Riding bikes in Lubbock and working a few races

The Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison

Another three weeks of my ever-quickening life have passed since my trip to the mountains of New Mexico. I'm starting this blog update while sitting at less than 900 feet at the Madison, Wisconsin, airport after having spent the past four days out here for the first round of the 2018/2019 Telenet UCI Cyclocross World Cup. What an enjoyable weekend I've had!

The Telenet UCI Cyclocross World Cup featured some local touches

Something like 1,300 amateur racers participated.
Some of the Euros I spoke to couldn't believe the numbers they saw.

This has been my first visit to the land of cheeseheads and giant mosquitos--the latter more obvious than the previous. After heavy rains over the past few weeks the skeeters were bigger and more voracious than anything insectuous I've seen in a long time. Fortunately I spent the evenings well-sheltered inside brewpubs, and during the day, with nothing but sunshine and cool temps, the vampires stayed holed up.

Dane County Farmers' Market in Madison

Inside the State Capitol

Even thought this Coupe du Monde was a one-day race, my travel encompassed four days. I really don't mind being away from home for a few days (although I did miss having a bike, but I hadn't been sure that it'd pay off to bring it along since my schedule can be somewhat unpredictable), especially with Lubbock's recent rains and humidity. It was a nice change of pace, and I have to say that the tiny sliver I saw of Wisconsin (around Madison and Waterloo, home of Trek bicycles) was beautiful, attractive, and inviting.

Somewhere between Madison and Waterloo

On Saturday I had a chance to spend a few hours walking through the downtown Madison area, visiting the impressive State Capitol and strolling through the neighborhood where the famed Dane County Farmers' Market was going full bore. I loved the ambience of the small shops, restaurants, and bars, and I can see that living here wouldn't be bad at all. (If I recall correctly, Madison routinely makes it into the top-10 list of desirable places to retire.) Now, we all know how sunny and cool (summertime-cool as in 73 degrees) weather will make you just love a place, but whenever I talked to locals they all expressed reservations about the winters. Yes, they have real winters here!

My evening forays took me to several local brewpubs, and three of them stand out: There was Hubbleton Brewing Company, a small backyard operation on a dirt road not all that far from Waterloo, where the brewmeister and owner, Dan, and his friendly wife were pouring and mingling with the guests, fretting over how to add a tip to a credit card transaction via Square. Tim, a local handyman who sat with me at the makeshift three-person bar, told me much about life out there in the boondocks. I found similar personal interaction at Next Door and Ale Asylum (both in Madison), where the beer knowledge of the lovely Stephanie truly amazed me. Ale Asylum will definitely bee ar the top of my list for future visits, but there are a plethora of other brewing operations that beg for your attention.

Hops and vines surround Hubbleton Brewing Company (as did a trillion mosquitos)

Hubbleton Brewing Company and its friendly greeter dog

With local talents Tim the Fixer (l) and Dan the Brewer (r)

Good beer, fair prices--all Next Door!

  

Ale Asylum, one of the finest brewpubs I've visited all year

Another trip over the past few weeks had taken me down to central Texas where, once again, I was on the officiating crew for the Texas State Road Championships at Ft. Hood's military reserve. I really like working that event. Race organizer Andy Hollinger, himself an official at other times, is such a class act that working for him feels like a privilege. Add to that seeing not only many of my officiating peers but also getting a chance to stay with Martha and Alan in Temple rounded out the "vacation" aspect of what should be work. And this year I did add some vacation time to the trip by detouring on the way home through Benbrook where I stayed with my former neighborette, Janet, and her partner Jon for two nights. I met some of her close friends, Steve and Judy, and together we had a great time.

Martha and Alan hamming it up

Big skies greeted the racers at the Texas State Road Championships at Ft. Hood

With Janet and Jon at City Works in Ft. Worth

The remainder of those past few weeks, while in Lubbock, I spent on domestic chores, riding my bike, and eating lots of watermelon. Retired life is so great!

Lubbock after much-needed rain

Out at Buffalo Springs Lake

My friend Smitty and I shared quite a few miles this month

The next three weeks will be another highlight of the year: Sabine arrived last night from Germany (yes, you guessed right, I started this entry 48 hours before finishing it), and we're planning a few trips here and there, in the region and beyond. Nothing is really firmed up yet, but the Hill Country, San Antonio, and Austin are definitely on the radar as is a trip out west to the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque.

Jürgen