New Teammate Garrett
Wednesday
New Team Bike
yeah, this thing is super sweet, just got done with 5 hours and the fit is great, it rolls along quick and it looks hot. a big thanks to Ben-O the team mech for getting the build done quick and clean. up next: hitting the track down in LA for som more bike practice.
Tuesday
Monday
and who are these guys?
so, is it warm or cold in SoCal? dan says no, with vest and no hat, jackson says it's hella cold with full igloo jacket and hat pulled down so far it'd cover his gills.
at least they match.
Top of the world
here's the top of Umanum looking down into the Santa Cruz Mountains, the whole San Lorenzo Valley is right in front of me.
and this is looking down into Silicon Valley, it's quite strange to look down in the Umanum concrete block radar thingy. also, check out Mt. Diablo in the distance.
and this is looking down into Silicon Valley, it's quite strange to look down in the Umanum concrete block radar thingy. also, check out Mt. Diablo in the distance.
Sunday
back to work
yeah, fresh off the plane and out on the road directly, i've done 11 hours over ther weekend and it's crushed me. it's exactly what i need, actually, as TOC is only 4 weeks away and i've gotta show up in at least decent form, enough to ride the break again bare minimum.
today was one of those windy, super clear wintry days in the bay area, so we took advantage and climbed every big peak and ridge in the general area. Mt. Umanum was on the list and the view off the top was especially good, you could see into santa cruz and the monterey bay, then the other way into the whole bay area expanding for miles into the distance. i'll try and post some pics if i can coax some out of the capt'n.
today was one of those windy, super clear wintry days in the bay area, so we took advantage and climbed every big peak and ridge in the general area. Mt. Umanum was on the list and the view off the top was especially good, you could see into santa cruz and the monterey bay, then the other way into the whole bay area expanding for miles into the distance. i'll try and post some pics if i can coax some out of the capt'n.
Friday
bike racin'
this is the wheel race on day two of the carnival i did in brisbane, QLD. i was pretty much anonymous in all the handicaps, i just don't have the power of people racing in their summer. but the training was great.
Thursday
Tuesday
finally won something
i won the scratch race on the last day, hit out 50 times in three laps and was free with three to go. so i've ended up with a win, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, two 5th's and a 6th. it's been okay, won a few hundred and met some cool dudes. Chris Klem, if you ever meet him or know him, gets a big pat on the back and more for being rightious. good man.
day off today, we're going to the beach. i'll have a few pics up soon.
day off today, we're going to the beach. i'll have a few pics up soon.
Sunday
OZ livin'
man, summer time is nice. we've been up early (not by choice, chase gets cranky) and so have been hitting the sights, seeing the town of Brisbane in Qld, and i've been racing the track here for the past few nights. almost won a points race last night with an IP effort for half the race, and the forms on the way up.
we've been crashing the internet cafe daily, i've been pretty impressed with the quality of coffee you can get in AUS, no wimpy cups of Joe here just short blacks and nicely done caps.i don't think i've had a bad cupa yet.
Brisbane's a bit smaller the sydney, but its making it easier to get around and see what we want. having a car helps too. i'v learned to drive righthandside, a bit sketchy at first but it's been a few weeks and i haven't turned down he wrong lane yet. probably just jinxed myself.
i'm getting pretty psyched up for the upcoming road season, cali and then the whole spring push, even Georgia's on my mind. i can't wait to get the new bikes, the track bike should be super fast, the road bike will be absolutely smokin' with SRAM on it, plus it'll have GEARS which is what i really need right now, i'm getting sick of pumping up every hill on the track bike, then spinning like crazy back down. coasting would be nice.
we've taken some pics and posted some kodak galleries see the sydney ones here and here, plus some shots of the farm here. lots of fun and it's been a great vacation so far.
well, off to the beach.
we've been crashing the internet cafe daily, i've been pretty impressed with the quality of coffee you can get in AUS, no wimpy cups of Joe here just short blacks and nicely done caps.i don't think i've had a bad cupa yet.
Brisbane's a bit smaller the sydney, but its making it easier to get around and see what we want. having a car helps too. i'v learned to drive righthandside, a bit sketchy at first but it's been a few weeks and i haven't turned down he wrong lane yet. probably just jinxed myself.
i'm getting pretty psyched up for the upcoming road season, cali and then the whole spring push, even Georgia's on my mind. i can't wait to get the new bikes, the track bike should be super fast, the road bike will be absolutely smokin' with SRAM on it, plus it'll have GEARS which is what i really need right now, i'm getting sick of pumping up every hill on the track bike, then spinning like crazy back down. coasting would be nice.
we've taken some pics and posted some kodak galleries see the sydney ones here and here, plus some shots of the farm here. lots of fun and it's been a great vacation so far.
well, off to the beach.
Saturday
we've been in australia
we've left america for the month.
