Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Flying through the air, with the greatest of ease....


The flying part is easy. It's the landing that hurts!! So here you have it. The actual shot of me airborne. Don't you just love the angle of my bike? It's completely upside down.

I think I should send this photo to cyclingnews and then I'm going to have it plastered on a coffee mug with the slogan: "What I did on Memorial Day weekend."

Or maybe it should just say "I'm No. 21."

Whatever, this is now my favorite photo of racing--ever!

Rock Island Souvenir

Hey guys...did you eat b-fest yet?? How 'bout this bruise?

Rock Island used to be my favorite race. Except last year when I took myself out, and this year when someone else took me out. but I still finished in the money and wow am I sore now.

Aside from my ass, I have neck whiplash, my back hurts, my shoulder, foot and hip are out of whack and my helmet is cracked in two places. Nice work, eh??

but how 'bout that Natty Cat getting on the podium? And Rachel had some good moves as did Andrea (4th).

Here's to the next races and may they be crash free!

Cheerios,
r

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Milk: It's not Just for Drinking Anymore.

This afternoon over my lunch break, Anna and I went to get our eyebrows waxed. Apparently I'm a bad influence on this team--taking Anna for her first eye brow wax and dragging Natty to a crazy party (If Natalie's parents are reading, it really wasn't that crazy). Anyway, Anna was a trooper getting waxed, plucked, and threaded. When all was said and done, our eyebrow skin was pretty red, so our stylist gave us a special remedy. She ran into the back room and came back with a carton of milk. She dabbed some milk on our inflamed skin and voila! the pain subsided. Apparently, milk is a remedy for razor burn, so all you ladies out there (and all you leg-shaving male cyclists), take note! Lather up with milk after your next shave and leave it on for ~20 minutes, and you should be burn free.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Weekend Racing

I'm tired of looking at the truck balls, so I'm posting a quick recap of this weekend's racing...

Saturday's ROAD RACE was a whopping 28 miles over 2 loops of the course. The team rode together for 40 minutes to warmup before the race.

At the start line, Ms. Candince Blickem rolled up, so I figured she would be the one to watch. The race stayed together until the third hill on the first lap. A little Belgium rider attacked, but I was at the back of the field at this point watching
Candice. With the attack, Candice booked it all the way to the front of the field bridging up to the attack. I started to follow but got caught by slower riders in front of me, so I yelled to Nat to 'get on that.' I then followed a rider who was trying to bridge up to the break group. When everything flushed out, there were 4 riders in the break (Nat, Kristin, Candice, and little Belgium girl), and 5 of us in the chase group. 2 of us (Carrie Ann and I) weren't chasing since our riders were in the break, so we just sat on.

On the first climb of the second lap, I just sat next to the woman who was driving the pace, and we dropped two of the other women. The two other women who got dropped eventually caught back up to us. We were together for the field sprint, but then one woman cut off my front wheel and put me in the ditch. By the time I got out of the ditch, Carrie Ann was already near the finish line, but I managed to catch and pass the others for 6th place overall.

Natalie had gotten dropped on the hill, but she rode strong and single-handedly staved off the 3 chasers for 4th.

Sunday's race was pretty awesome. In the beginning of the race, I was having a hard time staying at the front, so I was doing way too much work at the back. Eventually, a break formed with the same riders as yesterday minus the little Belgium climber.

I finally figured out how to stay at the front, so Rebecca and I just sat on wheels and covered stuff. I didn't go for any primes 'cause I didn't want to waste any energy for the finish. However, towards the end of the race, when the announcers called out a coffee prime, Anna, who had been instructed to sit in until the second half of the race, came flying up the side of the field to lead Rebecca out--I guess there's something to be said about those girls' coffee addiction.

With 2 laps to go, the breakaway lapped the field. Coming into the last lap, Rebecca got on the front with Natalie on her wheel and me sweeping. Kristin was trying to take Natalie's wheel, but I held my ground, so she was left riding in the wind. When Kristin's teammate Carrie Ann saw this, she jumped to try to get in first place with Kristin on her wheel, but I saw the jump and told Natalie to get on Carrie Ann's wheel. As soon as Carrie Ann saw that she had Natalie on her wheel and not Kristin, she slowed up. At that moment, I jumped, yelling for Natalie to get onto my wheel. She did, and I delivered her through the last corner on my wheel. She started her sprint in the final straightaway, and no one could come around her. She won, and I was able to hang on for 5th. It was really cool!

