Seather

Over the weekend a small band of Team Hollywood Cycles Racers went down to 

Iowa for some Mountain Biking and some Partying. 

After one of the greyest and coldest springs on record we were treated to an 

unreal spring day. 

Temps in the 60's sunshine and hero dirt. 

Once making it to the race and getting all situated I headed out with the Bavers to 

to some recon. 

We rode the tail end of the race which was good as they took the long straight away and added a

The Rocket

dozen or so 180 turns to zap what ever bit of energy that you may have left.

From there we watched the boy race and cheered him on to his first Age group win and only his first week in Clipless pedals. Good Job Rocket!!

With the start looming and me being the 5th to go I wanted to ride the first section of the course. 

The start was a long med grade up hill on some beautiful single track. 

Popped out with enough time to talk to the kids and then line up. 

I had an idea in my head of what time and pace that I wanted,, did not know what the 

good people in Decorah had in mind for vertical torture. 

Bavers

 

I was moving and happy with both time and pace,, pushing it where I could and holding on where I needed to.

About 20 min in I misjudged a log and that is where I decided to go over the bars and have my bike come slamming in to me. I got back up and was rolling, sore and shocked that things were still working. 

I managed to pass all but one that started in front of me and came across the line at this point in 2nd place with a long list of fast guys to still go.

After cooling down I cheered on the Pip and the Bavers as they both came in with some really good times. 

Chucker

The THC came to Decorah and kicked butt... We left with a 2nd place in the womens third in the mens 7and8th in the mens and a 1st in the 8-9 year olds...  If a sign of things to come ,,.,.I like,..,it,.

 

NKOTB

The sun came out and it has been heating the air surrounding my body up.

So much so that I did not have to wear shoe covers on the way to work today. 

It has been since December or so for that..

We have one of the Team Hollywood Cycles team members coming down today 

to get ready for some racing tomorrow in Decorah IA. 

The Ginger has a new Team bike that he wants to break in some more before lining up for a 

eight mile time trail. 

With the THC crew in the house tonight it might get loud and it will be fast 

and it should be a good old fashion party.

So I am loading up the family truckster and and even the rocket is going to dawn the Hwood jersey and see what he has.. 

And the Girl well this is going to help whip her in to shape,,,or at least I hope.. 

Me and ginger will take her out and fight the wind this afternoon..

Popping Tags

One thing you hear a lot watching Pro Cycling on TV   "is racer>>>insert name<<<

 going to race them self in to shape"..

That is kind of how I feel. 

Once cross was done and a bit of a break from the bike I got back after it with a good strength program and skiing/riding.

My mileage for this time of the year is probably around 500ish off I like to be more around 2k heading in to May. But the weather has made it a tough spring campaign.

The crash that I endured showing off to the kids in February skiing slowed down to almost a stop my weight program. I have been getting after it as much as one can with winter holding on as long as it has,,so much so that my sscx bike is all blown up with shot rims and going through more brake pads than I would like.   

So I am going to have to race my self in to racing shape. First stop is going to be the Decorah TT. 

Last spring I showed up and had a pretty decent ride but I also had the Ragnarok in my legs and all the work that I had done to get ready for it. 

This year I am going into it with only a few hundred miles  of mountain bike completed,, so glad that I went to Arizona. 

Then after that and I have collected my lungs and get my legs back under me it is

off the next week for the first Minnesota race. 

Hopes are by that time spring and warmer weather has decided to show up and were can be out on some trails on more of a normal rotation. 

I have some work to do and after talking to my coach from last year he calmed me down and helped 

me make up my mind about what to do with my USA license. I bit the bullet and said that this will be my last year buying the Pro card.  I did not want to cough up the cash due to all the bullshit but it took a lot of hard work to get there, and I was not ready to give it up. 

I will be using the first few races to get my self ready to go,,, I am not far away just not where I want to be... This guy thinks that he is ready to go ,,,,this is going to be Awesome!!

Brass Monkey

It seems that someone has forgotten to inform spring to show up to the party. The cold grey dreary grip of an icy winter is not letting go. 

With that said I want to send out a Serious Sorry and extend some good Vibrations to the hurting people of Boston and those who were affected by the tragedy today.

Their is too much pain and suffering in this world and not the good kind that comes from riding a bike. 

The good folks over at Saris put up some good messages over on the Facebook,, and here at the Casa DMC I find them to get straight to the point. 