Sydney:
chase slept great on the airplane, getting him his own seat has proven to be the best money i have ever spent and we arrived cramped but rested. christmas day lasted all of 5 1/2 hours somewhere over the south Pacific, the we crossed the int'l date line and it was into boxing day.
we were pretty fresh off the plane, but couldn't check into our hotel until later in the day so we hit the streets, had a coffee, and walked around a good bit. had a city tour and signed up for a day long blue mountains tour the next day.
the blue mountains are actually short hills, no bigger then the coastal range in the bay area, but it's a big as it gets in Aus which is exceedingly flat on the other side, evidently. great rain forests, cool views, we took this old mine rail car down into a valley for a mature walk on a boardwalk, the train averages 44 degrees incline! it's like taking an elevator. also we had a good tour guide that was pointing out all the different plants which goldi liked.
the day after that we walked bigtime, all through the botanical gardens around to the opera house, and then took a ferry out to Manly beach which was nice. paris Hilton was also in town which was the biggest story of the year, evidently. sydneysiders love their shopping and probably watch a bit too much TV and everyone had their ipod which is the cool fashion accessory along with big shades and a huge handbag. and pink shirts for the men are BIG here.
and now we're out on the farm. it's much quieter here, the closest (tiny) town is 12k away, and Grafton is 30k away. it reminds me of the south, cicadas in the trees and heavy mugginess which turns to cool rain every so often. it's actually been pretty wet, i have ridden 5 days in a row in the rain, but it's not sheets of ice water like in the winter at home, its warm and sweet, and keeps you just cool enough to be able to work hard. the property is huge here: 1326 acres! we went for a ride on the quad out to one of the property lines, and it took a while. they own to the top of the hills behind them plus 400 more acres over the top, and a K or more in either direction of their house. it's all regrowing rain forest, it was grazed 30 years ago but they've cleared to invasives and let it go back wild in many places. they also built a mill and cut and milled all the wood for their house. there's horses out your window every morning, and kookaburries in the trees. here's something cool: all the monkey sounds you hear in old tarzan movies are actually recordings of these birds, so at first i thought there were monkeys everywhere.
anyway, more later as internet connections allow.
Sydney:
chase slept great on the airplane, getting him his own seat has proven to be the best money i have ever spent and we arrived cramped but rested. christmas day lasted all of 5 1/2 hours somewhere over the south Pacific, the we crossed the int'l date line and it was into boxing day.
we were pretty fresh off the plane, but couldn't check into our hotel until later in the day so we hit the streets, had a coffee, and walked around a good bit. had a city tour and signed up for a day long blue mountains tour the next day.
the blue mountains are actually short hills, no bigger then the coastal range in the bay area, but it's a big as it gets in Aus which is exceedingly flat on the other side, evidently. great rain forests, cool views, we took this old mine rail car down into a valley for a mature walk on a boardwalk, the train averages 44 degrees incline! it's like taking an elevator. also we had a good tour guide that was pointing out all the different plants which goldi liked.
the day after that we walked bigtime, all through the botanical gardens around to the opera house, and then took a ferry out to Manly beach which was nice. paris Hilton was also in town which was the biggest story of the year, evidently. sydneysiders love their shopping and probably watch a bit too much TV and everyone had their ipod which is the cool fashion accessory along with big shades and a huge handbag. and pink shirts for the men are BIG here.
and now we're out on the farm. it's much quieter here, the closest (tiny) town is 12k away, and Grafton is 30k away. it reminds me of the south, cicadas in the trees and heavy mugginess which turns to cool rain every so often. it's actually been pretty wet, i have ridden 5 days in a row in the rain, but it's not sheets of ice water like in the winter at home, its warm and sweet, and keeps you just cool enough to be able to work hard. the property is huge here: 1326 acres! we went for a ride on the quad out to one of the property lines, and it took a while. they own to the top of the hills behind them plus 400 more acres over the top, and a K or more in either direction of their house. it's all regrowing rain forest, it was grazed 30 years ago but they've cleared to invasives and let it go back wild in many places. they also built a mill and cut and milled all the wood for their house. there's horses out your window every morning, and kookaburries in the trees. here's something cool: all the monkey sounds you hear in old tarzan movies are actually recordings of these birds, so at first i thought there were monkeys everywhere.
anyway, more later as internet connections allow.
The other JacquesMayniacs:
- Andy
- Goldi
- Chase
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Current Kodak Galleries
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Upcoming Races
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Links
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Press and Misc.
- cyclingnews.com give the bike a once over
- the SF Chronicle rode the team car stage 2
- ToC interview on Velonews.com
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- 2001 SFGP Race Report
- Santa Cruz Cyclocross Article
Previous Posts
- Motor
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- Stage 7: Done
- someone's been busy...
- Stage 6: Crazy!
- Stage 5: TT
- evidence of fans...
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- And one more thing...
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