Cyclocross train-ing starts tomorrow

Ha! First road race of the year tomorrow with the Spring Fling series. I have no idea about my level of fitness other than I know it could be better or could be worse. It's gonna be cold. It's gonna be fast. My plan is to hop the train & not work any more than I have to & feel out the Cat 4 field. Hopefully I'll have enough to reel in any break attempts and then save a few watts in the legs for the final stretch. Report to come...

EDIT: SCRATCH!

Don't know why these things always happen on a planned race day, but I was in the ER at 2am this morning with my boy watching some short track speed skating recast. He came up into our room whining and wanting to take his tshirt off and we discovered he was broke out in rash & hives all over. ER said it was likely the virus he's fighting & not anything topical or ingested, but we hadn't seen that before. So no big deal missing a race, Jack is doing well despite another breakout at 8am this morning. They go back down as fast as they pop up. I got lots of paintings to work on anyways... !

a long strange drip it's been...

First race of the year coming up on Saturday, and my head is in slow radioactive muconium meltdown. Somehow up until last week I had avoided any sort of ailment since what seems like this time last year, while the rest of my family is on their 3rd or 4th crud each. That's a LONG time of blessed health despite being surrounded by sickies at home and work, so I count my blessings! Anyway, I was due, but just wish the timing wasn't as bad so near to my first race of the year. It is what it is, and at least it's just a head cold, but it sure made yesterday's trainer workout more miserable.

Cyclocross...

should be a Winter Olympic sport!

Artchaeology...

Digging through old CD archives for something else and came across these. These pieces were part of a series of originals I created for auction at my company's booth (fresh produce convention). No parameters, just had to be somehow produce-related. The "yellow band fever" had just struck (2004?) and we gave away 1000 Livestrong bands and donated all auction funds to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Some fun pieces...

Mixte-ing it up

I've done several covers for Dirt Rag Magazine over the years, but my first cover for Bicycle Times hit the mail the other day. I think the art director did a fantastic job on text color (get your own copy to see the final!) — too many times with a light background we're tempted to use DARK text — but this is soft, still legible and allows the subject to "ride" out at you. Speaking of light background, the original was done a little darker in the 50% gray range. The art director and I discussed before hand how it would be nice to have the option of screening out the background to control levels, so I painted somewhere in the middle just in case it was decided on to go light or darker & stormy... I'm glad they went with this option.

April showers = May flowers. February frigidness = March madness. I'm about to lose it if I don't get outside soon and ride my bicycle.

High Societweed

Early sketch of the painting I am creating for Kansas City's first annual Tweed Ride. Inspired blending from my olde painting Pedalmorphosis and my current project for See Jane Ride Bicycle Tours... Springtime. Bicycles. Dapper Lasses. Jolly times. Don't miss it!

Ticks that don't suck

Lately I've been on a Deer Tick kick. Haven't had time to catch any music shows lately, but I may have to make time to head over to Lawrence in April to see them play th Jackpot Music Hall in Lawrence, KS. 

Brushing Up(date)

Now that the magazine is on the stands, here's the full version of the piece I did for Dirt Rag #147 (table of contents page).  Lots of negative space up top was left for words. Go check it out, then go fer a bike ride.

Kumbikeya!

Jane

Still finishing up a fun project for some bicycle tour entrepreneurs in central PA. Here's a sketch tease... of course she will be riding a bicycle. The goat, on the other hand, has a mind & dialogue of his own, and loves the taste of red Jandd panniers.

Also coming up FAST... Kansas City's version of the Tweed Ride. I'll be creating a painting that will become the poster! Quick turnaround on that project, but the ride's in April so promos have to get out soon. I scored my attire this weekend at John Knox Village's thrift store. A dandy jacket, vest & slacks (I'll convert to knickers), and a great pair of $2 leather oxfords that will match my Brooks saddle perfectly! I think I spent $15 total. Get to your local thrift store and stock up on $3 tweed jackets & ivy caps! More info to come on the ride...

As far as my training for race season goes, I finally got outside for a ride this weekend and worked on some sprintervals out on a dead end road near my home. No traffic also meant no snow removal services so I had to navigate a few lingering snow patches. I still found a good clean, slightly inclined stretch to get good 300yd sprints in. Legs are feeling great. Hopefully I'll start the season out finishing in the upper Cat4s so I can reach the 3s before end of season! First race is three weeks away, says the groundhog. 

Go ride yer bike!