Back on the bike

After two weeks of not being able to ride (stupid appendicitis) I was given the all clear by the Doctor to do whatever I want (Unless I started to feel a slight twinge then I need to back off). So after my 8 am appointment I rushed home and jumped on the bike. I road out to Fremont and back. With no real wind I felt great for the first 30 miles (cruised at around 21), then I bonked. I struggled back into the wind for the last 5 miles (at around 18-19).
As I started my ride I felt as if I could still do the Tour of Park City on Saturday, but by the end of the ride I'm having second thoughts on that idea, and the fact that the ride had no hills only solidifies that thought.
Oh, I asked the doctor if I should worry about all the extra fat in my gut that he saw while taking out my appendicitis (he was surprised to see the extra fat pockets on a guy as skinny as me) and he said, "No, just make sure you don't stop exercising". So I have no option but to be GCconnection for life. My new line is Ride or get Fat!!

PS the new kits look and ride great!!!

Random photo's

Sweet new get up! Lookin' good - ah.

Doug coming out a while ago and we got in a ride along the river.



Nice little farmer tane I am getting.

I have a bunch of random phots I have been meaning to upload. I am pretty bummed the tour is over. It has been exciting to follow. It seems like the media was trying hard to stir up a lot of drama. I don't think Alberto was a very good teammate. He seemed to be in it for himself. The green jersey was a plus to watch.

Highlights: Lance holding off the attacks on the final climb stage 20.

Lows: Alberto taking off and leaving Lance and Andres.

Highlights: Fabian climbing up the mountain to pull the Schlecks up. He can move for a big guy.

Lows: Not getting to watch all the stages.

Highlights: Seeing Andy Schleck do so well.

Lows: Jens Voigt taking a nasty spill, as well as Levi.

Highlights: No drug busts (yet).

Lows: How could there not when Alberto kicks Fabian's tail in the TT. No way!

Little Hike

Me looking down Little Cottonwood to SLC.

Daren as we started up.

Red something lake, but it's green.

We free hiked up this to the ridge line.

Only one way to go, UP.

This is what we had to cross and climb.

Looking down what we were going up.

Daren on the slight incline up.

Catch some air off the top.

This is what we hiked down.

Daren and I decided to park the bikes and head off on a little hike. Daren wanted to check out some ski potentials for his back country future. We went up Little Cottonwood canyon almost to Snowbird and up the mountain we started. It was beautiful and a pretty good hike. We just kept going up and decided to get up on top of the ridge line. There was no trail so we made our way up to the top and then saw the Phifferhorn peak. I had never heard of it and you can't see it from the valley but it is 11,400, the highest in the SLC valley and just under Mt. Timp. We started across the ridge and it is this massive boulder ridge. We made our way across and fortunately we saw some other people on the top, or I'm not sure we would have thought you could go up to the peak. We made our way up and it was amazing. The trip down was exciting and we went into a different drainage and it was abit dicey, to say the least. Then we have to traverse a mile in a giant boulder field and finally to a trail and down we go. By this time our thighs feel like wet noodles and it was not the best feeling hiking down. Daren had his GPS and I think it was 3900 ft elevation gain in 5 miles up. It took up 3 hours to get up and 3hours and 10 minutes to get down. Our adventures was get and some great brother bonding. I can't walk now and the 60 miles of hard riding and climbing the next day hasn't helped. My thighs feel worse than after a marathon. Ride and hike safely. Doug

108 and 5

I finally got in a long ride last Saturday. I went on a group ride and road 108 miles. I road with a bunch of cat 1/2 riders and they worked me over. We started with around 30, but dropped down to around 8 that finished. I felt pretty good the whole ride. Never really getting dropped. I went with the lead groups on the climbs. I bonked pretty good the last 45 minutes though. We were going into a big head wind and they were pulling 27 mph. Four of us dropped off and still managed to keep 22 pace. I was definitely in the pain cave. I stumbled in the rest of the way home.

Tonight we had our weekly crit. Pretty much the same story. I tried to get a break away all night and kept the tempo really high. I was 2 coming into the final turn and got passed with 10 yards to go by a small group of guys. No bueno! But I love racing and some day I am going to get that crit win.

The tour has been fun to watch. People say it has been boring, but I am enjoying it. My 3/4 of the way done predictions. I am going out on a limb and saying it is going to be an Astana sweep 1 - 2 - 3. Contador, Armstrong, Kloden. Thor will win the green and Liquigas mullet man will win the polka dots. Andy will keep the white. All and all it has been a good tour. Lance has made the u.s. actually somewhat pay attention. Biggest losers of the tour - Levi (obviously) and George. I am surprised no doping scandals, yet...

