Flood Watch?

First weekend of summer, and while most of you are sitting comfortably in that much needed air-conditioning after the hot bike ride in the wind in Minnesota, or riding in the "dry" heat in California, Mike and I are watching our streets flood and not even experiencing the relief of the cool air that the rain often brings because it's "tropical" like and muggy out. The air is thick like the deep South, but with more rain...steady rain...non-stop rain. And given the population and heavily traveled narrow roads, this means the pot-holes are sink holes when it's wet, making for horrible riding conditions while dodging pot-holes or cars or both. In addition, most of these homes don't have central air or heat (which would kill ya in the South), and so we are reaching to find a way to get comfortable. (break out the violins...sigh).

I don't mind the heat as much as I mind the heat with the rain with the potholes. Sigh. Combine all three and it is a little hard to take.
Just like last year when I was "shocked" by the different climate, folks around here keep telling me how unusual the weather is this year. Yeah right! My biggest problem is that I've lived most of my entire life in a place that doesn't have "weather". You may hear on the news about the "rains in California and how they were so much worse than last year...blah blah blah". While this is true, you have to consider what they're used to. Perfect weather. And so any deviation from the perfect mark is such a mental blow that it just seems so monumental.

I remember the storms and floods of El Nino and La Nina...and they were torrential and hard to take. Certainly in an area where it [bad weather] is unusual, it effects things much worse since there's no need to plan or have emergency services to accommodate the extreme conditions since it is such a rarity. So the drama plays out and everyone sighs and says "those poor Californians---look at how they suffer, look how unprepared they are!"

But the reality is that the bad moments are over quickly and the rest of the year gets back to perfect and you forget about that rainy 45 days. Not here. New England is beautiful in it's greenery and rolling hills and history. When you can get out and ride, and get out of the crowded areas, it's lovely. But the "when you can..." is the big challenge. Mike and I look at each other with sympathetic eyes and painful disbelief at how bad the weather can be here. Humid and rainy; wet and sticky.

On the brighter side, tomorrow is our first wedding anniversary, and I can think back to a year ago and remember the wonderful time in Marshall when I became a Taylor officially and my life took on new meaning. It's amazing to think of the incredible year we've had as an official Taylor Team, huh?

Oh well---guess I'll go do the laundry! Have a wonderful Saturday!

"Hot"-a-Ton-ik Hills Road Race

Sunday, June 18, 2006, Housatonic Hills Road Race - Southbury, Connecticut

Wasn't it just last week that I was making derogatory comments about the cold New England weather? We woke up early (though not early enough) and it was like 70 degrees before 6am. I leave Mike in charge about what time we're supposed to leave for a bike race---I'm just along for the ride and to cheer him on. Unfortunately, it was too hot for Sydney to come along---so we just loaded up both of our bikes and headed to the South western corner of Connecticut.

Once we crossed the Stateline, Mike looks at the time and says, "How many more miles do we have to go?" I replied, "according to the map, we've got about 80 miles ---give or take". Turns out we needed to leave 30-40 minutes before we did. Hope there are no police officer's on this list---Mike put the pedal to the medal and practiced a VW Golf Time Trial. We got to the race course 10 minutes before he was supposed to race, and he was pinning his number at the start-line just as the 100+ rider strong Pro 1/2 field was heading out of the gate!

81 miles, 3 laps around a 27 mile circuit with 1500' of climbing per lap---with 95 degree weather and no wind! I suited up and followed shortly thereafter with a bunch of bottles in a messenger bag on my back. What a beautiful and hilly course. as the other fields of riders begin to pass me, I ended up with company to ride to the feedzone with as so many folks were getting shelled off the back. Once I made it to the feedzone, I had about 20 minutes to kill before the Pro field arrived.

I unpacked a musette filled with water bottles and waited. A Garneau rider (his name is Joe and he lives around the block from us) lead the way with about 5 other guys in the break. 5 minutes later the rest of the bunch came through and I handed Mike his bag of drinks and headed back to the finish.

It's different when you're not racing---I thoroughly enjoyed the lovely hot day. Mike unfortunately needed more water and so, dehydrated as he was, didn't end up having the greatest of rides. The uphill finish was harder than anticipated...guys were coming through with minutes between them and there was no pack finish.

Oh well---you can't win em' all! We arrived home pretty flogged from the heat and the hard riding, and were reminded of the August Cal Cup races---Rule # 1, don't arrive to a long hard race with only seconds to spare before take off!

Peeling off the layers...

85 degrees. Mike's running around the house trying to install window air conditioners---a little annoyed with me for not being much help. How do these things work anyway? He says, "Oh, you just plug them in---and they fit in the window". Really? "Do you have to add water to it", I ask? He says confidently, "nope---you just plug it in. It will drip water...but it uses freeon or something. Let's put it on your side of the bed". (So it can drip on me, I wonder?)

