In The News

This was nice to see. Some good company, too.

Getting Ready To Race

The BMC Racing Team sets up shop in Salt Lake City.
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah presented by Zions Bank has got to be the longest name around for a race. (I'll only be using that mouthful on first reference.) It's a terrific race that I last enjoyed in 2008 when I was with Rock Racing. (Last year, I was at the Tour of Ireland at this time.) One of the great things is the central headquarters for all stages (Salt Lake City). This means not having to pack and unpack your suitcase every day.

When I'm on-site for a race, it's a flurry of picture-taking, coordination of media interviews and opportunities, a bit of crisis management and just generally not getting in the way of the riders and staff.

Sunday night consisted of a delicious team dinner at an old firehouse. It was also the 24th birthday of Chad Beyer, so we arranged for a cake (with four candles, not 24) for dessert.

I also learned that Blackberry has a new version of its popular messenger system. Bailee Holt and Larry Warbasse alerted me to this, so I spent the next 15 minutes downloading it and getting my new profile photo loaded in, etc. This tool single-handedly makes my job easier, as I can typically "pin" a rider after a race to get comments. It also saves the team money by eliminating costly international phone calls.

Monday was a two-hour training ride for the team and a lot of work for me at the hotel. However, I did get some sunbathing in at the same time and enjoyed another nice dinner with the team at an Italian restaurant downtown. The evening was capped off with a quick stop to the race's sponsor reception, where I met all the top race staff and ran into many old friends (including Michael Aisner, Todd Gogulski, Dr. Eric Heiden, Burke Swindlehurst, Gord Fraser). My only regret was not seeing the M&M cookies until I was halfway out the door.

Finally, much has been made of how little sleep I get when I'm on-site at a race. Yes, that is certainly the case. I got five hours Sunday night and four on Monday. Four hours is about all I need. It's always fun to be up when no one else is because it gives you the sense that you're seeing and experiencing things others are missing out on (even if it is only what you're watching on cable TV). Tuesday night promises to be another late night, since the prologue doesn't begin until 6.
Jeff Louder (center) made three TV appearances in two hours.

The pre-race reception was held at an architectural firm.

On the Road Again

Flight out of Chicago to Salt Lake City.
So it's been forever (actually March) since I blogged. With the convenience of Facebook, it seems much easier to post pictures and quips than to take the time to write complete stories and include photos.

But in looking back to past trips and blog entries from 2008 and 2009, I realize they are a great travelogue and "virtual diary" that will prove enjoyable to read (especially for my daughters) down the road. So here goes…

My first road trip since early June (for the TD Bank Philadelphia International Championships) took me to Chicago Friday for the USA Cycling men's professional criterium championships. Typically, this has meant going to Downers Grove, Ill. But the race moved to Glencoe (for this year only) and I was fortunate enough to have the help of veteran photographer Casey Gibson in getting around.

Boarding in Chicago through an uncovered jetway.

My flight in Friday morning got me to O'Hare International where my timing was terrific in catching the shuttle to the Quality Inn in Elk Grove. I had to cover a race in France (which I did in the lobby) and even managed to snag some breakfast before it closed up. The only disappointment of my day was discovering the hotel didn't have a swimming pool. It was nearly 100 degrees so a pool would have been great.

Photo of the cabin (for Julia).
The highlight of the day was having dinner with Casey, who recently shot his 11th Tour de France. You can learn a lot from talking to cycling photographers. We enjoyed a meal at a quaint Mexican restaurant (Casey has a knack for finding good eats in every corner of the globe) and left wondering if the rain that was falling would continue into the next day.

Saturday was another morning of covering a race before driving over to Glencoe. The course was challenging (10 turns and an uphill stretch) and scenic (circling through some nice residential neighborhoods). In the first two hours of being there, I learned more about what was going on on the domestic pro circuit than I had learned the past two months. It was great catching up with people, particularly locals Marco Colbert and Elle Ullum – who both got me into VIP tents along the finish line.

