10 Yr. Olds Kicked My MNSCS#5 BUTT

Finally a good succession of build weeks with good response at Buck Hill. Yet my legs are not steady, yet. One reason: because my 10 year old whooped me good Friday night. So I'll recap why I went to bed at 5:00AM Saturday morning, a little Red Wing race re-cap too.

FRIDAY NIGHT blur into SATURDAY: After 2 mellow laps at Leb Friday, feeling Bucked, it was time to take Leo with 2 of his friends to the Twins game (all three 10 yr olds). Leo's b-day. The 4 of us we're signed up for Boy Scouts Twins game & Sleep-Over at the Dome! Sounds mellow? Highlights:

• parked car and ate pizza at 7 corners then walked to game
• went into dome turned in sleep over paperwork, found our seats
• peanuts, cotton candy, dome dogs, runny cheese nacho's (race prep foo!!)
• we ran up and down bleachers to the nose bleed seats multiple times
• the twins won, hurrah, ya yaw YAWN
• upon exiting the dome at 10pm to get our sleeping bags i realized no car key
• walked back to restuarant, no keys, called amy, called again, no answer
• purchased screwdriver & wire stemed rose. Broke into mini-van
• with sleeping bags out of van, drank energy drink headed back to the dome
• um yeah, 500boys300 parents, astroturf, screaming kids, moonwalks
• pillow fights w/literally 100+ boy scouts (it was surrealistic pillow)
• boys were running like freaks even after lights we're dimmed at 2:45AM
• picture kazillon boys jumping over sleeping parents at 2:00AM, evil
• CAOUS, lights went full on again at 3:45AM nobody sleeping, grumpy parents, filling out with kids
• We left at 4:00AM & per vote to Perkins, pukins pukins was the cheer!
• Yep me & 3 little dudes got some strange looks at Perkins at 4:30AM
• Ah Sleep 5:00AM-9:00AM then project prep & met w/classmates at 10:00AM
• Saturday mow lawn, built 1x9, race packing, clean for family party (Leo!).
• Later, Saturday night before race, up until midnight doing homework.

THE RACE: My Dad did Citizen and Duncan did Sport. So great to cheer them on. I took pictures. Duncan did stairay twice! Nice work. I decided to go with 1x9 as SS just seemed like too much after the last few build weeks. I went into this race beat!!!! Off the start I felt heavey. Lap one suffered to hold my percieved logical spot. Lap 2 started feeling good, but it didn't last. Lap 3 & 4 it was big time suffer. I just told myself just ride and enjoy the trail. That worked for a while. Then electrical shocks reminded me to suffer. It was fun racing with Barry, Tim, Todd, Devin and Tom but it wasn't my day. Cody did well on SS for his first expert go. I kept him behind while suffering. On the 4th time up stairway I passed Tom. Looked like he was all set and geting back on his bike. Sure enough he passed at the top and lost me in the quarry. 15th overall on a bad day.

The important thing is Leo had a b-day night he won't forget for a long while. I won't. The first time out with 1x9 a success. Although legs coming around, SS would have brought me down hard this race. The homework is done. Carry on.

Buck Jul 9 Reverse Hammer Drill

I have not been to Buck since starting line crash crunch race (I was captian). It was a good night near 80 degrees with a good crowd. Jeff Hall showed up. It was a very tight start with Dave on my left & Tom on my immeadiate right. It was a clean start(whew). Although I pushed it start went well charged torward woods in 4th or so(Brendan, Jeff & Jack ahead. Tom came up and I didn't fight letting him in woods at top before me. On first road I passed Tom back. Eventually Jesse & Sam went by. The rest of the race I stayed on Jesse's wheel or close. Dave was charging hard to catch up. With traffic Jesse, Dave & I did the accourdian spring thing. It was an a-typical race with the SS great in the woods but on the traverses missed the big ring (hamster spin out). No pedal break. The legs did their thing!! One of my better Buck races only 2 minutes off the winner. Go to Penn Cycle site for official results, posted.

ASH HOLE CAMPERS

Nobody made us mad or nothing. We went camping. Duncan scoped place out and reported back there was an "Ash Hole" over there. Amy and I we're getting mad... The smart ash was talking about a real live hole where campers could place fire ashes. There was a sign with arrow and everything, Ash Hole. Can't beleive we spaced taking pics. It was the on-going joke of the weekend. Kids had a ball camping. We did too. Oh, biking you say? Whole family biked 7 miles to next town on Munger trail, did lunch, and biked back. I scored 3 hrs on Munger trail AM roadie style, 3hrs Hillside SS dirt style all making up parts of last week. Racing the SS soon!!

