What a year

Well, the road season wrapped up with Univest for me. It was an amazing experience, and after the crit I spent time with the promoters, podium girls, and other officials signing autographs for the fans. That was by far one of the coolest things I did all year and I really loved "playing the part" and interacting with people that genuinely loved watching what we do in their town.

It was the cap to an amazing year. This season's ride was the most undulating of all my seasons, and actually, years of life I've had. Those that know me well know have seen me go through some incredibly low times this year, but that was coupled with the highest highs I've had.

On the bike I managed to break through the chains that have been holding me back the previous seasons. Some chains were physical, like the after effects of my surgery. Some were mental, like regaining my confidence on the bike. But I busted my ass last winter and seemingly managed to pull myself through that BS.

I had a great team and together we accomplished some great results. Turkey Hill was a breakthrough for me and that confidence led to a win at Wilmington and a string of fantastic results. It was the most amazing of feelings, accomplishing some of what I knew I was capable of and having people I had always looked up to as racers compliment me and my racing.

I've made some incredible friends this year. Friends from all over the globe. Relationships I hope last a lifetime. My older friendships became strengthened. I got to spend time with great racers and learned how to use their experience to understand what I was doing better. Guys like Elliston, Kincaid, Pat Raines, the whole Mt. Khakis crew and Chad Andrews.

My teammates, Andy and Kyle who are also a couple of my best friends, and the rest the amazing Dynaflo crew were there every step of the way and I owe them a great deal of thanks. Their confidence in me helped me realize my own potential. And my family who have, albeit with great, but understandable, hesitation at times supported me through this whole ride. Oh and Bill Fleming at Dynaflo Pumps who is the greatest sponsor and boss and allows me to put food and the table and puts up with the time off and crazy mishaps.

Also thanks to all the people that cheered, supported, and followed my racing. I appreciate it more than you know.

Off the bike plenty of ridiculousness ensued as it seemed the faster I was on the bike, the less things went right off it. Cars were crashed, engines were blown up, relationships came and went, but I learned to use it as fuel for success on the bike.

So, here's a toast to great friends, great competition, great teammates, great teachers and always going for bigger and better.

To big things next year!

Buy my stuff - help me race this fall!!

Ok so I need to sell of an accumulation of parts and what not to fund my racing this fall, if you need something I don't have listed here, ask, I probably have it somewhere! If interested in something let me know and Ill work a cheap ass price with you. If i don't dump this stuff soon, the better stuff will go up on eBay.

Dura Ace 7800 39/53 Chain Rings - used, but not worn out, will work perfect with a new chain
FSA RD-88 Wheelset, straight, true, used for a training wheelset on the cross bike last year
Vision Clip On Mini Aero Bars - great set up for clip ons when using a road bike in a time trial, nice and short to put in a good position when not messing with your road set up
Dt Swiss 470 SL 29er wheelset - used probably less than 15 times. Straight, true, work like new, look almost as good (came off my stumpy 29er)
Specialized Carbon seatpost 27.2
Dura Ace 7800 front and rear shifters/brake levers - used a couple seasons, still function as they should
Hutchinson Fusion Road Tubeless Tires - barely used
Michelin Cyclocross Mud 2 Clinchers - still have full tread, will go the whole season no problem
Sugino Messenger Track crankset - 42T ring 130 BCD, 170 mm arms
TruVativ 144 BCD 48T 1/8" track ring Brand NEW

also have 2 carbon specialized forks if anyone needs a 1 1/8" integrated carbon road fork. Both brand new.

also may be selling my Kreitler Rollers - the smaller 3" diameter drums - wonderful condition, work great, bearings great

P-Burg

For some reason I was ultra aggressive today. Started early and stayed aggressive all day. A break got established shortly after I came back from a move and I honestly didn't realize as many guys as did got up the road. There were 7 up the road. The rest of the race was just a flurry of attacks that weren't going anywhere. At some point Ramone Benitez and Gui Nelessen got up the road and with 4 to go I bridged up to them. They outsprinted me and I came in 10th.

Year of the breakaway (or chase breakaway?) for me.

