Snow anyone?

Marshall, Minnesota - Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Even though the snow stopping falling in the evening...it didn't stop blowing! (It never does out here). We had to dig our way out in the morning---literally! (Not that we're driving anywhere....) There are drifts all over the place...and we live on the side of the street that all the snow blows to.

We're not forecasted to anything higher than 23 degrees for the next 10 days (18 today)---and so it looks like we're snowbound from our bicycle riding. Sigh. In Mike's words, "Oh Sweetie...WE ARE HOSED! This is the tundra....sigh".

Mike spent all summer telling me about how it's always colder, snowier, etc., in Minneapolis..."Marshall is always warmer", he insisted. Minneapolis was over 50 degrees yesterday---Aunt Sue even said the sun peeked out for a time. Hmmmm....In Sioux Falls, they say it's the worst blizzard in like 9 years. It figures, huh? Don't get me wrong. It's beautiful. Lovely. Fun to snuggle-in weather, and great for getting lost in a good read.

Of course all the kids on our street...(and we've got lots!), think it's the bees knees. School closed and they were riding sleds down the drifts in the back of our yard.

Sydney is a little quicker at getting in and out for her "potty" calls. She and her Mom are of the sun-worshipping breed and need to acclimate still. "Some like it hot..." (that'd be me and the small hound...and even my Minnesota born husband who is searching already for cheap flights to his Californian Mom & Dad's!) Ha!

If I sound like I'm complaining though---I'm not. It really is beautiful and I've already worn my Grandma's fur coats out in the snow! She'd be happy to know this.

Eau Claire, blizzards and shoveling snow...

Mike and I packed up the small hound and headed to Eau Claire, Wisconsin for the Thanksgiving holiday. We stayed at the GrandStay (Mike's new team's main sponsor), and the rooms have complete kitchens and so we cooked a little Thanksgiving dinner, and enjoyed some "away-from-it-all" time. Eau Claire is a lovely college town with many rivers and rolling terrain in the Chippewa Valley of Western Wisconsin. It's really beautiful. We'd hoped to do some riding while we were there, but it snowed and so Mike went and rode off-road, while Sydney and I kicked it in the hot tub and watched HBO in our room!

Then on Saturday we went to race in Hudson and made it home before the weather really spiraled downwards. Yesterday we had "freezing rain" and I almost killed myself walking down our driveway which was more like a mini ice arena. I even backed the car out of the driveway and then couldn't get back up until I got a running start on the street---no traction in the ice. Mike actually braved the weather and headed out on his mountain bike and said he couldn't ride on the roads because they were "ice" and so he rode the ditches all the way to Camden. He even got a little lost taking the backroads home (well---not lost, it's not possible to get lost in Marshall...but he wasn't exactly sure about where he was since he had to stay off the roads.)

BUT THAT WAS NOTHING! Now we have a "blizzard! The wind is blowing all the snow all over the place so you can't see too far in front of you...schools have closed. It's wild! I walked to work this morning as I'm not ready to slip and slide on my bike and I'm also not ready to drive---so I bundled up and walked and it was really quite nice. When I got home though you couldn't tell the street from the driveway from the lawns and there was a half a foot of snow in my driveway.

So what'd I do? I shoveled! Or tried to. I cleared the walkway and the driveway and Sydney just sat there with her little red coat on watching me...shivering and not helping at all. She loves (likes) the snow, but she hates the wind. It scares her. The snow is falling so much that shoveling is like a work of futility; as soon as I cleared a spot and started somewhere else, in just minutes it was covered in snow again.

My first Minnesota blizzard. Stay warm!

Crossin' over to Hudson, Wisconsin--MinneSNOWta style!

Saturday, November 26, 2005 - Hudson Riverfront Cyclocross Race

Wow! What a way to spend the Saturday after Thanksgiving, huh? The final race in the Burnsville-Subaru Minnesota Cross Series---and true to the climate of this part of the country, it was complete with SNOW, to add a little excitement and flavor to the day! Awesome! And then I got out of the warm car. Whoa! It's cold out there!

The course was completely snowed-over, there were geese flying overhead, performing their "drafting" dance in the sky, and a bunch of guys and gals piling on the layers and getting their bikes, minds and bodies ready to race! Even registration had that Euro-flavor to it! The last time we signed up for a race in the back of a smokey/warm bar, we were in Belgium! (Nice touch Dag!)

The course meandered along the St. Croix Riverfront---then around a bunch of chicane's, twisting and turning through trees, then climbed back around and proceeded through barriers and sand underneath a tented area and then back around. It was made more technical by the snowy conditions and the fact that by the time the A race was underway, the snow started to get slushy. The C and B racers all had clean bikes after the race; this was not to be the case after the A-race.

