I left Dallas a little bit later than I would have liked yesterday. By the time I got back to Topeka and unloaded all the tools and such it was already late. I only have today here before Joe Martin Stage Race starts tomorrow, so it is going to be a little rushed obviously.

I like driving across the country. Especially South to North, or vise versa, during the spring. I like the different vegetation blooming at different temperatures. I remember one year eating Mulberries in Austin, then again a couple weeks later in Arkansas. When I got back to Topeka, I was eating them again here, then the next week again in Iowa and finally up in Minneapolis a month and a half after starting in Texas. I love that. It applies to the trees, flowers, everything growing. Anyway, I was so surprised how much has changed here in Topeka in two short weeks.

I have a ton of stuff to do today. Clean the van out, wash clothes, get my bike in order, ride some, etc. It is strange how time seems to get away from you when originally you thought you had a bunch to spare. It seems that way often now. I remember when I was so surprised that it was April and now it is almost May. I seem really rushed but, I need to start getting back into racing form and a stage race is a good, yet painful, way to do that.

Okay, I’d better get cracking or the day is going to disappear.

I fixed up this gas lamp by the alley when I was down in Dallas.

Not counting getting the glass, it only took about a 1/2 hour to clean it up, paint it to make it look nearly new.

This was a shocker, again. I had super tailwind up from the South and got 22 mpg, which is great considering how fast I was driving.

My van is going to turn over to 300,000 miles on this trip probably. It is diesel, so that's not all that many really.

There wasn't a bloom on the roses in front when left and now they are all out.

I planted a bunch of lettuce, chard, spinach, etc. right before I left and it is up now.

And the strawberries have fruit already.

Today I’m driving down to Fayetteville to start the Joe Martin Stage race with a Hillclimb TT this afternoon. I usually go the night before, since it is over a 300 mile drive, but I had too much stuff to do, so will have to make due. Last time I drove down the day of the race I crawled up the hill. Hopefully it won’t be that bad today.

I’ve been doing the race for decades. I don’t think I did it the first year it was held, 1978, but I did it the first year I rode Senior (now Elite) in 1979. I was a first year senior and finished 2nd to John Howard in the hillclimb. That was still when Joe Martin was racing the event. I’m not sure where I finished overall that first year, but I’m pretty positive I’ve never won it. I finished 2nd to Thurlow Rogers when I was racing MTB primarily. Thurlow was collecting NRC points, which I had no idea what they were, so he few out to get some. Frank McCormick was racing the event, but missed our move in the road race, so was out of contention. I finished 2nd overall to Jason McCartney once too. I’ve won a bunch of stages, but not the GC.

I’m racing the 1/2 race with my team. This will be the first time I’ve done that. Normally I wouldn’t be too interesting not riding the Pro race, but the other 4 guys on the TradeWind Energy team want to do the 1/2 race and I haven’t really raced with them all season, so that is how we’ll do it. I have to admit that the Pro race would be better for me at this point. I am pretty lacking any resemblance of form. Most likely the 1/2 race will be harder. The Pro race is usually really controlled right from the start, after the TT. Usually, every stage is a field sprint. Last year it broke up a little, but that was the first time in years. I could use some sitting in miles, but that isn’t to be. It looks to rain at least one day the next four. I don’t know which day would be best. I’ve ridden the criterium in the rain and it is ugly since it has some much verticle gain per lap.

The time trial is in Devil’s Den State Park and goes uphill for 2.5 miles. My time is going to suck, but I hope to ride into some form by Sunday if possible. Hopefully some of my team mates are going to have a good ride and give me some more purpose for the race. It is always better that way.

Okay, I’d better get driving. I ride at 4:15 this afternoon, so am not going to have much time to warm up. It really doesn’t matter.

Here’s where you can go to get the results all weekend long.

Here's an old picture of Joe (on the left) with Eddy Merckx, middle.