Monday Race Report. The Truman Cup

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The Truman cup is a series of races that start with a 5.6 mile time trial on Friday night then on Saturday there is a 3 mile circuit race that is a 4 lap race. Sunday is the 45 minute crit. All of the races took place in Independence MO this weekend.

During my race weekend in Lacrosse, WI I met a few fellow cyclist. One of the guys I met that weekend was Ryley. We hit it off immediately. Ryley was a new cat 5 and was fast, I mean, I would put him up against or in any cat 3 race and he would easily beat half of the field. So, Ryley decided to make the 9 hour drive down to KC for this race, and I am glad he did. Here is a picture of Ryley and I tooling around the city. 

Another friend that came in for the race is DK from San Diego. Of course she did not drive:) DK and I will be doing the RAGBRAI this week. RAGBRAI is a ride across Iowa. Not sure why it’s not a race, seeing how you probably want to get across it as fast as possible. I am kidding, Iowa is pretty cool and so are the folks that call it home. You will hear more about DK over the next week. We have way to much fun and will hope for no injuries and or arrest this coming week. Thank you DK for all the cheers during the race.
Friday – The Truman Cup Time Trial. This is a solo event so you have to go as fast as you can for 5.6 miles. The last 300m is basically where you empty the tank. Ryley and I headed out to Independence a little early to get the legs warmed up and check out the course. Fairly flat and a pretty good road. All start times were just after 6pm and each racer would start 30 seconds after the next. My goal is always to catch the rider in front of me. After that 9 hour drive I knew his time trail would suffer, and it did. He placed 11th and I took 6th with a 13:26 time, Fastest I have done on that course. During the TT we met some guys from St. Louis that were in town for the entire series. Super nice guys from a few different teams. To celebrate we decided to head out to Lulus. Possibly my favorite Thai restaurant in KC. So, while we were at the restaurant Ryley and I were talking about dating and how I find cyclist attractive. He was explaining how I should ask out a non cyclist. So, with out hesitation I point to a server and asked Ryley if maybe I should ask her out. As he shrugged his shoulders she walked by and I politely asked if she would give us a moment of her time? She stopped and said “of course, whats up”. I proceeded to ask her if she would like to go out on a date. I think Ryley may have been a bit uncomfortable with this whole experiment. Me? on the other hand, I was eating it up:) She was in a relationship and was super nice and went on to explain how when she was in roller derby a lot of the dating happened in the roller derby circle and that most of those relationships didn’t work after they left the sport. I don’t believe I will be leaving cycling anytime soon. 

Saturday – The Truman Cup Circuit Race. This is a 3 mile course that has a 1 mile climb, 1 mile of flat and a mile of down hill. I does seem to favor the climbers. Saturday’s heat index was like 300°. Ok, that is a bit high, but it felt like it. This race took it’s toll on several of the strongest riders. I went for a break in the flat of the first of 5 laps. Not the best idea but I wanted to spread that field out.  The break did not stick and they caught me on the hill because of a mechanical issue. Ryley crushed this race and took first and $100 for the win. Super proud of that dude. We hung out and chatted with the St Louis guys as DK continued to drink free beer at the Bier co tent. She is possibly already drunk but took some awesome pictures and maybe got some digits:) 

Sunday – The Truman Cup Crit.  With less than a mile loop, 6 turns and 45 minutes of racing, this is never a dull moment. This race had 51 racers in it and was as fast as it has ever been. We did 18 miles at about 26mph and it looked like the island of misfit cyclist. There were about 30 different teams. Ryley and I held on to the front most of the race and possibly worked harder than we should have but, that’s racing. He took 6th and I placed 16th.  Overall we were 4th and 10th in the 3 day Omnium. I was proud of us both! 

Always have to give props to the women’s free state team. They always win and look good doing it. Great job ladies!

Puerto Rico

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No races this weekend. I spent the weekend in Puerto Rico with Amara and her friend Jamie  (Jaimé). I promised my children that whatever foreign language they took, I would take them to a place that spoke the language. One more kiddo to go. Although Miss Willa is not taking a foreign language. So, I guess we are going to Canada. We will probably end up in London or something like that. I’m sure I will take her wherever she wants. Being the last child and all.

We left Kansas City on Thursday afternoon and arrived in PR at 10pm. It as an easy country to navigate. That’s mostly because they use the US dollar and so many people in San Juan speak English.  Here we are at preflight brunch and at the airport.

