HERE WE GO!

Right now, this is me:

(note: I would have posted a picture of the Space Shuttle waiting on its launchpad, but they've gone the way of the dodo -- this is the future of space flight! Go Space X!) 

What you're looking at is the Dragon Capsule and it's delivery rocket. They are designed and built by Space X, a private space company, and will be fulfilling a contract with NASA to deliver goods and crew members to the International Space Station this November. This is the future of space flight, and seeing as how I'm about to board a plane to Colorado to participate in the future of American bicycle racing, I thought it appropriate.

These last few days have been uneasy. All the hard work and preparation are done. My bikes are all waiting for me in Colorado. Even my time in the altitude tent has come to an end (I hear it's good to sleep at lower elevations for a night or two before the event to fully top-off on rest and recovery). I'm friggin' ANTSY! Let's get this sucker started! I'm as prepared as I'm going to get. I'm down to race weight. I'm tapered. I'm motivated.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!!

And, mother of all omens, while I was eating Thai food last night, I got this in my fortune cookie:

No obstacles will stand in your way this coming week.

I mean, what a great fortune! Sure, if you want to get into a semantic argument about it, 12,000' mountains can certainly be considered obstacles -- but the point is my fortune specifically pointed to next week! I don't think I've opened a fortune cookie in over a year. Regardless, I should eat Thai more often -- them noodles is tasty!