Buck#11 Angry Red Squirrel

Mount Graham Red Squirrel, one of the most endangered mammals in North America!!!!

ANGRY RED SQUIRREL! That being my nick name I searched da web and found a t-shirt a few years back. People asked me last night and always where I got the shirt. Here you go. Interesting stickers and garb too. The Angry Red Squirrel sticker is going on my bike, not yours. :) I hesitate to share such a fine find.

So Buck Hill after Du Lac Dirtspanker was hard. I had a sandbox start. Found myself chasing Zilla and Broten and many other riddlers. All good. I went into the weeds to get into 3rd by first little woods section. Kevin and I then went back and forth chasing after Matt for a lap. Jesse to far up. I got by Kevin for good, and maybe it was when he dropped out? Not sure what happened to him. Long story short I battled Du Lac demons and Matt ending 2nd behind Jesse.

Duncan has a good start and said he was near top 20 before he went 4x4 into the weeds at end of lap1. He still finished un-harmed. Leo did the one lapper and did a bronco almost going over the bars but said he survived fine, no scratches. Mom did rec and got 2nd as well!! Alta just hung out and had fun. We all went to Burger Jones after. Good times.

Du Lac 3 No No's and Furnaced

Duncan at Buck, and we thought that race was hot. Ha DuLAC was much hotter, Duluth area even!

I raced with no shock, no gloves and no gears. I like the no gloves because it may keep me cooler and gloves can leave marks, bunch up and I really don't need. Sure it's a bit slippery sometimes but 10 years back my grips would actually fly off at times (that was fun). The no shock helps me climb and stay sharp all day. The no gears, the same. I will admit it was a tough day...

I will say DuLac is so far the most challenging SS course this year. It's bumpy. It's a steep opening climb, and the bottom to top climbing longer than Red Wing. At the start we all joked about the heat and a roll out start. I got a little attention for the 3 No's. The gang knew my speed was what it was going to be going up that climb. I went an easy gear this year, 32x19. Brendan et all paced. I crested the grassy climb in first. Brendan went by at the saddle/road. Yep it's true, even he breathes hard when working. I was hammered from the climb, Brendan, Jesse, Scott, & Devin went ahead, Joshua a bit up the road too. I held the rest off pounding up the top steep part of the road. It was hard even with 32x19. Into the woods in 6th....

Later in 1st lap Eric wanted to go by. Then I was 7th. That was that. It was a game of keep it steady and pound or run up the road faster than chasers could see. They never saw me after start of lap2. On last lap I was realing in Devin, but didn't have any left to bridge the short distance. Ended 7th and in the money!
Gitchee Gumee? Also that's my Angry Catfish jersey in pic. All I can say is good things about my carbon Niner and the Angry Catfish shop. So far a swell year with good results all around.

Grandpa finished his citizen race slow and safe. Duncan on 1x8 placed 9th overall in sport!!!!!. It was super duper hot, blazing like a furnace - way thick heat. We all felt way blasted after the race. I can't wait to see pics of the sufferfest. I have links on right for usual pic peeps.

Something funny? Or Anoy'n. Go to my 2006 post about Du Lac. Duncan video taped the Comp and Expert DuLac starts. Duncan was 11 ha ha. Check out Lonnie!! Check out The DuLac start climb. Ha ha. Later.

MTB Nationals Idaho - Ain't Buck

Nope I didn't go to Nat's in Idaho. Jack Hinkins got second in U23! Nice timing. Jake was there and had a respectable finish. Can't wait to hear about it.

Guess I'm boring but I only get away with so many trips a year. Too many trips & I get the betty crocker rolling pin accross the knoggun effect. Hurts. I hope Amy don't read this or I'll get it anyway.

So it's 10 for Buck series this year, 11 if you count the MMS series race. Call me crazy but I enjoy every Buck night. Duncan made it to each race with me. That's fun in itself. The grab the gear and go after work ritual, set. We also have other rituals like stop at gas station so D-Man can get his cookies. The rush down south not so bad now. The atmosphere on-site always great. The course always awesome training. This week the course was tacky fast, yet bumpier from the prior series race. There was a band. There was vendors. Swag, you bet! Fireworks show!!! There was good talk and the weather was NOT hot. Just a bit humid. All good.

I better replace the cleats, my foot popped out twice after the starting gun (that gun was loud!). Guse was behind me thinking I'd be a good follow but quickly learned of my challenging start. He yelled, "come on Heath!" I finally got it going better and started up the grassy hill in the teens again. Guess that's my game nowadays. Up the grassy climb I passed a few. I noticed a mystery man hammering 3rd chasing Brendan and Jesse. He was my goal.

Start of lap 2 I got by Luke, Dan, and a few others. Fast forward the spinning. Start of lap4 I was finally closing in on mystery dude. But Brendan Bellow gave me a scare. Brendan was closing the gap to me fast at start of lap4. Nice. I thought his good day effort may catch me....he was close...we we're both closing in on mystery dude. I put the gas on pretty hard up the grassy climb. Then up tar climb gave it up and made sure to keep it on until over the crest. That momentum actually bridged me to mystery dude. Wow! I asked him what happened, he said nothing. I stayed with him but once in the open switchbacks I saw him big ring it away. The whole race I was amazed at his slow cadence speed. Made me miss the big ring. Anyway I ended 4th. I tried.