The staging area was along this really cool walking bridge. You could walk across from Wisconsin to Minnesota (or vice versa, depending where you started!) The Hudson Fire Department and crew had a fire truck right at the start line and was sounding off the horn/sirens at the start of the race(s). And the start was not the finish. The finish line was situated near the bandstand, complete with a podium, and a warm tent, full of cookies, hot chili, hot cider/coffee and warm people! So where was everyone?

The A race had only (about) 15 brave souls (where were all those hearty Minnesotans giving me advice about riding in the cold weather?), but of course, the Junior National Champion, Bjorn Selander was there (his dad was hosting the venue---plus he's Norwegian and so it's in his blood!) The siren sounded---and it was "Game On!" from the get go!

Bjorn quickly took the lead with Taylor not far behind, but on an early off-camber turn, a Birchwood rider slid out and crashed in front of Taylor and they were sprawled across the narrow course giving Bjorn more time away. The course was narrow enough that most of the field couldn't get through...and the two riders were quickly upright and racing.

Taylor soon powered away from the rest of the field and brought back Bjorn's 40 second lead to about 20 seconds....but Bjorn wasn't giving an inch and danced away on his pedals - hammerstyle! Taylor was about 45 seconds ahead of next rider in the field (another youngster from Nature Valley---also like 16-17 years old)...Guys were slipping and sliding on the twisty course---sliding out, sometimes crashing....a real sufferfest.

Bjorn took all three of the early lap $5 primes, with his proud Papa sounding a pretend siren with his voice! (Actually Dag mouthed and screamed the siren for every rider as they slid through!) And I think that all the starters finished this event! As for the podium?

Bjorn Selander (Alan Factory) 1st (not old enough to drink)
Mike Taylor (McGuire-Langdale) 2nd (certainly old enough to drink)
Young Nature Valley Rider 3rd (I should know everyone by now but I don't!) (not old enough to drink)

A big applause to Dag Selander, the Hudson Fire Department and Burnsville-Subaru for a real treat of a race! If you made it out to this event you got more than your money's worth. Good food, good fun, and a real taste of cross racing---euro-style! A nice ending to a great series! Happy Thanksgiving! (And to Terry, Charlie, Rob & Gary and all our California sponsors--Thanks thanks thanks!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

There is so much to feel Thankful for this year, isn't there? Lots of changes and happenings and happy things. Mike and I have officially been a "team" for 5 years---amazing. Yesterday, I managed a few hours on the bike outside, which I was also "thankful" for. It was cold, but not alot of wind and thus fine, since I was dressed right. Today, unfortunately, the wind is blowing NW 25-35 mph...so even though it's gonna be a balmy (ha!) 45 degrees or so---I'll be riding inside. Sigh.

These NW winds also mean much colder air blowing in and tonight it's forecasted at 14 degrees. On Thursday, the three of us are headed to Eau Claire, Wisconsin for a couple of days, and then heading to the last cross race of the Minnesota Series on Saturday which takes place in Hudson, Wisconsin. It's supposed to be a pretty cool course, put on by Dag & Bjorn Selander (Norwegian's who now make Minnesota their home...a father and son duo of racers, and Bjorn is the Junior US National Champion).

I can't help being homesick for the annual Turkey ride up King's Mountain! Mike won last year (and a few other times as well!), though the stinky jersey prize is not in his possession so we won't have to mail it to whomever wins this years race up Kings. As I peek at the forecasted weather for you guys, it really kills me! Last year, remember how cold and damp we thought it was? I'd kill for a day like that now, and this year it's gonna be dry and warm. So---when you get to the top of Kings, think of your Taylor pals, who truly understand suffering in bad weather on a bike these days. In fact a moment of silence would be perfect. (-:

I hope your Turkey Day plans include many moments of happy, thankful occasions and that you are enjoying your INDIAN summer in California. There's another clipper coming our way next week...so I'll be thankful for everything but the weather. I'm looking forward to visiting Wisconsin---i've only been there once or twice and only to the Madison area, so it should be fun!

Happy Thanksgiving---(I saw about 4 wild turkeys yesterday while riding...I felt thankful that they escaped being dinner!)

