Happy B-day Travis!

Today is TJ's birthday! Rumor has it he was born in the back of the postal team car, delivered near the end of a grueling alpine stage by Johan Bruyneel himself.... or something like that. So anyway, stop by his blog and leave him some comment love, maybe ask him about his birth, he can probably give you the low down.

Today John and Chad and I rode out to Elk Mound. The EM loop is 2 hours, and we had a strong headwind on our way back towards EC. Thats it, nothing special, but it gets it done.

Happy Birthday Travis,
-Sova Boys

WWLD?

What would Lance do? I'm not sure who coined the phrase and I'm not so sure Lance would have rode today. Eau Claire was wet today, or better yet wet and getting wetter! John, Chase, and I left Murray Hall with lingering motivation and for me damp riding shoes from yesterday's epic. Today was not much better. Just under 40 degrees with a stinging wind, and to top it off diagonal falling sleet. It took about 10mins of riding to get completely drench to the bone. Precautions for cold and wet weather riding are few and far between, however the most valuable tip, which the three of used, plastic bags under the booties. Or maybe we should invest in some fenders? In any case we arrived home two and half hours later cold and ready for the showers. For those of you training in Wisco be strong, and for those of you training under the hot sun be thankful!

World is your Playground!
Chad

Just One of Those Days

Today was one of those days where it would have been so easy, and comfortable, to just stay inside and watch TV. We had temps around 37 degrees and a steady light rain. Combine the rain coming from the sky and the rain rooster tailing off of the guy in front of you, and you get a pretty wet ride.

So we left EC, all the while talking ourselves into this ride. I think the biggest driving force of motivation for a ride like this is the hope that your competition is still at home in bed. All the while you're out soaked to the bone, freezing to death, and eating road salt.

We rode south of town again today, across highway 10 and back home. There was no wind to speak of, so the riding was quick. (No need for us to again put together a sub-par echylon!) Total ride time was 2 hours 40 minutes, give or take.

Pasea como el viento!
-Chase

New Seasons

First off I would like to holler out to my brother for making this sweet blog, with an awesome header, props Chase! Seems as though we have finally hopped on the blog train.

A new season is upon us and with it new goals, aspirations, and sponsors. I am proud to announce John Beck, Chase, and I will all be riding once again for the midwest's blue train, PCW! This year PCW has resigned Hyundai as it carbon sponsor and added some new sponsors, soon to be announced. Always exciting to see our team and sport grow. Along with growing so have my 2006 race season goals. I am looking forward to competing in all three triple crown races along with the WORS series overall. Seems in past years I have always been a few races short for a good overall. So with some top five triple crown races and a good WORS overall my goals are set for 2006.

Along with new goals comes more training, or more accurately, more quality training. This year to combat the mid season slump I am attempting to peak mid season. In the past I have trained big in the spring and raced through the summer, effective to a point but not for late season races which seem to be my priority. However, the weather does not want to cooperate with this slightly water down early season training plan. Seems we have another season! Between 1971 and 2001 the average Eau Claire January temperature was 11.9 degrees F, this January's average temp. has been 28 degrees F. Not to complain but I can see three feet of snow on ground in late March! That would be our luck.

On the school front it seems as though the semesters are just flying by! I can still remember freshman year leaving Towers North Res Hall to go riding with TJ for countless miles and crazy adventures. Five semesters later, accepted to school of education, 80 some credits, and thousands of dollars later I don't feel or look any smarter. My semester should be manageable with mostly science classes and some ed classes, I'll be sure to keep you posted on the excitement.

Thats it for now, I hope to update regularly, thanks for reading.
World is your playground!
Chad

Riding Long

So today, Chad and John and I couldnt work out a time for all of us to ride together, so we each rode seperate, with an hour in between each of our starting times. Chad and John both rode around 2 hours from what I hear.

Today I put in my longest ride of the new year. I rode south of Eau claire and South of Hwy 10 into some great hills. There was a strong steady wind from the south, so the ride out was a struggle, but the trip home made up for it. It took 2 hours to get out to my turn around point, but the ride back to ec took just under an hour and a half. Smooth sailing! There are 3 major climbs on the ride, or at least for our area. 4-5 minute climbs I would guess. I was definitively spent when I made it back to my room. I didnt bring nearly enough water, and some of the H20 that I did have went towards squirting a mutt dog who was nipping at my heels. Little Shit, I showed him.

Well all for now, be looking for something from Chad in the next few days.

Pasea como el viento!
-Chase

Off and Running!

Well here it is. The first post on the sova brother's website. Check us out frequently and we'll do our best to keep you updated on our rides and maybe some fun extras from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. In combination with John Beck's site, you should be well informed!

Classes started on monday here, and things are already well underway. After wasting a good chunk of my time messing around with our new header for our blog, I had to crack down on the stuff that I really came here to do. If there is anything lacking this semester, its definitively sleep. Its so hard to go from 11 o'clock mornings to 8 am class. Talk to John beck about that, he has 8am's all week!

So the first ride report is from yesterday. A small hurricane passed through EC, and Chad and John and I headed out it to take it on. It was a strong, steady wind from the northwest, gusting at times between 25-30mph! We ended up riding for 2 hours south of town, most of it we were being hammered by a crosswind. So naturally, the three of us demonstrated a textbook echylon......well, I think it would have looked better as a quick snapshot than a video.

Thats it for now, we are all riding on our own today, probably an hour and half on the trainer for me. Keep in touch!

Pasea como el viento!,
Chase

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Fat Tire 2005 

What do ya think of this Chad? Personally I like it, but I've never had the sence of style that you possess.