04.12.06 - back from cinci

back from cinci - seems like the last few days were somewhat crazy. left cinci on friday, only to come back on monday. nutty.

at least the weather was a little nicer this time and i didn't have to ride through hail and thunderstorms. that was not mucho fun-o.



SPEEDGOAT.COM has a new deal going right now with ASYLUM complete bikes. two different builds - one entry level, the other higher end. nice stuff on each - but is it by any chance that most of the parts choosen were "ironically" the same brand that ernesto is running? hmmmm.... maybe because they know what works? hmmm.... maybe because it's race proven? hmmm... food for thought.

TIFOSI OPTICS now has their new website up which will have some sponsored rider info on it later on. and - stayed tuned to this blog and speedgoat's where i will be reviewing the Q3, quam and the backlash.

that's it - gotta roll. hope you guys like the new higher resolution pics - my old camera was 2.0 mega pixels, new one is 5.0. hellz ya.

sologoat out.

04.09.06 - busy, busy, busy

work, ride, sleep. repeat.

sorry for the lack o' posts lately, but work has been pretty hectic and my riding schedule has been too.

was in cinci 3 days last week and rode friday down there in what i believe was pure hell. started in 70 degrees and 35 minutes later, i was in 50 degree dumping rain that soon turned to hail.

the enduro freak in me kept riding, and when i turned around 25 minutes later, it rained harder. and harder. and harder.

hands and forearms went numb and i stared riding tempo to keep from freezing. by the time i got back to the car, the clouds had cleared, blue skies set in and the temps were back up to 60.

freaky.

this weekend was good tempo riding at the shop on saturday when i picked up my second bike and did some hill repeats on the climb up laurel hill. 40 minutes of pure climbing fun. from the shop, i went up the climb, turned around and went back up it again. i have to take opportunities to climb that hill every time i go to the shop as i don't have any sustained climbs like that around me. we have some 10 minute ones, but nothing like that one.

and today was tempo work with fellow cat 2 roadie tris h. tris was my old roommate from a few years back, and he basically started racing really well about the same time i did. i think the year he upgraded to a 2 he won something like 15 cat 3 road races. he's a pretty big guy and has plenty of power, so he has some good stuff on the flats. so he would power the flats, i would power the climbs. repeat for the rest o' the day.

i think it's important to switch things up every once in awhile - you just can't always ride the same route, same guys, same thing... you have to switch it up.

anyhoo, shame about hincapie today - looked like the steerer tube broke on his fork at paris roubaix, and two discovery guys got DQ'd for crossing a train track when the gates were closed and there was 10k to go in the race. kinda bogus on the DQ, but i guess that is the rule. pretty exciting last 20k though, if you happened to catch the race.

gotz to run - more cinci fun this week. 60 degrees in cleveland means 80 degrees in cinci. hellz ya.

sologoat out.

04.06.06 - cyclingnews.com update

hey folks...

the CYCLINGNEWS.COM interview is on hold for a week or so. what was first intended to be a short article in relation to the ULTRA MTB SERIES has now changed into a full blown interview, something similar to what was out for NAT ROSS on their site a week or so ago.

so, after all the fuss is done with sea otter, the article/interview will be posted. stay tuned, yo.

speaking of nat ross, picked up a velonews the other day - have a nice short piece on him with a full color shot. very nice to see us enduro freaks are getting some press.

with things like the ultra enduro series type of events and riders like cameron, nat, chris e getting some recognition, it's getting really interesting to see how just in a few years that the endurance events seems to be getting more popular.

why i can remember when...

i was at my first 24 hour race ever. it was canaan. i was on a team of guys i didn't know and they we doing it for fun. so was i.

i was picked to go first. i was going to take it easy, have fun. not be serious and enjoy the event.

this was when the canaan event drew hundreds. ESPN had coverage there. the mountain was lined 10 people deep watching the start.

the gun went off. i went from "having fun" to super serious racer in about 2 seconds. on the last climb, i was riding behind john stampsted (forgive me if i killed the spelling) and the ESPN guys were video taping us from 5 feet away - a camera man was taping via the back of ATV.

little did i know years later this is where i would be.

sologoat out.

04.03.06 - solo worlds update

this just in from the 24 HOA guys:

World Solo Championship – 2006

Grandfather Clause

(NOTE - this is edited down...)

Keeping with the Olympic theme for a minute, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the fine folks in Whistler for their support the last three years. As you know all eyes are on Whistler as they prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics. All of those who traveled to Whistler (despite last years continuous down poor) would agree it is a great venue for both the event and as a vacation destination. Moving our event to Conyers is an opportunity to host the best on the historical Olympic course (1996), while also taking into consideration the many current infrastructure demands on the Whistler Resort, which very well could have an impact on the WSC. Thanks goes to our past host hotel the Westin Whistler Resort & Spa, Whistler/Blackcomb and the town of Whistler. We look forward to returning in the future.

As many of you know, we have always continued to build this championship around our past participants. We have done so using what we call the “Grandfather Clause” (GFC). This years GFC will again offer you automatic qualification status into the 2006 event. With only 200 slots open for this year’s event and a new qualifying system about to be announced, this is a great opportunity to commit and focus in on the WSC.

As just mentioned we are about to announce the opening of a new qualifying system that will open up opportunities Worldwide. The new system will have restrictions on the elite vs. age group categories. Taking advantage of the GFC allows you to commit and compete without any restrictions.

....

that post was an email from stuart - check back on their website for more info.

in other news...

not mucho going on these days - just concentrating on work and riding.

look for some exciting stuff on CYCLINGNEWS.COM. what could be exciting? hmmm... maybe another interview with an enduro rider....

interesting cycling news articles the past few days..

GARY FISHER team updates

NEW XTR
dang... this stuff looks hot - trimmed down and drilled out. even the pictures look silly light.

WIRED TO WIN
remember that IMAX movie that tyler was supposed to be in before all that doping stuff came out? well, no fear - the movie is hear. but, a few new "actors" are playing the role of the riders. check it out. OH.... and if you are from the cleveland area, you are a HELLA silly for missing out on it when it comes to our neck of the woods in may.

that's it - gots to roll.

sologoat out

04.03.06 - i hate mondays

waz up?

some random news and updates in the sologoat world.

ADRENALINE update -
i'll post the email later tonight, but it looks like their maybe a raffle for a few rooms at the local hotel accross from the venue. there's something like 20 spots open.

registration now up for worlds and it looks like their may be new rules for qualifying, etc. rules don't apply if you are grandfathered because of prior years qualification.

i think there was a cutoff for registration too. check back later tonight for the full email.

