From Far and Abroad.

I just gotta start this post to say I pretty darn amazed looking at that funky little website visitor world map that I put up last week. Okay so I must admit perhaps I would have one international hit, but to see that I'm getting traffic from right across the US and some hits from Europe leaves me pretty speechless..wow..I guess all i can say is thanks everyone for reading and I hope it makes your work day a little more interesting!

Well the work week has begun for us teachers (pretty good eh being the start of Feb) and I've jumped on the communting program big time. Not that my journey is overally long, just there is something about getting straight back on the bike (laughed at by fellow staff members for wearing lycra before you go) and smashing the pedals home. Needless to say the Red Rocket who celebrates is 20th year aniversary in 2008, much respect, will have a quiet life for awhile but then again so will trips the local gas station...and that I can live with.

I hate to use the word busy, everyone is busy doing what they have to do to keep themselves afloat day in day out, but surprisingly I have been adjusting to fitting training around work and visa-versa pretty well..I mean, I guess I haven't collapsed into a heap yet. Then again it's only week two but being a little more experienced in the whislte blowing department is a good feeling than being a first year out stress head trying to remember kids names.

The weekend saw a front up at Glenvale which is alway a good time. With Johnnie and Willy Walker in the field it was going to be a fast time too, with reports of a 45km/h average no doubt thanks to Mr ProTour legs on the front of the bunch. Plus it was good to reminisce on the stories of training with those guys in Italy last year rolling down the down the beach afterward...no doubt certain events involving late night rider rendevouzs at altitutde camp will live on..but hey, what goes on tour stays on tour right? Either way two of the nicest guys to pedal a bike with.

Lator, cw.

8 Weeks.

It's Oz Day!

Happy Australia Day people! Couldn't help but pull out the portable, George Foreman grill to cook some steak and snags today as per the 26th o' Jan household tradition. Ok I know it's not quite the standard aussie bbq, but a Jeff Fenech or Joe Bugner Grill hasn't hit the market yet (c'mon fellas!)..but for two people to lug out our four burner bbq for such a small meal kinda doesn't justify!



Well I've had the creeps all week. The legs just ain't loving life and there is a whole lotta rollin' but not much rockin' been going on out on the roads this week. Ahh well you get that from time to time I s'pose. In much more exciting news the bro has inked a deal with Orbea this year and will be flying the handmade Spanish flag this weekend at the Mtb Nationals at Peter's place. Best of luck champ. So it does kinda feel a little odd for me to not be racing for the green and gold stripey shirt this weekend up there too...but looking ahead the team schedule looks like we will be hitting some pretty big NRC stage races early this season, namely Tour of the Gila and Mt Hood in Oregon. So I can safely say I will have my work cut out for me there and every day here is vital in preparing for the masses amount of suffering to come. And no that doesn't mean watching seasons of the Gilmore Girls or Mornings With Kerri Ann. Speaking of suffering for anyone who has ridden up the Nongs lately would have no doubt experienced the new road resurfacing in certain areas...and yet somehow it is worse now than before?

Still the highlight of the week goes to finding these magnificent garden snips on the side of the road...more often than not its beer cans and Veronica's cd's littering the shoulder so to come across a highly useful item was rad for sure. Oh I've added some items to the garage too..finally..lator y'all..cw.

What Happens When You Miss The Morning Java..

It has been quite the solid month, culminating in a busy last week of big km's, parties and lack of sleep. I think it all came to a head today when I layed it down on a hairpin I have ridden easily over 200 times in my life. Regular solid sleep is good for you kids! Well especially if you want to pilot a machine with a buck twenty in the tires and brakes smaller than the palm of your hand it is. Still, I knew there was a reason I shaved the pins this morning before heading out and no serious damage was done. And as Kat said today..'chicks dig scars...to an extent!' Wow, I always thought that saying was a load of bollocks to hide the fact you gotta carry these things for the rest of your life...maybe not. I blame the lack of a brew this morning for it all however..now I know why roadies can't get enough of the stuff...

As mentioned the last few days have been a wipeout..congrats to the new Mr and Mrs Buckland for tying the knot, and to one Castlemaine kid for hitting the big two-one. And boy did he celebrate in style with a big night! Alas I was the goose who forgot to bring my camera to both special occasions and leaving this post a little empty..but nonetheless good times were had by all and perhaps better left un-dcocumented. Especially by a certain attendee of one of the functions who is lucky enough to drive a larger than average transportation rig and put it to use taking back some cyclists rights on the road...much respect.

So its back to work next week to earn those things called bucks, for those of you who don't know I have signed up for a first term of teaching again this year which will work out very nicely before blowing it all on this bike riding dream and the associated things that come along with it...

