Goodbye Australia, Hello USA....
Maybe i should say, "goodbye warm weather and Summer, hello freezing cold US Winter"! Man, it is freezing over here, literally! The deck by our apartment froze over last night, check it out:
It may not look frozen, but you will have to take my word for it...
It is so cool though, because while it is freezing, it is still nice and sunny. I has only rained once since i arrived, and snowed on us once while training, but other than that, it is great training weather. I love it how i can wear a long sleeved undershirt, normal undershirt, jersey, Dad's thermal jacket i borrowed, a sleeveless vest over the top, ear warmer under the helmet, winter gloves, leg warmers, and super duper booties, and not have to take any of it off during training. It is so cool. In Oz, if you start the ride with your jacket on, you usually wish you didn't take it with you, but here, its great, as you don't even sweat too much with all that gear on!
We rode up in the mountains on Wednesday, and it was SO cold! The weather forecast tells you a temperature, then a "feels like" temperature, and for Dahlonega, where we were, it was 35 degrees (Fahrenheit), "feels like 19 (Fahrenheit)"!!!! That, for the young Aussie folk who don't know the old way, means: bloody freezing! None the less, we had a great ride, and it was nice to do some long climbs, even if the cold did mean that my water bottles had ice in them when i took a sip, it was like drinking a slurpee!!!!
I have been training with John Murphy a bit, from HealthNet, and he has been showing me some new roads to ride on out here. Here he is posing by the turn off to the infamous Brasstown Bald, usually the make or break hill of the Tour de Georgia. We didn't go up this time, as it was closed due to snow, but i can imagine we'll make a few treks up it in the lead up to the GA tour. Apparently it is quite steep and hard!
It has been great getting back to the States, and one of the reasons for that being so good was that i got to see Keally again, for the first time in ages! We have been having a great time, and it is nice to be back in each other's company again. We went back to her parents' place for dinner last weekend, for lobster, which was nice, then we had a birthday cookie as we were able to celebrate her Dad, brother Eric, and my birthday's all at the same time, as they were all in the last few weeks. My lobster, who's name was Larry before he was eaten, tried to take off a couple of my fingers with his huge claws.
That is one big cookie!
Keally got a bike for Christmas from The Hub, our Jittery Joe's Team bike shop, so we got to go for a ride together on the weekend, wicked!
The following photos were supposed to be in a previous blog update i wanted to do before i left, but i ran out of time, so i thought i should just load this update with heaps of photos!
Here are some road signs i am unlikely to see for the next nine months, and that the readers from the US have possibly never seen!
White wombats:
Black wombats!:
Lyrebird:
Person on horse:
And the old favourite, kangaroo:
I also should have the echidna road sign, but i didn't have my camera with me when i rode to Mt Martha! Over the next few weeks i will try and get some of the interesting road signs posted that i see here in the States, if they have any!
I must apologise for the delay in getting this post out, i have been a bit slack, and busy too! There have also been a couple of problems with internet connection, so the pictures have trouble loading. Actually, after a lot of fiddling around, i found the problem to be blogger, but it is all sorted now, and here it is!
Get the comments rolling please, and then i will make sure i keep the posts as weekly updated as possible, if that makes sense!
Laters y'all, hope everyone is well...
It may not look frozen, but you will have to take my word for it...It is so cool though, because while it is freezing, it is still nice and sunny. I has only rained once since i arrived, and snowed on us once while training, but other than that, it is great training weather. I love it how i can wear a long sleeved undershirt, normal undershirt, jersey, Dad's thermal jacket i borrowed, a sleeveless vest over the top, ear warmer under the helmet, winter gloves, leg warmers, and super duper booties, and not have to take any of it off during training. It is so cool. In Oz, if you start the ride with your jacket on, you usually wish you didn't take it with you, but here, its great, as you don't even sweat too much with all that gear on!
We rode up in the mountains on Wednesday, and it was SO cold! The weather forecast tells you a temperature, then a "feels like" temperature, and for Dahlonega, where we were, it was 35 degrees (Fahrenheit), "feels like 19 (Fahrenheit)"!!!! That, for the young Aussie folk who don't know the old way, means: bloody freezing! None the less, we had a great ride, and it was nice to do some long climbs, even if the cold did mean that my water bottles had ice in them when i took a sip, it was like drinking a slurpee!!!!
