GamJams-Midwest.net

GamJams Survey: Odometer Readings

It's been a great winter for riding so far. Mileage is up, trainer time is down and somehow, we have tan lines getting burned in already. (No, not really burned. Yet.) How many miles did you fit into the first month of 2012?

 

GamJams Survey: Winter Legs

The chatter around here for the las few weeks has been about the lack of snow this winter. And not only that, but the lack of real cold temperatures. Riding through the winter so far has been easy. It's been nice.

The inevitabile outcome of that — for everybody — is speed. Lots of people have remarked about how fast the rides have been so far. Not overly difficult, mind you, just faster.

Where do you stand?

Who Is the Nebraska Rider of the Year?

With the season over for 99 percent of the racers in Nebraska, it's time to look back at the year that was. The Nebraska Cycling Association has a Rider of the Year competition, but it's based more on being present and consistent than wowing the peloton.

What we're interested in is the latter: Who wowed the peloton this year?

We'll be taking nominations through Friday, and the top four vote-getters will be profiled on Monday through Thursday of next week. We'll vote starting on Friday of next week and let it run through the weekend. On Monday, Dec. 19, we'll announce the winner.

Nominations can be emailed to us or simply added to the comments below. Consider it a pre-vote. The riders who get the most nominations will advance to final voting. That means you should definitely submit your nomination, even if someone else has already chosen the rider you're thinking of.

Riders to consider when submitting nominations:

• Mark Savery (Midwest Cycling Community): Nebraska Cat. 1/2 state road and cyclocross champion; Cat. 1/2 40-plus state criterium champion; currently on a six-race winning streak in 'cross.
• Leah Kleager (Midwest Cycling Community): Nebraska women's state champion in time trial, road race, criterium and cyclocross. A consistent top-five finisher in out-of-state events.
• Lee Bumgarner (Flatwater Cycling): Won six races, including back-to-back Cat. 3 wins in the Omaha Cycling Weekend criterium and road race.
• Ian Robertson (Flatwater Cycling): A consistent top-five finisher locally, Robertson claimed three US masters national championships on the track. He also won the Cat. 1/2 19-39 Nebraska road race, along with the masters 30-39 race in Clear Lake, Iowa.
• Brady Murphy (Midwest Cycling Community): Won the Cat. 3 Capital City Criterium from a four-man break, along with the Cat. 3 state time trial and Omaha Cycling Weekend time trial.
• Jarred Berger (Team Kaos/Alegent Health): Won the Tour de Husker and Cat. 1/2 state time trial championships.
• Chris Spence (Team Kaos/Alegent Health): Won the Omaha Cycling Weekend time trial; made the break in the Papillion Twilight Criterium; is a bad, bad man.
• Kent McNeill (Midwest Cycling Community): Won the Cat. 1/2 state mountain bike championship, made the break at the Papillion Twilight Criterium; built a 'cross bike in the fall and decided to do that, too.

There are others who are no doubt worthy of being on the list. Filling in those names is up to you. Again, put nominations in the comments or email them here.

GamJams Survey: On the Road (Again)

Though we're winding things down for the 2011 season — unless you're really, really into 'cross, and therefore racing into January — plans are already underway for the 2012 campaign. Today's survey comes to you via Central Plains Cycling, which is based in Brookings, S.D.

CPC would like to host a race weekend next year and needs some input. Were you to travel to South Dakota, what combination of events would make it a must-ride?

 

GamJams Survey: So, Now What?

For all intents and purposes, the road season is over in Nebraska. There's one more date on the schedule — early September — but there's no information on it anywhere. There are a few races in Iowa (like this weekend's state championship road races), but that's about it.

So, now what? Spend the rest of the summer doing long rides and piling up the miles? Get ready for cyclocross? Find races regionally? You tell us.

 

GamJams Survey: Come and Gone

We're a few days past one of our goal events for the season here at GamJams Survey Headquarters. Beer has been consumed, ice cream contemplated and that road bike hasn't moved since we got home after racing in what felt an awful lot like a furnace.

We'll get back to it soon, we promise. But it got us thinking about how everybody else approaches a post-goal week. We're more of the "spin easy, eat whatever and play lots of video games" crowd here. What's your deal?

 

GamJams Survey: Blow It Up

We have a special treat awaiting us this weekend — the coveted three-day weekend. The upside is that even bike shop hacks like us get an extra day off. The downside is your neighbors blowing things up until midnight when you have to go to work the next day.

But before we worry about stuff like that, let's talk about the bike. Will you get to spend time on the road (or dirt) this weekend? Are you racing? Are you taking the weekend off in order to play the role of "neighbor who blows stuff up until midnight even though the people next door have to go to work the next day"?

 

GamJams Survey: Rain, Rain, etc.

After a bit of a dry spell, it's been wet for the past few days in eastern Nebraska. Like, really wet. It's rained every day — at least a little bit — and forced a pair of rides to be rescheduled here at GJ-MW headquarters.

We got our work in, but only because we had time later in the day to do so. How do you handle a rain delay?

 

GamJams Survey: King of the Dirt

As will be the case throughout June, it's championship weekend in Nebraska. The road and criterium titles were decided two weeks ago, and this time it's the off-road riders' turn. At Ponca State Park on Saturday, the state's dirt king will be crowned.

Who's it gonna be?

 

GamJams Survey: Nebraska State Road Race

Chris Spence of Team Kaos has won seven Nebraska state road race championships, including last year's title. With the 2011 state road race looming on Saturday, he's likely the favorite to win another one.

Or is he? You make the call.