The Elements

I used to relish racing my cross bike in the mud and elements. After this past weekend in Portland at the US Cyclocross Grand Prix I'm not so sure...

Day 1
The temperature at race time was 36 degrees w/ light snow falling on a muddy and mushy course, kind of cool. I liked the course and was psyched to be racing. Due to luck of the random draw I was staged 103rd, out of 115 riders. I needed binoculars to see the front row ! Gun goes off and .... pause I'm off. I'm dodging and weaving through a few rows, a few riders stack it to my left but I avoid, I think I pass 2o riders or so on the long pavement start before we are onto the grass and onto the off camber. I take the low side get off early and run around the first corner which is stacked w/ riders. Back onto pavement and than into the 50 yards of deep wheel sucking mud. Some bumper cars here on again and off again, so it goes. More bumper cars for the rest of the first lap until it spreads out enough to really start racing. I'm feeling good and in a decent groove, there is only one part of the course giving me much trouble and by the 3rd lap I'm on the back of a fast group. The laps go by and I'm having a great race and riding the conditions well for a cali boy. Three laps left to go, still on the back of this fast group I look down and see or fail to see much of my bottom bracket as its pretty much one solid mass of goop. Hmm, maybe I should pit and get a clean bike, ok next lap maybe. Back into the wheel sucking mud section when snap, crackle, crunch there goes my derailleur ! Damn. I couldn't have been farther away from the pit, so race is pretty much over for me, lots of sympathy from riders going by, and sure enough it is over as I get lapped by the leaders just as I reach the pit. Judging by the finishing place of those around my I was in around 35th when my race ended so I'm pretty psyched about that.

Day 2
Thanks to the Cannondale crew who reattach and re-cable my derraileur (I had brought a spare dropout) and to the Mavic crew who re-true my badly out of true kryseriums (bent but not broken spoke, phew !), i'm back ready to go w/ two working bikes on Sunday. I decide to ride yesterdays pit bike as it is setup with 28cc dugast mud tires and the other bike has a slightly bent chain.

At race time its pouring rain and gusty at a balmy 46 degrees. Since everyone I'm completely soaked it feels much colder than the day before. Its been raining all night so the new more technical course is covered in 6'' to 12'' of mud. Today I'm luckier in the draw and stage at 47th out of around 100. Gun goes off and we are off, I manage to weave through a row front and settle in. I'm doing ok but having trouble finding a rhythm on this course. They are running us through part of the BMX course and there are several off camber climbs that must be ridden as running them is impossible. When I'm sticking the off camber climbs I'm passing riders, when I miss I'm getting passed. Back and forth I go, good lap followed by a bad lap. About 4 laps in I realize I can't feel anything below my ankles, not a good feeling when trying to slog over barriers ! This is now more about survival now than fun. I'm starting to think about finishing rather than attacking the course and well slog slog slog... I do finish and end up where I started in 47th. Not a great race but I survived.

Special thanks to Ray and Dorinda for putting me up in 4-star style for the weekend. Thanks to Jeff & Ken, + Jake and Max (pit-crew in training) for coming out to cheer on Sunday in gnarly, even by Portland standards weather !

The Wall

The Wall always awaits in cross, it might come earlier or it might come late but it always makes an appearance. When it comes you either surmount, bust through, or bounce off.

Today in Golden Gate park i got bounced hard. I even have some bruises to show for it courtesy of a barrier. I staged well, got a good jump, wound my way through a big stack up in the deep sand on the first turn and found myself in great position on the first lap. Check !

Lap 2 I'm hanging w/ a fast group somewhere in the top 20, going a little slow in the corners but making it up in all out sprints out of each one. Lap 3 watch out here it comes early today, looks unsually thick wham ! I'm bounced and toasted. Bobble on the barrier bam !, crowd audibly shudders, that's going to hurt later.

Lap 4, can't hold a wheel. Lap 5 can't hold a wheel,... you get the idea. Finally with two to go the HR kicks up and I'm able to salvage some pride and hold a few riders off through the finish.

