Weekend Plans

I'm going bonkers watching the weather scenario unfold for this weekend !!! Mid 40's , good chance of snow flurries Sat and grey and raw on Sunday. Could it be any better!! Because of my all encompassing general resistance to change ( my wife will attest to my "stick in the mud" nature ) I think I'm going to pass on Saturdays Cross Crusade race. I like the new format and get that they are trying to emulate the UK's 3 Peaks race, but I'm a traditionalist and like the short laps of 45 minutes and racing in the fall. So when I see everyone on Sunday and they blah, blah, blah, about how awesome Saturdays race was and how epic and rad, etc , etc I'll just have to stand there and take it and live with my decision, so be it. I've got a domestic day planned and need to pay attention to buttoning up the house a bit before things really get nice. So I'll see you Sunday on the grass at Interlocken which hopefully will be super wet and slippery as a smelt.

Welcome to another crossblogger: Crossin Colorado, he's posted some vids from last weekends event up in Frisco

Frisco Double

Here are my tips for ensuring a "successful" weekend of back to back racing:

1) Despite the fact that it's your anniversary weekend, convince your significant other that what you really have in mind for her is standing outside on 2 very brisk Autumn days while said husband drags his carcass around in circles whilst simultaneously drooling on himself ( from nose and mouth! )

2) Bring hyper-vigilant dog with to ensure that you lack a proper amount of sleep both nights prior to racing. I recommend a terrier mix with bat-like hearing that will alert you to the fact that someone is walking past your room at who know what hour of the night.

3) Make sure you have some minor-crisis during the race to raise the excitement level, because we all know how boring cyclocross can be at times.

4) Drain the battery on the camera and leave the charger at home so no photographic documentation will ever exist

By following the above tips to the letter we had, for sure had an excellent weekend in the high country. Huge props to the fine folks who put on Frisco Cross. The courses were AMAZING and it was nice to participate in an extremely well run event. Registration people were super friendly and thankful to to take my money (vs. some others who view us racers and our cash as a major inconvenience on their weekend morning..no names ) Results were posted immediately following the race. Brats and beers were readily available.

Saturdays course was techy, favoring bike handling skills slightly over fitness. The start was a long straight dragstrip paved incline that dumped us onto a very fast, very loose, woodchippy descent. Without sufficient points status from a late start this season I tried to get up as close as I could to those with a call-up. I had a decent start and was immediately and pleasantly surprised by how good I felt for so little racing and the fact that we were at about 10,000 feet of elevation. The course came off the woodchips and segued into some very sharp, very loose turns, some in dusty loose, dirt, some on pea gravel. I witnessed heaps of crashes and front-end washouts due to the conditions. This race was super fun for me due to some battles with fellow riders, I would gap a group in the technical sections, they would come back strong on the road climb, we were going back and forth like this for about 3 laps, at the 3 to go marker my rear derailleur ingested a stick, I heard that sickening sound of the rear derailleur about to wind itself into the cogset so I immediately back-pedaled which thankfully spat out the stick however my hanger and derailleur were twisted enough to make me think twice about putting out large amounts of power. The cogs were sitting at 15-20 degrees off center, I still could shift but had to be super careful about not sending the cage into the spokes of the wheel. I managed to roll through in 18th place out of about 60 riders. Thanks to the guys at Mafia racing who loaned me a stand and tools to fix my bike post race.

