Yesterday I went over to the Tour of Lawrence, but didn’t race, I just watched.  I had ridden earlier, 40 miles on gravel and completely fell apart coming home.  I’m not feeling that well and figure I have one day in me, if that.

Anyway, it is important to watch races every once in awhile to understand what is going on from the outside, looking in.  It is a completely different experience, an important one.

Yesterday, the race was carnage.  It was super hot and the course was tricky, with lots of corners and places the field got super stretched out.  The slinky-effect was happening constantly, thus a lot of guys were on their limits.

Guys were getting popped out the back from the gun.  The front of the race almost looked easier than the middle of the pack, it was really interesting.

The race was only 75 minutes, but the last 15 minutes, about 1/2 the field disappeared.  It finally got down to a group of maybe 12 guys, where everyone could corner without braking, etc. From watching, it showed me that even really good riders suffer immensely when racing, especially in the heat.

Joseph Schmalz, Elevate, rode away with 5 to go, with Garrick Valverde.  Joseph’s team mate, Nick Torraca was there for a little while, but after taking a huge pull, he got dropped by Joseph. It looked a little weird, but in reality, when Nick went back to the field, they pretty much gave up, which allowed Joseph and Garrick to disappear.  Nick ended up riding away again with a lap to go and finished 3rd, which was a big effort.  Here is a link to the Lawrence paper’s article.

Today it is supposed to be much hotter.  I just heard on NPR that the heat index is supposed to be close to 110.  That is ugly.  I’m hoping to finish, but am not holding my breathe on that.

I know it seems a little strange racing when I have such low expectations and don’t feel well, but being from Kansas, it is important racing in downtown Lawrence.  It is a very historic downtown, dating back to the civil war when raiders come over from Missouri, a slave state, and burnt the city of Lawrence.

When the Collegiate Nationals were held in Lawrence, there was a USAC Pro 1/2 criterium.  I skipped Joe Martin Stage Race to just race one criterium.  I won the race that year.  That isn’t going to happen today.

Today is the Kansas State Criterium Championships too.  It’s always nice to be racing for a title.

So, it is going to be a hard day today.  If anything, I hope to learn something for not watching from the outside.  The course is easier than yesterday, so I have that going for me.

Joseph won alone.

Nick barely made it in before the field.

Matt Gilhousen had a party after the race. Tucker was way interested in the stack of meat Matt was preparing.

Later on, vodka shots came out. We took off just a tad later.

As cyclists, we go through more razor blades than average.  We’re shaving more, thus go through blades quicker.  Razor blades have improved a ton since I was a kid.  But the cost of these excellent blades have become unbelievably expensive.

I thought of this when I saw a Gillette ad and they were using the newly crowned Olympic Decathlete,  Ashton Eaton as their guy.  I was envious of the dude.  I’d have to assume that he gets unlimited Gillette products, which obviously would include razor blades.  If I were him, I’ve endorse them just for free razor blades.

I think Gillette makes the best blades.  I don’t really stray much.  Back when I first started racing, Gillette had just came out with the disposable  razors.  I think you could get something like 10 for $1.  Even in my penniless state, those razors were affordable.  Even once in a while I would try Bic disposables, but inevitably I would end up bleeding everywhere.

When I used to go to South America and race, I used to always stock up on razor blades.  Razor blades are sold in South America much cheaper.  Their cost is proportional to have much the average person earns, thus much cheaper.  A few times I’ve bought razor blades off of eBay and most of the time the blades packaging is in Spanish.  A few entrepreneurs are having their relatives ship boxes of razor blades up to them here in the US, then reselling them at a profit. Pretty great business model.

I think everyone hates buying new razor blades.  They seem so ridiculously expensive, that parting with hard earned money for them is painful.  Last year at Christmas, I actually gave Trudi a year’s worth of razor blades.  It was over $100 worth.  I thought it was a little cheesy for a Christmas present, but it is something you need, but hate buying yourself.

I’ve used the women’s blades a couple times to shave my legs.  The blades with the slimy things protecting your legs from nicks.  Man, do they work great for shaving legs.  It makes shaving legs a breeze. I’ve never bought them, because they don’t double up for shaving your face, but I would like to have some.

Anyway, paying $4 for razor blades irks just about everyone.  I read the guy that started the $1 shave club deal sold it for something like a billion dollars.  He was fed up enough that he actually did something about it.  The rest of us just pay through the nose.

I’ve been shaving my legs since before I actually grew hair on them.  This was a photo from the Topeka paper when I was a kid.

The gillette Venus women’s blades are great.

Tucker feels better today, but is still a little under the weather.