Let it begin

I'm a bit slow at this right now, with class, clinicals, work, training, and sleeping. Blogging a relatively low on my priority list. I know I am letting you all down, I just don't know how you can go on living without knowing what is happening in my life! Ha!

Anyhow, last weekend bike racin in these parts started up again. Up first was the rolling hills of Durand. My first time at that particular race, and it was a good one. A whoppin 66 man strong field. The first laps were not to fast, everyone catching up on the past few months. That did not last to long, the attacks started and off we went at light speed. The large field making it very fun. Everything was just fast, not to exciting until the last lap on the biggest hill. A group of very strong guys got away, Mr. Timmer was not there, so up to the front I went and blasted away to try and catch them. It hurt, but eventually a few others got the idea and on the last corner we all were unified once more. Just in time to wind up for the sprint. After my effort I did not have much and ended up cramping, rolled across 12th. I am happy with my performance


This past week I did a good number of hours. Even got to preride the course for the Sogn race. Friday morning my body told me I had ridden a bit to much. Oh well, at least I know what my body is telling me.
Thursday my new wheels showed up. Got one training ride on them to try and break them in.

Ready to rock.

Friday night a few Duluth souls ventured down and stayed in the appartment above Milltown, thanks Ben for that.
This morning we were off to Sogn Valley for the day. Lucky us it was dry. A little windy and cool, but dry. A good size group of mid 30's or so showed up.
Again the first lap of the race was not super hard, the second picked up a bit. The last to laps only let up a few times. Full on bike racing. The third time up the hill I got a bit crampy for some reason, luckily I hid in the drafts for a bit and felt decent again. With about 3/4 lap to go the Ghost (Mr. Casper) snuck off the front, and with about 1/2 lap to go Doug and Wold blasted off. Should probably have been watching a bit better, but we all make mistakes...
They were long gone by the time any sort of chase was organized. Which for a little while was actually looking pretty good, with a Synergy, Nature Valley, and GP group working together. Some reason it did not last long and things fell apart. Naturally coming into the final climb things were going to be hard. I was hurting more then normal by this point and missed the initial group that got away just enough to gap the rest. Luckily with the help of Mr. Stanford the two of us caught back up. I was hurting a bit from that coming into the sprint, but still managed to pull of 9th.

The past two races have been extremely hard compared to last years, or at least from what I remember of them. Perhaps from the bigger fields, or people just wanna go fast. Either way, I like it!


I'll hopefully find some photos and post them.

Time keeps on tickin

The past few weeks have been relatively similar. Bike practice, work, class, clinicals, repeat. Not a bad schedule, just not worth writing about!
I have had a couple of good adventures. The most recent of which being yesterday. A water adventure.

A bit chilly, but sure pretty

They can't stick there head in the ground here.

It was too icy to use studs at some points...

Band-aids are good tire patches.

Lots of water.On the way out to sea.

Tried to make hot cocoa out there.

Max thought swimming would be fun too.The stove never worked though.

Swimming with a pack above the water is hard.

Soon, bike racing!

Rocky Mountain high.

Just got back from Colorado this morning, it was a good time. Since the last update this is what has been happening:

We went to Arapahoe Basin, one of the lower key places to ski in Summit County.

Low key does not mean little...Or easy!At the end of the day someone gave me beer.

The next day was bike riding. A good 4.5 hours around Boulder. It was warm out, 75 or so. I got to ride in shorts and short sleeves, worked on my tan.

St. Pattys day was spent at Breckenridge with Nels and his Breckenridge outdoors center co-workers. We had a good time exploring the bars of the uppity mountain town.

Beer... Nels also hooked us up with some Vail passes. Thanks Nels!

Good thing too, tickets are $97 a day...And all you get is a ride up a T-bar.Not really. Vail is so big it blows my mind. This is just one part of one mountain...

They have grills strategically located. Brats on top on the mountain.

This face "Tea Cup Bowl" was then most fun with the snow conditions.

With being at Vail for 7 hours, I bet we skied maybe 1/4 of the resort. So damn big. So cool.

Thursday I worked on my tan for another 4 hours, then it was back in the car and back home

The high plains.

On another note Ollie, a college friend just released a music video. Enjoy!

I-70

Road construction in the Mountains, I-70 is turned off, too bad no one around us has beer...
Internet somehow?

Earning your turns.

Today was my first back country skiing experience, it was great. Three of us went out on the adventure. We were in the Frisco area of Colorado, on some random mountains.

Way up through the trees we went.

Lunch break was needed before...

we got past the tree line.

Not much snow on the wind blown summit.

Gear.

Decently high.

I've never heard of sledding above the tree line...

Lots of open space up yonder.

Bike race!

Got back from Europa, two days rest, then off to Colorado. Two continents, two countries, two mountain ranges, two weeks!

