School is back in!

School buses are rolling again along the CT shoreline villages. A new dimension to my bike commute.
Good weather is back this week, the lake water temp is warming back up and the big weekend is coming up.

Reading about the two or is it three American based pro teams in the Tour of Ireland that was just completed this past weekend. Flashing back to being on the first American Team to ever race a stage race in Europe and it was the Tour of Ireland 1973.

Phil Liggett was the commissaire he had never seen an American Team, but he was polite enough when he came over to our hotel to have breakfast with us.

Now I am really flashing..no time to finish this...I have to get packedup and ride to work..back to reality...but I do have the race on DVD along with great slide show intro and the Raleigh Boys reunion held in 2000.
Stay tuned.....

Summer is Back

Last Sunday August 19th, I was putting linament on my legs at 6am for the 7am ride. Arm warmers were put on for the first hour. I commuted home from work in cold rain reminding me of April.
This Sunday August 26th, was hot and muggy and I was considering taking a third waterbottle in my back pocket. The average age of my group ride of choice on this ride had to be right around 50. When 4 of us spun off at the 22 mile mark to get a 70 miler in the average age jumped to 58. Three of the 4 were part of my team Exodus attempting to find some form before we tackle the MS 150 in 3 weeks.

5 Weeks to go for our Mohegan Sun Cycling Weekend!!!!!

Saturday, Oct 6th is the 3 Village Tour Road Race on a beautiful 10 mile circuit in Sprague.
Sunday, Oct 7th is the Rose Pedal Criterium on a 1km circuit in downtown Norwich.

More details will be up on my website this week and are up on Bike.Reg right now.

Making The Rose Pedal Criterium Course Safe

Today, our race committe walked our 1km crit course in downtown Norwich with chief race official Rick Comshaw to mark down all the hay bail locations, along with plywood grate covers and saw horses and fencing. Our set up crew has their work cut out for them but it will be a fast and exciting and safe circuit on Sunday October 7th.

www.cyclingnews.com presents the U.S. National Criterium Championships

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2007/aug07/USPROcrit07/index.php?id=/photos/2007/aug07/USPROcrit07/USPROcrit074/JD_07DGelite005

Mohegan Sun to become Title Sponsor of Bike Race

Mohegan Sun Casino has stepped up to become the Title Sponsor of the
Eastern Connecticut Cyclone Race Weekend made up of two races to be held this Columbus Day weekend, October 6th and 7th in the Norwich area.

Saturday, October 6th will be the Three Village Tour Road Race in Sprague, CT
Sunday, October 7th will be the Rose Pedal Criterium in downtown Norwich, CT
See http://www.bikereg.com/ for registration and http://www.bikeguy.com/ for upcoming details.

Halls Communications with Classic 98.7 WNLC is the Official Media Co-Sponsor along with The Norwich Bulletin.

This promises to be a big weekend of racing with the Jamestown, RI road race taking place on Monday, Columbus Day.

More details coming soon.

Bike Guy Starts his Day!

At 6am the sun reflects off the lake and really lights up our front porch and the knotty pine in the kitchen.

It has been a cool night and the lake is dead calm. Put on the coffee walk down the dirt driveway to get the paper and then do my swim across the cove.

Looking back at the cottage from this vantage point is a precious moment as a couple of ducks float across infront of me.

Once back at the dock, I take down the rowing scull and do a short row at this end without getting in the crew, (bloodstreetsculls) teams way.

Checking the battery on the Whaler, it is fully charged but still won't start. I take the cover off the 1970 Evenrude 85hp and try to start it manually the old fashioned way, but no go. I jiggle a few wires and tape on the starter then put the cover back on and she starts right up. Ready again for tubing after work.

Pack up my lunch into my trusty messanger bag and start my 10 mile ride to work. For some reason my legs feel good for the second day in a row as I deliver a book return to the library in Old Lyme and then head over the bridge to Essex. The river is coming alive with some cruising yachts as I head north along the river to work.

What away to start your day!

Tailwinds Disbands Discovery/Fall Out?

So who will be the first to sign with another Team?
http://www.bikeguy.biz
(The Bike Guy will be looking into the real word on the street.)

It has probably already happened.
It has been quite a run for the 7/11, Motorola, Postal, Discovery, Teams and it looks like the timing is right for them to step down.
Where will they all end up?
Can Hincapie adapt to another team after ? 10 years?

What is the real inside scoop on this whole ordeal?
How many will end up with Slip Stream?
Did Vaughter's already blow his budget?
Can he step up and field a big enough team to ride the 3 Grand Tours in 2008?
Will Contador ever be totally off the hook or will it turn out to be another Basso fiasco?
You can check all the webpages and diaries you want but .....