tabletop charcoal grill

so i've been a slacker and not posted anything. oh well.

i have gotten much more used to boone and the people here. i'm definitely glad i moved, i'm just wishing i would have gotten here earlier in the year, when people were still around. all the students (pretty much) have gone home so i'm left to sit at a random bar on my own, or the coffee shop, which is currently closing early since everyone is gone, or sit at home and well, stare at the wall. or ceiling. or tabletop charcoal grill. but its all good. i'm riding a lot now. i've been putting in 8-12 hours weeks each week on the bike. i'm feeling fit, i'm climbing a little bit better, and i did better at my most recent race.

i went down to georgia to visit friday night, raced sunday and came home sunday night. i really enjoyed seeing my parents. and i got in a short ride at flat rock park. and hung out with frank and jimbo. it was a good time. sunday i raced at the dauset trails near macon, ga. i am currently racing sport category, and got 14th of 34 sunday. i was happy with that. my goal for this season is to finish in the top half of the field. i've had a couple events that i liked. a few more though i was unhappy with. but its not too bad.

so since my last post... the following sunday i rode 86 miles around boone. we went down the parkway (blue ridge), then up a really flat road (at about 25mph, dual pace line...), then the group split. about 20 people went the 11 miles back to boone. 6 of us went for another 40 miles. it was a long day, much colder than the week before, but a very good long ride. it was probably another 7000 feet of climbing type of day.

the following sunday i rode my mountain bike for 4 hours in wilkesboro. its just off the mountain. i got close to 30 miles in. i was going for a long ride with that one, and it fit the bill. i was sort of slow, but my heart rate was good. so thats all that matters to me. although it did sound good the following week when people asked "what'd you do sunday?" they'd say "oh we rode 30 or 40 miles. how bout you?" i'd say "oh, well i only rode 30 miles... on my mountain bike." that felt good to say.

then the following weekend was the georgia race. other than the weekends, i've been riding tuesday nights, some wednesdays, and most thursdays. i've ridden a little bit on fridays (my day off) but not every week. monday night is bike polo night. that is a blast. we're ordering custom bike polo mallets soon, from the world champion bike polo guys at brookwood bicycle polo company. check them out!!

aside from the riding... i've been meeting more people, they're all cyclists though, i'm still trying to get out of the bubble. there are a few cute ones though, but they're super fast. we have a few national champions living in boone. the college team is at nationals right now!! but i think i'm going to try bouldering, like rock climbing but lower, for a crossover sport. i think it looks fun, and i am certain i can meet some different people through it. plus i can get some stronger arms. should be nice.

well, i don't have much else to say, well, actually one more thing... NORBA NATIONALS. my boss told me today i can have that saturday off work... so i'll be racing sport DH and sport XC at the NORBA NATIONALS. did i mention NORBA NATIONALS??? sorry, i'm just actually excited about something and well, there it is. NORBA NATIONALS!! okay, thats all.