Misfit Psycles SS Love

Love my SS Misfit Psycles , it re-kindled the fun at Theo Monday night. I forgot how cool night riding is too!!! After Leadville & Comp Class all year, the SS in ripp'n good. Did Mammoth this am w/Eric, SS 32x17. Love da Misfit Psycles , so smooth & light feeling compared to the scalpel. Even though it's a hard tail, it's ripping smooth to pedal. If you have a SS you know what I mean. The Misfit frames are getting good reviews on mtbr for the 29'er coming out, I like Peter the owner too, he's treated me well and a nice kook. Ok I'm on the plug Misfit topic so I'll keep going. I've used my SS at Buck & many rides this year. It's near 21lbs with the light wheelset / discs on, it's bomber. Can't say enought good things about the feel, geom & performance. Will be racing hillside Tuesday night on it. Later, going riding again this afternoon w/my Dad & boy Dunc.

New to Hillside

Last night I raced Hillside. It was my first time there. The course is Buck Hill like and fast. The sand holes, sticks and debris on trail made it mayham. I was sliding all over for a bit. Then I got my act together. Loved it. Other than the road sections its a SS course for sure (more on SS in a bit). The experts went out in two waves. Tom Miller, Luke Nelson and others we're in my wave. The first section was about a 1/3 mile road out and back to start line, then into woods. I took off and noticed myself and Luke in front. For a second I think he wanted me to lead, no way. Ha in that split second I had a strategy, follow at the start. Me with a strategy, ha ha ha. It ended up Luke, Tom and I racing for the gate turn around. I was on Tom's wheel with little effort was able to hang on, drafting. At the turn around Luke (1st) asked if this was the turn around. The whole wave was there by now and we all skidded, 180'ed and headed back. It was me and some other guy heading back first. I was leading and not happy about it. Then Tom reved up, I tried to pre-gas to enable hang on but he had it gunned before I could respond. I never caught him, I tried! As Tom and I headed for the start line woods entry Tom got into a head-on. Seriously, we we're going 20 easy and little did we know, the sport guys we're heading right at us. We couldn't see them until on the corner. BAM. I saw Tom fan tail out and Clayton (on-coming) go OTB. It was car crash crunch sounds, tire pop'n air fizzzzzlin out w/peeps on the ground type sceene. All riders we're deer in headlights with jaws a hanging open. Freak'n crazy high speed head-on. It looked like every one was ok, so I started pedaling again. Tom was just getting back on his bike and chased. Luke was in third. dang Charlie Brown. I lead for a half lap with many trailing close enough I could see'em on switchbacks (hearing them coming too). Fun stuff. Soon enough Luke and Tom passed. I couldn't hold on. The rest of the race (for a lap and a half) I held off a sqeaky brake, super tall guy on a SS. Yeah, every time I gapped him he came back!! Just me and him racing for third. Great race, he was on me the whole time, finally near the end I passed many sport riders and really pounded hard. Third in the wave was mine. It wasn't until the final awards did I find out my wave third was good enough for third overall. Wahoo. Side notes: it's been 5 weeks since Leadville 100, last night was the first time I could push AND then felt sore/worked afterward. I drained my deep reserves, it was a feeling I haven't had since early season races. I think that means I've weakened over the last 5 lazy weeks, and/or finally recovered and/or ready to build again. Transition over....we'll too bad, not building anymore, season almost over, it's just fun now. Hernia op Dec 1. Looking forward to mammoth joy rides, night races and murphy? Not doing St. Cloud. C-YA

Chequamegon

Great time at Chawmie. I didn't race cause last year I met my goal, still say'n all done with dat der race eh. After 6 years in Cheq fest I'm all about new venue's. It was fun to scream, cheer and yell at my mnscs competitors and family racers. My pop's did the 16 mi. He did great, 11th of 28 in his age, 1hr 28min. He's 65. He has stories of being passed by teenagers on the downhills then smok'n them on the up's. Great job pop's!

Amy and friend Teel did the 16 mile. They both finished and had a swell time. I named the team 146 candles, my Dad said it shoulda been 147. Idon't think Amy knows I did that name thang. Duncan was bummed he wasn't old enough to race. He says he's doing the 40 with me next year on tandem. What, uh huh, sure my little dozen candles boy. "we'll see" . Me and the kids camped and drank our favorite beverages, at the appropriate times of course, ha! We caused trouble at the KOA. Next year we stay at the LCR, Ricco lake side camp. Can you spot Little Leo by Grandpa's bike? Other two kiddo's? click da pic Sunday after barking instructions to Amy how-to pop-down the pop-up, I left for Rock Lake. It was drizzling, rocks & sceene were CO like, w/o climbs. Super trail. I raced through outer loop, w/new loop in about 1 hour. Later...

