Tour of California

tour-of-california-time-trail Instead of the lunch ride I rode down with a co-worker down to an intersection to watch the individual time trial of the Tour of California. We sat there and waited as the amateur ranks came by, followed by the pro women, and eventually the pro men. It was really exciting to see the difference between the amateurs and pros. I didn't get to see the top-tier of the pro ranks, who go last, but I did get to see the God of Thunder, Thor Hushovd of BMC racing.

The stage itself is really fast and rolling until you swing left Northbound onto Hale Ave., where the racers are met with a nasty headwind, ending with a steep pitch to the finish.

Marlow's First Day

marlows-first-day I brought Marlow into the office for the first time today. He was pretty happy to meet new people and be the center of attention again. It's nice having him take the pressure off being me the new guy at work for just a day by being the new dog. There are actually a lot of dogs at Specialized.

More Recovery Please

It's been a long and exciting week for me, adjusting to a new schedule and job, getting to do some pretty fast lunch rides, topping it all off with an epic bike to work day yesterday. Tomorrow I'm planning on riding the Marin Headlands to get me grounded after the long week of newness. It's Friday, but I'm wishing the week wasn't over.

Moving Day

Paying someone to move for you is money well spent. It takes away all the pain and stress. It was especially important for me because I've got a few days left before I do the Boggs 8 Hour race on Saturday, followed up with starting my new job at Specialized on Monday, and I want to make sure I'm not stressed and have enough energy to get me through.

A 'Special' Change of Pace

last-day-at-west Today is my last day here at West. It's been an incredible year since moving out from Brooklyn to San Francisco. I'm on to bigger and better things. Where? You're probably wondering. I'm extremely excited and happy to announce I'll be joining the team at Specialized Bicycles in Morgan Hill, CA next month! It's a big change, and if you know me you'll come to understand that this is my dream job come true. More details to follow.

One Year in SF

sf Today my wife and I celebrate one year living in beautiful San Francisco. It's been quite an incredible year for the both of us. It's hard for me to think about our lives back in Brooklyn. Quite frankly, I haven't missed New York one bit. I feel such a deep connection to this city, having seen a lot of what it has to offer in terms of cycling. I've developed so much as a rider, and have met some really great people along the way.

More Rest

dawn-patrol-post-cccx-2 I'm pretty much toast today. I slept a good 10 hours and still feel run down. Work has been getting in the way of my well-being this week. I had planned to join some friends to ride Mt. Sutro in the morning, but slept through my alarm. Hopefully I'll kick this moment of dreariness out of my system before the week is out.

TGIF

independent-fabrication-crown-jewel-2 So tired today. Thankfully it's Friday and the weekend is ahead. Today I rode in on my good old IF. I haven't ridden it in months, but a co-worker of mine just got a new Independent Fabrication and wanted to see my 13-year-old steed. It still holds up, but I definitely feel the weight having ridden my full-carbon Tarmac for most of the year so far.

Tomorrow I'm driving down to Monterey with some buddies to pre-ride the Sea Otter course. I only have time for one lap, but it's such beautiful riding down there that it'll be worth the drive down. What's everyone's riding plans this weekend?

The Weekend

I'm so thankful that it's finally the weekend. The week was such a blur. I got in a few good rides, yesterday especially. It's another race weekend for me, doing the TBF Racing MTB Madness on Sunday. It's the same course as the last race I did up in Granite Bay. I'm hoping I have the same fitness and luck going into race day. Tomorrow I'll be doing a bit of race prep. My bike hasn't seen much maintenance since the last once. I'm feeling a lot more confident and less stressed than last time, knowing what to expect in terms of terrain, effort and competition. It should be good.

Feeling It

I think all of the hours I've been putting in the saddle is catching up to me. Been feeling rather tired and unmotivated to get out on my bike. I think it's mostly due to my stress at work, but I need another 3-day weekend. We'll pick things up tomorrow morning for my weekly Dawn Patrol ride.

Soaking It In

palm-springs Enjoying my time here with friends and family in Palm Springs. I woke up feeling pretty drained, having a lot celebratory drinks and copious amounts of good food. Today is all about relaxing, soaking in the hot tub and enjoying the sunshine.