Merry Christmas to all

Enjoy the season with your family and friends. Merry Christmas to all.

Celebrations and congratulations

Oscar on stage receiving his diploma

Time to celebrate with family and friends

The pit b-yatch getting ready for 08 Yummy

After 12 weeks of intense training, class 178 graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy. Among the graduates was our own Oscar. This was a fantastic culmination of months and years of patience. First there was the waiting to be selected to join the Lowell Fire Department, then the three months of training. Congratulations my friend on a job well done. Then if that wasn't enough, we headed out onto the town for a birthday party for the same dude. All the gifts in the world couldn't match the new ability to race Masters at next years national cyclocross championships.

Yard House

The racing season is long, and hard. Many cyclists remove any temptations from their lives, skip out on chores and cut back on time with family in friends. This is all done in hopes of maybe moving up one or two spots in a race or climbing just a little bit faster. Once it is done though, it's time to relax and enjoy life. It's these times that I really question why I ride. Heck, I don't look like the typical middle aged guy. Do these guys know something that I don't know? Well, the off-season isn't just a couple of weeks without racing, but a chance to indulge in the rest of lives pleasures.

The end of my weekend - ML

We love to be funny

Cute family photo

OK so we (my nieces & nephew) had fun Friday night. Dinner at the house S cooked and then we watched the Grinch that stole Christmas and then Saturday morning we played Sorry which I have not playe in ages. I have to say I won although A thought she would win. HAHA

Hi Pooh Bear

I love reading

Santa why are you at my house so early????

Saturday took the kids home and then went to my brothers house and stayed over due to the storm. had fun hang out with the family since I don't have much quiet time with my nieces J & C. Sunday the plow didn't come by until 10AM and then we had to shovel the heavy snow until their snow angel came over and plowed the drive way. Thank goodness. Scott didn't come in until 11:20pm to drive home and shovel our drive way at 12:30 AM but our plow angel did a pass by so tired but HAPPY.

Kansas City Day 2

Nice and early, the four amigos left the hotel and headed over to the race course. G and I hung out in the van, staying warm, while we watched Johnny and Chiu pin on their numbers. After about an hour we suited up and headed over to warm up. The conditions were cold and cloudy, but the sun was breaking out. As we rolled to the line, we noticed that the field was much smaller then the pre-reg. What turned out to be the theme of the weekend, record numbers of riders stayed away. Epic rides come from epic conditions, not warm sunny days in the sun though. Starting about four or five rows back, Gary and I were in decent position. At the gun, we were off. Immediately I sensed that the field was gravitating right, opening up a large gap on the left. Taking this route, I moved from 40th up to top five or so into the first right hand course, Gary right on my wheel. Going onto the course, Gary was able to move up to first where he stayed for a lap before settling into second. Great run by the G-man, as he took second place flying his Cali colors, but riding under the NEBC team name!!! The sun stayed out and kept the course warm. The previous days ice melted, giving way to mud. As the race wore on, that mud grew and grew. Lines disappeared and bikes got weighted down by the mess. My goal going into the race was to finish top 20. Props to Johnny B who stayed on the sidelines having just finished his race to cheer us on. Slipping spots late in the race, I gave it everything I had to hold onto my position. Entering the final straight, I threw it in the big ring (note to all those single ring guys, everything has a price. the price of my second ring was another finishing spot. money well spent) and went after the two guys in front of me. Passing the first, he refused to give up, then I heard "Ugh, you've got it" and coasted into the finish line. I never got the second guy in front, as he was still a couple of bike lengths ahead by the finish. Final result, 20th. Maybe I should have hoped for more? Congrats to Gary who held onto 2nd.

Bigger yelps to the ladies of NEBC who took home to national champion jerseys, and two other podium spots!!!

Day 3 in photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/scott.d.brooks/Day3KansasCity

Day 2 in photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/scott.d.brooks/KCCXDay2

Snow and more snow

The snow begins

This was after the first shovel

OK I love having my car parked in the garage because I don't have to clean the snow off and I hate having my car parked in the garage because that means there is more snow to shovel in the driveway. 7:20pm out for the second time today to shovel (first time took 30 minute to do driveway and walkway) when 8pm rolled around and there was still over half the driveway to finish and my arms where heavy and tired I didn't think I could finished. That is when it happened I saw bright lights and heard the sound of metal scrapping on the road it was the plow. Which could only mean more heavy snow at the end of the driveway but no this was a Plow Angel. He plowed the end of the driveway which saved me time and my arms & back.

