SS STATE - MY EYE - 2 FLAT - CAPTIAN

2 races for me, 1 for Duncan. I'll start with my 1:00PM Elite Race, which was after the 11:00AM SS State race. Well it wasn't my race. In fact theres a cyclocross race on Sunday. Thanks Revolution, Kyia and all!!! OK, back to expert race. At start I spun the 32x17 gearing then began reeling in geared racers like last year hoping to end 7th? like last year? HA, not a chance. Leaking air in my rear WTB velocoraptor I used CO2 near start of lap2, no help.... Then partially in woods took tire off & pre-inflated my spare tube to find a leak in the new tube! Plastic baggie didn't protect in saddle bag I guess. So I ran back to the car grabbed my wheel from the 36x17 AM set-up ran back to bike & installed on 32x17 PM bike. Sweet. Anyway, 3 laps later my 4 we're done. Caught many comp and a few expert racers for a back o pack finish. Oh yeah, i was fwapped by a leafy branch and my eye went fuzzy for a while. Wahoo... 11:00AM Single Speed State Champ Race.... I did a pre-lap and made it to the start line 1 minute before blast off...too close!! My goal was to hammer off the start with big gear to hit the woods first. In the past I noticed the competition performs worse if I lead. We'll, just one little problem. Brendan was there with 42x18 26'er vs. my 36x17 29'er, both stiff. Looks like my gear inches may have been stiffer. Still he has the motor. Nothing more to report other than I was slower in the woods but able to hammer the straight aways to hold off competition for 2nd place. Barry & Dave battled it out big time just behind me until taking each other out!! Cody was in the right place at the right time. Good times, 2 years of Champ can't complain. Honestly going in I told myself a podium would be cool. I had a feeling Brendan, Jack, or somebody would show to go for it. I would if i was them........ With pre-ride, 7 laps of somesort for me today!!!! Duncan although sick getting over a long lasting cold did well and secured 3rd overall for the year in his Sport age group class. Awesome!!!! With the rain I decided it was time to buy some real 29'er mud tires. The Specialized Captian 2bliss seemed good for the AM race. Click on pic. Actually, tubeless and fast rolling with big knobs, they rocked. So happy I picked up the 600 gram tubeless knobby tires, worked really well! Next Race in Austin TX after a customer visit. Maybe Lance will show.......

The Constant Things

This year I would call myself high risk. Crashes are fun! The latest at Cheq40. Slide to the right hand, wash out. Hands down and roll. A fine break dance move. Picture of jersey explains why my grandma arm flab hurts. Well, no flab but sucker punch feel under right tri. No problem I can still dance... 2009 dance results constant as well per 2-3 rides a week constant. oh well.

Other constant things....the kids caught doing what they have done since the begining of time.

Cheqcrashagone 40 Amy Podium

Great weekend of racing for Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Duncan & Friends. Perfect weather, fast course, lots of friendly faces. Saturday AM was a bit crazy. We all made it to respective start line, Leo & Alta in good hands with Molly, Lola & Ollie.

Picture Found On SkinnySki

The 16 (results): Amy raced SS at maplelag and liked it. So as per plan she raced SS in the 16. She scored 2nd place with Teel in 3rd! Nice work ladies. Grandpa improved his time by a few minutes. Duncan with sore throat turns out did fine but slower. Now he's even sicker with full on cold. Jake Richards won the 16 w/Luke Baker 3rd. Trent Warner did well a tad back. The 40 (results): Paul & Janna placed 3rd in tandem mixed! Cool to see them on podium w/family in arms. Molly & kid's crewed for Jason. He had a great race finishing about 2:24! Who won you ask? Brian Matter killed it with course record time of 2:03:56. Cole House & yep, Steve Tilford rounded out 40 podium. My race could have been a wash out but turned out ok. With first ever preferred start I rolled into rosies leaders insight. Happy with stiffer SS gear 44x19. Then about a half mile into woods feeling&reeling really strong I washed out both tires. At 20+ mph my bike bounced behind/beside me as I body rolled the grassy corner... I popped up playing frogger as riders we're flying at me. Did you see the aftermath???? My bars we're 15 degrees from straight, SS chain dropped, perp/heed bottle run over w/top popped, my shoe strap torn & flapping. My number plate fell off. After race noticed a broken spoke. Not a scratch on me! So after manually straightening the bars, dodging traffic to get my near empty fuel bottle, stuffing my number plate in pocket & finally popping the chain on I started pedaling again. Just 1 full clear water bottle, 3 gels & shoe strap flapping the front chain ring for the rest of the race. I just said to myself, "pull it together and ride." Reeled in half the race ended 115th? Finished just under 2hrs24min, 17mph ave. Not bad on SS considering....

CHARGE! 68th Rank Pro to Compete in 2009 Chequamegon 40

TJ says he's # 1 ranked Pro competing in the Cheq40. Wow, talk about getting the game face on early! Does that work? Sweet. Good work #1. You got a good shot like many. All good. Ok, I'm ranked 68th. Ha! Not sure how I rank. Age? Always finish predictably? Oh, I get it, it's my good looks...!!! I may race in TX again early October, that helps. Anyway, see you at Cheq40 on my SS. I'm just out to beat my time from last year without bike issues. My Game Face. Charge!

