Friday, May 26, 2006
Scottish mist.
I think I know why they named a soap after Irish rain. The air on our trip has been blue and dusty in Madrid, good in Spa, sweet diesel and cigarettes in Brussels but here? Crisp as the first frost. The bright side of all this rain is a magic mist that primes the cold fresh air of the North Atlantic. I must be really bored to be writing this.
So today's recap.. I woke up ate some eggs and toast. Headed to the venue and rode the trainer under our borrowed TREK UK tent ( many thanks to Brian Buckle) and rode the trainer for an hour. Armed with an umbrella I took a few moments to admire the trail work that was artfully executed to protect the trail from harsh Scottish weather. The bridges made of existing dead falls and cross cuts of strait pines. The plank walks where anchored to the ground with pilings and secured with weather proof hardware. The traction was amazing with the hexagonal chicken wire that is stepped tightly onto the track of the bridges and walkways. The best part was a rocky turn that drop's down to the bridge that is constructed out of 500+lb rocks. They were even settled in a way that the flats of the rocks were sloped to the inside of the turn to enhance cornering and perhaps help self cleaning with rainfall.
I will post some pics later.
Hope I can put some moves on tomorrow and get up to where I belong.
Wish me luck.
Jeremiah.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Snow on Big Ben
Ben Nevis, the big mountain where we race here in Scottland is covered in snow like a lone alp. Freezing cold rain and 40's has greeted us on our first day here in Fort Willam! Here it has been one of the coldest Mays in years. The range to the south is snow caped and the mountians are loomin dark and steep.
I think there is really good fishing here. We are next to Loch Lochy the sister lake to Lock Ness! I may go for an hour or so and sit on the lakeside if I get a chance. I will stay off my feet and bring the camera.
I just saw Wells, he is in love with this weather. The Euro weather is in a stormy cycle. The stage of the Giro was shorted yesteday and landing in Heathrow was tough due to seriouse weather and shifting winds.
I wonder what the weather in Harrisonburg is doing.
Off to the NOAA.gov site with me.
Jeremiah
Monday, May 22, 2006
After the storm
Hello,
I am reporting from the Arden region of Belium after a way tough world Cup at Spa Francor Champs.
The venue was like a bizaro version of the Sea Otter venue. They both are on race courses with lots of fences and barriers but that is where the simularity ends. Well it IS rainy windy and dank at both venues too. The cool thing about our set up was that Dave and Poz secured a one of the garages that the race cars use, that was a great work area and it was out of the rain and we had windles place to get set up.
I was looking forward to the long up hill drag to the trail before the race, I though it was going to be good for me but I was boxed in on the left side of the track. I could tell the fresh cut pine trails would turn nasty with all the rain. The course looked like a war zone with many gimpy bike riders reduced to foot soilders. My legs where pretty flat anyway Ce La Vie as they say in these parts. The redeeming part of the race was I seemed to hit the run ups really well and moved forward all day from my 125th place after the start 1/2 lap.
I was surprised I ended up in 58th and got some World Cup points at least.
The Calm after the storm:
When I woke up today I felt like I raced the Boston Marathon yesterday. My 2:30 time would have been good if I was a runner. Uh anyway . I whent for a nice 3hr ride on the back roads. It is no wonder that the national pastime is road cycling. The roads here are a maze thru the forests and fertil pastures.
