It's All in Your Headset

New

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:48:00 +0000

It seems just like yesterday...waking up at the crack of dawn. Making the drive to that first race of the season, Ipod shuffling through my playlist. Stopping at Starbucks. Hot coffee in the cup holder. Getting there just a little bit early to pick up our numbers. Taking just a few more minutes to get dressed in the car, because I can still see my breath. Warming up under the morning sun. Lining up at the start line. Here we go...

This year, I'll be donning the BMW/Bianchi colors. Ready to race with my new teammates here in the southeast. We've got a great group of really strong girls this year, and I can't wait to meet everyone at camp. Only three weeks away, camp will be held in Greenville, SC in conjunction with one of the spring training series weekends. Also, I'm taking part of my racing schedule to the track this year and I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can do out there. Lots of little circles might make me dizzy! While I still love the road, I've always had an affinity for the track. So why not mix it up a little? This sport requires such a personal commitment, you have to keep it fun!

After coming off a rest week and being hit with a fierce cold, it feels surreal being only a few weeks from race season. Again. But I'll be ready. Here we go!

Rolling Through D.C.

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Mon, 25 May 2009 01:53:00 +0000

There's nowhere I'd rather be on Memorial Day weekend than Washington, D.C.

Even if you're a not patriotic person, you can't help but feel the excitement in the air. Mel and I rode from our host Vanessa's house in Arlington to the RFK criterium this morning. We had to leave early because they were closing the Memorial Bridge at noon for this event called "Rolling Thunder" - a moving fundraiser for veteran’s groups, veterans and their families that attracts thousands of motorcycle riders along the National Mall. It was a pretty jaw-dropping sight, kinda takes your breath away. Luckily we got our bikes across the bridge before these guys started theirs!

After a quick coffee shop stop on "The Hill" we continued to RFK stadium for the crit. Soon after arriving, we met Vanderkitten Cycling Club (VKCC) team member Laura Cook, a Cat 2 racer who drove up to represent the club's contingent from Virginia Beach. It was great to meet Laura, and hear what the VKCC in Virginia Beach is doing! VKCC caters to women while providing the tools needed to help riders grow and excel in every aspect of cycling, and aims to help female cyclists meet and ride with other women on both a local and national level - a social component that seems to be missing in so much of women's cycling these days. (If you're interested in learning more about the VKCC, please contact Emma Becker emma@vanderkitten.com!)

The course was a wide open circuit in the stadium parking lot, but it wasn't the typical parking lot crit. First of all, no glass or oil slicks! Imagine that. They did a great job sweeping the course. The parking lot was huge, and they made a nearly 2-mile grand prix style course out of it, pretty resourceful. Mel and I were able to cover everything that went, so we were feeling pretty good. Mel saw the opportunity to test her legs and capture two $200 primes. Nice, Mel. Talking about the race beforehand, we knew who to watch , where to watch the moves, and where we wanted to be for the finish. Mel got herself in a good spot, and that combined with her good form, led to a very respectable 4th place finish! Check out the video HERE.

We're at Vanessa's a second night and catching a ride to Somerville first thing in the morning. Mel has a little "history" with that race, so we'll see if we can't get her that W, so she can finally have a cold one.

Barack Bock
(seriously, that's what it's called)

It's Been a Minute...

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:47:00 +0000

I won't go on about how long it's been since I've updated this blog, but it's been about a minute.

If you've been following Vanderkitten or any of the team's updates, there's been a ton happening. New additions to the team: Melodie Metzger, Virginia Perkins, Jen Reither, and an east coast addition (thank gawd), Laura Bowles. Jeff is our new racing director this year, and I think the job will be a great experience for him career-wise and a new dynamic for us as well. New sponsors, including Storck Bicycles and SRAM, have made such a difference and have me 200% motivated! It's all good.

