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Speed Vest

I got to get me one of these Speed Vest. I can just see myself passing all those cars on the Broadway Bridge now has they are stuck in traffic. I come by with a big ole 40 on my back....

Bruce Springsteen Rocks!

Carolynn and I attended the Kansas City stop of The Magic tour at the new Sprint Center last night. What a show Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band puts on. Over 3 hours of kick ass rock 'n' roll. And I thought Leroy from the Shatto Milk Company worked hard. I was tired after 3 hours of listening. Now I know how some musicians are so thin - nightly marathon sessions of singing and dancing.

It was funny to see all the different types of folks and ages. There were young kids with their parents all the way up to fans in their 70's+. You had some fans like me who mostly sat their enjoying the show. Then you have the fans drunk off their ass's dancing and singing along. Some can't last the entire show as the guy 3 seats down from us passed out after about 12 large beers and missed the last hour of the show.

One cool thing about Bruce is he interacts with the fans so well. He had us singing along all night long. The folks on the front row really got to interact as a couple of times he actually laid out on top of them as they supported him with their arms. Here is Timothy Finn's review.

One of my favorite songs from the Boss:

Shatto Milk Tour

The family headed up to visit the Shatto Milk Company on Saturday for a tour. They are a potential sponsors for Cow Town Cycling and the De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series. We meet Damian, Anita, Lindsey and Aidan to enjoy in the fun. After listening to how the dairy farm operates, (including starting at a very early 3:30 a.m. everyday), we got to milk a cow and taste all the great products they have including their new ice cream. Man that is good stuff.

VO2 Max Testing

Dave Wathen and I headed to Performance Plus Rehabilitation Center last night to get a current fitness assessment before we begin our serious training for cyclocross. My friend Dr. Allyn Smith was kind enough make us both suffer to the point that I questioned why I do this..

The last time my VO2 Max was tested was about 6 years ago when I volunteered my body for a scientific experiment at University of Kansas . I guess I forgot how much fun (not) this testing was. At least this time I did not have to have a muscle biopsy. That was painful.

I got some good data last night and will use it along with my training plan from my new coach Mark Studnicki. It is time to get serious about cross!

Here is Dave having some fun:

RIM 6/12 Race Report

Another great Rapture in Misery 6/12 hour event. Trails were in awesome shape and as always the events by Heartland are well organized and fun. And for the first time my wife Carolynn raced on my team. This morning before we left I watched This Video. Yes, I am ready for another 12 hours of Ecstatic Exhaustion.

Things started off well for our team with me leading the way to the first corner. My teammate Brent passed me on the way back to the bikes with a very strong run. As we approached to get our bikes I remembered last year that Cow Town also lead at the start only it was Tige and Shad. Neither Brent nor I are in the same league as them and we were both soon passed for the lead on the climb up to the Family Trail. I kept within myself knowing that I would have to ride double duty at night since Carolynn was opting out of the night legs. I fell back outside the top 10 for awhile, but once we started to approach the Wills Wonder and Rim Job sections of the course I picked up the pace. I settled in on Rim Job with Matt Brown, Matt Keevan of Mesa Cycles and newly crowned MTB National Champion Doug Long. On the way up to Tasty Goodness I passed both Doug and Matt and really put it down with only 2 miles to go to finish on my first lap. As we approached the Tasty on some very tight twisty stuff Doug went down and I could hear him cussing. Man that dude takes his racing serious :-). Ended up finishing the first lap in 52 min (5 th place) coming in along side Matt Brown (who was also our main competition in the 12hr 3 Person COED division). Jeff Winkler laid down the fastest first/overall lap with a 49 min time. Man that dude has really taken to mountain biking this year and lead the solo's for most of race before being passed by eventually 6 hour solo winner Matt Keevan.

Gerard took over for the 2nd lap duties and put in a good ride on his vintage Schwinn S10. We fell a few minutes back and sat in 2nd place in the COED division. This was Carolynn's first time riding at RIM and she was a little nervous due to the technical nature of the course. She did great to finish safely and hand off to me for my 2nd lap. I knew after my second lap that we were not going to be able to close the gap to the first place team from High Gear Cyclery. I decided then that I would take it easy the rest of the day and save my legs at an attempt at the fastest night lap and all the accolades that come with that special award :-)

Official night laps start counting after 8:00pm. Gerard went out for his 3rd lap a little around 7:30 pm which would mean my night lap would be in the dead of night - as it should be. I set out at 8:35 pm and quickly started pushing the pace and catching riders. As I approached riders I kind of scared them due to the quickness in which I caught them. This was good because most of them got the heck out of my way. Those that did not suffered a severe cussing as I passed :-). I was flowing really well and was very close to my day lap speeds. If you have ever ridden at night you know this is hard to do and makes for an exciting time. As I listened to Guns-N-Roses on my ipod I was feeling really confident that I was going to post the fastest night lap. By the end the lap I was spent but was happy with my 53 min time. In the end I beat out Matt Brown for the fastest night lap - The 2nd of my career.

We got plenty of awards for winning the fastest night lap and taking 2nd place in the COED 12 hour division. One item that was highly appreciated was a new Blackburn lighting system. Carolynn broke mine last Tuesday at the River trails during a crash. I was just saying that it would be cool if we got one. Funny how things happen when you put it out there.

Rapture in Misery

The Rapture in Misery 6/12 hour mountain bike race is this weekend. I have participated in every RIM since it was held back in Weston at Snow Creek. Back then I raced for the Bicycle Adventure team. David Pitt, Gerard and myself won the 3 person division. In the photo to the right David and I are at the awards ceremony. Where was Gerard? Sleeping.....

I was not planning on participating this year, but decided to race in the 12 hour Coed class with Gerard and a yet unnamed women. Jenny was planning on being on our team, but a yet unhealed shoulder injury will keep her off our team. Carolynn was going to fill in for her, but after last night's ride at the River Trails where she crashed into a tree (breaking my $400.00 light in the process) she has decided that night riding is just not her thing.

Any women mountain bike racers out there? If you are interested let me know. I will even pick up the entry free and also offer free food :-)

One Day at a Time

My Dad was telling me after John's funeral that just a couple of weeks ago he walked passed John’s room and asked him how everything was. His reply was “I am taking one day at a time” That is some sound advice from my brother.

This past week has been very hard on my family and me. But life does need to go on. I have said my peace and now just take it “one day at a time”.

I would like to thank everyone who sent flowers for John’s Funeral. My family and I really appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

In Memory of John Jay Locke

I never thought I would post something like this, but never say never I guess.

My little brother John Jay Locke died this morning. He fought for 17 years as a quadriplegic. This morning he went code blue at the hospital and they could not bring him back.

17 years ago my life changed when he got injured. Part of me died that day. Now the rest has.

John Jay Locke
May 9, 1970 - August 1, 2008

This Guest Book has been created as a tribute to John Jay Locke

The service will be held August 4, 2008 11:00am
Whitehurst-Powell Funeral Home
436 W James Lee Boulevard
Crestview, FL 32536
(850)682-3052