Great start, tough race but a fun day and and awesome cross race scene in the park today. Thanks to friends and teammates who came out to cheer.

Special props to Jim for the pics !

Result: 33/45

Back to it in Sacto

After two weeks away from racing and heavy training I finally felt good enough to get back to it up at Granite beach, Folsom Lake Rich Maile setup an excellent course featuring a long lap of excellent single track,long stretch of pavement, deep sand run, and even some fast grass sections. All the A's (open, 35+, 45+) started together in what would be a 60 minute race, ouch ! I staged well and jumped hard on the line to get in the long lead group at the start. It got a little argy-bargy around the first few corners but I stayed aggressive and won each little battle for position. There were a few early stack ups which I mostly avoided and found myself in the first chase group of around 8 riders on the long road section. Another stack up in the sand pit which I jogged around. Lap 2 I'm still holding on to the first chase group but full in the red zone. On lap 3 I'm starting to loose connection and feeling bad. Ease off some for lap 4, as 3 riders from behind catch, I latch on and spend lap 5 drafting on the long straight sections. I'm in a group of 3 content to hold my position and wait for some one to make a mistake. One rider does and he's off the back. More drafting as we catch up to another 2 riders who had lost the chase group. 3 to go and its a race, I'm not taking pulls and looking for a place on the course to try to break. On lap 2 I come around at the end of the long road section and get a gap on a the bumpy up hill leading to the sand pit. Good entry into the sand but poor exit and they are back on me ! Final lap we are all together, one rider falls on the barrier remount but gets back on quick. He goes by and goes to the front, ok fine. I'm 4th wheel coming off the road and to the sand pit lead up, there's an attack and a split as I can't get around the 3rd wheel, damn. Through the sand and onto the finish and I take the 3rd wheel in a sprint to finish 8th overall.

Excellent and fun race, after 3 laps of pain I was able to break through the wall, settle in and finish strong. Pics when I get them.

Mid-season stall

Like clock-work around this time of year I'll have a race where the engine goes on strike. Today was that day. I lasted 2 laps on the brutal McLaren course before electing to start my recovery phase early.

Spooky and Cold

Last night I went trick or treating with Mira, Ruth, and a two of Mira's friends. It was the coldest Halloween night in a long time, with spooky fog blowing over the neighborhood. The girls had a blast and came back with pillows well stuffed with loot.

Alas no good chocolate, at least the kind we adults crave.

Howling Good Time

The pictures pretty much say it all. Yesterday's Halloween Surf City race was a blast.

I had a good race too, finishing 20th after flubbing the stage and starting in the last row, scary !

Report Details: I hit it hard at the gun and wound my way through and around a bunch of riders to get back it a decent position going into the first turn. On the first off camber grass section a DFL rider went down backing up the entire field behind him including me. Life in the pack on the first lap can suck ! Off we go again, I pass a rider on the first run up and another on the 2nd by staying off the bike and running the stretch between the two run ups. The DJ music is blaring (Surf City's got it going on !) when i hit the grass sections. I'm going w/ the lowest tire pressure I've ever raced w/ and its paying dividends as I'm rolling fast on the grass. I focus on the Sheila Moon rider a few riders up making sure to keep up w/ his pace, together we are catching and passing a rider per lap. I'm having a blast and before I know it there are two left to go, that was fast ! I'm right behind Sheila Moon w/ Geoff from Fusion up ahead. We both go by Geoff w/ one lap left on the start straight, we come up to another ride who is going really slow, maybe being lapped ? Somehow he gets between me and Sheila Moon on the barrier dismount and the trench run through. By the time I get around lapped rider Sheila Moon has gapped me and Geoff's on my wheel. I slowly reel Sheila Moon back and coming through the grass turns before the finish I'm on his wheel. We both sprint out of the last turn and he takes me by a wheel.

Double Shot Weekend

Looking to get in some back to backs racing in prep for bigger race weekends later in the season I raced both days this weekend. Pictures; my friend Andreas ripping it, the kids are alright, and cheesy medallion.