My work station in the lobby of the Quality Inn.
The race itself was pretty darned exciting – particularly the last 10 laps. I'd venture to guess that since they had to do two podium ceremonies – one for the top three and another for the Americans (who weren't in the top three) – that this might be the last time foreigners compete in the pro men's criterium championships. Of course, they've been saying that for the past five years but this year's result might be the impetus that changes things up.

Casey and I got some of our post race duties out of the way before trying to find something to eat. But at 11:30 p.m., everything short of the local Wendy's had closed up. Judging by the amount of food we ordered between the two of us (nearly $20 worth), we were pretty hungry.

View of the finish straight in Glencoe.
Sunday was church, another race and out the door to the airport for a flight to Salt Lake City. On the flight from Omaha to Chicago, a man sitting in front of me coughed the entire trip. That flight was only an hour. This time, two toddlers screamed nearly the entire three-and-a-half flight to Utah. But I have earplugs (first and last 20 minutes) and an ipod (rest of the flight) to drown it all out. Plus, I was seated in an exit row, so leg room was at a premium.

In The News: Not All That New

This was in today's newspaper. About three months after the fact.

Coins On Emily's Leg

How can you tell Lauren is having fun in this video?
Count how many times she "snorts."

In The News

Yep, I said that.

Draw Your Own Conclusions

I'm not sure what this is all about. I'll have to ask.

A Clean Sweep

Here's something I don't see every day: an empty parking lot.
The lot was cleared for patchwork (at left).

One of my all-time favorite photos of Olivia.
Olivia's First Communion fell on my weekend, so it was nice to be able to accompany her to such a special event. Here's the day in pictures.

Aunt Jean couldn't make it, but Olivia was thinking of her.

We stopped by Grandma and Grandpa Weide's house afterwards.

Olivia really liked her First Communion dress.

Veronica wanted to re-enact a photo with tulips
featuring Emily and Lauren when they were young.

This was the "goofy" photo that Emily and Julia requested.

Happy May Day!

The girls proudly display their hard work.
The girls celebrated May Day here at my apartment by making a bunch (see the photo) of May Day baskets. It was quite a surprise for the people who live here, as you might imagine.

Jelly Bean Fun Night

Lauren helped with one of the games.
"Jelly Bean Fun Night" is an annual event at St. Mary's School that offers students an opportunity to play healthy games, for which they earn jelly beans. When they've successfully completed every game, they earn a prize. And no, Phil Keoghan is not there to eliminate the "last team to check in."

Veronica scoots along, the picture of concentration.

She was also terrific at shooting baskets.

Her form on the ring toss wasn't as great.

Olivia knocked out a bunch of sit-ups...

...while Julia guided a little ball around an obstacle course.

Spirit of Mary Award Winner

Olivia shows off her Spirit of Mary Award.
The Spirit of Mary Award is awarded quarterly to the student who is judged to be "the best witness to their faith" as the Virgin Mary was.

Olivia was honored as the second grade winner at an all-school assembly today. I was quite proud to be on hand to see her receive this prestigious religious honor.

Additionally, Emily received first honors and won an award in the Duchense Art Contest. Lauren was recognized for second place in the Catholic Daughters Contest. Her artwork earned her a certificate and a cash prize.

Julia In Action

Julia (No. 26) shows off her (defensive) basketball skills.

Visiting Aunt Jean

A stroke landed Aunt Jean in the hospital.
I was headed to the criterium at the Redlands Bicycle Classic when I got the call: Aunt Jean had suffered a stroke. Bridget was the one who broke the news to me. Obviously, it was very upsetting since this was at least the third time I was delivered bad news about a family member's health while working in California.

The day after returning from the race, the girls and I headed up to the hospital to visit her. Her speech has been significantly affected, but she was very pleased to see the girls and me. The girls also made "get well" cards for her (pictured at right).

On our way out, the girls took a moment to check out the player piano in the lobby. Some of their expressions are a bit strange...