ASYLUM update -
last post was a april foolz joke. saw some other pretty funny ones on cycling news. may want to check out their website for the articles.

and - picking up asylum #2 this coming weekend and asylum #1 is getting new nokons. we are putting black nokons on - the silver ones were flaking.

that's it - gotta run.

sologoat out

04.01.06 - new asylum frame design!

this just out from the crazy nutz at SPEEDGOAT.COM.

a hella sweet 2.2 pound, 11 inch rear travel full suspended 29er. it seems too good to be true.

frame material will be wafer thin aluminum, with carbon links to save on weight.

my race bikes will have special injection ports for helium which will help me with jumps and to make the bike feel way lighter then what it is.

and, frame colors will be the latest discounted aluminum siding paint that we can find at lowes. this will help keep down the costs for the consumer.

pre-order today!

sologoat out

3.30.06 - who knows what tomorrow may bring

maybe the sunshine maybe the rain
but as for me i'll wait and see
maybe it will bring my love to me
rjd2 - smoke & mirrors

with that, some updates at ya.

NAT ROSS INTERVIEW ON CYCLING NEWS
nat ross with an interview on cycling news. yes, it is a couple days old and is somewhat "old" news, but it is a good read for all you cycling freakazoids out there.

here is a little bit of it:

CN: What are the biggest adjustments you had to make when working with a coach?

NR: The hardest part for me has always been to do the speed component within the workout. I'll bust out the hours; if he says I need to do four hours at a certain cadence, I have no problem. It's the intervals within that four hours that I have the hardest time doing.

hmmmm. i think a lot of enduro riders feel the same way. i'm just glad i don't have to do sprints anymore. yahoo!

ULTRA ENDURO SERIES
also old news out there but i think there is some good things to be said of the series:

1. it is a good solution for races for east coast riders to get in some good races without breaking the bank, lugging around a ton of stuff and support crew.

2. you don't have to do all the races to be considered for the overall. nice.

3. west coast/east coast - you have to at least one west coast race. good concept - i think it's a good idea for riders to experience east/west coast riding.

4. finally a points system that really makes sense. i'm not going to go into the details, but check out the link above. very fair - good job on that one mr. ultra enduro series promoter.

that's it - got two very interesting emails yesterday, but i'm keeping those on the down low for now. exciting stuff.

what's next for the goat? some local yocal training crits where my "suprise" tactic of every race is to take off from the gun. i have never stayed away and usually get caught pretty quick, but it's all in good fun to see the roadies who are not locals panic to get clipped in and chase me down.

ah, the things i do to amuse myself.

gotz to run -
sologoat out.

03.28.06 - sologoat hammer gel promo flyer photo

this is a preview of the new hammer gel promo flyer that will be in goodie bags at upcoming hammer gel sponsored events.

get yours autographed!

sologoat out

03.27.06 - goat updates

hey all - just back from an easy recovery ride. i'll sure say it is a switch going back to 45 degrees in ohio compared to the 85 last week.

congrats to NICK MARTIN. the heat got to him on friday, but he pulled off his first pro win on saturday in the mountain time trial.

firming up some dates on my race schedule. to keep things exciting, i'm not going to post a whole lot about them, other then i am hitting up some NORBA and Granny Gear races... maybe a few others... stay tuned - more info to come. same goat time. same goat channel.

HAMMER GEL has a new promo flyer coming out soon. why mention this? hmmm... can it be a huge picture of yours truely on the back cover? along with a quote? yep - it will be scanned in tomorrow for your viewing pleasure.

SPEEDGOAT.COM will soon be having a GIANT TEST RIDE program. the test ride program is going to be setup with the newer rider in mind so this may be your chance to get your significant other to fall in love with... bicycles.

just to note, the giant TCR still remains one of my favorite frame designs - but giant has come out with something way cool. it's so cool, it kewl.

it is the bowery. it will make bike messengers drool.

gots to run - sologoat out.

03.24.06 - hella hot in arizona

the start line of the first stop in the NORBA marathon calander. on the line, nick martin and the west coast trek guys, nat ross and travis brown.



the course was cut down a loop - it was supposed to be 5 laps of a roughly 14 mile course and was cut down to 4 laps because of the heat. temps would reach 85 today.



this is a shot on the first loop of a very rough figure 8 course. my dad was able to hand me up some badly needed water. laps were running about 1 hour long. got a good start, but backed it off a little bit because my heart rate was screaming. average heart rate for the day was 170 for over 4 hours.



the goat on the only real climb of the course. this was on the first section of the figure 8 and was super tight single track. once on the climb, there would be no passing.



another shot on the first section. the course was very swoopy and really, really fast. this was my first real west coast race and i can easily say they are really different from the east coast. the biggest difference? i would say the overall speed - i swear i was going so fast in some sections that i thought i was in a road race. imagine super hard ground with little pebbles everywhere. you go into a corner so fast that you are sliding both wheels at the same time, hoping you don't bail into that cactus and trying to get your body and bike ligned up for the next corner. the straights are so fast that when you hit those little bumps on the course, you catch a foot of air and you are not even trying.

man, i really love racing.



ernesto at the finish line. overall, i felt pretty good - all things considered. first west coast race and first race/ride in this type of heat since last summer. i'll try to hit up a few more of these - i love this type of racing.



results list - placed 21rst out of 46'ish guys. looked to be 12 DNF's - names i recognized was nick martin and nat ross. think nat had some tire issues - assuming maybe nick had some issues with the heat? didn't check his blog - will need to check there later for the details.

overall, i'm pretty pleased overall. wish i could of done better, but it's a pretty good prep for 24 hour nationals.

that's it - gotz to get packed up for the early flight out to the 'burgh and out to this really cool italian place down the road.

more pics 'n stuff up later - gotta run.

sologoat out.

03.23.06 - in fountain hills AZ

at the first stop on the NORBA marathon race schedule - fountain hills arizona.

yet again, i am amazed by the space cadets walking around airports on their blue tooth telephones "conducting business" while chomping away at a big mac and walking around like we should know who they are. silliness.



race course is super dry and fast. if you veer too far from the path, you wil either hit somehting hard (a rock) or pointy (a cactus). try to stay away from both.



the tunnel in the background is part of the course which is about a 15 mile loop - first section has what i consider the only climb of the course and is about 2 minutes long. the first section of the course is roughly 6'ish miles. The second half of the course is twisty and turny, very fast and rolling. overall, the course reminds me a lot of bootleg canyon out in vegas - only a ton more fun.



one of the smaller little roller climbs on the second half. i accidentally did most of the second lap in my big ring. very friendly single speed course overall.



mountains in arizona got hit with snow this week - down in the valley, today it hit the mid 80's. to all my east coast homies, i miss you - but damn, this weather is awesome.



the course is going to be stupid fast - biggest thing i would fear tomorrow is the heat. us east coast riders are not used to it - hydration will be a factor for all.



kewl self portrait. haven't been to arizona in a long time - last time i didn't bring my bike. i think i would die if i came back and didn't bring it.



ah, the small race venue. i think the venue at the wilderness 101 was bigger, but who cares. did get a visual on some of my "enemies" - saw the trek guys (didn't see chris?) and i did see nat ross (no cameron?) heading out with 3 other pros.



ah, what would fountain hills arizona be without a fountain? hmmm.

maybe, middle-nowhere-arizona-so-we-have-to-do-something-to-attract-vistors arizona?

more pics and results up tomorrow.

for now, wish me no sunburn, huge lungs, fast legs, big heart and a safe ride.

for all y'ins other racing this weekend - keep the rubber side down.

talk to ya after the race -

sologoat out.

03.21.06 - new helmet for arizona

ah, the limar 911. got two of these sweet helmets from chris and beth over at SPEEDGOAT.COM. have been using limar helmets for over 2 years now and i must say i like them a lot. very nice fitting helmets and they are also very stylish.

hmm... italian shoes and italian helmet.

speaking of italian helmets - catlike has some crazy azz helmets that are hella cool. supposed to be available in the US this year. i think they need a US enduro rider on their sponsored riders page.

other random tidbits...

getting a new compact digital cam - the kodak v530. won't have it for the next race, but will have it in the next week or so.

NOVA Desert Classic is the first NORBA marathon of the year. yours truely will be heading out tomorrow evening - i'll leave the 40 degrees of ohio to the 70's in arizona. looking to be 5 laps of a 14 mile circuit with 26 guys signed up in the pro/open class so far -- only 10 singed up on the ladies side.

pics of the course will be posted on thursday sometime later in the evening. really looking forward to going out there.

better run - work, riding and packing must be done.

sologoat out

03.18.06 - arizona on my mind

well, the countdown begins.

about 6 days now until the first norba marathon of the year and i see there is about 20 guys singed up so far. should be a good time - the first race of the year is always a little nerve racking as everbody hopes they didn't overtrain and/or undertrain.

SCHWALBE TIRES sent out my tires earlier this week. as i did last year, i will be running the 29er version of the LITTLE ALBERT. light with a tough sidewall, the tire seems to hook up well on both east/west coast soil. very nice tire. thanks mucho to celeste and the guys for sending them out.

speaking of which, i just got asylum #1 all stickered up:



and wobblenaught fit guru Jim Baldesare has done yet another fit on my asylum. we switched my bars/stem out this year so i wanted to make sure things were looking good. i'm glad i had him look at things as my saddle was a little high (i was off by about the width of 3 pieces of paper - literally) and my bars needed a little adjustment to ease up the pressure on my hands. now, all i have to is pedal the bike.

and - almost forgot.

speegoat jeremy has come up with a blogspot of his own called mechanism that is the first digital edition and publication of his own zine.

why check it out? cuz you may just see an interview with ernesto.

check it out.

speaking of out, i gotta roll. mucho stuff to get done today.

ride your brains out.

sologoat out.

03.15.06 - decisions and updates

decisions
well, worlds was announced. it's taking place one week before moab. they are probably two of the biggest 24 hour events out there and are the two that everybody wants to attend. very tough decisions are going to be made, but it's my gut feeling that turnout to each event is going to heavily depend on what coast you live on.

honestly, it was two events on my calander for this year.

CAMBA
thanks to the guys at CAMBA for letting me ramble on racing, sponsors and what not last night. these guys are local trail builders in the cleveland area who are tightly tied to IMBA and work on trail access issues, along with trail building, group rides/trips/etc. if you are in cleveland, they are definetly worth checking out.

and ladies - they have women riders as well. don't be shy!

and for those who go out to ray's mountain bike park - he's putting in a cross country "trail" in the rafters above the jump park area. you'll ride a ramp up to the rafter area and will be able to do a loop around the entire place. you have to see the place - it's going to be nutty. like a nutty bar. but even better.

also - gots to give the shout out to the folks at hammer gel hooking up my fellow CAMBA members with some from product samples of heed, hammergel, endurolytes and perpetuem. all members got a good supply of the same products that i use during my training and events, which made it really nice that they could ask questions on how to use the items that they received.

asylum going black and blue
those will be the new colors of my clothing kit (otherwise known as an "outfit" as jennifer likes to call it). off the shelf clothing with mostly gray/black/white, while the "ernesto" stuff will have the gray replaced with blue.

hammer nutrition
got in some of the new voler hammer gel clothing and i must say - very nice stuff once again. voler makes some very nice clothing and i would HIGHLY recomend their winter vest and riding jacket. honestly, the best winter jackets i have ever owned and probably the best clothing investment i made last year. bib shorts are also highly recommended as they are a nice material and come with a good pad.

that's it - gotta run. need mucho resto for arizona.

snow this week, cactus the next. should be a blast.

sologoat out.

03.14.06 - worlds info posted on adrenaline

found this posted on their site:

Location:
GIHP Conyers, Georgia


Description:
2006 World 24 Hours of Adrenalin™ Championships

The 8th annual The World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin™ Championships will take place October 6th, 7th and 8th, 2006 at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, Ga., the site of mountain biking's debut as an Olympic sport.

On Tuesday July 30th, 1996 the first ever Olympic Cross Country Mountain Bike race took place in Conyers Georgia just outside of Atlanta. Now 10 years later in celebration of that historic cycling date, the venue will host the top solo athletes from around the world.

Solo athletes qualifying from around the World via for honors in both the elite, age group and single speed categories.

NOTE TO RACERS: If you feel that you have qualified and would like to be activated for registration, please create a profile on the website and email worldchampionships@twenty4sports.com to get your account activated (please include the qualifying event name and your placing).

link is HERE

off to CAMBA. sologoat out.

03.13.06 - the goat to speak

at the local CAMBA meeting tomorrow - you can find out about it HERE

i'll be talking briefly about my cycling career to date, some of my past races, current sponsors, etc - then will be taking some questions.

i will also be hannding out some product samples from HAMMER GEL. the swag bags are full of goodies, which also include 4 serving samples of HEED, a product that i have been using for the past two seasons with success.

in other news...

andrenaline about to post info regarding worlds. i don't know much more then the rest of you at this point, other then i know it will be at canmore and it looked like their may be a change of date. i just hope for the sake of the 24 hour community that it does not conflict with the other major 24's out there.

gotta run - see you guys in cleveland tomorrow.

sologoat out.

03.12.06 - solo worlds announced

hey all - just got this email from stuart and wanted to update all yin's on solo worlds...


Greetings solo athletes,

It has been my pleasure to witness the first ever solo rider, a young 17 year old named Eddy Hunt, who participated in our first ever 24 Hours of Adrenalin event back in 1994. Frankly we didn't have a category until that very day.

Solo? Are you kidding me! We had still to witness a team finish this new type of racing.

And so it was born, the solo category that is. Then in 1998, inspired, I created the first ever World Solo Championship, to be held in Canmore, Alberta Canada for the 1999 season. Since that time it has been my desire to provide endurance mountain bikers with a world stage to compete against one another. Both for elite and age group athletes and that's why I created the age group categories in 2002.

2006 will mark the 8th annual World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin Championships. The new date and location, plus a number of new qualifying procedures will be announced on Tuesday and Wednesday of this coming week. It is with careful consideration that we look to improve not only North American, but also global opportunities for participation.

Please feel free to contact us at worldchampionships@twenty4sports.com

to your good health,

Stuart Dorland
Founder
World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin Championships


sologoat out.

03.08.06 - the loneliness of the long distance cyclist

name the tune of the "modified" song name in my title for the day...

this was a shot from early this winter taken by a photographer that was shooting some photo's for the metro parks of summit county winter program guide. that particular shot appears on the back cover, in color.

it was a total random shot - i was out for an early morning ride and the roads were covered in ice/snow and it was windy, so i headed out on the trail for a ride. i saw a group of photographers with high end digital cameras and zoom lenses about a mile long. i said hi and then road by.


random updates:
1. asylum #2 in production. dan is currently creating masterpiece #2.
2. hammer gel - got in all my product today for the CAMBA meeting next week.
3. schwalbe - tires are in the mail.
4. first race - coming up soon. sweet.

that's it - gotta run.

sologoat out.

03.07.06 - supplies are coming in

just got my latest stuff from HAMMER GEL just a few days ago.

i must say, the voler clothing they have is really nice - i personally recommend their winter vests/jacket. very nice items to have - honestly, the best winter cycling jackets i have ever owned.

and SCHWALBE Little Alberts will be ordered in the next day or two. 29er tire with low weight and a tough sidewall to prevent punctures. i ran these all last year and will be running them again this year - i can personally say they hook up well in all weather conditions. awesome tire.

hmmm...

that's it - gotta run. miles to ride, software to install.

sologoat out.

03.05.06 - random pics and updates

first road ride of the year for ernesto. a group of 7 roadies and a mountain biker riding a 29er road bike went out on a tempo ride in the akron area.

don't ride too much on the road, but i like to do so every once in awhile to switch up the tempo and to get ready for the early season road races.



this pic was from last friday where i came from 55 degrees in cinci, to 25 degrees in akron. nice.

in other radom news....

i will be at the next CAMBA meeting (which i thought was coming up on the 7th) but is actually the 14th. sorry for the mix-up. i'll have all the details up soon, but if you come, you may just get some samples from HAMMER GEL.

here's the list of goodies:
HEED Mandarin-Orange
HEED Lemon-Lime
ENDUROLYTES
HAMMER GEL Rasberry
Perpetuem

no catch to the goodies, just come out and i'll get ya hooked up with some swag.

gotta run.

sologoat out.

03.02.06 - art imitating life?

this art sculpture at the miami trail in cinci brings up the classic art question -

art imitating life or life imitating art?

sologoat out.

02.28.06 - i'm rolling

back in the town o' cinci. 25 degrees in cleveland with snow, high of 55 in cinci today. hmmm... these trips down to cinci for work don't seem so bad.



not mucho exciting stuff going on lately, just riding n' such.

next tuesday i'll be in the cleveland'ish area talking to the guys/gals at the CAMBA meeting. i'll have more info up later in the week, but it's going to be pretty low key. was going to talk about my adventures the last couple of years, bike setups, etc. and i'll probably take a few questions too.

no note taking allowed or i will have to unleash my furry.

that's it tonight - have a ton of reading left to do tonight.

sologoat out.

02.26.06 - putting in some miles

word up.

seems as if winter in ohio has not given up - had to ride in 25 degree weather today, with wind chill in the 10 degree area. luckily, it warmed up a little about half way through my ride at the warm part of the day, but i slightly miscalculated the ride back and the weather turned for the worse. no snow, but man, that temp went down quicko. i think i frooze my brain slightly.

anyhoo, not mucho going on these days - just finishing up my base mile training, getting clothing finalized/ordered and i think i finally have somewhat of a schedule planned out. but - i still don't know what is going on with solo worlds yet.

i will be running the limar 911 this year in black - last year i ran the yellow 909. decided to get the 911 as it has a small visor, more vents and is more of a moutain bike style.

had a few questions about the asylums - yes, all frame sizes are in stock right now. and if any shops are interested, speedgoat will consider setting up a dealership with ya. email me for info.

that's it - gotta run.

sologoat out.

02.24.06 - asylums now at speedgoat

02.21.06 - thinking of arizona

howdy. back in the town of cinci for a few days for work and to hit up the little miami trail - exciting stuff indeed. warmer weather is back in town, so that's always a good thing.

will be heading out to arizona this coming march to ride with the big dawgs at the first NORBA of the year - should be an interesting trip. going strictly to race - would like to hang out a little more but i have to be careful of my vacation time and especially careful of how much cashola i am spending. booked the flights, now just have to schedule everything else.

i did only one NORBA last year and had a mechanical 3/4's of the way through it - which was a bummer at the time because i was in the top 5. wanted to do well as it was the only one i was going to do and because it was on one of my favorite hellish coarses (snowshoe, wv). little did i know at the time the race would not be coming back to the venue for 2006.

so with that in mind, i must ride. and ride. and ride.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......

and look for an upcoming interview of the sologoat to be up in the next week or two. very good questions from one of the speedgoat crew for his first published 'zine.

gots to run -
sologoat out.

02.18.06 - updates you gotta check out

here is a picture of the little miami trail in cinci - thing goes on forever. kind of boring, but at least you can get a ride in and not get run over.



close up my burns - exciting stuff.

some more updates for you - since i forgot to post about them the other day.

ASYLUM CYLCES
has now got up their new web page. check back as i think this is the first version of it and i think there are some more changes.

also, i will be talking at some demo days coming up this summer - the shop will be having demo's of the new giant road line up and they will be geared more towards the newer rider. i'll be talking at two demos - one on nutrition and one on clothing.

and if i see anybody taking notes or that has a tape recorder, they will be "escorted" out by my posse.

NORBA
this may be old news, but the marathon series has been updated. they will have more races, but you can only drop one to be considered for the overall series.

aspen remains to be the marathon nationals, in august.

24 hours of adrenaline
well, i don't intend to start a flurry of questions here, because i don't have all the details, but i have it from a realiable source that it looks like they are going to announce the dates for worlds next week.

seems as though there are some issues at whistler now with the upcoming olympics and they were having more problems with trails access. they had to change the course a little last year because of some of the stuff they are putting in (downhill runs, etc) and i guess they are having more difficulities this year because of the same reason.

that's all the info i really have....

it's cold
so i am hitting the rollers today - wind chill is currenlty -3. mother nature wins again.

gotta run - sologoat out.

02.16.06 - asylum updates

hey dawg. asylum updates are in 'da house. here goes...

ASYLUM CLOTHING
well, we have now made the decision to go with garneau. i'll have some 'ernesto' clothing with the sponsors on it and a little different color then what will be available to customers.

bibs will also be available - and it sounds like we may be doing a run of both speedgoat and asylum shorts. things are not 100% yet, so don't quote me on all this.

downhillers will be happy - we'll be doing a long sleeved downhill jersey in the new asylum logo/color scheme.

cycling caps - will also be available. these are the cold weather ones that have a drawstring top. seems my hat collection will soon be growing.

ASYLUM FRAMES
YES, i know i said they are coming, and they will be here super soon. new logos n' such.

and... i will be very vague in saying that you should expect some exciting new stuff in the future from asylum by the end of the year. i have been talking to the guys at the shop and they have some good stuff planned. stay tuned.

ASYLUM WEBSITE
will soon be up and running. not sure of the layout, but it will probably have a picture or two of yours truely.

that's it - gotta run. fighting off some bad food i had for lunch today - it made me really sick. yucko.

sologoat out.

02.15.06 - miami

little miami, that is.

in cinci again today for work, and i'll be hitting the trail up again. i'll take some pics tonight as i'll hit it in the daylight hours (ya-hoo!).

one would think traveling for work sucks, but this time it is really working out well for me. the temperture difference is at least 10 degrees warmer in cinci then in kent/akron - and that is huge. how huge.

it's huge.

so huge that last night i was contemplating not taking a vest - then i looked over and saw a group of guys guying out that looked like they had about a hundred layers on. they thought it was cold, i thought it was a heat wave.

it just goes to prove, pain is just all in the mind.

gots to run - have some new news in the world of asylum and some info for ya' in the world of hammer gel/e-caps. it's all good, yo.

sologoat out

02.14.06 - off to work

again. gots to run - but..

i have some new news in the world of asylum. cool, exciting stuff!

more in the next few days.

sorry to be short, but i am running suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper behind today.

stay tuned!

sologoat out.

02.12.06 - pimp my asylum

here's the first photos of the updated 2006 race bike (1 of 2). bike two will have the same exact setup, but with pink king hubs/headset and salsa rims.

new logos were created for the 2006 frames, and we ended up taking off the reba stickers on the fork and slapping some asylum ones.

non-drive chain side of the bike. to note, this paint is powder coated and was done by a painter who normally paints harleys. these were the first bikes he ever painted.

here is the long awaited parts list:

hubs - king
rims - bontrager
spokes - double butted dt
tires - schwalbe little alberts
tubes - salsa
cassette - SRAM PG-990 9-Speed Mountain Cassette (11x34)
chain - SRAM PC971 Chain
rear derailler - SRAM X.0 Rear Derailleur
front derailler - Shimano XT
crank - XTR (running 2x9 - granny gear has been removed)
pedals - Crank Brothers single ti
cage - king ti
post - easton e90 carbon
saddle - San Marco Concor 5 Star Light Saddle (titanium version)
headset - chris king
brakes/levers - xtr disc
stem - ritchey wcs (130mm)
bars - easton monkey lite sl
grips - ODI Ruffian Lock-on Grips
front shifter - SRAM X.0 Twist Shifter
rear shifter - SRAM X.0 Trigger Shifter
cables - NOKON
frame - medium custom painted ASYLUM OCD - medium

that's it - if i missed anything, post to the blog and i'll update ASAP!

sologoat out.

02.12.06 - new asylum sneak pic

here's a sneak pic of the new asylum with the killer cool paint job. more to come - complete with a detailed parts list.

for now - i must eat and ride. complete details/pics to be up by monday.

must ride,mustride,mustride...

sologoat out.

02.11.06 - new asylum in the house

quick update as i gots to gets some miles in dawg.

asylum is in the house, looking real nice with the new ritchey wcs stem and the easton monkey lite bars. super light, super stiff.

paint - looks hella cool.

me - gotta go ride. pics up by sunday.

sologoat out.

02.09.06 - 13

is the wind chill factor tonight. hmmm. rollers it is.

not mucho going on - just getting ready to head out to the shop tomorrow to pick up asylum #1 of 2. the picture above is from the shop - they have now moved dan the man downstairs to be near all the bike stash.

NORBA has made some changes to the marathon series - bumped it up to 5 races now, not including the final in aspen. some nice races - but man, they are waaaaaaaaay out there for this east coast cat. bummer is, that you cannot drop any races to be considered for the overall marathon series. not 100% sure on my schedule yet, but i'll hit up a few - but to hit all of them - no way.

gotta run - sologoat out.

02.09.06 - back home

just getting back from cinci - kind of gets crazy traveling out of town for work. i never really thought about traveling for work as being as hard as it is.

can't skip workouts, so i have to take all my riding stuff with me. so my car is completely packed for two days of work. nutz.

thankfully, cinci has been working out really nice - they have some really super nice bike paths down there that is part of the little miami trail that is approximately 70 miles long. boring, but no traffic to deal with. and i can ride it at all hours.

last night, got in three hours on it in 30 degree temps only to come home to 20'ish degree temps and 2-3 inches of snow. crazy.

anyhoo, gotta run - really busy with work, and i need to get caught up today so i can get one of my asylums tomorrow. can't wait - they look super sweet.

sologoat out.

02.06.06 - going to the shop

heading out to speedgoat this friday to pick up at least one of my race bikes for the year - and to drop off some wheels that need to be worked on.

coolest thing is, i think i am going to get my surly fixed flip/flop hub set up so i can get a 700c fixie going. the bike trails around here are perfect for it - and i have been wanting one for awhile. think i am going to build up another k monkey, but i haven't decided 100% yet what i am doing.

i used to ride single speeds a lot in years past, but got out if it when i came to ohio and didn't have anybody to ride single speed with. (note - if you check the single speed championships that were held in minneaopolis, you will see i finished top 10 - i think this was in 99'ish?)

that's it - quick update - have to go to cincinatti for work.... ah, at least it is 10 degrees warmer and the bike path doesn't have snow on it...

sologoat out.

02.04.06 - check out the groundhog

happy belated groundhog day.



totally cruddy day in ohio - rain and more rain coming, backed with some of the white stuff. really stinks.



got these pics off the weather channel the other day - hillarious.

totally off the bike subject for a bit... i am a big indy film nut and NPR freak (think steve at the shop is too - he downloads broadcasts to his ipod) and i heard about this story of a guy who was shooting all this footage of grizzly bears and ended up getting attacked by one and was killed. and he happened to catch the audio of his own death. the guy was going through a lot of his own demons, some people didn't like what he stood for or what he was doing. anyhoo, i caught a documentary on it last night. very thought provoking and some very good photography.

they are rebroadcasting the documentary tonight on the disccovery channel. otherwise, you can check out the film's website here:

GRIZZLY MAN MOVIE

anyhoo...

back to bike stuff...

clothing... sponsors...

clothing is about to be ordered, nothing is set in stone yet. basic info is that i'll be getting a custom jersey for my sponsors, and then there will be another jersey available that will be available to customers.

other clothing is not 100% at this point - so i am not letting you guys in on it now because i am a firm believer in jinxing... though the clothing order may include my favorite clothing accessory.

sponsors - possibly work and one other to help the 'goat out this year. i'll find out more next week on both of them.

that's it - gotta get on the trainer.


sologoat out

02.02.06 - the asylum's are coming!

hey - just a quick update from the crew at SPEEDGOAT.COM..

a new shipment of medium asylum's are coming in the next week or so - get 'yer order in now holmes, because from all the ramblings i see on the forums and from the shop, they'll probably be going pretty fast. dan (my head mechanic) better get his rest up, he's going to be building bikes for the next 2 months straight.

my second asylum frame just got back from the painter today. sweet.

and - i'm seeing what i can do for all you folks coming out to the march CAMBA meeting. maybe a surprise from hammer gel? hmmmm.... i got an email going out to them tonight - no promises, but we'll see what happens.

speaking of which - placed an order with hammer gel today.
1 bottle - sustained energy
2 jugs - hammer gel
2 medium long sleeve jerseys - one winter weight, the other summer
2 beanies - one summer, one winter

next order will probably be my caps supply for most of the year, which i'll probably place right before racing starts (or when i run out of my current supply) - which ever comes first.

as always - i would highly recommend checking out their PDF's on useage, and their "guide to success". very good info to help you NOT make mistakes in your fuel intake. wish i had read it before i found out the hard way....

gotta run - roller ride in store for me tonight. yipee!

sologoat out.

02.02.06 - quick updates

hey all - few quick updates..

the web page developer (myself) continues to work on the blog - give me about a week and i'll have it all fixed up.

TIFOSI OPTICS has hooked me up this year with some new shades. i'll be running either the Q3 or the QUAM 1.5 during the races, and after will be running the cool guy BACKLASH. my personal favorite is the Q3 - which is the updated version of last years Q2 that i ran (they are the glasses i am wearing in the header picture) last year. main difference is that they now come with lenses. sweet.

HAMMER GEL getting ready to place my first order with them. beanie hats are now available (to add to my growing collection) and a ton of winter riding apparel is in from VOLER. guys and gals - i HIGHLY recommend the voler winter vest and jacket. super awesome - very nice windstopper type material that works really well. and their bibs/jerseys - very nice as well. i would often wear the shorts on my 6+ hour rides because the pad was so nice.

and then don't forget all their nutritional products - i'll been using mostly the HEED, SUSTAINED ENERGY and HAMMER GEL to get me through these past few months. been working very well for me.

that's it - gotta run.

(short version of a day in the life of sologoat)

work, work, work.

ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride. eat, make a phone call. sleep.

repeat.

sologoat out.

02.01.06 - i got no skillz

as a blog template editor....

sorry for the new layout - been playing around with new templates and when i finally had some changes made on my last one, i tried to post and it wouldn't update my page.

so - i had to go with the new template.

if i happen to be missing any old links, info, etc - give me a few days and i'll try to update it.

but - got the cool new pic up on top which was taken at the 2005 solo worlds during the first laps, so that is kewl (hip spelling for "cool")

gotta run - supposed to be working.

sologoat out.

02.01.06 - goat to speak at CAMBA

yours truely will be speaking at CAMBA next month. i'll be doing an interpretive dance about my racing, training, etc. just joking. i mean i'll be talking about my racing, training, etc.

CAMBA is a local group affiliated with the IMBA - both organizations help build mountain bike trails, work on trail access, etc. they have an article about it HERE

sorry for the ho-hum posts lately, but the warm'ish ohio weather has been forcing me outside to ride and i haven't had much time to post. still pondering the race schedule for this year. what races to do, what not to do - that is the question.

hope you like the somewhat updated blog layout - just let me say that web page development is not my specialty...

gotta sleep - sologoat out.

01.29.06 - the goat speaks out

had a few questions sent to me the last few days, and one that was asked a few months back..
now - the sologoat speaks out..

QUESTION 1 - I am wondering if you can explain to me your experience going pro as an endurance cyclist. Benefits, taxes, etc.

it has been good - speedgoat has helped me a ton in this area - and i would probably highly recommend anybody wanting to go pro get somehow affilated with a shop for your everyday minor spare parts, repairs, etc.

most of my support has come in the form of product and that is pretty much the standard type of sponsorship. but - you have to be prepared to send them feedback, results, pictures, etc. i take my relationship with my sponsors seriously, and i help them with promoting their products as well as providing feedback to help improve upon their existing product line. as with any relationship in life, you have to maintain the relationship - you just can't get your stuff and forget about them until the end of the year, or you probably won't have them as a sponsor the next season.

taxes - i am not a tax consultant, but any money i get is through the form of 1099. any other questions, i would suggest reading up on the IRS website in regards to miscellaneous income.

QUESTION 2 - is that 26 front 29 rear?!?

no, it is a straight up 29er front and rear. the only company that i know is currently doing something like that is castellano and the frame was designed for the feel of a 29er, but the quickness of a 26er. their design uses a 26 inch rear wheel and a 29 inch front. the builder used to work with IBIS and designed some of their nicer frame designs including the silk ti frame. very cool rear triangle on it.

