New Project

Though Multisport Maps remains my main focus, I've been working on a new tri-related project recently: www.tribiz.blogspot.com.... a simple networking site for triathletes making their living away from the sport. Check it out, and by all means, I hope the athlete readers here will add themselves to the list.

Features (part 1) - The Swimming Hole

It’s been a little quiet around here lately, so I figure it’s time to start a new multi-part series… this one about some of the things I found around Vermont – some of the rides I went on, some of the pools I swam in, some of the runs I took…. Just a few of the things that will be on the full site come spring.

I figured I’ll start, for no specific reason, with one of the nicer pools in the state – The Swimming Hole in Stowe. Like most things in that area, it’s a little cutesy. It’s built to look like a Vermont-style red barn, has tiled showers and expensive soaps, and of course it’s pricey:16.50 for a day pass (!). That said though, the facility is pretty nice, and the pool is great…. 8 lanes across, lots of other swimmers, and it’s set into a large, airy room with nice big windows. Most of Vermont’s pools are cramped and dark…. The Swimming Hole is open and light. It may not be for everyone, but it’s a nice place to get in a workout (and even relax a little bit).

Check it out if you’re in the area, or visit their website at theswimmingholestowe.com. For now though, here are a couple pictures I snapped while I was there:

A new idea (and a new time)

Those of you who read multisportmaps.com know I don’t do a lot of linking. Actually, this will be the first. But if you haven’t already seen it, go check out this ESPN.com article. It’s cool because these guys (Slipstream cycling team) are getting good exposure in a sport that only makes Sportscenter for it’s underbelly culture; it’s cool because they’re based in Boulder, and I almost rented a room from one of the riders; and really, it’s cool because they’re creating buzz over a new approach to building a team. The idea is based on being clean, sure, but it’s also based on being smart – about branding themselves, just like Apple, Kodak, or Match.com. About being professional, and about being business-minded, not just strong on the bike. A lot of money’s coming into endurance sports, and the ante is being raised – you have to be good, no doubt, but you have to be smart too.

Boulder (Part 3) – The Job???

First things first, Multisport Maps is still the center of my professional attention. That’s my direction, and that’s where my focus is…. I’m still dedicated to creating a fantastic guide for endurance athletes (more on that in the next post). However, as my expenses pile up in a new city, and seeing as though the money-making phase of Multisport Maps has yet to launch (more on this soon too), I’d like to add other work onto my plate. I’ve been looking around – trying to find a local business who needs a hand, or an exciting new startup that can use some of my experience. But as expected, it’s been difficult – it’s hard to find an appealing option after enjoying the work on this project so much.

So the search will continue for a little while longer. I think something will pop up soon, and I’ll certainly share it here when it does. Until then though, wish me me luck.

Boulder (Part 2) – the Place

I’ve now set up camp at a house in the North-Central part of town, with another triathlete and stud-cyclist (Randy). I have a nice, organized bedroom that gets a ton of sunlight - I share the living room and kitchen with Randy, and on one out of every couple nights, his girlfriend Andie (a darn-good triathlete in her own right). We have HDTV, wireless, and best of all, a garage just for bikes… complete with racks, hooks, a work station, and plenty of room set-up for our rollers and trainers. Location-wise, the house is 1/4 mile from a section of the Boulder running-trails, one stoplight from the riding north of town, and only a mile or so from Pearl Street and downtown. In all, it’s a real nice place, and a darn good one for me.

A couple pictures:

Bedroom:

Living Room:

Kitchen:

Roomate-Randy doing some post-ride yard work:


And me doing some late-night wrenching in the garage: