Feeding the Joneses

I pushed my old man body up the hill for the first time in about a week. 

With the heat wave that we have been under and the locked up back that I have had I decided to have a mini rest week. Been working on recovery beers and stretching, trying to loosen up my lower back that for some damn reason locked up on sunday as i was transferring food from the cooler to the fridge.

Felt good to be moving up hill even with the large amounts of moisture that was dripping off of me. 

It was 75 degrees out this morning with a 72 degree dew point so soupy  up until I got the top of the bluff where I could ride the wind a bit. 

The best weekend of the summer is coming up and I needed to make sure that my body is ready.

Saturday morning will be a TT then short track in the evening. 

And Sunday brings the Cross Country portion of the race. 

This year since their is no Pip we are going to stay in one of the cabins and 

not have to deal with pulling the camper 6 hours. 

I can't wait just need to get through a day of work tomorrow,, and I think the only way to start it off 

the right way is to do some dawn patrol on the MTB. 

Going to be weird not having the Pip but she has bigger fish to fry as this weekend is the first weekend of college racing. He school is hosting the race which is held at the same venue as the PRO XCT, and if all things go the way they should the team and Sophia should have a good weekend of racing. 

I have to say things are much different these days not like when i was in college 20 years ago. 

We have been talking up to two times a day,, about random stuff and then racing and training.

I have been enjoying hearing about the rides that they have been doing and how she is slowly leaning to like training on the road when she really wants to be on dirt. 

When I was here age I got dropped off maybe fed and then I could hear the tires screech as

my parental units sped away.

I have found her a used CX bike just need to come up with the funds... She is excited to get the chance to qualify for Nationals and then travel to The People's Republic of Boulder ,,,where THEYTAKECROSSSSERISOUSLY!!

My Cross bike I think is coming together... I have talked with Thomson and some shiny parts are coming from them ,,, and had concordance with  King

them and some moving parts are coming from them,, Now just need to get a frame to put this stuff into.

But it is still Mountain Bike Racing season so.. another week or so and that will thought about. 

Now time for some Bike work some beer and Dinner..

It is hard to have bikes on the Brain all the Time..!!

Mounding

We had decided to camp one last time since we wont be taking the camper all the way up to the Laddies Loppet, and chose last weekend.

I had made reservations at the same camp ground that we stayed at for the fourth of July with the thoughts of riding Levis Mounds and hanging out by the lake drinking beer.

All things sounded like it was a go,, when after I placed the reservation I realized that

the WEMS series was holding a race that day out on the trail system. 

A 100 a 50 and a 25,, The fifty sounded good to me and had a good start time of Noon.

 

 

We pulled in late afternoon on friday and set up camp,, seeing as we needed and wanted to get out of town fast we skipped supper and busted it over to Hatfield. 

By this time the three of us were hitting rock bottom and in need of food. 

First supper club was full and could not feed us... so down the road to the next whiskey bar, and we walked into this joint and turned right around due to the noise and the sight of people roller skating. 

The owner chased us down and said that they had the best menu in town and roller skating to Boot. 

 We got some beer in food in our bellies and watched the kids limbo and shoot the duck,,, the rocket was intrigued  and itching to roll. 

A sound night of sleep and a solid camping breakfast was the plan and it was accompanied by a nice sunrise over the Lake,

I got things together and got my mind right to ride for 50 miles of single track.. This years race was going to be held on as much of IMBA's Epic single track as possible. 

Rain started to fall as the pre race directions were given,,, and like the start to a Butthole Suffers show in the 90's a shot gun blast or two were fired. 

Small field and I had not expectations other than go and see what happened.  Up the dump single track and over to the Northface Climb,, This put us on top then around the point and down to Snodgrass, and back over to lower switch backs.

From here we rode Cliffhanger to plumbers crack,, and down once again.. 

Early this spring we had rode Wolf Run and I really liked the way the single flowed ,,, well now they had fresh cut 90% of the trail and it kind of sucked.. 

