well, we started out about 100 strong. the lap took around 2:35 minutes, and people were getting pulled out after the third lap. i held on for five laps. only 15 riders or so finished the the whole 23 minute race.
this is me, somwhere in the back of the field, before the start. it was so dusty, i have been pulling chunks of dirt out of my nose and ears for the last two hours.
again, some people are here for different reasons...
geoff kabush won the race. i was posting 30:30 minute laps and he was posting 26 minute laps. the result? i was pulled from the race in the last lap, although he did not lap me. whatever. all in all it was a good race. the start was hectic, as 100 riders tried to go up a singletrack uphill. traffic jam!
before the race i warmed up with jeff and ross. tomorrow is the short track. a hard hard effort. 20 minutes or so of pain. anyway, all things considered, i was doing alright today. i will get stronger by next week, i guess.
and this little guy knows best. he has no worries at all... well, apart from how to get his hand as deep as possible down this cave he found in the ground. his mom will have to worry after that.
today i got back from practice on the race course, and my fridge stoped working!!!! all the frozen chicken breast started flying around in the fridge. what the hell....?
today the team riders have arrived, apart from sue, JB, jenny and chris, that are all in south africa, kicking some euro ass in the cape epic race... its nice hanging my bike next to its own friends. my bike likes meeting some other carbon frames.
you know you have to go fast, when your name means "faster" in german. those germans are on to somthing, i tell ya'.
and this is ross, he is a pro rider for trek VW. he is one fast dude. his last name, by the way, is- schnell...
man, chicks on wheels... got to love that.
one's habits are hard to change. mine is not taking drugs. of any kind. well, my situation really required some kind of outside help. hence the imodium. i hope it helps.
coming out from the haze of downtown LA, it seemed like everybody here breathes cars Co2 instead of actual air...
and on the highway, it was the maze of roads inter-connecting, that blew my mind again.
its a good thing that i am a friendly person, as the orgenizers actually remembered me from the last time i was here, and gave me permission to park right by the venue, in a perfect place. they even remembered my fricking name!!! (again, its H around here...).
i love the way everything is getting done here. its like a ceremony: the team trailers show up, dirty from the long drive. the mechanics jump out of the car, start washing it, and then start to open the team tent. i said hello to everybody...
and these are the bikes in the trailer. all clean and ready for the races. (i forgot to rotate it, sorry...). tomorrow the riders will come, and the party will begin.
remember this!!
no, i am not a wizard.
its my happy face~~~! comes morning time, and off i go to the venue of my first national montain bike race of the season: fontana.
from there, on monday, i am driving to pheonix AZ, for the second race... desert- here i come.
now you understand the face.
when you need to go shopping, there is only one place to go- costco.
where all the carts are as big as a house, and you need a car to get through the isles- sostco.
where butter comes in buckets, and you can skip lunch and "try" some new chicken nuggets- costco.
where you buy and you buy, and can't fit it in your car- costco.
a love song to costco, by a happy buyer. (if you want someone to sponsor, i am open).
since i was already there, and the stupid hummer was there, as clean as a whistle, no mud to be seen, i had to give him the honors of "fuck hummer".
i need to drink more. the air cinditioning in the R.V is out, and its as hot as the american girls i saw today in brentwood. running. in shorts. hot. well, i guess i need more than a drink...
its been a week since i left home. the jet-leg is almost gone. the motor home is almost ready. i know where i am, and where and when i need to be in the next 6 months... everything in the middle is a blank piece of paper. its up to me to fill it up with somthing... since i can't draw that well, i think i will fold it into somthing nice.
i decided not to go to redrock, as i got an invitation to a group offroad ride. couldn't refuse.
i am going out on a little trip for the weekend. took my 9.9 with me, and we are going to a place called "redrock" mountain. sharon and his family have a huge motorhome, and we are all going to sleep in it. its h-u-g-e. 40 feet of luxury motoring. pictures will come soon. wer'e also taking sharon's buggy. it will be so much fun.
sitting in a car, 15,000 kilometers from jerusalem, i found this guy praying. if the holy country is so important to him, what the hell is he doing here? only god has the answers... or does he?
i took my R.V to get some tender love and care... you know, oil, air, water and such. the jiffy lube guys worked on it, and said it was in a great shape... now all i need to do, is to get in shape also. on the roads and ready to go in a few days.
look at that cute little beast... isn't it beutiful?
got this from some kids that i train.... i swear, i never touched them.
if i can ride on the road with my mountain bike, why can't i ride my road bike in the mountains? no reason. thats why i took it for an off road adventure!! nothing too extreme (ilan...), and i am happy to say its so good... fast cornering, light, and agile. oh, and its also good on the road.
is the chipotle burritos....mmmmmm... burrito...
israel has the falafel, and here its the burrito... mmmm burrito... it starts out like this. about 500 grams of yummy burrito....
then you start chewing. it is so good...
after 2 and a half minutes it looks like this... mmmm...burrito....
and this is my side kick. as you see, it lives up to its name, as its on the side... (forgot to rotate it, oops...). 5.63 dollars of pure heaven, just went into my belly. it was worth every pedal stroke.
this is my number plate. so if you see a motor home cruising by you, looking all happy, smiling and on a mission, your'e more than welcome to hop on it... it goes all around the states. i will drop you where ever you need.
and i thought it was ELVIS!!
where the hills are alive...
with the sounds of V12 engines...
and the higher your house is...
the better the views are...
and the bigger and blinger your 22 inch wheels are.
living room is spacious and comfy...
the kitchen has all the amenities.
my bedroom. where all the... sleeping takes place. mom...
