What you've all been waiting for!

So im sorry for the wait, i got lazy out in Seattle and didn't feel like writing alot. Then ive been busy here with school since i got back, but now i have some free time and i will fill you in on the rest of my trip. Where did i leave off..............Oh yeah!

Day 3: The Dinner
Thanksgiving morning i woke up and went for a morning ride after haveing two pieces of sausage and a cappacino (as i discovered later, not enough food). Where we were in Tacoma wasn't far from Point Defiance Park. I mean literaly down the road about a mile. So i rode down there around for a little bit, along the water and back to the house. I will probably move out there several years down the road, because its amazing there. Not to mention they have more elevation in 3 blocks than we do in the entire state haha. After my ride i sat around the house, watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and some football. Then it was time for dinner. This table we used only sat 8 comfortably, there were 10 of us. We fit. Thanksgiving dinner was the usual, haveing the family together is fun because there are lots of good stories and lots of laughs. After dinner we watched...something....oh, Greys Anatomy and then i went to bed. I was going to bed early because i didnt want to get too used to the time change.

Day 4: The first real ride
So after thanksgiving, i refused to go downtown one of the biggest cities in the country on the busiest shopping day of the year. So my dad and i went to my brothers appartment. My brother and i kitted up and went for a nice ride. It was about an hour and 15 min long. Climbed a bit, but my brother told me it was nothing. We hit 42mph on one of the decents. When we got done my brothers and i went to eat and drove around a bit. Went to a few stores, then went back to the house. I fell asleep eventually.

Day 5: The Dusk Ride
I didnt get to my brothers house untill later that day, because we spent the morning at the Museum of Glass, which was pretty cool. Then we went to my brothers house, and my dad fell asleep on the couch, my mom, her friend, and my sister-in-law took a drive around Bellview, while my brother and i went riding. We started at about 3 o clock, and it gets dark there around 5. So after doing two decently long climbs and 2 pretty fast decents we wound our way along a bike trail that followed a river in the vally, with mountains all around.....yeah pretty cool. By this time i didnt have my sunglasses on because i wouldnt have been able to see. We werent far from the house, but by the time we got there my mom was worried that we had gotten lost because it was so dark. My dad was still asleep. Im pretty sure we went back to the house and i again fell asleep.

Day6: The Climb
So first off, pictures and data to this climb will be posted as soon as my dad and brother send them to me. But it maxes out at 30% and avereages like 9% for 2.2 miles, there isnt any flat part. So we drove to Issiquah (i dont know how to spell it) becasue my dad was suppose to borrow a bike from the shop and go do a light ride while we did this climb, but the guy we know wasnt there. So my brother and i headed off twords the hill with my dad and brother john in the van behind us taking pictures. After 5-6 miles we got to the base of the climb. I took off my wind vest, and considered taking off my LS jersey, but didnt. My brother has a Garmin GPS for his bike (same one Tony has i believe) and he slipped that in my pocket becasue he knew i would be faster. So i cant really describe it other than it looked like Brasstown Bald from the Tour de Georgia. Thats just what it looked like to me. It was STEEP. After i got through the first half, which was the steepest, it straightened out and decreased in grade. But now we are high enough and in the shade that there was ice on the road. I stood to get out of my saddle and didnt know i was on black ice. The bike went right out form under me. I landed on my left knee and thigh. Its the slow falls that hurt the most. I didnt continue because i didnt want to make it worse, its the off season anyway. After i got home i showered and packed up for the flight home.

Day 7: Homeward Bound
Flight out of Sea-Tac airport was at 1:20pm (4:20pm local time) It was a 3 hour flight to Milwaukee. Had a two hour layover untill out little puddle hopper of a plane to Grand Rapids took off. It was delayed. Due to the weather some planes were delayed and this was the last flight out for the night, so we had to wait for the others. We finaly got to Grand Rapids and it was like 1am local time. I rested in the car on the way to Jackson, then drove from Jackson to Ypsilanti, because i had school later that day. i got to my dorm at about 4:30am Tuesday morning. Woke up at 8:30 for class. Went to bed at 11pm that day.

Thanksgiving...TBA

The final three days of my trip out here to Seattle will be up Wednesday I'm thinking. Ive been busy out here, and i will have to do some college work when i get back to school on Tuesday. But it WILL be posted with pictures. A story to look forward to..... i took a spill today.

Thanksgiving Break Day 2 - My best friend, the passengers seat

It was another long day, spending much of it in the car. Being the holiday season, there are a lot of people on the road, meaning a lot of traffic, so it takes a while to get from one point to another. I woke up this morning and made myself a cup of cappuccino and had a bowl of cereal. Then my dad and i headed off to meet my brother Eric so we could pick up my bike. It was a very nice shop, Veloce Velo, and for the next week i will be on a gold Colnago ARTE. If you find yourself in the Seattle area, I highly suggest renting a bike from this shop, they will take car of you! After we picked up the bike we drove by the hill that my brother wants me to ride up. Pictures will be up when i ride it in a few days. The short spec list.... 1500ft of climbing in 2.2 miles. Yeah....its going to suck.