QUESTION 3 - What have you personally seen change in your riding style with the 29er? And are you digging the Reba?

i can tell you without a doubt, my riding has vastly improved. before the asylums, i started out with a surly karate monkey. i jumped on the monkey and loved it, but felt that it was a little slow. chris at the shop suggested i try out the asylum after the end of my 2004 season, and in early 2005, i got my first real racing 29ers.

at whistler, the courses up in new york, the snowshoe marathon, i was preriding and would say to myself, "OK, now where is that section where i was having problems with last year" - and the next thing i knew i was through it and saying to myself, "i can't believe i just cleared that when it gave me so much trouble last year on my 26er".... single track with small roots, short steep little climbs -- the 29er just comes alive and eats that stuff up. and the downhills - the asylum is the first bike i have ever owned when going downhill i am pedaling looking for more speed, when before i was on the brakes and tentative.

the reba - i am way diggin' it, but i wish it was a little bit lighter. i would highly recommend getting the lockout as i like to climb a lot out of the saddle and throw my entire body into my pedaling - and with it locked out, the fork is not dampening and absorbing all that effort. guess it just depends on your riding style.

sologoat out.

01.28.06 - the 2006 season

start of a late day - this was last thursday at about 5pm before a 4 hour night ride. 2 hours later, i would have two frozen water bottles for the ride home.

ah, espresso. yummy. i have been thinking a lot lately about the season - still thinking about the NORBA marathons, Granny Gear seems to be stepping up big time with their addition of two new races this year... it's hard picking which ones to do - low entry/high entry, travel to/from, payouts/no payouts, high profile/low key...

decisions... decision now at 10am - gotta ride. 40 degrees in ohio on a saturday and i have a hall pass to ride until 4pm.

gotta ride - sologoat out

01.26.06 - sologoat race bike #1

dan the man has worked his magic and this is his latest work of art.

the sologoat race bike (limited edition creation 1 of 2 - signed by the mechanic) is a pure racing bike and clearly a work of art. thanks mucho dan.

01.22.06 - bike ride 03

01.22.06 - bike ride 03
Originally uploaded by solo_goat.

almost home from a four hour winter adventure.

overcast sky all day, the sun decided to make an appearance 5 minutes before i finished up my ride.

01.22.06 - bike ride 02

01.22.06 - bike ride 02
Originally uploaded by solo_goat.

3 hours in and i practice my track stand skillz.

this is actually a skill i picked up in my old school freestyle days. i used to ride for hours in my parents basement - and one of the things i practiced - track stands.

01.22.06 - sologoat bike ride pic 01

bike ride 001
Originally uploaded by solo_goat.

start of my saturday ride. been riding my surly karate monkey a ton lately, and it was the bike of choice for the day.

good parts where it is needed, saddle the same as my race bikes, and spare/heavy duty parts everywhere else.

and on muddy days - the setup is completed with the addtion of fenders

01.20.05 - think purple/blue'ish

and that will be the color of my frames for this year.

dan the man (my mechanic) has offically picked out a color that was supposed to be blue, but has turned out to be more of a purple/blue'ish mettalic color. so, i won't exactly match the production bikes, but from what the guys at the shop are saying, the paint looks hella cool.

the rear triangle is also painted - something that WILL NOT be on the production bikes which be coming in stock very soon (if they are not there already).

should have some pics up soon as the first of my two bikes will be built up by the end of the month. nothing major to note, though we did decide on the ritchey wcs stem and the easton monkey lite sl bars.

why this setup? the stem is decently light - the published weight is 130 grams, but dan weighed it in a 100 grams. and the bars - did not go oversized, and are going with the riser bar. oversized stems/bars add weight - and stiffness. stiffness then comes backs through to my hands as the bar does not dampen any type of vibration. not good. we are hoping that the bar is not so hard on my hands and saves a little weight over the FSA bar/stem i was running last year.

that's it - gotta run.

sologoat out.

01.17.05 - random pic from bigbear pic 02

01.17.05 - random pic from bigbear pic 02
Originally uploaded by solo_goat.

all smiles at the start of the race - next to hendershot and cameron.

both had just finished 24 hour nationals weeks earlier in severe heat.

01.17.05 - random pic from bigbear pic 01

01.17.05 - random pic from bigbear pic 01
Originally uploaded by solo_goat.

i believe this was towards the end of the lap - it was a fresh newly cut section and the ground was soft.

01.17.05 - a bunch o' stuff

bikeblogs.com
has voted me blog site of the month. check it out - tons of listings of bike related blogs. sweeet. thanks for checkin' me out.

24 hour NORBA nationals
what the heck - just checked this link out after seeing kerkove's blog - 78 bucks for a 24 hour race? jeez. i can't remember paying that in a looooong time for a 24 horu race. just to note though, usually national events don't payout. why, i don't know. just an FYI. only prize is the national jersey. current holder is cameron chambers.

wilderness 101 update
i am sad to say that it is being held the same weekend as the NORBA 24 nationals. dang - really wanted to get out to this event. definetely worth checking out - i passed this event up a couple of times in years past, bummed that i will not be at this years event. very fun race - tough, lots of single track. beer and cash after the race. it's almost like heaven - except you are in PA.

sologoat replies to question?
a fellow blogger came up with the question of what are some of the ramifications of turning pro (financially speaking) and how it applies to tax returns, sponsorships, etc. i have been thinking of how to reply back to this - and will be posting it soon. so, for the couple of you that had some questions - your reply will be coming soon.

wobblenaught ernesto update
tom over at wobblenaught has updated the site with my cleveland cross update - ya, it's old news, but it's all good.

that's it - gotta run for a fun filled roller ride in a hotel room in cincinnati. fun, fun.. there is a little paved back path down here that is super long, but can't ride it tonight - too much rain. been getting in some good rides lately, so tonight and tomorrow will be my "easy" roller rides and then another long night ride on thursday as the heat wave in ohio comes back.

gotta go -
sologoat out.

01.15.06 - long rides and the goat's winter training secrets

can't believe the weather here in ohio recently - earlier this week we had 60 degrees and now it is back down to 30. at least we don't have snow.

this week i was able to get in some good longer rides - something i wasn't able to do until next february last year. this year, winter training seems to be going a lot better - i don't know if it is the weather or that my 2005 season went so well that the suffering in the winter doesn't seem so bad.

here is a few tricks i have to get me through my winter rides:

1. heat packs - i don't know why i never thought of these before. cheap source of heat when you are two hours from home.

2. double layer gloves - i usually wear a thin cross country ski glove overtop of a oversized shell mitten gloves. if the weather gets really cold, i insert the heat packs. if it gets warm, i carry a thin liner glove - i then take off the mittens, put on the liners and then put on the cross country ski glove. yes, it sounds like a process, but it works.

