Missing yUo

Grandma Virginia Curran passed today at the age of 92.

This is a photo from 1943..

She went peacefully surrounded by family.

She was a strong woman who did not take any BS, but had a gentle loving side that brought you in.

She was my friend and copilot on many summer adventures, showing the mountain streams and 

amusement parks. As long as I did not bug her during her stories I could have some ice creme in the afternoon. 

My parents would go on vacations and leave us kid at home and grandma and grandpa would come and take care of us,,so loving and so nice. 

She took care of a young Anna when we came through on a spring-brake trip and she was the first person that we took a infant Sophia to see coming home from the hospital, we were so young and so scared but she just held that baby and told us all we had to do was love her. 

She came to our weeding here in Lacrosse and got to meet Anna's grandma 15 years ago and they hit it off like old friends.  As she got older she traveled less and less and that was strange for them...grandpa work for United so they could fly for next to nothing.

Living in Breckenridge we got spoiled being able to see them drop by and just say Hello. 

They kept getting old and grandma fought many different aliments,,then we move back 

to wisco. With much distance the heart grew sad no longer being able to pop in.

Over the past five and one half year we made sure to make it back to Colorado with the only true reason of seeing them.. The visits were never that long but they were long enough and meant something to all of us.

The last one was over Christmas, they were our first stop after getting off the plane. 

I thanked my wife for making sure that this happened because I got to see her one last time. 

Two weeks after a rough day of putting our little dog down on a bright and sunny saturday morning I call and got grandpa had a great conversation but grandma was still asleep.. Grandpa told me to call back later and I said ok,, As time has a way of doing I never got to speak to her that one last time. 

She was a wonderful woman and a role model in my life.

I will miss her and for ever be in debt for all that she thought me.. 

I love and will miss you.

Devin

My Grandma Can Beat Up Yours

Got out on my black hearted steel rig to shake out the cob webs from last weekends racing,, it was exactly what i needed with all that seems to keep going on in my world. 

For Ninety two years my Grandma Curran has been a spark plug. 

She is the reason that i fell in love with the mountain and all that is the rocky mountain west. 

Summer after summer I would go out with the family or by my self and get to spend time with her and grandpa in the front range and playing in the mountains. 

Grandma has been like the energizer bunny or like the old Timex watch commercials "takes a licking and keeps on Ticking"..

The past few day have been real real tough for her, body is shutting down and I think the end is near.. was moved to Hospice this afternoon. Grandpa may be alone soon and i am more worried about him than anything else.  Grandma ride strong into the next chapter of your life you were/are loved by many and will never be forgotten..

Ok now turn the page something new was started today in the land of the 612.

Minnesota is the next state to launch a High School Racing League.

Even though we live in Wisco Sophia is able to race as an independent and was excited to get on the line.  Three girls total lined up for the Varsity Race,,4 laps of the Salem Hills single track. 

An up hill start got the girls on the course and into the single track,, Pip took the hole shot and set the pace for the next four laps..  Being dad and coach I saw young Jordan Horner sitting on her wheel as a problem as the  lap count ticked down, until midway through the forth lap when pip put the hammer down and got a gap that stuck.  Sophia got the win and was all smiles. It was great to see all the kids on their bikes and all the parents excited to have these kids racing.....This is the future if the sport get them hooked young and they will ride for ever... Good Job Minnesota!!

Call it Easy?

Saw a quote this morning from Tillford " I love riding my bicycle I love racing my Bicycle, if it were only that Easy"

This says a lot to me,, yes if it was only that easy, I have had to ask for and rely on lots of help from many different places in my years of racing. Hard work and dedication can only take you so far. 

Help comes in many different forms, it could be something simple as the local mechanic helping with a wheel build or finding a unsuspecting group ride to ride with. 

It could be like this last weekend when a friend and race promoter invites you and your family to him home to race.

I get help from wonderful sponsors that have over the years made sure that this blue collar racing can take place. Many of which I have never met face to face.    That will all change in 

about a week when I head out to the desert to help work at the Chamois Butt'r booth and work the cross vegas event.