Although Day 2 had a chance of precip, it was not to be for us morning racers. The day was bright and sunny although clouds were moving in fast and the wind had picked up something wicked. Sundays course favored the fit. There was a long, steep,very loose run-up on the backside and still maintained a few of the woodchip descents from Saturday. I had a horrible start. We charged up the pavement again but this time, dove off to the right into a huge pile of woodchips with one or two good lines. Immediately a massive plume of fine dust went up and all lines were obliterated. As soon as we were strung out I felt way too spent to start picking off riders. I was just sitting in trying to compose myself. A few laps in, I started feeling better and would pick my spots to start passing fellow riders. On lap 3 I came around a corner and witnessed what looked to be a handful of riders gathering themselves and leaving the scene of what I assumed was a crash. There was a long piece of tape across the course and I managed to ride myself right into it, It wrapped itself into my front brake, but I was able to easily reach down and give it a good yank. I freed most of it and continued on until I looked down to see the majority of the tape wrapped around my front hub and fork blade. Didn't seem to be impeding progress and I didn't feel like losing time and places so I left it. At one to go, I bridged a gap up to 2 other riders with the clever intention of having them pull me through the long flat section directly into a fierce headwind. I was so smitten with myself and my plan and as soon as we hit the section they both just rode me off their wheel...bummer. I did manage to improve upon the previous day and finished in the 15th spot. Turned out that the piece of course tape that I pulled from my wheel was about 5 feet long!

Great weekend, spectacular scenery, a nice night out with my lovely wife (if you're looking for a fine dining experience in Summit County, go here), good times hanging with my cross family, always good to see to see Matty O, Keller, Pete Webber ( caught up on Maine getaways ), Rich and Brian from Frites and Mayo who said they would return for Sundays race but a no show (Roller Derby get the best of you guys ?)

Thanks for reading, next on the horizon is Boulder #2 at Interlocken
Shotty

School Bells

The beginning of the season, to me feels a little bit like the first day of school, a little exciting , a little awkward...we're out on the playground and there's some "sizing up" going on, wondering about who's prepared for this, who's clearly not, showing off our new Trapper Keepers. If I had to use one word to describe yesterdays race, I would pick ,HOT! Too hot for my liking, I welt under conditions like that and yesterday was no exception. This did not come as a surprise, it felt super good to be racing, I felt like I cleaned all the barriers, sand pits and techy sections nicely but it felt as though my head was going to explode from the heat. I think I finished mid-pack somewhere, I wasn't putting any pressure on myself for results, after a solid week off the bike and a trip to Taiwan, I will be racing myself into shape this season. Curiously, the ACA officials decided to not post results for our group if we weren't in the top 25 ! I'm really not sure if they started getting confused with lapped riders in a large field( 92 riders! ) or someones hand cramped up, perhaps they were short on volunteers but we had the same size fields last year and ALL results were posted ( sometimes they were incorrect but nevertheless, they were up ) so, kind of disappointing to not know exactly who's race I was obstructing.

My fellow Srammies, Jim joined me as well as Andy who showed his appreciation to us for introducing him to this fine sport by coughing up a nice bit of bile with blood mixed in after he crossed the finish line...yep , he's hooked. It was great to see the usual suspects out and about yesterday. Keller from Boulder Cycle Sport/Mud and Cowbells, Big Tom was out as always, I was particularly stoked to re-connect with Matt, a riding partner friend of mine from back in Maine. Despite a huge chasm in levels of fitness between us, Matt always humored me by dragging me out on some beautifully loopy, hilly road rides and I'd show him our local trail rides. After we'd come back to town, I would collapse on the couch while Matt would change out his gear and go for a 3 hour trail run. After we left Maine for Colorado almost 5 years ago, Matt headed East, way East to one of the "stan" countries to climb, then picked up a Masters at UAF in Alaska and his pursuit of a PhD landed he and his wife to be in Denver recently. My cycling family never ceases to amaze me, despite years that may go by without a word,that time or distance doesn't diminish the strength of our friendships, thankfully cycling is still the tie that binds us all and I am forever grateful.

Jen and I are spending a pre-wedding anniversary weekend in the high country next weekend so hope to see you at Frisco Cross

Shotty

Jesse Anthony on the goods

thanks to Rob O'Dea for the great photo

30 seconds to start

It's coming down to the wire, my cross season is about to officially get underway at the Boulder series # 1 in.....Louisville ( insert Debbie Downer sounds here ). I've had semi-decent results here but it's a brutal course..super rough, I hoping that this weeks snow and rain will linger long enough to dampen the dust. Tonight's practice session was held under perfect cross conditions, temps hovering barely above 40 degrees with a light rain, the leaves are turning, I felt super good and was pushing nicely,trying to keep it smooth and blow the Taiwan funk out of my system. Then a shooting pain up my right shoulder while portaging the bike...feels like some sort of tendon/ligament issue that will go away in 6 months time if I don't do anything so I'll nurse it along and hope that it improves. I highly recommend not getting old.

