Are you excited to see me or is that just a gas bubble in your pants?

Sometime Sunday afternoon, I think I felt a twinge of excite about the upcoming Tour de Burg.  Not sure what that was about.  Maybe it was just gas.  Prolly.

I've calmed down a bit about the two road bike days.  My biggest issues with the whole scenario would be the following:

* The only time I ever tried to drop out of a stage race was on a road stage at the TdB.  Knee pain.  I was discouraged/shamed into going on that day.  I've not been comfy on a road bike in a long time.

* I often times find myself in the B- group when things heat up in the actual racing portions of the day.  This group is usually right behind the shattered remains of the A group, but still hammering away at 20+MPH on the rolling hills.  The group working together at a pace that is putting me at my limits.  It would always be wise to hang on, but despite knowing this, I'd rather suffer alone.

* My last road ride was 113 miles, almost a year ago.  Good company but awfully painful.  Last road ride of any appreciable distance before that?  2011 TdB?  Dunno.  Yuck.  Did I mention that I hate road rides?

Knowing that the race will be well attended is comforting.  I can drop off the back of the B- group and find solace in the slummers behind.  The autobus.  Where I can thrive and enjoy the ride... despite the fact that we're supposed to be "racing."

I'm still a bit concerned that the only truly long days I've had on the bike since the Shenandoah Mountain 100 last year were PMBAR and Pisgah 111k.  That's it.  Maybe that's a good thing, as I don't currently feel bear-blasted.  Bueno, I guess.

I've got my mountain bike square away already.

Sporting the (sold-out) Daredevil strap for the 4th, three CO2 cartridges and two tubes because anything can happen out there.  Ever since Harlan Pants mocked me at the side of the trail as I was fixing my second flat on the stage...

"You're doing the Tour de Burg and only carrying one tube?"

So now I carry two.

32X20, because it's going to be a long week with butt tons of climbing.

Despite the low gear, I'm still bringing my walking shoes, because I'm gonna go for the Hike-a-Bike KOM Jersey.  Know your strengths.  Play to them.

My borrowed road bike is yet to be squared away.  I've tooled around on it in the parking lot at the Trans-Sylvania Epic for all of five minutes, so I assume I'm gonna have to spend some time dialing in the fit when we're reunited in a few days.  Hopefully it will take less time than I spent searching my entire bike room for my stash of TdB approved 700X28 compatibru tubes.

I don't even think they're are the ones I usually bring, but I gave up after twenty minutes of searching.

Can't wait to get to Carp's house and see everybody on Friday.  Tomi McMillar is coming, and I ain't rode bicycles with him in... I don't even remember.

Much to be happy about... maybe it was the knowledge of Tomi's participation this year that gave me gas tho.