SpeedWeek!

Asheville is great! I just had a day to hang out and recover from a tough week of racing-- mentally and physically. After spending much of my day at Hearn's, my bike is taken apart and the 'ole ride is READY to ROCK!!!! Working tonight slingin' steaks, so I'll post more later... I just wanted to make the next post THAT much easier to write.... Until then here are a couple sweet photos of a couple GREAT teammates. Thanks for the week. Love you girls!

HOLLA!!

Here's to a new week!

~~

kr

North Carolina-- the new locale.

So here I am- In Asheville NC. It is pretty awesome- have already had many epic days of training through new roads in Appalachia. I live in a sweet house in West Asheville with a couple really cool roommates: Jonas and Tom. I'll introduce y'all to them in another update. I'm working at a restaurant in south Asheville-- making good friends and having a good time.

I figured it'd be good to get blogging again, as I really enjoy it and always see things that make me laugh, and others may appreciate too... maybe not, but whatever... I like it. And if you're reading, you like it to. Probably.

This past weekend, I went to Banner Elk to visit a good friend: Carla. We had a blast crusin' through the mountains on our bikes, eating candy and finding things on the side of the road.

Carla was admiring Grandfather Mtn... and then we tried to get some shots of us together... mostly they were unsuccessful...

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

Kate.

Bratwurst capital of the WORLD.

More races to come more to do.  We've relocated from the Sunny-Hill Farm in Columbus WI to Milwaukee, to SHEBOYGAN.  Everytime we say we're staying in Sheboygan, the people mention the bratwurst.  I have learned (this weekend)... if you are vegan you TOO can enjoy a bratwurst.  So, there you have it.  eat up and enjoy.  This is US in a really sawweeetttttt cafe in Sheboygan.  Almost as good as a "mobile upload."

Brief race recaps:... 

Manitowoc:  4 corner + fun.  some could have called it boring, but there were plenty of attacks and a bit of good team work from a few different teams.  I raced solo that day, so it was a bit different than normal!  I actually won a prime and thought I had another but Davina totally got me at the line.  I thought I was alone, and rolled the last 3-4 meters.  (bad mistake!)  :)  BUT that is when the field split.  We had quite a gap and worked as hard as we could to keep away- there ended up being about 7 girls together for the last 8 or so laps, trying to keep the field away.  The break was pretty exciting..... around the last corner, I was sitting 3rd wheel... getting ready to sprint to the line.  I felt good, but still need to work on some top end speed + my sprinting form.  I ended up 6th.  A successful day. and did I mention FUN?  Traveling w/ Jen Greenburg and Rebecca Finley of VanderKitten was definitely a blast!  :)  

REST DAY!!!

here goes:

--> wake in Milwaukee --> coffee on the patio--> sweet drum & bass techno w/ breakfast --> massage --> easy ride to the Milwaukee shore line --> yoga in a park on Lake Michigan --> lunch @ beans and barley --> nap--> dinner w/ Chris and Kim Hoppe --> Dinner w/ A.Crater & J.Greenburg--> more coffee shop!   REST DAY = AWESOME.  

Fond du Lac RR

HOT and kinda boring.  (well, it was still good!).  Toni Amanda and I raced today-- Toni got away in a break w/ 5 riders and soon grew to 7 riders.... Amanda and I were in in the field... Long story short, we were underrepresented in the break (we tried to bridge 3-4 times) and then we just tried to work together to finish the race.  Toni secured 6th (tried to attack before the finish).... and Amanda was 10th and I ended up 19th or so.  Our plan was for me to attack before the final corner up the hill through the feed zone and Amanda could climb her way to a good downhill sprint finish.  All in all, good job by all.  Good to be out on the bikes.  My tanlines on my legs are definitely more defined after today.

BIG SHOUT OUT to CHRIS & KIM HOPPE!  They're letting me use their car for a few days!  xoxo.

Kbr

Wisconsin Dairyland tour!