We (Joe Stromsness) and I, blasted out here, driving though the night. Got to Denver area yesterday morning at 10ish. Welcomed by blue skies and 50 degree temps. The only logical thing to do then was ride my bike. I did for a bit over 4 hours. Exploring mountain roads to their fullest. We are actually in Westminster, rockin the suburbs. And I rode through the mountains and then came back out on the high plains in Boulder. I like Boulder, very bicycle friendly.

Up up and away!

Nice view.

I found some bumpy grav.

With cool rocks.

We attended the UMD vs. CC hockey game for entertainment during the night.

Today (Saturday) it just so happen that there was a bike race in Boulder. Being that it not far from where we are, I decided to do it. Depsite the fact that I have not done any speed work at all, none, this year. Racing does not start for another month back home. My goal was simply to sit in and finish with the field.
The race was put on by CU, and I arrived during the collegiate races. The A field was huge! 100 guys or so, compared to collegiate races back home being around 20...
Anyhow, the next race was womens feild, a few pros actually. Then the 3/4/5 race. The last two race was supposed to be the pro 1/2/3, they closed registration at 100 riders, but then the pros showed up and pulled some strings, and it ended up being pro 1, then 2/3.

Womens race. Zoom Zoom

I was unsure if this would work out, due to the fact that with 100 riders, I would have plenty of places to hide from the wind. With less people, and more concentrated fast people, things would be a bit harder. It ended up with 40 or 50 in my race. With guys from Garmin, and Bissle, and Jelly Belly it was a fast race right from the start. The first half was not bad, I was able to hide out for the most part even when we were stretched out single file. Then all of a sudden a split happened and about 15 guys had a gap. Game time. It hurt a whole lot, but somehow I managed to get up to them. Nearly died, but I did it. Of course a few laps later the race came back together, but I had fun getting my legs ripped off. The rest of the race was fairly uneventful, but very quick. Good times. I made my goal and finished with the pack. Wahoo! Avg speed was 46 km/h.

I will try and find some photos from the race. Their were lots of cameras.

Finland

Celebrate life, not mourn death.

After recovery from the news of Hazel, it was time to enjoy Finland and my sisters wedding, which was the reason I came here in the first place.
The day after I arrived it was of to Koli, a national park not to far away. The slight elevation change causes build up of frost and snow on the trees, and then with little wind it stays. Quite pretty. Besides that Finland looks a whole lot like northern MN...

The fam +
Ski Trail
3 cents for 2 euros?

Skiing on the lake.
It was flat.

Throughout the week I did a whole lot of skiing, the roads were just to crappy for bike riding. That's ok though, it was a bit early for training camp, so the cross training will be helpful still.

This old man ran fast.

I did manage a bit of riding though...

Saturday was the wedding. A good time was had by all!

Then a mass exodus, hauling stuff around Finland.

A few days break of from travel, then to Colorado.

In Loving Memory

She lived not nearly long enough but will live forever inside us all.

Off to Finland

After the Alps, and returning to the Buehlers it was time to come to Finland. I got everything packed, and we were off to the airport. But first, a big thank you to Leo and Vera for letting me stay there and eat all their food. Trip not possible without them!
At first things went smoothly at the airport. I got charged 25 euro for the bike, whatever, not to bad compared to what I have been charged. But then I got called back to the counter, apparently the case was too big to fit onto the plane. Which is a load of BS, because the plane was probably only 1/3 full. So I had to leave the bike in Stuttgart for the night while I continued. In addition to my bike not making it, my other checked bag got put on the conveyor belt, instead of being put on another airplane, they really messed it up! After a bit of searching I found a relatively cheap hotel to use up my 10 hour layover.
When I got to the airport in the morning the checker-iners were convinced I already had 2 bags on the plane and tried to tell me I had to pay a bunch more. I argued until they realized their mistake and got everything checked in again (except bike). Of course they decided that only one carry one was allowed this time, but it did not cost extra and I have it, so that was actually nice.
So I now sit in the airport in Helsinki waiting for my bike to show up in another hour (been here 2 already). I have been told to go to my place I will be staying, and to wait for the bike. I will wait for it, I would rather not loose it...
The internet is free in this airport, so I dont mind too much. Still sucks, but so is life.
Bikes are a bitch to travel with, but they are so fun that it usually is worth it.

Alps

But first.
I spent my last training day riding to the Alps. I took the train to Konstanz and met up with Sascha, who kicked his mother out of his house so I could stay... Ha. Not really, but thanks for the place to sleep and food!
After changing Sascha and I set off, he rode with me for a short 30 minutes, then had to go to the airport.

Bike practice.

So from there on out it was back to myself again. Shortly after parting ways my shifter crapped out on me, in a high gear. Maybe I don't trust SRAM so much anymore. I am going to have a word with them when I get home...

Mountains require a lower gear, thus I rigged up a downtube shifter.
The mountains got closer and closer.

Up up up.

Winter.
Summer.
Nice little ski hill at the top.

After a short Sport Beans break, back down. Really really quickly.

Complete with motor pacing!
Lower by the Lake is fairly green.
And here lives Jan.