As of today, the Interbike show in Vegas is underway, as well as Cross Vegas, you may have seen this, which is something that has been consuming probably far too much of my time at work since about mid-March. It's the reason I spent the past 12 days in Taiwan and might be run by Jesse Anthony of Jamis tonight. It's out there and it's up to you to decide if we've done our homework.

Hope to see you Saturday
Shotty

After a brief respite, it's off to the island again, on a mission to do our best to enhance the lives of cyclists everywhere ( with specific focus to those who take joy in riding around in compact, tight courses with obstacles in miserable weather ). Today, I'd rather be reuniting with those whom I haven't seen since last December, but I'm not terribly heartbroken about missing the Bear Creek season opener. Duty calls, I have a greater purpose, I'll see you all at Boulder #1 (I hope Interlocken!! love this course ). Best of luck to all those who will pin on a number today and go home this evening with a raspy-phlegm filled cough, reeking of embrocation!! See you soon, please don't knock me off course when passing

shotty

exactly

great tweet from Trebon:

@ryantrebon For sure moto riding counts as 'cross training. Cornering skills, speed adaptation, it's all part of the program...

Vacationland !

Jen and I are bound for the coast of Maine to meet up with family and friends. With jobs/careers that we both love, we pour all our energy into each day so when when it comes time to look up and take a breath, that it some cool sweet air and a fantastic view.....ah,downtime! I shipped my mountain bike prior to our arrival as the surrounding trails where we used to reside are absurdly difficult to ride and an absolute hoot when the A-game is on board. A dark green loamy tunnel just filled with rocks crisscrossed with roots mud pits, oh and steep, there are no patches of flat terrain. It's the polar opposite of Colorado and that's what needed to flip the mental reset button.

The Peanut Gallery- Take 2

This past Wednesdays practice session brings out another great interaction. A few moms taking their toddlers for a stroll around the park stop us at the top of the long run-up and ask " excuse us, but are you guys professional cyclists ?"

the reply in my head went something like "fraid not, we're the hacks who when swinging the bike up onto the shoulder let the saddle hit themselves in the head and knock our helmets into our eyes"

still flattering and funny though !

Couple O' Links

Riding a Felt Cross Bike ? Read This !!!

Keller's 15 minutes of Fame! Read

The Fat Tire Revolution - Redux

Here is my prize piece of nostalgia from the early days. The Specialized Stumpjumper Team , a limited edition bike and only available in an outlandish version of Barbie pink. I acquired this bike by literally flagging the owner down during his ride in the Santa Cruz mountains some 10 years ago
It needs a new saddle, a Deore XT thumb shifter and some proper Ground Control tires, but otherwise, it's all there and in amazing shape. Check out the Tommaselli moto brake levers, Biopace chainrings, and a Shimano Shark Fin. Most everything else is Specialized house brand parts, the Crankset, hubs, rims, headset. I need to go take this thing for a ride

Peanut Gallery

Wednesday evening, four of us are humming along through cross practice on a very warm night. Kids soccer camp coincides at the same time and location so I think we earn a few quizzical stares. We had placed a barrier on the edge of the soccer field about 10 paces prior to a very steep dirt path run-up. As four of us in succession move over the barrier and up the hill in what I would call a very fluid manner; a couple of kids yell at us from the top of the top of the run-up as we're all re-mounting " that was totally rad, dudes!!!"

The Fat Tire Revolution - The Final Installment ?