Livermore on Saturday -

All the As started together with a race length of 60 min vs. the usual 45 min. A small field w/ maybe 25 total riders. I staged in the 2nd row, got an excellent jump and was in the lead string of @ 10 A riders around most of the first lap. A gap started opening up between the rider 2 ahead of me but I stayed tucked in, nervous about the length of the race. I felt really good not going too hard but riding fast. I settled in w/ a group of 4 riders one split behind the lead group of 10.

After some practice laps I decided to ditch the usual tufos and go w/ high pressure clinchers (mud 2 sprint up front w/ mud 2 in the rear). This turned out to be a fast combo on this course. I was able to corner noticeably better at speed than the riders with me. Around 1/2 through the group was down to 3 of use, with one being a 45+ rider. I was watching the other 35+ rider, Evan of HRS Lobster, as he wasn't doing any work in the wind. I was pretty sure I could break away from them but I didn't like my chances bridging up to the other group alone. So I stayed in and worked to keep the pace fast. Lots of back and forth but we are still together after 45 minutes w/ 15 left to go !

I'm still feeling good though and just waiting to attack. At 2 laps left the 45+ comes across me in the barriers and I bobble as he bumps into me, Evan attacks. I bear down and real him back w/ 45+ in tow. Last lap I wait for the long flats and I turn it up a notch dropping Evan and getting a little gap on 45+. I come into a turn a little hot and drift wide, giving 45+ a chance to attack. I get back on w/ 1/4 lap to go but now I'm thinking of tomorrow so I roll in behind him. 2nd in my class, small field but I'll take the cheap medallion thank you !

CandleStick on Sunday (the kids are alright)
Back to the big time w/ 50 riders on the line in my class. Got to the line and staged in 2nd row, a victory in itself in this series. Another good jump off the line, victorious fight for the inside on the first 180 and I'm in with a great start. I'm giving it everything I got to stay in touch with the rider in front realizing that i'm in a great position in @ 15th. What a blast to be able to ride full out on the first lap w/o getting stacked up behind bobbling riders. Everyone's going full out and I'm hanging in. Middle of the 2nd lap I get a little aggressive on a corner climb and try an inside turn like I'm on a motor bike or something, my rear slides out and the rider behind runs over my wheel and takes my tubular off the rim. Damn. Off the bike and a long way from the pit so I pull the tubular back on (it hadn't rolled far) but just like that 10 riders are by me. Ugh I could have been somebody !

Back on and after babying the rear a little it feels like it will hold so I continue racing. I get around a few riders that had passed me and I can see the original group now down to @ 8 not far ahead. I'm in no mans land and I'm started to feel a little worked on the minefields and lack of shelter on the pavement sections. (Sidebar, I had rode practice laps w/ less pressure but 2nd guessed myself just before the start, regretting that now) I get back to the group which is now down to 2 Dflrs and 4 others. Gap opens up ahead of one tattooed Dlfr so I pass him through some barriers, and I'm on the wheel of the next Dlfr. Uh oh watch out lapped rider which, hey, front wheel slide and I'm down. Tattooed Dflr passes me up.

I fight back to tattoo boy and with one lap left and too much distance to make up to riders ahead I stick to his wheel and let him pull me around. Once we are on the pavement I sit in a bit to recover than go pulling clear before the line :-)

Bummer about the rolled tire but I'm pumped with my starts this weekend and overall speed. Recovery week, weekend off, 2nd half of the season to follow.

Two a days

Not satisfied with one activity on a day off work and as the weather had cleared I decided to join my good friend Jim Kelly at the SF Hash Harriers run. I got to the start 5 minutes late and took some time running around the base of Coit Tower until I picked up trail. An excellent route took me up a bunch of stairs on the Coit Tower hill than down into North Beach and out to the Aquatic Park pier where I picked up the group.