MNSCS#4 Kato

I must start with LCR teammate Lonnie (thank's Jay & SkinnySki.com). Lonnie, Rebecca's manly man had a clothing accident. The shorts got mixed with the lipsick in the wash? Hulk, wear those shorts at Leadville & you'll hammer Levi, Lance, Dave & Tinker. Pictures...Watch Dana's site for race pic updates as well.

Duncan dnf. Brake cable snapped. His quote, "Dad, I know you fixed it but i'm going to enjoy my dnf." He proceeded to eat & be merry until his 1:15pm water bottle duty time. Thanks to all da crew.

With 7hrs (including Kato race) and gym leg workout earlier in week....a real "build week". Seriously volume is for not in 09'. I'd love a 10+ hour ride week! Legs we're ready to work some more!! Yet, I decided after hitting turn 1 in lead 1st wasn't right so I backed off and paced leaders. SS 34x19 was feeling sweet hit woods 4th or 5th after lead climb & traverse. I felt quite good at 43 gears, I mean yrs. It's all training for Aug/Sept. Into woods skidding w/crow rear tire "Fisher said, nice save". Lap2 found my crazy old man place 4 day pacing w/Devin for 2 laps. Wait a sec, how come most fast guys either have no kids, work at b-shop or 10-20-30 yrs younger? Anyway Jake & I had fun on last laps. Start of lap 4 asked for water- Jake snuck in, got the water splash on the back. I said, "Lucky" napolian like. A few feet later my water team couldn't run fast enough to deliver either. Good times! Good luck to all heading to Nat's. Til next time.

Latest Sponsor Origin-8

So far in 09' DuLAC was the only race I opted for squishy fork. It was soft yet around here in flatlands suspension hardly needed. It's rare for me to go there. I prefer rigid for climbing more than sus monkey complications. Anyway found a fork that rocks. Although Origin-8 has the carbon fork in all steath black I went with White top and bottom version, she matches my gal Kona. Claimed weight 720 grams. Origin-8 fork looks good and a match to any other. See you at Kato.

Other blabber. Family time tonight wins over Buck. After take apart and reconstruct in my yard we now have a used trampoline. Holy crap those kids can go forever on that thing. I hurt. Beat myself down and knocked myself out. Saw the wizard and escaped the light. Getting old, learning things the hard way but won't give up. Watch out for the crazy old man!!!!

Buck#6 Demolition and Derby

Not Unlike Puke and Rally
First Off: it was an awesome night with perfect weather, a good turn out and a slight course change-up. It was tacky trail with sunny skies. My legs we're still a bit sore from DuLac?? The legs had the "been working" sensory feel going on. Never know if that means they are ready to rip or will go KA-put when they have that feel. Anyway the starting line-up was odd as it was not a straight line instead more concave shaped. I think the odd shape start line-up caused the wave from the left to merge with right wave which caused a crunch.......I was captian crunch.

The Race: The ussual group got off fast. As I spun up the SS I noticed Andy and another rider near my sides with Brendan, Barry and a few up ahead leading out. Although I held my line it appeared everything closed in on me!! That left/right wave merge mentioned above. My bars we're too far back(near Andy's seat) for me to elbow and/or help hold our group steadfast. As I tried to slow and avoid Andy IT HAPPENED the long balance and hope. Oh nooooo as I slowed my bars turned left as the right bar side hooked Andy's seat, Thornquest on my left went over my wheel or leg. In an effort to stay upright I jabbed my foot right and it totally got caught in Andy's spokes!! In an awkward position I went down taking Andy's spokes with. We got up and Andy ran (later to get knocked down and run over again!). Andy was racing for top three and he pulled a Superball move last night. Andy & I hammered every opening available trying to get back to the front. Found out later Sam was behind us with chain issues. The masses get respect. We've got a lot of riders out there.

Every time I'd pass a few I'd recover in the next group. Every group was moving fast. Everyone was racing for it!! In each group between passes every time I'd think, I'm breathing way hard, this hurts and these guys are fast. Somehow I kept going and was able to work from near the back to near the front. My leg hurts today as it must have been ramped or something. My front rotor is bent. I'm happy with the experience and as always never give up, the start is only a small part of the race. Of couse I'll forget I just said that in about 2 minutes. BTW SUPERBALL worked his way up from near last to 4th(2nd oa in series). Nice!! Sam crawled back up to 3rd last night. Good show all!!!!! Penn Cycle Results