Aside from the team, Morgan Patton (Team Type 1) and I have taken over the Southeast Women's Cycling series this year. The 2009 series is set, and we're committed to getting more women in our region out to the races. After Morgan and I had to race with the Cat 3 men today in Union City because there were only three girls who showed up, we're convinced that there are women out there who want to race, but something is preventing women from showing up to the races. I'm of the mindset that training is good, but racing is better 99% of the time. When I talked with Liz this afternoon, she said that there were 40 women who showed up to a regional race in California. That's insane! What an amazing opportunity for quality women's racing. The southeast hasn't seen numbers like that in a really long time, and how good would it be for the sport to have representation like that here? So we're working to find out where the gaps are, and how to fill them. But if women don't come out to support their own racing to start with, then there's no room to complain when women get a shoddy deal. We are our own limiters. It's kind of like voting: no vote, no voice. And that doesn't have to be the case.

Next Stop: Tour de Tuscaloosa

You Know it's Time to Start Training When...

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:47:00 +0000

You sit on your inner thighs instead of your saddle.

And if that didn't happen to you when you got back on the bike, you're either in denial, or you didn't try hard enough in the off season!

Anyway been back on the bike for several glorious weeks now training with my homie, Morgan. She's been busting out the base miles trying to navigate herself around Atlanta. She says she moved here to be closer to the racing, but she really just wants to meet T.I. And hey, who doesn't? But M-Pat wasn't quite feeling the weather here lately, so she ran down to Florida and left me to bust out the base in the freezing cold by myself. That's aight though, cuz it's gonna be 70 here tomorrow, and next week I'll be getting my bronze on in Sydney. Hey Morgan, HTFU!

Things are rolling with Vanderkitten this year...some VERY exciting things happening, new website, new sponsors, new equipment, we have a great group of returning riders and some really strong new additions to the team! Details to follow...

Photo Evidence

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 03:06:00 +0000

A few photos from the wedding...(thanks Andy!)

The fam! Jeff's dad Kez, brother Shaun, moi, Jeff, and mum Rose.

Our wedding party looked GOOD!!! A few of them here: Jody, Shaun (the "other" Hoppy), Willo, Jonny "the Cat" Sundt, and Iona. (not pictured: Emily, Jenn, and Andy)

A tree-theme: 3 cakes on a cake stand shaped like a tree trunk, welded by Jeff! He's a man of many talents. We're still working on the family tree...mmmm, delicious!

And as the night progressed...it pretty much went down like this. Drinking wine out of her shoe, Jody managed to completely scar the Aussies!

We polished off the night with Guitar Hero at The Grange.

10.10.08

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:10:00 +0000

The best day ever...

More photos to come!

Story of the Funk

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:38:00 +0000

Vanderkitten to Sharpen Its Claws for 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:39:00 +0000

U.S. clothing manufacturer Vanderkitten announced its intention to continue to build its women's racing program in 2009 under the direction of Robin Zellner, who has committed to take an active role in building the team and grassroots marketing efforts of the brand. Vanderkitten Racing will build on its core group of 2008 elite team members and is actively seeking across the board sponsorship from inside and outside of the industry.

"From the beginning we've pledged to support women's cycling from the industry outward. We have a vested interest in the growth and success of women's competitive cycling as we unveil our new cycling wear line at Interbike," said Dave Verrecchia, creator and designer for Vanderkitten.

Expanding on its successful inaugural year, Vanderkitten has plans to add a riding and racing club, and offer its Ride A Bike, Better(TM) clinics to it growing dealer network in conjunction with stops along the NRC and USA CRITS calendars.

"Most cyclists may never race, but knowing they have the support of those at the top of the sport is a unique and important feeling. We need to create a strong fan base of women for women's racing to grow and succeed, rather than being an 'also ran' to men's racing" adds Verrecchia.

Vanderkitten is currently leading the USA CRITS team championship and is looking to seal up the title on Thursday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Festivus for the Rest Of Us

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:07:00 +0000

FESTIVAL OF SPEED #3 - Saturday, September 20th, 2008

Directions: http://www.dicklanevelodrome.com/directions.htm
Tickets only $5.00 or $10 per family
Pro Racing action starts at 6:00pm on Saturday

Buy the 2008 Dick Lane Velodrome T-shirt HERE!

