more pics up on flickr - check them out.
extended write up some time this week as i try to catch up on some sleep. tomorrow, early AM ride in charolette.
tuesday - back to the grind.
sologoat out
2.22.2009
heading north
2.20.2009
last post before race day
in town - robbie, harlan and harvey. going to be a fast one tomorrow.
more pics uploaded - check them out.
that's it - time to rest up.
sologoat out
2.19.2009
next up - santos
it's dumping snow in ohio as i am soaking up some early season rays in florida - next up, the 12 hours of santos.
pre-rode the vortex - first section felt like a twisty vortex as you flowed with speed through the santos trails. roughly 40 minutes in, you hit what is dubbed the 'red' trails and you are in for a lot of steep ups and downs, rocks and some other silliness. reminds me a lot of the old trails at mikey's in ohio, only 5 times more packed with short steep climbs.
roughly 55 minutes or so at a moderate pace - guessing around 40-45 minutes at race pace.
check out flickr for some more pics.
sologoat out
2.13.2009
2.11.2009
2.06.2009
ripping flvs and thinking of warmer weather
Nathan Spear's Euro Cross Video website has been sucking up a ton of my time lately.
why?
FREE: sign up on his website
FREE: downloads of hella cool euro cross video
files are huge, they are speaking german, and it gets a little pixelated when converted to dvd, but it's worth it. tons of videos, awesome coverage.
and if you only check out one of the videos - have to download and rip the 2009 worlds mens high def file. it's a whopping 1 gig file, but man is it clear and awesome.
shouldn't need the video this weekend - temps above 40 degrees are going to seem like july 80 degree weather this weekend.
some updates from pivot - the frames are on the way. will be running mostly the same setup overall as last year, few tweaks here and there. pivots will be running mostly xtr, fox forks, conti tires, ritchey stems, carbon post/bas, ergons, san marco saddle, crankbrothers, chris king headsets, king cages.
gotta shout out to jim, dan and the rest of the speedgoat gang for once again for all the work involved in getting me riding the trails with some killer bikes for another season.
that's it - gotta roll.
2.01.2009
44
was the high today in ohio - glad to see the windchill factor higher then 15 and to see the snow mostly gone from the roads.
sologoat out
sologoat out
1.27.2009
not mucho
has been going down in the white covered ohio area i call home so not much to report on other then ice, snow, cold temps and roller sessions from hell.
schedule is tentatively planned out, now i am just waiting out for better weather which is coming this weekend. should be exciting - temps are going to hit 30 degrees.
sologoat out
schedule is tentatively planned out, now i am just waiting out for better weather which is coming this weekend. should be exciting - temps are going to hit 30 degrees.
sologoat out
1.19.2009
1.16.2009
passing time at 10 degrees
not much is moving here in the state of ohio these days - woke up to negative 5 degree temps this morning.
2009 schedule is panning out to be an interesting one - one thing that really spices things up is the move of 24 hour nationals by a month to late october, the week after the 8 hour cowbell on the USA cycling enduro calendar. with a few other big name races late in the year, you got to pick your poison and decide what races to hit up.
me - i'll be busy. i'll be at a few races that i need to get back to and a few that i've been wanting to hit up but was not able to in the past.
and cross - more UCI's too. cinci triple weekend, michigan double weekend, wrapping up the season with the portland cup and cross nats. and don't forget the best one (if it's still a UCI based event) - cross vegas.
that's it - gotta roll.
sologoat out
1.07.2009
trying not to freeze
has been the main objective in ohio the last few days as i have been subject to monster hours on the trainer, work and my new house obsession which is a new furnace.
dvd collection has been growing quite a bit lately, but i must say that so far the 2008 dvds of the tour, tour of ireland and the 2007 tour of ireland are pretty good.
also picked up the 9 ball diaries - definite must get for any cross freaks out there. the footage from portland has me thinking about 2009 cross nats already.
schedule is getting hammered out, can't wait to go south to warmer weather.
with that in mind, i gotta book some flights.
sologoat out
dvd collection has been growing quite a bit lately, but i must say that so far the 2008 dvds of the tour, tour of ireland and the 2007 tour of ireland are pretty good.
also picked up the 9 ball diaries - definite must get for any cross freaks out there. the footage from portland has me thinking about 2009 cross nats already.
schedule is getting hammered out, can't wait to go south to warmer weather.
with that in mind, i gotta book some flights.
sologoat out
1.01.2009
adiós to 2008, hola to 2009
another year down, another starting up - here's some of my "best of" 2008 times...
