RIDE YOUR BIKE. PLAY OUTSIDE. SIX PAK DOWNHILLS

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The fall season officially kicked off with the start of a time honored tradition around these here parts. Thats right, the Six Pak downhill races have begun. If you find yourself in Virginia’s lovely Shenandoah Valley on a Friday afternoon then meet at the Harrisonburg Snack Panther at 2:45 sharp and ANTE UP with a respectable contribution to the big white cooler. Thats right the only thing that you have to cough up is a six pack and this will gain you access to a different downhill trail each week for the duration of the fall riding season (make sure that it is a six pack each week though). Those downhills in the Shenandoah 100 that you remember so well…They too will each be a timed downhill race on one of the friday evenings during this lovely time of the year.

What happens with the cooler you may ask? Well whovever is the lucky winner of the week will get even luckier when they host the after party at their own house. So if you plan to go downhill fast you had better plan to party and open your house up to the raging masses that make six pack season oh so colorful. As an added penalty for taking a fun time honored traditon and getting agro serious about it not only must you host the party but you MUST return the next week and hop on a More »

MRI @ Sloan

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Heading into Sloan Kettering, NYC today/tomorrow for an MRI, these help keep track of any possible change in detail since the last one. I am actually a bit nervous but cannot say much to family as they worry more and ask way too many questions. 

That being written, no more worries, MRI will go well and I’ll give results tomorrow when back home.

Lets face it this last surgery did something right, best season I’ve ever had and that was just from some extra brain/tumor removal. J 

Well, it really was the Superfly 29er but figured I’d try to take some credit.

Funniest part of this whole thing is that the song “If I Only Had a Brain” pops into my head occasionally when having a bad day. Makes me smile when that occurs, must have been smarter as a kid.

Hodges Village Dam 8/10/08

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August 10, 2008

Hodges Village Dam

Needed to do a race this weekend and HVD was the only one happening so off I went. Pre-rode the day before and not much had changed from the first time there fast course, with some cool singletrack that just turns into a speed fest from the moment they say “go”.

Mark McCormack, Thom Parsons, Ricky Visinski were just a few of the riders that showed up, we started and just hammered from start to finish. Lap 1 was a group ride, 2 we split up a bit (McCormack flatted), rode alone on 3 except for 20 seconds with Mike Joos before he just pulled away. He fired up my motivation again just a bit late on that last lap but it did get me back up to race speed. Cool part was that Thom on his Fisher 29er single speed just kicked butt in our class.

Have next weekend off, get some time in and sleep a bit as well.

www.root66raceseries.com

Burning Bike Festival

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This past weekend was the inaugural Burning Bike Festival at Ontario County Park near Naples, NY. The festival was put on by Greater Rochester Off-road Cycling (GROC). GROC along with Matt Hanggi have been doing some heavy building in the park and the area is going to be a mecca for sure. There’s already a hundred or so miles of riding and they keep adding more.

Next year it looks as if the 24 hour race may be moved to this location cause we can drink beer and have bonfires! Was able to get in a great ride on Saturday and another great ride on Sunday.

Here’s some pics!

Pollution problems & a new rider

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Ragweed season is upon us and a quick listen to my breathing will surely prove it. The wheezing and constant cough have taken up residence here along with a nagging sinus pain. Never the less I get my weekly allergy shots and keep my fingers crossed that my symptoms don’t worsen. 

After racing last weekend at Dillion Fest in the OMBC (Ohio Series) I layed off the riding a little and did mostly commuting miles until thurday evening when I attended the Trek Shops Road ride. More »

MQT

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The weather has been cooling down but the riding is still hot in Marquette. The Toule WerXe crew has been out looking for bigfoot but so far all we’ve found are new trails, a big-foot.JPG and a few

Dillion Fest 2008

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Last Sunday, august 31st, found me near Zanesville Ohio for another XC race in the OMBC Series. Warm weather, dry trails and a sunny day made for a great time in the woods. A few years ago I attended this event with my Fisher Rig single speed and it was a small course with multiple laps including a sledding hill climb and one short hike-a-bike. This year the course changed and there would only be 2 laps of an almost 15 mile loop of dry, tight twisting rocky off camber single track! How lucky are we? More »

SM100 and Laurel Mt. Classic

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Was down at the Shenandoah Mountain 100 last weekend. Had an ok, race but had a blast post-ride and enjoying the trails. See my race write up here.

Huge congrats to Sam! He definitely deserves it as he was ripping it up. I got to meet fellow 29er Crew Members Kyle Lawrence and Dave Holmes. I actually got to spend a bit of time riding with Kyle. He was in front for a bit, I passed him for a bit, then he finaggled his way back on a few final climbs. Hopefully I can get back next year.

This morning though I headed down to Northern PA for my first shot at the Laurel Mt. Classic. Read on for my write-up

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The Awesomeness is on its way!

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Well, all of Portland is buzzing,  and the reason is that in just one month on October 5,  the Cross Crusade starts. This is the series, sponsored by River City Bicycles, that most of this town lives for. At least I know I do. That and cleaning out the litter box every evening.

figure 1. first item on chore list

That being said, The ‘Cross Crusade is full of all sorts of zaniness capable of making even this guy take life a little less seriously.   First off,  there is the madcap race around Portland searching for clues to the quest for prizes and the Grail which last year had someone swimming in the delicious Williamette River.
figure 2. “That’s no clue…that’s a tumor!”
Then there is the racing itself, which draws all levels of cyclists out to P.I.R. The competition is totally fierce. Last but certainly not least by any standards is the consumption of gallons of tasty beer, and the presence of hundreds of heckling spectators without which cylocross would most definitely not be cyclocross.

figure 3. “Attention all racers…please keep on sucking!”
So come on out for a chance of fun, friends, and me wearing a speedo to earn extra points during one of the races. WHAT TIME IS IT? IT’S ‘CROSS THIRTY!