First race of '10

There's a first time for everything. Like posting to the team blog. This is my eleventh season racing 'cross always on a Soulcraft. The first official race of my season was today at Fort Ord, Monterey. CCCX always puts on stellar events and this one didn't disappoint. The course was fast and smooth with plenty of red walls of poison oak to keep you on track. Last year I started racing A's 35 plus and although I try to not get last today it couldn't be helped after a crash and a bike change. At least I didn't get lapped. Well, off to take that painful first shower ;o).

Cheers,

Bo

First race of

There's a first time for everything.

Well I’ve returned from national championships in Granby Colorado. It was a typical national event which I used to take part in so much in the past. This was the first big race I have entered in all year, let alone the first xc event as well. I’ve been racing short track at the local Wednesday night boulder races and entered in the smith Lyons out door games about a month ago. I have been feeling stronger and stronger on the bike as the summer has progressed. I won the Lyons games and have been consistently placing well against some of the fastest racers in the area at the short track races. But……short track is not cross country. I started in the last row at nationals, not something I have done in quite a while. Not only did the start position hurt my moral but the longer race proved to be difficult on my fitness. I have been training hard to prepare, but training does not simulate racing. I found myself feeling fairly strong in the race passing lots of guys on the first couple laps. The last lap I didn’t lose any positions, but could feel that my short race fitness was proving to be my downfall. I ended up in 20th place in the race. I’m not incredibly disappointed but nor impressed. I am planning on making it to a bunch of Colorado xc events that remain on the calendar and hope to post up some more impressive results. Besides the nationals my roommate, the girlfriends and I headed the long rout back to boulder and stopped off in rocky mountain national park for the night on a pretty deep back road atop a mountain where we heard there was a bunch of great rock climbing. We rolled out of our tents in the morning with beer filled guts and made the much longer than expected trek to the climbs. Once we arrived I could tell it was well worth it. There was a large alley way of quality climbs. We spent the whole day out there climbing and hiking around some beautiful Colorado backcountry. I’m feeling like I will only get stronger and stronger as the season progresses, but am not forgetting to take part in other activities that take me to new places like cycling does. Mountain biking is cooler than anything in the world if you haven’t noticed yet.

Ed McMahon-R.I.P.

Ladeez & Gentlemen,
doff your chapeau(s) in honor of America's Top Second Banana, Ed McMahon, who passed away today at age 86. That Budweiser blazer blows Stevil & mine's Budweiser sweater out of the water. HEY-OHHHHHHHHH!

Riding in the Columbia Gorge

Well, Portland is wet. Let's put it that way. But its nice in the summer...Or if you get over the Cascades to central Oregon. The Columbia Gorge, however, is worth the miserable wetness. And on this particular weekend, it was pretty darn dry. My friend, Anthony, drove us out to ride a trail called Syncline (it includes "Little Moab" AND "Little Maui." You can't beat that. Everything in one fell swoop.) Anyhow, Syncline is amazing, to put it short. The best trail I've encountered here. Looking over the glacier-formed Gorge over a 100-foot cliff (from which a Mountain Biker fell to his death last year).

The story behind this photo is sort of funny. It was actually not taken by me, but Anthony's friend (who got lost). He (Brian) was riding a bit slower than Anthony and I, and apparently he took a wrong turn. He was lost for about three hours before we met up again. He had my camera in his backpack and he knew that I wanted to take some photos. So he took the one of the meadow. Doesn't really show the trail, or the Gorge, but it's a nice field. Maybe next time I get out I'll get some shots of the trail and some riders. But for now I'm looking forward to trekking down the Oregon and California coast back home to West Marin County. I have just returned from Colorado Springs, where I was visiting Colorado College. I got to ride a couple of epic trails there (Captain Jack's and The Chutes). Unfortunately, I forgot my camera (like always). I plan on attending Colorado College next year, and the Mountain Biking is an excellent added perk. Hope to be sending sweet photos from there next fall, and until then, Happy Summer.

do you really want this guy building your frame???

Not too sure what Sean had for breakfast but it looks like it was laced with something. My breakfast on the other hand consisted of lots of bacon grease to get me through the cold Colorado weather. I'm not too sure what is up with the weather here lately, I guess it's just typical Colorado. It went from 80 a week and a half ago to a frigid snow storm. I was defiantly feeling a bit of cabin fever as the skies dumped nearly two feet of snow after a pleasant three hour mountain bike ride up in the high country at 70 degrees the day before. I was finally back on my bike with some consistency training then the weather hit. Quite disappointing, especially because I'm not a fan of staring at a wall while dripping sweat on indoor trainer. I have been filling the cold windy days with lots of indoor rock climbing and new artwork. It has been awhile since my last race. I'm looking forward to my first pro race at the mountain states cup race #1. There will be a time trial and a xc race. I'm not sure how it will fan out yet, but I expect to have some legs and endurance by the time the race goes down, that is weather permitting training. Hope all you Californians are take benefit of the weather I'm not, much luck in the season!!

Is it spring yet?

We can still ski up here in Flagstaff, but early-season racing and riding can be found a little further south of here: racing in Phoenix has been entertaining, there aren't many pro women who race these so I've been racing expert men's singlespeed. It's really fun to race against a bunch of guys that I don't know, and to not know how I'm going to finish...but it's turned out pretty well.
I've been riding a bunch in Sedona, too. Lots of new trails popping up as well as some of the old standbys; it's only 40 minutes away but 3000 feet lower so it's nice even when it's freezing in Flag. Today I rode this trail called Hangover, called such because the first half the rocks are hanging over your head, and the second half you are hanging out over the cliff. A little spooky but a really well-built trail. Cures your hangover in a hurry, thats for sure.

Hi!

This is my blog RSVP. Okay, that's all.

cold as F

5-10 degrees today for 3.5hrs. thanks to cornbread for the pics. i'm the yellow shell on the blue beauty.

I Heart Fall

Fall in Arizona is not quite what you northwesterners are used to, but we still have the same things: fall leaves, crisp rides, and cyclocross. The only difference is that we do it in dry, dusty conditions instead of rain ;)











Cyclocross racing is sweet when there's no mud...










Even an off-road triathlon is fun when you go to Phoenix and race in warm sun in October
(even though I can barely swim I got 2nd place overall!)












Finally I got my Pro DH upgrade...Sean will you build me a downhill bike?

Cross Crusade #8

Cross Crusade #8 (the championship) proved fairly muddy. And when I say fairly muddy, I mean really ridiculously muddy.Like three-foot high mud puddles (or for all I know, they could have just been gigantic cow patties). And all I had to show for it was a bit of splattered mud. I suppose its the experience of actually getting muddy that counts.

Cross Crusade Cyclocross Racing

Well, I tried out Cyclocross for the first time. I went to the third Cross Crusade race at Mt. Rainier High School in Washington.The result was...A BLAST. Cyclocross is crazy fun (not as fun as sitting on your saddle for a 40-mile Sea Otter race, though.) It was dry and fast, which did no represent Northwest Cyclocross racing very well (the dry part at least), but little did I know, I would soon experience the mud. I then went to the Cyclocross Championships at the Washington County Fairgrounds, which was essentially an old rodeo arena complete with barns and cattle guards. I rode through one side of a barn, out the other, and next thing I know I am in three feet of mud. Well, let's just say my body was pretty muddy and cranky by the end of the day (complete with riding thirty minutes back to school from where my ride dropped me off). My Voodoo Wazoo was even less happy. Aside from being smeared and plastered with mud, the drive train sounded like it wanted to start spitting bolts and chain pins out at me. I think its time to hop on a Soulcraft Cyclocross frame (with some new parts, of course)... I am planning to do the next few local Cyclocross races through OBRA, even though the Cross Crusade series is over. I can't wait until next year! I hope I can start getting some pictures of my own, but for now the ones other people people are taking will get the job done (Just joking, they take pretty sweet pictures).

CXSR #2 - Youth Community Park: November 1st, 2008

In true Belgian spirit and weather conditions, the RedNeck and I represented Soulcraft at Bike Monkey's second cyclo-cross race out of the CXSR series that had us smiling the whole time as we suffered like kids out in swampy marshes. Just getting out there was showing commitment enough, but it turned out to be great fun riding through mud at pegged heart rates. It certainly did not start out that way as the only motivator for getting my ass out there to join RedNeck's unquestionable commitment was my wife's accusations of being a total whimp.

I'll let the RedNeck write about how our race unfolded whereas for me, simply trying to stay upright the whole time while all others raced past by me was competition enough.

Encouragement from the spectators including our very own Yuri was well received as we had witnesses to attest to our madness through the mud-slicken and poison-oak riddled trails.

Always humbling to get lapped but this race was all about survival of the machine and the rider. Below is what happens when getting egged on by spectators to, "Get in there, face first"!

Check out Veronika's pics.

The thought of our beloved Director Sportivator siccing the legal team on (us?)me puckers me up&hunkers me down for another lesson in tecnology .The act of finding my way back to the team blog is a minor triumph.Plucking a photo from the ether& planting it here ,routine for many,is...exasperating.Enough of that,sswc08,the tribal thing,different from all other racing,was a blast.Thanks to Curtis,Dr.Sporty,and a host of others,this event went off with a minimum of downers,none of which were part of my experience there.The weather,course,spectrum of racers&spectators(referees!)and a cooling mist of beer everywhere made for an unforgettable day.I didn't even make the activities the night before.There were thousands of photos shot that day,and if you follow this of thing,you've seen them on flickr,mtbr,etc..Dr.Sporty took some team photos that should convey the mood of the day.For now,it's luddite at the key board. 29th overall,1st race on the fresh holy roller,see you in Durango ! I must have gone back to work after that 'cause I don't remember racing again 'till the14th annual DFLCX final in sept..Camron&Kathleen,coronated King-n-Queen,took home the coolest trophys I've ever seen.Next was the Lion of Fairfax,one of the hottest,bonyest CX's I've ever done.Road from home,won the masters class,Holy Rollerd home.Won a nice over sized sweater with the wrong logo.Back to a pattern of contemplating CX,then going back to sleep.Riding for free in the after noon.Biketober Fest,another great ride into town,not enough time to connect with everyone,to drunk /dark to ride home.More good times!Lastly but not least,it was up to Gianni country for the all day every thing.Drew blood that day!Check out the whole thing on RogerBartels1@comcast.Pictures,map,profile,the works.Or wait 'till I figure out how to deliver a photo here.G

mw in fruita

Here's Matt Wills on Joe's Ridge last weekend in Fruita, CO on his SS drop bar Holy Roller. More photos can be seen by clicking this here link.

ABC Fall Tour de Trash Rides are set for Oct 18

Hey Soulcrafties,

It's time once again to intentionally get into the roadside ditches, unlike what SteveP usually pulls off during races, but this time to collect trash.

Our "trash-hole" (as Yuri proclaims them to be) is set for October 18. Check out the latest info at the usual ABC Rides blog.

New member of the Soulcraft Family?

It's not every day that former Tour de France champion (?) Floyd Landis comes to town for a charity ride and shows up in your bike shop to borrow your autistic mechanic's Soulcraft while there's a dog fight going on in front of him, and after the ride proclaims the Soulcraft to be "one sweet ride." But, it happened today.

ponca 2008

for the last 4 years a group of lincolnites have ridden from lincoln,ne to ponca,ne. all gravel roads, pretty much striaght north. leave early morn, get there before sunset. stay in a group all day. camp that night and drive back with some friends that drive up the day before with our gear. it's between 155 and 165 miles depending on where you're leaving from in town.

this year it took 16hrs to go north. and this year a few of us agreed to ride home. and that took 14hrs. we cheated a bit with some highway shoulder but 310miles in two days nonetheless.

thanks for cornbread for the pics. i broke my saddle on the way up and had to shim it with a wad of duct tape between the saddle shell and the top of the seatpost. of course, it failed at mile 30. so the rest of the way on a ride-able but painful saddle. i switched it out to a friend's saddle that his wife drove up since she was camping too. the tire lever fix was my first attempt. it didn't work well.

i've got the route on a series of maps i printed from garmin software. it shows all the gravel and paved roads. pretty much a big grid untill you get up north or around the platte river. in 4 years i have the route pretty much in my head, but i like to check it alot so we don't get off track and waste a bunch of daylight.

we'll try to keep this as an yearly event. it sure is a good time.

guitar ted's death ride invitational 2008

guitar ted is the head promoter of the transiowa race. that race is held in early spring and consists of 300+ miles of gravel roads navagated by a series of 'cue sheets'. he is assisted by a serious right hand man and a series of volunteers when the event draws near. he loves gravel and so do i. the TI will be in it's 5th year if it goes off again this spring. mother nature willing. i've attempted but not finished V2 and V4. i completed V3 in 2007, 340 miles in 33 hrs, pink sean crafted single speed flat bar nanoraptors camelback tights and long sleeve LED light.

g-ted puts on a ride as well about this time of year. just a ride. he puts together a route and we all stick together. gravel roads. small towns. rolling hills. peace and quiet. 100 miles or so. two years ago it was 152. depends on the route and the fitness of g-ted. it was fun. photo by guitar ted.

Downieville

Stinkbomb
Monday, July 21, 2008

Escaping on a Thursday, chauffeuring my dentist and a doctor, we made our way to Downieville to suck some smoke. Despite the air quality, Friday's pre - race run was flattening. Wrong tire choice.Used tires of mysterious origin.Too thin skinned.Beer resulted in salvation. Next concern was morning deposits. As our campsite was a complete poach we had to scout blue rooms and wait for neighbors to mosey on to other adventures. Thank you fox forks. The Frenchman arrived with buckets of food and promises of buying my old bike. Early Saturday morning, the usual dawn scury/furry/ hurry for breakfast, deposits, bike preping, loading, etc.Off to Sierra City for the start. A mob of faces old and new in a sold out show. Larry Hibberd parted the waters, helping my start go smoothly in an otherwise cluster*uc*. 3000 feet up no conversations. Cresting the hill never felt so good. Rarely have I ever had the opportunity to watch such down hill talent, inspiring me to ride beyond my tires capacity.They lasted two-thirds of the way down the hill before the rear gave it up.In the mean time I caught Mr. Hibberd on the down hill, staying with him over the crest to third divide where he allowed the pass. 5 minutes later I flatted.Many went by (including Mr. Hibberd).Rolling again, regaining the groove, not long before spotting Larry with similar tire issues I went by and flatted again one minute later. To close to the finnish to bother with any repairs period. No supplies left anyway. I rode the flat tire out of the woods to the pavement where it finally became unridable. Fan on sideline with sharp knife sliced off tire and tube and sent me onto Master's Glory. Too bad about the rim. Drank many pain killers.Received fat crome bag of swag.Edibles,Wearables and Inspirationals via SOULCRAFT are huge and appreciated. Thanks for keeping it real. - George
Posted by stinkbomb at 8:01