See ya in Scottland.
Jeremiah.
Archives
10/24/04 - 10/31/04
11/14/04 - 11/21/04
11/21/04 - 11/28/04
11/28/04 - 12/5/04
12/5/04 - 12/12/04
1/2/05 - 1/9/05
1/9/05 - 1/16/05
1/16/05 - 1/23/05
1/23/05 - 1/30/05
1/30/05 - 2/6/05
2/6/05 - 2/13/05
2/13/05 - 2/20/05
2/20/05 - 2/27/05
2/27/05 - 3/6/05
3/13/05 - 3/20/05
3/20/05 - 3/27/05
3/27/05 - 4/3/05
4/3/05 - 4/10/05
4/10/05 - 4/17/05
4/17/05 - 4/24/05
4/24/05 - 5/1/05
5/1/05 - 5/8/05
5/15/05 - 5/22/05
5/22/05 - 5/29/05
5/29/05 - 6/5/05
6/5/05 - 6/12/05
6/12/05 - 6/19/05
6/19/05 - 6/26/05
6/26/05 - 7/3/05
7/3/05 - 7/10/05
7/10/05 - 7/17/05
7/17/05 - 7/24/05
7/24/05 - 7/31/05
7/31/05 - 8/7/05
8/7/05 - 8/14/05
8/14/05 - 8/21/05
8/21/05 - 8/28/05
8/28/05 - 9/4/05
9/4/05 - 9/11/05
9/11/05 - 9/18/05
9/18/05 - 9/25/05
9/25/05 - 10/2/05
10/2/05 - 10/9/05
10/9/05 - 10/16/05
10/23/05 - 10/30/05
10/30/05 - 11/6/05
11/6/05 - 11/13/05
11/13/05 - 11/20/05
11/20/05 - 11/27/05
11/27/05 - 12/4/05
12/11/05 - 12/18/05
12/18/05 - 12/25/05
12/25/05 - 1/1/06
1/8/06 - 1/15/06
1/15/06 - 1/22/06
1/29/06 - 2/5/06
2/5/06 - 2/12/06
2/19/06 - 2/26/06
3/5/06 - 3/12/06
3/12/06 - 3/19/06
4/2/06 - 4/9/06
4/9/06 - 4/16/06
4/23/06 - 4/30/06
4/30/06 - 5/7/06
5/7/06 - 5/14/06
5/14/06 - 5/21/06
5/21/06 - 5/28/06
5/28/06 - 6/4/06
6/4/06 - 6/11/06
6/11/06 - 6/18/06
6/18/06 - 6/25/06
6/25/06 - 7/2/06
7/2/06 - 7/9/06
7/16/06 - 7/23/06
7/23/06 - 7/30/06
7/30/06 - 8/6/06
8/6/06 - 8/13/06
8/13/06 - 8/20/06
8/20/06 - 8/27/06
8/27/06 - 9/3/06
9/3/06 - 9/10/06
9/10/06 - 9/17/06
9/24/06 - 10/1/06
10/1/06 - 10/8/06
10/8/06 - 10/15/06
10/15/06 - 10/22/06
10/29/06 - 11/5/06
11/5/06 - 11/12/06
11/12/06 - 11/19/06
11/19/06 - 11/26/06
11/26/06 - 12/3/06
12/3/06 - 12/10/06
12/10/06 - 12/17/06
12/17/06 - 12/24/06
12/24/06 - 12/31/06
12/31/06 - 1/7/07
1/14/07 - 1/21/07
1/21/07 - 1/28/07
1/28/07 - 2/4/07
2/4/07 - 2/11/07
2/18/07 - 2/25/07
2/25/07 - 3/4/07
3/4/07 - 3/11/07
3/11/07 - 3/18/07
3/18/07 - 3/25/07
3/25/07 - 4/1/07
4/1/07 - 4/8/07
4/8/07 - 4/15/07
4/15/07 - 4/22/07
5/6/07 - 5/13/07
5/13/07 - 5/20/07
6/3/07 - 6/10/07
6/10/07 - 6/17/07
6/17/07 - 6/24/07
6/24/07 - 7/1/07
7/1/07 - 7/8/07
7/29/07 - 8/5/07
8/5/07 - 8/12/07
8/12/07 - 8/19/07
8/19/07 - 8/26/07
8/26/07 - 9/2/07
9/2/07 - 9/9/07
9/16/07 - 9/23/07
9/23/07 - 9/30/07
9/30/07 - 10/7/07
10/7/07 - 10/14/07
10/14/07 - 10/21/07
10/21/07 - 10/28/07
10/28/07 - 11/4/07
11/4/07 - 11/11/07
11/11/07 - 11/18/07
11/25/07 - 12/2/07
12/2/07 - 12/9/07
12/9/07 - 12/16/07
12/16/07 - 12/23/07
12/30/07 - 1/6/08
1/6/08 - 1/13/08
1/13/08 - 1/20/08
1/20/08 - 1/27/08
1/27/08 - 2/3/08
2/3/08 - 2/10/08
2/10/08 - 2/17/08
2/17/08 - 2/24/08
2/24/08 - 3/2/08
3/2/08 - 3/9/08
3/9/08 - 3/16/08
3/16/08 - 3/23/08
3/23/08 - 3/30/08
3/30/08 - 4/6/08
4/6/08 - 4/13/08
4/13/08 - 4/20/08
4/20/08 - 4/27/08
4/27/08 - 5/4/08
5/4/08 - 5/11/08
5/11/08 - 5/18/08
5/25/08 - 6/1/08
6/1/08 - 6/8/08
6/8/08 - 6/15/08
6/15/08 - 6/22/08
6/22/08 - 6/29/08
6/29/08 - 7/6/08
7/20/08 - 7/27/08
7/27/08 - 8/3/08
8/3/08 - 8/10/08
8/10/08 - 8/17/08
8/17/08 - 8/24/08
8/24/08 - 8/31/08
8/31/08 - 9/7/08
9/7/08 - 9/14/08
9/14/08 - 9/21/08
9/21/08 - 9/28/08
9/28/08 - 10/5/08
10/5/08 - 10/12/08
10/12/08 - 10/19/08
10/19/08 - 10/26/08
10/26/08 - 11/2/08
11/2/08 - 11/9/08
11/9/08 - 11/16/08
11/16/08 - 11/23/08
11/23/08 - 11/30/08
11/30/08 - 12/7/08
12/7/08 - 12/14/08
12/14/08 - 12/21/08
12/21/08 - 12/28/08
12/28/08 - 1/4/09
1/4/09 - 1/11/09
1/18/09 - 1/25/09
1/25/09 - 2/1/09
2/1/09 - 2/8/09
2/22/09 - 3/1/09
3/1/09 - 3/8/09
3/15/09 - 3/22/09
3/22/09 - 3/29/09
3/29/09 - 4/5/09