After we had lunch and dropped my brother back at his job at Microsoft, my dad and I went downtown Seattle. We walked through Pike's Place Market. That was pretty cool, lots of people, but still cool. We walked by the original Starbucks, and then to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Co. and got fudge. When we were finished we got in the car and made our way back to the house, 27-30 miles. It took us over 2 hours. Now i am back at the house, the bike is inside, and i am blogging. I hope everyone has made it home safe for thanksgiving, and enjoy your holiday!

Thanksgiving Break Day 1 - First Timer

At 5am Eastern Standard Time, the alarm clock in the hotel room in Grand Rapids went off. It was the start to a long day of traveling. It is now 9:51 here in Seattle, so its 12:51am back in Michigan, I've been up for about 20 hours, I've been on three planes, in two cars, and touched four states.

We got to the Grand Rapids airport at 5:45am, for our 7:15am flight. After checking in and getting through security we got to the terminal in time to chat for a bit, then we got on our puddle jumping plane, (holds about 30 people) and jumped over to Milwaukee, Wi. From there we made a quick change to a larger plane that took us to Kansas City, Mo. From there it was another short transfer to another plane with larger seats, that took us to the Sea-Tac Airport. (Seattle-Tacoma) I was lucky enough to be in the Exit row with my brother, which meant more leg room for us. I took a few pictures out of the window as we crossed the Rockies.

Once we were in Seattle, my parents went and got the car while my brothers John Pat and I got the baggage. Our parents picked us up and we headed to our rental house, where my oldest brother Greg was waiting with his wife Mari. The house is NICE, as the bottom of a steep hill, overlooking the "Tacoma Narrows Bridge". It's quite a site. I have my computer and the rest of my electrical equipment set up on the desk in my room, I'm actually not there right now, I'm upstairs watching 'House'. There are 8 of us staying in this house, seeing as my last brother, Eric the second oldest, and his wife Catie live here in Seattle. So its going to be a little cramped.

Once we got situated here at the house, we left to go have dinner in Belleview at 'The Cheesecake Factory'. Eric and Catie met us there, Eric was at work until then. This was the first time since my brothers wedding in July that the entire family, all 9 of us, were in the same room.

Tomorrow i go and pick out a bike to use for the week. I believe I'll be using a Pinerello.

Be sure to check back tomarrow for more.

Seattle

Today after i get out of Math at 3, i am stopping by my professer's office, then i am comming back to my dorm, turn off my computer, grab my bag, and then im in the car and out! I have to drop by j-Town and pick up my brother, then we are off the the WEST COAST...of michigan. My family is spending the night in a hotel in Grand Rapids. At 7:15 tomarrow morning, i will be on a flight to the WEST COAST!...OF AMERICA! So 24 hours from now i will be in Washington State. Every member of my immediate family will be out there for the next week for Thanksgiving, its going to be fun haveing Mom Dad, Greg, Mari, Eric, Catie, John, Pat, and me all together for the first time since my brothers wedding. And the greatest part, i get to ride. My brother has hooked me up with a bike out there, i dont know what kind, but you can be sure you will know when i do. So while some of you are here riding in the freezing rain and wind, you can think about how much fun im having in Seattle (Tacoma actually) riding in the freezing rain and the wind. The upside for me.....look at that picture....yup! :-D

Slipstream

So whos exited to follow Slipstream Chipotle this next season? I think it is going to be interesting.
http://www.slipstreamsports.com/

The Flying Scotsman

Whos seen "The Flying Scotsman" starring Jonny Lee Miller? I just got done watching it for the frist time. Great movie. Anyone who is a cyclist should see this movie.

Coolest fricken race ever!

Hey all,
I was wondering around BBs blog and came across this. I think it would be a ton of fun. Anyone who reads this blog should go to that link, and voice your opinion. If we can get enough people to support it, maybe we can resurrect this race and have a ton of fun.

Happy Birthday Bike Boy!

Umm....yeah. Happy Birthday Bike Boy!

Cyclocross

Now this is a sport you will see me in next year. I showed up today at Vets Park, on the West side of ann arbor for the CX race. It was pretty intense. It was a lengthy course, with some wicked hills. DMO lent me his bike and shoes, so i went and rode around a little, up some of those hills, and down them. Wow it was cool. I will deffinitly try to get a bike and race cross next season. I think i would benefit my road abilities emencely. Then insted of having 6 months rest, i would only have 3. Collegiate from end of February - April, then i have the regular road season from end of March (fisk knob) - September, then CX from September- December. I was just amazed by some of these peoples ability to suffer. I cant wait to be out there with them next year! I think Ace, Scott, and BB should get into it with me. It would be fun. I am a little disapointed though, my good freind Pothole (Doug) wasn't at the CX race today.