MNSCS#9 Maplelag

First off just let me say, Maplelag is a blast. The job Jay and the Maplelag family do is awesome. The resort makes everyone feel welcome. The main lodge, fire pit, lake, country setting, home cook'n and all make it easy going and just plain fun. Dogs, cats, kids, adults, and other critters all have huge smiles on their faces all the time. We did the pop-up camper for all 5 of us. It was a weekend to be part of, Jeff Hall, Brendan, da Swanson's, Justin, Fisher, Jenna and all the fast folks we're there. The stage races we're great fun to watch. The TT was about three miles and fast. I went red line the whole time and placed 6th in comp. Maybe I should only red line on the hills. I never caught my breath! The short track was very painful for me(mental awakening). It was small lap with many slippery turns and a 40ft steep sprint up climb thingy. I led the comp class out of the gate but after a few laps was near last place!! Honestly I should have been dead last but two guys forgot to do the last lap, once they realized it, it was too late they couldn't catch me. Hmmm, time to buy a road bike? Still, I guess I'm "not baaaack" or I just stink at ST. Perhaps I used it all up on Tuesday when I was "Baaack". Oh well, it was fun to watch the experts on the short track. Doug led then gave it up to Jeff hall, in the end, Doug took it over Jeff in last lap. XC race, I go out too fast!!!!!! I'm old, I should save it. A pre-ride would have been smart here...some strategy, hello!!! The main XC race was typical Maplelag. Toughest course in the series, it's about 9 miles long now. Comp did 1.5, expert did 2 laps. Yup, tougher than Afton and Duluth for technical. Hill climbs not the hardest, but the non-stop roots, steep ups and downs kill ya alot more than a simple uphill grind. I led out the comp race hoping to stay strong until the first single track(earlier at Mankato & Dulac, I let others lead out, how quickly I forget my learnings... maybe...confused on strategy here..!!). I knew it was a good mile or so but, I can't seem to ease up out of the gate...so I went for it. For a while no one challenged, then little Scottie B from Canada flew by. He's the ka-nuck that kicked my butt last year in sport. Both he(15yrs) and his dad(53yrs) cleaned house in this year in comp. So I let jr canadian go by then later Jenna, then Tom, Wallace and Petoir all before first hill (pre-riders!). I held fast onto Jenna, she's been my target ever since I kept ahead of her at one (1) Buck race. She just got back from Worlds, placed 12th. Anyway we hit suicide hill and I hoped to gain back top 3 position but everyone was standing and cranking!! Nice. I followed and held my spot behind Jenna. 6th. Soon enough in the woods I went past her as she went down and out, dnf, too bad. She said she was ok, but...kinda bummed me out. The rest of the race went, I held on for 7th overall, 4th in old guys 40+. The 1st place OA was the 15yr old cdn, 2nd OA 53 yr old cnd pops, then three 40+s, a 30+, then me. The course was very rooty, wet, mucky in spots and full of pain. Hardest mnscs course no doubt. I have all kinds of excuses. Like about 20, some legit, but excuses make ya weak, so I won't dwell. Yet I'll stick with one....my year ended a few weeks ago at Leadville. What ever huh? Not complaining, every race has been fab and fun!! Love mtb. Anyway, this race sealed the deal. I won my mnscs comp class overall for the year!! My goal was top three age with a few top 5 OA finishes, I superceeded. yehaw! Duncan had the best race of the year being only a few minutes off Shea instead of 10. Duncan actually beat mom. That's right mom raced citizen!! She did great. This was her first attempt since the dulac shoulder injury incident. Mom will race Cheq 16 with my Dad in few weeks. I can't wait to see them enjoy those hills. I'm not racing, just enjoying the scene with kids. I also look forward to riding the local non-cheq trails for the first time. Last note on Maplelag, the dirt jumping on Sunday afternoon was rad. Duncan was clearing the gap jump. The Canada boys we're ripp'n it up doing no foot one handers! Most Maplelag pics and vids avail are below, check my previous blog posts for other race video's. Chow! My Maplelag cit Start Video My Maplelag kids Start Video My Maplelag Pictures " Laddies Loppet "Skinnyski.com Pics Dirt Jump Rich's Pics XC pics Dann'a Pics Adam's Grizzlyadam pics