Comfort

So I got to play race promoter last weekend.
Being in charge of UTs mountain bike department means I have to organize our race in the fall too, so a couple months ago I emailed Jimmy at Flat Rock Ranch and was all like,
"Say foo'! UT be needin' a place ta throw down wit' some o' dat biiiike racin', ya dig?"
And he was like,
"yeah thats cool."

So, I filled out some paperwork with USAC and headed down a day early to drive around in the little four wheeler thing with Jimmy and put up some signs and ribbon and stuff. Then, being as collegiate racing is so cool, I got to go race too!

Saturday we had a time trial and short track.
The time trial went quite good, Chad beat me, but I got second in front of Rick Wetherald, who I wouldn't describe as slow.
The short track was another story though... Don't know why, but after the first 10 minutes or so, I just did not feel good. I had been with Chad and Rick up to that point, but they quickly shelled me, and next thing I know mini-Chad is passing me too... I tried to hold on to him, but that didn't last too long either. Luckily no one else caught me and I pulled off 4th (hey! 4th! Just like the good old days!).

There was a little more driving around and putting up ribbon that evening, and after dinner with the team and sleep, it was Sunday, and time for the cross country.
Somehow, almost none of us A racers managed to warm up at all, so we took off at a nice 'easy' pace, and didn't really pick the pace up for the first 15 minutes of the race or so. But as soon as we hit the first technical sections, some of the Aggies bobbled and me and Rick were able to get around and open a bit of a gap. I bobbled next, and Rick got away from me too. About half way through the race, in a really fast open section, Chad caught back up to me, and I held on for a while, but he eventually got away too...
Even with 3rd, I was happy with the results. Rick beat me by about 4 minutes, and Chad by a little over 1. I also got 3rd overall, which means I got one of the awesome prizes I picked - SCRATCH OFF TICKETS! Of course I didn't win anything though...

'The New Year' Death Cab For Cutie
'Feed The Animals' Girl Talk

Football

Went to the Tech game yesterday. Despite a slow first half and a never ending string of random penalties (sideline violation? what?) to start the 4th quarter, the game was really good. AND WE GOT OUR REVENGE FOR LAST YEAR WOO! Afterward me and Joseph hosted a celebration gathering for a few people, and some friends from Tech that I haven't seen in a while stopped by for a bit. It was pretty cool.
Fast forward to this afternoon and I woke up in just enough time to squeeze in a 45 minute easy ride before heading to studio to work on our groups project for Marfa. We're starting to get some pretty cool stuff done. T-3 weeks till we're going out to build it! (I'm kinda excited)

'Roses for the Dead' Funeral for a Friend
'Orion' Metallica

(not bike racing)

Lately, I've started questioning what I want to do with architecture. I know I want to keep going with it, that isn't a question, but beyond that, I'm still not sure.
This morning though, I read a quote that is helping me make sense of where I think I want to head:

"Architecture isn't important, the world is important, and we have to change it. It's a shitty world." -Oscar Neimeyer

Take that for whatever you will, and have some songs:
'Pepper' Butthole Surfers
'Last Summer' Lost Prophets

Huntsville and Some Other Things

First off, I'm going to start posting more than just race reports again. Those get boring.
And of course, with that being said, here is the Dave Boyd Huntsville Classic (get ready for it) RACE REPORT!

This was this years second collegiate race, and the field was a lot more stacked than it had been at Camp Eagle. Chad from A+M finally got his hand healed enough to race. I convinced Joseph to come out and play. And UT newcomer (I'm glad he showed up on one of our rides, because I would've had no idea he was here...) Matt Stottlemeyer, who I race with in TMBRA also came out. Plus all the usual suspects.
Anywho, I hadn't preridden the course as it had rained most of the week since Camp Eagle. Well, actually I hadn't ridden much at all since Camp Eagle, since it had rained most of the week... But, I've ridden Huntsville enough over the past, what, 10 years to have a pretty good idea what to expect. The start was fast. But I wanted to stay with the front. I did. Until Chad jumped about a mile into the race. I chased him for a bit, but realized I was pushing a little too hard and backed off.
Of course, next thing I know I'm going too easy and people start catching me... At least it was just Matt and Joseph (go figure we would all end up together starting the third lap).
Pretty soon into third lap, I (we) got a report that Chad was about five minutes up. I realized I felt better than I should at that point, and knew that if I was going to catch him, I better hurry up and get started on it. Joseph hung on for a bit, but by halfway through the lap I was back by myself. And Chad wasn't there. He ended up beating me by a couple minutes, though I had at least closed the gap a little. Joseph rolled in not too far behind me, and then Matt and Chad's brother had a sprint for fourth. Of course the Aggie had to go and win it... But still, three out of the top five for UT - not bad.