Oh yeah for those inclined..new Mars Volta lands in 7 days..but you'd probably already know that I'm sure...prepare for the mind blowing sonic adventures to begin..lator..cw.

I Know He Can Decend But Can He Climb?

So looks like I'm not the only one going from dirt to tarmac this year...D.Riffle on the Toyota-United team listing for 08'..what the? (Riffle is a former USA DH National Champ). Ah well stranger things have happened I suppose...Cipo's wacky prolouge skinsuits come to mind..

From Mine To Yours...

Drop by the garage....more items to be added there soon...I've spent waay to much time infront of this thing today already..

Flicking The Switch.

So with a new year often comes some changes..some people try to stop smoking, lose weight or even try for an extra hour of sleep a night . As for me I'm excited to announce a pretty big change of my own, and one I'm pretty darn motivated about...

So for 2008 I will be heading back to the USA once more, but this time with a little different focus. I'm stoked to announce I will be racing this year for the RMCEF/Mob Cyclery Road Team...yep I'm hitting the tarmac baby! Based outta Colorado and previously known as Team Einsteins Bagels, the team has a really great history of developing neo-pro's, and easily is one of the best amateur teams in the country, so needless to say I'm pretty excited to take on some new challenges. Road racing has always been a strong part of my preparations for the mtb and this year I have been given a great chance to bring it to the forefront. A massive shout out of thanks to all those who have supported my dirt endevors and have made it fun...stay tuned for some new adventures as the year unfolds...but meanwhile..

...I think I've found the new 'Hollywood' weight loss fad..go ride your bike for 5.5hrs in 40deg heat and lose three kgs straight up! I mean that's some pretty scweet returns right there, imagine Brittany turning the pedals the day of "insert tacky music award night here" and dropping three kegs... happy dayz. Damn this bike riding gig can be fun sometimes...and I'm sure it wont be last last time I zig-zag up the last climb to home either..lator..cw.

Bay Crits.

Pretty schweet way to ring in the new year with 5 days of crit racing in the legs. The Bay Series are a funny one, always big numbers in the support races (102 starters this year) meaning the risk of losing some skin is ever present, but hey, at the end of the day crit racing is always fast, furious and pretty darn fun. For the first time I locked in the full week of events and went in with the very simple goal of finishing each day, especially being the first real racing hit out for a good 3 months or so. Oh yeah, keeping my skin was pretty high up on the list too.


Williamstown was first up and I'd already gotten the heartrate up to threshold before pulling on any tight stuff. Clutch hopping through a road work induced traffic jam over the West Gate fwy was not part of the plan, but I made it a solid 40mins before start time...nice. The racing was chaos straight off the gun with a coupla crashes in the newly dubbed "SRAM corner" which is damn good marketing from Eva with it getting a mention on the loud speaker everytime someone kissed the tarmac. Luckily I kept it upright and alright with a bunch finish.

Port Arlington is one of those courses where you now shite is going to hit the fan in one way or another on such a tricky and tough course. Getting stuck behind two crashes and chasing like a mad man to get back on I eventually popped with no sustainable threshold at this time of the year...go figure. Next..


Friday night was the Ritchie Blvd hotdog circuit and one of my favourites being right on the beach and attracting plenty of spectators and a good general ruckus. Man what an odd race, with a pretty high attrition rate early on there was a nasty crash which caused an attempted restart. But with plenty of eager lads in lycra the task of actually getting us to stop behind the commisare and cool our heels proved a little unrealistic...something about a mob mentality...Needless to say it was game on again fairly quickly and I managed another bunch finishing and felt better than yesterday.

Pete Braunsteins takes a slide.

Round four was held at Eastern Park on a long windy open circuit with was an odd change after the tight, short laps raced previously. Somehow I thought it would be a good idea to have a dig with three laps to go and get off the front. I lasted a lap before waving the white flag and sulking back in the bunch for the rest of the race. Ah well, nothing ventured nothing gained as they say.

The final stage was back at Eastern Park but was held on in my opinion one of the diciest circuits around. With some strong coastal winds about the lap took through a car park that was rough as guts, but I didn't want to complain too loudly seeing as those some guy who won Roubaix was racing the in the pros. The start was pretty hectic as always and guys were dropping off like flies. I somehow managed to find my way near the pointy end and by mid race only about 30 odd were still hanging about. With a break of 5 up the road and the series leader just chillin' and practicing his podium speech I thought it might be time to try again and at least crack a top ten finish. With 3 to go I found I was away with two others and we looked the goods to stay away with the bell to go till eventually I rolled in 7th. Sweet.

Apparently some famous bloke lives around where we were staying...

So that was the week that was...thanks to Shelley for being the official Bay Crits blog photographer..hmm try saying that one ten times fast...lator people..cw.