Sprints: DQ: 2, Palm:2, Scion Punches: DQ:1, Palm: 2

Palms has been at Team Headquarters since Sunday and already we've turned everything into a competition. Not that that would surprise anyone...

On Tuesday we drove to West Bend to do Momma Schmitt's spin class. Her class has been hearing about the team for years and it was fun to meet them. Julie had the room plastered with team posters and in the middle of the room? Why a jug of milk and cookies for post ride!



The spin was good and afterward we did some pushups and sit ups. Here's a photo of Jules and Palms going at it.


After ab busting we went to see Julie's kids who were hunkering in the daycare. One cute little guy, about 15 months old, fell in love with Trish. He wanted her to play, brought her an airplane, and started crying when she said goodbye (all of this happened in less than 2 minutes). Palms...we'll find you someone just as devoted and maybe who can even drive.

So with all the driving we've done I've conceded that I cannot sprint for town signs while driving. Palms arms are longer than mine so I lose everytime. I do have the advantage on the bike however since Palms doesn't know when the signs are coming up. I intend to take Palms on different routes everyday. This way it will take her all summer to learn when sprints are coming.

Yesterday we did a school presentation and the kids loved Tricia. She told them about how in OZ they don't have cars so you have to ride a bike everywhere. Somehow that one went over their heads...

After the school presentation we picked up the bikes. Oooowee do they look good. Even better, BFR is in the driveway building up bikes right now. Stay tuned for some photos of the progress. He's working on Betsy's bike now.

More soon...dq

Real Woman's Coffee

Man,

What's wrong with some good old instant?
Mic a little water, dump in a spoonful, and perfect it with a chug of Irish cream.
Presto - you have a brew to savor.

JS

Best Girlfriend Award

I think I get the best girlfriend award for this 3-year anniversary present I got for Jordan. Of course I made him promise that if I got it for him, he'd make me lattes every morning :) Ya'll can come over for a fix when you're in town.

Gnomey's Big Adventure

Gnomey went to San Dimas and had a blast. He arrived with Trica on Thursday night and made his appearance at the breakfast table. Here he is having coffee with Lala and the lucky troll doll. Gnomey wasn't so sure about Lucky Troll but they seemed to get along.




Lala seemed to have a way with Gnomey and they talked often.


Gnomey had a great time at camp. He got to try a Cadbury egg but he got it all over his chin so he got a bath in the sink.


Last seen, Gnomey was in the Scion heading north to Boise. Stay tuned for future tales of life on the road.

Thanks again, Rachel, for letting us swipe your garden gnome.
He's doing great and holding up to team traveling like a champ!

Where are my teammates?

Hi all

Just a friendly note, wishing I had some gals to ride with. Love my kids, but they don't make the best training partners. Instead I rode with three great guys, whom were on MTB's or pulling a trailer, so I (having my fast, little cowbike) had the advantage!!
We stopped back at our house to rub it in to Kevin, who was on kid duty! He's the one with the little baby Kendra.
Don't forget to check out the snow in the background, especially you California chicks! Gotta love Wis.

Ride on - -
Momma Schmitt

Lala, Betsy and Tricia the winter trio

It occurred to me as I looked over all the photos of the team on cyclingnews.com that the team owes a huge thank you to you three for your stellar riding in Jan/Feb and March. Your outstanding teamwork not to mention your fine personalities are what makes other women want to be cowgirls.

Here's a few more photos from last week. I love this one of the girls on Betsy's motorcycle.



Here's one from a brief stop at Kohl's. I was walking through the store and something caught the corner of my eye--so I looked at the manequins. One wasn't a mannequin.



Here's Tricia and Betsy in pre-race mode, just before the crit. It'd been sunny but the clouds were moving in. THe girls were talking about which wheels to ride. I believe I was the one that said "I don't think it's going to rain." I have to go back to weather school and study California clouds.


Nothing like a little spring ridin' in the rain to get you trusting your wheels.

Stay tuned for more blogging in Gnomey. I thought he deserved a special entry.

---dq

A Brief Recap of San Dimas 06

The team went to Southern Cal to ride together and test out our fitness (or varying degrees thereof) in the San Dimas Stage race. Might I just note that I said to at least three people before I left Wisco that whenever I go on spring training trips the weather turns to crap wherever I go. True to form, the weather was crap. On the bright side there were many, many high notes. Let's start with Mark Polosky, now known as Mr. Incredible who hosted the team, kept our bikes cleaned and tuned, drove us around and let us cook for him (under protest). We could not have had such a great camp without Mark. Photos of Mark with the team can be found on cyclingnews.com. He's the tall, dark and handsome guy trying to pretend he doesn't know us.

