Results

We were at the gym before 10:30 for a 2:00 meet against Oklahoma today. Luckily there was a little informal get-together for the team parents who were in town, so we hung around until about 12:30 when they let us into the competition gym at the U. Iowa Fieldhouse. We weren't expecting to win this one (we didn't), but the goal was to post another high team score and put in a good, solid performance. The team got results on both counts with their second-highest score of the season. I have to admit that hanging around a gym for something like seven hours can get a bit tedious. Luckily they had a "mobile" wireless network running so that they could update the live scoring website, so those of us "in the know" were able to connect and do important things like check our Sunday email. One thing I was able to do while the meet was going on was to check out the results of the Sustina 100 Up in Alaska. Jill spent 21 hours riding a mountain bike over 100 miles in weather that most of us wouldn't drive to the grocery store in. Not impressed? Her boyfriend Geoff set a new (unofficial) course record by *running* the 102 miles in 21:40. Nearly 21 hours running, off-road, on snow, much of it in the dark. I dunno. I'm impressed. The results of the Prologue stage of the Tour of California were also worth checking out this evening, and I see Levi rocketed up Telegraph hill at a pace that would challenge normal bike racers on the flat. Even more impressive? How about Colorado rider Jason Donald, who was only one second behind Levi's time? I'll have to get back to work on some LAMBRA things on Tuesday or Wednesday - need to wrap up the new Track LCCS rules, and see if there's anything I can do to help Shane sort out LAMBRA's annual financial report to USA Cycling. Recordkeeping and bookeeping was apparently not so good with LAMBRA the last few years, but I think Shane can get it all straightened out pretty soon so we can get the rest of our funds from USAC and be better prepared to submit the necessary reports next year.

So anyway, we'll be back on the road bright and early tomorrow for the return trip to NOLA. Since Tuesday is Mardi Gras, we're off from work 'till Wednesday, so that makes it a little easier. Still, I am expecting to spend Mardi Gras out and about taking in the sights and snapping a few photos. It's looking like the weather should be pretty good this year.

The car is an absolute mess from driving through all of the dirty slush in the streets around here. Since the temperature still hasn't gotten above freezing, as far as I can tell, it's just not possible to do things that you would ordinarily take for granted -- like wash the car or use the automatic windshield washer that's been frozen up since Friday. Maybe we'll find a gas station carwash on the road down south where water exists in its liquid form. I did discover various brands of windshield de-icer stuff at the local drugstore. Interesting. It's mostly a mixture of methanol and ethylene glycol.