My Crash Landing in the Seattle Area.

It wasn't easy; after packing my trusty old truck to the brim, I pointed my bumper (I only have one) West, and drove until I hit the Emerald City. I divided my trip half, spending the night in Walla Walla, where I was reminded of what it's like to be a second-semester college senior by drinking waaaay too much keg beer on a Thursday night before falling asleep on the floor. The second half of the drive was harrowing: a freak late-March blizzard slammed into western Washington. I drove through snow and slush for nearly three hours, barely made it over Snoqualmie pass before the road closed, and arrived in Seattle as it was being pelted with sleet.

My decision to move to Seattle was prompted by several factors:

1. My lease was up, and I had no desire to continue paying rent on a house I wasn't going to see more than a week per month tops.
2. My cooking, cleaning, and carpentry skills have arrived at a level of proficiency capable of offsetting my intrusion to a friend's living space. If the guy sleeping on your couch will cook and clean and fix stuff, he's usually welcome to stay much longer than a guy who just sleeps on your couch.
3. My team manager Alan Schmitz, a good friend and fellow Whitman College alumni, mandated that all members of the elite team live in or near the Seattle area during the season. I wonder if he would have still set that condition if he knew I would one day arrive at his house, my truck overflowing with junk, and ask for a patch of floor to sleep on. Sorry Alan, now where I sleep is just as much your problem as it is mine...

In all honesty, Alan and his housemates have been wonderful. At a time when I could be feeling rather disconnected, unstable or uncomfortable, Alan has done his best to make my transition easy and make me feel welcome. I have been cooking up a storm in return.

Au Revoir Sustainabuilt

Yesterday I had my last day of "work" over at Sustainabuilt. I use quotations because I didn't do any carpentry, I mainly showed up to say my goodbyes and to file the lawyer tabs off my new fork with a metal file. Brad and I arrived at the shop at the same time -- I was on my way to running more pre-departure errands, while Brad returned with a (hopefully) fixed piece of the table saw that wasn't cutting straight. We ogled my new bike, joked about my upcoming life as a bicycle nomad, thanked each other for the help, shook hands, and said goodbye.

Working for Sustainabuilt over the last few months has been truly wonderful. I was able to earn enough money to stay afloat (despite training full time), learn a new skill, and make a friend -- all doing something I feel good about. Green building is here to stay folks, and being part of that revolution in building practices was satisfying and rewarding. My deepest thanks to Brad for the work, the flexibility with my hours, and the willingness to hire me. And thanks for the countless cups of coffee, without which, I would have gotten drowsy and chopped my fingers for sure. I wish you and your company the best of luck.

Sitting on the Launchpad....

In a mere three days, I shall cut my tethers to a normal life and embark on an odyssey of unknown outcome. My life as a full-time amateur bicycle racer is upon me, thank goodness. This Thursday I will be packing nearly everything I own into my truck, and (loosely) relocating to the Seattle area. As I speak, I am in the process of streamlining my life so that I might be light and agile -- selling or donating unnecessary belongings, phasing myself out of my job, consolidating and organizing the supplies I require, and perhaps most importantly: mentally preparing for a nomadic lifestyle. Like an astronaut awaiting ignition who second guesses the wisdom of strapping oneself to a giant rocket, I'll have my moments of doubt. That's natural; I'm having them now -- I'm not sure where exactly I will sleep Thursday night -- but my course has been set. Even if I wanted to, I've prepared far too well, and sacrificed far too much to turn back now. I can hardly sleep for the excitement.

For the first time in my life, I will not have a bedroom designated as my own, anywhere. For at least the next five months, I will be a guest no matter where I am. I will have to be patient, flexible, accommodating and gracious wherever I go -- and even then, I don't fool myself into thinking I'll always have a place to sleep, or a hot meal to eat. I will have to be self reliant. There are those who might consider my flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach foolish or reckless. I would agree with those people. Yes, I am recklessly chasing the sport of professional cycling. Yes, I am foolishly plowing headlong into an uncertain situation. I don't have much to say in my defence; I'm doing what I love, and hopefully in the end the benefits will outweigh the costs. They certainly have so far.