Buck Hill to Yellow Jacket Swamp cut,,,, and lower and Upper glen...,,.,.

This was a lap ,, and the first one I was able to knock out in just a few minutes over an hour. 

In my rear view I could see one that was able to keep close and punched it once again as the lap started.  By the end of lap two I was clear of anyone behind me and throttled it down.. The new cut single and flat out bumpy sections after Buck Hill were starting to beat up my back. 

Lap four was a bit of will as the rain that had fallen was making for some humid conditions in the fresh sections,, but I had gone this far why not finish strong.

Even with soft pedaling the last part of the lap I was able to cross the line.. Outside of the time that I wanted but with the way my back felt I was happy with how it all turned out,..,.

I had gone for a training ride and a race broke out. 

Met up with the family after the race for some dinner and beer drinking and 

watch the boy roller skate.. 

Good times and I would like to think that I am ready for The Loppet coming up this next weekend. 

That will be the third race in as many weeks. 

Now just lots of bike prep and work to do before we drive up some 6hours to the home

of Jay Richards and family...

I can't wait.

Lake Jump.??

We'll have to wait and see!

cHeMiCal WiRe

I have 

been raging against the machine more and more over the past few weeks.

 

After becoming the last of five techs at work, life has been a bit of a shock.. Then the Bob

showed up to tell us of all of our short comings. 

I have broken my back,, shocked my self, cut my self, burnt my self given blood and sweat to this gig and even been bitten by a dog while on the job. 

Shit you can say that i am even pretty good at what I do,, but my world has been rocked, and not the fun kind of rocking. 

I have my moments and need to remind my self until something else comes along

this is what pays the bills and makes it so I can do what really matters,,,,,,, RIDDING BIKES>>>>>

It has taken a few days to shake out the legs from SSUSA, and try to get ready for the fifty miles of LEVIS that I'll be lining up for this saturday. 

I find my self drinking more and more or is it just the status queue..

Today saw rain and yesterday was supposed to see rain,, so  I broke out the old Lemond since it has fenders.

Moist this morning for the ride into the 9-5 and then the skies opened up,

which is great because I missed the pummeling of rain drops, but it may held keep the dust down for the 50 fun miles of sunday. 

Thank Dog for bike racing,,, it teaches me to suffer and to deal with a hard situation, which 

is what I get every day I go and fix broken down appliances. 

The working man goes to the job and makes it happen.

All while being 

demoralized and beaten down.

Cycling bring all things full circle..

HuH

A whirl wind of a week or first few weeks of August. 

Life in the salt mines has been a real grind and if would not be for bikes and then 

more bikes I would be in the clock tower taking pot shots. 

The summer culminated with taking the Kid to School.

A lot of build up to this event and overwhelming emotions of  will this kid be

ok??

Got to school and met up with Coach,, loaded her MTB in to the team trailer and proceeded to move things into her new home. 

She got her self a Suite which means she shares a small common area and has three roommates. 

Got to have some lunch with the team and meet and talk with teammates. 

We said good bye and hit the road. 

I had a bit of a bike thing to get ready for...

The BIKE Thing.. was the Single Speed USA event

being put on by the 29&Single Crew. 

300 single speeders singed up for a 35+ mile slog through the hills and single track of Winona Mn.

After many High Fives we all laid our bikes down i

n a field so 1/2 mile away.

Instructions were given and a good was yelled,, we were off and running to our bikes. 

At the field all the bikes were moved and it took me a minute to find mine,,,then I did and now off to the races. 

Climbing the road was interesting,,  not knowing my space in the game I just stayed on the gas and passed and passed as many as I could until I settled into a group of strong guys. 

Flying now through the Cherry bomb sections we were hopefully making some gaps, with long sections of hike-a-bike things were string out long. 

The six of worked together as long as we could,,but with different gearing we would yo-yo and then eventually broke a part. 

I was able to get to the top of Sugar Loaf in front of the crew I was with,,

Stuck the insane decent and worked back towards Holzinger....

Last bit of work for the day and finally on some  trail that I knew.. 