Love, Joni, Mike and Sydney the small hound

Dressing for the cold ride

This is just so you know how cold it really is for a bike ride. (I got alot of questions yesterday about what to wear when it gets stupidly cold)

Here's my nutty get-up:

long sleeved craft base-layer with the high"zipless" turtle neck
short sleeved craft baselayer with the windfront
castelli swanky bike shorts
bergamo leg warmers
bergamo are warmers over the craft's long sleeve
sugoi winter weight wind front long sleeved jersey
pearl amfib windfront tights (those new ones rule with additional protection on the rear!)
capo wool high top socks
shimano cycling shoes with the whole in the bottom taped up
castelli woolie over sock
castelli windfront/winter weight bootie
craft wind front cycling skull cap under helmet
helmet wind-block cover
Pearl lobster claws
bergamo winter weight (thick) vest

I can barely walk around as my clothing probably weighs 20 lbs. That said, it's 38 degrees right now (gonna warm up to 43 today!), and I am heading out the door for a few hours in this get-up. I even think I've gone off the deep end at moments like this, but I am so sick of the rollers and trainer already that perhaps I will go off the deep end.

Funny thing is, I've got a weird smile on my face still. So my question? Would *you* even ride if you had to wear all this junk?

Cold weather...really!

It isn't like I've never felt hypothermic riding around in the Bay Area before. I have. Cold, wet, sometimes near tears yet miserably happy pedaling away up highway 9 towards Skyline, or up a foggy and wet Kings Mountain, only to arrive at the top and have it be warm-ish and sunny and clear, above the fog line. Now I know though, that it might have been cold (that day or whatever day) for a bicycle ride, but it wasn't REALLY cold.

I now live in what can be defined as *really* cold. It warmed up to the low 40's (winds WSW 15-25MPH) on Sunday, and here's the funny part, I was excited about the temps! Imagine that? I had enough layers of clothes on for a weeks worth of cycling, but I was pedaling outside and in the sunny cold (cold is relative) for 3 hours. To be honest, 40-ish degrees here ain't bad...it's the wind (my nemesis) that does me in. When I left the house it was 39 degrees. I may have been commuting (by bike) all week in the snow and ice...but this was my first adventure ride for "no reason but to ride" in this cold of a temperature.

The early week snowfall had all but vanished out on the prairie---with a few patchy areas of snow here and there, but that was it. The slews and parts of the river were frozen in lots of places which was pretty cool to see. The lawns and many of the trees are unseasonably green, and everyone keeps telling me how "warm it is for this time of year". (Global Warming trauma!)

Sigh...I've seen alot of things, been to alot of places, and "lived a life off the beaten path" most of my life. At least I thought so. The older I get though, the more I realize how little I know about stuff and how much I really haven't done and experienced. And how I usually don't get myself into anything that I'm not "pretty sure I know about"---Even though it might look brave and daring on the surface, it's not outside of my quirky "comfort zone".

However, I can't put into words how completely clueless I feel now about what cold feels like. I have no idea. All I know is that this is some very COLD weather...really it is! Have a wonderfully warm day!

36 degrees...feels like 24!

Brrrrrr! NW winds blowing @25-35 MPH with wind gusts over 40 MPH! It started doing this last night. It's so strange as the sun is shining bright and beautiful. That's another thing I need to get used to. Usually when the weather is less than desirable, I'm used to it looking dreary outside. But here the sun is out and it's bright and crisp and lovely---as long as you are looking "outside" from "inside" your warm and cozy home, drinking a cup of Peet's while paying bills and watching the "Morning Show" crew reporting from Innsbruck Austria.

"Hey Sweetie! Come quick! They're in Innsbruck!" Before they told us even where they were and the question was brought to the viewers, "Where in the world is Matt Lauer?", Mike knew. He guessed Innsbruck right before they told us. Impressive. But you forget the time we spent there touring around on our bicycles, riding in the heavenly Austrian Alps and into Italy's Dolomites. We didn't even have a car that year...just our bikes, a change of clothes, a small amount of dough, and a large amount of love from good friends---oh, and time!

"Boy---those mountains sure look inviting, huh Joni? Specially when all you're used to seeing is these flat farmlands! " That they do, Mr. Taylor!! As the news crew toured many of the sites that we did, we got a little homesick for Austria. We need to go back there soon.

I'm debating on a ride today, but with this wind...I dunno. Given that I enjoyed two lovely days in the saddle, it's less of a panic though. Monday was one of the best riding days I've had all year, and that ride-buzz is still glowing for me. It was that good. Perhaps it was due to the fact that it was such an unexpected gift?

It's only gonna warm up to about 46 degrees today though---so an inside ride is sounding like my plan. This wind is unreal. It feels like the Wizard of Oz or something. San Francisco is windy---or I used to think so. But it isn't steadily blowing. It's like someone turned on a fan and then added a bunch of gusts on top of that steady 30MPH. I've never seen anything like it in my life...and I've lived through tornado's, (many) earthquakes, floods, etc. It's wild! Happy Wednesday!

