UCD Team Training Camp

This weekend the team got together in Bodega Bay for some nice riding. Team training camp was a success, consisting of eating, riding all day, eating and lounging around till bed time. We got our team kits just a few days before camp, so everyone was able to rock them (if they decided to.. it seems some people insist on NOT representing UC Davis, being that guy who's repping his other team).  I managed to nick my kit up on the first ride, crashing everyone out on a fast wet slippery corner.
To clarify, the crash was bound to happen in my opinion, because we were coming in way too hot, it was a shady wet corner that was not banked at all. Since we were all braking hastily, my back tire came out from under me and before I knew it I slid a ways till I stopped. I got up and watched everyone else topple like dominoes. Not a sight I wanted to see.. Some of us made it out better than others, but all in all we made it out and continued the day aside from Judd who needed a new wheel.  (Sorry Judd)

       
The rest of the ride was legit, the views were awesome and I enjoyed getting some serious mileage in with the team. Camp seems to be the first time the team feels like a team. Everyone is together, we sleep together, eat together, ride together and all that.  I stayed in the barracks, and I am glad I made that choice. I do not need to spend more time in isolation, and I am not better than my team mates. I am glad that I got the chance to bold with everyone in the barracks.  Sure, it smells like fart (deadly), but the humor and talk that goes on while waiting for dinner and bed time is worth it. Constant laughter, it's pretty amusing. Don't count on getting any sleeping in early, or doing anything productive.  After a long hard ride, no one feels like doing anything, however no matter how tired people are they ALWAYS find the energy to whip out their laptop to upload their Garmin data on Strava.  It's quite amusing. One by one, people's results pop up. You hear someone rejoicing as they get the KOM on some segment, then realizing that the "big boys" haven't uploaded their data yet. Then the cursing when they realize that they got beat by a second or two.  Anyways, Strava kills the dead time, spending hours looking up segments, routes and stalking other people (Byron is the king of that. We wake up and every morning he reads his Strava update telling us who did what yesterday).  Speaking of Byron (or Brian or Barren), that kid is quite the character. He bunked above me, putting up with him all weekend has been eventful.  Quite the character, and Byron, if you're reading this (since you said you read my blogs), then this is a shout out to you...

On Hwy 1

As for the rest of the weekend, that's about it. Barracks life, lots of hills and resting up looking at Strava and cracking jokes.

I should mention that Sam was destroying every climb in sight, along side Jenkins (and Mach and Moore).  As for me, I'm riding with the rest of the folks tomorrow for a nice and easy "coffee ride" before we pack up and head back to flat, windy Davis. I hear it's supposed to rain this week, which reminds me, we had some killer weather here in Bodega Bay this weekend! Clear skies, highs of ~70's and what not. Good stuff!

One last thing! Today we did "Old Caz", or the "Ass Coach Ride", which was legit. The dirt road descending Old Caz was super sweet. Everyone decided to do it today, good for them.. But the ride itself was wicked. I had a blast, it was a nice way to mix up the riding.

Me at the top of Old Caz

Chris HD crossing Old Caz creek. (A lot of people should be getting brake pads this year)

Good riding and team bonding this weekend. I'm glad to be on the UC Davis Cycling Team. It's going to be a good season.