Geoff Kubush must think I'm stalking him

I saw Geoff Kabush (the World Cup and Olympic mountain biker) again today. He wasn't on his bike this time, but was running with his dog on the trails that I went for a mountain bike ride on. He has to be living really close to me, because I see him more than I see people that I actually know. I've got to stop and talk to him sometime. Training with him certainly wouldn't make me any slower. And Kabush, in the event you Google your name and come across this post, post a comment if I haven't creeped you out yet.

On another note, my friend Catherine has come to a couple of cyclocross races, and has taken some pics of me. Awesome.

I finished off my road racing season with a trip out to Chicago, just like last year. The Tour of Elk Grove, and the US Criterium Championships went well, as I avoided the inevitable crashes, stayed active at the front of the race, and finished respectably in the main group. These races laid bare, however, the need for teammates. Other teams were able to send sacrificial riders on the attack to draw out riders like me and tire them out, leaving their team leader to rest and wait for the finish. I couldn't wait for the finishing sprint, as I have trouble out-sprinting 50 of the top sprinters in the country. Give me a good long, hard climb--that's what I'm good at. The races were definitely fun, were good training, and good learning experiences.
Also like last year, I was able to visit my friend Betsy in Chicago--as well as an old acquaintance that I hadn't seen in many years, Catherine--and ate some sick Korean BBQ over in the Korean neighborhood. I also had the opportunity to visit my friend Jonathan and his wife Kara, and spent a few days in Omaha. Truthfully, I never had the best opinion of Omaha before, but was pleasantly surprised once I had the chance to actually get out and see the city a bit. Jon and I went for a few bike rides, and especially along the river, it is very hilly with lush forests--not quite what I picture when thinking of the "Great Plains".
I've had some time off the bike since that trip, but am back training now, doing short, intense rides in preparation for the upcoming cyclocross season.