Here we go again...

I'm moving to New York City! I'm going to work at a hedge fund in Manhattan. Training and racing will be tough, but I'll get used to it. I'll get my riding done in Central Park, Prospect Park, and on the trainer - if I can find room in the closet-sized apartment. I'll miss you all. Actually, I won't.

Don't jump to conclusions. I would miss you, but I'm not going anywhere. A week ago the above fiction was a reality for me. A lot can change in a week. Sometimes the love of your life becomes the love of part of your life. Sometimes the best professional transition isn't the best personal transition. Sometimes it's worth riding into the wind because eventually it will be at your back again. I hope.

Without further ado... It's with a tiny bit of pleasure that I reintroduce myself to the escape of writing about whatever I want, but mostly cycling, to your most poignant commentary and your "my job gives me way too much time to read this and I can't find anything better to do" readership. Be gentle. I'm not a writer. I do not proofread, and I make a lot of typos. I'll at least perform one spellcheck before publishing, but I will never guarantee proper grammar.

2011 Season

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man." -Benjamin Franklin

Beautiful and true... but more applicable:

"Be always at war with NCVC, at peace with teammates and the turtles, and let each new year find you some NRC podiums without disgracing the sponsors by yelling at a promoter and less skin rashes" -Tim Rugg p/b Lysol

It's hard to start a new year without closing the door on last year. I wrote about almost every race I was in my first full season in 2009, but didn't write a lick last year. That was mostly due to The Mexecutioner putting me on radio silence. But hopefully I have tamed the tongue and actually have something valuable to write about every now and then. I mostly want to write again because I still read the same blogs I was reading two years ago and still appreciate their contributors enough that I'd like to try to contribute a bit myself. Last year in a nutshell: After recovering from a major medical procedure I spent the entire season trying to prove I was good enough to ride with the guys I got to ride with. I ride with the best, and I took things a bit too seriously from time to time trying to show I belonged - but I came away with a few breakthrough rides and I wasn't kicked off the team. So door closed, 2010 was successful.

I don't know how much I've matured as a bike racer mentally. Every year the goals keep getting higher and higher, and it's hard to know how I'll react pursuing, succeeding, or failing at them. Physically, I'm almost ready. Our team has a slew of talent this year and I think we're all in for a treat on where we're headed this season. Just look at Chuck... winning the Tour of Bahamas and taking on Big George to ride in style in SC, Jared winning the NC State Road Race, and Switters winning in California. It's February! And these guys are riding with little to no support! I'm anxious, but patient. I'll loosen the legs up a bit in Greenville, SC a couple weekends from now. My current job is going to make it possible for me to do a lot of NRC races this year and travel to a lot of big races. Jeff Cup is right around the corner... It's almost time to get serious. It's going to be an awesome year for racing. I'll post a schedule soon.