More climbing in store as we made our way back and then up to the base of Coit Tower. Jim was running up the hills tonight, something about being cooped up inside all day or maybe he was chasing someone he'd just met at the pier :-) Phew those last few steps hurt in that good way that tells you your getting fitter. The obligatory beers and strange roasting cheers with the SF Harriers followed. An excellent group of folks all in all.

Frankie's ride

Yesterday I took the day off to join my friend Frank and some friends for his birthday ride. I picked up Frank his friend, Jacquie Phelan (yes one of the original mountain biker chicks !) and we made our way to Lagunitas. At lagunitas we meet the rest of the group; Gus (singlespeed), Curt (singlespeed), Monia (luna chick), Gregg, and Sharon. After much loafing around, it's amazing how long it takes mt bikers to get ready to ride :-), we were off and up Mt Barnaby on the glorious Bill's trail. The weather was fine, cool and damp. Sharon and gus set an excellent tempo pace all the way up the steady but never too steep climb.

At the top we all agreed turning it right back around and enjoying our work would best. Jacquie and I hung back to give those with the squealing brakes some distance and enjoy the absolute damp forest silence. No surprise Jacquie is way smooth on her bike. At the bottom we bid adieu to Jacquie as she made us promise to come out and race in the singlespeed worlds at Napa next summer.

We continue on through Samuel P Taylor bike path and start up the always longer than I remember climb up Jewel/Fairfax-Bolinas Fire Rd to smokers rock. At this point what I thought would be some long slow miles turn into intervals as Sharon and I race all the way up through the fog and then rain to the rock. Sharon has been consist podium finisher the season expert womens field and is gearing up for State Champs this week, go Sharon !!!

It's raining hard now so we cut the ride short and head for the trees and sweet pee. A bottle of wine is uncorked and we toast all the fine times we've had w/ Frankie. Than its down sweet pea to our cars and dry clothes.

Awesome ride thanks Frank !

CCCX #3 - Monterey

If you ever felt like trying a cross race this would be a great course to start with. Almost 1/2 of it was on pavement to make you feel safe and comfortable, the rest was smooth single track through the manzanita. A few dismounts and one long sand hill to give you a nasty taste of what cross is about.

Started out w/ a uphill sprint for about 1/4 mile on pavement. The course was so fast that I completely redlined on the first lap, kept it in the red on the 2nd, faded on the 3rd with thoughts of abandonment. Kicked back in gear on the 4th, passed two riders on laps 5 and 6 and glad to be done. Not much else to report, the course was so fast that it turned into a time trail after lap 2.

Oh almost forgot, the lone guitar player at the top of the sand run/ride up was cool.

Oh an apparently there was poison oak hiding in that manzanita, not so cool.

BASP - Sierra Pt Speed/Rockway

This past Sunday was the opening round of the Bay Area Super Prestige cross seriousness at the Sierra Point speed/rock way.

Determined to improve on my starting position I got to the staging area early and lined up in the 2nd row. I was expecting a course official or and announcement for us to roll up to the line when all the sudden the group is off in a mad dash, and I end up staging in the last row, in the biggest field of the season to date. Ugh ! Gun goes off and we are off in a mad dash to the first dirt corner. I knew that it would stack so I dismounted early and made my way to the sides to end around the cluster f*Xk. Early race chaos followed, I'm running and juking, finally I'm back on the bike on the tail end of group of 10 riders. I get around a few as I see splits start to develop, i go a little too aggressively and wash out trying to pass two others. Back on the bike and a lap later mostly back to where I was before the crash, but now I've got to ease back to recover.



The next few laps I spend juking back and forth w/ my friend Geoff from Fusion and some other guy named Geoff based on the yells of the crowd. I'm still trying to keep in visual touch w/ the group ahead while holding off the two Geoffs (fun stuff !). I'm gaping them on the start/finish pavement section but they are catching back up on the corners, i've really become an insufferable roadie !. With two to go I hear some sort of commotion behind me and hammer to final lose these guys and try to catch some ahead, that works and I manage to pass up one of the original group of 10 that has splintered unrecognizably. I'm totally worked on the last lap and just holding on but no one can come around.