(no photos for this post, I'm lame)

We (Toni Amanda and I) made it to Rebecca's a few days ago and are camped out at her farm!  We've been having a blast racing and chillin-- enjoying the thunderstorms and mosquitos... and custom installs (the team van has a new critical feature).  Rebecca has a beautiful place and has been cooking up a gluten free storm (since she and Toni are GF, I am too for a few days...)!!   yum 

The Dairyland tour started on Thursday with a killer 44 mile road race in Blue Mounds.  (proposed 2016 olympic course).  Amanda got the WIN, Toni rested and I had a good training day-- lessons learned!  We started with the fastest neutral rollout ever-- (I don't even know when the race really started...).  My plan was to throw some attacks if I started to get antsy.  So I did, once only 5 miles in and again about 9 miles in-- and I had a decent gap until we turned the corner-- and we were at the bottom of a huge hill.  OUCH.  I need to be patient and know the course a bit better!  I ended up with a group of about 5 girls and we were working well-- then I ended up getting a bee in my jersey, which proceeded to sting me 3-4 times in the arm pit.  We were blasting down a descent so I couldn't really stop until I got to the bottom and the little bastard finally flew away.  It didn't take me too long to catch my little chase group that I rode with until the end.  Then there was the leg cramp.... it was hot, muggy and I probably didn't drink enough water.  blah blah blah.  At the top of the feed zone, someone told me that I was 'still in the money'... I couldn't really believe it.  BUT, I ended up 15th and was fairly pleased with my placing-- all things considered.     xoxo bluemounds.

The Waterloo crit was super fun- Toni got in an early break and ended up pulling off a 3rd place!  :)  Amanda, Becx and I were in the field following little attacks and keeping things cool.  The course was awesome- lots of people out and great support from SRAM!!!  Our super secret plan was for me to lead out Amanda.  We had good placement for the last 1/2 lap but were on the front for the climb and ended up getting swarmed and lost places-- there wasn't enough time to recover and move up in the field.  I was gassed from my last little effort of trying to move up.  We had an active race and had plenty of fun- 

Today.... GRAFTON CRIT!!  My fav.  Amanda is sitting out- so it'll just be Toni and I.

until LATER!

kbr.

Memorial Day bike races!

This weekend Toni, Amanda and I headed to the Quad Cities for a few days of some good racing- Amanda won Snake Alley on Saturday and placed well the next few days... check out some photos... 

Here we are after the quad cities crit- Amanda and Toni were in a break and I had the best day ever of blocking- it was truly a great experience- lots of fun.  I had a blast racing back in the midwest with lots of old (and new) friends!  :)  Unfortunately I couldn't get back in because of a little wreck- 'tis okay- :)  the girls did very well.  But-- big high five to Meredith Miller for winning the last 2 races of the "Iowa Memorial Day Bike Races."  

Here's a small group of us at Snake Alley- again, mucho fun, I finished in mid-field- okay for my first time ever doing it.  NEXT year should be even more fun!  It was great to see my cousins Gail + Paul and their kids Sarah and Evie.  THANKS for cheering!

After a fun dinner with the team, Toni and I blasted over a few hours in BLACK BETTY to Shelbyville Illinois.  My mom hosted us for a few days and we were treated to some excellent food, good tea, fun times, and even better- more laughs!!  (thanks, ma-- you make my heart smile).  As you can see, Shelbyville is really hilly and we struggled to find a good place for a recovery ride....  uh....

Amanda and I are in Tulsa right now- Trying to fall asleep.  We pick up our mechanic in the AM and Missy in the av0 (afternoon).  

More updates and COMPLETELY INSPIRATIONAL photos and quotes to follow.

High five to Renee and Amy for getting me to get back to this.

:)

K8

Silver City, New Mexico!

Gila!  Here's a the Gila National Forest- absolutely beautiful.  We all made it into town after some flights, long drives, sweet rental car, even hotter black van... all 9 of us!  Missy, Jessie, Kyle, Amanda, Toni, Hilary, Anne, Carla and I got in a bit late to our host housing because of adverse weather in Colorado.  I felt bad leaving all of my friends to more cold slush... but not really!!  :)  It'll be warm and sunny soon.

Amanda and I are sharing a room at our host house-- it is a pretty sweet house that lets us do what we need!  We're pre riding the TT course tomorrow and I imagine that we'll head into our favorite coffee shop in town and have a tasty coffee drink.

**notice our silky, smooth sheets.

Good night all!  

:)

Kate

Missing!!

Missing:  My gold headband!!!  :)  I know it's ridiculous, but it fits so nicely under my helmet!  I am sure it won't be gone for long- it's probably in a pile that is yet to be organized from my move!!

Maria wears hers when she ski races...  or when she goes out on the town!  

More later.

Kate.