunity ro ride my MTB bike today. Anyway, I'm hoping things go better this weekend.

Jessie will be going down, along with my parents, and we are going to stop by the Butterfly House before the race this Sunday. It sure would be nice to ride well in front of my fans! We'll see.

Bubba # 1 Jefferson Baracks

2008-10-23T21:33:00.003-05:00

Heading into this cross season I couldn't be more excited. Last year I finished in the top ten for most of the "A" races . . . so this year my goal is to finish top 5 as often as possible. This obviously becomes more difficult when Josh and Nate show up, as was the case Sunday. That said, I got off to a good start. I was able to avoid the first two crashes of the day, which also helped me establish my position in the front of the field. After a couple of laps I began to settle in. I found myself riding with Dr. Mark and another guy, we were probably riding in 4-6 spots. The pace felt good and wasn't pushing me too much. Unfortunatley I wasn't cautious enough and hit a root too hard in an awkward position. My bike came to a screeching halt beneath me, almost throwing me forward over the bars. After hopping off I quickly realized I rolled my tire off the rim. I tried to pop it back on but didn't have any luck. My race was over. Lesson learned . . . check my wheels very carefully after ridjng in a sloppy mess (Hermann Under the Lights). Oh well, the bike will be ready for next Sunday, but will the rider?

Hermann Cross Under The Lights

2008-09-21T21:40:00.002-05:00

Last night I had the opportunity to compete in the Hermann Cross race. This was the first cross race of the year for me and many others. This race definitely lived up to its billing as a top-rated event! The field was stacked . . . 45 deep. Current and previoius state and national champions were called up to the line a little before 8. When that was completed I was able to roll up to the line and take my coveted spot in the last row. I knew right away I had THE SPOT! Ha, it was tough going from there. The first lap or two I just tried to settle in. From then on just tried to maintain contact with the people in front of me and continue to add to my gap over a few of my competitors.

The course was VERY muddy in a few spots. The conditions made for an epic race. I will try to post pics if I see some posted on the web. Either way, I got pulled after being lapped by the leader when he had four laps to go. Not bad considering I thought I would have been pulled earlier. Anyway, I'm psyched CX has started and can't wait until the next race.

The Lubbring Bed and Breakfast

2008-07-01T21:07:00.002-05:00

Bicycle racers need good friends. I have a couple that live in Saint Louis. My friend chris and his wife offered up their spare bedroom in the manor at kingsridge to me for a couple of nights. It's been awesome. I was in town to work at a soccer camp for a few days and ride in a training race at Carondelet Park. The Lubbring B & B has been awesome. Their hospitality has been great, the food excellent, and I've even been able to catch up with their kids, Will and Chloe. Anyway, great friends mean so much in life, and I'm lucky enough to have two who will share their home with a smelly, spandex wearing, shaved leg, cowboy that drives a honda.

TOUR OF WINGHAVEN

2008-06-24T00:12:00.004-05:00

Here I am just after crossing the finish line behind a teammate. I'm spent!

This race is probably the race I look forward to more than any other during the season. The course is a 3 mile circuit with 2 European style roundabouts and an uphill sprint finish. Last year I took 2nd in the cat 4 event and I hoped to do well again this year.

The day of the race it was hot and humid. I would have drank 3 bottles during the race but I managed to drop a full bottle right in the middle of the peloton. Luckily it didn’t create and problems. After attempting several breakaways, I decided to save my energy for a sprint finish. After coming through the last turn I followed the attack of the leader and found myself in 2nd with 50 meters to go. Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, my teammate Gabe flew around me to nab 2nd. I settled for 3rd, $300, and 4 upgrade points.

Not a bad day. Even better, on the podium I received my bronze medal, a bottle of wine from a local winery, and a kiss on the cheek from a cute podium girl.

I love the Tour of Winghaven. Major props go out to Big Shark Bicycle Company, the city of O’Fallon, and all the volunteers that make this event one of the best in Missouri!

WEBSTER GROVES RACE REPORT

2008-06-23T23:30:00.008-05:00

Photo taken during the Webster Groves Crit. The Mesa rider behind me and I were talking race strategy. Earlier I was trying to convince him to work harder and chase down the break up the road. He thought I should have been working harder. No feelings were hurt, I think.

WEBSTER GROVE CRIT (6/22)
This race is also one of my favorites of the year. I like the course and the atmosphere this race has to offer. Last year I won the 4/5 race and secured enough upgrade points to cat up to the 3’s. This year I was hoping to gain a few more upgrade points so I might one day be able to make it to the 2’s.

I rode toward the front for most of the day and had in my mind what I would do at the end of the race to come away with a victory. Unfortunately my plan didn’t work because a Mesa Cycles rider attacked way before I thought anything would happen and I found myself in a horrible position. After being forced off the road by a rider who doesn’t know how to control his bike I found myself in a position where I wouldn’t be able to contest the sprint. I was forced to settle for a less than stellar result. I’m not quite sure where I ended up, but I probably rolled over the line around 15th or so.

The lesson I learned again was simple though. Position means everything in some races. I’ll do better next time.

