Last weekend was a special occasion for me.  I had the privilege of returning to Chicago for a great weekend of bike racing.  When I look back at my cycling career, Chicago is where it all started.  I started racing collegiate when I came to the U of C as a grad student… and then raced the local scene with the support of some great Chicago bike shops.  From there I entered the pro ranks and have been racing all over the country and the world… and despite the fact that I no longer live in the windy city, Chicago always feels like home for racing.  It amazes me what a great cycling community Chicago has… despite the flat roads and sometimes dreary bike path riding… the enthusiasm of Chicago cyclists can't be beat and I love coming back to race!

The weekend started out with a new USAcrits race held in Lake Bluff.  Our host family did a lot of work putting on a top notch event and our team didn't want to let them down.  We went out and raced hard from the gun.  Attack after attack was the plan and about 20 minutes into the race, I counterattacked as my teammate was being brought back and got a gap. After a lap, I had a partner in crime and after another lap there were 3 of us working together to stay away.  I was in a break with Katie and Liza -- Katie I raced with in my early chicago days and Liza I race with at the local bay area races.  We had a good crew… except when you mix the tallest and the shortest riders of the peloton, it does not make for good drafting -- doah!

We had a tiny gap for the majority of the race and I expected to get gobbled up at the end, but suddenly our gap grew and it came down to a sprint… since I do not have much of a jump, I decided I needed to go early… and when everyone slowed into the last corner I put my head down and went for it.  I pedaled as hard as I could and didn't look back.  I kept waiting for that moment for somebody to sling around me right before the line, but it didn't happen -- I got the Win!!  I usually spend most of the races working hard for my teammates and they always pull through for the team.  It was nice being able to pull through for them!  And it was very special to get the win in Chicago.

But to tell the truth, I really wanted the win because I love ice cream and all season my team deprives me of ice cream… when I beg and beg to stop the team van for ice cream I am told that I don't get ice cream unless I win a race!  That is kinda harsh, but also very motivating!  Finally I get the win… yet… my team still hasn't provided the ice cream.  I am hoping they are just waiting until they find the very best ice cream (as I am an ice cream snob)… but I hope I don't have to wait too long.  

As you might imagine, without ice cream to refuel, Glencoe was a hard race!  Our team went from the gun and despite many attempts we didn't manage to get a break away to stick.  However, Gokey pulled out a fast sprint and finished on the podium in third!  All in all, a great weekend for the team!  And a great weekend of racing thanks to Glencoe and Lake Bluff!  I'm looking forward to returning to the area for Elk Grove.

Exergy Tour

When it comes to professional sports, Title IX no longer comes into play. Most men don't make a career out of sports because they can't compete at the highest level.  But women, even those who dominate their sport, don't make a career out of it because they simply can't make a living through athletics.  This becomes painfully clear in the world of cycling.  The top men are rich while the top women struggle to get by without taking on a "day job." 

I do not think the heart of the problem is that men are faster, stronger, more athletic… I would argue that women's racing at the top level is just as exciting as men's racing.  Whether we are averaging 25mph or 30mph… racing looks very similar.  There are the same same dynamics, the same passion (if not more), the same gut-wrenching efforts… all ending in the same heartache or triumph.  And all the women have interesting stories, backgrounds, and personalities.  I think the problem lies in lack of support and lack of media.

Most companies are not lining up to sponsor women's teams, promoters do not want to put money into women's events, and the media provides little coverage.  It is a bit of a catch 22.  Why would sponsors and promoters want to support teams and events that get no media coverage?  And why would the media want to cover small events that are not well funded or well established?

Exergy broke this trend last week by putting on a world class cycling event in Idaho… for women.  They didn't skimp or scale down the production because it was a women's race.  The accommodations, the support, and most importantly, the races were what every pro male would expect.  And what every pro woman dreams about.  We had a top notch event to call our own.  Top teams from all around the world came to participate.  And people could follow from the comfort of their own homes on Tour Tracker… for the first time, friends, family, and fans could watch a women's cycling tour live from their home computer (or even their mobile phone).