Come and catch the battle of the titans as Emile Abraham and his Team Type 1 team take on Trent Wilson and his Jittery Joes teammate Tim Henry. Said Abraham of the coming challenge, “I felt like we rode well as a team in the last Festival of Speed, but the addition of Trent Wilson to the field really gives Jittery Joes a good shot at us. We feel like we’ll be pushed all the way to the end this time.” Jittery Joe’s Tim Henry had this to say “Adding Trent to the mix is a real plus for us and I think we can really give Team type 1 a run for their money. Our advantage is going to be in the longer races so hopefully we can take advantage of those races.” Oh no he didn't!!!

The battle for the first ever Dick Lane Velodrome women's Keirin will be as hot as ever as Vanderkitten's Leigh Valletti tries to keep her lead in the Rider of the Year competition from Sorella Cycling's Amy Lang. Said Valletti of the upcoming battle, "I'm ready to tear it up. Amy has really put it out there this season, but this title is mine!" Atlanta's own National Champion Steve Hill will be on hand to once again light up the sprint races for the evening.

Track cycling pushes the envelope of speed and danger in both hard charging sprint events and grueling endurance races. Experience the thrill of the two-man Madison, comparable to tag-team on bike, where teammates exchange positions into the action at 40 mph using the dangerous Madison hand sling. Catch the fast-paced Keirin, an Olympic event where riders are paced up to maximum speed with a motorcycle until the final lap and a half when they tear up the track to the finish. Enjoy a great night out with the family as you get up close and personal with cycling's top athletes! Or come before your big night out - A great place to meet your friends and hang out.

There is a full service concession stand on site for Saturday! All proceeds go back to support the DLV programs. Menu for Saturday:

1. Chicken Nachos made to order w/ black beans, cheese, pico de gallo and sour cream
2. Roasted Veggie wraps w/ bell peppers, Portobello mushrooms, squash, zucchini, red onions and baby spinach.
3. Grilled Chicken Sandwiches w/ mango pineapple slaw
4. All Beef Hot Dogs w/ all the fixin'sPopcorn, Pretzels and Pita Chips

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We need your help at the Festival of Speed! The Festival is a great event and we would love for all of you to be able to sit back, relax and watch the races, but....we need your help. If you can help out for a few hours with registration or watching the gate or the numerous other small tasks throughout the weekend we would be very grateful. Please contact Jeff jeff@dicklanevelodrome.com if you can help.

FOR A COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF ALL OF OUR EXCITING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS, GO TO THE DICK LANE GO TO THE DICK LANE WESITE: http://www.dicklanevelodrome.com/. DON'T FORGET TO THANK OUR SPONSORS!!!!!

DY-NO-MITE!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:35:00 +0000

Man, it's been a while! Lots of things happening. I won't bore you with the dirty details, but it's been something like this: resigned from old job, got new job, planning our wedding in October (States), planning wedding #2 in January (Australia), looking for a house, and trying to finish up the racing season with some shred of dignity. It's been a stressful past couple of months and I've been a complete biyatch to live with lately, but we found time to squeeze in our second annual pub crawl, "Le Tour Decatur" on Labor Day. 30 thirsty crawlers, 10 pubs, 5 hours, 1 newly crowned KOC (King of the Cougar) jersey holder, 0 cops. Priceless.

So now we're back up to speed, right? Given the amount of beer consumed in the past few weeks, the season feels like it's winding down, but there are actually still a few very key races ahead. The Faster Moustache 24 hour Urban Relay this weekend, San Francisco Twilight (Vanderkitten's home turf), the third Dick Lane Velodrome Festival of Speed, and the USA Crits finale in Vegas.

Actually, I'm pretty stoked about this 24 hour race. The course is about 12 miles long through in-town Atlanta with 4 check points along the way. We've got 6 chicks on our team, "TNT". Jeff is on the No Brakes team, "Juggernaut". I'm not one to brag, but I really think we can win. We've got a secret strategy. Results to follow soon. In the meantime, let there be green lights!

Koppel on China

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:30:00 +0000

Sitting on the couch tonight after an exhausting Guitar Hero session with Slash, I came across this interview on the Daily Show where Jon Stewart asks Ted Koppel if America should let China win the Beijing Olympics so they won't raise the price of stretch pants. It's a fascinating look at our economic reality with China (skip to about the 3:30 minute mark).

DLV Festival of Speed

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:19:00 +0000

Join us next weekend at the Dick Lane Velodrome in East Point for the July Festival of Speed! With a total prize payout of almost $4,500 this should go down as one of the best events of the year:

"Need for Speed" Sprint Tourney Friday @ 6:30 p.m.
Festival of Speed Saturday @ 3:00 p.m.
Bonus madison Saturday (separate $500 prize list)

If you're coming in from outta town, just let me know and we'll find you a place to stay. Or if you'd rather watch from the stands, admission is just $5.00 per person or $10.00 for the whole fam. Bring yo grandma! It's good clean fun. Now get down to the track!

Travel Tips from Chopper

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:31:00 +0000

Since it's about that time of year when traveling gets a bit old...

Nashvegas

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:39:00 +0000

Back from the Edgar Soto Memorial race in Nashville. It was a huge success as a stage race over Memorial Day weekend last year, but the change in schedule this year also changed the format to a crit series. The promoters and volunteers did such a great job with this event, everything was nailed down to the last detail. If you're racing around the southeast, Tennessee racing is where it's at! This series was also part of the Southeastern Women's series, which helps promote women's racing at all levels.

Friday night we had a kilo TT and sprint heats at the Tennessee Fairgrounds Raceway. This place is bad ass, man! Nashville doesn't have a velodrome, but they could improvise using this 1,000 meter track. I placed a mediocre 3rd in the kilo TT (although this is suspect cuz we didn't have timing chips, and we were milliseconds apart). The sprint heats that followed were basically scratch races, and I qualified in all of those. By the time we were done, it was 10 p.m. and we were in search of food! Random strip mall sushi, anyone?

Saturday night was a crit in the heart of downtown Nashville. I finally met Sharp Emmons, owner of the best socks on the planet, Swiftwick. Not only are his socks the shizz, but Sharp is one of the nicest people I've met in a long time (common in this part of the world, it seems)! Sharp hooked me up with some shorty's before the race, and I would wear them as my good luck charm for the night. Before the crit, they announced a sprint competition with points every 5 laps. The winner of the sprint points would get these crazy E-Motion rollers that you can fully sprint on, and it's almost impossible to fall off of them. I wasn't exactly going for them at the start, but it just sort of went that way so i thought, why not! It was uphill from the start toward the capitol building, then a long drag along the river to the last two tight right-handers to the finish. My legs were so fried from the sprints, that by the end when Andrea Wilson (Kenda Tire) jumped before the second to last turn, I just couldn't match her. Although I ended up 3rd...I won the rollers ;)

If you want to fully experience Nashville culture, you have to hit a honky tonk. So a few of us went to the best honky tonk on Broadway, Robert's Bar and watched this amazing band "Brazilbilly". They play every Saturday night and pack the house! So after Robert's we went to Coyote Ugly, and this is where things got a little...shall I say...fugly?! Thinking about it now, really the only thing that separates this place from a strip joint is that they don't let guys take body shots! I went in there saying, "I'm not getting on the bar," and by the end of the night they were hauling me off by my ankles. Not cute!

Needless to say that yesterday morning I felt like death, and going out like a rock star was not the smartest move, but Nashville culture is to be experienced! So it was about a million degrees and zero shade at the crit yesterday, the final race of the weekend. The finish was a 500-meter long uphill drag. Not the best type of finish for me. Since I wasn't running on all 8 cyclinders, I wanted to be even more watchful during the race, and be aware of everything that was going on around me so I could just slide onto wheels. This seemed to work well, and I narrowly won in a photo finish at the line.

Nashville is great, but I'm glad that the weekend is over and it's good to be back home in the ATL. Think I need a few days rest from all the racing and traveling we've been doing. Not to mention getting all refreshed and ready for Austin!!!

Bringing the Heat

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 16:08:00 +0000

As a wise cheerleader once said...it's already been broughten!!!

Vanderkitten recently hit two key stops on the team's calendar: Tulsa Tough and the Philadelphia Liberty Classic. We took the trips with Michael Hernandez, and were later joined by his lady Sabine in Philly. Michael bravely took on director/mechanic duties with us, and he did an amazing job of getting our bikes running smooth and keeping us calm and stress-free in the days, hours, and minutes leading up to Philly. Michael took care of every detail, and I cannot thank him enough for his leadership!

