I flew to Louisville through Las Vegas and couldn’t believe how long the flight felt. It was nearly 4 hours, which seemed like a long time for a domestic flight. I’m not big on sitting on planes for a long time. If I fly to Europe, I like to fly to the East coast, get off for an hour or two and then continue on. Flying to New Zealand or Australia, it is way easier going to Hawaii and then doing the rest of the flight. The 13 or 14 hour non-stop is way too long for my liking.

Las Vegas is a weird place. Even the airport is strange. The combination of the leaving passengers that just can’t stop putting their money into those machines mixed in with the arriving, many half-drunk, exuberant vacationers is an odd dichotomy.

My twitter account was hacked yesterday. I changed my password, but other than that have no idea what to do. I don’t really use twitter. My blog automatically posts there, but other than that, I don’t really use it at all. I was following maybe 10 people up until yesterday and then I looked and am following something like 700. I’m not sure how to get it back to square one. It’s a hassle.

I didn’t really get used to the 3 hour time change yesterday. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but it is just enough to throw your body off some.

I’m not really sure how I ended up here in Louisville. I had planned/hoped to be racing in Oklahoma tonight (Link above) through the weekend. But, a couple weeks ago, I got caught up in a weird set of circumstances, mainly a realization that I probably couldn’t race for a little while longer because of my thumb and shoulder, so I signed off on coming to Louisville. It’s too bad you can’t be in two places at the same time.

I am doing a cross clinic over at the course at 4 this afternoon. Then racing tomorrow and Sunday. I’m going to play it very low-key. Well, as low-key as I can. I don’t like to not take races seriously, but I have to be realistic here and being that, I will be having a great day if I can finish in the top half of the field. Pretty low expectations, but I haven’t done anything to prepare for an hour like this for a while. Baby steps. I might be more nervous than excited about the weekend, which isn’t the reason I do this, so I’d better work on an attitude shift pretty soon.

The row of slot machines right when you get off the flight seems sort of surreal.

I’ve never understood this places that sell pure oxygen.

This was in the Southwest Airlines flight magazine, Hemp protein powder. There is an angle for everything.

I’m not sure that racing today at the UCI race in Louisville is the proper venue for me to get back into cross this season, but that is how it is going to be. Yesterday I had a good time leading a cross clinic for a couple hours late in the afternoon. There was a good turnout, something around 30 or so riders. Tim Johnson and Peter Weber did a kids group that had maybe twice that many. It was super cool.

The course is many grass, no real mud, but tricky in a couple off-camber places. I’m having a little trouble picking my bike up over the barriers and up the stairs, but I’m sure I’ll be fine during the race. It seems like after I use my shoulder a couple times, it starts working better somewhat. It is funny how little pains aren’t even on the radar screen when you’re racing.

I have no UCI points, so I’m going to be starting close to the very back I assume. There are 64 guys registered for the Elite men’s race at 4 pm, so that is going to be around 8 rows back. That is fine. I’m going to hate it when I get to the line, but that is the way it is, so I’m going to have to deal with it.

Just about everyone good in the country is on the start list. Plus a couple good foreigners. One thing, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to have to sit up and not finish in the top 15 to avoid UCI points. There is almost no chance for me to finish that well. I have no plans on going to Master’s Worlds in January anyway, so having UCI points isn’t really an issue now.

If you want to watch the races live on the internet, Cyclingdirt.com is doing live coverage. I think you have to subscribe, but I’m not sure. Here is a link to their website. The women’s race is at 3 and the Elite men’s race at 4 pm EST.

I’m going to go for an hour or two this morning on my road bike to try to loosen up some from the flight and standing around all day yesterday at the course. I’ll be fine today, but will probably be stiff, sore, tired, etc. on Sunday. Riding around on grass at speed is really hard. I had sort of forgotten how hard until I did it yesterday.

The clinic was a good time yesterday.

Looks like there is going to be a little air action tomorrow afternoon. Wonder if he travels with his shovel?

Ryan Trebon went off a little yesterday to Velonews about Ryder too. I have to applaud him for that. He was making the stairs look easy.

But, you don’t have to run them if you have the skills.