Mystery man Mark I spoke to him briefly, he's from MA, nice guy. Check out his accomplishments here or at USA cycling. It's always interesting when a roadie can actually tear it up enough in dirt. I find it intersting when a stranger comes and tears it up. Like Bryson Perry who showed up to Penn Buck race #3. I remember his name from leadville. Anyway glad Fisher showed up to make sure he ended 4th at our local. I was that mystery man once. On business in Austin, TX I ended 2nd in Pro and overall. It was a muddy course not many showed but got $106 cash payout, good times. DuLac, you bet.

The Steady Arrow Hits The Target

Leo's birthday present. Steady.... Steady...

All us squirrel's have been steady of late. Steady and straight like an arrow Duncan has been enjoying Buck. 4 laps no big thing for him anymore. He did well last Thursday and on Sunday.

My Dad raced on Sunday too. Check out the pic from skinny ski (there's a few pics I will e-mail and buy from the ski). Skinny ski is so cool. http://www.skinnyski.com/

I've been racing pretty good latey. Per the plan steady results as of late. Can't complain. Last Thursday got 3rd at Buck. Sunday after a call up and front line start couldn't clip in. Starts aren't everything, ha! Sometimes it takes a second try but this time it was mid-sole pedaling for 20feet. Finally relief, it will work...clipped!! I took the middle of the gravel road at that point because my personal clip in mayham left no options.

Up the grassy climb I was near 20th!!!! I passed a few. On pavement climb I passed many more. And so the day went. Regardless of heat, I had it. I was able to get real close to Jake a few times lap 5 and 6 but in the end with traffic settled (HOT) finishing 6th overall, 3rd in pro. I'm not always in the money....and rare I get top three in pro too. Thanks Jeff, Sam & Jake for not renewing or not getting that license.

It was a super hot day. Course was tacky and SS rigid is best choice for me bar none. It was a super fun seeing my pops racing, supporting for D-man, and having him support me. Just makes me smile. Thanks!

Cross Training Tips

My cross training tip: do it with the kids. See pics. Canoe'n multiple days, once with whole family pulling a raft behind canoe. Many hours paddling!! I did find time to bike to Leb to do a quick lap and back 50+ miles on 1by8spd MTB. Letting training secrets out below.

I get asked lots of questions about training. I always tell the story about my 2005 base miles, details that worked for me. Ask me, I chatter. By the way, if you saw the mnmtbseries video you know I'm nerd like. Analyst by day.... Check out my training blog(it's quite popular). Look on right side of this blog for link. Once at the training blog look on right side of it for my favorite articles. I take the approach, "figure yourself out self coach." Warning- a bit dorky if you read my posts but no surprise right? As always advice is cheap.

Buck n Roll

With 102 degree heat index it was bound to be a good Buck. No excuses. I'll make this quick. I got the hole shot with Dave tracking my wheel. Dave blasted by at start of lap2. I chased/finished second with Matt keeping my chase honest. D-Man did the showman finish line wheelie with a special trick to end the show. He's ok. Duncan gained 10 minutes vs. prior week in 4 lap race. He's rocking the 29 SS. Him and I will have fun at Afton 24..... Nerd Out.

Guilty by Associations (at the wing)

Red Wing MN MTB series race, a great time! Funny how we are all guilty by association. I'm not just talking about my 70yr old pops (on-right) or Duncan either.

We do this thing called MTB racing. All kinds of us goofy types. One thing we all talk and seek is a good start. The best part about the start is, although it matters, it's not the end all deal if your not stuck in too slow a group. The local racer gaps aren't that great.....but I'll never learn. I want the fast start just like every other kid in every race level. Right?!

I got the last call up spot and tried to fit beside Brendan. He engineeeeered himself an outside spot and left enough room for me to get beside(sort of). Not quite enough room. The family chit chat conversation didn't looosen the situation either. I could tell he didn't want me on the line. I decided not too push it, after all my starts are faster - for first 50-150ft anyway :). 

I knew darn well my SS wasn't going to cut it for more than 500ft at Red Wing start. And bang, we we're off and I totally reved the uno gear into space. Ha, I bet it was funny to watch. I made sure to keep it safe, none of this happened, all good. Pretty sure I do a good job at the starts safety wise. With my size I want no wipe outs until it's just me in the woods. I entered woods in 20th or more. It was a waiting game between passing groups. But I worked my way up and with big meaty tires finished pretty good. How about that stairway. Harder than Afton w/o manhandler.

Kevin Kvalsten had a good race. He came up on me after I foo foo'ed the water bottle fueling. I sketched the front wheel into loamy drift land and laid it down. Hmmmm Barrry saw me do similiar at Buck recently. I better start taking my multi-day and getting enough sleep. Kevin on his SS beat me by 1 minute(nice job). But I got the stairway clean! Nope not worth it. Speaking of Barry, 3rd overall!! I command you to go fishing now....

D-Man got 3rd in his age. He says he'd been 1st overall in 35 or less SS class. People are starting to realize D-man has an engine. Me too. I got time though right? Right? He was 19th overall in sport. For no training, the racing is doing it for him. Buck Hill video (stay motivated) See you at the races!!