Sigh. It's not even that hot? I refuse to complain when it's warm out. I like it anyway. Today I rode through Carlisle, Chemlsford, Great Brook Farm, Lexington, Arlington and all around my little neighborhood. Now I can ride a 50+ mile loop and not ride back on the same roads I left on.

And shorts and a sleeveless jersey weather sure feels good. Peeling off the layers. The layers that don't come off quite as easily out here in the North East though are the layers and layers of "attitude, properness, and busy-ness". The reserved ways of New Englanders can at first be a little startling for a Californian turned Minnesotan turned New Englander girl like me.

During the work week, I'm pretty oblivious to this since I am surrounded by bike people most of the time. Bike people are the same no matter where you are. It's a small micro community of people that isn't separated by place so much---West Coast, East Coast, Mid West, even Europe...it's all good. And even if it sounds like I am complaining and comparing again---we feel blessed with this very different lifestyle and opportunity...I'm just observing.

And, it isn't that folks aren't nice...they are nice. (A little uptight in my opinion---and conservative in a traditional but not stuffy kind of way). But it isn't like the prairie where if you run out of water and don't have money, someone will give you water --- or even a ride home. Out here---no dough---no service. I ran into Mike coming in the opposite direction out around Great Brook Farm---he was headed out on a short spin---I was heading home from a long ride trying not to bonk.

As he passed me again (he's always passing me!), he hands me a full water bottle. That's the Minnesotan in him. The "salt of the earth" characteristic that you have to experience to understand what I am talking about. The water was just what I needed to get me back home! In any case---my layers are peeled off and ready to enjoy the summer days. Tomorrow we're off to race in the 94 degree Housotonic Hills road race in Connecticut---Happy Saturday!

Lost in Lincoln & Lexington

Woke up to rain---but by the late afternoon the sun came out, the roads dried up, and I high-tailed it out of the Seven Factory an hour after my husband did. Initially I had planned to try out my new kickers (Mike bought me new running shoes with his prize money from his race last weekend!)---but it was such a nice evening, and I knew Mike would be gone until the sun went down---so instead I suited up and headed West on my bike to enjoy some hours in the saddle.

Usually I am a morning ride kind of gal---but Mike keeps telling me that the traffic dies down in the evenings and I should try it sometime. He was right---and after I was out of Belmont, the roads quieted down a bit and I enjoyed the warm evening. Once I got to Concord square, I felt a little adventurous and decided to try a new route looping back home. I keep thinking I know my way around. But I really don't.

In any case, I managed to pass Emily Dickenson's house, Hawthorne's house and Waldo Emerson's house---all preserved in fine New England fashion. What a find, huh? But then there were all these "forks in the road"---which way to go? You'd think that simply heading East would do the trick. Sigh.

Suddenly I was in the Minute Men National Park. Wow is it green and beautiful! But I was getting hungry and it was nearing sundown. Now what? These racer guys passed by and I asked them if I was going towards Lexington. "Yup" they said, as they raced by. But even if I was headed the right way, nothing was looking familiar. Hmmm. These old guys on bikes past me and I said, "Do I look like I'm heading to Belmont?" That got their attention at least, they knew I was lost. One of them asked where in Belmont I was headed. I told him I didn't really know where in Belmont...but Belmont is next to Watertown and that's "really" where I wanted to go. So he rode with me and got me close (within 8 miles from home) to where I needed to be.

At the bottom of a slight incline he said to just go to the top of the hill and make a left when I crossed over Route 2. I was hungry and so I hoped it wasn't a big hill..Turns out what I think of as a hill and what folks out here think is a hill is different. It was just a little bump in the road...no biggie and suddenly things looked familiar again. I arrived home just before sun faded into the West.

The beauty of it all is I now have this beautiful new loop to ride through poetry, history and historic places. Now Mike and I just need to hire someone to cook for us so that we can both ride until dark every night. Yeah right. Luckily there is a really good and cheap pizza place right around the corner---East coast pizza is about as good as it gets. And getting lost in Lincoln and Lexington Massachusetts is a pretty nice way to end a Thursday summer's eve!

HAPPY FRIDAY AND HAPPY FATHER'S DAY THIS SUNDAY!

Snoozin' "Deluge"ions

We had three days straight of sunshine. Then yesterday afternoon, the NorEast deluge returned and lasted straight on until the morning. Mike and I look at each other and say, "Remember that time in Belgium...14 consecutive days of rain and we were outa there!" But in Belgium we didn't have jobs or a lease. The good old days...not really, but you know what I am getting at.

There is a great lesson in here somewhere about sticking it out---after all we are in the industry we love...and that same year that we high-tailed it home from Europe because of the rain resulted in one of the hottest summers on record in that same area with folks dying from the heat all over France and the surrounding countries. Still, it is a bit discouraging to go to sleep to the rain and wake up to the rain in the middle of June. Sigh.

