Back in Oz!
G'day y'all!
Well I am back here in Australia and enjoying a nice break from the bike for a few weeks. I had planned on still being in the full swing of things, and gearing up for the Melbourne to Warrnambool which is on Saturday, but unfortunately, the plug has been pulled, and the off season has begun. Things may have been different if i had gotten to race the Sun Tour, held last week, and won by Simon Gerrans for the second year in a row!
Not getting a Sun Tour ride meant i would have been about five weeks race-less heading into the Warny, and after the long season, to find the motivation to train the house down till Sunday was going to be an effort in itself. If i had raced the Sun Tour, it may have given me that boost and got me through till the day, but it wasn't to be, and if i am going to race the Warny, it is going to be with all guns blazing! I still plan on winning it one day, so maybe i have to wait till next year.
With things working out this way, i will be in better form for the Bay Crits than i have in the past, and hopefully can make an impression there, as well as the nationals the following weekend.
Up at Leland for the Tour de Leelanau, Mark Olson put in a good showing in the first part of the race. I thought i should chuck a picture of him up here for y'all because i dont think he got too much "blog-time" this year, and because i am missing him!
I spent the first week after arriving home coming up with a list of things i have missed, and not missed in Australia, as well as things i am going to miss, and not going to miss from the States. For starters, it was the things out training in Oz that i realised i didn't miss: the bloody magpies that swoop you in the back of the helmet while training, the idiot drivers in Melbourne traffic who find it necessary to abuse you and run you off the road at any opportunity, and the disappointment on missing out on a Sun Tour ride (i probably could have stayed in Georgia!).
As soon as i turned off the main road and headed up the climbs over the back of the Dandenongs, I remembered what i missed so much: the country air (well, maybe the smell of eucalyptus, as the city is too close to think of it as country air), riding in the hills, and the Australian roads (as long as they weren't the main ones). I have also missed my family and friends back home, so it has been good to see everyone again, and there are still so many more people to catch up with. I also missed Mum's slice too, so i have been OD'ing on it since my return - i did mention i tried to make it at Keally's place, but it just doesn't compare! I may as well go overboard on it for now, because once training starts again, i wont be eating anything like that!
It didn't take me long to realise the things i am not going to miss from the States: the bloody dags (dogs) chasing me on every training ride - for some reason dags aren't fenced in in America, the grid-like roads of Michigan wont be missed in any great hurry, and also, the dunnies! I don't really know anyone here in Oz who owns a plunger, so maybe there is a market for Aussie dunnies over in the States?! The things i have missed from the US are: Bob - we had a ball together this year, the humidity in the South - i started to enjoy the extreme humidity, i don't know if that is weird or not?! The other thing i got used to while in the US, was that every time i spoke, people were interested to hear more, but since getting back, i realise it was just for the accent, not that i was saying anything intelligent, so i am missing being a bit of a novelty for everyone!
And here is what i miss the most! This is when i just packed her up in my bag, ready to bring back to Australia with me! It was great to be able to spend the last two weeks of my time in the States with Keally, and we had a great time together. It was a pity that customs wouldn't let me take her through the gates and on the plane to Australia though!
Here is a picture of the sunset from Bob's balcony up at Leland - what would a trip to Leland be without a great sunset photo? This pic was meant to be in the last post, but i ran out of room, or hadn't put it on my computer yet. How's the serenity? So much serenity...
That reminds me... I really did not miss the Melbourne crime scene, if that's what i should call it. I went out on the weekend to catch up with friends, and was so proud of myself for being so organised for the weekend. Unfortunately that organisation was also a benefit for the heroin addicts of Melbourne, who scored big with a back-pack out of my car. They managed to break into it overnight, stealing my bag, digital camera, clothes, hats, sunglasses (including my mates pair), and a photo album with pictures from my trip. Bastards. I am quite sure i will never see any of it again, and the thing that bothers me most is that most of the stuff is not valuable to anyone but me. My insurance doesn't cover any of it either, so i was rather pissed off. Oh well, worse things can happen...
Teddy is being missed while i am back in Oz. We had a great time together this year, and i see he is enjoying the cross season over in cold New York right now. I thought i needed to put up some good snaps to brighten up the blog update, so hopefully Teddy sees that he is now famous...
I should also mention a huge thankyou to Scott Woomer and Amy and Lauren, up in Altoona, PA. Scott is a mad football fan, and he and Keally have both pretty much told me i am a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, and i was lucky enough to get a package sent from him with a couple of "terrible towels" (photo to come soon when i get a new camera), a Steelers t-shirt, and a Penn State Nittany Lions cap (much to the disgust of all the UGA fans i am friends with in Georgia)! I am now a full on proper Steelers fan, so i am going to have to put a link to their web page on the side of my blog now! Lets see if they can go back to back and win the Superbowl again this year!
As i mentioned in the last update, I am off to Jittery Joe's Cycling Team for season 2007. It is going to be a great year, and i am really looking forward to it. I had a great time racing for Priority Health this season, and gained heaps of valuable experience. It is going to be a big change next season, but i think it will really suit me, and my cycling. There are a few Aussies on the team, including Jeff Hopkins, so there is a strong emphasis on the sprinting side of things, and that will be great for me. It is also going to be great to play a part in HEAPS of wins in 2007 - we are going to kick some arse next season!
Jittery Joe's is a coffee bean/shop franchise from the South, I guess a bit like Gloria Jeans for those in Oz, so y'all should get online and order some coffee and see how good it is.
Well dudes, I hope all is well, and that you are enjoying yourselves. I have one week to go of my break, so i will be keeping busy doing nothing except talking on the dog'n, catching up with friends, and watching movies! It's a pretty lazy few weeks here right now, but it's nice to let the body rejuvenate for a bit before launching into my 2007 season. I am actually pretty pumped about all the base miles coming up, so that can only be a good thing!
Stay cool dudes,
Laterz
Well I am back here in Australia and enjoying a nice break from the bike for a few weeks. I had planned on still being in the full swing of things, and gearing up for the Melbourne to Warrnambool which is on Saturday, but unfortunately, the plug has been pulled, and the off season has begun. Things may have been different if i had gotten to race the Sun Tour, held last week, and won by Simon Gerrans for the second year in a row!
Not getting a Sun Tour ride meant i would have been about five weeks race-less heading into the Warny, and after the long season, to find the motivation to train the house down till Sunday was going to be an effort in itself. If i had raced the Sun Tour, it may have given me that boost and got me through till the day, but it wasn't to be, and if i am going to race the Warny, it is going to be with all guns blazing! I still plan on winning it one day, so maybe i have to wait till next year.
With things working out this way, i will be in better form for the Bay Crits than i have in the past, and hopefully can make an impression there, as well as the nationals the following weekend.
Up at Leland for the Tour de Leelanau, Mark Olson put in a good showing in the first part of the race. I thought i should chuck a picture of him up here for y'all because i dont think he got too much "blog-time" this year, and because i am missing him!
I spent the first week after arriving home coming up with a list of things i have missed, and not missed in Australia, as well as things i am going to miss, and not going to miss from the States. For starters, it was the things out training in Oz that i realised i didn't miss: the bloody magpies that swoop you in the back of the helmet while training, the idiot drivers in Melbourne traffic who find it necessary to abuse you and run you off the road at any opportunity, and the disappointment on missing out on a Sun Tour ride (i probably could have stayed in Georgia!).
As soon as i turned off the main road and headed up the climbs over the back of the Dandenongs, I remembered what i missed so much: the country air (well, maybe the smell of eucalyptus, as the city is too close to think of it as country air), riding in the hills, and the Australian roads (as long as they weren't the main ones). I have also missed my family and friends back home, so it has been good to see everyone again, and there are still so many more people to catch up with. I also missed Mum's slice too, so i have been OD'ing on it since my return - i did mention i tried to make it at Keally's place, but it just doesn't compare! I may as well go overboard on it for now, because once training starts again, i wont be eating anything like that!
It didn't take me long to realise the things i am not going to miss from the States: the bloody dags (dogs) chasing me on every training ride - for some reason dags aren't fenced in in America, the grid-like roads of Michigan wont be missed in any great hurry, and also, the dunnies! I don't really know anyone here in Oz who owns a plunger, so maybe there is a market for Aussie dunnies over in the States?! The things i have missed from the US are: Bob - we had a ball together this year, the humidity in the South - i started to enjoy the extreme humidity, i don't know if that is weird or not?! The other thing i got used to while in the US, was that every time i spoke, people were interested to hear more, but since getting back, i realise it was just for the accent, not that i was saying anything intelligent, so i am missing being a bit of a novelty for everyone!
And here is what i miss the most! This is when i just packed her up in my bag, ready to bring back to Australia with me! It was great to be able to spend the last two weeks of my time in the States with Keally, and we had a great time together. It was a pity that customs wouldn't let me take her through the gates and on the plane to Australia though!
