Project Walk

A friend of mine has been dealt a rough hand. He was in Louisiana helping to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina and was involved in a tragic motorcycle that left him paralyzed. Fortunately, he has been accepted to the Project Walk program for 1 year. He is asking for help, please just take a look at his site....

Keith Concar - Project Walk

Chagrin Valley Ride...

Last night I ventured out on a cold (30s), but sunny (rare for Cleveland) evening to get some good outdoor miles in my legs. I have been struggling the last week, because I can’t stand to ride my trainer anymore….I hate it!!! I need to get outside. (Plus my laptop has been out of commission for 2 weeks now, so I can’t watch my Cycling.tv or fancast.com.) I did, however, watch my 8th grade basketball tapes, wow - I used to think I was good….I was horrible, I wonder why the coach let me play so much???? I wish they would have cut me so I could have concentrated on cycling and not wasted my time shooting airballs and giving away turnovers all game! What a downer.

Anyway, back to my ride. I left out of my house in University Heights, took Fairmount Blvd to Gates Mills Blvd to Cedar Rd (yikes Cedar Rd is torn up, huge ruts and pot holes – Stay away) to Chagrin River Rd. Heading North on Chagrin River I turned around at Mayfield Rd, then took Berkshire Rd out of the valley. My time on Berkshire wasn’t good but it wasn’t horrible either. From the bottom to the stone gates just before Old Mill it was 10:58. I never got out of the saddle. I think I was in the low 9 minutes last year, which isn’t bad for being a heft on wheels! I took Gates Mills to Fairmount back to University Hts, then dilly dallied around to get an even 25 miles. My toes eventually regained feeling in the hot shower, but that felt like walking on glass in a fire on a bed of nails! It was a lot colder than it looked.

I’m thinking about putting together a comprehensive Chagrin Valley Cycling pamphlet/blog…I’d like to contribute more to the cycling community than complaining about the weather and telling everyone how much weight I need to lose. I’ll put it together this spring and keep everyone posted. It should be fun!

-JC

St. Patrick's Day in Cleveland

My office is on Superior overlooking the parade.
5 things annoying about the parade:
1. There were only 3 confirmed persons of Irish heritage in the crowd.
2. The jackass that blew his stupid horn from 9AM - 2PM (about every 30 seconds), I hope his lips fall off!
3. The 13 year old drunk girls screaming at me on the Rapid to "get up, it's st. fu@%!ng Patrick's day, come on, party dude....like, old people suck"
4. The drunken group that got lost on their way to Pamplona, singing "Oley, oley, oley, oley" over and over and over and over! Dude's, there will not be any bullfighting in the St. Patrick Day Parade!
5. I was working.

-JC

Stay Safe - Drive Safe - Share The Road

Since Cleveland is not exactly the most bike friendly city, and if you are like me, maybe you have had near misses, mirror brushes, stuff thrown at you, horns honked, swerved at, etc. Stay alert, be safe.

You must read this article.

Training Update

I have yet emerge from my subteranian dungeon training pit (the basement). However, my training is picking up steam. I’ve dropped 13 lbs in 18 days well on my way to shattering my goal of 30 lbs in 60 days.




The training in the basement is only bearable thanks to cycling.tv, fancast.com, and movies: Hell on Wheels, A Sunday in Hell, and Overcoming. What sucks about it is: 1. I never found my cycle computer 2. I don’t have a HR monitor. So I am just going on feel and instinct. I’ll find out how I’m doing come my first group ride (when I get spit out the back).

Since the weather is improving, I should be outside this weekend and now that RTA is bike friendly (they allow bikes on the trains during rush hour), I am going to start my daily commute by biking to and/or from work (time permitting).

Tour de Georgia

Tour de Georgia (I wish they would change the name to Tour of Georgia)

Even though the Tour de Georgia is just shy of 6 weeks away, I’m getting pumped about planning my trip. I can’t wait to take my nephews and my daughter to Brasstown Bald for what always is an exciting finish. For the 2007 finish click here:

http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/mambots/content/mgmediabot2/players.php?mode=popup&playerid=74b8246d3dc332b9bd1a2250b0ff91c7

Plus, on Friday, April 25, 2008, stage five charges right past my brother’s house in Suwanee, GA. (one of the best towns in the U.S.) After they roll by, we’ll hop in the cars and head up to Dahlonega. We’ll have plenty of time. This will pan out to be a key day in the race, 133.4 miles with 3 climbs of Burnt Mtn., Woody Gap, and Crown Mtn.

For all the details on the race, go to: http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/2008-route-details-announced-3.html

2008 Tour de Georgia Teams (so far):
Feburary 14 update:
Astana (Luxembourg)
Team CSC (Denmark)
Gerolsteiner (Germany)
Team High Road (USA)
Team Slipstream/Chipotle presented by H30
BMC Racing
Bissell Pro Cycling Team (USA)
Jittery Joe's Professional Cycling Team (USA

Check out TV coverage on Versus on May 4th @ 4PM EST. (What a weird channel, it’s either bloodsport cage fighting or cycling, the two just don’t go together, I mean transitioning from Phil Ligget to a commercial about a BLOODY CAGE MATCH BEAT DOWNS just doesn’t seem right…thank god for Tivo & DVR!

I’ll take tons of pictures and hopefully get in some good rides while I’m down there. The weather should be paradise compared to Cleveland!

I never thought....

I could take so many pictures of a hole in the ground....hmm? I wonder how long this will take to fix...

Raising the Future of Cycling....

Livestrong Lily!

PS: Typical March Weather...another day in the basement! Hey look, they have to use a front-end loader to move the snow. yuck!

My VeloVids

On my way to Hilton Head Island, SC last September, I talked the wife into staying over a night and day in Greenville, SC......So I could watch the 2007 USPRO Road Race Championships. I took some decent video of the starting laps.


Foget it, I can't get my videos to post correctly...here watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLNTuxFdvvg