One would think that you recover from jet lag in a couple of days, I am walking proof that it lasts more like a week. It's been exactly a week since I left NZ and I have already been over to Greenville, SC to race, Boone for a training ride and back to Nashville to rejoin the Juris, Inc. workforce. I slept for a full day on Friday and some how felt like a million bucks in the race on Saturday morning.
Hincapie Sports put on a 3 weekend series and this past weekend was the final weekend. This particular course didn't seem to be in my favor for the first four laps. A Cheerwine rider and myself kept trying desperately to break away on the 2 small climbs but the pack kept chasing hard to bring us back each time. Finally, I decided on the last lap to give it one more try but still no break. I decided to take a rest and sit in for the last couple of miles so I could be ready for the bunch sprint. I got lucky and the sprint worked out the way, I planned. With about 500 meters to go the group got restless. I let girls jump but just stayed patient on a wheel. Finally, the one girl who sat in the pack the entire time came from nowhere and pulled away. I jumped with her but she had a little more to give at the line. I took 2nd. It was pretty satisfying since I thought for sure I would be completely worthless after coming off the long trip.
Sunday was spent in Blowing Rock, NC. The riding in this area is some of the best I have ever experienced. The roads are rolling and flowing and the traffic is amazingly light. If you have never been up here, take a weekend and bring your bike. There are so many scenic rides that will leave you wanting to ride longer and climb better. I will go ahead and warn you, don't plan to come out here for a flat ride. They don't call it the high country for nothing. Let's just say if you want to find your climbing legs, there is no doubt you will find them here. Sunday I only did a 50 mile ride. The route was part of the Blood, Sweat Gears course, a killer century in June with over 13,000 feet of climbing in one day.
After a great day in the mountains, I drove back early Monday morning to Nashville. My first day back in the office since mid Feb. Let me just tell you how hard it is to come back to work after being gone for a month. Back to the office and my first responsibility is to complete the Race Bible for the Edagar Soto Memorial Stage Race, www.sotomemorial.org. Life could be worse, I did get to take a 2 hour break for lunch to ride with my boss and a co-worker.
Stay tuned for more race action and cycling news in the upcoming week. This weekend MAY be an off weekend from racing but after that it's pretty much every weekend till October, or so it seems!
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