O'Fallon Gran Prix

2008-06-04T23:09:00.004-05:00

This last Saturday I took part in my second road race of the year. The field was small (19 riders), and they combined us with the Pro/1/2 field. It was a good experience for me as I was able to see first hand what some of the stronger riders were like. Anyway, I instantly spotted the few strong riders in my field that I knew I had to keep my attention focused on. After the first lap it was clear that a rider from "Get A Grip" (GAG) was a man to watch. In fact, at the start of the second lap (of 3), he attacked time after time. UnfortunalelyI was the only person to cover each attack and I was growing tired of this. Eventually I decided to let one of GAG's attacks fly and told the others I wasn't going to chase. Well, he was able to bridge to the Pro/1/2 breakaway that was up the road and we didn't see him until the podium. After another 40 miles on the bike I lost by a half wheel in the field sprint to Chris Kelly. He deserved it, I made him work his ass off for most of the race anyway so I guess that's KARMA. Good job Chris.

3rd place netted me 4 upgrade points an $70. Not bad.

2008-04-27T20:43:00.001-05:00

I raced today.

First crit of the year. Forest Park cat 3 race, St. Louis. Flat course, wide open turns.

Let’s just say my pack skills are lacking at this point. The pace was fast. I did too much work early in the race and paid later. I don’t fancy myself as a sprinter and bridged to what I thought would be the deciding break of the day. I was wrong.

Luckily I recovered in time and had just enough to squeeze out 7th. Finished in the money along with a teammate that finished 2nd.

Racing a bike is fun.

Winter Riding

2008-02-14T22:46:00.002-06:00

I rode my bike today. It wasn't very cold. I can't wait until it is warm again. Maybe then my toes, fingers, nose, and other extremities won't go numb. I love living in the midwest. Oh wait, tomorrow it's gonna be down to 20. . . time to bust out the shorts!

THE DOG FOLLIES

2008-02-03T18:30:00.000-06:00

The image below is from the Tour de France. It always brings back fond memories when I see it. This is a picture of German cyclist Magnus Burghardt being thrown over his handle bars after a collision with a stray dog during the 2007 race.

Why does it bring back such great memories? Well . . . several months ago on a routine ride out to Mike’s Place in Liberty I found myself in a similar position. That is, I was the one flying over my bars after an idiotic dog (I’ll refer to him as “Butch”) in Burton ran out in front of me. Here is the scene of the crime.

I was positioned at the back of a group of cyclists on our way to our favorite breakfast stop when Butch, one monster of a dog, darted out from the porch of this house.

Butch stopped at the side of the rode as the riders in front of me passed. Then, after recognizing me, he instinctively darted in the direction of my front wheel. Butch was playing DIRTY. I tried to slow down and maneuver around him, but to no avail. Instantly we collided and I prepared myself for the impact. Luckily I was wearing my super-duper LAS helmet (the stinking thing cost me $100). I landed on my noggin and rolled hard onto my left shoulder and hip.

After the impact Butch (the sissy of a dog) scampered away, probably uninjured. I collected myself, stood, and assessed the damage. My bike, which was most important, was fine. The only damage done was to my front wheel, which was knocked slightly out of true. As my adrenaline level dropped I realized that my hip hurt quite a bit. Later I found that I had just a small amount of road rash and one large stinking bruise.

I can’t say that I totally blame Butch. Nor can I say that I wish him any harm. With that said, I haven’t seen Butch since that day and I can’t say that I actually miss him.

I recently had an encounter with another dog, KUJO . . .

YEAR IN REVIEW PART 2 (KIND OF)

2008-01-22T18:08:00.000-06:00

I was looking through a friends photo album online and found a picture worth sharing. This is definitley not the way to mount your bike after going through the barriers in a cross race. Needless to say, I got a little careless and didn't quite nail the landing. And yes . . . it hurt.

After laughing at the above picture for a second, I thought I should also include my most famous wreck thus far. The picture below came in a cross race in Moline in November 2006. Once again I was in too much of a hurry and caused some problems for myself. Notice the pretty little lady on the left? Yeah, that's my new fiance! She rocks! It was so cold this day, she was awesome to come out and root me on. And just to please her I tumbled down into the ditch right in front of her!

Why is the photo famous you also ask? This was published by velonews.com as one of the photos of the week. Readers worldwide got to see my clumsiness in action! Anyway, until next time . . .

WISDOM TEETH AND THE YEAR IN REVIEW PART 1

2007-12-27T22:42:00.000-06:00

Well . . . my wisdom teeth were pulled today which put an official end to my 2007 race season. The year went pretty well. Three Cat 4 victories and a few other podium finishes helped me accomplish my ultimate goal for 2007 of upgrading to Cat 3.

Cyclocross season went well also. I wasn't able to pull off a victory in an A race like I had hoped, but I did manage three top 5 finishes.

It will soon be time to set my goals for 2008 and I can only hope I have as much success next year as I did this year. One thing that has already been set though is the team I will be riding for. That's right, after 2 1/2 years on Team MACK I have decided to race elsewhere. Another teammate and I will both be riding for Athletes By Design (ABD) in 2008.

After this next week comes to an end I should be able to hit the road and begin training for the next season. Goals should be set by then, my new bike should have arrived, and I will be energized (yeah right) and ready to start 2008 off on the right track. I'll keep you posted . . .

RB

FIRST POST

2007-11-27T21:08:00.000-06:00

hello.

my name is Ron and this is my blog.

it will mostly be about bicycle racing.

if you don't like or care about bicycle racing then you should not read this.

i like to ride my bicycle :)

RB