Living in Kutztown - Racing in Trexlertown

The back side of the apartment















The new track bike

Let me just say that the cycling scene up here is nothing like I could have imagined. No more silly, flat, same ol' same ol' Florida racing. Instead I'm racing three or four days a week, today in Delaware, tomorrow in Maryland, Tuesdays at the Trexlertown track...it's so much racing that I hardly get nervous anymore (the exception will be Philly if I get to do it this weekend). With school being out and a job out of the question, cycling is my entire life and god, it's awesome (ride at nine, sleep, eat, watch South Park all day). Somehow the plastic dishware, folding chair furniture and air mattress, and lack of AC make the experience complete.

We're living in a little apartment above "Salon Joey" off main street, Kutztown, PA. It's a small little town surrounded by corn fields and picturesque views from the tops of hills that you have to tear your eyes away from in order to avoid crashing. I'll post pictures later. Trexlertown is about a forty-five minute ride away from the apartment. The ride to the track is one of the flatter rides to do around here.

Riding up Hawk mountain last week, we saw some Webcore girls. If I stick my head out of the window of the apartment, I can look down the street and see the house that the Colavita guys are staying in. Sitting in our living room, surfing the internet, I watch the Toyota United guys, and some of the local track stars ride past all decked out in team clothing or national championship jerseys. I'm telling you - it's a completely different scene.

I have yet to witness the Friday night track races which I hear are amazing - fans screaming, drunk people, famous big shot racers, and the hectic UCI Madison. I'd say that the spectator-friendly track racing helps make cycling a real sport up here. For now, however, I'm still a cat 3 on the track which means I can only do the Tuesday night races. Tonight we did a Miss-and-Out, Devil's scratch race, and another that I can't remember - they're beginning to run together already. I'm proud to say that I'm past the point of having to constantly say to myself "just keep pedaling." I rode the Trek T1 that I just arrived for me today. Great bike, awesome sparkly paint job.

Since I've been up here I've made $110, a race T-shirt, a nalgine bottle, and a pair of sneakers. Not bad for only a couple races. This past Sunday I did the 16th annual Wilmington Classic, a local race in Delaware. Two laps in, I found myself off the front after a slight acceleration. "Who's this girl we've never heard of? We can let her go." So there I was, off the front and I had to go. I ended up winning by staying off the front for the whole flipping race. I need to working on winning races other than the hardest way possible. Once you're gone you're gone in these little races. The women never chase. If you want to see the results, here they are: http://www.teamdrt.org/Race-results/2007WilmClassicResults.htm

The recent big news is that there's a possibility I might be able to do Philly this weekend. One of the girls from a New Zealand team called Jazz Apple is injured and is considering not starting. They might let me start in her spot. It's a slim chance, very last minute, but just the idea is pretty cool in itself.