Best Ride Buddy:
Would have to be my Ipod. no more talking to myself for 6 hours.
Best clothing purchase:
Craft windstopper base layers. Wish I would of bought these products 4 years ago. Nice for riding when you don't want to wear a ton of bulky clothing and nice for cross season to wear under the skinsuit when you decide to race in 20 degrees instead of staying home and sipping hot coffee.
Best Ernesto kit to date:
Hats go off to Jeremy and Speedgoat for hooking me up with Pactimo clothing for 2008. Nice winter long sleeved jerseys, the vests and jackets rule and the jerseys are racer cut. Awesome. Glad to see they will be back for 2009.
Best Bike shop of 2009:
Wild guess - Speedgoat.com. A lot goes into getting my s*it together every year from clothing to sponsors to wrenching - and everything inbetween. I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again - I couldn't do all of this without Speedgoat.
Best Bike component:
Is a no brainer - Ergon grips. I race many a season trying different grip and glove combo's and none of them ever worked. Now I run Ergons and thin full fingered gloves with no padding - hand issues are gone.
Best Bike ride of 2008:
Jeff and the Toastman in Breck - wish the rain would of stayed away though.
Best race location of 2008:
Would have to be the Mas o Menos. A tiny town in Texas 100 miles away from anything. The atmosphere and silence was golden.
Race you have to go to in 2009:
Cross nationals - you need to get there at least once at some point, even to spectate. Atmosphere is nutty, the racing is awesome - overall great vibe and awesome way to end the season.
Best "what the hell" look of the year:
Was on the faces of a lot of riders one day in Brian Head at the AMC stage race when Pua and myself rode and pulled together for most of the stage, catching and dropping riders all along the way.
Best I think I almost died on my bike today moment of 2008:
Happened ripping down one of the local bike paths when a 50 pound beaver (about the size of a small dog) decided to run across the trail - I bunny hopped over the huge fatso of an animal with my rear wheel actually hitting his fur.
That's it to 2008 - see you in 2009.
sologoat out
Best Ride Buddy:
Would have to be my Ipod. no more talking to myself for 6 hours.
Best clothing purchase:
Craft windstopper base layers. Wish I would of bought these products 4 years ago. Nice for riding when you don't want to wear a ton of bulky clothing and nice for cross season to wear under the skinsuit when you decide to race in 20 degrees instead of staying home and sipping hot coffee.
Best Ernesto kit to date:
Hats go off to Jeremy and Speedgoat for hooking me up with Pactimo clothing for 2008. Nice winter long sleeved jerseys, the vests and jackets rule and the jerseys are racer cut. Awesome. Glad to see they will be back for 2009.
Best Bike shop of 2009:
Wild guess - Speedgoat.com. A lot goes into getting my s*it together every year from clothing to sponsors to wrenching - and everything inbetween. I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again - I couldn't do all of this without Speedgoat.
Best Bike component:
Is a no brainer - Ergon grips. I race many a season trying different grip and glove combo's and none of them ever worked. Now I run Ergons and thin full fingered gloves with no padding - hand issues are gone.
Best Bike ride of 2008:
Jeff and the Toastman in Breck - wish the rain would of stayed away though.
Best race location of 2008:
Would have to be the Mas o Menos. A tiny town in Texas 100 miles away from anything. The atmosphere and silence was golden.
Race you have to go to in 2009:
Cross nationals - you need to get there at least once at some point, even to spectate. Atmosphere is nutty, the racing is awesome - overall great vibe and awesome way to end the season.
Best "what the hell" look of the year:
Was on the faces of a lot of riders one day in Brian Head at the AMC stage race when Pua and myself rode and pulled together for most of the stage, catching and dropping riders all along the way.
Best I think I almost died on my bike today moment of 2008:
Happened ripping down one of the local bike paths when a 50 pound beaver (about the size of a small dog) decided to run across the trail - I bunny hopped over the huge fatso of an animal with my rear wheel actually hitting his fur.
That's it to 2008 - see you in 2009.
sologoat out
12.29.2008
group ride
went down this past saturday headed up by shawn - other saturday rides will continue through whenever, depending on weather.
rides and house work are rolling right along as i eek out my last vacation days to concentrate on house work, resting and getting some early season miles in.