The first Ross Stage race held in Wendell State Park in Mass in 84 had come had a pivotal time as I was headed off to my first year of college in a matter of weeks and this race felt very much like it has cemented my identity...as an off-road rider. Although I never would realize it at that time, the bike and the activity would not only define me and my future, but helped guide me through being successful at school and beyond. The sport and more importantly the community surrounding it was, and is, a haven. Once I had entered college up in Keene, New Hampshire, I immediately sought out other like-minded riders. One of them being a year ahead of me and riding those most coveted of bikes, a beautiful black Fat Chance. Martin Dombroski was also from southern Connecticut, he was the previous owner of a shiny,chrome finished Ross but then upgraded to this Fat Chance that he had purchased from a close friend who owned a shop in CT. (Martin would go on later in life to own this shop) At that time I still owned the Univega but had upgraded to a Gary Fisher Montare. one of the first Fisher bikes that were offered at a very reasonable price as it was sourced from Asia. While I enjoyed the red Fisher, I still pined for some Somerville steel.

On a whim one weekend, I loaded up as much food and water as I could carry and headed East on the bike towards Peterborough, some 20 miles away. My goal was to visit the EMS store there but I was sidetracked into a tiny, hole in the wall shop where I saw it. A blazing red Fat Chance with black decals for sale. It was my size but had some goofy riser bars installed that I didn't care for but whatever. I managed to work a deal where I traded in a heinous Benotto road bike and the Gary Fisher plus a measly amount of cash for the Fat Chance. The sport had completely engulfed me, it was a huge amount of pride to be riding something made with caring hands, that was specifically designed for classic New England woods riding.

Martin and I spent a great deal of time on the weekends exploring the woods all over Keene, our posse size was growing slowly and every new addition came back with a massive ear to ear grin filled with black flies and mud. The Fat Chance was absolutely dreamy, the old Fisher felt like an old sled in comparison. The wheelbase was nice and short, but with a slack head angle and short chainstays, the bike just floated over the nastiest terrain. An added bonus was while Martin and I were home during the summers in Connecticut, we would still get together and find new places to ride. I also continued to race, the Norba Eastern Nationals were to held in our state so by all means we would be in attendance. During that summer I was working with my brother-in-law doing home construction work. I would fill a day working and then jump on bike until dark in order to prep for this race. Much like the initial Ross race, the Eastern Nationals brought in some serious talent. Tomac, was there, riding for Mongoose bikes at the time. Ned Overend made his appearance back when he was sponsored by Schwinn. I was completely geeked out over the fact that Ned and I shared a camo-graphic Bell V1-Pro helmet. Martin and I raced the Novice class and I managed to pull off a win that day with Martin coming in second, perhaps there was some sandbagging involved but that race wasn't a cakewalk.

It finally dawned on me about halfway through school that their just might be some way to pull off making a career out of this mountain bike thing. There are others out there doing just that, so what could stop me from following in their steps. My focus during school was technically oriented, computer-aided design and manufacturing. I was super intrigued by developments down in Somerville, Mass. that had some ex-Fat City employees dabbling in Titanium with a new company called Merlin Metalworks. I had reached out to them for a project at school where I wanted to do a study of Titaniums properties, someone at Merlin was kind enough to send me a chainstay to run some tests on. I received an A on that paper and I think my prof. was a bit dumbstruck at the time as to why such an exotic and costly material was to be used on a childs toy...a bicycle of all things!! One of my classes was about tool design so of course my focus was on a better way to hold a tube or a frame during the manufacturing process. During my senior year, I drove down to Somerville and interviewed with Chris Chance very much hoping/planning for a foot in the door at Fat City doing something...anything. Turns out that doing something...anything wasn't going to pay that well and Boston is not a cheap place to live. While I was there, I walked across the parking from Fat City into Merlin. This was a study in extreme contrasts. Fat City was dirty, very punk rock, loud, dangerous even. Merlin on the other hand was obviously run by pointy heads who may have come from MIT nearby and just happened to like bikes. Super clean shop, beautifully crafted bikes on display...nerd central. By graduation time I was very much in love with a girl from Maine ( yes, the first time I spotted her on campus was while she was riding a Peugeot mountain bike) I followed her to Maine and fell into a position managing a bike shop in coastal Camden. Being a responsible for what was on the sales floor, of course Fat Chance and Merlin were both represented nicely.My obsessive/compulsive tendencies with all things two-wheels continued unabated. I finally bid the old Fat Chance a fond farewell and moved onto a Wicked Fat Chance. The yearly Norba National at Mount Snow VT had become an institution, a meca for riders from all over the Northeast. The XC loop was legendary for how ridiculously difficult is was ( and still is ) if it rained, the very talented smiled, the rest hung their heads. In 92, I was riding through Camden, when I spotted the Rockshox tech van and trailer, fresh from working the Mt Snow event. I'll admit I was giddy as a little school girl, I quick wrote a note to the driver asking/pleading with them to come down to the shop and give us a clinic on suspension forks, something none of us knew anything about except that Rockshox was on to something. Terry Howe was driving the van and sure enough, he stopped in and we had a nice couple of hours chatting. I threw out the possibility that if he ever needed any help working an event in New England then please give me a ring. As luck and a lot of persistence would have it. Terry contacted my the following summer and I spent the next 3 weekends, one at Mt Snow and an additional 2 up in Quebec, drowning in shock fluid and absolutely loving it. Paul Turner, founder of Rockshox attended those events and I was able to make a half-assed attempt letting him know that if Rockshox was hiring,then I'm your man. Whatever work ethic was on display at these events was recognized with a position as an R&D tech at Rockshox's facility in Boulder, CO. Pure heaven for bike nerds like myself.

