Out in Southern California

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I flew out to Southern California today to do a few things. I’m going to be going to Santa Barbara and do an interview about the first Mt. Bike Nationals I won. It is the 30th anniversary this year. Wow. Shit. I have a couple other things on my plate too. There is a race in LA, a criterium on Sunday, but we’ll just have to see how that goes.

I felt better racing in Tulsa, but as soon as I got back to Topeka, I got all stuffed up again. It will be nice to get out of Kansas for a week to test out my allergy theory. That being said, nearly every day I get a notice on my iPhone about a high pollen count in La Jolla. I’m not sure why I get those, but it spooks me a little. It did get super hot in Kansas. I got Bill out a couple days ago and we rode 30 miles at 96 degrees. Bill is pretty destroyed from crashing the first night in Tulsa. He can hardly get his leg over his top tube. He did feel better by the time we were finished though. He can’t stand up, his back is seized, but the circulation deal when you exercise is always good for swelling.

I have a ticket back through Denver to do my little foray with Jonathan Vaughters and the Garmin Team. It’s not actually with Jonathan, it is observing Tom Danielson doing his testing before the Tour. I haven’t run into Tom since I wrote this, so we probably needed to talk some anyway. We did go back and forth a little with messages, so it’s not like we are just meeting cold turkey. Anyway, I’m only in Denver for less than a day and then back to Topeka on Wednesday night.

There is a lot going on the next few weeks racewise. Next weekend is the Tour of Kansas City. Then the Tour of Lawrence. That’s the banner above the site. It is clickable. That is a very fun race. It is a lot like the Tulsa Tough. The racing is great, but the hanging is just as good. It’s worth going out of your way for. Anyway, after the Tour of Lawrence, I hope to go up to Elite Road Nationals in Madison Wisconsin. I’m only doing that is I have some juice by then. It is 3 weeks away, so I hope to get better. Right now I’m barely pack fodder.

This was 30 years ago. Man, I've done a lot of bike racing since then. So little did I know.

This was 30 years ago. Man, I’ve done a lot of bike racing since then. So little did I know.

The first Mt. Bike National Championship Jersey. I thought it was kind of cheesy at the time, but now I love the retro look.

The first Mt. Bike National Championship Jersey. I thought it was kind of cheesy at the time, but now I love the retro look.

emily k. I went by there a couple times back in the day. I wonder what ever happened to them.

smily k. I went by there a couple times back in the day. I wonder what ever happened to them.

The Gizmo crew and me before Sunday's race at Cry Baby Hill. They filmed the whole weekend and have a ton of great footage.

The Gizmo crew and me before Sunday’s race at Cry Baby Hill. They filmed the whole weekend and have a ton of great footage.

I only had a little bit to ride yesterday and got Bill to head out into the muggy heat. We came upon this hurt Bluejay after 7 miles and I couldn't leave it on the road, so I picked it up and rode it back into town and took it to some people at the Wild Bird Store. They rehabilitate hurt birds. I hope he does okay.

I only had a little bit to ride yesterday and got Bill to head out into the muggy heat. We came upon this hurt Bluejay after 7 miles and I couldn’t leave it on the road, so I picked it up and rode it back into town and took it to some people at the Wild Bird Store. They rehabilitate hurt birds. I hope he does okay.

8 thoughts on “Out in Southern California”

  1. Christopher Bluhm

    Steve-

    I hope you have ToAD on your radar. If you’re coming to madison, might as well race a few of the ToAD races!!

     
  2. VCScribe

    So when Danielson is buried an hour and 39 minutes down on G.C. in le Tour, Vaughters will be able to crow about his clean team? OK.

    PS — Good on ya re the bluejay. Found one in my greenhouse Sunday. He’d nearly beaten himself to death trying to fly through the transparent roof. Gathered him up and took him next door to a woman who styles herself a bit of a critter rescue specialist. She kept him indoors for a couple of hours, fed and watered him, and he took off like a bat, er, jay out of hell later Sunday evening. All good.

     
  4. Tman

    Wow, 30 years! You reminded me that marks 30 years since I “found” real cycling vs. just riding around the hood. The year I first saw pros ride at the Coors Classic and the year I first started riding off road and building my own “trails”. That was an amazing summer for a 13 year old! Now I know why the younger guys at the shop glaze over when a couple of us are talking about the past, 30 years is a TON of stories!

     
  5. Bobby

    So when you observe Danielson getting tested, is that with Inigo San Millan? Maybe you could ask how Danielson’s current testing parameters compare with those from 1, 3, 5 and 10 years ago. Not sure what Vaughters is trying to prove by letting you observe Danielson undergoing a physiological test? Have a good trip to Denver.

     

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