Wow a lot of work and drama for a mid-pack finish, but that why cross racing rules, you can still have a blast beating out the guys around you.

DCOM weekend

An over the top weekend started out in GG park w/ Hardly Strickly Bluegrass and rolled into Friday night with Honeycut at the BOH. These kids will funk you up ! That they chose to cover Strawberry Letter No 5, says a lot.

More HSB on Saturday.

Cross race Sunday morning followed by Decompression Sunday afternoon/evening. Go monkeys go ! In need of a decom from DCOM :-)

2 out 3 doesn't cut it

Part of what I love about cross racing other than the mud (which we don't get much of here), is that you got to have training, skillz, & mechanical all going to do well. If your lacking in one you can forget about it. The mechanical stuff is more demanding than other bike racing; tire pressure, tubulars, spare bike/wheels, chain guards, handlebar brakes, etc....

Today I didn't have my mechanical mojo going, as I showed up to the race w/ only a front spare and a clincher (gasp!) on the rear. Fairfax is a super bumpy and technical course and I paid for it about 1/2 in with a flat. On the plus side I felt good and was riding fast.

Caught some Love Fest on the way back from the race which helped take the sting out :-)

So 2 hours spent tonight scrapping the old glue of my new race rear and I'm 1 step closer to having this seasons tubular wheel set. It will be as fast as it looks :-)

Loquat @ Rickshaw

I finally caught this local SF band Loquat last night w/ some friends at the Rickshaw Stop. An excellent show in an intimate venue. Check them out.

Blogosphere on the front lines in Burma struggle

Burmese bloggers and savy geeks are using the internet to get the word out on what's happening on the ground. Makes you realize how precious and important freedom of information is, and how we take it for granted.

Crackdown underway in Burma

Witnesses have reported Burmese (its not Myanmar) security forces attacking unarmed and peaceful protesters.

Rally for Burma at China SF consulate tomorrow

If your local please consider attending this rally tomorrow.

When:
Wednesday September 26, 2007
11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Where:
Consulate General-China
1450 Laguna St @Geary
San Francisco, CA 94115

Why ?

Getting swarmed

This past Sunday was the first CCCX cross race. The CCCX folks put on an excellent race and the fields are the strongest you'll find around. The picture says it all as I got swarmed at the start, where am I ?

Couldn't hold a wheel on this day but on a positive note, I road a clean race so that makes 4 for 4 and a big departure from last season. Looking forward to Fairfax this weekend.

More photos.

Hitting the fan a world away

The news isn't good out of Burma where the oppressed nation has been gripped by a week long national protest led by Monks and those from the opposition not in jail or under house arrest. So far Burma's main trading partner China has been silent. Don't expect much more than empty words and actions from our administration. I'm hopeful but I don't think this will turn out well for the Burmese.

Cold Season arrives early

DFL #3 tonight. Seemed like half the field was suffering w/ some sort of cold, me included. I had arranged for my visiting brother's family to come watch along w/ my daughter so no backing out. I managed the starting location mis-direction well enough to get a good start. I didn't have a lot in the tank today but the technical course played to my advantage, held on for another clean race, one bobble where I lost my chain otherwise good.

One more DFL and the cross season is in full swing, feeling good going into it.

Pictures when I find them.

Getting back to it

DFL cross-dress race this evening across from the Cow Palace, in the no-mans land above the skater park. Lasted above LT for 50 minutes, no crashes, no bobbles, cleaned the course on every lap and finished on the same lap as the leaders. Woo hoo !

Crossers of note sightings at todays race; Justin Robinson, Rachael Lloyd, and Melodie Metzger. I finished within sight of Rachael so a good race.

Photos

Back from the Playa

Back from a body baking, dust roaring, ethos stretching week on the playa. There is a reason the prophets all came in from the desert. It's a freaking powerful place. Everything you bring with you gets amplified; the dreams, yayas, and the baggage.








Its a wonderful and simultaneously difficult place. So go check it out for yourself.....

more photos

more and better photos courtesy of my friend mica.