-- SKEETERS --

Why do I keep thinking about Winter? Maybe it's because the insects are attacking the squirrels. Insects and Squirrels are going nuts, no? Get off me! Pollen, Dust, go away! Sunshine is nice but looking forward to colder variety. Levis pictured. My bike shifting technology soft. Shifting for most of the season has been 1-up 2-down or 2-down 1-up if you know what I mean. Anti pro old set-up ruled my riddle rides. Lately ride times are short. Perhaps legs will be back for Cheq....... Stripping 1x9 to SS was relieving!! Who has the secret gear choice for both Cheq or St. Cloud. If there's one thing I learned is last year - I didn't learn last year. And big tires or small tires? I know. Perhaps looking forward to future where I beat Lance on his turf. .........no not Hayward but I'll see you there.

Maplelag UHO

My Dad, wife Amy, kids Leo n Duncan & I all raced. Last Kiddo Alta was against racing instead just keep playing with her buds all weekend. Amy's parents came up too. Good times. Who are these UHO's in pic (unidentified hammering objects) hammering those pedals?! Many podiums for the squirrel family. Identifyable? Pictures & vids courtesy of grey sqrl vids, Amy's cam and skinny ski too. I'll recap my race quick like below. Ha! DUNCAN LAKESIDE DROP VIDEO

HEATH CHASED LAKESIDE

So much to talk about. I guess the trip started with Aliens transporting Duncan & Grandpa almost to ND. Sunday AM Leo did kids comp. Amy did citizen SS & liked it!! She's an official SS'er now. Mom got 3rd in age. Duncan had sore legs from school track & Afton 2-4 (he did 6 laps at Afton!). Duncan had a good Sport race handling the lakeside drop and course no prob for 3rd in age. My TT & ST we're a bit off as was my XC. But I'm not complaining as Leadville 100 SS, Afton 2-4 on team (9-laps), & 2 Hillside races all since August 15 led me into this weekend. From head to toe my insides we're off. Mental tard gas and lead legs would sum it up. Looking for comfort I put on the heavey tires and wheel up front (plus 1lbs was steady but slow?) For ST I put back on the lighter wheel and 460 gram Raven tire. I went as easy as possible in the ST which unlike last year got me lapped. The XC race was a real treat. 3 full laps and 0ne half to make it real. Off the start I hung near rear of pack not looking to blow too early. Once past hwood on his single i led a group up suicide. I think it was Wenk, Justin and Larry back a bit following me through the single track of first half lap. I kept my pace honest. Later Wenk went by charging for start line and Larry caught me near lakeside drops. Jan was reeling us in. Jan took the lead somewhere after suicide hill and I got on his wheel leaving Larry behind. Start of lap 2 I was eager to slam water as Amy missed me lap 1 !! Anyway Jenna caught me on lap 2 starting xc trails and I got on her wheel. Thank you Jenna! It was a grand turning point in my race. I passed her at top of sketchy climb before lakeside drops. You can see in video she reeled me back in at lakeside drops. I kept her behind through most of the lap including suicide hill. We caught Jan and the 3 of us meandered through the woods. At one point I asked Jenna if she'd do another lap like last year, it was a no. Bummer she was a good challenge that day. Near the end of full Lap 2 Jenna hammered for home, I was left contemplating how far Jan was ahead and how Lap 3 would play out. To my surprise no less than Doug, Chris and Jeff we're blown of the front thinking about whether to do lap3 or not. Wow, I realized top 15 was do-able! I was alive and drank like a horse to start lap3. At lakeside drops Jason was OTB and re-grouping....another spot! My job was to catch Jan and ensure a top 15 place. I caught Jan at suicide and hammered SS style to gain a big gap. It worked, only Doug was able to catch and pass me....finished 14th overtrained. Sweet, some cash was mine. Later that night it was party time. Found Hollywood and many others to hang with around the fire, all good, all good. Thanks LCR for the beverages!

Hillside to Maplelag!!!

Hillside last night a bit ugly as realized Stans Crow had it's day(maybe for Cheq40). After a rain or on dark pack (not too dry or loose) Stans tires rule. Uber dry or bigger loose territory tires all over. I ran under 20lbs & rear Crow was hella fun slipper antics. Duh, tires are not all around tires!!! Took a few sections of Hillside to work out Afton24 webs then started to pull away from Trent. He was realing me in and thought he'd make up the 20 sec TT gap & catch me. Nice work Trent. Hopefully my legs have something to give at MapleLag. Either way so much at the Lag. Jay & fam put on such a fun event weekend. TT, XC, ST all good. Don't miss it. The schedule on the Maplelag site here.

Latest Bike Set-Up

I was actually happy with the bike set-up the entire Afton race. Same Stans tires I blamed for that Awesome Crash (click pic twice)worked all eve, all dewy wet night and all sunny day. No no no nothing too new on the bike. I ain't sponsored by a bike co per-si'. I still have the same 2007 Kona Scandium and Misfit Aluminum frames. Same 1+year old Ameri-classic 29'er light wt/duty wheels. Same orange cables. Same paper thin brake levers. My arms don't get sore from rigid anymore, yes! The Black Ops Origin8 fork (w/removeable canti posts) works like it should, even screaming down Afton front S-Turns....ripp'n rigid. Those Stans Crow & Ravens did well pre-fall season at near 20lbs psi, neary a pump in 24 hrs of Afton. It all worked awesome. I had a 36T front ring and 9spd 11-32 rear. Perfect for my 9 laps. I'll race 1x9 the next few races then back to SS for Chequamegon & St. Cloud. Keep keeping on!