True to form, the small hound maintains her glorious attitude---never minding what the weather holds for her day. A little bit o' the drink doesn't do a thing to her spirits. She smells bad from having that "wet-dog" syndrome---but it really doesn't seem to warp her spirits any.

In any case---the weekend looks like it will be a scorcher here---near 100 degrees with all the humidity that goes along with it. We are heading back to Connecticut to do the Houstonic Hills Race. It looks like a hard one with 1500' of climbing per lap and over 80 miles. In the meantime we are doing our best to stay dry and paste smiles on our face.

At least it isn't snowing! Have a fabulous Thursday!

P.S. Mom is toughing through some really tough "chemo" days---her spirits are good but she had a rough couple of days. I love all of you for asking!

Nutmeg Classic Criterium

Saturday, June 10, 2006 - Walnut Hill Park, New Britian, Connecticut

Nutmeg Classic Criterium - Connecticut State Criterium Championships

Believe it or not, the weather was fine in Connecticut. When we left Watertown, it was under grey skies and steady rain. We weren't sure what the weather would be like in Connecticut, but according to the "weather doppler", it was cloudy but dry. So we loaded up Mike's race bike, grabbed the small hound, and headed West! As soon as we passed Worcester (pronounced "Wooster"), we spotted patches of blue sky on the horizon, the rain stopped, and we even spotted some dry roads. Immediately our spirits were lifted.

40 miles; 40 times around a one mile loop around Walnut Hill Park---no corners, just a curvy loop with a slightly rolling effect. From the Start/Finish, spectator's were able to see the racers not only as the crossed the line, but also as they wound their way around the course. Mike lined up with another 80 or so guys. The wind was the main factor today---yes, it was a blowing!

Very early in the race, two guys snuck off the front and worked together to hold off the field at about 20-30 seconds. But with 19 or 20 to go, the dynamics changed when the Anthem team headed to the front (they are a big local team and these were the championships after all) and reeled in the break. Once the two guys were swallowed by the pack, two other guys (one Anthem rider and one US Army rider) gave it a go off the front. They were working well together---4 other guys snuck off the front and were trying to bridge the gap.

Taylor, frustrated that every time he got out of the saddle to go, would get immediately chased down, used a different tactic as he came through the Start Finish with 7 to go. This time he shifted into a bigger gear, but stayed in the saddle and snuck away on the outside. No one could react and he was able to close the gap to the break solo style in half a lap.

By two to go, the two leaders, who at one point had 35 seconds were now hovering at 15 seconds. The Taylor lead break was reeling them in---200 meters from the line, the announcer, who was sure the two leaders would not get caught, was already calling them the winners. But when I saw the Scrapper wagging her tail (if you knew how much she adores Mike, you'd know that she only reacts that way when he's in close proximity) so excitedly, I looked up and sure enough, Taylor stood out of the saddle and was about to shut it down! The guy who was riding his wheel in hopes of taking him in the sprint tried to go around him but it was no use! Mike took third at the line and barley by a wheel length!

Mike rode a lap and met me at the finish line! Smiling he says, "How'd we do?" (I love how he says "we".) "We did great! You were 3rd and are on the podium!"

You know the drill by now---Belgian Beer, Sushi and Seven! It just doesn't get much better than that!

Soggy Saturday

Who'll stop the rain? June 3rd...and after a really warm Memorial Day weekend, here we are in the drink once again. Not a little rain...they're talking measurable rain and using inches to do the math. UGH! When "measuring tools" are used for the rain, our plans for a race in Maine sounded "not so good". Driving anywhere isn't fun---but driving for a couple of hours to race in rainy 50's/60's sounded like a bad idea for a plethora of reasons.

Our house gets real clean on days like these. Sunday is supposed to be better at least. Last week was a short week and so at least I rode everyday and got my miles in then. I only recently realized that my daily route takes me past the "Gropius House". I think he (Gropius) is (was) kind of to New England what Frank Lloyd Wright is to San Francisco. A famous architect. It's a very interesting looking building. He's of course no longer with us...I think he was famous in the 40's. But his daughter or grand-daughter is still around...in her 80's, but still around. One of these days I'll have to sign up for one of the tours of the place. The grounds are all over-grown (probably hard to keep it up with all the rain).

It looks like we're finally going to race Fitchburg-Longsjo. It's one NRC race that Mike has never done before (when you live in California, it's pretty expensive to get out to all the East Coast races), and it looks to be a real tough one at that---lots of climbing. It'll be tough to do without a team, but fun all the same. Seven will have an exhibit at the pre-race expo and I'll be working that on Wednesday and then supporting Mike in the race the rest of the week. We really wanted to do Minnesota this year, but it was just not in the cards.

Oh well---just another soggy Saturday in Watertown. You'd think the name of the town of my new abode would have been my first clue. Enjoy your Day! Go Jerrell in your Aid's ride down the coast of the sunshine State!