Lancaster Crit and I can't find my way home.

Ryan, Takenbake and I showed up to do the Cat 3 race at the Team Columbus Lancaster Criterium last Saturday. Ryan left a voice mail on my cell phone asking me to explain why he was driving two hours to do a 25 mile race. Hell if I know. The question is, what would you have done with the time spent driving to the race, racing and driving home? Maybe hanging out at a bar somewhere drinking $2 beers and staring at young women? Sound like a toss up to me. Anyway, back to Lancaster...This was my first criterium of the year. I think I should have been at least a little nervous about it but I wasn't. In fact, I had none of the usual pre-race anxiety. I good sign I hoped. I think the three of us rode a pretty good race. Team Echelon and Olympus each had about eight guys in the race so we were just going to try to play off them. The pace was fast from the start and never let up for long. As soon as it slowed down, someone attacked. We had at least one of us in every break that looked like it might stay away. Ryan made a good bridge a late break that looked like it would stick. For some reason, a couple of Team Echelon guys decided to chase down the break that had two of their guys in it. I still can't figure that one out. A group of eight or so, including Ryan, were 20 seconds up with only about 12 laps (~8 miles) to go. Blair and Joe from Echelon go to the from an pull it back together with about 10 to go. We ended up with a field sprint. I finished in the money at 7th...Surprise, Surprise...Tym actually paid out on the prize list.

On the drive home, I decided to stop off at Mama Mimi's and grab a pizza to bake when I got home. I pulled up to the store and thought it looked a little dark but I could see someone behind the counter. I walked into the store and see the guy behind the counter doing clean up duty. He looked at me and gave me an odd, "Can I help you?". "Yeah, I'd like a pizza". He looks around at some crusts on the table behind him and says he only has a large and smalls left. Cool, its only me tonight, I'll take a small. He fixes up the pizza and it dawns on me, these guys are trying to close up. I look at my watch...almost 9:30...I ask, "What time do you guys close?". He says, 9:00. I applogized for coming in after closing time. The counter guys both said not to worry about it. I thought it was cool that they made the pizza without even mentioning they were actually closed and trying to clean up.

I Can't Find My Way Home
I decided to get a few hours of bike time on Sunday morning. Karma was in Craftsbury, Vermont at sculling camp. I could plan my own day...a long ride in the morning and yard work in the afternoon. I woke up feeling good and wanting to ride. I rolled out at about 9:00. I decided to ride out southeast toward Johnstown. I loop around Johnstown and eventually start riding north. My plan was to ride south of Johnstown and then zig zag north and west until I found my way to familiar roads near my house. I eventually did hit some road names I recognized and knew I wasn't too far from home. Now, I have only lived here a week and had only been on most of these road a couple of times. Somehow, I get turned around and I start riding south when I think I'm riding north. After a couple of miles I realize I'm going the wrong way and turn around. Then I make another wrong turn and I'm riding east instead of west. Finally, I get my bearings and somehow find my way home. Oh well, its all bike time but I am such a spaz.