Women's cycling hasn't been changed overnight, but Exergy took us a step in the right direction and I can only hope that this step will take us leaps forward in the future.  Thank You Exergy!

Tour of the GILA

(Waiting for the race to restart... not a bad backdrop!)

Last weekend I added a new state to my list of places travelled --- New Mexico!!  The NOW team travelled to Silver City for the Tour of the GILA.  I was cross eyed and gasping for air during most of my time there, but I did get a few chances to look around and appreciate the beautiful scenery full of grand mountains and clear skies.  We also found some pretty good Mexican food and a delicious restaurant that serves locally foraged treats (unfortunately i didn't get to try the local gelato... my team doesn't really appreciate fine food...  i'll have to go back!).  And we had great host houses with super hospitable hosts.

Besides this being my first time in New Mexico, I also had a lot of firsts in the races.  These included:

• getting stopped mid race because the break-away was directed the wrong way
• jumping off my bike to avoid a crash (bike crashed, I landed on my feet!)
• turning white in a crit (how'm I s'posed to breathe with no air...air)
• running out of water way before the finish (luckily there are a lot of nice people in the peloton)

Overall, our team set the tone on the first day when we started racing hard from the gun... and we continued to race strong all week.  In the end, we had 3 riders in the top 10 of GC, including AP on the podium in 3rd.  

Next up Exergy Tour!  But first, I get to ride in the Twin Cities Bike MS ride!

RR Wente Well

(photo credit: norcalcyclingnews)

Some days on the bike you are gonna feel tired and sluggish.  I had one of those days last weekend at the Wente Road Race.  Going up the climbs, my legs were hurting.  When I tried to jump, I felt no pop.  I just felt sleepy and slow.  It is days like this when you have to quit analyzing how you feel and just race the race.  

Luckily for me, I had a teammate, Beth, who was riding strong and spent a lot of time up the road.  This took the pressure off of me and let me sit in and take it easy for part of the race.  In the end, it came down to a group of 6 going into the final climb to the finish and Beth and I were both there.  

Going into the climb I was a bit nervous... I suffered up the thing all day and didn't think I would be able to survive the final, fast surge up the hill.  Again, I tried to put the tired thoughts aside and positioned myself best I could up the climb.  The first part is steep and then the grade levels off and it is a long way to the finish.  I focussed on staying up front for the steep part and as we approached the gentle grade I was surprised to find I was on the front.  At this point I jumped to get up my speed and was surprised to find that I had created a gap when I looked back.  I told myself to go Go GO (or maybe that was Aspen telling me to Go from the sideline :)  and with the finish line in sight, my gap had grown and I rolled in for the W -- My first of the season!  I turned back to watch Beth sprint her way to an easy 2nd! (she's got a jump!).  I wish we could have traded places at the end -- Beth did a lot of work in the race and it was definitely a team effort for the W!

Redlands

(Thanks Veloimages.com for the great pic!)

There is nothing better than being a part of an amazing team in cycling. Cycling is pretty much fun in all forms... a weekend group ride, an adventure with a friend, or even a solo exploration... it is just fun to be out and on the bicycle. Racing a bike takes the fun level up a notch. Not only are you out on your bike, but you get to go fast and you get to strategize. Even though racing is already pretty high up on the fun scale, it goes even higher if you get to race with a team. And racing with an awesome team is Tops!

Now that you have an understanding of the top of the cycling fun scale... you can probably understand that being sick during your chance to race with an awesome team is pretty much the bottom of the fun scale. That was me at Redlands... tummy monsters didn't want me to have fun.

The only thing that cheered me up was seeing our team come together and rock the races! Seeing NOW cycling cross the finish line first on the last day of the stage race turned a down Devon into a happy Devon! And the good news is that I get to race with this amazing group all season!!