I have been training with John Murphy a bit, from HealthNet, and he has been showing me some new roads to ride on out here. Here he is posing by the turn off to the infamous Brasstown Bald, usually the make or break hill of the Tour de Georgia. We didn't go up this time, as it was closed due to snow, but i can imagine we'll make a few treks up it in the lead up to the GA tour. Apparently it is quite steep and hard!
It has been great getting back to the States, and one of the reasons for that being so good was that i got to see Keally again, for the first time in ages! We have been having a great time, and it is nice to be back in each other's company again. We went back to her parents' place for dinner last weekend, for lobster, which was nice, then we had a birthday cookie as we were able to celebrate her Dad, brother Eric, and my birthday's all at the same time, as they were all in the last few weeks. My lobster, who's name was Larry before he was eaten, tried to take off a couple of my fingers with his huge claws.
That is one big cookie!
Keally got a bike for Christmas from The Hub, our Jittery Joe's Team bike shop, so we got to go for a ride together on the weekend, wicked!
Here are a couple of dudes looking at having a successful season in the States this year, and hopefully many more after that too! They shall remain nameless, but one thing i can tell you is that they are both really fast! This photo was taken on the way to the airport, and the helmets have been edited into the photo to hide their identity...
Check out my new rig for 2007! Well, it is going to be my training bike anyway. It is sweet! Louis Garneau Sonix 6.4, with Cane Creek wheels, Maxxis tyres, Profile bars and stem and post, Zero Gravity brakes, and... SRAM Force running gear... WICKED! Man, it rides SO smooth, and i am already in love with it! Hopefully it will carry me, and the rest of our team to a heap of great results this season!!!!
The following photos were supposed to be in a previous blog update i wanted to do before i left, but i ran out of time, so i thought i should just load this update with heaps of photos!Here are some road signs i am unlikely to see for the next nine months, and that the readers from the US have possibly never seen!
White wombats:
Black wombats!:
Lyrebird:
Person on horse:
And the old favourite, kangaroo:
I also should have the echidna road sign, but i didn't have my camera with me when i rode to Mt Martha! Over the next few weeks i will try and get some of the interesting road signs posted that i see here in the States, if they have any!I must apologise for the delay in getting this post out, i have been a bit slack, and busy too! There have also been a couple of problems with internet connection, so the pictures have trouble loading. Actually, after a lot of fiddling around, i found the problem to be blogger, but it is all sorted now, and here it is!
Get the comments rolling please, and then i will make sure i keep the posts as weekly updated as possible, if that makes sense!
Laters y'all, hope everyone is well...
posted by Huck at 6:06 PM
6 Comments:
What's going on with the internet over there my boy ? No updates and its been weeks since you left! Yeah, I finished all the jobs you half started, like painting the back windows. Can't believe how much food is in the fridge these days either. Had the gear on the bikes changed, and the Spesh looks awesome.......now if I could just get someone to look awesome on it. As you'd expect its been very quiet since you left, and of course we all miss you heaps. The garage looks like a bomb hit it so I need you back here pronto to sort out the bloody mess. Oh, and twice now I've done that horrible training course you so kindly showed me....if you are hoping to get any inheritance by thinking I'd have a heart attack on it, then you'll just have to wait a bit bloody longer! Your mum gets it all!!! I'm also with the Bus, where's the updates? And, you took my yellow sunnies didn't you, ya buggar.
Haha....i just finished reading Billys comments. Tommy Tommy Tommy. I can just imagine you leaving odd jobs around the house half finished as well as stealing some of your old man's belongings....
Mad blog update though. Bout time you slack A$$. I bet it was awesome to hang with Keally again! Hey, are those the sunnies you bought her in the pic? Good choice.
Austral this weekend mate. Will give you an update.
Hope the training is going well too dude. Chat to you soon.
THE BUS
Hi Darl'
Great to read your news again. I always knew you preferred the cold weather so will we ever get you back to Aus. It's very hot and muggy at present but with no rain so you'd hate it. Sending the glasses marie biscs coconut and lolls tomorrow.
Miss you, love Mum xxxx
Finally an update! Thanks for the mention in your blog! Hope it doesnt rain on you while your out training today. See you soon!
XOXO
Keally
Tommy, I'm commenting to say leave another post. Now!
And also to say that I get a kick out of your left over trading cards in the picture frame. Sheer genius. In case you're curious, they're still all over the van, so I've given a few out to the rabid fans I saw at Tour of CA. Had them fooled.
Tom how are you. Just wondering when your first race was and why arent you in the tour of california. Ive noticed some of the priority health guys are going alright but im sure youll do better now for Jittery Joes.
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