Monday, May 15, 2006

Only in the Fox River Valley

Anna and I did a school presentation in the Green Bay Area today. On the way, a pick up truck passed us.

But not just any truck. Let's take a closer look.

Sleepless in Arkansas...and Missouri...and Illinois...

I just read Julie's post about the birthday cake and I kind of wish I'd of been at the birthday parties instead of driving my car across the country. The good news is we all made it back from Joe Martin intact. It was another one of those trips where things don't go as planned and the domino affect starts rolling.

The highlights:
- my cancelled flight leaving me with two options; stay home or drive. I drove
- Racing on zero sleep. I lasted 10k then went on a 95km joy ride through the beautiful Arkansas hills.
- Finishing the race only to find Trish in the medic tent with an IV in her arm
- Natalie was looking for us and couldn't find us in the tent but Betsy found her
- Going out to eat in our pink polos...collars UP
- Hanging out in Fayetteville on Saturday and getting stuck in Graduation, Track meet, and world softball championship traffic on our way to pick up Trish and Betsy after the second RR.
- Trish in the medic tent getting an iv after the second RR
- the great cheering section for Trish and Betsy at Devil's den (cowbells and udderly smooth for all!)
- going out to eat in our initial shirts. Our shirts spelled NERP
- Betsy and Trish overdosing on pedialyte which led to a condition we shall not discuss, even on the blog
- Taking photos of the street signs with Natalie (Natalie Lane, Rebecca Lane, even an Eicher Road!!!)

So....stage races are guaranteed to not go smoothly. We could of done with a few less bumps but NVGP should be better since we'll have support and hopefully, no cancelled flights.

Cheerios and good job to Betsy, Palms and Nat!

Birthday Girl!!!




Another cow girl having a birthday!
I can't believe she's already one year old.
We celebrated her birthday twice (two cakes),
we clelbrated Hunter's birthday twice (three cakes),
and we celebrated Skyler's birthday with one big old cake too - and all within the
past three Months. So - if anyone needs a birthday cake made, just ask me, for I'm a pro come Spring!!!

Oh ya - if anyone whats to test my baking, just come on over June 14th - One more B-day cake is in the making - - - for me

And now you don't wonder why I'm so slow in spring. Ha
Take care all
Momma Schmitt

Sunday, May 07, 2006

The Busy Girls's Guide, Tip #1


Another race yesteday and between that and making plans for Philly and NVGP and all, I've been hard pressed to find time to clean my bike. After the race yesterday I took my car to the car wash. Since my bike was on the rack I figured I could clean both car and bike and it worked great! My bike was filthy--it had dried worms from riding in the rain and lots of dirt on it. I made sure not to spray the bottom bracket but got off the dirt in under 2 minutes--the car too!

Now I have my big ole cup of coffe and I'm heading out to clean the chain and prep it for today's race, a crit in Neenah. See you all soon!
dq

Friday, May 05, 2006

Eikey McTipsy

So which of you teammies was I talking to earlier this week about whether Rachel ever has a drink? I can't remember but last night I was walking my dog in my neighborhood and looked up to see the team jersey. ??? I was startled and realized it was Rachel and Jordan, who were riding back from a restaurant that features a pasta board and unlimited red wine.

And guess who had a bit of wine?? So when Rachel has a drink she talks a lot. I couldn't stop smiling as she told me about dinner. Her red wine cell count was obviously at normal levels. Way to go Eikey!

Oh, and I talked to Lala yesterday. She ran 9 miles last weekend. We'll see her next month and that is going to be way too much fun. Can anyone say TARGET TRIP???

Speaking of Target, I'm STILL wearing my ridiculous glasses in every race. I think I look like superfly.
dq

Monday, May 01, 2006

26 Days to go!!!!!!!

The count down to the move to cowgirl hq has started. Only 26 days to go and about million things to accomplish before then......... Bec if you can get the guy in the photo to mow the lawn I would be a very very happy girl..... ;)
Can't wait to see you all and race with you at the end of this month!!!!!!!!!
By the way it was Anzac day last Tuesday so I think we need to bake a few more bikkies in honour.

Trish