San Dimas

(Addy's got her game face on)

The NOW team came together in Santa Barbara for a training camp to kick off the season of racing. We practiced skills such as sprinting, pacelining, and leadouts. We talked tactics (sorry have to keep those secret). We had hard days and we had coffee ride days. We had yummy team dinners and lots of team bonding. By the end, we had done everything except actually racing.

Luckily, we headed straight to San Dimas to get the "show on the road"! San Dimas is a three day stage race that starts with an uphill time trial, proceeds with a hilly and often windy road race, and finishes with a fast and furious crit.

The weather gods stirred it up for the weekend. The skies started getting gray for the uphill TT. The day before we had been climbing in the sun, but on race day we were riding up the mountain into the fog. It was cold coming back down that hill, but luckily it stayed dry. Despite no sunshine, the NOW team rode strong and clocked several good times.

On Saturday, the temperatures dropped and the clouds unloaded. Our team warmed up well on our Kurt Kinetic trainers under the shelter of the NOW Energy Bar tent. But after a minute of waiting for the gun to go off we were all shivering on the start line. It's no surprise that the race started fast and furious. Not only was the field ready to race, but we all wanted to get warm! Attacks went from the gun and when we hit the leg-breaking hill, the pace barely slowed. The roads were wet, the winds were furious, and crashes were happening left and right. The pack was quickly dwindling, but the NOW team had all it's riders remaining. After several laps of attacks, the winning break finally formed around lap 3. We had our top GC rider up the road with all the top teams represented. The pace of the pack slowed as the break rode away, and we were happy to see our rider get further and further up the road. A bit of panic ensued as we learned that our rider got dropped, but a couple laps later we were happy to hear she was un-dropped. Meanwhile, shivers and shakes were starting in the pack as the downpour continued and the winds picked up. Nobody complained when the officials mistakenly ended the race a lap early! Unfortunately, the officials also messed up the finish for the lead group so there was no exciting sprint at the end and the 4 riders in the breakaway tied for first.

(I think Anne loves the rain!)

The weather calmed down briefly for our crit on Sunday (except for a tiny hailstorm during the warmup). Anne got in the winning 4-man break and Alison held on to a 4th place GC ride! Not a bad start for the team. We quickly loaded up and were on the road to Redlands before the skies unleashed again -- a few days of rest for the team and then another stage race!

Merco 1 - 2 - 3

(veloimages photo -- they are always good ones)

CA is the only place you can kick off the season racing in the sun against world-class athletes in March! This weekend the miniNOW team consisting of Olivia, myself, as well as our super mechanic and awesome swanny headed to Merco for three days of racing.

Day 1 -- 12 mile TT mostly flat with a couple little bumps. The legs were feeling slow, but the Specialized Shiv doesn't need much power to go fast!! It was the first ride on the Shiv and I was loving it!

Day 2 -- 30 mile Downtown Crit. A flat, 8 corner course in the heart of Merced. This one was fast and furious with an average speed of about 26 miles per hour. After months of not racing, my legs were in shock but I hung in there. Meanwhile, Olivia sped her way to the front and made the promising break of the day. A five woman break with the biggest teams all represented. Unfortunately it got caught with 4 to go and ended in a field sprint.

Day 3 -- 72 mile RR. A long 24 mile wide open circuit with a few rolling hills. The race was aggressive from the start with attacks starting less than a mile into the race. After that it was non-stop action with attack after attack. Olivia and I were a little outmanned by the other 8 person teams... but we managed to get in a number of moves. None of them got very far on the first lap. Unfortunately, on lap 2, a pothole took a bite out of my brand new front wheel and my race came to an end. Olivia was all on her own against a star-studded field. She got herself in another promising break, but in the end it came down to a field sprint with Ina taking the win for the 4th? 5th? 10th? year in a row.

All in all, it was a fun weekend and a good chance to break the legs into racing against great competition. Next up... Team Camp, San Dimas, and Redlands!

back at it...

Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, Happy President's Day, Happy Valentine's Day... I think that is all I missed since the last post which was a long long time ago. Life got a little busy... but I'm excited to be racing on the road again for Now and Novartis for MS and I plan to blog about our adventures as the season progresses... no promises though :)

A few pictures from our pre-season Bermuda adventure!

