Home Run
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Racing, Training
It has been a while since the last time I made it to home-base. And so this last week, as well as the one ahead, have been nothing short of amazing. From my winter training grounds in Southern California, I went straight into the first half of the season.
From the middle of March through the middle of June, the team has had a fairly full schedule. Despite this being our first year as a DIII Professional Mens Cycling Team, and our more modest budget, everyone has worked hard to make the season a full and successful one. The result of this hard work, has been more traveling and NRC racing for the other team-members, as well as for myself – something that I certainly would never complain about. From our team’s headquarters in Portland, Oregon to my home in Bend is approximately a 3 hour drive depending on weather and traffic, and the result is that after returning from a long week (or more) of traveling and racing, the last thing on my mind is driving for another day to get home, before almost immediately turning around for the next trip, race, or team event.
Luckily for me, upon returning from the Nature Valley Grand Prix, there was a bit of a hole in our schedule. Back from Nature Valley, my teammate Roman VanUden and I spent a few days in Forest Grove as part of a USA Cycling Junior Development Camp. Working and riding with younger riders is something that I have always enjoyed, and I was more than happy to spend a few days training with some promising young guys and gals that are coming up through the ranks of cycling within the Pacific Northwest.
From Forest Grove, I returned to Vancouver for a few minutes where Bobby, Logan, and I loaded our bikes and gear into the Land Rover for a weekend of racing in Baker City. The Elkhorn Classic Stage Race has been on the Oregon Calendar for almost as long as I can remember and it always turns out to be a great race. This time around, the 3 of us were doing it old school, with no directors, no support, no feeders, or anything. We were simply 3 dudes racing our bikes together, and trying to make the most out of the race. All in all, the weekend was a blast. We came back with some great stories, some good results, and several memories that will last for years.
With Elkhorn finished, I finally had a few weeks with no obligations – racing, travel, team, or otherwise. It was time to come home, and get back to square one. Bobby came along for the first week, in order to preview some of the courses that will be used in the upcoming Cascade Cycling Classic as well as the USA Cycling National Championships.
Coming home after being gone so long was almost like going on vacation to heaven. Except that I live here, and can come whenever I want/need to (pending of course, my parents welcoming me back into the house). It doesn’t seem like the city has really changed too much. The roads are still the same, the best local hangouts seem to be busy, and the mountains certainly haven’t moved – save for maybe the bulge on South Sister, where geologists report that magma is pushing towards the surface. And even though almost nothing actually changed, it all seemed to new and exciting to me. After arriving last Tuesday evening, I spent a great deal of time walking around the house marveling at the views, the weather, and fresh mountain air. Even on my rides with Bobby this last week, the views and the mountains have seemed better than I remembered them.
Over the last week or so, Bobby and I have managed to punctuate our training with several extra-curricular activities. Highlighting these activities was Bobby’s first attempt at tackling the Boswell Challenge, which is served up at the Taco Stand. By the way, the Taco Stand is THE place to go in town for good, wholesome, and filling Mexican food without having to break the bank. Despite a first attempt failure, described by Bobby as an “Epic Failure,” he vows to prepare and return in order to conquer the 3.5 pound burrito which must be eaten in under 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Also sitting high on the list of non-cycling activities was our trip into downtown for a dip in the Deschutes River. While we were out riding on Sunday, I commented on how awesome it would be to sit/swim/soak in the river after returning from our ride. So after we returned from training, took showers, and made some lunch, we rolled down to the First Street Park for a quick swim/dip/soak. As Bobby quickly discovered, rivers fed by melting glaciers are a bit colder than those found in Florida. With neither of us wanting to go all in and freeze, we found some rocks to sit on while soaking our legs after a week of hard training. Along with eating copious amounts of food, and sitting in ice cold rivers, we made a few trips to the super market and spent several quality hours with our computers.
With one week down, and one more to go, I am looking forward to another week spent in here in heaven. The next races on the calendar are Tour of Delta and the Boise Twilight Criterium, after which I return home for Cascade and Nationals. The next month is shaping up to be a great one; time with the team, time traveling, a good amount of time spent at home with my family, and some great races which I have high ambitions for. See you between here and there.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