So other highlights. Miss Natalie nabbed the Under 23 white jersey, and with a cold no less. In her first NRC event, Nat had MANY firsts and I'll just review them here:
- a new nickname: Pack Nat (for taking 2 bikes, a 70 pound suitcase, a portable dvd player and somehow in all that she was missing an undershirt but that was ok. I had an extra one in my one little suitcase. :) Hee hee, just teasing Nat, we love ya! Good job!
- Nat got an official boyfriend. It wasn't official but the boy passed the test. He held his composure while meeting Nat's 5 big sisters and Bad Dad (Mark).
- Nat got her first call up in an NRC event and there are photos of her in her jersey on cyclingnews.com and here's one of her on the podium getting her final jersey. That would be Kristin Armstrong and other notable riders next to Nat on the podium.
- Very notably, we put Nat up to a prank and Nat delivered perfectly. She actually got Tricia to stop cussing for 5 seconds. It was brilliant comedy. I think this is the beginning o of a beautiful relationship, Nat.

So the team had a blast riding. Lil Minty was in top form, keeping the laughs flowing. Anna has a gift...I'm not sure what else to call it, but she can make just about anyone laugh just by dancing when she gets food she likes. There are just too many Minty stories to even and thanks to Anna the team will introduce a new line of clothing....can't say what 'cause it's a secret but it's going to make the team millions.

While you're waiting to hear what it is, here's a photo to amuse you. On the traditional trip to Target, we took Frankie along. As always, we were captivated by shiny objects...this time it was the sunglass display. We all got ridiculous sunglasses and laughed ourselves silly.

I'm the only one who actually raced in her ridiculous sunglasses.
Here's a photo of Anna in her pair....looking so ridiculous it's fashionable.






The team got to ride with Betsy for the first time. We discovered that the more Betsy and Tricia are together, the better ab workout we all get. Add Minty to the bunch and we could sell epidsodes of sitcoms. Hey--another revenue angle, girls!


Speaking of Betsy, she is one tough bike rider. And I don't just mean the Cannondale variety. She rides around on a huge motorcycle when she's not on her other bike.

And for some reason, this blog isn't letting me add any more photos and I have to go to work. stay tuned for more recap of San Dimas...

LALA, nice job in the crit yesterday--=and Betsy, stellar blocking. Tricia and Nat and Anna, it was AWESOME riding with everyone. Give us another month and we'll be storming the peloton. Bovis Fuggagit!

Sorry can't post more photos now...so many priceless ones to show you. More later!
dq

cowgirls get noticed

Man - wearing the cowgirl kit is fun. I went to a weight training seminar wearing the long sleeved jersey, and had a blast. Walking into a food joint, a table of men, oh- 40 ish, were all staring at the jacket, so I got to put in a plug for our team, sponsor, and bike. And later - at the seminar, the discussion was on what alternatives there are to gateraide. I of course jumped in with (2% low fat chocolate milk! full of protein, carbo's and minerals). I also mentioned our team presentations we do for elementary kids. Oh ya - I also learned some things regarding weight training. But what a blast. I love being/representing this team.

Ride hard and have fun
J

Newest member of the team

Let me introduce myself.... I am the Moovin Gnome, a cousin of the travelocity gnome. I was snatched from my current owners house last weekend and entered a world of weird voices and things. I have always wanted to travel so this may be the time for me. I always wanted to be like my cuz travelocity, however I feel it in my plastic that something bigger and better is in store for me. I can't wait!!!!!!!!
Here is a piccie of me in that strange place with weird voices. My new friends ( L-R) Maggie,Whippy and
Kooka. They tell me they are all the way from Australia... hmmm that explains the weird sounding voices.
Till next time as I am hoping that I will be moovin soon ;)

It's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hallelujah praise da lawd....the Vienna Deluxe has returneth. The Brown Santa (UPS guy) was at my door when I pulled up yesterday. He gave me the thumbs up so I knew it was the coffee machine. I'd been doing the Bart Simpson thing every day waiting for it...the day before the Brown Santa brought me a small box and he said "I don't think your machine is in this one."

