That title isn’t exactly, completely true. I’m not down here only for the Formula 1 race on Sunday. I really just like Austin in general and don’t need much of an excuse to make my way down here.

Yesterday, we loaded up the van and drove to Dallas. I have both my cross bikes, plus my MTB bike. Trudi only brought her road bike. We stayed in Richardson at Sue’s mom’s house. I spent a lot of time there this summer, so it was good. Bromont has his favorite places there, so he is in dog heaven there.

Today, we drove down to Austin. I got here around 2 pm and called my friend, Robbie Robinette, to ride. I thought he was a no-show, but after I got dressed and got lost a bit trying to find the start of the Greenbelt, low and behold, my phone rings and Robbie is nearly ready to ride. I was only a couple miles from his house, so I made a U-turn and rode over.

Robbie is the overlord of the Greenbelt here. He nearly lives in the place. He had a Specialized full suspension bike with a ton of travel, perfect for the Greenbelt. There are so many rocks there, it is pretty intimidating at first. I put a little more pressure in my tires at the start, thinking that I was on my own and had to ride back to South Austin later. I regretted that early on.

Anyway, I had a pretty great time riding with Robbie for a couple hours. It is nice as the longer I rode, the more skills that I have stuck away somewhere, slowly appeared. Towards the end, I wasn’t in the pitiful category any more. Thanks for allowing me to follow you around yesterday Robbie.

I only had 20 minutes before sunset to get from the river to Circle C, which is south by the Veloway. I rode nearly the whole way on Mopac. It was at 5:15 and the traffic was super heavy. It was pretty stopped until 360 and then it was fast. Crossing the exits for 71 and such wasn’t too enjoyable, but the tailwind from the cars passing at 70 mph was good. I made it to George’s, where I am staying, just at dark.

We went downtown to eat at Z Tejas on 6th. Supposedly that is where Lance, and a few of his buddies, came up with the idea of Livestong. Then we went back to the car, got Bromont and walked the whole downtown for a couple hours. They are closing Congress for the expo for the F1 and 6th street was going. It is pretty great people watching. It was a very eclectic, locals mixed with F1 glamour. There are supposedly 300,000 people coming here for the F1 this weekend. And thee are lots of police around for some reason. We walked by the W hotel and heard Willie Nelson singing, but couldn’t see him. Finally, around midnight, I had to call out Uncle. My legs were done after we had walked for close to 2 hours, plus the 40 miles I’d ridden earlier.

I’m not sure what the schedule is today. We have tickets to all three days. Today is practice, tomorrow qualifying and then the race on Sunday. I’m going to ride my bike so I don’t get stuck over there all day. I assume it is going to be very loud, but Trudi bought a ton of ear plugs, so we’re covered there. It should be very good people watching, to say the least.

PS-It is reported that Hostess, from Irving Texas, is going to file for bankruptcy and close up shop, so no more Twinkies and Ho Ho’s. They had quite a run.

Here are some photos from yesterday.

This is from Common Grounds, a super cool coffeeshop in Waco.

This was on the drive down to Austin from Dallas.

Sue’s mom and Bromont on the couch in Richardson.

The Greenbelt here in Austin is pretty rocky, technical, but wonderful.

Robbie explaining something to me.

This sign really means, Cyclists, Stay Out of Westlake Hills.

Don, Sue, Bromont, and Trudi walking on 6th at midnight.

And finally, this is a photo I saw on the internet of Catherine, who won Jeff Unruh’s cyclo-x race last Saturday night at Heartland Park in Topeka. I thought it was very artsy.

I’ve always had a sort of healthy love/hate relationship with Adam. By that I mean that Adam and I agree on many aspects of the sport, but seem to rub elbows more often than seems normal. We often seem to end up at the same place at the same time during a race.

I don’t really know his background in the sport. I can’t remember the first time I met Adam. It seems like it must of been sometime after I “finished” racing MTB bikes on a full time scale. He was already a pretty okay rider by the time he showed up on my radar screen.

Adam rode a year or two with a bunch of my buddies from Oklahoma on the Mathis Brothers Pro Team. I ran into much more often back then. Plus, when I sort of got back into cross, we’d compete at most of the same UCI events.

Adam is one of only a handful of guys that have ever accused me of doping. And maybe the only one to do it in person. It was a rash statement, on his part, in the heat of the moment. And he was gracious enough to apologize for it later.

Adam might be the only guy I know that is publicly more vocal and opposed to doping in cycling than me. That is something. He obviously wears his heart on his sleeve. I have to applaud him for that. It isn’t an easy thing.

Anyway, I saw this video last night and thought it deserves some more views. If you happen to know Adam, it gives a glimpse into some of the things that make him tick and successful in the sport. If don’t know him, it’s a small view into a very complicated guy.

Watch more video of Adam Myerson on cyclingdirt.org