Day 1 (Friday). After a 6-mile run and a quick swim, I woke the girls with breakfast. I made sure to take many pics for Jamie’s mom so she would feel like she was a part of the experience. So, every morning I would send Stacie a text and a photo of us eating breakfast and a quick note. I have never had a lengthy conversation with her, so this was interesting. It is another way to make a friend. Back to day one. I generally use this day to get the lay of the land. Seeing how this was my 4th time in PR I figured I would give the girls an idea as to where we are and how to get around. The beach and the pool are the most important:) We walked 2 miles into a trendy tourist area with some high-end shops and had lunch, of course, getting the girls to walk back would have been a miracle. The girls decided on taking an Uber. This is where we met Christian. He was very nice and gave us an idea where to go. Pinonés was the one city he told us where the locals go. I have been to Pinones before but did not spend much time there. For dinner we decided to adventure out of San Juan and through Pinonés and into Luíza. The best part of doing this is that you really get to experience the local culture and that means the majority of the population does not speak English.  So, you better have a handle on the language.

Day 2 (Saturday). More running and swimming, by the way, I am not a fan of running. Once again breakfast in the condo. Today is a day in Old San Juan and my most favorite restaurant, Verde Mesa. It started with the world-famous San Juan public transportation.  Even though we had a rental car, it’s fun to try to figure out the public transportation of an unfamiliar city. It is also a teaching moment even though I am never worried about my children being able to get around in a foreign country or new city. Old San Juan is somewhat of a tourist trap, but the history is there is very cool.  My trip would not be complete without a visit to a coffee shop.  This is where I met the young lady in the picture. She was so pleasant, and we had an incredible conversation about travel and her finishing school in criminal justice and psychology.  She wants to get her master’s and teach. I was so excited for her and encouraged her to keep moving with her studies. We talked a bit more about travel and she asked me if I saw the documentary called “without maps”? She told me a little about it and said that I reminded her of the guy in the documentary and proceeded to show me a picture of the front cover of the film on her phone. I made sure to put it in my notes so I wouldn’t forget the name of it. I thanked her for the time we spent together and wished her luck on getting her masters. We walked down to Verde mesa and as we walked in I felt like I was at home. It made my heart happy. I don’t say that often about many places. My heart is happy when I am with my kiddos or certain friends but when it comes to inanimate objects, I don’t usually combine those two words. There is a picture of the 3 of us in the restaurant and one of the girls. If you are ever in PR, you must go to Verde mesa, you won’t be disappointed.  Amara and Jaime loved it, of course all the food we ate was awesome. Jamie was such a trooper. I mean, my kids are used to all my running around, trying new things, meeting new people and getting us into some strange situations.  I am proud of her for being able to roll with. Kinda like our nighttime crab hunt. This was too fun, we saw these huge crabs the day before crossing the road and asked a girl at a souvenir shop about it and she said she didn’t know why the crabs crossed the road (there is a joke in there somewhere). So, of course we had to go on a crab hunt. We also had to prepare a crab catching kit. This kit included a battery powered lantern, plastic sand pail and two tongs from the condo. This seemed like the best crab catching kit ever!. As you can see by the photos, it was a success.  We did not keep them, it was a catch and release hunt. Amara took video that I will post one day.  We had so much fun. As I said,  Jamie was all in on every silly or stupid idea. It was nice to get to know her a little more.  

Day 3 (Sunday). This was the day I actually slept in until 7:30am. I know, that is way late:) Another swim and then made the girls breakfast. Today was going to be spent in Pinones. The girls went out a 2-person canoe and I went for a bike ride on a rusty single speed bike. good thing I only went about 5 miles out and then back. After that we went to a beach where it seems to me that we were the only people that were not locals. We really enjoyed this spot. It was again nice to get out of the tourist areas. We hung out there for a while then went back to the condo to get ready for dinner at an Italian restaurant. I know, we are in PR and are eating Italian? To wrap up our trip we went to this little hole in the wall with a band that was covering Bob Marley. Could not have ended the night on a better note.

We made a few new friends in Puerto Rico and I am sure I will be back soon.

Cada amigo era un extraño!

Case of the Mondays Race Report. The Natural State.

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This weekends races took place in beautiful Bentonville, Rogers and Springdale Arkansas. All three races were Criteriums. By the way, the race report is not always about the races.

Here are most of the actors in this weekends report. Sev, Jordan, Ian, Zach, Molly, Will, Bonnie, Jeremy, Jen, Chris and the race director.

