The Come Back

I met with the surgeon today for a 2 week follow up visit. I went in just hoping I hadn't managed to screw things up with my hip since the surgery.

He gave me the green light to start training again. I know it's just a spin bike and I really can't put any resistance on, but it's a start to my come back.

Here I am doing what the doctor ordered. 1 week 6 days after my hip surgery:

Rachelle had to help me clip in and I had to use crutches to get to the bike but I didn't care.

Max HR: 123

Ride time: 22 min

# of water bottles consumed: 0

The Team

The Team is coming together for 2011. Check them out them here.

Atrophy

It's been a couple of weeks since the hip injury and I'm already experiencing my worst nightmare.

I wasn't expecting this to hit so soon. My plans for CX season might be delayed until I can get some meat back on the bones.

And for all those who keep including me on the email threads detailing your rides, you are officially on my target list. Although it's not much of a threat, it will at least give me some needed motivation when I'm back on the saddle.

5 more weeks!!

P.S.- The FLY jersey is available for pre-order over at the site. Still waiting on the pricing for the bibs but I should have that soon. I expect to have the gear some time in late Aug, early Sept.

Race Team

SALT Cycling is looking for a few (five to be exact) MTB or CX racers who want a sponsorship for the 2010/2011 season. Update- Thanks for all the emails. I think we've found the five.

What you get:

• Free Team Kit -Fly jersey and Fly bib shorts (see below)
  
• Free gear (t-shirts, socks, jerseys etc...as new stuff is released during the year)
• Podium money while supplies last (it won't be much but enough to offset your entry fee)
  
• The chance to be a billboard on wheels
• Your own profile page on SALT Cycling's site.
• Satisfaction of racing for a dirtbag team and the chance to stand out from the crowd
  

What you won't get:

• No race support (no mechanic, no hand ups...)
• No performance enhancing drugs
• No knuckle bumps or high fives
• And no entry fee to join the team
  

I can't offer much but that shouldn't matter. Most of you out there already race because you like it. Why not race for a small unique team and get some free gear out of the deal?

Interested parties should send me an email at saltcycling@me.com. There is no required format. Send whatever you think makes sense.

40 Years Young

Thursday night, we celebrated Rachelle's 40th b-day by renting out Classic Skating.


The only requirement was a 70's or 80's costume. (Sam, in the denim one piece, took the costume thing a little too far)


A closer look at Sam:


We tracked down a wheelchair so I could take a few laps with Rachelle on the skate floor.


And what skate night would be complete without the "guys race". 3 laps of chaos. Some of the local fast cyclists lined up to give it a go.

Turns out, Grizzly Adam is a pretty good skater. Must be the cycling legs.

Thanks to all those who came out to support the party.

Happy birthday Rachelle. 40 never looked so good.


(I'll post all the pics on Flikr later today.)

Fun Friday

I'll be spending Friday at the Park City Medical Center getting some hardware put into my hip (no Floyd Landis jokes please).

I wonder if they make these in a 29er version? Or at least a tubeless setup?

I guess there is always CX season.

New Jersey(s)

I asked Seth for some help with the FLY jersey concept and he went above and beyond. He came up with a second jersey idea. I can't tell if he is making fun of me or not. What do you think?
Maybe I drink too much Diet Coke and maybe I like my SS but the wheelchair is just mean.

He redeemed himself when he sent me the final changes to the new FLY jersey. Brown and baby blue....it doesn't get much better (in my opinion) and this will look especially good with yellow shoes.


The new jerseys will have a much better fit than the previous SALT stuff. Still working out the details. Stay tuned.

Crack

At the ripe old age of 38, I managed to fracture my hip bone while pre-riding the PCP2P course yesterday. Diet Coke called and has already pulled their sponsorship. Maybe the rumors of Diet Coke making your bones weak is true? I keep hearing from the medial field that this injury is usually an "old person" type of injury.....Nice.

I'm trying to look at the positives. I am taking comfort in the fact that I crashed while climbing. My wish is for people to say I was climbing so fast that my tires lost control and launched me sideways into a rock resulting in the broken hip. I think that sounds better and makes me look less like a spaz.

I'm off the bike for 6-8 weeks which leaves me with just enough time to recover and ride (not race) the PCP2P in Sept.

No surgery. The plan is to let it heal naturally.

I'm already going stir crazy. Pretty good chance I'll go insane by week 3.

Ugh.

P.S. thanks to all my friends and family for pitching in the past two days. I totally appreciate it.

Poundcake

That would be my name if I were a wrestler- Poundcake. How I came up with that name isn't important. What is important is that I tell you I'm not a wrestler. I'm a cyclist. And what do cyclists do to cross train when they are on vacation and aren't riding bikes? Leg wrestle. That's what.

I took the family on a long weekend get away. We had some down time at nights which almost always leads to a leg wrestling tournament. I didn't do so hot. But Dug did.

Here we are just before the count down. I didn't win.

Dug putting the hammer down on my bro-in-law. (Nice form Dug). He seems to enjoy hurting others.

You know who else is a good leg wrestler? Mrs. Sunderlage (not her real name). She dominated the girls and some of the boys.

Check it out.

Maybe if I can improve my leg wrestling skills, I'll come into CX season in top form.

The Not So Magic Slippers

The pressure of the yellow shoes (the not so magic slippers) got to me last night at the Soldier Hollow weekly race. I could feel the stares from the other racers during registration and at the start line. I knew I was in trouble.

I had a terrible race. I'm not a huge fan of that course when it stays down low. Not enough steeps to put any distance on anyone. We did 4 laps (about an hour of racing). I'm not a strong descender and it showed last night. But I chalked it up to an hour of interval training and a chance to unwind after working all day. It's a good crowd and a lot of the usual suspects are there each week.

Brandon and Kyle both crushed it.

If you haven't come out to support these weekly races, you are missing out. Quality riders, cheap entry fee, and really good prizes. I think I've walked away with something every time I've raced.

Note to self: Don't mix water with Red Bull in your water bottle during a race. It taste like acid.