Oh, and, the race was harder than I remember it ever being before. Dunno whats up with that.

I've already decided I look like a doofus when I race without my Racing Jackets, so I don't want to hear it.

In other news, me and Joseph went to the record store at midnight last night to pick up the new Muse CD as soon as it was released. So. Good. Go buy it now if you for some reason haven't already.
Also, since I'm going to start posting more, I'm going to be really original and make an attempt at some sort of song of the day post type thing! (GET EXCITED I LISTEN TO COOL MUSIC LIKE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW)
And now! for the inaugural song(s)-of-the-day-post-type-thing!! I present...
'Padmasana' Buckethead
'Let Go' Frou Frou

Camp Eagle 09

I never thought I would say that I enjoyed a Camp Eagle race. Particularly a muddy Camp Eagle race, but this year for the first time, CAMP EAGLE WAS AWESOME!

Saturday morning was the Super D, and I had a good start and was right up there with the front of the group. Then I got boxed in at the finish... By that point there were only three of us though, so I wasn't too bothered by having to sit there and watch the sprint for first and second. The three of us had the fastest times out of anyone who did the race though! So, thats something.



There was supposed to be a short track that evening, but after an afternoon of torrential rain, it was cancelled/we all opted out of racing it. Whatever.

By Sunday the course had actually started drying out, but the rocks were still SLIIIICKK. I had a good start again and was sitting third until the leader slid out on some rocks and me and second got around him. We started getting to the technical stuff, and I went with playing it safe through the rocks. The new leader got away from me, and for a while I was worried that I would never see him again.
Starting the second lap though, I was finally able to see him, maybe a minute or two in front of me, and he looked slower than I was feeling! I picked up the pace some quite a bit and reeled him in about the time we were getting to the rockiest part again. I decided that I was just going to go for it, and laid the hammer down. Then I started catching sport racers. In the technical stuff. Most of them were off their bikes or fumbling around and about to be off, so it wasn't hard to get around them, and listening to them all being like "WOAH how are you doing that?!?!" was some great motivation to just. Go. Faster!
I started feeling my legs about a mile or two from the end, and lets just say it would have been bad if anyone I was racing against had caught me...
I kept going as much as I could, and the finish line actually came up quicker than I was expecting it too. I zipped up the jersey, threw up my arms, and it felt good.
Then I went and laid down in the dirt and that felt good too.

I had no idea what to expect when they put the results up. Well, I knew I had won, but not how much I had won by.
NINE.
MINUTES.


The guy who had won the Super D got 3rd also, which put us in a tie for the overall results for the weekend. Luckily, the Cross Country ranks higher, so I got the tie breaker and won the overall too!


It was a great weekend overall, and its always nice to race against the other collegiate guys. Looking forward to doing it again this weekend at Huntsville!

Return of the Dirt Derby

Last night was the first time I'd been out to the big city of Del Valle in quite a while. What on earth happens in Del Valle? The Dirt Derby of course!
I still hadn't gotten my rear wheel fixed from City Park (since it took a bit longer for the spokes to come in then it was supposed to...) but hey, thats why I have a singlespeed right?! Let's just say that I thought the race was hard on a geared bike.
I finally talked Joseph into coming out (to the race) so I just tried to stick with him as long as I could. He ended up beating my by a couple places. But with gears. We'll see what happens next week when the playing field is a little more level.

Camp Eagle this weekend. I need to hurry up and get that wheel fixed.