Holding on to 2nd

Friday:  Sev, Ian and I left Kansas City Friday afternoon. So, this was a surprise road trip crew. Ian and I were set on driving down. The surprise was Sev. I had mentioned the race to her and to drive but didn’t think she was all that interested in going. So, this was our crew. Being on the road for 3 hours is just long enough to get to know someone and not long enough for them to drive you crazy, (I love my road crew). I have been on those 12 hour road trips and by the end of the trip, you have come to the end of your road. I named this road trip the gangster rap race weekend and proceeded to play Tupac as pulled into Cave Springs. My reason for this was simple, it was the NWA (Northwest Arkansas) cycling community that was putting on the race. So, GRRW just made sense to me.  After 3 hours of getting to know my fellow racers, we get to Cave Springs AR to our cottage in the woods (thank you Lisa and air bnb). It’s nice to have an entire house and not a hotel that you have cram into for an entire weekend. Enough about our accommodations, here is how the Friday night crit turned out.  Well as you may or may not know, I race for the US Military endurance team but have created an alliance with a team called Move up. These guys are awesome and during this race we were hitting on all cylinders. Zach ended up with $100 prime with a little help from me pulling just before the prime was called. I am so proud of Zach and his effort. But Ian, this kid at 20 years old had some wisdom in this race. With about 2.5 laps to go I am sitting at about 4th wheel and waiting to drop the hammer. About that time Ian gets to my right outside wheel and when I looked back he looked loke he used a bit of energy to get himself into position. So, I give him a minute to breath and then I get out of saddle to start a push. Ian tells me “not yet” so I sit back in and wait for his command. This is important because he has a better view of what is going on and will know if a flyer is coming up the side. With about half a lap to go one of the racers gets out of saddle and that’s when I hear Ian say “now go go go”. So I took off and pulled through into the head wind and up hill section. I broke to my left to give Ian the sprinting room and he took off. Ian took 3rd place and I came in at 9th. Between the 3 of us we earned $280 for that race. Ian and Zach split there portion with me. They did not have to do that, I was happy to put in the work. not to mention that I am not a sprinter yet. I am more of the work horse. I am proud of those guys. At 28 and 20 years old they showed class.

Our cottage n the woods

Saturday: We were all excited for this race after our strong Friday finishes. But what goes up, must come down. Sadly we missed our start due to some incorrect information from an official. This meant we had to chase the group or get a DNf (did not finish). In hindsight we should have taken the DNF or maybe waited for the peloton and joined in on the fun. We were disappointed and not happy with the officials. Although this was our fault, we should have stuck around the start line. it is a hard lesson to learn. The day was not a total loss. Sev won some money and raced like she owned the course and I got to have lunch with my road crew and Jordan. Jordan is a cat 2 and is 23 years old, he is also a very nice and respectful person. It was nice to sit and have an actual conversation with him. He also took 9th in Saturdays race. which is amazing because he is racing against pros and cat 1 guys. I also got to meet Will and Molly. Will does not race and is Mollys husband. When Molly races he is always there and he likes to call her chicken. I need to ask him why he calls her chicken? It is nice to see how much he takes care of her. I also met Jen and her husband. He is a mechanic and totally takes care of his girl Jen. So, here is an interesting fact, I asked several guys if they wanted to do RAAM (Race Across America). They all looked at me like I am crazy. When I asked Molly and Jen, they didn’t even flinch, they were all about it. I like these two:)

Sunday:  Last day of the race weekend and it all started at 5am. After not getting enough sleep and burning out my legs, we all ended up not doing very well except for Sev, she was 9th and in the money once again. Ian ended up taking 12th and I was in the bottom half with Chris and Zach. Although it was fun, just not where we should have been. I did get to have some great conversations with Jeremy (Springfield, MO) and Chris (McPherson, KS). Actually, I asked Chris to come to AR to race. I was surprised he came down. Although, I think he is like me when it comes to traveling.

WINNERS!!

Racing for me is not about winning. It is about having a great time and meeting new people. Don’t get me wrong, I most certainly like to win but it is not number one on the list. There are people that show up, either alone or with a team, they race and then they go home. Everyone has there own way and I can appreciate that. I am not wired that way. I like to show up early and maybe I get to put up barricades or the wheel pit tent. I get to know the race director (although I totally forgot his name). I figure that 99% of these folks are volunteers and many hands make light work. This is where I met Bonnie. Bonnie and I had an instant connection on Friday night when I asked about results and for some ice because one of the KC racers hurt his knee. We chatted for a few and I thanked her for time and putting on the race. It’s funny, most of the time when I thank an official or director, they will generally thank me for coming out to race. With Bonnie it was no different. I have a feeling that everyone loves Bonnie and she is the glue that holds the organization together.

