I Knew There Was A Turn Up Here Somewhere.

The last few weeks have been up and down. I’ve been training hard and feeling good. The wounds are healing nicely and I’m pleased with where my form is at. You always wish you could be stronger and hopefully I’m still on the upswing. Having said that, I’m in the best shape of my life right now and I’m really excited about this weekend. I’ll be at the Tour of the Valley in Ohio racing with the pro team. It’s a great opportunity to step it up and show that I can be a factor. We’re sending a strong team and any result other than the win will be a disappointment. So the pressure’s on and I have a feeling Ohio’s about to get a taste of old school fury.
The down came when I learned that the owner of the shop I work at was closing it down. So in about a month I’ll be sans job. It’s a bummer because it was a good situation. I more or less made my own schedule and had an amazing boss. I already miss T-bag’s antics and worldly advice. I feel like another speed dial number might have just been spoken for. While the shop closing wasn’t a total shock, it did force me to start thinking about what’s next. I feel like the best way to go about it was to start with what I know for sure and fill in the blanks. The one thing that I do know is that I want to give the bike another year. I’ve worked so hard and come this far, it would be stupid to give up just when I’m getting close. Plus, I love racing my bike. So that’s the easy part, now to fill in the blanks. I remember facing this dilemma last year and I think I have to face it in much the same way. Finish up the year on the road, see what happens with teams for next season and go from there. Until then, I just need to ride hard, try to get results and keep my eyes open for opportunities.
So looking into the immediate future, there’s a lot of work to be done on the road. Ohio this weekend, French Broad the next and then I should be flying for Elk Grove and Crossroads. There is $16,500 up for the two amateur races at Elk Grove and lots of prize money + no job= Elk Grove here we come. In any case, it should be a good opener for crossroads where I hope to have some good performances.
I don’t know where the next turn will lead, but I’m sure it will be taken on a bike seat. Time to Saddle Up.