My Lair

I'm so proud of everyone,  the ones that are out riding, and the ones inside on the trainers.

I do my groveling upstairs,  it's nice, I don't mind, the time goes by quick,
and I was not in the mood to layer up, for the short ride out in the cold, this weekend.
I'm good at visualizing, and I can go large bits of time, imagining racing; crits, cx courses,
Lots of time it comes down to the last two or three laps,
I plan where I'm sitting in the group, when I want to go,
even putting people along the course,  maybe Anne Rock or Featherboy yelling at me,
a choice encouraging heckle or something of that nature.

When I pull out the ear buds, wipe down, down load, I feel good.


nothing can match a good outdoor ride, with a chill or snow squall,  I dig it.

                                        snuck out a bit ago on a light snow and got a cx ride in

The off season, means gym time, to build a bit of muscle and I hope some bone density.
I've avoided running, and I know I need to, so got some shoes, and instead of the short drive to the gym, I lace up and trot there.  Not so bad, sorta like it.   Always somewhere to improve.

You know this rock?
I do, it's on my mind.  Looks to be the first race this year.  Never to soon to plan, to work on the weakness.

Congrats on the fine training comrades,  keep at it.   and hopefully it's with a smile!

Cheers!  dlowe

Horace the Motivater

I'd be repugnant, it'd be, to take anything away, or feel anything less about last year, than fully satisfied.
It's a good "normal" to, now,  aim and build for each year.   In many ways.
The cx bikes, need a bit of attention, not really tucked into bed the best, need just a bit of love, then back to their napping for next season.


and the slightest hardest part this season of the change of seasons has been the entertainment, and insight that I miss from the blogs, and they seem mostly based on cx racing, so they have no  content, a subject to recap.  The blogs are quiet.


I'd wish more different peeps would take up blogging,  I like the personalities,  I'm, it's a good, entertained.    I've found that my life is far different, my take and view, I get a bunch outta, what others see and write about.

Me?  I've been so content,  that sitting around, its come easy,  that easy pedaling comes easy.
I know that in the end of August, when it's too hot, I'll be lining up in a new class, and nervous.
I'll want to be able to dig even a bit deeper, to be classier, ...I have to work on starts, remounts, skills a lot.  


There is a picture of the West Chester artist Horace Pippin hanging in my shed, he's a motivator, inspires me.
the local college,  Haverford,  had a show, 
"Portraits From the Harlem Renaissance, Photographer Carl Van Vechten",  and there in the show was my picture, the real one, of Horace.  Coolio!


a good wide base, and anything I can pile together in that foundation, that'll make me race better, well Horace is in there, one of the stones.

Cheers Blokes,  I miss ya just a wee tiny bit!  dlowe

Coltrane's stoop

Headed out of town, from boathouse row, up into the east park, on the VinoVelo ride,  you might hear me grumbling.    Not to the rider next to me or the one in front of me in the rabid two by two ragged line of overly-hyped riders.  and not about anything other than,  I'm pointing out John Coltrane's home.  Where he lived for a bit.  Its there, run down,  across from Longknockers driving range,  That once had a one arm pro, and a beat up caged toyota that was a good target to aim for while it swept the cut up old smoothed used golf balls.

That what I like about this time of year.   I coming into it full pep.   Whit gusto.  It was a grand year,  super grand, and it seems to be,  that'll be a norm,.....

I like the fringe parts of philly,  and I like the history that is easy to see.   I like just riding,  I sat on Coltrane's stoop in the sun,  listening to traffic,  a warm spot.   and just let it soak in, the warmth,  and just had no thoughts at all for a while.


Cheers!  dlowe

after CX nationals

I finished, and now it's done.
48th at Nationals,  my first year going,  I had a stupendous start, real good,  seemed a bit simple, all the prep and talk, the warm up laps and looking at lines. It all worked,  I moved up from a 54th starting spot to around the top 25.  

                                                   photo: Todd Mosley

I had a beer, in the shower, the races were still going on.
A bit dower about my placing,  that's normal, I expect the best, I want the best.
I could not of gone any harder today, or road any smarter.

I made my way back to the course, and rumped around with some of the other from home  peep cx'ers,
sorta, wimpy sulking,  and the races, kept going on.

                                    photo: Sean Runnette

I thought, you know, I want to cheer these guys on,...the racers still out there.
A group of us headed out,
and yelled loud,  Cheering 'em,  f'n go,
and then made it over to the finish line,
for the finishes,  and I congratulated everyone of the riders I knew.
I was so into it,
I was freaking patting the back of all the finishers. everyone, all of em. 

Nationals was awesome,  its taken me years to make it to one,
and It could not of been any better,
maybe I could have some better photos,  or radder stories,

                                       photo: Craig Vettori


I just wanted  to race my hardest, give my all
do my best,
The cheers, the advice, the camaraderie, I do not take for granted, its deep, and good.
I raced over 100 50+ men, like myself today, ...
and I had a blast.

clyclocross is a great sport, for its spirit, the dreams, the insane amount of pain, and the victories,
It is classy, badass,   I dream Cross.    I do, I dream cross.

Cheers!  dlowe