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Aug 24
Over a week since last update.
So what's going on?
Looks like Fred and the gang hand a good hard ride through Hammel Canyon and Pinecrest Peak. Pics and Video links will be up as soon as I get them.
The SSWC 2005 was a hit back east.
Photo John has some interesting photos from Skeggs. Looks like the ranger needs to meet his quota.
The French are still after Lance. It my mind, it's to fricken late. He's retired, leave him alone. You can see the various reactions from the fans, experts, officials, and Lance.
Now some good news. Looks like Levi pull it out an won the Tour of Gemany and guess who takes second. As always, Jan.
Checking out the mtb news and I see that Mellisa Miller got 9th in the pro women's Snowshoe DH race.
I think Superfan was suposed to be down there. In case you don't know, Superfan is one of Steve's (SWD)riders who showed up in some DH videos cheering on the pros and got mentioned in the credits. His name is Jason Reiman and he was with us when we went down to Interbike last year. He seems to have picked up a small cult following.
One last note....... what was I thinking?
Took 3 hours and it I was ok unil about 2 1/2 hours into it. Then it just hurt like hell and my leg started to twitch uncontrollably.
Aug 16
Fred has set up a ride for this weekend in Pinecrest. It's a tough ride but there are options. Fred and Alex are going to be big dogs and ride all the way from Strawberry. I think there is going to be an alternate shuttle version of the ride. You should go, bring some armor.
Speaking of Body Armor
I went to go check out the Universe Within exhibit in SF and they had this guy on a bike.
It's a crappy phone pic but I think you get the idea. That's a real body. Some of the muscles are still attached so you can see how things work and it's then been plasticized to preserve it. Eyes in the socket, fingernails on, lips attached. Well, he was on a bike so I thought I'd snap a pic to share. It's a really interesting exhibit, at points it gets kind of creepy if you stop to think that these were real people but then you start checking out the insides and how the muscles and organs look and you kind of get over it.
Since I'm Back to Work
Here's a link so you can waste time at work. Backflips baby!
Aug 10
Brian Head, UT, Norba Nationals (pictures)
That was a long but very cool trip. Gary and I drove to Brian Head Thursday afterwork. After a long detour, Barstow was backed up for miles, we got to Vegas at 2:30 am and stopped for the night at Binions. I, of course, had to play a little poker, and we both got to bed around 4 am.
With 4 hours of sleep and a good breakfast we were ready for the road. It's only a couple hours from Vegas to St. George and only another hour to Brian Head. The skies looked nasty all the way up and when we got there it was raining. We found Steve, Jen, and the Coopers once we were up there. Steve's freind Don had come down from Salt Lake City and was letting us crash at his famly's vaction house in St. George.
We took a different road back down the mountain and ended up going through Cedar Breaks National Monument. Cedar Breaks was small but had some great views.
I can't tell you how much nicer it was to stay at a house than another hotel room. We played Chinese Poker for a few hours and got a good nights sleep before heading up the mountain the next day.
As rainy was it was on Friday, Saturday was beautiful. I had emailed the guys I rode with in St. George and told them I was going to be in town, they were planning a shuttle ride in Brian Head at 8:30 but there was no way I could get up there in time to ride with them. When I did get there I headed for the bike shop and asked about an all day lift ticket, lifts were for racers only so that was out, so I asked about a shuttle and they said it was a minimum of two people. Damn, I thought I was going to be out of luck.
I went back to the car and tried to figure out what to do. Now Brian Head is about 9000ft up and climbing the steps to the lodge was tough enough, the idea of riding to the top myself didn't sound like fun but I got my gear on anyway. All geared up I made a quick stop by the bike shop and they told me that a 7 person shuttle was leaving in a few and that I could jump in with them. I took that offer and the next thing I knew we were on the road heading to the Bunker Creek Trail Head which sit at a nice 11300ft up.
It was a beautiful but not very techical trail. Out of the shuttle group of 15, I ended up riding with Scott and Faith from Salt Lake. Scott owned a bike ship in SLC and raced semi-pro DH.
After talking to them I found out he knew Steve and Gary and that he was involved in the DH racing scene by hosting races though out the year and collecting money to pay top American finishers at big races.
We stopped every so often to wait for the others but they could never catch up to us so we just kept riding. About half way down the trail splits. It's kind of an odd trail choice, see if you can figure out what I'm talking about. The three of us chose the "Left Trail" which was more technical and later we found out that everyone else chose the "Right Trail".
When we got to the bottom of the ride we called the shuttle service so they could pick us up. It took about a half hour for them to get there but it also took the rest of the group about a half hour to finish and in that time it started to rain and we had made it off the mountain just in time.
Back at Brian Head the SWD racers were taking practice runs getting ready for the Sunday DH races. It was a long day and we didn't get back to St. George until after 10pm. Everyone was beat and Jen had to get up early for bike repairs before racing on Sunday so every pretty much just crashed.
Sunday was race day and I'm sure Steve will have a write up in a couple days to tell you how SWD did. A few podiums and a good time made for a good weekend.
The last events of the day were the short rack XC races. What made it really fun was that a bunch of the DH racers had decided to enter the short track to play with the XC gods.
And on the first lap, a DHer, came across the line first, everyone was stoked, it wasn't long after that DHer's started getting pulled from the course as they fell further and further behind. No DHer made the full race but it was fun to watch non the less.
After the last race Gary and I drove back home, with a quick stop in Vegas for dinner and some poker (yeah I know) we drove all night long and I got home about 7am in the morning.
Next trip.... Interbike.
Aug 3
If you asked me two days ago what I'd be doing this weekend, I'd probablly would have said, riding some where local if it's not to hot. Next think you know, I get a call IM from Gary wanting to know if I want to go to Brian Head, UT for the National DH races. Well hell yeah. So tomorrow I'm off to Utah with a quick stop in Vegas. Yeah, I know, Vegas again. What can I say?
I'm taking the bike and hoping to get a few shuttle runs on other parts of the resort when I can. I'll take as many pictures as I can. Of the racers and of the trails. I think we're staying in St. George which is about a hour from Brian Head and if so maybe I can get a quick ride in with the locals. I'll let you know what happens.
Aug 1
Tour de Fat (pictures)
It was fun little 35 mile tour of the city with about a 3 hour stop to drink and watch weirdos and freeks. Not that it's a bad thing. Jugglers, strippers, sword swallowers, and musicians.... and beer.
Fred, Lenny and me got up early and jumpped the Dublin BART and met up with Ed in SF. We rode down along the piers and I had to grab a quick oyster for breakfast. There is no better way to start the day than an oyster and some beer soon to follow.
We rode across the bridge and stopped for a snack and coffee in Sausalido. We rode back over the bridge and along the coast with a quick stop to visit the Thinker.
Back down the hill along the coast to a brew pub that Fred and Lenny knew about. I had just one beer because we were almost to the Tour de Fat.
At the Tour de Fat we hooked up with JRM and Pimp and settled in for 3 hours of sun and music. The juggler guy was pretty fricken good, funny, talented and put on a good show.
Af few beers and a lot of sun later, we headed out to go down Lombard St. A few wrong turns and couple extra miles (and hills) we eventually found Lombard and then down it and a straight shot to Coit tower.
After Coit we headed out. But there was one more stop in Chinatown where I hit my favorite dim sum shop, You's Dim Sum on Broadway in SF. No one had ever tried the stuff so I had fun introducing them to steamed Pork Buns and pork dumplings. Good stuff.
July 28th
Pictures as promissed
Alex has all his Downieville pictures.
Todd promissed some pictures too, he's back from watching the Tour in France. Sounds like he had a really good time.
From Todd, Go Cycling Maui
It is a rode bike tour group but our tour guide in Europe works here. If any one is ever goes to Maui and wants to do a rode bike ride request Rob Anderson to guide you.
Vino didn't go to Discovery but instead went Liberty-Seguros.
I still have to DL the Tahoe Gathering myself, but here it is if you want it.
Moer later.
July 25
Where to start....
I just got an email from Alex who got back from the Downieville Classis. It's back this year after skipping last year. Alex has sent me a couple of early pictures with promises of more later.
Alex won the Blur frame.
The past few years Alex and Dave have volunteered to drive the shuttle for the racers during the D'ville Classic.
Tour de Fat and more (July 30)
Fred and Lenny are leading a beer run through SF with a trip to the Tour de Fat for some music and more beer.
Lessons from Vegas
Ok, so I didn't do much (none) riding in Vegas but I did learn a couple of things. One thing I learned at a Tequila bar in the TI is about Sangrita. When you're drinking good Tequila, not something you shoot with a lime and salt, but something you want to sip, you should always follow it with Sangrita. You can easily make your own with plenty of recipes available on line or you can just buy a bottle ready made. Good stuff.
Upcoming Rides
Steve Wolf wants to go to Tahoe
Ogre wants to do Northstar and Tahoe soon.
Get ahold of them if you want to go with.
Race Results
Looks like Pimp was racing recently, podium even. Everyone is riding but me.
That's enough for now.
July 16
Off to Vegas
I haven't been able to update lately because my HD crashed and I lost the password to upload changes to Trogspace. I finally found where I put it today but I'm leaving for Vegas early in the morning for a family vacation. I really wanted to link photos from the Tahoe Gathering (which I ended up not going to) and linking stuff about the Tour (Lance is dominating) but it's going to have to wait until I get back.
July 6
Some catching up to do
It was a good weekend and I got a chance to do some riding. I hooked up with a few old pals to ride Grouse Ridge near Emigrant Gap. JFR, Jilm, Big Boulder, Big Trees, Ogre and me had a good little ride. I knew it was going to be rough when we hit the flume portion of the trail and my legs just felt dead. I was really tempted to turn around right then and there (maybe I should have) but I didn't and paid for it in the last couple of miles.
The Grouse Ride ride takes you through some really nice wooded area and a series of lakes. One gnarly downhill section had many of us walking large sections. JFR rode most of it with impressive style Big Boulder too, but the rest of us took the less impressive option.
It was a good ride and I'm interested in going back when I actually have some legs to push the ride. I think I got some good pictures.
The Tour
I went into this Tour expecting Lance to do well, but I really didn't think he had the heart to win it. After 6 wins I figured he'd just be going through motions. Was I wrong. At this point he is showing dominance of the whole peleton. When he caught and passed Jan in the first TT you just felt bad for Jan. It was sad and Jan had pretty much lost the Tour on the first day..... the first day.
Stage 3 and the TTT was awesome to watch also. Zabrinski crashed with 1.5km to go and just like that, he lost the yellow.
Bush IS an MTBer
A lot of people poo pooed Bush and his cycling exploits. But he keeps riding, crashes, and keeps riding some more. He even took his bike to Europe to ride during the G8 and crashed again. He'll get up though.
July 1
Three weeks of the hardest/greatest sporting event on the face of the Earth. That and the WSOP are going to make July the best month of the year.
Lance is going for 7. Well he make it? I don't think so but we'll see. Even more interesting will be who will take his place on top of the podium. Vino? Jan? Basso? Levi? Heras? It's going to be fun to watch. Let's hope we all have TiVo's so we don't have to miss a minute.
Speaking of Lance...
There was a random drug test today and guess who was picked.... Lance and only Lance. Pretty random isn't it.
Speaking of the Tour..
Guess which Trog is going to RVing around Frogtown? Todd, who now lives up north near Chico, and Max are doing the tour up in style. Todd promised pictures, let see what turns up.
Joe Lindsey always has a couple good things to say. I like this part.....
"Alexandre Vinokourov who strikes the killing blow. Not that he'll win; he's not enough of a time trialist to make it through that last hilly TT romp around Saint-Etienne. But Vino is a stone-cold killer. He's a swashbuckler who'll attack whenever he wants; he's strong enough to stay away and dangerous enough not to let go."