Nineteen or Eighteen?

Whoa, this video is out there, funny what triggers a song. Is it Alice Cooper... Y/N??? Biking: Removed shifters & multi- gears off geary 29'er. Result 19 pounder. At Hillside race last Thursday, hotlap w/ 38x18, 2nd place. 19t would-duh worked better. Hmmm, what to run at Chequamie. Thinking it's 38x17? 44x19? 44x18? On a completley separate note. Alta, appendice taken out today! We are in the hospital recovering fine.

Camp Maplelag MNSCS # 9

ARE YOU READY KIDS!!!!!! Hey kids did you miss it?? Maplelag XC course is one of the toughest and funnest around. Did you show up, survive or DNF? I'm guessing 7 experts dnf'ed. Speaking of kids.....check out picture here 25 kids in the kids comp class!!! .

Maplelag is like going to Camp. Thank You Richards family for Camp Maplelag!! The lake, swimming, fishing, friends, non-stop race action, home style food, cookie jars, movie room, skills clinic, main lodge, dinner bell? Everyone has kid like energy. It's hard to explain the great job the Richard's family does. Food is inclusive with overnight stay, so everyone sits together at mess hall on wooden benches and tables. The food rolls out on carts, you just want to start singing like at camp when it's served.

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Anyway, for the long weekend all five in my family plus my Dad all headed up. We all raced. I can't even begin to share the fun we all had. On the left is a picture of Leo after a full day at camp. By the way Duncan is fine, a bit sore, but fine.

The Time Trail Saturday AM hurt as my biking time has been lacking. Time has got the best of me, hence my late blog post! This week I started 2 more MBA classes(I'm halfway through St. Thomas MBA program), kids are back in school, and the actual egress windows are both finally in!!

In the short track my goal was to simply not get passed by the leaders. I lost three spots when my chain came off on final lap/hill, looks like weak derailuer to me. Important thing is met goal of not being passed by expert leaders, whew. Duncan also did ST and was leading for a few laps. It was so fun to see him hammer it out with the leaders. What a race. He took 1st in citizen males in ST and overall. Far out!! The short track is a blast to watch.

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In the Cross Country race on Sunday, we all raced. Alta and Leo did kids comp. Everyone finished. All but Leo got 1st or second in age. I should mention my Dad at 67 was the oldest, and got first. He stood on the podium alone, on the top. Anyone have a picture of that? I'm sure most of you spoke with him this weekend, he sure had a great time.

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Since some of you other old farts like my XC race re-caps, I'll recap. First off, let me say got my butt kicked by a 15 year old. Yeah, thanks for making feel young Jake!! From no training to way into expert mix, very nice. So you know, my race re-cap might be a little long, so stop reading and check out pictures below if you want. See ya....

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Ok, the expert race went like this from my view: the start went well as didn't go for broke but hung in around 15th. After first single track the glimpses of leaders diminished. On downhill before the steep open gravely climb my chain sucked into BB area again. I got off bike to fix, Barry and about 6 other guys wizzed by. I made up some ground on the gravely climb. From there it was to the lake side drops. It was follow Hollywood, Shane, and Lance toward suicide hill. Matt Kurke was near, Jan was somewhere behind and Barry was up ahead somewhere. Shane and Hollywood went back and forth a few times, then at suicide hill I hammered past a few folk. Eventually I passed Tom and caught up with Barry. I think that was all during lap 1.

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Lap two Barry and I pedaled together talking about how long a race it was going to be. Barry is really good at following and showing me his wheel. He knows I'm a sucker for a race and will speed up if challenged. He did this on short track and other races. We actually joke about it. As we cruised along we knew Jan was coming, Matt caught us. Paul was ahead and eventually came in site.

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Lap 2 and 3 was a bit blurred as Paul was always there and/or ahead, Jan did catch us. Matt, Paul and I all went after or chased Jan at one point or another. I passed Jan once and passed Paul about four times. It was near 90 degrees, hot, and a tough course. Yowza. I do remember Seeing Barry catching me again at beginning of lap 3.

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So at start of lap 3 it became myself, Barry then Matt. Jan was way gone and Paul was ahead somewhere. At suicide hill Barry the steady one made his move. My legs said no with a few electrical shocks, I had to let Barry and Paul go. Finally I steadied my pace and kept Matt off. It was hard but finally caught Paul and passed him. He was basically riding one handed, yep, what a finish for him. I never saw Barry but ended 45 seconds behind him.

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It was a hard race for me but happy to finish in the money and not DNF. Check out the expert money picture. Barry and I we're having fun in nose bleed row. (all pictures are from my Dad's or my Camera, one might be Dana'a which I'm sure to buy a few pics from her again).

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Looks like for my efforts this year I'll end up 6th or 7th overall experts for 2008 season. Not bad for a 42 year old. My goals have been mosly set on next year, we'll see..... Later!

In a hole at the boarder WORS

So as expected after 2 big digs this week, results suffered. Attached is a shot of 1 of the 2 holes I dug this week. Oh me arms! Add in a 24 hr race last weekend, it's a knock out. Leo, Duncan & I showed up early enough. Yet when I heard kiddie race was up I quickly found Leo & signed him up. Anyway, once the boys we're set just 20 min of warm up not enough. The race was fun but I dropped my gel flask, stopped hard & broke my front brake cable loose. So for two+ laps went without front brake. A guy cut me off causing me to save a crash with both feet, he said sorry after race. Lap 4 no water cause it fell out somewhere. Yup one bottle was mine! By lap 5 I was coming on strong, wish race had 2 more laps!! Oh well, wasn't just me.... I saw Brendan's chain fall off at start & later heard had no gears, just 3to1 ratio. So another race done. Come on Maplelag.......

Oh I EGRESS!!

Ok so Afton was great cause we (LCR) showed up, lots of team fun. Guess it wasn't too clear in previous post, I scored fasted lap and my team won overall too! if you were there you saw these awards handed out. Nice vids of racers on stage ect. My favorite is my son Duncan and Trent, Micole & Jordan the "LCR" (Little Crazy Racer's) geting recognized for their 11, 13, 15 & 15 yr old efforts. 19 laps, way to go!!

This week after Afton 24 was just swell, more like swelling. Monday Jimmay & I hit Theo on our PUGS to spin out Afton. A few side adventures, a hot lap then libations & pizza at the legion. We saw a large group of morc'es, all good. The enclosed picture shows Tuesday night & Wednesday night digs (2 windows!), also shows Thursday night race results. Yeah, dig'n holes makes ya sore. Not a bad Hllside race result considering all and a bee sting on the knogg! Today, Friday, snuck 1 hr ride in. Then dug some more to fit gavanized tub in hole. Saturday the last tub and egress widows go in.

Sunday it's boarder battle in WI. Needless to say all the sleep in the world won't help muscles recover in time, but I EGRESS, I mean digress. Looking forward to Maplelag more than anything....a most excellent time.

24 Hours of Afton (LCR in the House)

Salsa 2 4 as it's now called was a blast. Perfect weather, full moon, tons of swag, MORC/Salsa ran a stellar show. The non-race festivites, games and food we're swell. I can see this event becoming bigger n bigger. With 9-mile so close or perhaps name change speculations, folks missed out!!! Dan Dittmer won solo easy, stopping early (21 laps). LCR cleaned up with the following:

-1st place overall team; LCR, Farm, Riccoh, 33 laps

-2nd place overall team; LCR Misfits

-Fastest Lap honors 37:14

-1st place Solo Women

-2nd place Solo Women

-3rd place Solo Man

-1st place Wheelie

-LCR Kids Team age 11, 13, 15, 15 completed 19 laps and were recognized

Nice job team!! Oh by the way I scored an Ergon pack and grips for fastest lap. Very cool thanks Jeff Kerkove you rock. also AFTON, Salsa, MORC, Penn Cycle, Nightrider, Twin Six, Hammer, REI and the Four Firkins supported. Check out the Four Firkins, great lil beverage shop. Anyway, good times........later.

MNSCS Buck Bump

Duncan, Leo, Dad and I headed out to the MNSCS race today at Buck Hill. Not too many people. 1hr 13m expert winning time. Too short. Very dry conditions but fast.

LEO finished a full lap. Check out how the little ones go downhill...whew!

DUNCAN had one of his better races dualing it out and edging in just ahead with a sprint finish!! No pics. My DAD finished but thought the course was a bit technical. He took it out on a tree. He's all good and scored second in age 60+!! My Dad! "turn your speakers down"

My race had a fun beginning and end..... I did it again, silly me.....off the start led expert pack up first climbs up to tar road. I went out hard and looked back surprised to see big gap(will they ever take me seriously?). I settled in about 7th on the road. Dave O and I worked for a bit until lap 2 my chain sucked into BB area. I had to dismount. Jan caught me as I struggled to put my chain on. Then I passed Jan and we reeled in Dave, then the chain came off again(dismount!!!!) For almost 2 laps I struggled to get my gears from skipping adjusting the shifter barrel. Finally figured out the chain suck'n in BB area must have bent my chain. Yep a really bad bend. Once I removed the bad section of chain with the tool it no longer skipped. By then I was 5+ minutes back from previous position, it cost me 7 or more spots...ended 15th, 2nd in age. Jan is two races ahead now! About the start, I figured it wouldn't hurt anyone's game if I went out fast (it didn't). I had power all day....just ask Andy about our sprint finish. Expert start video without climbs below.....who's old and slow??????

After the race we went to Horner's for an LCR team BBQ. We all had fun. Kid's still had energy...

That's it.

Later..........

Leadville 100 MTB Results Weins over Armstrong

The 2008 Leadville 100 site was acting weird but it finally came up. Unofficial Results .....Dave Wiens 6 hrs 45mins 45 secs .....Lance Armstrong 6 hrs 47 mins 41 secs GREAT VIDEO OF RACE