Oh yes...I'm enjoying a cup right now. Girls, camp can begin. We have liquid courage for all.

I had another suprise in my in box....a photo of Cowgirl Heather, in front of La Cafe Dolce in Brissy...Palms, calm yourself here. You'll be home soon! Just have a few races to go (57) yet!

Heather, you look fantastic and thanks for sending the photo.


So today is a fast group ride in Dousman. Me and about 50 boys. Jamie's mom, Debbie, drives the sag vehihcle and is a PRO at motorpacing. I know cause I get lots of practice going it on the first group ride. As in "doh,,,dropped again...floor it Debbie! Wait..not so fast...ok. I'm gonna die...ok, I'm back..." (rinse & repeat).

To the team:
Jamie-san, I hope you are enjoying Belgium. Eikey, how's NC? Minty we have some serious coffee drinking to do next week. Boom boom, Palms, Lala and Nat.....rock'em in Cali. Mamas Schmitt & Couch, I'll be thinking of you and wishing you were with us next week. Heather & Ron...keep riding and flying the bovine colors in OZ.
----DQ

A homesick cowgirl!!!!!

Well I should come clean, after reading Rons last comment I am now TOTALLY homesick and many memories have come flooding back..... ending rides at Park Road sitting in the sun having Raisan toast. I have soms great memories of meeting my mates 5:30am Wednesday morning and rolling around the river to have a latte at Park Road say g'day to the guys on the group ride and then toddle off to work, shower and be ready to start teaching at 8:30, then ride home at 3pm............... maybe meet at the coffe shop again on the way home........I must admit us aussie's really know how to play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a long cry from my current situation where I wake at 5:00am to get to work by 7:00am. {Just to compare for the aussies reading this....... I work at a middle school (6th - 8th) and I start at 7:25am in the morning, we go straight through to lunch at 11:30, which is only 50 minutes and then finish at 2:25. Also to add to this I am at a public school - VERY different to the 9 am- 3pm with little lunch AND big lunch!!!!!!!!!}

So to say the least I am missing my aussie lifestyle at the moment and can't wait to see all of you cowgirls either in Cali or Madison this month......

Ron, would love to see a photo of Heather in the jersey at park road.

On the Colorado front for me - the racing has startedfor the season with the first training race this last weekend. Check out this blogspot..... you may find something you recognise!!!!!!!!!!

www.sgriodivas.blogspot.com

stay safe warm and dry!!!!!!!!----Palm

The power of the cow jersey

I really had to post this as I am having more and more of these experiences and I must say they are fantastic. Now we all know that we have the coolest kits out there but what is cooler is the reputation attached to the jersey.
The first experience was at Nelsons Landing when a fellow competitor wished me luck for the road race and I said thanks and I would see her out there. Her response was, "Oh no, you are fast, you won't see me at the front." I replied ,"Thanks, but why do you think I am fast?" Her reply," You are on America's Dairyland, you must be fast." My response, "Well that is what drinking milk does for you!" A lame response I know but at that point in time my witt(what little I have of it) had left me. I think we need to come up with some pre prepared witty responses for our sponsors so these situations can go a little beeter.
Since then I have had a number of people I see out riding here in Colorado who know the team, mainly ex wiscosinites. Today on my ride home from the group ride I rode up to a guy at a stop light and he immediately asked me if I was from Wisonsin!!! I said no but my team is. He said I know, I know some of the girls on you team - Julie S and Rebecca. Now I should actaully play the 20 question game with both of you until you guess who he is, but I know I won't be online much this week due to standardised testing at school so I will tell you it was Neil Oberbeck. He said to say hi to both of you and to Julies husband. He used to ride with Juiles husband!!!! He als0 said to tell you that he and Heidi have a 2 and a half year old. (Sorry I can't remember if it was a girl or a boy.) Can you believe that..... I am not sure if it a "the world is so small" or the " jersey is well known" I am actually going with the fact that the jersy is well know and has a great reputation attatched to it.
After he turned off I was thinking about the power of the jersey and the reputation it has, this takes time to build and I want to thank all the past and current cowgirls who have contributed in their own way to build this, especially Rebecca.

A quick hi to Ron in Brissie - enjoy all of that rain i hear you are having this weekend!!

To all of the teamies enjoy your week and can't wait to see ya'll soon....

Palm