Before signing off of our successful Race to Belgium campaign I wanted to offer my thanks one more time to all for helping Ryan and I create such an amazing opportunity for ourselves. What an experience this has been! We're still reaping the rewards. This past weekend at the National Championships was amazing. We race so differently now. We're so much stronger.
Life back at home is great. I've brought so many influences and stories from my Belgian experiences home to Devon and it seems that if she had only been with me she would have experienced many of the same and insights and revelations I had. She seems excited and ready to join me in another Belgian adventure if we ever get the chance.
'
My work at Breezer is a lot more interesting and complete now given the 'euro bike culture' experience.
What's next--I'm racing my brains out over the next few weekends. I got home from Belgium and hit the training hard in order to peak my fitness for this past weekend. I should have some pretty stellar fitness and form for at least another week or two. I hope to get some great results in local races against local competition to show off all that I've gained. :)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Fundraiser Wrap Up
Hello RTB Supporters!
Well, we never reached our fundraising goal and in the end had to dig a little bit deeper into our already tapped out cyclist bank accounts to make our racing adventure a success. But it all worked!!! We ended up living a very inexpensive existence in Belgium. Our communal house living situation really proved to be a winning ticket.
Anyway--despite being slightly underfunded we are still donating all our Belgian race winnings plus a bit more of our own left over pocket money to Trips for Kids. I'll be delivering a check in the amount of $425 US Dollars later today.
Thanks again to everyone, your support made all the difference.
Cheers,
Mitch
Well, we never reached our fundraising goal and in the end had to dig a little bit deeper into our already tapped out cyclist bank accounts to make our racing adventure a success. But it all worked!!! We ended up living a very inexpensive existence in Belgium. Our communal house living situation really proved to be a winning ticket.
Anyway--despite being slightly underfunded we are still donating all our Belgian race winnings plus a bit more of our own left over pocket money to Trips for Kids. I'll be delivering a check in the amount of $425 US Dollars later today.
Thanks again to everyone, your support made all the difference.
Cheers,
Mitch
We're alive!! We've just been racing.
Well, you will all have to forgive us for our silence in the past weeks. It's amazing how quickly you get sucked back in upon return to your normal and (post Belgium--'unbearably') high paced lives back here in the USA.
In the past weeks Ryan and I have been trying our Belgian legs out in State and National Championships. Ryan won the Idaho State Championship Criterium. We raced together in California's road race, but had some bad luck. If your're interested in more info on that check out my race report on our Metromint Team's website at the following link...
http://www.metromintcycling.com/?rr_1217789733
This past weekend Ryan and I traveled to Orange County togehter where we raced in the National Championships where we mannaged to position Ryan for 18th place out of the 150 Cat 1 cyclists in the competition to represent the best and fastest elite cyclists in the country. A really nice result.
In the past weeks Ryan and I have been trying our Belgian legs out in State and National Championships. Ryan won the Idaho State Championship Criterium. We raced together in California's road race, but had some bad luck. If your're interested in more info on that check out my race report on our Metromint Team's website at the following link...
http://www.metromintcycling.com/?rr_1217789733
This past weekend Ryan and I traveled to Orange County togehter where we raced in the National Championships where we mannaged to position Ryan for 18th place out of the 150 Cat 1 cyclists in the competition to represent the best and fastest elite cyclists in the country. A really nice result.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Recovery...
Any good bike racer knows that one of the most important aspects of one's ability to perform is proper recovery. Mitch and Ryan have returned home safely and are taking this important step as seriously as possible. :)
It's now time for us to reflect on all that we've accomplished and learned while racing 'to' and now 'from' Belgium. It's time to remember what's important and gather the necesary energy to make another push down the road.
We'll have more soon as we contnue to wrap up our very sucessful campaign.
Thanks again,
Mitch & Ryan
It's now time for us to reflect on all that we've accomplished and learned while racing 'to' and now 'from' Belgium. It's time to remember what's important and gather the necesary energy to make another push down the road.
We'll have more soon as we contnue to wrap up our very sucessful campaign.