Pacing my self this late in the race,, working out every foot of the 4000 feet of climbing. 

  By the time I hit the run into the finish I was all smiles.  

First it was 6 then 5 and with some of the folks in front having taken wrong turns 

I ended up 4th.. 

I'll take that.

Solid day,

Next fifty miles at Levis.

After racing DNF happened..

Final Countdown

The Countdown after tonight's sleep is four days and then the kid is off for School.

Still have not got my brain totally around the whole concept, but I think that we are almost ready to send her off. 

Her BMC had to go into the shop the other day to have the BB30 serviced, not something that I can do in the garage, and I wanted to make sure that her race rig was 100% ready for what is to become. 

We drop her off on friday and the Red Hawks Team lines up at sundays WORS race. 

I think that the Pip is ready and it will be fun to see her race in a age group race. 

In Minnesota she is racing Cat one and goes up against Pro women and other cat one women that can be twice her age.  In the WORS series 18 and younger race in Cat One JR's. 

She is ready and it will be good prep for the first Collegiate race at the end of the month. 

 

So there is that,,, lots and lots of crap going on. 

I am battling with the State of Wisco over my bike vs. minnvan accident from back in May,, They say it is my fault,,, which is crap so I am out a CX bike and have a urgent care bill. 

I did speak with a Lawer and he think that I should go after the state but not to confident on how it will play out and don't need to have to pay for the damage to the minivan. I just 

want my Cross Bike Back,,, so I can spin into the fall and line up to one or two races. 

Then to top all that off at my 9 to 5 I had two guys quit which for what it is worth leaves just me and a guy who has been training for the past year.. 

So needless to say work sucks and it is driving me crazy.. 

I am Devin's over working brain...

Hard to get my mind on what it is or what it is that needs to be happening. 

At least I have the Single Speed USA to look forward to this weekend.

Sound like a crazy party with people coming from all parts of the USA to ride one speed bikes and test their livers. 

I think that I am ready on both accounts ,, the Spot has been riding nice and while I ride it 

I remember how  much I enjoy riding the 1x1. 

A whirlwind of thought and emotions all locked up in this guys head. 

Lucky for me the spinning of wheels unlocks all.. 

Photo

Sunday came down to a Sprint to the line. 

I had Rode the whole 4th lap or at least 90% solo with a group chasing,,,

On the last short grunt of a hill I knew they were all there.

I went after it hard when I heard over my right shoulder

one SKJ...

Photo Todd

That is when Scott came around and we lead the group to the pinwheel of Death. 

Flying into a grassy field and through a taped-up-mess of a circle we all charged.

I came out on Scotts wheel and Brendan B was in tow.

The thrust for the line and that is where the photo above comes from. 

When it was time for the Overall payouts, they had me in 8th not 7th and hey we are fighting for series points.. 

It is all about the bike Throw,,,

Now no Series racing till the end of the month when we head up to Maplelag and the Loppet.

Until then it is going to be the SSUSA which I am not sure what it 

is,,, just told to be there with a one speed bike and be ready to ride and drink...

Think that can handle that..

Last

Yesterday was the last race of the summer that I get to go to with the Pip.

She finished her Minnesota Racing season with a strong performance after crashing three times do to

over zealous Comp racers who have crappy handling skills and are impatient to pass. 

It has been 10+ years of dragging the kid along to races and getting her ready and building her up and at time tearing her down only to build her up again. 

Her next step is a big one and one that we will celebrate, with cheers, tears, and Beers. 

Eleven days until we drop her off at the Halls of Ripon where she will have the chance 

to enrich her mind and find her self while pedaling along. 

Good luck kid we all know that you can do It..

 

As for the rest of us that is James and my self we both toed the line, 

the Rocket had another fun ride smiling as he crossed the line with not a care in the world of where he was placed. 

Me Great start,, a hard charge and nipped on the line by SKJ. 

A fast race my computer said 14.8 average speed. 

Crazy fast fun. 

Hard to believe it is the last Family One!