Designated Scott N Rest Day January 21, 2007
Gavin and Charlie http://www.enduranceptc.com/ gave me the responsibility of riding today with Scott Thompson, the BMC North America "rep". Super cool guy that has been taking the US and Canada by storm . .. and the go to guy for getting the Team bikes and hooking up with other products. . . My days of knowing Scott go back to a year ago. He came to Boulder to visit the Sports Garage http://sportsgarage.net/index.cfm (currently the No. 1 North American retailer of BMC bikes= Scott T very happy) .. . Scott was touring the NA with Andy Kessler, the CEO. They had the then-RioGrande-SportsGarage Cycling Team together for a dinner at the Rio. That night, I believe I said something foolish to Scott, and I have every other time since then that I've seen him. . . sort of designating me as a/the team goof ball. But, he also saw me get 6th at Nature Valley GP at the opening time trial. Where, consequently, I hooked up with Gavin and the then-amateur BMC Racing Team http://www.bmcracingteam.com/ . ... from there, I joined Gavin and some of his team to race the Cascade Classic http://www.cascade-classic.org/results_stage6_pro_men.html, http://www.descantes.com/slideshow/20060716CASCADE6/MEN%20P12/index.html?detectflash=false with results that, consequently, led to the team's invitation to the Tour of Utah . . where, some of the BMC dudes stepped it up and looked good, and had the opportunity to make Gavin look good. . . and which also gave Gavin another real-race opportunity to show his directing capabilities.. . .somewhere along the line, making a lot of people (including Gavin) happy from here to Switzerland (where BMC is based) .. . and here we are now,
seated before a future that is entirely up to us; projections of Grand Tour status by 2009.
So, goof ball or not, I have a little ground to stand on.
This whole ride, a year ago until now, actually has a lot of continuity. .. a sort of storyline plot, small connection leading to small connection.. leading to bigger connection etc.. .
So, yup. I think I need to bow out of the 6 hour endurance ride today .. . which, it feels, would do me little good, only deadening my legs right now.
As everything has soaked in over the last couple weeks. . . I realize I WAS flogging my self just to stay on Levi's wheel; to suck it up and go harder when I was spent. .. and still manage to finish the rides with a smile, saying to Levi "hey see ya tomorrow" . . . so, whereas a lot of my teammates are using TEAM CAMP to get ramped up for the season-- even those who have been training hard are still testing themselves out, I need the couch. To a significant degree, I've already had a camp. ..it's almost as if I've already been racing. . . so, Gavin said, last night, that he didn't care if I took 3 days off.
I rested up a little bit last week, and a I had flashes of what it would feel like to be rested up and ready to go. .. my testing at Endurance on Wednesday went well. . .but, I still haven't managed to push the rest thing "over the top" .. .
so, it looks like I might get a chance to start following the NFL season this afternoon ! what teams are playing?

The last couple days Gavin's said/asked me "Are you Scott Nydam?" quickly as he passed by, or out the team car window as drove ahead, up the road.
I think he's trying to install a corrective to what he already knows of my Protestant Dutch mentality. . ..
It's an extension of the mind set .. .that moment,
when you've made the selection on the finishing climb.
You're amongst 8 of the last riders,
and you're either at
or tip toeing the line
painted red at your maxim.
and it hurts.
and you either, believe in that moment,
or you disbelieve--even "maybe" is disbelief. ..
Sometimes, belief is the remaining ingredient. ..
is what determines a podium finish or a 7th place finish.
I think the theoretical mind set that I was given,
while playing sports under coaches and believers in total depravity,
is: you do the hard work, and then you do a little extra,
and you see how far you can bring yourself,
your depraved self.
and just when you think you've made it,
watch, watch how things fall apart.
"Look! Look at your limited-ness!"
See, there, there it is!

are you scott nydam?