Bikes Are Awesome
This. And lots of it!
That's right, New England in her early autumn splendor. Seriously, if you can tell me you know a better place this time of year, I challenge you to show me. Nary traffic, silky smooth roads (intermixed with abysmal thoroughfares complete with man eating potholes), spectacular foliage, and great great people, home sweet home is tough to beat.(cough cough) In a similar vain, I have been challenging people to try UnTapped and tell me they have a better energy source. I present the challenge to you -- try UnTapped and I dare you to find me a tastier/better/more reliable product. I reckon it is impossible. Aaaand GO!GP Montreal wrapped up with monsoon-like weather. The breakaway didn't go clear until about three and a half hours into the race, and setting personal power records for 60, 90, and 120 minutes is a testament to it being just that kind of race. That's not normal, friends. So with Montreal being my final race ever, it's a good one by which to bid the racing aspect of the sport adieu.The subsequent three weeks have been a whirlwind. I hopped aboard a late flight to Vegas and took in about 44 hours of Interbike. A redeye flight out brought me back east to a wedding in Maine between two of my best friends, attended by my family plus pretty much all of my best friends. So that was outstanding. Plus the Heady Topper and Sip of Sunshine buffed out any potential kinks. From there I was direct to Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, which is nothing short of stunning. If you have a chance to go, I highly encourage it. And if not, then try harder and then go. It's nuts.Next I was off to Virginia and the World Championships. I hosted the inaugural #ColonialFondo in Williamsburg which despite the relatively dank forecast turned into a great day for all. I zipped back to Worlds and was truly floored with how welcoming, friendly, and gregarious my fans are. Trust me, it's strange to say "my fans" in the first place; I still consider myself a humble kid from New Hampshire who stumbled on this bike racing thing a dozen years ago, so to sign stuff, take selfies like whoa, and shake hands every 30 seconds for three straight days was truly a blast. To everyone there, thank you. And to everyone who didn't make it, I sincerely thank you for your support as well.A late flight Sunday took me to the big apple or New York and an early morning of riding. Trust me, one handed riding at the crusty hour of 6am through traffic is not easy -- I'm a professional ladies and gents, don't try this at home!
Three days of sponsor rides, most of which started at the wee hours of six, and then a late, yet a mere 90 minute flight out of New York brought me back to New England where I opted for a five hour night of sleep in order to make it to the heart of the White Mountains and a casual business ride plus friends and friends-of-friends century. Riding the Kancamangus Highway spanning just north of Lincoln, NH is enough to take your breath away. Especially when you're pedaling hard.
That pretty much brings you up to the present. I met up with the wedding party and had a honeymoon of sorts for the entire group, not just the lovebirds. Two weeks post wedding we decided a Beer and Chili festival was a prime way to catch up on the time apart. So that was yesterday and naturally it was super fun.So what's the take home message here? Sleep is overrated is a good start (coincidentally, none of my friends who have young children seen to offer any sympathy to my woes of sleeping just five hours per night the last three weeks). What is the other summarizing point? Bikes are awesome. Sure this lack of sleep is something of a self inflicted wound. I'm busy as heck, traveling like a madman, but it's all stuff that has the bicycle as the common thread stitched through each of these adventures, opportunities, travels, or whatever else you want to call it. I'll repeat, bikes are awesome.With that reiterated, it's time to board a plane. I'm at the airport and they're calling me to board any second. Let's jet off to Italy now... 'cause, well, bikes are awesome.