A perfect day

magine, if you will, a very bright, very round sun, sitting seemingly low in the clear blue cloudless sky---no wind, no traffic, and 60 degree temps combined with a day off "from the factory...". Yup. That was my day yesterday. *This* is the weather I remember every year when Mike and I would come out for our annual visits.

Of course it doesn't last and so I was sure to enjoy many hours in the saddle in the sunshine yesterday for sure. It's weird how good you feel on a day like that. Perpetual Buzz. The fields are all devoid of corn/soybeans/sugar beets again, and that rich black soil is all over the prairie lands. I've experienced almost all the seasons by now and have been able to ride my bike outside which was an unexpected surprise. Today is back to reality in that I work this morning...and the wind is forecasted back in full force later (hopefully much later) in the day...but it's still in the 60's and it's November. Nice!

Mike was able to do a long ride last night thanks to my "boss" (I can just see Dave smiling at the thought that he's the boss of me) generously lending him a good light. Our Niterider bulb broke and he was without firepower and QBP was out of the bulb and who has time to wait for 12 weeks from Niterider (great product/crappy service)?! So Mike and I are both enjoying a late fall buzz from this weather.

We've got two more cross races left on the calendar and then we're done until the road season starts. BUT...we found a team! A cool team. Details will be forthcoming....but we are very happy to be back in the racing scene. Guess we weren't quite ready for retirement yet!

Have a wonderful Tuesday....

Getting Rocked at the Rum River Cross Race!

We're getting a little more Minnesota-style at the races, weather-wise. I keep chattering my teeth, whining about how cold it is for this Northern California Girl, while these Minnesotans smile at me and let me know, "...that this isn't *really* cold, Joni, just you wait" (Heavy Sigh!) Mike and I left Marshall on Saturday and headed up to St. Cloud to hang out, ride and eat alot of food with some friends/racers, and then stayed the night there to be closer to the venue in Milaca which took place on Sunday.

Actually, for racing, the weather is probably fine (glad to not be suffering in the snowy East Coast races for sure)...but it was in the 40's, overcast...with a chilly breeze that kicked up now and again. Sydney was happy to watch the race from inside the warm car...as I forgot to bring her new Minnesota hound-coat. While Mike was warming up, I saw Todd Wells' wife and I asked her what she was doing here (Like shouldn't they be out East?!) Her Grandma, who lived in Minneapolis had died and so they were in Minnesota for the funeral on Saturday and Todd found the closest race for Sunday...and Milaca was IT!

The Pro1/2 field was a bit smaller than last weeks, but well stacked with top athlete's. In addition to the usual fun-seekers were Todd Wells (former National Champ at least once) as well as Junior National Champ, Bjorn Selander (Alan Factory -- and I'm sure I'm not spelling his name right), and noticeably missing was Doug Swanson (who was doing some Icy Mountain Bike race somewhere else), and Jay "Hollywood" Henderson.

As the race sped away, Bjorn was the first guy over the first barrier and up the hill, with Taylor right next to him and Wells about 2 guys back. This changed quickly when Bjorn crashed hard (but got right back up) somewhere on the backside, and the first lap through the start/finish it was Taylor and Wells together, Bjorn not far behind, with Aric Hareland (Salsa Superteam) bridging his way up quickly. Taylor and Wells were stayed together until Taylor tripped up on (over?) a barrier and Wells shot away, never to be seen again (unless he was lapping you!)

Lap after lap, it was Wells...then 30 seconds later it was Bjorn, Taylor and Hareland and another 20 seconds back was Lance Buening of (GrandStay/Out n' About Gear). The above mentioned guys were the only guys in the whole field of 30-something (not in age, but quantity) who didn't get completely schooled by Mr. Wells. Perhaps they did get schooled...but they didn't get lapped! Whew this guy (Wells) is faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall barriers and logs in a single try! It's a bird? It's a plane? Allright Joni, Save the drama for your mama---but it really was a cool race, in another very cool part of this lovely and new (to me) State I now call home! (I guess you could enter the word cold where I wrote cool, but these Minnesotans would be sure to let me know how cold it's really NOT yet...even heavier sigh).

Todd Wells (GT/Hyundai) - 1st
Aric Hareland (Salsa Superteam) - 2nd
Bjorn Selander (Alan Factory) - 3rd
Mike Taylor (McGuire-Langdale) - 4th

Even though Bjorn got 3rd, this guy worked and raced like the true Pro he will one day be. Sometimes the results don't really give the racer's their due...and even though I am a McGuire-girl right now and I bleed yellow and green...this Alan Factory kid (literally...I think he's 16 or 17) worked and raced like a champ!!!

