I rode with Chris Carmichael!

[DrBadger]

Well, I just got back from a pretty cool weekend! I was up in the hill country of Texas (Fredericksburg for those in the area) for a cycling weekend put on by some of the contractors we work with at work.

Went up Friday and we started with a 30 mile warm up ride with the guy who was planning all the cycling (Lawrence Walker, he owns Coyote bicycle tours), then that night Chris Carmichael spoke to us a bit, very informal and answered questions.

Sat we did a beautiful 60 mile ride to the north west from Fredericksburg. Chris rode with us, but didn't make it all the way back to the group I was with (there were lots of crazy racer guys who took off the front!).

We then all went out for dinner and I got to sit at Chris's table for dinner and chat and ask questions. Pretty interesting guy. He is really nice and very candid. He talked a lot about Lance....confirmed what we all already knew.... very talented and motivated guy, but not easy to work for He also talked quite a bit about Greg Lemond and his realtionship with Lance. Turns out that Chris actually lived with Lance and Sheryl Crow for ~3 months at Sheryl's house in LA while Lance was training... said she was a really great person, really down to earth, and that she was too good for Lance

Today we did another 60 mile ride, but this time heading south from Fredericksburg to the town of Comfort. Since Chris had missed riding with some of on Sat he started in the back of the pack and I got to ride with him for quite a while. He asked how I liked Texas compared to the Bay Area, asked about my dissertation research, we talked about alternative energy, and apparently when Discovery was shopping for a new sponsor they talked to a lot of the major oil and gas companies... pretty interesting. Got my photo taken with Chris (needed documentation!) at the rest stop in Comfort and then Chris sped off with one of the faster groups. I made it about 10 miles more before deciding to SAG in as my knee was starting to really bug me on the hills (note to self....call my bike fit guy...)

So, all in all a pretty cool weekend!

[jobob]

Woo hoo Ellen!

(Nice jersey btw)

[Red Rock]

What awsome weekend!! How cool to be able to talk to one of the sources on Lance and his life. And the Pictures...Wow!! Congratulations. Have to frame that pic in your office.

The energy conversation must have been interesting. Not to digress but my family is active in Petroleum Geology and we are constantly having these converstaions when we get together, especially now that the barrel of oil is so high. This lead me to get my minor in Geology as well. What did you do your thesis on? You can PM me if you want.

Ellen

[DrBadger]

Woo hoo Ellen!

(Nice jersey btw)

Team Amici Veloci represents! Some of the guys asked about the jersey... thought it was really cool

[LBTC]

DR.B. - fabulously cool! So glad you got a photo!! yay!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[DrBadger]

What awsome weekend!! How cool to be able to talk to one of the sources on Lance and his life. And the Pictures...Wow!! Congratulations. Have to frame that pic in your office.

The energy conversation must have been interesting. Not to digress but my family is active in Petroleum Geology and we are constantly having these converstaions when we get together, especially now that the barrel of oil is so high. This lead me to get my minor in Geology as well. What did you do your thesis on? You can PM me if you want.

Ellen

Hey another Ellen with energy ties! My PhD is in geophysics and I work for BP, so am in the industry. My dissertation was on the role of hydrocarbon production on subsidence and land loss in southern Louisiana, you can get it online at Stanford if you really are interested: http://srb.stanford.edu/
thesis number 110 (right click and download it, it doesn't like to be opened over the internet I found). It was an interesting conversation, and I thought Chris was pretty well versed and seems like a smart guy...knows all the right questions to ask etc.

[DrBadger]

DR.B. - fabulously cool! So glad you got a photo!! yay!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

And right after I got the photo taken, I dropped the new point and shoot camera that I had gotten last week and broke it dealing with Visa right now since they should cover it (hopefully). But at least I got the important photo!

[maillotpois]

Wow - that is excellent!!!!

[Jo-n-NY]

Great Pic and what fun!!! We ride our trainers to Caramichaels climbing DVD. Good to hear he is a nice guy in real life also.

The AV jersey looks great on you. I got mine (also sleeveless) at the end of our season last year and I cannot wait to wear it.

~ JoAnn

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh looks like fun!!

Did you do the Willow City Loop? We are doing a metric out there this weekend and I am still hoping the bluebonnets are popping.

[DrBadger]

Oh looks like fun!!

Did you do the Willow City Loop? We are doing a metric out there this weekend and I am still hoping the bluebonnets are popping.

Hey Amanda-
No, we didn't actually do the Willow City loop... I thought we were going to, but after going up Crabapple Rd we headed to the west. Over that direction, we didn't really have may flowers, but along the freeways the bluebonnets were out in force.

Hope you have a great time on the ride! It is really beautiful up there! I can't wait to get back up there riding again.
Ellen

[Triskeliongirl]

Wow, you did crabapple with Carmichael, that's a tough climb! Welcome to texas!!!

[Aggie_Ama]

I have done Crabapple, it is a toughie! Actually I dropped the chain near the top and walked part of it.

My in-laws live in Johnson City and my husband has an Oma in Stonewall and a grandma in Blanco. Even saying that we usually only ride in Liberty Hill and Burnet, which are flatter parts of the hill country. I am pretty excited about this weekend.

[DrBadger]

It was a pretty amazing place to ride.

I have to be up in Austin for a class in the beginning of October for 2 weeks, we have the weekend off... am thinking of staying up there for the weekend... maybe we can plan a cycling weekend in Hill Country...could be fun!

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh definitely! Maybe by then I will be climbing better. There is a weekend in October Austin Cycling does a ride out in Leakey, pretty painful riding area but gorgeous.