(The NorCal Half-Pyramid)

(Our Sweet Bikes!)

("Cross-Training")

(Playing in the sand)

(made it to the end of the island!)

Happy Halloween!

The Team had some Halloween Spirit this weekend!!

(We are ready to Buzzzz around!)

Winning Team

Seeing a teammate bring home the well deserved win after a hard race is sometimes a better feeling than winning yourself...

(photo credit: Steve Anderson)

... and stacking the podium is always fun!

(photo credit: Jason Perry)

Team Rambuski Law had a good weekend! 3 1sts, 2 2nds, and 1 3rd!

Rubin Meets Cyclocross

Rubin is new to 'Cross, and he loves it!

(look how happy he is!)

Here he is with his "Cycloross outfit"

(He can't wait to get to the races!)

And here he is on the top step of the CCCX podium!!

(He likes being on the podium with so many Rambuski Law racers!)

StarCrossed and RaphaFocus GP

(Barriers -- weeee!)

Headed to Seattle this weekend for Starcrossed and Rapha Focus GP UCI races. Course features included twists and turns around a grassy tree filled landscape; a short ride through sand followed by a long and grueling run through more sand; and a barrier and flyover combination ideally situated by the beer garden. It was a fast dry course on Saturday and while mother nature tried hard to bring rain on Sunday, she fell a bit short of providing ideal mud conditions and only brought a few damp corners in the end. The UCI status attracted a number of strong contenders from the US as well as from Canada and beyond.

For Saturday's Starcrossed race, I had a slow start, but moved my way through the field until I settled with a group of 3 racing for 5th place. I tried to get away and keep moving up at first, but when I could not shed the other two riders, I settled in and tried to conserve energy on the windy parts of the course. I attacked again on the last lap, but it came down to a sprint and my slow-twitch legs mustered up just enough to take 5th!

In the Rapha Focus GP the next day I managed to get an even worse start off the line, but after a lap the lead group was in sight. As I latched on to the group of 5 riders, my rear brake came undone and I had to finish half a lap with 1 brake and pit the bike. Aspen was my trusty pit crew this weekend and he got me rolling on the A bike half a lap later, but after two stops by the pit, I had fallen a number of spots. I chased my way back to 5th and found myself in a similar spot to the previous race. This time I did not try to conserve anything, but kept chasing hard in an attempt to move up. In the end I was unable to reach the riders ahead of me but was able to pull out another sprint for 5th again! I improved on my results from last year and had a ton of fun racing with a deep field -- it's going to be a fun season ahead!

(Lots of sand -- ouch!)

SufferFest

(leaving aspen)

The end of the season has been full of suffering for me. Typically, that is what cycling is all about. However, coming back to NRC racing after 3 weeks off the bike makes for extraordinary amounts of suffering.

First race back for me was Cascade Classic -- five days and lots of hills. The prologue was the first hard effort I had done since nationals and it hurt! The next days I would be racing for my teammates which made the suffering worthwhile and a lot more fun. I probably could have sat in the pack and tried to hang on until the finish. But instead, I gave everything I had to make sure moves were made and covered early on to let my stronger teamies save their legs for later in the race. I finished toasted and well behind the pack each day, but got in some good training and watched my teammates dominate in the end with two podiums and a second overall in the GC.

Next up was Charlotte Crit. Home to our national road race champion. The race was fast and furious and hot! My form had improved a bit from Cascade, but I was still in sufferfest mode. The team finished in the top 10 and took a plethora of primes in the process. We had a great support crew from Uptown Cycles and a wonderful team dinner after the race. We also had a chance to venture to Asheville, NC to put on a women's clinic and get in some scenic team riding. Fun times.