Obviously my plan hinges upon receiving a colossal amount of hospitality from both family and friends, and loose acquaintances and total strangers alike. My deepest thanks in advance to those who will support me, through whatever means -- from my primary sponsors, to those who do nothing more than read my blog. If, by sharing a tiny taste of my life, I can be the slightest bit interesting, amusing, or exciting -- hell, I'll even settle for distracting -- if I can be the slightest bit distracting I will have succeeded. For ultimately, cyclists are just performers. In the words of Johnathan Vaughters, the Confucius of cycling when it comes to quality quotations:

"Athletes are humans - entertainers - and very fragile humans at that. Think of them as shivering greyhounds on a cold day. All they want is to go fast so they can see the smile on your face."

Let the party begin in T-minus 3 days and counting.

And The Pendulum Swings Back...

No less than 24 hours after I posted that whining blog entry about how everything in my life went to shit at once, the cosmos dramatically realigned, restoring justice and order to my personal universe. This reversal of fortune began in the morning when clear sunny skies greeted me instead of rain. My boss over at Sustainabuilt never called me in to work, allowing me the extra time I needed to finish building my bike. I was a few vital accessories away from finalizing my beautiful new steed, and decided to take a trip to the local bike shop to purchase the remaining items. Before leaving, I checked my bank account online and was greeted with -- WTF??? MORE MONEY THAN I HAD THE LAST TIME I CHECKED??? Apparently, Uncle Sam was kind enough to deposit my income tax return directly into my bank account. I was flabbergasted. I rode off to the bike shop confident that my debit card would not get denied.

For the record, my new bike feels amazing.

After my ride, I returned to the problem of my computer. The day before, I posted on the Barter section of the Boise Craigslist: MAC HELP NEEDED (will trade bicycle repair or carpentry). After a kind soul took interest in my offer, I was able to not only get my computer running again (sort of, not really), but more importantly, determine that for the next 55 days I am still covered by the previous owner's comprehensive AppleCare protection plan. Provided I get my computer to the doctor within the next 6 weeks, they should be taking good care of me.

As for my truck, I did need to pay for the repair, but I was relieved to find that the total bill was at the low end of the mechanic's estimate. He told me it would be between $250 and $300, and it ended up being $264. Not bad. The clunk I used to feel in my drivetrain has been replaced with silky smooth power transfer. Hopefully, my truck is now ready for another summer of getting me to and from the races.

This sudden swing in my luck so soon after my blog post has lead me to draw the following conclusion: the gods of karma and fortune are reading my blog. You're in good company dear readers -- good company indeed.

Equal Opportunity Blog....

Now ANYONE can comment on my blog. See for yourself. You can even choose to remain anonymous if you wish. Comment away, dear readers -- your words shall not fall on blind eyes.

p.s. Sorry about that rant on the previous post. I've had a milkshake since then, and everything right with the world.

Why's It Gotta POUR When It Rains???

What the fuck is going on??

My car is in the shop, my computer completely died [typing this on Gus's computer], I came down with a cold, and the weather turned shitty all in the same week. I had a one of the most miserable racing experiences of my life last weekend, after my core temperature dropped dramatically while standing in 22 degree weather (with windchill) for forty fucking minutes [see above picture] while the (very poorly organized) race promoters checked people in at a one-at-a-time snail's pace; our start time was delayed by nearly two hours, I was grumpy all day, and despite spending an hour drinking hot tea inside, couldn't get warm again. Naturally I had a bad race -- and it wasn't because I didn't have aero wheels. I still haven't ridden my new bike [shitty weather, missing parts], I still haven't started to move out (even though I'm planning on uprooting in a week), and I still haven't sold enough of my stuff on craigslist to afford to fix my car or my computer or to buy the remaining bike parts I need. WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON???

The only thing keeping me going these days are the milkshakes. No matter how bad I feel, sucking down a 22 oz. Banana Oreo milkshake seems to make all my troubles disappear. Thank god for milkshakes huh?

Stranger Things Have Happened....

Apparently I'm so good at racing, I can place in the top ten at a race I didn't even attend! I don't think even Lance could claim that distinction...