Thanks go to the Rum River Cycling folks for treating us to a beautiful venue, and to Todd Wells (dude...you rule!) for showing us how it's done, and a personal thanks to all the Grand Stay Racers who sure are making this cold stuff feel a bit warmer; bringing a little California sunshine to this transplanted-in-the-US-version-of Siberia girl's days! (a.k.a as Minnesota Nice). And to the McGuire team and sponsors who keep reading and routing us on from the lovely city by the bay!

final fall glimpses

Mother Nature keeps trying to "WOW" me with the details. Obviously it is working, as I keep trying to capture her works and I am amazed at how dull it looks compared to the real-thing! It was like 70+ degrees here yesterday. Yes, the wind was blowin' a million miles an hour, but it was far from cold. I managed a short ride in later in the day. It was still too windy (in town it wasn't and so I was tricked into thinking it was less windy than it was, but as soon as I got out on the county roads, the gusts would blow me over!) Of course, when the sun went down, the wind did too.

Anyway---we're forecasted for 15 degrees cooler than yesterday, but the wind is less too. Everyone keeps telling me, "All right Joni, this is it---enjoy it while you can!" Funny thing is, I think I do enjoy it. I appreciate every nice day. Always have (though I may have been a bit too carefree about it during my California days...when it's always nice, it's hard to know what anything else feels like!)

The Tour of California was recently announced (Look out Tour de France, as nothing in the world can compare to the diverse landscapes and people of California!). The amazing thing, and the somewhat sad thing to me about the timing of things, is that for the last 5 years or so, there have been many small D3 teams based in California who have just this year gone by the wayside. It would have been a wonderful opportunity for the sponsors of the sport at the D3 level to get some wonderful recognition for their commitment to the sport. Hopefully some new ones will take over. The location is too perfect for cycling in general.

I am hoping to make it out to see some of the stages since February is my birthday, and it is also sounding like a perfect time of year to be in California as opposed to Minnesota. We'll see.

Sydney and I have lots of jobs to do today to get ready for a racing weekend in St. Cloud---We're staying with friends on Saturday night and then racing on Sunday! Woo hoo! Have a wonderful day!

Happy [day after] Halloween!

November 1, 2005! Where did this year fly to? I can't believe it's already November. Geeeez! We had a much smaller crowd here than I thought we would last night. I mean we have so many kids in our neighborhood that I was expecting non-stop doorbell activity....and I can be a bit of a party-pooper about Halloween sometimes. (Almost a Grinch). But while Mike was downstairs riding the rollers and watching "The Road to Paris", Sydney and I were upstairs greeting the trick-or-treaters at the door.

"Are you getting lots of people at the door?", Molly Archbold asked when she came by with her crew. "Not really" I said. She then told me something I was suspecting already as the night progressed. "All these kids around here generally go over to the Westwood area or where my Minnesota Mom & Dad live to get their goods" Ah Ha! I remember last year when we were here visiting, there were double or more kids at the door at the home of our Mom and Dad's. (My neighborhood just went up a notch in it's value!) Here's another weird thing...the kids get driven from door to door now while they trick or treat. Amazing...even with high gas prices. I don't remember EVER getting driven trick or treating when I was growing up...(Thank G_d!)o

Anyway...it always takes me a day or so to feel like "I'm home" after we get back from a race weekend. Now I know what's missing here (besides the bicycists')...it's the married couples in their 30's/40's who don't have kids. In the bike racing community, even those that do have kids make time to ride and race---and there are alot more folks who are our age, in married relationships without kids. This isn't an opinionated statement really (like one way is better than another), but more an observation. Oh do I love the the Twin Cities areas though. It's like urban with ALOT less people. Best of both worlds!

While we were gone last weekend, Minnesota Dad mulched and fertilized our lawn and got off all the leaves and brought over a Polaris machine for when the snow flies. They (Mom helped!) worked hard and Mike and I were wondering why the yard looked so good. Then when we woke up the next morning the lawn was completely covered in leaves again. Sigh. I'm not used to needing so many tools to deal with weather and yards (can you say townhome?), and so I'm too often quick with the "do we really need this?" All the Minnesotans look at me with empathy, understanding (sorta) my complaints and letting me know with great patience, "Yes, Joni, you need this stuff...unless you plan on breaking your back shoveling....or having leaves in your gutter....or you name it". I guess I'll know what they mean soon, huh?

But not this week. 60's and 70's but with 25 MPH winds. The weather G_d's are being kind I suppose...perhaps I should let them know that 40-50's with NO wind is better than 60's and 70's with wind, huh? That might be pushing my luck though. Anyway---Happy [day after] Halloween!