Opening Day baseball at Miller Park. I have to get there to work after the game, a short show and right back out. That's as much interest as I have in that Opening Day crowd. I'm only going because I HAVE to go to work afterward. But sit there and watch among the great unwashed, drunken fans? No thanks. It was never my thing. Instead I rode for my third day in row.

I had packing to do and other chores as well, and really wasn't going to ride. But when that window of opportunity is there I ask myself...later, will you regret not having gone as you sit down to a fish fry, or will you feel good about making the decision to go and earning that fry? I picked the second option and took off.

The early MUP is down to just two stops due to snow and ice. It was 14 on Wed. and 5 yesterday...melting is coming along nicely.

I had a good Botantical Crit ride going today in a mix of sun and clouds and about the low 50's. I want to clarify that this is a different route than the Whitnal Park Crit I write about. It's funny because they are basically the same course, just in the opposite directions.

The usual Whitnall Crit course is the one that the WCA will be racing on in three weeks. What I call my Botanical Crit is the course Superweek races on, and it goes up a steep hill that I call the barn hill...the racers will know which one I mean! It goes past the new Botanical Gardens building, thus the name. I find this route is harder than going the other way on the Whitnall Crit course. But I wanted to check out the hill today.

Coming back there was a problem....one of those deals where I got pinched in on a rough section of road. Ahead you see potholes and water and stones...you also see a car coming right toward you in the other direction...and you are not sure if someone is behind you, so you cannot swerve. I picked a spot and held my breath. I hit a pretty big hole filled with water.

Later in the ride, about 5-6 miles, the bike started making a clunking noise on bumps. It seemed to be coming from the head tube area. I started to visualize the entire handlebar assembly coming off in my hands sending me crashing to the ground. With about five miles to get home yet I limped it back. I even stopped at one point to check the front wheel to make sure it was in tight. It was. That was not the issue.

I'm not sure what's up, so I'll have to take it into the shop. I see no cracks, so that's good. But I want the experts to look it over. Maybe something just rattled a bit loose going through that hole.

Wanna see what I call working that day?

Well, look and listen to the podcast by CLICKING HERE

And to reader 'recursive'...if you happen to catch this post...I saw a guy wearing an Endeavour team jersey out there today!

Here's hoping it's nothing serious on my bike and I can get back at it again later next week.