Tiny Tim Big City...this time for more than a day

I rode through a few cornfields today, I felt a bit nostalgic and at home. I then quickly found myself amongst subdivisions, golf courses, and cars again. Welcome to Rochester, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit located in the richest county in Michigan, Oakland County. It's not too bad here. It doesn't look like a big city. There's a lot of green space, pretty roads, and heck, I even live of a small dirt/gravel/pine tar road. Don't let that fool you, it only looks not like a big city. There is still a bunch of traffic, everything is expensive as hell, and there is absolutely no place to ride a road bike. Lame. I hooked up with the Oakland University Cycling Club and have gone a ride with them, but there are two of them and the roads that they took me on are pretty busy. They would be roads I would've been extremely hesitant to ride on anywhere else, but they seem to be pretty normal roads for here. Perhaps I'll just have to get used to it.

I have managed to get on the velodrome that is only 3 miles from my place. I even raced for the first time on the track last weekend. It was pretty sweet. I did okay in the overall for the night, and managed to get 2nd in a points race and the miss and out. I had a lot of fun, but unfortunately now that classes have started I can only get there one night a week when they are doing their "elite" training. Every night I don't have class it is either kids night or new rider night - not a good night to go rip around and get a workout in.

There are a lot of MTB trails nearby and some crushed limestone doubletrack/old railroad trails. The trails are pretty confusing and more technical than what I am used to. Some of the decents are pretty steep and tricky...and I don't quite have those skills yet. Last time I was there I flew over handlebars a few times, got some poison ivy - it was awesome. I think I am going to head over there this afternoon and get lost for a few hours, maybe I'll learn the trails then.

This sounds all whine whine whine whine, mainly because it is. I'm going to head back to Iowa all fat and out of shape since the riding here blows. Or I'll become a baller MTB racer since that's all I'll be doing all the time. Or maybe I'll become a baller track rider. Or maybe, I'll just suck it up and go ride on the road. Or maybe, I'll go buy some cheese to go with my wine.

Oh yeah, I finished off the season with one last crit on Labor Day over in Auburn Hills, about 4 miles from my place. It was a pretty big race, almost 100 people took the line and the payout was about $3500. I was pleased with how I did, especially considering my amount of consistent race training. I was able to race the race, and not just hang on for dear life at the back. Throughout the race I was in about five or six groups that got gaps on the field, each time with about 10-12 other riders. When the group would get pulled in, I'd head to the back and recover, and then try it all again. I blew up after my last attempt with about 10 minutes to go in the race (it was a 90 minute race). I tried, almost had some things go my way, but ultimately, things did not go my way and I was chewed up and spit back out by the pack. That was my season in a nut shell, and how appropriate that is how I ended it. It was a good confidence boost, though, to end the season as an animator, not pack meat.

Bring on the off season. Time for some fun riding, lack of intervals, beer, some fishing, and perhaps some school. Rode to Lake Michigan with Terry, Jenn, Kiefer, and the ND cycling crew over the weekend. Stopped at a Sweedish bakery (it was awesome) and I rode into (and out of) the bathroom at the lake shore park and used the facilities without ever getting off my bike...yeah, Im a baller.