Three cheers for not quitting

Posted on by Lindsay
If I could go back 12 months and tell myself something, I would say, "This season will not be what you expect or want, but it is what you need to grow up on and off the bike." If I could go back 6 months, I would say, "Don't give up (and stop crying, for christ's sake). Things are about to work out and this will all have been worth it." I might also recommend taking a pass on that bird tattoo. If I could go back 3 weeks, I would say, "What you are about to do will be totally worth it. This is what it means to live the dream." On stage 3 of Valley of the Sun, we pulled off a 2nd place finish for Sarah and a 4th place GC finish for Laura. The crit was fast and fantastic - it was too exciting for me to ...continue reading.

The Unstoppable Pepper Palace

Posted on by Lindsay
Today was the second stage of Valley of the Sun and, despite sounding like Louis Armstrong on a bad day and hacking up green blobs that deserve their own area codes, I am still in the race and happy about it. I didn't commit to starting the time trial until the officials pushed me off the start ramp and then figured what the hell, I'm wearing this ridiculous helmet and can always stop pedaling if things get really bad. But it's a time trial; if things aren't feeling bad, you're not going hard enough, and so I finished. When I wasn't feeling worse this morning, I decided to start the road race and then stop if my symptoms worsened. My symptoms worsened exponentially right about the time I followed an attack from Andrea Dvorak up the main climb (PAIN), and again when I made the break (MORE PAIN), but just when I was certain ...continue reading.

Phoenix Rising

Posted on by Lindsay
It's been nearly a week of living in Phoenix and because I am an asshole with a short-term memory, I've pretty much forgotten that everybody back home is still suffering miserably through a chilly winter. As a sign in our condo says, "Phoenix: Where Summer Spends Winter" (but then goes on to say "...and where Hell Spends Summer.") It's so nice to ride in shorts and cultivate my sunburn! And now that I have made enemies of you all with my bragging, I will mention that I have a cold, it hurts to breathe, and I'm hacking up phlegmballs. See? There is fairness in life after all. The week has been uneventful, aside from the part where we're all living off zinc, emergen-C, and paranoia. It's almost a relief to already be sick because when you are in team housing, it's only a matter of time. At least I have ...continue reading.

BOOM Goes the Dynamite

Posted on by Lindsay
When I arrived in Phoenix on Friday, it was with mixed emotions. I was thrilled to have successfully driven across America without getting arrested or killed or stranded on the side of the road (in that order of concern), but also sad to be pulling off the highway for a while. I'd have to actually start wearing respectable clothing and eating food that requires refrigeration. TRAGEDY. [Also, it is now Monday and I am still wearing the same outfits anyway.] The highlight of arriving in Phoenix was getting to see my teammates. And holy shitballs, it is awesome to be with my teammates. They are already my home away from home. We moved into our team condo for the week and promptly exploded all over the house; every surface is covered with helmets, glasses, bottles, Chomps, sunscreen, and snacks. Sunday afternoon was the Sun Devil Criterium, our first race of the ...continue reading.

Day 8 in which the red rocks rocked me

Posted on by Lindsay
Journey: Flagstaff, AZ to Phoenix, AZ Number of times I gave the finger: Wait, was I driving? Thought I was just sightseeing... Cups of coffee: Another Peritus French press with breakfast, a few ounces of Coffee Slingers cold brew chugged before riding, and a Starbucks Americano with an epic view. Low point of the day: Loaded down with heavy bags and a dripping rotisserie chicken, I wandered around the housing complex in Phoenix trying to find Unit 214 as my pants started to fall down and tears of frustration started. Somebody finally took pity on me and offered to help. It was unseasonably warm in Flagstaff, AZ yesterday, so instead of driving down south to ride, I used the route just outside town recommended by my Airbnb host. He described it as an out-and-back along a single road. Normally I don't like out-and-back routes because the temptation to go back is stronger than the urge ...continue reading.

Day 7 in which I change my favorite color to terra cotta

Posted on by Lindsay
Journey: Albuquerque, NM to Flagstaff, AZ Number of times I gave the finger: It was dark for much of my drive, so why bother? Cups of coffee: One mug brewed by Mr. JBV himself; strong, dark, delicious. The man has eight different ways to brew coffee in his kitchen, so I expected nothing less than perfection. Biggest accomplishment: I peeled and ate 2 hardboiled eggs while driving. Didn't take my eyes off the road, didn't drop below 80mph, didn't eat any shell. HELL YEAH. This is going on my resume. After leaving Canyon, TX, I drove to Albuquerque, NM (which I spell by typing "albuququq" and waiting for autocorrect to step in) to spend the night at John Verheul's house. We'd previously only interacted online, but when he saw I was driving west, he kindly offered to host me. After telling my parents that I planned to spend the week in strangers' homes that I booked ...continue reading.