Just Keep it COOL

Now that I am sponsored I feel a stronger obligation than before to improve myself and to push myself, to get myself out there as a cyclist. I've had a love/hate relationship with mountain biking. I love it when I can ride a trail, become one with my bike and surprise myself. I hate it when I bobble my bike, nervously ride off a trail unable to hold a line or nearly injure myself flying over my handlebars. But hey, there's this local Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance race series. Maybe I'll give it a shot, get some visibility for the store and get some handling ability for cyclocross (my true love).

I was pre-riding the trails at Tower Park with Bridget and my friend Joe on Saturday. There were a couple tough sections were I was very unlucky and really bobbled and couldn't stay in the saddle. I tend to curse myself aloud and get really upset, making poor decisions that cost myself more time. The same thing happened a few times in cyclocross races.

But there were sections where I fell in love again with mountain biking. "Whoa! I didn't think I could ride that!" I told the clump of high tree routes or 90 downhill turn. When I hit the bad sections I made myself remember the good ones and decided not to get all worked up anymore and to:

KEEP IT COOL

Hopefully, this will be another life lesson taught to me by a bike...

By the way, I ended up racing my first Mountain Bike race in beginner. I had a great time. They took out the rough sections and I had a blast just hanging in there still surprising myself. Unfortunately my run in second place ended as my tire pinch-flatted on a fast, rocky downhill section. But instead of moping and pushing my bike back kicking myself I decided to run it in like a champ. Gotta keep the chin up — my motto for the day was to be Obama on a mountain bike.

Results from my first road race: ROAD RASH!

I learned a lot the hard way! I didn't sprint off the start when I should have. I couldn't pass over the double lanes and was locked into a bad position half way through the pack. I went down to the gutter side to pass just as we turned and the wind that came from that direction. I worked so hard for the little time I was there. I went back into the middle of the peloton, we were riding about three riders wide, just as a gust hit the peloton forcing a touch of wheels and a pile up. Someone unclipped and fell into me.

The next thing I know I am in a fetal position as wheel roll pass my head... My day was over.

As I nursed a rashed hip I finally brought together six stragglers on the second lap and we formed a paceline to make it home. At least I had company.

I really want to thank the guys at the Trek Store for turning my Jamis into a mean machine, Bridget for really making it happen, and Joe for some tips that I did not get to use!

Is There a Market for Country-Western Dittys about Cycling?

I present lyrics about a rookie cyclist making boneheaded mistakes:

{GUITAR STRUMMING}
Discovered craaaaaaaacks
in my new carbon fiber road bike
My knowledge laaaaaaacks
in maintenance and the like

{CUE WASHTUB BASS, DRUMS AND SAW}
Cracked my tooooooth
On a covered bridge
Not so smoooooooth
Lost my line just a smidge

{CHORUS}
I'm just a grifter
a pseudo cycling drifter
my head cannot lift- ehr
destroyed my new shimano shifter

on my riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiims
some old tires shrunk
oh my liiiiiiiiimbs
from riding my cross bike

CHORUS REPEATS, ADD SINGING CHILDREN}
I'm just a grifter
a pseudo cycling drifter
my head cannot lift- ehr
destroyed my new shimano shifter

{CUE SOBBING SOUND EFFECTS}

Not based on reality whatsoever. I need to think of a showbiz name like Conway Campy, Brooks & San Marco or Kenny Paceline.

I could use the proceeds to pay off all the layaway and new parts I may need.

Rookie Rider proves to be short in the tooth, literally

I didn't know it was called the Covered Bridge Ride. There is a lot of stuff I don't know. Like the floorboards run the length of the bridge and there are gaps in between. What I do know is that now I have a crack in my Madone and my tooth to match.

All I do know is that Joe Biker can tell you a much better version of the story!