I got an email from Bruce Dunn, czar of the Joe Martin Stage race, in Fayetteville Arkansas, yesterday, and it said that Joe Martin is adding another race for the Cat 1/2 men.  The email said that the Elite 1/2 race sold out super quick, so they were adding another race, a 3-stage, 2 day race, for the other guys that still wanted to race.

I’m not sure what to think about that.  I guess it is great is my initial thought.  It is kind of strange racing the same category of race, but not racing the same races.

The difference is the “normal” Elite 1/2 race mirrors the Pro race.  Which means it isn’t just two days, it has the Mt. Gaylor road race and starts earlier in the week.  The new race will mirror the other amateur categories and do the TT, the Hogeye Road Race, then the criterium on Sunday.  Both are good races, just different.

It is kind of cool when the promotor of a big event adds a race to allow for the overflow of riders wanting to do the event.  But, like I said above, it feels a little strange, from the view point of a Elite rider, knowing that you’re not racing with all the other guys in your category, at the same venue, the same weekend.   I guess it is the same as when you are racing the 1/2 race and there is a Pro race going on at the same time.

Anyway, Joe Martin is probably going to be a little early for me to be racing on the road this year.  Maybe not, but from what I’m been experiencing so far, it is slow going and I’m not going to be “taking chances” starting to take chances without knowing it I’m up to the challenge.

I did the Joe Martin Race last year. The 1/2 race. I’ve been racing this race for more than 30 years. That sounds scary.

I’m back in Kansas.   I’ve been out in California the past week.  Big change waking up this morning to temperatures in the 20’s compared to riding in sleeveless jersey a couple days this past week.

Luckily for me, it is going to be in the 50’s today here in Kansas.  We’re doing two rides today. Actually, just one ride, but checking back in because some can’t make it out by noon, so we’re going to loop back through town and pick them up after a couple hours.

Yesterday, I flew, then went directly to the Apple Store.  I’ve been having electronic problems the past couple days.  And other than a Garmin, the rest of the stuff is Apple.  Phone and computer.

My computer stopped working on Thursday.  The display wasn’t going on, so I couldn’t see the screen.  I tried to get an Apple appointment in California, but the earliest was on Tuesday.  Luckily I got a genius bar appointment at the Plaza a couple hours after I landed.

Anyway, like usual, they both work now.  It is unbelievable how many people are always at an Apple Store.  They have classes going on, selling products, plus fixing stuff.  They called this Macbook Pro a vintage computer.  It was made in 2011.  I don’t think of it as vintage, but in computer time, it is I guess.

I have 765 miles for the year now.  And most of those I’ve done in the past two weeks.  Like 620. I am still having some issues related to whacking my head on the ground, but think the main problem is that I just layed around for 10 weeks.  Most of that time in pain.  It is a little frustrating, but I’m trying to not dwell on that.  I believe patience is a virtue in this regard, but it isn’t my normal pace, so it is out of character for me.

Okay, today should be good.  After the ride, we’re watching the game at our house.  I’m not big on professional football, so I don’t have any favorite.  I’ve seen a couple of the commercials already and the ones I’ve seen seem to be addressing some of the political discourse our country is going through right now.  Seems good to me.  Make your views open to the masses. That is the only way this whole thing works.

I came out of the Apple Store and saw Trudi and Tucker across the street.

By the time I got over, they were inside a shop, Tucker getting a treat. Very nice women.

The Apple Store was packed.