Thanks again,
Mitch & Ryan
Friday, July 18, 2008
In Transit...
Mitch here on a Wallonian keyboard. Ill keep it short becqse its hard to type on these things. For example--I cant figure how to type an apostrophe. :)
So--I just want to report a very nice past few days that I look forward to reporting on as soon as I can. For now, Ill be in the air and San Francisco bound as a very happy traveler whos looking forward to being home. I miss my wife!!! :)
So--I just want to report a very nice past few days that I look forward to reporting on as soon as I can. For now, Ill be in the air and San Francisco bound as a very happy traveler whos looking forward to being home. I miss my wife!!! :)
Monday, July 14, 2008
The Next Few Days
As noted below, Ryan’s on his way home tomorrow so he can do the Wells Fargo Criterium in Idaho. This is one of the National Calendar Events against the pros—so we’ll all have to keep our fingers crossed for him.
I on the other hand am off to Amsterdam with the rest of our housemates here. I’ve been kind of tempted to just stay here in Belgium and soak up a couple more days of good Belgian riding, but I really am and have been excited to see this city. The Dutch country and Amsterdam in particular is one of the most bicycle friendly/bicycle populated areas of the world. All types of people use bikes, they use them all the time and for all types of things. I’m really looking forward to seeing the whole scene in action. Entire streets and sidewalks crowded with town bikes, bikes carrying things, bikes carrying families, bikes making deliveries, bikes selling things, all of it.
Of course, being Amsterdam I’m sure to see a lot of other things I’ve never seen as commonplace/everyday activity as well. I ought not be
bored. Will travel safely and smartly and report back later.
After our night in Amsterdam were headed back here to Belgium. We’ll get one last day for a short ride and packing our bikes. Then I’m off to the airport too.
I on the other hand am off to Amsterdam with the rest of our housemates here. I’ve been kind of tempted to just stay here in Belgium and soak up a couple more days of good Belgian riding, but I really am and have been excited to see this city. The Dutch country and Amsterdam in particular is one of the most bicycle friendly/bicycle populated areas of the world. All types of people use bikes, they use them all the time and for all types of things. I’m really looking forward to seeing the whole scene in action. Entire streets and sidewalks crowded with town bikes, bikes carrying things, bikes carrying families, bikes making deliveries, bikes selling things, all of it.
Of course, being Amsterdam I’m sure to see a lot of other things I’ve never seen as commonplace/everyday activity as well. I ought not be
bored. Will travel safely and smartly and report back later.
After our night in Amsterdam were headed back here to Belgium. We’ll get one last day for a short ride and packing our bikes. Then I’m off to the airport too.
Some (pre departure) Reflection
After today’s race Ryan and I took a spin through Rossleare (the larger city near our smaller town) in order for Ryan to get his train ticket to the airport for his departure tomorrow. He’s flying home a few days early and will try his hand at the Wells Fargo Twilight Criterium in Boise, ID. He’s packing up his bike and everything else right now. Anyway—it was a perfect afternoon here and we were in a good mood, so as we passed though the main square in town we decided to stop off for a couple of beers at a nice sidewalk café. As we drank and celebrated the completion of our experience here we discussed how amazing this trip has been despite its downs.
We can’t believe how fortunate we have been to have had all of your support in order to come over here and pedal our bikes. We really want you all to know how grateful we are, have been and will be for a long while. This has been a bike racers dream come true. In a sport that takes so much time, energy, money, etc, it’s sometimes difficult to say it’s all been worth it, but having had this experience we both agree that we legitimized everything. Like an astronaut that just made their first voyage into orbit—we’re looking at our world a lot differently now. Bicycle racing will never be the same again.
We can’t believe how fortunate we have been to have had all of your support in order to come over here and pedal our bikes. We really want you all to know how grateful we are, have been and will be for a long while. This has been a bike racers dream come true. In a sport that takes so much time, energy, money, etc, it’s sometimes difficult to say it’s all been worth it, but having had this experience we both agree that we legitimized everything. Like an astronaut that just made their first voyage into orbit—we’re looking at our world a lot differently now. Bicycle racing will never be the same again.
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