I mention in the header that this is the final installment. I've been wanting/almost needing to put down ALL these words for a long time. I've always wanted some mean of capturing an amazing course in my life and I know may of you have shared this same path. I wrote in the first installment on why the mountain bike is the best invention of my lifetime. That a bit of a bold statement but I mean it. This bike was responsible for getting millions of people to think of bicycles in a whole new way,in an entirely new light. From the mountain bike spawned the commuter, the hybrid, an evolved townie bike, comfortable road bikes. Think about it. This was the nineties and who do you know that didn't get a mountain bike or a version thereof. Sure for some folks it didn't stick but for the most part we are still feeling the positive effects of this revolution that took place decades ago. Mountain biking is responsible for providing my wife and I a very modest living, the ability to travel the world, keeping us healthy and happy, meeting the most amazing people I've ever had the pleasure to ride with. Mountain biking is directly responsible for my obsession with cyclocross. Cross is blending my old-school road bike roots with the attitude of mountain biking, cross is not for everyone, it's ridiculously,stupid hard but pays off massive dividends, much like it's fat tired cousin.Thanks a ton for reading all this, hope you enjoyed reading it as much I've enjoyed reminiscing- Shotty

Day One

The first evening practice session is in the books, the wife's eyes rolling as I left the house with the new skinsuit on and porta-barriers stashed in my messenger bag. It felt SUPER good to be tooling around Monument Valley Park again. ( this would be a superb race venue ). I'm trying very hard to continue to work on form. After many, many years of this, you'd think mounts and dismounts would be hardwired into the board...not so much, in fact I manged to do a nice high speed wad-up on some slippery grass in front of about a dozen 10-12 year old soccer camp kids all of whom all had to stop their drills to see if I was going to get up off the ground. Besides that incident, I felt good. really thinking about placing the hand on the top tube earlier for barrier dismounts and stop doing the minimum 5 steps before remounting, these are bad habits that are hard to break....time is on my side though and there is always room for improvement.

and so it begins

Welcome to August...the alarm strikes marking weeks to go before our season starts. I've got to say I've been enjoying this clammy summer thus far, it's been wreaking havoc on our trails, but the temps are super comfy. Spending lot's of time on the fat tires, managed to get in some gravity days at Keystone and Sol Vista, spent a few hours climbing in Red Rocks and a bit of throttle twisting, Still on the to-do list is Monarch Crest and Kenosha to Breck epics before the leaves turn. Unfortunately, I've already written off a few early races, namely the Pikes Peak Supercross right in our backyard which I have mixed feelings about, one on hand I think it's one of the lamest venue's around but convenience wise, it can't be beat. I'll be enjoying a tropical island working vacation on the lovely isle of Taiwan

Notice to local crossers: Wednesday night practice sessions start on the 5th at the soccer field on the North end of Monument Valley park, see you there at 6pm