My final sufferfest came last week at the Aspen/Snowmass Women's Pro Stage Race. At this point, I had been back on the bike for a while and gaining fitness. I was feeling closer to my normal self and hoping to have a more typical race. Unfortunately, feeling good at sea level does not equate to feeling good 7-9000 feet above sea level! My HR was skyrocketing out of control the first day, my legs boycotted on day two, and my lungs called it quits on day 3. So much for having a normal race.

Hopefully all the suffering off the back will be good practice for suffering off the front in races to come. Often races come down to who can suffer the most. Ouch!

Bike MS

(Fueling up with Terry part way through our MS ride -- all smiles!)

Racing with Now and Novartis for MS has not only been a season of great bike racing, but also an opportunity to learn about MS and spread awareness about the MS community. We don't just spread MS awareness at our bike races, but we also participate in Bike MS rides across the country where we ride tandem or alongside someone who has MS. One fact we want to highlight about the MS community is that MS does not define a person.

This message became real to me when I had the chance to ride in a Bike MS Cleveland event with Terry, who himself has MS. Check out our team blog to hear about my MS ride as well as my teammates rides throughout the country:

http://www.nowcyclingteam.com/index.php/pro-blog/

WIPEooout & Win!

(No blogging lately as I've been dissertating and healing, but both are coming along and it's time for a blog)

Nationals was a big week for NOW and Novartis for MS. We had the full crew except for Anne, our favorite Canadian. Unfortunately those from up north can't participate in US nationals... even if they do live in Colorado.

The racing started off with the TT. It was my first time riding a TT bike and my first time doing more than a 20 minute TT. I used the race as experience and can say I gained a lot. Just getting used to the position of a TT bike is a whole new feeling. It's a little different from my (rather upright) road position. It felt a little funny, but it also felt fast!! and super fun! I might have had too much fun given it was a TT.

Next day was crit day. or crit night to be more precise. The thing about summer evenings in the south is that they are plagued with rainstorms. Really big thunderstorms. It was clear a big one was coming before the race even started! I wish they would have postponed the race and waited until we could ride safely with no torrential storms on the way. Instead, they sent us off racing with pre-race instructions of "if you hear a bell, that means the next lap is the finish." In the end, they gave us a 5 lap warning before the final bell. This was only about 20 or so minutes into the race. So the national championship was determined by a 30 minute race. It was ridiculous and dangerous and in the end, our sprinter was caught up in a crash and off to the hospital with a broken arm. In good news, she is healing fast and expects a speedy return!

The next day was a rest day and then the road race... we were down to 4 people but ready to race hard in the hot hot Georgia sun. The race started with an attack up the first climb that led to a break. We had nobody in it, but we hedged our bets that it was a little early for a break to stick. The rest of the lap was pretty boring as everyone was being patient to start the full on racing. By lap 3, the break was still off the front, but people were ready to race and the gap was closing. There were a number of attacks and the pace was picking up!

Just as the race was getting "fun", a rider came up on me, hooked bars, and wipeout... I keep playing the scenario over in my head.... so many what ifs... but in the end, I was sliding fast along the hot pavement. nothing i could do. I came to a stop and before I knew it our DS was there telling me to take my time. Meanwhile I'm shook up and thinking "where's my bike, can i get up? can i ride?" As I'm trying to assess all the pain signals coming into my brain, i look down and see a gaping hole in my knee full of blood. Eeeew! Luckily I didn't pass out, but I knew the race was over.

I had a long long wait in the ER. I was super bummed not to be racing, sad to be laying in a hospital, anxious to get fixed up, and incredibly annoyed at the stupid heart rate monitor that wouldn't stop beeping because my hr was below 50. My only smile for the day came when I heard the news -- Robin won!!!!! My teammate just won the national championship. I let out a scream - probably the only happy scream of the day in the ER! Check out the jersey:

(note -- this is not Robin... it is her dog)

As for me, the damage ended up being a lot worse than usual. Instead of a little road rash, my whole right side was missing. I ended up being sent to the burn unit to get taken care of. Next morning I was in the OR getting cleaned, stitched, and covered. I came out looking like a mummy. Unfortunately, mummies can't ride bikes :(

Toughin' it in Tulsa

(Anne taking the win for NOW and Novartis for MS)

We had 3 days of crit racing this weekend at the Tulsa Tough. It was an exciting weekend for the team because it was our first time racing with the full squad, and some of our awesome sponsors were down at the races to watch us. Tulsa is always a welcoming venue with an amazing set up and great crowds. But the temps in the 90s sure add to the tough factor!!

