The June Whirlwind

I can't believe it is July already. The mountain bike season is drawing to a close and I am looking forward to cross. And yes, it is still hot here.

After Dauset I had my favorite week of the year; camp. Mark and I run a development camp for USA Cycling, it is open to kids ages 14-22. Keeping up with a bunch of teenagers is exhausting but so much fun. The enthusiasm that these kids have for cycling is incredibly motivating. It reminds me of when I started riding and makes me remember why I love to ride. With that being said, do they ever sleep!!?? Camp is a lot of work. The week was a blur and I felt like I had been run over by a truck by the time it was over. I can't wait for next year.

After camp we had two days to re-group, re-pack and hit the road for Wisconsin for the Pro XCT series race. I was really excited to see my family, even if the timing of the race was not ideal. The race course was so much fun and even though I was a bit tired from camp and traveling, I was still hoping for a top 10. Well, to make a long story short, my bike had other plans. I learned a lesson about my own ability to work on my bike. Mechanics are indispensable. I wish mine would travel with me at all times. It was a frustrating race that saw me finish in a dismal placing. But I finished. I did not quit, which would have been the easy thing to do. I do not quit races.

After the crash and burn result of Wisconsin I needed some time both physically and mentally to recover from my long crazy month. It was time to take a step back and focus on my late season goals and CROSS. Yes, I am getting excited for cyclocross season to start and I am getting ready. Now that I have had a break it is time to finish the SERC series, ((hopefully) race the World Cup in Windham and then look forward to fall and my cross bike.

Thanks for reading...