Suffering is a key element in Cycling and even more in racing one of these two wheel contraptions. 

This winter spring I have spent may hours wrapped up like a cross country skier 

destroying bearings and break pads as I pedal through the sloppy weather conditions. 

I have had a few things to get me all reved up and ready for the upcoming season ,,,,.

Our trip to the 480 and getting to break in some new Racing style Bicycles,,,kept me moving and helped keep my eye on the prize. 

Bathing in single track and sun was better than any meds a doctor could have ever prescribed. 

After the honeymoon feeling was going to be over and vacation a memory the kid and I were to head to soon to be college and pedal for some 100+ miles with like minded people,,, 

Well that was rained out and missed due to not having anti freeze in my blood system. 

Next was going to be The Team Hollywood Cycles Spring Camp.. 

And once again the weather devil reared it's ugly head and made most of the crew bail with snow rain and what ever that stuff is that is between the two. 

A strong crew drove down to the Driftless region for what became a day for the HardmEn. 

Being a person who spent years upon years in the food industry I was ready to serve everyone a good breakfast before taking them out to the country for a clinic in climbing. 

From the front door of the house a 10 minute warm up gets the legs warm as you hit the 

bottom of the SS climb,, That set the pace for what the day would bring. 

After a few more climbs and a now burr head wind we split into two groups,, 

I show the young boys what uphills were like and treated them to one of the more fun 

descents in the area. 

It was a success it was not warm it was not sunny and we got snowed on.. 

Later that night many many bottles of adult sodas were destroyed,,which turned into 

giving one of the newbies to the team a TEAM HAIR CUT>>>>>

Now it is time to suffer some more and get ready for the tests that are to come. 

Pain Suffering and THC,,, It is a Party On This Train!

Color Me Impressed

Not a case of the mondays just wishing that the weekend could last seven days. 

Last monday I was waking up for the last day of vacation single track. 

And why is it easier to wake up early on vacation with a slight hangover than to wake up at the same time to go to work?

What ever the reason even though last Mondays ride was not as long as I would have liked and we stuck behind a a pissed off Rattler it was still much better than this morning.

As morning commutes go this mornings was fenders and the return of the skinny knobbie tires. 

For the first time in months the crushed gravel was awoken for a nice peaceful ride to the 9-5.

And with the light rain that had fallen and that was misting in air the addition of fenders made for a dry ride. 

Pip's Bike and mine made it home from said vacation on friday,,, the boy and I hit up the Fedex store and picked up the boxed up bootie.  Thinking that we were going to be rained out of the Ripon Spring Classic the Pip and I stayed home and got our bikes back in to riding shape.. And with a lull in the clouds took them out for a test ride. They rode as sweet as they did while in Arizona just no single track yet to be had,,, just some soggy gravel roads. 

I have to say that i have the fever for more dirt riding but will have to wait a bit and just ride as much Pave as I can take in. Which around here is a lot,, and with A number of the Team Hollywood Cycles crew coming down this weekend I should have some people to play with and get to play tour guide.

New kits are on the way and the THC# is going to be a tough one this summer with a strong men's and women's presence.

And I have to say with all the BS that is going on with the UCI and USAC I am 99% sure that I wont be buying my UCI license this summer.. I want to keep my money and not support the UCI,,, that means after only two years of racing with the words PRO behind my name it will be back to Master/age Group,,,Cat#1..

A bit of a blow to my over sized inflated ego. 

It took me years and years to build up the points and results upgrade but any more not sure if that is 150$$ well spent.

JHK says good things here..

What ever the case is going to be the Hollywood Cycles Team is going to go fast and kick ass and Party On this summer on the dirty trails of Minnesota and Wisconsin..

CoOl Mo D

Home from the desert and the temps are not what they were in the wild wild west. 

Headed out this morning to work on the Roadie only to have fresh air burn the my sun kissed skin.

20 degree temps and flesh that has seen the sun of Arizona don't mix well.

But I was determined to not have to wear a winter cap under my helmet. 

10 minutes of suffering and I was warmed up and enjoying the speed of a Road style bike. 

With the sun shining after work and the desire to ride I was out the door and heading to the 

bluff to find a train parked across the road. 

From the looks of the people in their cars they had been there for a while.

After ten minutes of waiting I climbed up and over one of the cars.

I know not one of the best ideas especially in road shoes but up and over and I was on my ride. 

Sunshine and road miles are what the doctor ordered.

And it may be a while till we see single track again.