Cycling Life

hitting the mainstream...

2008-07-18T08:28:00.001-07:00

Cycling is hitting the mainstream. More and more people are turning to their bikes for transportation. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25695376/

I love it... its not a toy anymore..

Leesburg Bakers Dozen

2008-03-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

Pedal Shop Racing got some love in this video from last years Bakers Dozen Race. This years race is April 19th. I can't wait, should be a great time.

http://www.gearshiftvideo.com/plumgrove/

Kathleen's got a blog

2008-03-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

Kathleen (my wife for those who don't know) is back to writing on her blog. She took a bunch of notes on our Honeymoon and is now sharing our experiences. This is as much for us to go back and read as it is for us to share what an awesome time we had.

Check it out here... http://ripleyvt.blogspot.com/

Yoga and Riding

2008-03-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

So last week I was offered someone elses spot in the Yoga class run in our office once a week. I have wanted to give it a try, so what better time than when its free, right? Well, now I'm hooked. Don't ask me what we did or what style. I just know it was a great workout. A lot of stretching and posing which worked the core and many other parts of the body. Yoga should compliment my cycling very well. It should and is already helping with the back pain I have been fighting for well over a year.

I'm finally doing some consistent riding. Nothing exciting, just an hour or two on the road bike at a time. I'm feeling better everytime I get back on the saddle. Once the trails start drying up, I look forward to a good season of mountain biking. I'm hoping this new plan of Yoga class once a week with some core work thrown in at home and consistent cycling can first bring me back to where I was before, and then make me stronger and most importantly, more healthy.

Road Riding

2008-03-03T11:14:00.001-08:00

I feel like I'm starting all over from the beginning. I did one ride inside on the trainer this weekend and one ride out in the cold. It was nice to get out and hopefully I can find some consistency to my riding in the coming months. There's a lot of life changes on the horizon, moving and my son coming to live with us. Both very good changes I'm very excited about. Time to get into shape, get ready for the racing season and get out with the friends. All of which helps me deal with the everyday stress of this thing we call life.

BRB

2008-02-28T18:18:00.001-08:00

What a boring blog i have here... it's about my cycling life, which besides maybe one ride a week, has been pretty dull as of late.
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I will be back!!!!

Beer is Beautiful

2008-01-21T19:25:00.001-08:00

Beer is Beautiful
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr

"The Meux and Company Brewery, located on Tottenham Court Road in central London, had one of the largest beer vats in the city. The 20 foot high container could hold 3,555 barrels (511,920 liters) of beer and was held together by 29 strong metal hoops. Several other large vats were also housed in the same building. The ale had been fermenting there for almost ten months, but the containers were very old and starting to show signs of fatigue.

On October 16, 1814 the metal hoops that held the big vat together snapped and beer exploded in every direction, causing all the other vats in the building to rupture. A total of 8,500 barrels (1,224,000 liters) of beer smashed through the brick wall of the building and out into the crowded slum area of St. Giles. The sea of beer ran through the streets, flooded basements, and demolished two homes. The wave collapsed a wall in the nearby Tavistock Arms pub and buried a barmaid for three hours. In one home, the beer busted in and drowned a mother and her three-year-old son. A total of eight people were killed, seven due to drowning and one due to alcohol poisoning.

People quickly waded into the flooded areas and tried to save all the free beer they could. Some scooped it up in pots while others lapped it up in their hands. Chaos ensued at the local hospital when the smell of the beer-soaked survivors quickly filled the building. Other patients, convinced there was a party and that beer was being served, rose from their beds and demanded pints of their own.

Most of the victims were poor people who lost their lives or lost everything they owned. Relatives of some of the people who drowned had their corpses displayed in their homes and exhibited to crowds for a fee. In one house, too many people crowded into a room and the floor gave out. Everyone was plunged into a cellar still half-filled with beer.

For weeks afterwards the neighborhood stank of beer and the primitive pumps of the day could not get rid of all of it. The brewery was brought to court but the judge and jury blamed no one. They found that the flood was an 'Act of God' and the brewing company was not liable."

Found Here... http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1355155

My least favorite sign!

2008-01-19T10:31:00.001-08:00

My least favorite sign!
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr

2008-01-09T19:26:00.000-08:00

Beautiful sky on my first commute home from work in 2008. Nice powerlines huh? It was a good day to ride, despite a steady headwind it was pretty warm for January. A good day to start back into regular commuting.

Gravel Roads

2008-01-06T17:54:00.000-08:00

Today was my first time in 5 months to go out and do a "real" ride. Sure i've done some long rides on the WOD and some short mountain bike rides. But today, we did 40 miles of road, gravel roads and hills (about 2000ft of climbing). Not really an epic ride by any standards. But a good ride. I felt some pain today that i haven't felt in a while. You know, that good pain that makes you feel alive and well. Not the kind that makes you want to sit around and sulk. It was good, I'm hoping this is the begining of a new good year of riding.

ummm... its been a long time.

2008-01-03T19:17:00.000-08:00

Going to start spending a lot of time here...

...and maybe i'll start keeping a journal again.

The Pedal Shop Girls...

2007-10-11T18:38:00.001-07:00

The Pedal Shop Girls...
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr

The Pedal Shop racing chicks had a great season...

Floyd Stripped of Title

2007-09-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jyjDmlUh8XW7t59IMnHMN3pg7FmA

Floyd hanging out after the SM100. I still think he's a cool guy. This whole ordeal is unfortunate.

Sue Haywood @ the SM100

2007-09-03T16:31:00.001-07:00

dsc_0189
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr

Wakefield Race 4

2007-07-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

Photo by Sean
Pain and Suffering. Thats the only way I can explain my horrible race at Wakefield last night. BUT! I had some fun, I finished the race and I got to hang out with the mountain bike gang.

Focusing On The Book

2007-07-21T07:38:00.001-07:00

Focusing On The Book
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr

Andrew has been waiting for this book for two years!

Hand Cycling

2007-06-03T17:17:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr

These guys rocked the course at the CSC Invitational this past weekend!

Walthour Coke Ad

2007-05-29T10:08:00.001-07:00

Walthour Coke Ad
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr

Bobby Walthour - A cool piece of cycling history at the Coca Cola Factory Tour in Atlanta.

Crooked Sticker

2007-05-04T06:39:00.001-07:00

Crooked Sticker
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr.

Thanks for the support!!

Gary Ryan

2007-05-03T07:13:00.001-07:00

Gary Ryan
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr.

I know Gary just LOVES being on this side of the camera! Gary is deep in thought about what camera settings to use! I think it worked out pretty well. Check out his photos of the Greenbrier Race here.

toofattorace.blogspot.com/

I present to you, Gwadzilla!

2007-05-02T04:54:00.001-07:00

joel
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr.

Sue Haywood

2007-04-30T10:06:00.001-07:00

Sue Haywood
Originally uploaded by LeeDiehr.

I hadn't planned to race Greenbrier this weekend, so I decided to take my new camera up and watch the Pro UCI race. A lot of fun to hang out and watch the best in the sport this close up. I took maybe 500 photos, none are that awesome, but I enjoyed taking them. Pretty soon there will be as many Photographers on the side of the course as there are racers racing.

Baker's Dozen = Good Times

2007-04-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

Gary has his pictures up of the race already, that was fast!

What a great day it was to race, tons of fun! I raced on a 3 person open team with my friends Amy and Tom. Both are strong riders and both have great attitudes about riding and racing. I flipped a coin with Tom to see who would do the first lap, I lost. I say lost because I usually hate doing the first lap. My nerves make my HR jump way up and I usually just blow up. Well, thats pretty much what happened. I did my fastest lap on my first lap. Something close to 43 or 44 minutes. When I arrived back at camp, I wasn't feeling great, so I started eating and drinking everything in site. Turns out, I did a little too much eating and drinking and spent my second lap feeling horrible. On the edge of puking the whole time. But I got through it in around 53 mintues. Rest, more food but not as much, more drink and back out for my third lap. I took it easier this time in the begining of the lap and felt sooo much better. I actually enjoyed the lap, the logs, the rocks and the weather. I got to ride with friends, it was like a good group ride. Back and Tom went out for his 3rd lap... rockn it so fast, he didn't feel like doing a double, but Amy went out and did a double. I got lots of rest and started out on my double lap. My first lap was awesome, back under 45 minutes, enjoying every second of it. My second lap, I was still enjoying and feeling good. But I ran out of water half way through. It was dark by now, getting close to 9pm. I was starting to feel the lack of water, the lack of training, but I was still enjoying myself. Get back to camp and Amy was done. She was hurting a little and I think she kicked ass doing 4 laps (32 miles) in her first endurance race. I wasn't much feeling like doing more laps at this point. Tom did his double and was feeling great so he went out for a third. That's where we ended the night. 15 laps (15th out of 28 teams) as a team who went into the race looking at it as fun and training for the season ahead. Not bad in my opinion. I'm happy and now I'm more motivated to get on the bike even more.

Leesburg Bakers Dozen

2007-04-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

Spent the evening setting up and getting ready for the first race of the season tomorrow. 13 hours of mountain bike fun, I can't wait.

www.lansingcartoons.com/

2007-04-18T09:37:00.000-07:00