Another Weekend

When I think about the Salida Omnium these days, I immediately start to conjure up images of inclement weather. Not a year goes by that something funky doesn't happen in the atmosphere come race time. As we drove into Salida we were greeted by rain, thunder, lightning, and nebulous delays on start times for the time trial.

We navigated our way to the course and found shelter under the porch of partially completed house in a new housing development just off the golf course. After entertaining thoughts of trying to get into the house to set up shop, I set up the trainer on the porch and waited until it was time to get warm. Kevin tested out wet weather aerodynamics prior to the start.


Fortunately we would be riding on a surface with about as much texture as a cheese grater making the wet conditions little more than uncomfortable. The rain stopped shortly after my start time, but I was distracted by other things at that point, like the mystery of the unrelenting false flat and trying to reel in Dan Porter.

The time trial went pretty well, I finished 7th in a field with some really strong riders who collect paychecks for riding their bikes. I knew the start list was going to be solid, but I didn't expect everybody to show up who did. The road race was fast from the gun this year with a strong, early moving getting up the road just after the turn onto the highway. It came back after the first trip up the hill, but a second move went just after that stayed away for the rest of the day. I got spat out the back after the second trip up the hill and rode around until I got tired of riding around at 4.5 laps.

Given the way my legs felt yesterday when I went for a ride, I was very glad I headed home after the road race instead of sitting around until 5:00 on Sunday for the crit. I took the opportunity to practice grilling with Matt to get ready for cross season. Bananas Foster on the grill works out pretty well as long as you have a decent metal bowl and the coals are still hot enough. We might bring that one back out for the fall season.


Yesterday afternoon instead of braving the heat, Brian, Jessica and I headed to the movies to see the next of the Batman flicks. It was very dark as expected after reading a couple reviews. They did a good job of not making it completely cartoonish like the previous ones. I was surprised how many kids there were in the theater. There will be a lot of youngsters not sleeping very well at night for the next couple of weeks.