WATER! - Battle in the Neutral Zone

Sitting here having a beer, in the shade, in downtown Bend, it seems further away than the 40 miles and a few hours it is/was, but today's stage 1 was as much about water as the final climb to Mt. Bachelor. It was water chaos in the two "neutral" zones as dehydration was dragging riders of the back of the main group one by one - where they were cast off to I haven't a clue - tonight's results will tell.

Maybe it was the combination of altitude (we started at 3,800 feet) or the temp climb higher than forecast, but more than one fellow rider, unprovoked, turned to me or murmured randomly to the peloton - 'why am I so thirsty?'

The frustrating thing was the surge in the zone - "what the hell were they doing up front?" It's a N-E-U-T-R-A-L zone... get it?? There was panic in the zone, you could see it if rider's actions - what if I don't get water???? Where was Wolf Blitzer? THIS was a REAL Situation Room. It was especially frustrating at the second zone, screeching cork on carbon, followed by the smell that ensues, swerving bikes, desperately lunging hands trying to grab a bottle, and then a K up the road everyone sat up and drank... what the hell? I wonder about the volunteers passing out those bottles, they must have felt like U.N .workers at the last well in the Sudan.

How to measure the toll? Maybe in the fact that the peloton stayed together because no one wanted to attack, or maybe the teams up front just shut it all down until the end? From my vantage (a wee bit back) it was hard to say.

In the end I (think) finished just off the back of the second group on the climb up Cascades Lake Road. A silly first-year mistake and not knowing the climb well enough. I should have buried myself to get over the hump with them and finished together. I had to TT across the false flat the last 2Ks to get in as close as I did. The climb's gradient also did enough folks in to help me, but it just wasn't long enough - this old motor need steepness and distance to ramp up to full speed and start making real inroads.

Today was another learning lesson I was hoping the year would provide. The beauty of being a rookie - so many lessons! My head was never in today's stage - my body was good, almost great, it had to be to get me past my head! The new bike and light Cirra wheels Mark loaned me did their duty as well.

In the end - 16th on GC for the Masters 45+, about 3 mins back - not as bad as I thought. Covered the 72 miles in 2:59

Thanks for everyone's support - emails and calls.

Snap...Crackle....Pop... YIKES!!

It's date night, with Jenn, she looks awesome, and night before I leave for Cascade Cycling Classic stage race. Grabbing an beer at friend Yeta's Hop & Vine and trying to relax. The phone rings and it's Mark, Mark Ontiveros, co-owner of River City Bikes. "Ya, Mark"...

"Ger, we have a problem with the Cannondale" (my Super Six is in for a bottom bracket check)

"What?"

"There's a crack, a crack in the joint at the head tube"

"What???" (Jenn is sitting opposite me and mimes 'what?')

"The guys found a crack", my heart sank and a quiver ran through my legs.

Like all things in life there's and upside and downside. Finding a crack, or possible crack, in your frame is never good news, but to find it right before leaving to race on that frame is excellent news. The news definitely sent a chill through my spine - especially after posting the Jens crash blog just hours before; my brain replayed Jens sliding down the road in a loop for the next couple minutes.

Other good news is they, River City Bicycles, had one frame my size, so Jeb, who found the possible crack (we still don't know if it is a crack in frame or finish, but not worth a risk), is hard at work (above photo) building up a new bike so I can bolt for Bend and race.

I can't thank Jeb, Mark and everyone at River City enough, who did their jobs incredibly well, and for Mark not even hesitating at replacing the bike and getting me ready for Cascade Classic in time.

"Vroom, vroom, vroom" - Get Well Jens

"Vroom, vroom, vroom" he said, as he threw a leg over the top tube and pedaled off to the start line of the Tour of California's Stage 1 in Sausalito. Jens Voigt had just finished off a energy bar, sitting lazily in a folding beach chair, as if that's where he was staying for the rest of the day, at the back of the CSC (now Saxo Bank) team motor home. When Jenn and I walked up minutes earlier to say hello the action was all over at the Discovery Team bus and what few fans had trickled across the parking lot to CSC were focused on American riders Bobby Julich and Dave Zabriski. Still it was Jens that we were delighted to see. Jens is our cycling hero of endless breakaway attempt, failed and triumphant. This "animator" of the peloton is the rider I have channeled on endless rides and races. He is part old school and new.

At this year's Tour of California, while other high profiled riders were focused and disconnected from the eager American tifosi, Jens was on the trainer before the Prologue surrounded this time by a large crowd and someone shouted, "No more mister nice guy Jens", in reference to a Jens quote from years prior. Everyone laughed and Jens smiled and said, "Nooo, this year there are too many assholes, it's time for someone to be a nice guy." The laughter grew louder. Minutes later he shot through the finish just 15 seconds back of teammate Cancellara in the Prologue.

After that vroom, vroom, vroom moment in 2006 I realized more than ever what this magical thing called riding the bike is all about. Jens thank you for that precious, insightful, life-changing moment. I ride my bike with greater joy and childhood excitement because of that Jens-ism.

