Yesterday I rode the mountain bike a little before I headed off to Lamar for the "Johnson City World Championships" that the local road club hosts on Tuesdays @ Lamar elementary school near Jonesboro,TN. The first opener of the season starts with a very informal TT. They start you then you have to report your own time to a legal pad via the "honor system". I knew that my time was going to SUCK. A couple of years ago I did this and I got a descent 29 minutes for the 10 mile loop but that was under perfect conditions. Wasn't the case for this one. The wind was kickin' and it wasn't a steady wind either. On my warm up it was pushing me all over the road, constantly changing direction. I thought "oh'well no need to get all warmed up if it's going to suck anyway". So I decide to go socialize with friends. 6 pm rolled around and most of us went to the starting line. I managed to get positioned with some less experienced riders so I wouldn't get passed as much because I knew I wasn't going to do well on the wind. I know I should have a better attitude. But it's a informal TT just for fun. I lined up, tapped my garmin and I was off. I didn't hammer right from the start, I wanted my legs to come to me before I started pushing. I turned right heading down 107 and wham......wind right in the face. I did my best to keep my head low and watch the asphalt instead of looking up, all the while keeping the cranks turning. Just before I get to the second turn a buddy passes me........JEEEEZZZ already? Wow, I'm REALLY going to suck today. See what I mean about it taking the wind from your sails?? Anyway my legs were feeling pretty good now so I decided to try to keep him in sight which I did and I could tell I was making good time. I was also averaging 24mph via el garmin so far which is good for a sub 30 on this route. But! The two small climbs were still ahead. All along the river the trees sheltered us from the wind so I was able to roll pretty good. Across the second bridge and the wind turned, what? YES! The next little climb was almost effortless. You know that feeling where you get rolling as fast as the wind is and all you hear is the asphalt on your tires? That was bliss! Perfectly silent Campy drivetrain working flawlessly! True bliss I tell ya. Just me and the bike in a quite moment, no wind blowing through your ears/helmet making that loud noise. All the way to the ruritan building at the top of the hill....wind ASSISTED climbing, awesome. I was climbing this 2 gears better than I usually do and I also passed a couple of riders here too. I turn right at the ruritan building and it was like turning into a wall! I had to stand, the wind was gusting so bad. The downhill that follows, I can usually get 40+ on? I was only able to get 25 in a full tuck, dammit! Needless to say it was WIND from there to the finish. I managed to pass one more rider and get a 30:01 for the 10 mile loop, which wasn't all that bad considering. After I returned to the parking lot we were comparing times I was only off by 1:00-1:15 from some of my faster friends. I'll take it! I did a lot better than I thought I was going to do! Alas, the road season is officially under way here in East Tn. now that the pack rides and the TNR has began. Bring it !!
I'm always searching for funny stuff for my blog and I get tons of email things with lots of jokes/humor. All of them don't make it to the blog, only the ones I feel worthy make it here. Here's some more entertainment I have ran across I feel worthy:
Brad also told me to check Bike Snob's blog out, he had this picture there. HmmmmmmLater G..........................................
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