Summer speed!

Does anyone else ever notice how fast the pace of life is when "summer" comes???
It's like this for me every year, and this year is no exception!
Anyway, we just raced in Austin Texas and I can't tell you how cool that trip was because I would have to write a book, and at the moment I do not have time to write a race report but here is a pic that sort of sums it all up :)

That was a first...

So I am meeting up with a potential new dealer yesterday over on E. 7th Street in Los Angeles. These guys are starting up a fixed gear community shop. It's going to be pretty cool, the shop is hardly put together yet though so to go over paperwork and whatnot, we met right outside the front door by their truck, which they had up on the sidewalk to unload stuff they had brought in for the shop. Now I tell ya...that was probably the most interesting meeting I have ever had with a dealer. We must have had about five people come up and start some "very interesting" conversations with us...the most memorable being the woman who came along and asked if we needed the truck washed. Seemed like a normal inquiry and all....until she said she would lick the whole thing for a cost..! That one pretty much got us all.

I had to laugh.

Yea that woman was probably clinically "cookoo" (like many of the folks walking around on the streets right there) and yes, it can be a bit of a tragedy to see so much homelessness...but in that split second when she blurted out that comment, that woman's boldness, her quick wit, and the twinkle in her eye...just reminded me not to take it all so seriously.

She sure as heck isn't!!

Kind of a Big Deal....some BMX news for ya!

We went to the watch the U.S. BMX Olympic Trials down in Chula Vista on Saturday. That was well worth the drive. Standing there with my brother, witnessing a bit of history in the making was pretty awesome! (this year is the first year ever for BMX to be included in the Olympics). You gotta go to www.toddlyons.com to understand just how big of a role BMX has played in our family's life. (..if you peep his website, make sure you go to the archives section and check out the pics from ten and twenty years ago!!) As for the race, Mike Day won the spot that was up for grabs. Kyle Bennett already owned a spot based on points, and one more guy (out of the others that raced this weekend)is going to get a coaches selection for Bejiing! It gave me chills to watch it all go down!!

AND..by the way Jill Kitner is going to represent the U.S. for the female side of things! www.jillkitner.com

It's a special year for the world of BMX :)



Me and Todd with Scott Breithaupt, the originator of SE BIKES.


Alan Foster and TL talking business. Alan is now a brand manager for Felt Bikes BMX division. We have know the Foster brothers since we were young and I spent a million days at BMX races watching those guys! The Foster brothers were known for how smooth they were on the track!....


And check out the size of this track! Look at that starting gate!!! That thing is crazy big!! And the track itself, wow....it's incredible!! A real BMX'ers dream!

They're coming soon............

Kestrel Talons.... back on the road and looking hot!

Congratulations Anthony!!

Anthony Zahn made the 2008 Paralympic selection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rock on.

One more from Philly......

Here is that sprint to the line I was talking about......look at all that horsepower!
I try to refrain from using any curse words in my blog but that picture is pretty bad-ass....I just had to say it!

And about the race....

Those are my legs before they gave out!

Ha...well what can I say? I had a hell of a day.....along with everyone really!! But for me and my little personal Liberty Classic experience, all I can say is that I simply fell apart going into lap four with cramps that practically kept me from putting any pressure on the pedals (I first learned of my inabilty to perform in extreme heat with humidity when I ran a marathon in Honolulu many years ago!!!!). I sure would have loved to finish on Sunday, but there was just no way I could see myself being any part of the race other than a finisher that rolled in many minutes after the race to the line. Therefore, I called it a day and happily rode over to the stands to watch my teammate Jen tear it up in the sprint with Ina and Brooke Miller. Thanks to Brooke who launched first down the last straightaway, she and Jen got a great jump on the other sprinters, but Jen couldn't quite get around Brooke (Brooke had a very, very strong sprint), and then Ina just squeaked by Jen at the line keeping her off the podium by one spot! Man....what a great sprint to watch.

I have to admit, having the opportunity to see that sprint was well worth giving up riding that last time over the Manayunk Wall for..hehehe, twist my arm ;) And truly, if I'm not going to be in the sprint...the next best thing is to be watching it!

Anyway, back to my race, I had great day, and a hard day all in one. It was nice to get back on the course and let go of last year's terrible memory of crashing in the last kilometer, and it was very inspiring to be back racing with an international field as a full-time career mama. Days like these remind me how much passion I have for this sport, and my team, and the company I work for....I feel so fortunate.

Thanks for reading :)


See you in Austin June 21st......

Liberty Classic 2008

All I have for you at the moment is a post race picture from our dinner with Fuji Bikes after The Liberty Classic race yesterday. I'm just too plain tired to write much right now about the race itself (long night, early flight and straight back to work this afternoon right off the plane...i'm a little wiped out!). However I will say the weekend was as Philly always is....a crazy whirlwind full of excitement, high energy, anticipation, pain (more pain!), suffering (and more suffering!). Of course, sprinkle in a little good luck and bad luck on top of it all and "voila", you have the race as it goes down every year!

Now who would want to miss that? It was epic.

BTW--- Jen McRae, my super teammate extraordinaire, BARELY missed the podium in the sprint to the line and came home for 4th on the day! Remember folks...she's right there duking it out with all those ladies getting their race legs over in Europe, yet she is a full time MOM and part-time racer....that's the coolest thing ever.

word to the bike.

Should have been a DNS

So I had a nice little four hour layover yesterday, that effectively cost me a good night's sleep and a good day at the races today. I hopped in bed this morning at 2:15am -my alarm set for 6:30am. The van departed for the hour drive at 8am and I was in the start line at 11am (after building my bike in the parking lot at the course). I knew I was walking into a storm, but I had do to it.....just to say I did.

Needless to say, it was a bad day at the office..... lol.

Gotta love race days that make you wish you took up sewing.....

Northeast side....

Shipped my bike and two wheelsets to Philly today. Thanks to our sponsor (Wyeth), we get travel vouchers to use with UPS....saves big time on shipping anything bike related, especially with the increased cost for travel bags!! I always feel a little strange sending my bike on the road before me, but some things just have to be done. It's a little bit of a bonus to have some extra space for packing though, especially considering I am always the one dragging around an extra suitcase full of food (just ask my teammates)!! And you can bet I wasted no time packing some goodies in that bike box this time around. I mean...have you ever tried to find a health food store in Northeast Philly???

Ain't happenin'.

And those peeps must not drink espresso either, because I couldn't even find a Starbucks last time I stayed out that way(had to drive 14 miles to get Starbucks, and you folks who see them every five blocks know how weird that must have been)!!

There are plenty of Sheets there though ;)
Ahhh....the wonders of culture.


Anyway, so that Blue Sky soda in the picture, got some of that packed for the trip too..that would be my savior for when I crave sugar drinks, and lately I got a little bit of that craving. My soda craving always come with summer, plus, it's always nice to go for a soda after a race and feel like it's okay to be drinking it! Thank you for existing Blue Sky.....and saving me from high fructose corn syrup!!
(Ps..I also packed rice noodles, Kashi cereal, Annie's canned ravioli, Fruity Booty and my espresso, the grinder and the maker...hehehe).

Philly here I come....ready or not.