Windiest race ever

Well, maybe not ever. But it was pretty damn windy today. Thad was 2nd and won the overall for the wekend.

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Boyd Johnson

I think the rule is win=update

Well, I got my first win of the year after coming close a few times. It was State Championship crit down in Charleston, SC. Dead flat course with no real corners meant this race was always going to come down to a field sprint, although for a little while I thought the break I was in was going to go the distance. I was sitting at the back of the break because it was determined before the race that I was to just sit in and wait for the sprint. We also had Torsten in there and I was having him work, but the break itself wasn't working that great.

We get caught with just over a lap to go, but because I was sitting on I was still feeling fresh. Cue up Thad to do what Thad does best, sit on the front for the entire last lap (1 mile) and string out that pack like a runway model. Torsten took over with 400 meters to go (even though he had been working in the break for the past 7 laps), and he gave me a clear shot on the right side. It was really close, but the bike throw (as you can see) got me the win by about a quarter of a wheel.

Next big race is US Air Force Open, it's a big UCI race and I am feeling really good so hopefully I can pull out a big result there.

So, I have been telling everybody this story

In the criterium at Chattanooga this past weekend, I was just hanging out on the last lap. I wasn't going for a stage win or anything, just trying to stay close to the front and out of trouble. There was a crash with half a lap to go and I was right behind it. Grabbed a fistful of brakes and was coming to a stop on my front wheel. . .but not quick enough. I was not going to be able to stop before hitting the guy on the ground in front of me.

So, at the last second I unclip both my pedals, leap from my bike (still balancing on the front wheel), and jump over my handlebars, over the guy in front of me, and land on my feet running. I kept on my feet only putting one hand on the ground to keep my balance.

The bike got a little scratch on the seattube, but this was the luckiest "crash" I have ever escaped from. Now, if only somebody got it on video it'd make a great youtube video.

I love Atlanta

Only 25 minutes estimated time for us to drive the next 8 miles.

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Boyd Johnson

The cookie ride today

Was cold, rainy, and at times miserable. Descending in a downpour at 40 degrees was about 3500th on the list of things I wanted to do today. Climbing Caesars Head was nice though, mainly because it was warm.

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Cookie Rides

Assault on the Carolinas

I love cookie rides! I live right in the mountains, there are races all over the place, but promoters don't dare put on climbing races. The turnout is always low, it's hard to get all the categories organized, and getting all those roads closed is a nightmare.

So, hop on down to a cookie ride. . .a lot of the racers show up. They aren't afraid to go hard because if you get dropped, who cares. Plus. . .cookies!!

Who doesn't love a good cookie or dozen after a hard ride. Come on out.

Ignore this

I just want to see if I can post from the tilt.