Training with Gord and the Euro Pros

Training is in full force. Well, it has been since November 1st. Thursday night I returned home from 2 weeks in Tucson Arizona, my chosen training home over the winter months since 2002. I've gotten to know all the rides, some local riders, know where to shop for the cheapest groceries, the good coffee shops, and all the important stuff. So I dig Tucson, it's a great city.

On December 2nd, I packed the bags, headed out the door with my guitar in one hand, and my girlfriend Lori in the other. She just finished up her job, and had some time off, so she decided to come with me as she isn't likely to have any time off when I leave January 1st and I don't come home until sometime in April.

The flight was smooth (other than the fact that I forgot my tickets, but that’s another story.) We landed in Phoenix, and stayed with some family friends for a few days. We hung out, had a good time, and then took off to Tucson.

My first ride, an easy 4.5 hours wasn't so nice, it was pretty cold, and raining on and off, I was kind of wondering why I left home. That was a short-lived feeling. For almost every day after that, the weather was getting better and better. It got up to 75 degree's in the shade.

I went to Tucson to get some quality miles, and I did. I was staying in Oro Valley, on the north side of the Catalina Mountains, north of Tucson. So it was about an hour ride into the U of A where the rides left from everyday. I would leave at 8, to meet up with Gord, Mike Sayers, Stephan Wesemenn, two other T-Mobile riders Thorsten Hiekmenn, Stephan Schreck, a few other dudes, and off we would go. The pace was nice and steady, not too fast; on the front we could hold a conversation. Day after day, I was riding with these guys. The German's were staying only a few miles from my house, so we would ride back together, often with over 6 hours for the day. At the end of my last week I had 32 hours in. I was happy with that. Training with Wesemenn was cool (he's the guy that won Tour of Flanders this spring.) He's a good guy, speaks English well, and is easy to be around with, as were his teammates. They thought highly of Mike Sayers and Gord Fraser, which I thought was cool too, because they're some hard riding domestic dudes that I also have looked up to for years.

So the trip was wicked, a good break from the choppy weather back home in the Falls, and more importantly, a break mentally, even though I was training more, the Arizona scenery is a healing thing to me. The season's long, keeping fresh and motivated over the winter is crucial.

Up next, some kick ass Christmas dinners with friends and family, followed by a 3 day drive south.

Till then, finish your homework.