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Team TIAA-CREF - 2005

Team Journal Entry - February 23, 2005, by Peter Stetina

A hairy moment

Hi everybody!

The cave man cometh...
Photo ©: Beth Seliga
Click for larger image

Let's see... early season base mileage. Y'all know how that is; long, long rides (did I mention they're long?), bad weather (hence the title early season; in Colorado, this easily translates to biting cold and snowy and rainy), pockets packed with stuff (cell phone, bars, iPod, clothes, mini-pump; yes I still don't have a frame pump like all the cool kids). At least the long hours are made easier with all the new stuff!

Yes, that's right! Christmas in February! Last week was our team training camp here in Boulder. This means photo shoots, lectures, and prizes. The prizes included our new bikes (Javelin), Oakleys, Hincapie clothes, bottles, shoes, helmets (by the way, the plethora of aforementioned items above are sick!!!) and everything else we need to make us race-ready.

If y'all haven't talked to me before, I am the king of tangents, so it's hard to catch my draft (hehe, get it?). Anyway, I would like to take this chance to publicly announce the expulsion of a former theory of mine. While at camp, I caught heat from the guys (esp. JV) about my leg hair. You see, starting in October and continuing through the winter, I don't wield the razor anywhere near my legs. My excuse is that you need the insulation during the winter in COLD Colorado (whoever named it Colorful Colorado is on something because in the winter the primary color here is brown and white as far as the eye can see; summer's here are awesome though).

... and rideth away!
Photo ©: Beth Seliga
Click for larger image

Anyway, team pictures roll around and we're all sitting on flagstaff in the cold in our chamois and I'm forced to roll down the leg warmers. Bad move, I hope Beth (our photographer) has Deluxe Photoshop. The tradition of mine was that one must always do at least one race a year with the cave-man legs, so during the second week of March, mine would finally be smooth and sexy. I have finally abandoned the theory and beautified them up for the team presentation at Adega Restaurant and Wine Bar. I figured that if I'm to eventually become pro, I'll be forced to shave against my will, so I'll just conform now. I will, however, remain hairy from October to the team training camp FOREVER!

So I'm riding a lot now. I was in Sunny San Diego during late January and I used that to kick off my season and lead me into this team camp. The weather was awesome down there! I actually got to ride in shorts and a short sleeve jersey a couple days! Talk to y'all soon!

Pete

P.S. (my initials!) In case you don't know me, hi, I'm Peter and I'm actually on Team 5280 magazine, which is TIAA-CREF's junior squad.