Boring Ride and New Ride

I'm finding it hard to find any worthy pictures these last few days to blog with. I guess when you ride by yourself on the same roads you've been riding for 9 years it's hard to find something new. Maybe if I had a training partner like Ranno to sit and pose for blog photos all the time I'd have something for ya, but as it stands I fly solo and my hands are too cold to pull the camera out to shoot a picture of the same cow I ride past everyday. I feel like my i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i ipod's skipping riding around here. It's amazing how fast things return to "normal" upon arriving home. I rode out around parnell tower today and it felt like the hundredth time I've done it this year, and it's only been like the 5th or something. I better start riding longer so I can find some new roads.
Another way to tell you've ridden the same rode way to many times is when the border collie that used to chase you for 2 miles, just lays on the farmers porch and watches you ride by cause he's to old.

I just read on USACyling that they are starting a stipend program for the world cups. It looks like if you you are ranked in the top 60 and do a foreign WC, that they will cut you a check for $1200! I'd be pretty darn excited about that if my name was Adam Craig, Todd Wells, JHK, or Jeremiah Bishop. I'm not sure if that will encourage a lot of other riders to do WCs though because to break the top 60 would take a few years and I think that 99% of the riders still don't have the support to do that.
I also saw that the NORBA series now is C1 status at 6 of the races , meaning all of us domestic racers can get points without traveling outside the US to get them. I was almost ranked in the top 70 last fall during my cross campaign just from doing mostly C2s, so having the points here in the US is a really good way to at least get started so we're all not dead last at call up for Worlds. It really is a step in the right direction and you all remember what Bob says about stepping right? Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps.

I'm now going to take my XTR cranks apart for some "pro" modifications. I just got my new fuel 110 and it's so dope. I'm having a weight weenie contest with Nick and I'm pretty sure my fuel is going to come out on top. Nick said something about compressing helium into his tubing but I think he's been huffing too much helium!