Not suprised that Lance is announcing a new sponsor Thursday. About time.

Love the break aways!

I didn't get to race last week because of a really bad cold. But I did get to ride with a group of cat 1/2ers. I actually felt really well, even pulled through a few times. Unfortunately, I about puked going up the small final hill. But I did hold on. It was a very fast ride, definitely helped for the crits.

This week I was able to start the first break-off of the year. There are two guys that can really sprint, and I know I can't beat them in the final sprint. At the 14 lap prime I stayed close to those sprinters and attacked when they sat up to rest. I got six people to go with me, including my buddy Jeremy. We pounded it and got a pretty good gap. We dropped two guys and kept pushing it. With 2 laps everyone started doing the "you pull" "no, you pull" thing. Jeremy took off and pulled a lap. I was right behind him and was hoping he had just a little more, but he ran out of juice. I decided to go for it and see if I could hold it out. I got caught in the last 20 meters and got passed, finishing 4th. It was a fun breakaway! I love the breakaways.

The Real Tour Winners

The connection has been all over the country! Welcome home Sutt's. I'm still in beautiful Oregon and we have been having a great time. We are in Depoe Bay with our daughter Alissa now having left Brady's a couple of days ago. We had a great time at Brady's and even did alittle racing. I was nervous about the crash crits, but was able to keep in upright and finished in the group of very fast riders. One guy turned into me at 31 MPH and hit my front wheel 4 times as I tried to brake and not crash. I was able to keep it up and then kill myself to get back to the group. As seems to always happen the last corner a guy a little in front of me was peddling through the corner and hit the ground and went down and took out 6 or 7 guys. I was able to go inside and finish up right. I felt great and was excited to race with my son and watch him at the front working it hard. I feel so lucking to be in a riding family. We went to the USA track and field championships while at Brady's in Eugene. It is so cool to see world class athletics. Ogden's own Lindsey Anderson ended up 4th in the steeplechase and was so disappointed not to make the world championship team. The 10.000 mens race was amazing. We had some great Ogden presence in the race with Seth Pilkington at the front the whole race finishing in 11 place just behind BYU grad Josh Rotentinsky and Luke Pudeshki from Ogden who is at Uof Oregon also in the mix. Galen Rupp stole the show with an impressive win for the home fans.

Here are my tour predictions. I am even going one step better. I'm posting the all time drug assisted winners list.
2009 predictions All time drug assisted winners list
Over all Winner Over all Winner
1. Denis Menchov 1. Floyd Landis
2. Cadel Evans 2. Alexande Vinokourov
3. Lance Armstrong 3. Alejandro Valverde

Green Jersey Green Jersey
Mark Cavendish (Come on who else) Alessandro Petacchi (Boonen's back in)

Climbing Jersey Climbing Jersey
Andy Schleck Michael Rasmussen

TTT TTT
Columbia Highroad Festina

Special Prediction: In the team time trial if Lance is right in front of Alberto he will wait for the wheel cross over moment and take Alberto out. If that doesn't work, Chris Horner will be in the tunnel on the first big climb up to Andorre Arcalis and throw a log in front of Alberto. I want Chris in the race. This team can not survive, give it back to Vino and lets get a new Team started.
Greatest injustice: Chris Horner being left off Astana's team!
Ride safe and see you soon. Doug

I'm Home

If you haven't heard I have been on the road for the last 2 week (see my family blog for more info), but now I'm home. I was planning on riding the crit tonight, but it started to rain (hard). So I decided to blog instead. On our epic road trip I did get a few rides in (nothing to regular), but one of the rides at Katy's (up over blue mountain a 6 mile climb) reminded me that Park City is in a month (Ouch). Then we tried to ride at Mindi's house, but after 10 miles we turned around and headed back because of the heat (at 9 am my water bottles were to hot to drink), I don't know how Loren rides. Too hot for me. Now I'm home, but next week I'm headed to the Specialized event (not sure what I'll be doing), but I hope to get a few rides in. In other news I want Levi to ride strong, but I'm really not sure I want Contador to win. I'm unhappy that Honner isn't riding and I think the only reason is Contador didn't want him because he wasn't one of his boys. I think there is a real split between the team. I guess we will see next week.