Hopefully there wont be much more snow because I am not sure the old back can handle shoveling again.

Day 1 in photos

No time for a complete race report, but wow, this was a tough day. Seems that the ice from yesterday thawed and turned into sticky mud. Very slow tough day. Only got to do four laps, on an average length course.

Check the day out in photos.

http://picasaweb.google.com/scott.d.brooks/KCCX

Its go time!

The B women, Libby, Julie and others are on the course. Johnny and Chiu are staging. Douville and I are off to warm up.



Details after lunch!

While the Cat is away.........

DAY 1
Dropping Scott and Chui at the airport and heading to my parents to help with Christmas lights and Hang out with the Twins.

I didn't know that i would become photographer for the day. My brother want the kids pictures taken for their cards. I will show only two but let me give you the background 2 13 month old Kids; 5 adults; 2 clothing changes and 4 cameras = about 30 pictures and I am sure a funny video John took.

A few stops on my way home and class ended day one.

DAY 2

Nice day to stay in clean; wrap gift and watch the ESPN with Mitchell Report coming out (for those baseball fans) as the snow falls.

Well Dorothy, we're in Kansas

Operation Frozen Tundra departed Logan at about 10am Wednesday bound for Kansas City, KS through Cinnci. The plan was for Chui and I to meet up with Johnny B and Douville from Cali. As the plane broke the clouds as we landed, it was apparent that the conditions were cold. Every tree, every grassy section and every surface appeared to be covered in ice. Walking from the plane to the terminal, the temps were reported at 28 degrees. Meeting up with Douville and Johnny B, who spent a comfortable 4 hours in DC as his flight was rerouted, we decided to rush to the course and ride for about an hour before it closed. Cool note of the day was observing a lynx or similar feline spotted creature walking in the woods while driving. This was verified by Chiu who saw it too.

As soon as we took to the course, everything was supper muddy, slow and what wasn't bogged in mud was covered in a sheet of ice. Riding conditions were just gross. Three laps on the course were painfully cautious. Turns were wide and deliberate, even the running sections were sloppy. Bringing the bikes back to the car, they were caked in mud. What seemed like a good idea to get some riding in, might have turned into a bad idea as we left our rides dirty, frozen and not in the best conditions. Oh well, we're here to have fun.

Racing starts at 10am for the young B's, while those of us fighting middle age roll off at 11. More to talk about tommorrow.

Ever been to a Capellas? An entire blog could be reserved for this mecca of outdoor life. Picture a Super Wal-Mart, coupled with an LL Bean, toss in Disney World and you start to get the idea. Very cool place. Where else can you buy a $26,000 gun? <-- Not a typo. Or have your childs birthday party at an indoor shooting gallery? Or see dozen of stuffed/mounted animals? Truly an epic place.

Happy Holidays

Not much to say as I prepare to head to the frozen tundra. No, not Green Bay, but rather Kansas City. New reports to come. Happy early holidays to all.

Race Reports

Actually, this was the first weekend in months that I had no races scheduled. Sure, there were some relatively local races that I could have done, but having raced every weekend for so long, it was time for a break. What's someone to do while on break? I headed into the woods for some quality fat tire time. On Saturday a small group of us headed up to Lynn Woods. The temps were about 30 which sounds nice, but with a strong wind, it felt about 20. Two hours of relatively casual riding and all is good. The last hour though was a clinic by huckster MKR. Jumping off rocks, over logs and back onto rocks, it was truly a spectacle to watch.

Sunday took the fat wheels out to Leominster State Park. Philip, Anthony, Mike and I took to the trails even with the temps making Saturday look pleasant. Sunday was low 20's and biting cold. Philip knows the trails like the back of his hands, having been involved in the building of many of them. From the get go, the pace was high and they front never looked back. 45 minutes into the torment, I found myself not once, not twice, but three times looking at the sky as I sprawled on the ground. Goody had the best show, not only watching it, but providing commentary as it happened. "Too much front brake, whoops..." Thanks Goody. Having cleared the technical sections, we headed over to Jane Fonda and the big O trails. Just swoopy, fast, smooth and loaded with fun. Next time we skip the technical sections and take the fire road to the fun parts.