Day 1 played out pretty close to plan. The team went out hard with attacks, counter attacks, and more attacks. The race was fast and fun! Eventually we got a break of 4 to go off with our sprinter in the break. Unfortunately another sprinter also got in the break and when it came down to the end she just eeked our rider out for the win. Back in the main field we had a bit of chaos -- with one teamie breaking a wheel and another sprinting a lap early, but Anne was able to pull out a top 10 along with our 2nd place. All in all a good day for our first time racing all together.

Day 2 we set our hopes higher and had a similar game plan -- make the race hard, try to get a break, and if that fails set up the sprint. We went out hard but the course did not suit a breakaway. We ended up wearing ourselves out a bit and instead of moving up the podium, we missed out on it all together. We took the race as a learning experience -- and I think the experience made us all fired up and hungry for a better race on Sunday.

Day 3 ups the "tough" factor with a brutal course. Every lap included a steep little kicker known as "crybaby" hill and the sun came out with sizzling rays. Our team was fired up and ready to go. The fans were also on top of their game with costumes and hoses and lots of energy on top of the hill! The race is one of attrition with people constantly falling off the back... but our team stayed up front and strong throughout the race. We nabbed the first prime... and then the second... and also the third and the fourth. I think we got them all. But with three and a half laps to go, Anne put the icing on the cake with a late race breakaway. She powered away from the field and nobody could follow. She secured us the win and Gokey pulled out a sprint to get a top 5 and take the omnium win for the series! It was a great team effort and a fantastic finish to the weekend.

To top things off, our awesome hosts set up a delicious and relaxing dinner for us after the race. It was the perfect ending to a great weekend.

Off to NVGP!

Phast Philly

(ready to go!)

Made a quick trip to Philly this weekend for the women's Liberty Classic. I was excited to finally race Philly for the first time, as it is a race I've been wanting to compete in for a while now. But what was even more exciting was to be racing for the first time with my new team, NOW and Novartis for MS!

Everything about Philly left me with a smile on my face. The race course and atmosphere are epic. The course starts downtown near the art museum, runs along the river, past boat house row, through old tunnels, down the main street of Manayunk before hitting "the wall" and heading back along the river with detours for Strawberry Hill and Lemon Hill and ending on a fast loop around Logan Circle before a long finish straight. But the best part is that the town comes out in full force to watch and cheer (and drink beer...). They actually know a bike race is going on and crowds are cheering all along the course (this is unusual in the US). There is a roar as you climb up the wall and lemon hill... and it only gets louder every lap. It's awesome!

The race is typically a sprinter's finish and this year was no exception. There was a 1 person break early on, but nothing threatening and everything came back together on the last lap. The final climbs were fast and the finish was even faster. Our team raced well for our first time together and we finished with our sprinter in 7th -- a top ten at a big UCI race! I'm sure things will only go up from here -- we have a strong and cohesive team and one of the best support crews out there!

My favorite part of the day was riding home to our awesome host house. The house is situated right on "the wall" so the only way home was to follow the course. Robin and I made one last trip down main street and started up the wall... since the men's race was still in action, the crowds were out in full force and we got some of the best cheers of the day, including high-fives up the wall! Robin even got a post-race recovery drink from one friendly spectator. Then a motor crew came by to take our picture... then the motos kept on coming... and we realized the men's race was upon us... we had to hammer up the wall and make a jump over the fences to get out of the way fast -- ouch -- that was a hard cooldown ride! But so much fun to be cheered like a champion on a cool down... I almost wanted to go back down the hill and do it again... but pie and ice cream awaited at the host house!!

