I guess I will start today by saying that we have been given the official go ahead by the school to host the Bricks at Campbell Criterium. As time is winding down before the race day is set I am beginning to get worried that we are not going to have enough time to promote the event adequately. This is my first time doing anything like this so Im kinda playing it by ear. I guess the next step is to decide on what categories to offer and what time to race so we can get a race flyer printed up and distributed ASAP. We are also looking into prizes for the winners. Right now we will probably be giving products for the winners and hopefully the whole podium.

Of course sponsors would help a lot but its hard to know what to expect from a first year event. No doubt its going to be an adventure. Im sure I will be updating you weekly as we are getting into the crunch time of organizing this race. Up to now Iv been waiting on an official go ahead before I started really putting to much into it but it seems like now its going to happen so its time to get to work. I hope this will help get Campbell cycling out there more as well as raise enough money for our team to compete this spring.

I of course got out again this week for a road ride and was joined by Marshall and John Autry. John was a member of our team who graduated this spring and only got to be there for the birth of Campbell Cycling and miss out on the growth of it this year. Hes a strong rider on the road that I wish we were going to have going into this road season. Marshall was on hand as well with his new (to him) road bike. I guess he liked my Cannondale so much he decided to go out and get him one. However being Marshall he had to one up me and get a 2010 CAAD 9. It’s a sharp bike (yeah that’s all the praise im given him). Anyway we decided to try a new bike route none of us had ever ridden. It started off good taking us on some back country roads. We were pulling a pretty hard pace and after the first 10 miles I was really having to dig deep just to hold their wheel. I haven’t been on a group ride yet that I felt even 75%. We pressed on however and ended up, upon marshall’s advice, trying to make a loop back to school that lead us down 3 miles on Highway 421. That may have been the most dangerous thing Iv ever done. Not smart. I do not recommend it. In the end we had a good ride and good conversation and we lived to tell about it. We rode 21 miles in all and averaged a little over 18mph.

I will make a little note that I got into road biking purely to help train for mountain biking. In the back of my mind I thought I may really enjoy it as much if not more than riding the mountain however, just because of the convience and less maintenance it offers. However that thought ended quickly. I find my self already eagerly awaiting hitting the trails again. Road rides seem like something I have to do rather than something I want to do. Groups ease the pain but it still doesn’t compare to hitting the trails.

I guess Ill end this week with a few product reviews. First I tried some Powerbar chewable gels on Mondays ride and loved them. I found several of them at the discount store and decided to give them a try. Every time I would drop back into the draft I would pop one or two and drink some water and by the second half of the ride I could feel my energy picking up considerably. They actually taste good to. Approved.

Next I got my shipment of winter cycling gear from Nashbar that included a Bellwether velocity jacket, pear izumi knee warmers, and some wigwam wool socks. Naturally I wore all of it on the ride Monday even though it was only about 50 outside. The jacket is very light weight more so than I would have wished. However it is a lot warmer than it would appear and the fit is very good. The pearl knee warmers are awesome. The fit great and keep you war. They are comfortable and almost make you forget they are there. Finally the socks are warm and fit great. The socks have a 5 inch cuff and to my surprise these socks stayed in place not slideing down to my ankles like some. Pretty happy with all the gear..now just need some toe covers and maybe a heavyweight jersey.

Keep warm and Keep ridin...