Every time I come to the start line in a race I say to myself - "Vroom, vroom, vroom". Every time Jenn and I jump on the tandem we smile and whisper "Vroom, vroom, vroom" to one another. It's become our Jens mantra. Our Madonna di Ghisallo blessing.

Yesterday in Stage 16 from Martigny—Bourg-Saint-Maurice Jens went down, violently, viciously, the kinda crash that hurts to watch even more if you have ridden and seen your front wheel flip and disappear before you like the rabbit in some strange magic act - How did it happen? Where did it go? Why me? Why now? you have no time to get answers to anything. You're down and sliding and maybe unconsciously praying. Jens remained unconscious and for a collective frozen moment all of us that love this German rider so much, who believe he IS the best pro cycling can be, we were shocked into tears of disbelief.

Jens is recovering in a Grenoble hospital. Today they said he was sitting up watching the Schleck brothers launch their attacks on the Romme and Colombiere. Said Andy "We heard great news this morning that Jens (Voigt) was going to be OK, so we wanted to attack in his honor." Paying 'their honor' jumped them up the GC into 2nd and 3rd overall and I'm certain Jens was smiling through that broken cheek and litinany of lacerations, smiling at the pain they were dishing out - the way he loves to ride. Jens is going to be okay - but some surgery and recovering will come before the next pedal turn - although I can see them wheeling him into surgery and the nurse saying, "what was that?" It was Jens mumbling "Vroom, vroom, vroom"

Get well Jens - we miss you - and can't imagine Paris or any other finish line without you.

"Vroom, vroom, vroom" I'll think of you through every pedal stroke this weekend.

(Note: For those of you who might not know Jens Voigt — he is arguably the toughest of strongmen of the pro peloton, known for his long, often successful solo breakaways, yet another of which, at age 36, attacking with 36 km to go, he pulled off to win a stage in this year's Giro, dropping the likes of world champ Paolo Bettini and Italian superstar Daniele Bennati. He’s also unfailingly cheerful and friendly off the bike, perhaps the most well-liked member of the peloton. For more about Jens read Bonnie D. Ford's wonderful article on ESPN.com Jens Voigt is the conscience of cycling )

Cascade Cycling Classic - It's Hot!

My daily rides are tapering as I get ready to head over the mountains for this weekend's Cascade Cycling Classic stage race. The OBRA version of the race starts Friday with a 71 miles point-to-point up to Mt Bachelor. The big guns have already hit the roads and battling it out in the this the 30th anniversary edition

The line up in the Pro men's and women's field is impressive with the likes of Chris Baldwin and Rory Sutherland (OUCH-Maxxis), Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell), former Europros Victor Hugo Pena, Oscar Seville and Francisco Mancebo (Rock Racing) and over on the women's side Alison Powers (Team Type 1). If you are in Bend over on Saturday check out the crit downtown later that afternoon - should be plenty crazy with such huge fields.

Follow the CCC via
Oregon Cycling Action and Velonews

If I'm alive to comment I'll be posting my thoughts (and maybe a photo or two) here each night.

A weekend of whining about Hincapie

Okay, the guy is a really nice guy - we get it.

Okay, he help Lance win seven Tours de France - we get it.

Okay, he's the old beloved vet of the Pro peloton - we get it.

Okay, he busts his butt every flattish stage to get Cav into the right lead-out, it's his job, we get it.

Okay, we really want him to succeed because he is the good American guy and he has never won his beloved Hell of the North, Paris Roubaix, we get it.

But let's face it - George is not the brightest penny in the bag!!

For years now I have shouted and screamed at the TV screen during a spring classic for George to go, just go GOOOOO!!! It rips my heart out every frigg'n time I watch the 2001 Queen of the Classics and see those three Domo/Farm Frites riders work poor George over to take all three podium spots and leave him head-hung, mud-covered, rolling in fourth. That's when we all climbed up on the Hincapie caravan and began our collective 'Will-George-To-Win Campaign'.

Then shit-luck struck again in 2005 - in the break, strong teammates around, and the handlebars, of all things crack off (Trek - we really have never heard the explanation on that one?) - Oh man we shout, can our Big George buy a break!!??

But ya know something? For every damn time he has won something there have been three times I have screamed GO! And he doesn't. After 16 years of being a Pro you'd think he'd get it, we get it!

George, if you can pull Cav like a possessed demon that last K, if you can consistently TT with the best, then why didn't you go get the yellow jersey yourself, TT your arse off that last few K, and screw Garmin, and Astana, and your own sprinting teammates, and everyone else. As your own brash young Manx-missile teammate said, if you want to race like a junior, then race with juniors.

George, did your see that red, white and blue jersey bolt from the break group and leave everyone (including you) for dead and "Go" - review the video and you'll see he never looked back... do you get it??

Big George and the and the cover-every-angle-cycl0media never mention that when he won the "Queen Stage" of the TdF in 2005 that he sat in the ticket collector's position all day and then blew past Oscar Pereiro's wheel in the last K to take the victory. I didn't hear Hincapie or others claim foul that day... why not? Fortunately Pereiro got his stage a couple days later, because he again went for it - George please take note.

