This is Home!
Well I can’t believe that I’ve been in Denver now for over a week and it’s not just to fly in for work and fly back to Chicago to go home. This is home now!
I must say that I probably have one of the prettiest commutes to work that one can have. Unless you live in California and ride on the Pacific Coast Highway. I drive away from the city and head to Boulder and all I see is snow-capped mountain tops. The traffic is ok, not like Chicago but it has it moments. That’s expected.
The last week I have been getting my feet wet in my new surroundings and work environment. I love my new Job and all the employees/co-works are great and friendly. The best part is that I was able to hit the ground running in the job and add to our promotion ASAP which has been great.
Yesterday my friend Karen Sing from Zoot was in-town pimping out the new supper sleek/fast Zenith wetsuit at Bicycle Village where a Triathlon Clinic was taking place. So I swung by to say hi and see what the shop was like. I must say that the store is pretty sweet and easy on the eyes, but hard on the wallet. I had to force myself NOT to buy anything. I didn’t need anything but the store is so nice that it make you want to buy something! While there with Karen (salt of the earth person with a heart of gold if you are lucky to meet her, you’ll see it right away) she was introducing me to all these great locals to ride and train with for my IM Race. One of the folks I met was Cody Waite. He invited me to ride with him and a few other big locals, (normal Sunday rides) today. So I accepted his invite to get outside and ride.
Today I rode outside, first since moving here and pretty much since August and my last race and ride with Heather J in Chicago. I was surprised how good I felt. We didn’t just go for a ride. You can’t do that in Denver or CO really. We did a ride with Mountains, not Hills. We rode for three hours which felt great. We rode up and down a place called Lookout Mountain (over 8,000+ feet high and a 4.7 mile non-stop climb) located in Golden, CO (home of the Coors Brewery), where you can smell the hops and barley being cooked as you pass through town up to the mountain. I must say that I surprised myself on the climbs and I do know that I started out to hard and felt that towards the end of the climb. My legs felt good, but lungs started to hurt and my HR was climbing fast. Towards the top I was in the lead pack with Jim (stud pro rider) and every five minute interval we’d start together and then he’d be gone…I tried to stay with him once and I swear I thought my heart had leapt out of my chest and hit the sidewalk. I couldn’t keep up at all. I felt like my breakfast was going to say hi to me! It was great to push myself to try and catch him, but I knew that I didn’t have it in the tank and I can’t wait to keep riding this Mountain during the winter and spring and see the improvements!
So with the help and introductions from Karen, I’ve found a great group of guys to ride with on the weekend and a new Bike shop. Nothing will or be able to replace Mitch and the guys at Vintess, in Normal, IL. I owe all I have on the bike to those guys and the help they have given me.
Ok, so now the ride from this morning is catching up with me and I need to pass out since I have to run tomorrow am before work.
Have a great one ya’ll and keep those comments coming!
I'll be sure to post a few more photos soon and some for points on Lookout Mountain so you can see the views!
I must say that I probably have one of the prettiest commutes to work that one can have. Unless you live in California and ride on the Pacific Coast Highway. I drive away from the city and head to Boulder and all I see is snow-capped mountain tops. The traffic is ok, not like Chicago but it has it moments. That’s expected.
The last week I have been getting my feet wet in my new surroundings and work environment. I love my new Job and all the employees/co-works are great and friendly. The best part is that I was able to hit the ground running in the job and add to our promotion ASAP which has been great.
Yesterday my friend Karen Sing from Zoot was in-town pimping out the new supper sleek/fast Zenith wetsuit at Bicycle Village where a Triathlon Clinic was taking place. So I swung by to say hi and see what the shop was like. I must say that the store is pretty sweet and easy on the eyes, but hard on the wallet. I had to force myself NOT to buy anything. I didn’t need anything but the store is so nice that it make you want to buy something! While there with Karen (salt of the earth person with a heart of gold if you are lucky to meet her, you’ll see it right away) she was introducing me to all these great locals to ride and train with for my IM Race. One of the folks I met was Cody Waite. He invited me to ride with him and a few other big locals, (normal Sunday rides) today. So I accepted his invite to get outside and ride.
Today I rode outside, first since moving here and pretty much since August and my last race and ride with Heather J in Chicago. I was surprised how good I felt. We didn’t just go for a ride. You can’t do that in Denver or CO really. We did a ride with Mountains, not Hills. We rode for three hours which felt great. We rode up and down a place called Lookout Mountain (over 8,000+ feet high and a 4.7 mile non-stop climb) located in Golden, CO (home of the Coors Brewery), where you can smell the hops and barley being cooked as you pass through town up to the mountain. I must say that I surprised myself on the climbs and I do know that I started out to hard and felt that towards the end of the climb. My legs felt good, but lungs started to hurt and my HR was climbing fast. Towards the top I was in the lead pack with Jim (stud pro rider) and every five minute interval we’d start together and then he’d be gone…I tried to stay with him once and I swear I thought my heart had leapt out of my chest and hit the sidewalk. I couldn’t keep up at all. I felt like my breakfast was going to say hi to me! It was great to push myself to try and catch him, but I knew that I didn’t have it in the tank and I can’t wait to keep riding this Mountain during the winter and spring and see the improvements!
So with the help and introductions from Karen, I’ve found a great group of guys to ride with on the weekend and a new Bike shop. Nothing will or be able to replace Mitch and the guys at Vintess, in Normal, IL. I owe all I have on the bike to those guys and the help they have given me.
Ok, so now the ride from this morning is catching up with me and I need to pass out since I have to run tomorrow am before work.
Have a great one ya’ll and keep those comments coming!
I'll be sure to post a few more photos soon and some for points on Lookout Mountain so you can see the views!
posted by Jon at 12/10/2006 08:10:00 PM
1 Comments:
Brotherman,
How's the job? I figured that place would be a good fit for you. Let me know how it goes.
Happy Holiday's my friend!
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