3. i walk - when my feet get cold. despite having some of the best winter mountain shoes in the world (northwaves) my feet still get cold. so, once my toes start getting cold, i walk until i can feel them again. this usually works for about an hour, but it is a pretty simple way to warm them up.

that's about it - i don't usually do a whole lot more other than carry an camelback and use it as a backpack and stuff it with spare food, tubes, etc. i usually leave extra space in it so that i have room in case the weather warms up and/or i over dressed.


other then that, not mucho has been happening. got to do some work in cinci and columbus later this week. since i work out of town sometimes, i usually try to find a place to ride. well, i just hit the jackpot in cinci since i found the little ohio trail. i'll post the link to it tomorrow, but it is about 70 miles long and is a paved bike path - which is about the equivalent to what i train on every day here in kent ohio. took me foooooooorever to find it last week, but luckily the one parking lot for it is right next to a starbucks. oh yes.

nothing new from the 'goat lately. just getting ready for the season, same thing, different year. i'll have to look back, but i think this may be my fifth year racing for them. first races i did with them was some of the month of mud series in pittsburgh years back. i was racing with a schwinn team for years and then switched over to speedgoat after hearing about them through some friends of mine. very funny story actually to hear all of it, but i'll save that for another day.

gotta run - got some work to do tonight.

go ride.

sologoat out

01.14.06 - NORBA update on marathon series

here's the update from NORBA:

Ernesto,

The marathon national championships will be at the U.S. Mountain Bike National Championships in Mammoth July 20-23. Also, the 2006 NORBA Series calendar will only have the two marathons as posted.

Thanks

-Andy

01.10.06 - sologoat frappr website

holla friend.

i have just set up a frappr website after checking them out a few days ago from some links at moots and the transiowa websites.

it basically shows a US map and allows members of a group to create a little link on it so you can see all the other members and where they are at.

for instance, on the transiowa frappr website, you can see the hometown of all the racers who will be competing in the race. and at the moots frappr you can see a map of moots owners. very cool.

anyhoo, here is the link:

sologoat friends frappr website

sologoat out.

01.09.06 - long night and NORBA

Just got in from a long night ride - temps are in the balmy low 30's here in ohio. have to go down to cinci for work this week, so i am getting in some long rides and maybe even a short ride wednesday morning before heading down to cinci. usually when i head out of town for work, i end up taking my trainer or try to find some local trails - or try flipping around my workouts. if i have an easy day in the week, then i try to fit my out of town appointments around that day. most times it works out...

just saw NORBA announced some changes to their schedule and listed out the events for all the races. only two marathon events. hmmm.... i sent an email over to them to see what the deal-e-o was - to see if there was going to be more marathons and what is going on with marathon nationals as i don't see any info on it. i'll update u guys if i hear anything.

asylum cycles and speedgoat.com are hard at work getting the 06 race bikes painted and prepped for the upcoming season. my choice of hot pink for the frame color was somehow voted down and replaced by a dark metallic blue that is going to look similar to the blue frames that will be available on the next asylum run which is due very soon.

about the only difference between the stock frame and the frames i will get will be racing will be that the rear triangle will also be painted on mine -- otherwise, i am riding a prodcution frame. no customized specs on it, lighter tubeset, etc.

parts - no major changes there. in fact, i'll be riding on pretty much updated versions of the same components i was running last year with a few exceptions. after numerous disussions with dan the man (my mechanic from the 'goat) the parts we had on the bikes in 05 really held up well, were pretty light and most parts that may need to be replaced during a race situation wouldn't be too hard to find if we were out of town and not near the shop.

so, as far as my color combos go, i guess i at least get to keep my pink king hubs and headset.

that's it - gotta run. i am suuuuuuuuuuper tired tonight.

sologoat out

01.07.06 - trainer pic 02

01.07.06 - trainer pic 02
Originally uploaded by solo_goat.

notice how effortlessly i appear to be pedaling.

no pressure on my hands, my arms seem relaxed, by back is not hunched over, my legs are in the most wattage efficient position they could be.

only one thing this could be a sign of - a jim baldesare wobblenaught fit.

01.07.06 - trainer pic 01

01.07.06 - trainer pic 01
Originally uploaded by solo_goat.

roller day on the new compact moots.

right now, borrowing a stem from the 'goat before i decide what one to run for the 2006 road season.

thinking of going oversized, but that means i need a new bar - running oversized stuff on my moots cross and it feels hella stiff, so i gotta make the change

01.07.05 - clocked at 71kpm

well, not really. but i watched Alessandro Pettachi get clocked on a stage finish during the 2004 giro at 71km easily outsprinting everybody. sprinters - if you want to watch some crazy fast finishes, get some of the giro dvd's - very impressive.

not mucho going on these days - been sick for the past week and a half. won't go into details, but it is pretty gross. don't feel that bad overall, but i hope it goes away pretty quick. been planning a tentative race with brett davis (transiowa finisher from last year) down to florida next month, so i hope it won't kill my chances down there. just going down for good training in warm weather, not expecting much as it is early in the season and it will be on the shop asylum bike.

speaking of asylums - they are being painted blue by a local near the shop that paints/designs/builds frames for those little hot rod remote control cars/trucks. guess this guy does some pretty cool stuff - and i guess he takes these cars to remote control "car shows" to show them off. very funny. hey man, different strokes for different folks.

it's all about the passion, yo.

speaking of which, got to get on the rollers - about to watch that pesky roberto heras kick some butt at the 2004 tour of spain.

i wish you a happy day and warm weather. and no sickness.

sologoat out.

01.04.06 - roller kind of day

in the 'goat casa. rain and moderate temps made for the makings of a two hour roller ride to some of the 2004 tour dvd coverage. yep, pretty exciting.

not much going on these days, just trying to keep some fitness and try to fit in some long rides on the weekends. when the weather has been permitting, i been putting on the lights and heading out for night rides. sucks, but it could be worse - at least ohio doesn't have a lot of the white stuff around.

got a few more pics of the wobblenaught fit i had on my new road moots to put up - they'll be up in the next few days or so.

first races of the year for me will be on the road, a local crit series and a local road race series. prefer the road series as it takes me about an hour ride to get there, so i get a nice long ride in by the days end.

and first mountain race - well, that is to be determined. i have a few in mind, and it may involve a trip down to florida. i think it is a little early for me to go down, but it will be some good training.

that's it gotta run - hope you all had a good new years/holidays/etc. man, it always is way too short.

sologoat out.