Off to the Hamptons!

Back in beloved New England, cured for a while from complaining about New Haven. Cross Vegas filed in the scrapheap of history, left with a few vague memories like a conversation with a casino employee in which he rebuffed my suggestions of health risks of second hand smoke and the final empowering night of owning that Vegas Strip on my bike, however crazy. Packed to the gills for cross - legwarmers, armwarmers, hats - and it's going to be 80 degrees on Long Island, but one of these days that surprise snowstorm will strike, and I will be ready (provided I can find everything in that big bag). Raced a training race on Wednesday in Dayville, CT and it was old-school cross at its best - the antithesis of Cross Vegas - two barrier sets, one rooty uphill, singletrack kidney-rattling descent, sandy corners, grass u-turn, short a horsepower section, and a ride-/run-up all in a sub-3:00 lap! The Long Island weekend takes some planning as far as logistics go, but it's always a great trip given the ferry ride and surprising agricultural quality of the North Fork, plus the Hampton beaches, gorgeous even if one doesn't read the Style pages. And Vervecken is news even if he doesn't make the Times.