Since Ryan has been away racing ToAD in Wisconsin, I’ve taken to trying to keep myself busy. I generally have just been riding and tinkering around with the bikes- especially the Jet9. After mentioning in my last post that I wanted to sell it and get an RDO, I was immediately contacted by Scott, the incredibly nice guy who gave me a tube back at Cohutta. The Jet now has new home as a pimpin’ new ride for his wife.

Also, I’ve placed the order for the RDO and generally planned out how it’ll get built up…

It’s not all about bikes, though. I’ve also been moonlighting as a hairstylist…

This weekend didn’t go as originally planned. The Hamilton Creek 50 was rescheduled due to heavy rain on the trails during the past week. Big kudos for the promoter for stepping up and doing the right thing to preserve the hard work that is put in to creating and maintaining a trail system. So, instead, I stuck around for an ass-kicking weekend of training.

Saturday, I figured out that “Brickhouse” is starting to mean more than the fact that I’m stouter than your average lady on a bike. This whole training/patience thing is starting to have tangible results in both racing and at the Saturday morning world championships (A.K.A, the Trinity ride). It was a hot hammerfest, but I managed to stay with the lead group. The most noticeable thing? My top end is not incredibly high. What I noticed after that? What top end power I do have just doesn’t quit. If there’s a surge or an attack, I can’t immediately match it. I can, however, fight right back in to the group as everyone is fading/settling. It happened repeatedly today. Unlike my training in the past, I finally feel like I’m on a fvcking solid foundation.

Brick by mother-effin-brick, I’m getting faster.

Today I hit the road on my A9C for 5 hours/82 hot, awesome miles. I decided to put some Small Block 8 CX tires on it so it wouldn’t be quite as slow-rolling. Matt went with me, kept me company, and was nice enough to pump my tire up a couple of times when the tube sprang a slow leak. It was painful, but my MTB legs are coming around quickly…