Our hosts in West Chester were very wizzelcoming.

Philly...it was a hot one lemme tell ya! I missed my feed on the last lap (painful) but managed to "borrow" one of Mel's bottles for utter survival. We snaked our way through the field, muscled up the wall four times, and managed to stay with some key groups all the way to the finish. On the last lap we were all together - the peloton had brought back Kristin Armstrong, who was on an early solo break. As it usually plays out, it came down to Lemon Hill on the last lap.

Perfect timing! Getting ready to miss my feed.
(Thanks for the photo, Sabine!)

A group of 5 broke away on Lemon Hill, which contained eventual race-winner Chantal Beltman (High Road). Coming off Lemon Hill on the sweeping right and left turns back to Kelly Drive, the field was fully strung out. I took the inside lines and tried to jump up to the front with our sprinter Melissa on my wheel. By this point, Chantal had broken away by herself, so 4 were left in the group. I chased the group of 4 until they were reabsorbed back into our group. I was gassed at this point, but when I saw that Mel had been shuffled and was no longer on my wheel, I got back in, Mel and I found each other, and I tried to recover for the finish.

Lemon Hill is deceivingly far from the finish, and people forget this, even after going around the thing 4 times. Good for my recovery at this particular moment, bad for girls who try to go too early! Anyway, Mel and I moved our way inside the roundabout and up the pack to the finishing straight. With about 200 meters to go, there was a pretty big crash in the middle of the field that took out a ton of girls, including Flavia. Mel and I moved left and avoided the carnage, finishing 18th and 19th respectively. Philly was one of Mel's key races, and I wish I could've done more for her at the finish. Guess that's racing, and we just have to learn from the experience...and Philly is Philly!

In other "Vander-news" we also did the Tulsa Tough series previous to Philly week. After our consistent top finishes, Vanderkitten currently sits 1st in the USA Crit Series team standings, and 2nd in the individual standings (Jennifer "Wheels" Wilson). We're really excited to hold this place, and are looking forward to defending the position for the duration of the series, which finishes at Interbike in Las Vegas.

Apparently this is normal in Tulsa?

This however...is not.

Photo Courtesy of Taos Action Photos

Next stop: Austin, TX (USA Crit series)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIZZER!

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:20:00 +0000

If you happen to see Vanderkitten femme-fatale Liz Hatch in the Philly area this week, wish her a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

So if you're in Philly this Sunday, cheer the Vanderkittens up Manyunk. And I've got a few of these waiting for you on Sunday, Liz! (Served room temperature, of course.)

Get Well Ryan!

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:08:00 +0000

Our friend Ryan Barnett was involved in an accident while out riding last Saturday. He took quite an impact - fracturing his skull, ribs, pelvis, and back. When you get a chance, please leave Ryan a note on this website if you can, it would mean so much to him to get a few words of encouragement on his road to recovery!

http://www.realitybikes.com/RyanBarnett/

We're with you, Ryan!

Two-A-Days

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:35:00 +0000

Nothing wraps up a week of traveling quite like racing two crits in the span of 3 hours! Welcome to two-a-days.

First up: Sandy Springs. This was the crit series finale. With several sweeping turns, I really loved this course. We had a smaller field than in previous days, some girls chose between the two of the days races. However, with only a few points separating Colavita and Cheerwine for the top spot, it was going to be a fight to the finish for everyone. As was the norm in this series, primes were called almost from the gun. Early on, Rebecca Larson (Aaron's) went after one solo and I jumped from the field before the last turn to see if I could grab it, but she had me by half a wheel at the line. Vanderkittens (Jenny Trew, Jen Wilson, Mel, and Kele) continued to key off moves that went off the front. Then with eight laps to go, someone either clipped their pedal or a barrier on the inside of the final turn and took a whole group of us out. Wilson went down hard - broke her helmet, cut the side of her face, and skinned her back. Kele and I stayed upright and got her bike out of the course while Wilson was taken to medical. No more free laps, so the race was pretty much over for us, which left Jenny and Mel to contend with the remainder of the field. Jenny ran 6th and Mel 14th, which helped us in the individual standings. Vanderkitten finished 4th overall in the team standings. Not a bad effort!

Next up: Roswell. Wilson hit the deck pretty hard in Sandy Springs, and since she couldn't remember where she was once regaining consciousness, it was probably not such a good idea for her to race Roswell! Trew had been sick the night before, and also decided to call it a day. Good call. Instead, they would be our "logistical coordinators", making no less than four trips from Roswell to Sandy Springs to collect payout from the series. We quickly packed up the bikes, and made our way to Roswell. Having just come from Sandy Springs legs tired and in a pre-stinky kit, I was a little nervous about this race because Roswell is not usually not my best showing (historically speaking, of course). There were a few teams like Advil and VAC and a lot of individual riders who showed up to race Roswell who hadn't done the previous race, but when we finally got going (about 10 minutes after we arrived) I felt surprisingly good. Apparently everyone else did too because I didn't even crack the top 15! Amazing how history repeats itself. I got to the front with three to go, but got fully swarmed in the last lap and couldn't escape. It wasn't the way I wanted to end the week's racing, but it bumps up the list of things I need to work on for next time.

The much-anticipated Southeast Crit series was over, and to be honest, I'm a little sad! I had so much fun with my teammates, as this was really the first solid block of races that we've had together so far. It was great to learn everyone's racing styles, strengths, weaknesses, etc. and I'm really looking forward to Tulsa Tough, where hopefully I'll have my racing legs going full speed and we can tear it up again as a team. Shout-outs to everyone for giving it 100% out there. And pour out a little liquor for Kele and Wilson, who are nursing their injuries from the week's carnage!

I actually poured out a little liquor for them yesterday (well, I tripped while walking with my mojito, so it was kind of an accident). It happened to be Cinco de Mayo AND a recovery day...cha cha cha!!! Chef Jeff made burritos and fresh guacamole, one of my all-time favorite things. We had a few peeps over, including our good homie Cody "I'm Not Willo" Stevenson who did NOT polish off a cup full of chocolate donut holes before we even left the grocery store parking lot!

This weekend we hit the track for the first Festival of Speed of '08 at the Dick Lane Velodrome here in Atlanta. Sprint tourney on Friday, which the legs could really use. Then the main races and a bike swap meet on Saturday, lots of vintage (i.e., crap) parts, I can't wait!

Duct tape CAN fix anything.

Mutha Uckers

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Thu, 01 May 2008 02:40:00 +0000

Today has been a day and this is about how I feel right now...

Driving up to Greenwood, SC tomorrow to meet my Vanderkitten teammates (Mel, Jenny Trew, Jen Wilson, and Kele Murdin) for the remainder of Speedweek. They've been racing hard the past few nights and I hope my fresh gams are ready to go.

Biker Fox Salute!

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:10:00 +0000

Herding Cats

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:42:00 +0000

It took some effort, but they finally got us all together for this one miraculous shot. Endless thanks to Dave, Mark, and Scott and all of our amazing sponsors for helping to make the 2008 Vanderkitten Racing team a reality! Next up on the calendar...Redlands, Sea Otter, and then out to the southeast for USA Crits Speedweek!!!

top row (l-r): Moriah MacGregor, Heather Sborz, Jane Despas

middle row (l-r): Melissa Sanborn, Leigh Valletti, Liz Hatch, Leah Guloien

bottom row (l-r): Flavia Oliviera, Jenny Trew

Photo courtesy of Kurt Harvey (thanks, Kurt!)

Pooley Wins Trofeo Alfredo Binda!

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:10:00 +0000

A HUGE congrats to Emma Pooley of Team Specialized (proudly sponsored by Vanderkitten..."Freizeitbekleidung"!) for taking victory at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda World Cup yesterday in true Vanderkitten style... sticking out there for 40k's solo, and holding off the field by over a minute at the line. Not only did Emma take the win, but she now holds the coveted World Cup leader's jersey...sweet! The Vanderkitten Racing team is so proud of Emma and everyone with Team Specialized for a stellar performance!

$522 Billion

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:33:00 +0000

What could we have been built instead?

A More Perfect Union

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:31:00 +0000

Insert Foot In Mouth...

noreply@blogger.com (Leigh) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:49:00 +0000