It Begins...

It feels like I just stopped.  It has been since September 9th that I haven't ridden my bike seriously.  I have of course done a few rides, mostly to coffee shops and check out the fall leaves, and to ward off boredom.  I am tired right now.  I haven't even ridden!  Why, you ask?  Why in the world would I be tired in November?  We just finished the first team camp of the '08 season.  10 days, the Boulderado, Pearl Street, JV, 54 other people now employed by Slipstream/Chipotle, A Paris-Roubaix winner, a Tour de France stage-winner, NZ nat'l champ, U23 European nat'l champ, a host of other seasoned, tough, Pro-Tour riders, The Kitchen, St. Julien, Wine-tasting, rock climbing, The Foundry, Pearl St. Pub, 3 actual bike rides, meetings with Zipp, Fizik, Felt, DiSC, Pearl Izumi custom clothing, H3O, late, late nights of team bondage, lots of laughs, interviews, meet and greets, lots of hopes, and dreams being realized, etc. etc. etc.  I could go on for days about the things I have learned, seen, and experienced.  Finally, the team launch at the Boulder Theater Wednesday night....

The team got to hang out in the Green Room, it was a place that many a famous band has prepared themselves before their ledgendary sets of inspirational music soaked up by the Boulder public.  You could smell the debauchery, the alcohol and the green M&M's.  When I finally got upstairs before we were due to be introduced, I heard the last words of JV and his vision of cycling.  How he dreamed of having a team that wasn't influenced by winning through desperation.  A team that held the delicate future of the sport in it's hands.  It was sobering, spine-tingling, and intoxicating all at the same time.  It was hard for me to believe that I was really a part of it.  We got a standing ovation from the enthusiastic crowd of 600 people.  It was then that I understood how many people wanted to see cycling head in a new direction.  THe first thing I told myself, standing there with my boys, was that I absolutely could NOT forget this when I am desperately trying to hold a wheel in some insanely hard European race.  This, I realized was more than enough inspiration to get through those races.  Here was what I needed most: Loud, unadulterated support, and confirmation that we were riding for something real, something that people actually believed in....whew...sorry, getting in over my head.  It was awesome. 

Now, we have done more than enough carbonated, carbohydrate-loading to focus easily on training for the next few months.  Goals are clearer than ever.  The team as a whole is perfectly suited to the task.  We all hope to have the same effect on the sport this year: Wins accompanied by clean tests, clear consciences, and plenty of excitement.  Thanks for reading, I hope I see you out there.