Welcome to AZ

Hello,

This is my first entry on the new blog!
I am very excited to be in Arizona for some great early season bike racing and training. The rest of the Rio Grande team will be down next weekend for our first training camp of the year. I am like the scouting party, checking out the competition.

With the help of my friend John Salskov I am getting lodging gratis with some acquaintances of his. Right now I am in Mesa which is east and south of Phoenix.
Today was my first group ride here and it was excellent.  There must have been 70 or 80 guys at the start, it was whittled down pretty quickly to 25 or 30 of the fastest fellas left in the front group. So fast in fact that we got pulled over!

South of the city there is a reservation we were riding through and whether from sheer bordom or some unknown vendetta one of the policeman on the reservation felt it necessary to flex some muscle.  He pulled past us with sirens blaring and got in front of the group to stop. To his credit he gave us ample room to slow and stop before we got to where he was parked. Counterwise affront to his credit was the plume of smoke and long ashed cigarette hand that stuck out a half cocked window after we stopped.  He proceeded to flex said muscle and tell all that he would be issuing citations to any and all that were caught on the left side of the white line (divider of road and shoulder).  We listened politely for a few minutes and both parties went on their way.
I treated the ride as I think all group rides should be treated, race simulation.  I stated right up in the top ten wheels and was taking my turn at smooth, strong pulls at the front. Time will tell but I feel stronger now than I have in years past at this time of the season.

Signing off for now,
Drew Christopher