 

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Me, Ian and Zach

Every friend was once a stranger. I wonder if that sounds better in french:)

Little Strangers

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This might be the best part of what I get to do.
Every tenant I meet belongs to a story much bigger than a lease — moms, dads, siblings, kids running through hallways that aren’t home yet but might be soon. And somehow, I get invited into that orbit, even if just for a moment.

Sometimes it’s quick — a handshake, a polite smile.
Other times, it turns into laughter, stories, and that easy feeling when people just click. I collect those moments gently. One day, maybe I’ll get them all out of my head and onto paper.

Today was one of those moments.

Sunny Thursday afternoon.
Hot fries, Tupac playing somewhere in the background, and a pair of little girls who decided I wasn’t just the guy showing the house — I was competition.

The youngest found a set of dice tucked away in the house, and just like that, we had ourselves a game. No hesitation, no awkwardness — just pure kid energy. They laughed, talked trash, and by the end of it, took me for $3.50 like seasoned pros. I didn’t even mind. Moments like that are worth way more than pocket change.

I’m lucky. I really am. Not because of the business itself, but because of the people it brings into my path — especially the kids who remind you how easy joy can be.

Every friend was once a stranger… even the little homies.

But the story doesn’t end in that warm snapshot.

Later, life circled back with a harder chapter. We eventually had to file an eviction on that same family. That’s the part of this work no one celebrates. The part where compassion and responsibility sit uncomfortably side by side. The yard had turned into a makeshift camp after they tried helping someone who needed a place to land. Things unraveled. Mess piled up — physically and otherwise.

Moments like that can make people cynical. They can make you believe everyone is trying to take advantage, that kindness always comes with a cost. But I don’t think that’s true. There are people who will push boundaries, sure. But there’s also so much good quietly happening around us — it just doesn’t make headlines or stick in our memory the same way disappointment does.

It’s like reviews. Bad experiences get written about instantly, fueled by frustration. Good ones slip by unnoticed because they felt normal, expected, unremarkable.

So here’s my small takeaway: when something good happens, acknowledge it. Say it out loud. Write it down. Thank the person. Notice the kindness, the laughter, the $3.50 dice games, the strangers who brighten an ordinary afternoon.

Because if you don’t go looking for the good, it’s easy to forget it was there at all.

Hello Volunteers!

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Hello, stranger.
“So, what do you do?”

Well, Sue… I kind of get to do what I want.
Not have to — get to.

I get to help families find a place to land, a rental that feels like home.
I get to ride my bike when the road calls.
I get to volunteer when something pulls at my heart.
And most of all, I get to meet people I never would have crossed paths with otherwise.

Today I got to volunteer with Compassion International and met Sue, Diane, and Debbie — three women who felt familiar within minutes, the way good people sometimes do.

I also met a 23-year-old named Salem and another young guy from Louisville, Alex. Salem carried gratitude in everything he said, constantly thanking people, making sure we knew he appreciated the help. Alex did something just as quietly kind — he called everyone by their name, carefully, intentionally, like he didn’t want to forget who we were. Maybe he was just being polite. Or maybe he was practicing for some future where remembering people matters even more.

It was refreshing. Two young adults showing respect, gratitude, and presence in a way that felt genuine. Maybe that’s the lesson from today: we never really know how many breaths we get. And if my last one ever carries a word, I’d be okay if it were simply thank you.
So thank you, Salem and Alex, for reminding me what that looks like in real time.

At one point I turned left instead of right, and that small decision led to another conversation — a woman from Wisconsin sharing the story behind handmade yarn bracelets crafted by families in the Philippines. The profits help sustain those families, and the bracelets can even support mission trips through simple fundraising. A quiet ripple of good, traveling farther than the yarn itself.

Later, I spent twenty minutes talking with a woman from Springfield, Missouri at a coffee booth. She was one of those easy conversationalists who makes time disappear. Her husband rides mountain bikes, so naturally we traded stories — the fun ones, the painful ones, the kind cyclists seem to collect like badges.

The best conversations aren’t the ones that lead to phone numbers or follow-ups. They’re the ones where both people walk away feeling a little lighter, a little more human, just for having shared a few minutes of honesty.

Today there were no exchanged contacts, no grand plans to reconnect. Just volunteering, small talk that wasn’t so small, and the quiet realization that these passing encounters still matter.

Thanks for reading.
And remember — every friend you have was once a stranger.
So go out, turn left once in a while, and volunteer. You never know who you’ll meet.

Monday Race Report

Cycling, Uncategorized
BWRSC-3-179
Belgium Waffle ride

No races to report on. I wrote an article back in January. http://source-e.net/mike-ivancic-gets-started-coaching-first-time/

I did get to do a century ride on Saturday for Alex’s lemonade stand.  I met several new friends. John, Dan, Tammy and Rob, to name a few. When you are going 25 mph it is interesting as to the conversations you have. They are short and sweet seeing how you are generally not next to that same person for more than a few minutes at a time. Not to mention, you are trying to breath.