Wilkes-Barre Twilight

Good first year race. I love twilight crits. 1 mile, really wide course.

A few laps in, when Bobby Lea was sitting at the front and sensing he was a marked rider, I made a move and stayed out for 3 laps, taking a prime in the process. A few laps later my teammate, Andy, made a move which I countered and stayed out for a couple laps with a Richmond Pro rider. Right as we were brought back, Fuentes and DeWald from Battley Harley Davidson took off.

I was tanked from just getting brought back and sitting at the front, but knew I had to make it across. I took off with Jackie Simes from Team Mt. Khakis and we made it across in a couple laps. Mike Miller from Alliance and Gavi Epstein from Champ Sys and Shane Kline from Kelly Benefits joined us.

I took a prime in the break on the backside line. One the last lap there were a handful of attacks and one point I found myself at the front of a chase, which was countered, then I just barely couldn't get the last wheel as it came by at the last turn. So I came in a few lengths behind the sprint for the win. 6th place. 2 premes. Not too bad of a night.

Being aggressive paid off.

Thater

So I've been on an antibiotic and antifungal for the last week and I thought it wasn't affecting me until I raced Thater this morning. I found myself getting dizzy through the turns, which I decided was probably a good indicator that I should drop anchor and save my body for the rest of the season...like Univest.

Don't need to dig myself a massive ditch right now. Should be off the meds mid week.

Real bummer, the legs felt really great.

RIP M3

So, last night I was in an accident and I'm pretty sure the M3 is totaled. All the body panels are screwed, the front wheels point different directions, etc. I don't feel like rehashing the details here since I've told the story so much already today, but no - I did not wrap it around a tree going 150 like most people thought it would meet its demise.

Sucks so bad. I might never find another E36 M3 Sedan that clean. Ever. Without spending $25k for one that sat in a garage with 15k miles on it. And I only got to drive it for a few weeks.

Yay Infected Road Rash!

So my road rash on my hip from hitting the deck at nationals has gotten infected. It looks nasty and boy does it hurt. It might explain a little why I felt like such crap at Mengoni. Probably the worst I have felt on the bike all year.

I was still able to put myself in all the moves I wanted to be in, and chose to not go with the last move that finally stuck. Figured we'd drag it back right at the line, and it nearly happened. A crash in the final 500 meters put the brakes on that plan. Literally. Anyway, chocked back a 14th place. Good prize money, though, for a race that size - $70 for 14th.

So if you want to see the nasty infected road rash on my hip, CLICK HERE.

I'm on antibiotics. We'll see how it feels for Thater Sunday. Planning to still race it. Hope I can - it's an awesome race for a good cause.

Crit Nats Report

Well, it could have gone better, but I can't be too mad.

I was sitting mid pack, then about 10 laps in the skies opened and it Monsooned on us. Realized the danger of that course when it was wet I floated my way through the pack to the front of the race and held top 10-15th the rest of the race. Every couple laps I would hear dudes hitting the deck in turn 7 behind me. A small break went later in the race with Mike Margarite from Empire (he got 3rd, so mad props to him!), which I am really perturbed that I didn't go after because my legs told me to and my brain for some reason figured it would come back.

Anyway, I was sitting pretty for the sprint, about 10th wheel when with 5 laps to go, my front tire decided it couldn't grip turn 7 anymore and I slide across the ground like Raggady Andy. I managed to get to the pit in time and got placed back in at the front, but as the adrenaline left my body and I got cold, I just couldn't put the power out in those final laps.

After the race I noticed a crack in my front carbon tubular I was racing on. I thought I had heard crack down in NC at the crossroads series one night when I attacked in the gutter, but had not found the crack till after Nats. Wonder if the cracked rim could have cause the rim to deform enough under cornering load to have contributed to me wiping out....?

Cool race. Awesome atmosphere. Anxiety producing course. Geronimo rode a great race and placed 7th.

Up on tap:
Chris Thater
Phillipsburg Crit
PA State RR Championships (in my backyard!)
Basking Ridge
UNIVEST!!

Plus maybe a Tuesday night Madison next week??