Dollar Tree is off the chain. U can pretty much get anything for a dollar.
This is the haunted downstairs of our place. The boys r shit scared of the ghost that lives down there.
Our place
The Kitchen
Main Street
My Room
Friday 24 June 2011
Thursday 23 June 2011
T.A The Trackie...And More
Well what can I say, been in Kutztown, PA, USA for just over a week now. I've raced track twice and did one crit in NYC.
When I arrived in Kutztown I was pretty sure I was immune 2 jetlag I commad on my bed for a few hours. My flat isn't the flashed of places but thanks to Canny and the boys who painted it a beautiful shade of green last year. The boys downstairs get the AC but i just roll the fan most nights cos the temperatures usually in the high 20's as well as the humidity. Pretty sure the flat is haunted downstairs so no1 ventures downstairs at night. I'm staying with a bunch of trackies. One canadain, 2 americans plus 2 trinidad guys who turned up last night. They all seem 2 b good sorts which is sweet.
Up theroad is the Mente's place where my teammate dougie's staying. They are awesome people who say i can swim or just hang out here whenever. So I've been mincing round there a fair bit.
Friday night was my first track race. I went into it shit scared! But it was alright, didn't get any results but I thought it was mint. The class of riders is off the chain! Some big names in American cycling are racing the series which goes until late August. The guys that run the track just flicked me a few bits and pieces and eventually I put it all together to make a track bike. Had another crack at track on Tuesday but was feeling poked after the mornings ride so it wasn't pretty.
As for the road I'm starting to get my bearings but the network of roads is insane. So many quiet roads in every direction! I've got lost a few times but that's all good, just means extra k's trying to find my way home. Raced the Harlem Skyscraper Classic on Sunday which involved 2 crits which were pretty unique. One a points race and one an elimination race. In the points race i was feeling ok but not strong enough to get away. Dougie finished 4th. In the elimination race I got caught out and eliminated pretty early on but Dougie took an impressive solo win and a good sized cheque which paid for dinner in the city which was a nice way to lax out at the end of the week.
So it's all happening here. Track twice a week, road races on weekends, as well as a bunch ride and club crit during the week.
Cheers
Thomas the Tank (My USA name) which reminds me, I hear hodge's new nick name is Spaghetti...mean.
Splashed out and bought a camera the other day so will hopefully get some photos of track and the township soon.
When I arrived in Kutztown I was pretty sure I was immune 2 jetlag I commad on my bed for a few hours. My flat isn't the flashed of places but thanks to Canny and the boys who painted it a beautiful shade of green last year. The boys downstairs get the AC but i just roll the fan most nights cos the temperatures usually in the high 20's as well as the humidity. Pretty sure the flat is haunted downstairs so no1 ventures downstairs at night. I'm staying with a bunch of trackies. One canadain, 2 americans plus 2 trinidad guys who turned up last night. They all seem 2 b good sorts which is sweet.
Up theroad is the Mente's place where my teammate dougie's staying. They are awesome people who say i can swim or just hang out here whenever. So I've been mincing round there a fair bit.
Friday night was my first track race. I went into it shit scared! But it was alright, didn't get any results but I thought it was mint. The class of riders is off the chain! Some big names in American cycling are racing the series which goes until late August. The guys that run the track just flicked me a few bits and pieces and eventually I put it all together to make a track bike. Had another crack at track on Tuesday but was feeling poked after the mornings ride so it wasn't pretty.
As for the road I'm starting to get my bearings but the network of roads is insane. So many quiet roads in every direction! I've got lost a few times but that's all good, just means extra k's trying to find my way home. Raced the Harlem Skyscraper Classic on Sunday which involved 2 crits which were pretty unique. One a points race and one an elimination race. In the points race i was feeling ok but not strong enough to get away. Dougie finished 4th. In the elimination race I got caught out and eliminated pretty early on but Dougie took an impressive solo win and a good sized cheque which paid for dinner in the city which was a nice way to lax out at the end of the week.
So it's all happening here. Track twice a week, road races on weekends, as well as a bunch ride and club crit during the week.
Cheers
Thomas the Tank (My USA name) which reminds me, I hear hodge's new nick name is Spaghetti...mean.
Splashed out and bought a camera the other day so will hopefully get some photos of track and the township soon.
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Lady Luck Fails to Attend Taranaki Tour 2011
So I hit up Taranaki Tour over Queens Birthday weekend in the hope of pulling off a good result to prove to myself that I'm ready for the States. But in the end I was the 2nd to last finisher about one hour and five mins off the pace.
Have to say it was a pretty gnarly tour. Stage one included 100kmph gusts which took a few riders out. Unfortunately I was dropped in the first 10km so spent the rest of the stage sitting on the back of B grade. There was no way I was gonna have a DNF by my name on day one. I lost about 35mins and don't really know what happened. I thought it might have just been from the food poisoning I had the day before but I didn't get much better throughout the tour. That afternoon we were supposed to have a TT but it got a bit dodgey with the wind so they decided to scrap it.
Stage 2 I had nothing to loose so just kept attacking early on. I was in a chase group when I punctured, had to sit up and wait for the wheel wagon following the bunch. They were motorpacing me back on when I punctured a second time. I got a wheel change and then decided to sit up and save myself for the next stage.
So that afternoon I rode away again but felt like a rats ass the whole time. Once I was caught I stayed in the bunch for a few k's before dropping off again. Determined not to get a DNF I just kept rolling along. These stages were pretty slippery becuase of all the rain and by the end of the day there were a few people paying the ambulances a visit.
On the final stage I was feeling shit again but thought fuck it and just attacked anyway and got into the break. We got out to about 2 mins but about a lap later they dropped me and the bunch picked me up. I didn't last in the bunch either so I managed to get a 100% success rate at finishing out the ass on every stage...mint.
So there you have it. I got smoked. I know I had the power in the legs but just couldn't transfer it to the road.
Hopefully I have some better yarns to tell when I get to the States next week.
Cheers
Have to say it was a pretty gnarly tour. Stage one included 100kmph gusts which took a few riders out. Unfortunately I was dropped in the first 10km so spent the rest of the stage sitting on the back of B grade. There was no way I was gonna have a DNF by my name on day one. I lost about 35mins and don't really know what happened. I thought it might have just been from the food poisoning I had the day before but I didn't get much better throughout the tour. That afternoon we were supposed to have a TT but it got a bit dodgey with the wind so they decided to scrap it.
Stage 2 I had nothing to loose so just kept attacking early on. I was in a chase group when I punctured, had to sit up and wait for the wheel wagon following the bunch. They were motorpacing me back on when I punctured a second time. I got a wheel change and then decided to sit up and save myself for the next stage.
So that afternoon I rode away again but felt like a rats ass the whole time. Once I was caught I stayed in the bunch for a few k's before dropping off again. Determined not to get a DNF I just kept rolling along. These stages were pretty slippery becuase of all the rain and by the end of the day there were a few people paying the ambulances a visit.
On the final stage I was feeling shit again but thought fuck it and just attacked anyway and got into the break. We got out to about 2 mins but about a lap later they dropped me and the bunch picked me up. I didn't last in the bunch either so I managed to get a 100% success rate at finishing out the ass on every stage...mint.
So there you have it. I got smoked. I know I had the power in the legs but just couldn't transfer it to the road.
Hopefully I have some better yarns to tell when I get to the States next week.
Cheers
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