2009 calander not set in stone yet as i haven't had the time to plan things out - same rough schedule, though i may switch things up and try to get out to a few more of the hundred milers.
gotta run - need to ride and paint.
sologoat out
rides and house work are rolling right along as i eek out my last vacation days to concentrate on house work, resting and getting some early season miles in.
2009 calander not set in stone yet as i haven't had the time to plan things out - same rough schedule, though i may switch things up and try to get out to a few more of the hundred milers.
gotta run - need to ride and paint.
sologoat out
12.24.2008
merry festivus
off to see the family in little while after i sneak in a christmas eve ride.
not mucho going on, planning out 2009, taking some much needed time off and getting in a little r&r before i start logging the miles.
roughly two weeks of unscheduled workouts for me, then it is time to get back to the schedule.
rough schedule is basically the same, but with more enduro's and less 24's out there, should be interesting to see how things pan out.
with that, gotta ride - and then rest up for some feats of stregnth.
sologoat out
not mucho going on, planning out 2009, taking some much needed time off and getting in a little r&r before i start logging the miles.
roughly two weeks of unscheduled workouts for me, then it is time to get back to the schedule.
rough schedule is basically the same, but with more enduro's and less 24's out there, should be interesting to see how things pan out.
with that, gotta ride - and then rest up for some feats of stregnth.
sologoat out
12.22.2008
ernesto speedgoat socks
will soon be up at Speedgoat.com so be on the lookout to not only look stylish, but to also help Speedgoat in their effort to support me during my 2009 racing season.
sologoat out
12.21.2008
odd weekend
in the sense that i don't really have anything that i am specifically training for - probably the first weekend i can say that since... about this time last year.
so it's my offtime for the year - two weeks of riding without looking at the calendar or without a specific workout. and, it's also two weeks of getting house stuff done as after january 1, i probably won't have the time.
mas o menos for 2009 - need to contemplate that and the rest of the goals for the year.
in my holiday gift search, i did pick something up for myself - the Park Tool RK-41 Portable Race/Ride Kit.
there's a few options out there for tool sets, but for traveling and going out to races, this seems like the best tool/tool case option out there.
that's it - time to drink some java, put away cross bikes, and plan out 2009.
sologoat out
12.16.2008
12.15.2008
cross nationals - sunday
masters start - 45 to 49
Originally uploaded by solo_goat
1:30pm - 21 degrees
clear but friggin cold day - ligned up in approximately the 5th row and had a good start, but went downhill from there.
felt good overall but just lacked the speed - would eventually end up getting pulled, but had enough laps to get placed. made it to the top 70 riders.
kind of disappointing, but the game plan going in was just to stay on the same lap. goal next year will be the same.
overall, had a blast - glad i stayed around for both races. and for all you fellow cross freaks that cheered me on - thanks.
sologoat out
12.13.2008
cross nationals - saturday
update: i came in 18th and andy came in 20th.
gerry got 9th and fellow ohio rider andy applegate came in 11th in the masters 40-44 group.
got about 60'ish pics or so up on flickr - mostly of gerry's race. this is one pic is pretty classic - tuba player in the background.
two years ago during the elite race, i caught a glimpse of a hula girl playing a ukulele.
sologoat out
gerry got 9th and fellow ohio rider andy applegate came in 11th in the masters 40-44 group.
got about 60'ish pics or so up on flickr - mostly of gerry's race. this is one pic is pretty classic - tuba player in the background.
two years ago during the elite race, i caught a glimpse of a hula girl playing a ukulele.
sologoat out
cross nationals - saturday
conditions were super windy today, mud was dry, tacky and slow.
lined up in the 3rd row, right next to andy.
gun went off, and all hell broke loose. held my position for the entire race, made up a few more. course layout was tough, you were either going up or going down.
one run at the top of the climb, one barrier at the bottom and one more little run up at the end.
finished up somewhere around 15th, results will be up soon. andy finished a spot or two behind me.
gerry had a great race - finished in 8th in his race.
now, rest and some coffee. tomorrow, the elite race and then the drive back. both will be painful.
sologoat out
lined up in the 3rd row, right next to andy.
gun went off, and all hell broke loose. held my position for the entire race, made up a few more. course layout was tough, you were either going up or going down.
one run at the top of the climb, one barrier at the bottom and one more little run up at the end.
finished up somewhere around 15th, results will be up soon. andy finished a spot or two behind me.
gerry had a great race - finished in 8th in his race.
now, rest and some coffee. tomorrow, the elite race and then the drive back. both will be painful.
sologoat out
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