 Now places that are not helping me,, my 9-5 job has screwed me  over on vacation days making it now hurt a bit to take a week off work. I have some race winning set a side that were going to 

my wifes MTB but now go else where.  Again I love my bike and love riding it if was only that easy. 

I hope to come hope with all kinds of stories and who know what else. 

Until then i'll suit up and pedal on and deal with things as they come. 

Thanks to all of you that help keep my dream alive.

New School is Cool

This is cool and exciting and should be fun to watch. 

Go fast Kids and Have FUN!

Wag the Dog

A long time coming and much needed was our break in the great north woods of Minnesota. 

I was coming into the race weekend with what I thought was decent form and a plan in my head of what needed to be done. Over the past few weeks my work load on the bike has shortened and I was a bit nervous about that, not to mention the emotional roller coaster of the Tanks passing. 

Saturday morning was a warmer start than the Time Trial usually is,, past few years it is has been a chilly start.. Got warmed up and to the Line.. I was going to start behind Brendan and SKJ with Doug and TJ starting behind me.. At this point I am already in my own head.  Went out hard and found a grove, pushed it as hard as I could through the short climbs and flowed the single track. When I popped out on to the ski trail  I dropped in to my highest gear and pushed it.  Crossed the line in 5th place and got what I hopped to be the first of more payouts to come. 

The second event of the day came many hours later ,,,the Short Track.... 

I have never finished this leg of the weekend and new to this year it was based on laps and no one was getting pulled. The Start was violent and I was able to get into the group. I stayed here for the first 7 of 12 laps,,coming out of one of the last corners I did not match the acceleration and slid back into the chase group.  This group has a two teammates and they also had one in the break.. So getting anyone to work with instead of against me was impossible. I went to the front and tried to make something stick but was hit hard at the start of each lap. Bell lap came and I was attacked hard, and crossed the line ninth. Not loosing too much time just pride. 

Never once have I gone into Sunday near the GC,, I was seventh and only a few seconds off of fifth place.  My two goals on sunday were stick the GC and don't let young Mcburnie get too much a head.. By the time I hit the first single track section I was failing at both. 

It was a fight for position and elbow were being thrown,, I got into the trail and went past the 

comfort zone,, popping and getting passed on suicide hill..  Head down and charging I pulled with in fifty seconds of the spot that I needed but being such a thickly wood course I had no idea.. 

I lunged for the line and nipped a young and up-in-commer for the ten spot. 

Good weekend and good racing,, just watching all my hard work of the summer slip through my fingers with all the late season fitness that is out there. 

I can not say enough about the Richards family and the show that they put on up at Maplelag. They made us fell so welcome and took such great care of me and the family. 

Special thanks goes out to Chamois Butt'r for supplying products for goodie bag and race winners. 

Now time to get ready for the show in the desert and get ready for the last few races of the MTB season. 

Tanking it

I think that I have made it through the weekend.. Even with the few minutes that I have to be awake I am ok with that statement.  It was not an easy start to the weekend.   My workweek ended with having to come home and take the Dog to the vet.  This hung over all day long and even broke down a time or two on the commute to work,,,luckily it was raining.  He was a good dog and for what it is worth I never really wanted him..  I was buying knives for a new job that I was taking down in Scottsdale when Anna fell in love with the Dogie in the window. 

Fourteen years goes buy and many memories of the pup are in our heads.

The Pip and I went and rode today at Levis Mound,, some of the most primo single track in the area and for only one hour of driving,, it is easy to get to and so much fun....and today this weekend for all that went on fun is what we needed..  Next it is time to get ready for the Loppet.. Heads down and legs spinning. 

This is not only going to be one of the best race weekends but also the best weekend of the summer even if it for what it is worth the last. 

So bring it on,, this weekend has been a heavy duty judy of a trip,, I am ready for what comes next..

HaRdEr ThAn U

I learned a bit about my self this year doing the Ragnarok 105 the little brother to this race.. Flying down gravel roads at speed is something to be savored..