Jingle Cross Rock

I made it to Jingle Cross on Friday evening in time to do a signing session with new Astana rider Chris Horner. Horner is hilarious so it's always cool getting to hang out with him and he usually has some pretty good one liners.

The weekend went well and I was able to take the W both days ahead of Chris. That guy gets faster and faster every year. I hear the same thing from everyone he passes. They all say they see him coming so they sit up hoping to sit on his wheel for a little while but when he comes by them he's in his 46/11 and they can't even get on the wheel b/c he's going so fast. There only hope is he crashes in a corner so he slows down enough for them to get back on his wheel.

The course here in Iowa was awesome with a huge climb, at least 1 minute long, a cool run up on Saturday and some sweet 180 degree turns through a few barns. Today they had a set of barriers at the bottom of the long climb that I was able to hop luckily so I didn't have to deal with Horner.

There were so many people on the climb that it sounded like a tunel of noise and with the music blaring it was hard to hear anything. To contrast that riding through one of the barns they had Jingle Bells playing with no one around so it seemed a little wierd.

Got to go to the Jingle Rock party last night which was put on by the Punk Rock Cycling girls team. They were all super cool and I got to see race promoter John Mehan get beat in a leg wrestling contest. Since he's a surgen I guess he's better with his hands then his feet. I wish I remembered my camera for that one.

Tomorrow I'm off to Vail to be with Meg and her family and attend Mike Janelle's memorial service. It's being held in the Beaver Creek convention center so if you want to attend that's where and when it will take place.

I wonder what Mikes' doing right now.....

Comments

[teamskin]

Thanks for coming to Iowa, and we all hope you can come back next year. Everyone's highlight was on Day 2, the first time up the run up when you exploded through everyone else who was off their bikes, hopping the logs, riding the hill, and having a big smile on your face at the top. Everyone was going nuts. Classic!! Good luck at Nationals, we will be down to cheer you on. Cheers, Todd