Australia and my Mom's blog.

I haven't made the official announcement, but here it is: I'll be heading to Australia from Nov 27-Jan 27 to do some wicked training and racing down under! Check out the cycling news announcement for the "Jayco Bay Cycling Classic" aka Bay Crits... http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/jan08/bayseries08/

More updates to come.

Not only does my mom kick my ass in Guitar Hero and any thing she plays on her Wii... she has started her OWN blog. And it is effffing hilarious. And she is posting more often than I am. But what a surprise since I have only posted ONE time in October. Check it out if you have time: http://www.denterwhalen.blogspot.com/ She calls it 'cornland central'

Here is (in order) Dalton, ME, Dennis (my step-pa) and my Mom. :) Check out her blog.

~~

K

Kate Ross = Lamest blogger ever.

Okay... so... Here are the excuses:

1] I got a new camera... and I can't find my new cord.

2] My computer is using 79.6 of it's 80 gigs and it is running slower than molassas in the middle of January. So, I have been fixin' to go to the store and pick up an external hard drive so I can clean some house!!!

3] I can't be bothered to go to the store or to look for my cord... :)

Party! I have plenty of photos coming-- and a video for my mom if I can get it uploaded, etc.

In the meantime, here is a photo of me hard at work.

tutu-----

k

New additon to my collection...

So, I've been working quite a bit lately and sometimes the days get reallly long... but somehow we all manage to keep busy and help people get on their new bikes! One job that we have a U-Bikes is the greeter... we are often requested to "grab the door." Meaning, watch the door for anyone who comes in and greet them. I usually comment on any bike that is coming in the door, asking if they need service, etc. If the bike is cool, I always start out by saying "COOOOL Bike!" Today this happened. A guy came in pushing an OLD white bridgestone that was definitely "classic." It looked a bit beat up, but I appreciate the 'classic.' I asked him if he needed any service, to which he replied... "No, I just need to give this bike away!" I was SO excited because I have been in need of a commuter bike--- it is just never that great of an idea to commute on a carbon bike in a town where bikes are stolen so readily!

So my wish came true:

here it is.

1991 Bridgestone MB-0 (Zip) Handbuilt in Taiwan #1503


More info from www.firstflightbikes.com/1991_Bridgestone_MB0.htm...

Bridgestone carved out a nice niche by offering nicely built bikes that didn't follow the latest trends. They picked each part based on function not because it was part of a "gruppo". Bridgestone also resisted innovations such as suspension forks and push button shifters which endeared them to the Bridgestone Owners Bunch (BOB) which thrives today even though Bridgestone bikes haven't been sold in the USA for more than a decade. The Zip was the top of the line bike and used a very nice eclectic bunch of parts from many different countries (each represented by their national flag). This one is number 1498



HAPPY NEW (OLD) ((AND FREE)) BIKE DAY!!!

Birthday!!

A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY goes out to my Pa! He's on a road trip in his 5th-wheel camper for 2 weeks... chillin in da UP. (Upper Michigan...)....

Much to my surprise and delight, he has started a blog. Here is the first line of his first post:

"Vacation to the Upper Peninsula!
Ya so den ve deicded it vas time for da vacation and decided to go to da U.P. eh?"

It is called "Hayweird" after the town I grew up in... HAYWARD! (Also known as the greatest place on Earth. Cari would agree). Anyhow, check it out at: http://www.dan54843.blogspot.com/

As for me, I have been taking a bit of time off of my bike for rest, and also for healing! My annoying knee issue has disappeared and I'm feeling better from my crash last week! Lets just say it was a horrible ride to work that day! :) Aside from the bike, my time has been occupied by learning to relax and chill, and also getting a regular yoga routine. I've been doing some hiking-- including a summit attempt to Bear Peak early last week and a successful summit later in the week! Fun times! I'll be toting my camera more often!

I didn't take either of these photos... but we put our names in the canister at the summit. Sounds awesome, but there were numerous papers shoved in and most were unreadable. We could tell it was monitored regularily...

until then...


K


Photos taken from: www.coloscisoc.org/fieldtrips/ft1.html and http://wendyellenms50.blogspot.com/2007/07/different-sort-of-12-miles.html

Favre's Legacy...

My Dad sent this next photo to me in an e-mail... I thought I'd share with everyone...

If you're not from Wisconsin, or you don't follow the Green Bay Packers... this is what they are all devastated about:

I'd say that it is just weird.

~~
k

Boulder Roubaix.

Check out http://www.teamamericasdairyland.blogspot.com/ for my latest race report... and photos... Here's one to keep you interested!

MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2008

Boulder Roubaix 2008.

After Raining for 3 days straight (which is NOT normal!),

the rain hung around for one MORE day just in time for the Boulder Roubaix. I was planning on doing this race, but since it was raining, the thought about bagging it was looming about.... SO here is the short story...

I was working at the bike shop on Friday and this junior racer kid came in looking for leg warmers-- we joked about how much fun the race was going to be...

... the next morning I awoke to MORE RAIN. Sill raining... I was positive that the course was going to be miserable, so I decided before I totally bagged I would drive out to check out the condition of the gravel. I drove out to be slightly pleased, it was still hard packed- just really wet. Still not convinced I wanted to race, I drove up to the parking area to talk to some people... and guess what I saw. THAT SAME JUNIOR KID warming up underneath the back hatch of his parents' wagon. NOW there was no way that I could skip it.

The race was to be 5 laps, but was shortened to 4 because our lap times were taking so long. Only a few parts of the course turned out to be really mushy, otherwise for the most part, there was just a whole lot of mud spray happening, which made it interesting to draft. It stayed together for the first lap and then Mara Abbott rode away from the field. For real. I jumped on her wheel, but she kept motoring! She is super strong!

The race for me personally-- didn't go all that well- I am beginning to feel some knee pain after the 1st lap and I was hesitant to go really hard. ANYWaYS. It was really fun to be out with all those who showed up! Hopefully next year it won't be so messy! BUT, then again, isn't that what the Roubaix is all about??? :)

I was still able to smile after--- and if you're wondering, I and STILL cleaning all of my stuff! :)

Kate

Dad's Wood Pile...

Last week, I was able to head up to Hayward with Gabe to visit the Hayward Fam! We had an excellent time-- got in some rides, a mini-reunion/bbq, and even went to see the BIG FISH! Any how, here is some photo documentation of the past few weeks! Sit tight...

My dad acquired a whole lot of wood throughout this summer... I have seen domestic woodpiles before, but never this size. You can't see it, but you should know that he has already been chopping wood... 3 nights a week-- gettin' buff. His grand plan is to stay away from natural gas- Pretty cool I reckon.

I am only sharing two photos- I have more, but I think I'm going to bed instead-- race tomorrow- Boulder Roubaix-- hopefully it isn't too much of a sloppy mud fest!

tutu

k