Sunday was the coffee and beer ride. There is a regular group that rides to get coffee and then they end up going to a brewery or two. It has been sometime since I have been able to go on this one. It was a nice break and I got to meet John and Nick. Nick and I ended up sitting outside and drinking another beer.  He was a very pleasant person to talk to. As we sat there, two unassuming ladies asked if they can sit at our table. Nick and I said sure and continued talking about bikes, stocks or riding bikes and his wife Sarah. As we were discussing the 4th of July one of the ladies overheard “wine ride” and jumped right into our conversation.  Here name was April and she introduce her friend Megan. April was an elementary teacher and Megan was a nurse.  Our conversation progressed and April gave me her card.  As an aspiring photographer, she is getting into taking senior pictures. Now that I have a new senior, this was the perfect opportunity for April to hand off her info without any issue. It was brilliant actually. She seized the moment and did not miss a beat. Well done April! I think April likes to meet strangers.

Cycling strangers are the best:) Now go out and ride.

 

Stranger Dating

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Hello stranger! The 30-day trial.

In May, I decided to dip a toe into the online dating world.
After what felt like hundreds of swipes, here’s the scoreboard:

36 likes.
7 messenger conversations.
2 text message exchanges.
2 dates planned.
1 actual date.

Not exactly a rom-com highlight reel.

A friend of mine, Kathy, once wrote in a blog post:
“Sometime between my life before marriage and my life after marriage, dating changed. Or men changed. Or maybe I changed. The playfulness of dating has been replaced by nice-to-meet-you goodbye.”

That line stuck with me. It felt true back when she wrote it and maybe even more true now. My time on the apps was brief, mostly because I still believe in face-to-face energy. I struggle with the idea that chemistry can be measured through curated photos and carefully worded bios. Profiles don’t make me feel anything. People do.

Online dating is a tool — nothing more. It can open a door, but it can’t replace the moment you sit across from someone and realize whether something real is there or not.

So how did the one real date go?
Simple. We met for dinner, talked easily, then wandered for shaved ice afterward. There was laughter, kindness, and that quiet understanding that sometimes two good people just don’t spark. No awkward promises, no forced “let’s do this again.” Just a genuine goodbye. And honestly, that felt respectful. I met someone kind, learned a little about her world, and that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t tried.

But the more entertaining story is the date that never happened.

I’ve heard plenty of women say “men are jerks,” and just as many men say “women are crazy.” Maybe neither side is right. Maybe both are. Maybe it’s just humans being humans, colliding awkwardly in the wild west of dating apps.

This almost-date started with the usual rapid-fire questions, a few photos, some playful banter — the normal early dance. The night before we were supposed to meet, she texted that she was feeling anxious, then quickly reassured me she had it under control. Fair enough. First dates are weird for everyone.

Then came the morning message: she couldn’t make it because she had a knot in her hair.
A knot.

I teased lightly, curious more than anything, and joked that I had to see this legendary knot. Moments later, I’m staring at a photo of the back of someone’s head that looked like it had survived a week-long hibernation without a brush. I half-jokingly suggested throwing on a hat and grabbing Chipotle anyway.

That didn’t land. I was called an asshole, accused somehow of being responsible for the knot, and just like that — curtain closed. I wished her well, blocked the number, and sat there wondering if dating had always been this strange or if I’d simply forgotten.

So which came first — the jerks or the chaos?
Maybe neither. Maybe it’s just two people missing each other’s tone through a screen.

Either way, the whole experience reminded me of something simple: every friend you have today was once a stranger. Some strangers stay. Some drift off after shaved ice. And some disappear over a hair knot before Chipotle even enters the picture.

But the point is to keep showing up, because connection — even the awkward, imperfect kind — is still worth the try.

Related image(Not actual pic of her hair…)

Stranger danger

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We were taught from a very young age these two words, stranger danger.  I, on the other hand, explained to my kiddos that every friend you have today was once a stranger.  So, why are we not willing to just say hello to a stranger and strike up a conversation?  You never know where it may take you.

This blog will take many turns but the main thing is how awesome and fulfilling your life can be if you are open to meeting one new stranger a day, or maybe 50 new strangers a week.  So many things start to happen.

I once heard that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.  So please, care about the person that is in front of you and you will find that it is more fulfilling to you than the person you are speaking with.

Thanks for reading my first post.  Looking forward to an incredible year.