So George (and whining George Fan Club Members) - get out your DVD player, pull up the 2005 Fleche Wallonne, and watch Jens Voigt bury himself for the better part of 50 frigg'n kilometers!! holding the peleton at bay for nearly an hour as they chased like froth-mouthed mad dogs - THAT is how you win a race or die trying. What the hell were you doing that last 10K?? You weren't going to outsprint anyone and your guys in the car obviously were spoon feeding you every last second of info into your earpiece. So, who the hell cares who was sitting on your wheel, quit looking around and... GO!

So all you Hincapie whiners - if you want a real American cycling hero - let's start a campaign to adopt Jens Voigt.

Oh well, as my friend Heidi Swift wrote in her blog, it's been a great soap opera so far. And that's the best part.

PSSSST George (and whining George Fan Club Members) - Did you happen to notice Katusha's Sergei Ivanov after the stage, looking nearly dead, hunched over on the curb, bike carcass-like lying next to him looking equally exhausted (one of THE great Tour photos btw), head drooped between his legs, and chest heaving through his gaping jersey? As someone said, "That’s how a break-away stage winner should look."

"Do we get to do this again tomorrow?"

Why not? When you are five years old your bike is your freedom. It's the coolest thing ever. And since you have absolutely no clue about driving a car, that's not even an option. So why wouldn't they just close the streets like this every day and let me and everyone around me (a lot of adults) ride our bike with these wonderful happy smiles bursting the seams of their faces.

This past Sunday was the second chapter this summer in Portland's bikeaholic novel "Taking Back the Streets" - or subtitled: How to frustrate neighborhood traffic and make them end up enjoying it.

Actually it the expansion of a brilliant experiment from last summer called Sunday Parkways. Summer 2009 it expanded to 7+ mile ciruits in the NE ansd North Portland neighborhoods and will cap it off next month on August 16th with a 9 miles weave through the Laurelhurst, Sunnyside, Col. Summers, and Mt Tabor Parks streets.

I love the bike - all shapes and sizes. Sunday Parkways is why there is a Tour de France, a Paris Roubaix and a Giro, because people in Europe grow up with the beauty and passion of riding a bike in their communities. Last Sunday our streets were filled with people celebrating not just bikes but being in a community that cherishes civility, connectedness and sharing of a passion for this marvelous place we call home. The bicycle is one of the most delightful and personal ways to do that.



One of the added bonuses of the Sunday Parkway project overlooked is the incredible Portland Police positive PR this little street shutdown creates. I'm completely certain that many if not all of these officers have never been thanked that much in their entire careers, much less on a single day. I truly hope they appreciate all the genuine thanks these bi-pedalers cast their way. Especially the littlest cyclists - many launching their thanks from the tag-alongs and tandems while their parents negotiate the two-wheeled parade. Public policing, how cool is that. And hats of to the officers who removed their sunglasses when the opportunity was there. Again, kids saw faces, you were real, not just the voice and the badge making minivan mommy mad with a ticket.

"again tomorrow?", I wish! But there is one more chance, August 16th in South East, so get out the bike, take a deep breath and enjoy a "toodle" through your neighborhood remenescent of 1880's when the "saftey bike" was born.

(PS- one small rant - roadies, of all ages, leave your "kits" at home, along with your "need for speed" or take it somewhere else - like one of the Daily Rides I mention every week on this blog - you're a PAIN IN THE ARSE out there, and no one, especially the five year olds you whip in and around, are impressed.)

STP Day 2, and the rain begins....

You're closing in on 200 miles of sitting on a 9 by 4 by inch-ish saddle, two days worth, the finish line is just there in town, then across the Willamette River, and you're there... and then... it starts with a whimper, turns to a drizzle, starts a soaker, relinquishes to rain. Around you the faces bear smiles and glasses are spot with drops.

I have never ridden Seattle-to-Portland: after two sign-ups, two crashes one each year the week before the ride, finally I determined my STP was cursed, and the Kids had me riding 100+ mile rides on such a regular basis the challenge of STP drifted.

On Sunday afternoon I stood under the umbrella of a broad leaf tree at the east end of Portland's Broadway bridge, camera in hand and photographed cyclist after cyclist, all manner of bike, all manner of rider, each and every one sporting a wet, road-grimed smile - smiles that even make me smile as I write this a few days later. These are smiles that explain everything about why we ride a bike - joy!

On Saturday I did 118 miles and about 12,000 feet of climbing in a training ride - prepping for Cascade Cycling Classic stage race next week - more than many could accomplish, but it seemed far less than what these everyday cyclists were just accomplishing. I'm in awe of so many of them - including Paul Casey my first-timer friend, and Skye and his son (on tandem).

I love riding my bike(s) - as one little girl said last year while being given a helmet and first bike, "this is my freedom". Next year I will likely be signing up to try STP for the first time, with my girlfriend Jenn, on our tandem. I'll be doing it for the joy of it, to share with all these first-timers the joy of it, its my freedom.

Congatulations every one and all who shared in this year's Seattle-to-Portland joy - you were awesome!