Next up for the team -- Tulsa!!!

(heading up the wall... don't know where I'm looking)

Goodbye

The call was early. 7am on a Sunday. Sometimes mom forgets I'm on the west coast now. But I was awake and on my way to a race.

The day was calm, cool and sunny -- perfect weather for racing up a mountain. I was excited to try out the new bike, to bury myself up the climb, to hear Aspen cheer me on at the top, and to know I gave it my all at the finish. I love a good, hard race.

Once I heard the news, all I wanted more than anything in the world was to hug my puppy. My 13 year old, sweet, soft-as-can be puppy. The one thing that could make me feel better, I can no longer have.

Tears rolled for half the warm up. I held them back for the start. Perhaps a hard climb could clear the mind. And hard it was... there was no delay in setting a hard pace... even with almost 20 miles of climbing ahead... and 40 more miles to follow. It wasn't long before our big group became a small group.

And the mind wandered -- to my best running buddy ever. Shiloh would know it was play time as soon as I started to think about going for a run. It was hard to get my shoes on with a 50 pound lab jumping in my lap ready to go. Then there were days I couldn't take her running... I had to close the door on sad puppy eyes and see her sit in the window wishing she could be outside. But, she was forgiving and stood ready to kiss the sweat off when I came home. She never held a grudge. Even when I left for school and beyond and would stay away for months at a time... she was still my best friend when I returned home. You really can't get a better welcome home than a Shiloh greeting.

The race was not for me today. Breathing becomes a challenge when your chest wells up with emotions. I kind of knew at the start that it would be hard to put my focus into racing... but I would second guess myself if I didn't try. It was a beautiful ride for reminiscing though.

Shiloh was the puppy I always wanted. We had a dog when I was young, but I never got to raise her. Or teach her tricks. Shiloh was my puppy. I picked her out when I was in high school. I taught her how to shake, rollover, and even recycle. She loved the biscuit guessing game and could usually tell you which hand the biscuit was in. She didn't love the balance the biscuit on the nose game, but she would put up with it for the tasty reward she got when I said "ok" and she flicked her nose to catch the biscuit in the air. She was a smart girl.

It was good to be outside... pedaling smoothly up the meandering road, covered with the dancing shadows of trees above. Wispy clouds moving along the horizon. A big dose of sunshine spreading down rays.

I love soft things. Always have since I was little. Soft covers, soft pajamas, soft stuffed animals. Soft puppies! Shiloh was a soft puppy for sure. Most labs grow out of their puppy fur. Shiloh didn't. She remained puppy soft throughout her life. She may have gotten softer with old age. Maybe from all the pets.

Tears started rolling as I climbed away.

I knew her time was close. I thought I had at least one more visit... one more shiloh greeting... one more shiloh hug. She had a good life. She was loved... maybe as much as she gave back. Shiloh was ready. I don't need to cry for her. Most of my tears are selfish tears... sad that I can't go home and give my Shiloh one more hug.

I was no longer racing to the finish, or the top for that matter. Just racing to somewhere near the top to find Aspen so I could get an Aspen hug. It would have to do.

The tears will stop. The good memories will replace them. And I will always carry a big hug for Shiloh in my heart.

World MS Day

Here is some good viewing for World MS Day:

From this morning:

'Amazing Race' Host Raising Money To Combat Multiple Sclerosis: "'Amazing Race' host Phil Keoghan is getting on his bike once again to help raise money to combat multiple sclerosis. Rick Garcia reports."

And from yesterday:

Check our team page to find out more about MS: nowcyclingteam.com.

Back to Blogging

Sorry Mom and Dad (and Seth) for my lack of blogging. It is hard to blog when you are excited about your team, but can't share the details. Fortunately, our team was announced today!! I will be riding for NOW and Novartis for MS. It is an exciting opportunity for me to race my bike while at the same time spreading awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. To learn a little more about our team, MS, and our sponsors, NOW and Novartis, visit nowcyclingteam.com. First race -- Philly!!