Here is a picture of the sunset from Bob's balcony up at Leland - what would a trip to Leland be without a great sunset photo? This pic was meant to be in the last post, but i ran out of room, or hadn't put it on my computer yet. How's the serenity? So much serenity...That reminds me... I really did not miss the Melbourne crime scene, if that's what i should call it. I went out on the weekend to catch up with friends, and was so proud of myself for being so organised for the weekend. Unfortunately that organisation was also a benefit for the heroin addicts of Melbourne, who scored big with a back-pack out of my car. They managed to break into it overnight, stealing my bag, digital camera, clothes, hats, sunglasses (including my mates pair), and a photo album with pictures from my trip. Bastards. I am quite sure i will never see any of it again, and the thing that bothers me most is that most of the stuff is not valuable to anyone but me. My insurance doesn't cover any of it either, so i was rather pissed off. Oh well, worse things can happen...
Teddy is being missed while i am back in Oz. We had a great time together this year, and i see he is enjoying the cross season over in cold New York right now. I thought i needed to put up some good snaps to brighten up the blog update, so hopefully Teddy sees that he is now famous...
I should also mention a huge thankyou to Scott Woomer and Amy and Lauren, up in Altoona, PA. Scott is a mad football fan, and he and Keally have both pretty much told me i am a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, and i was lucky enough to get a package sent from him with a couple of "terrible towels" (photo to come soon when i get a new camera), a Steelers t-shirt, and a Penn State Nittany Lions cap (much to the disgust of all the UGA fans i am friends with in Georgia)! I am now a full on proper Steelers fan, so i am going to have to put a link to their web page on the side of my blog now! Lets see if they can go back to back and win the Superbowl again this year!
As i mentioned in the last update, I am off to Jittery Joe's Cycling Team for season 2007. It is going to be a great year, and i am really looking forward to it. I had a great time racing for Priority Health this season, and gained heaps of valuable experience. It is going to be a big change next season, but i think it will really suit me, and my cycling. There are a few Aussies on the team, including Jeff Hopkins, so there is a strong emphasis on the sprinting side of things, and that will be great for me. It is also going to be great to play a part in HEAPS of wins in 2007 - we are going to kick some arse next season!
Jittery Joe's is a coffee bean/shop franchise from the South, I guess a bit like Gloria Jeans for those in Oz, so y'all should get online and order some coffee and see how good it is.
Well dudes, I hope all is well, and that you are enjoying yourselves. I have one week to go of my break, so i will be keeping busy doing nothing except talking on the dog'n, catching up with friends, and watching movies! It's a pretty lazy few weeks here right now, but it's nice to let the body rejuvenate for a bit before launching into my 2007 season. I am actually pretty pumped about all the base miles coming up, so that can only be a good thing!
Stay cool dudes,
Laterz
posted by Huck at 3:36 AM
6 Comments:
Im glad you are enjoying your time off in Australia! Wish I could make it out there to visit, definatly next year! I look pretty funny in that photo you put up... it really is too bad that they wouldnt let me on the plane with you! Enjoy relaxing, everyone misses you over here (and to Teddy, I know you miss Tommy, but you are wrong, I still miss him more than you do!)
XOXO
Keally
Tommy,
Congratulations on signing with Jittery Joe’s. Athens offers some very attractive reasons for you to make it your American base aside from the great riding and a super team!
I will keep an eye out for you at the Tour de Georgia when I’m down there for some heavy training and the inspiration of watching you pros.
All the best,
Neill
yo man,
well sorry to hear about the bag in your car mate.
well all is ok down in adelaide and cnt wait to get back to melbourn and hang out with you again ok mate later
Rexy
wee man got his ase kicked...later bro
About time i started getting comments - i was getting worried i had no readers! Thanks dudes, look forward to seeing you soon...
Dammit. I just wrote a comment that could have been published into a book! It was about 4 paragraphs long, but then it deleted when I pressed publish. Crap.
Anyway, I wanted to say that you're email reply is coming. Soon enough...
Also, I saw a friend last week who was eating a cookie. It looked delicious and kind of familiar, so I asked what it was. "It's a Tim Tam from Australia." I'm like, "Duh, they're from Australia. I know all about those bad boys." Sadly that was her last one, so I'm going to need you to send me (post me) a box of TimTams.
And if you don't do that, just be sure to bring me a box or two when you come back to the states.
Hope you're doing well. Sounds like it. Peace.
What?! Mark got a pair of carbons? Did he break them?
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