Buck#11 Ebb & Flow

Last weekend back pack or was it luck, or was it lack of biking? 15th for me. Minutes slower than prior week on same or faster course. Chain popped off. Used the 3lbs heavier bike last night. H-wood again, big block with his bike full accross trail. All good fun though. Funny how a drop chain can ding my knee and opposite calf via air spin. Glad the jewels escaped though. Duncan kicked it- was 19th, then 13th & last night 10th in rec class SS 29'er!! Leo got the hole shot again & has the speed bug. Unfortunatley he took a wrong turn and tried to end the lap via finish shoot before he started. He still refused to shift gears. Maybe set him up ss.

Normal Right

These kids actually still like the back pack camping deal. We train'em well. HUNGRY!!!!!!! 1 mile into Afton State Park for the fab 5. Quite the decline then incline to get to high meadow....if there is such a thing around here. Pack it in, we pack it out too. Baby got back. Not a bad workout for short & steep zero class/rating commitment. All in, all good. Cross training twas. Rain over an inch, others left we we're good. Wood on shoulder to avoid another tarp drag. All the goods 1 mile from car.

EGGS and PANCAKES ON

SUNSET HIKE

Buck #10 and July PRO Ranking

All 5 of us hit Buck Hill last night. This was Amy's 2nd race this year. Leo a handful. Alta likes to go for fun. Duncan hit almost every race, I hit them all. 10 races already!! I had a good race. Off the line with a little pedal slip no hole shot. To start I was third btwn H-wood & Barry. H-wood starting moving over fast to get aisde Barry & didn't know he was cutting me off fast!! I said H-wood H-wood!! It was un-nerving as I could sense and see Chris and Brendan's wheels beside me. We managed to avoid issue as no tangle or crash noises occurred. All part of the thrill. After that Brendan, Chris & I hammered past H-wood before 1st set of woods we gapped others a bit. Cody was charging, went by later on hill traverse. I chased those 3 hard but could not hang. That's how it went for rest of 3.5 laps. I held off Barry, John & Dave for 4th! Backwards lap with hairpin funk corners and punchy climbs was fun on SS 29 rigid 36x19! Picture below, current national pro rankings. Funny my ussual top 6 pro finishes around here would equate to 15+ at a local populated western race. And at national circuit race what 40th+ of 50? Regradless it's fun to see my name so high in nat'l ranking. My highest rank yet!!

MNSCS#6 Hillside -and- Buck#9

Duncan roll'n 29'er at Elk River www.skinnyski.com

Thursday before Hillside race Leo, Duncan and I hit up Buck. I felt good on the SS and got the hole shot. Well, led the race to halfway up the big grassy hill. Brendan must have been saving it for Hillside. Anyway Brendan went by and I couldn't hang. Cody, then Chris too. Barry and I rallied until lap traffic slowed us. I waited when he got hung up. Chris had a mechanical. I was able to open up a gap on Barry by 45 seconds for 3rd overall ! http://penncycle.com/articles/july-15-2010-pg1167.htm

Leo ready to roll Citizen class!! Finsihed and liked it like WORS Citizen.

My Hillside Race went well. I used gears for the first time at MNSCS or WORS this year. I did one Buck with gears before Chequamegon100, otherwise all SS. Gears was a good choice at Hillside. Mainly because of the prolouge. Hillside rocks on single but my legs didn't have full power so gears worked. Basically I got a good start then held for three laps. Barry, Dave and I raced together most of the race until Barry hammered away. I couldn't catch him. Barry got me by the 45 seconds I got him with at Buck. Good times. Hillside is faster than most think, 30 seconds is hard to make up. There was a chase group after us but I was able to hold them off for three laps. All good 7th place and money. Cody got his fist win! The LCR gang all went out for dinner after race to celebrate a great day. Richie really knows how to throw a show huh?

WORS White Trash Racing (sqrl training)

To put it simple:

• Family 5, pop-up camper
• Knats, Mosquito, Sun, and Drizzle
• Totally dry course
• Community pool on Saturday 90+ degrees
• Mom says it's not ALL about you (more sun bake, high dive, junk food)
• Sat. pre-ride with sisters n kiddo's, 2x
• More camping maintenance (I gots da 6-pack)
• Pro call up, racing SS 36x17 29'er
• Top 12-15-ish prolouge into woods
• Top 20 start of lap 2 (could see'em all)
• Top 25-ish start o sunny lap 3
• Top 30-ish pedaling for fun lap 4 start. Ect. Ect
• 5 hours a week training no workey!
• Duncan SS 32x18 29'er a success, what a "Sport"
• Leo at 11 yrs completes "Citizen", "this course is buuutal" he saw carnage
• Alta was to run 5km foot race but said NO-WAY to 8:30am start time
• Mom completes Citizen 3rd in age SS 32x19
• Big Hair Day at WORS

RED WING XC "sport start video of under 29 class, pic of my Dad too). Nice pic of Duncan at skinnyski.com D-man made the highlights. We all had good races. Duncan and I went single speed. I scpored 7th for cash payout, wahoo. My race was good but 32x20 gearing too spinny for prolouge. By the time I passed a group of 5 the rest of the speedsters we're off. I saw them a few time but basically in nomads land the whole humid race. MONDAY CLIMBING "climbing with family and Andy" It rained a bit yet we climbed multiple routes that we're dry enough. Look at mom climb again. It's been 15+ years. I was able to onsight crank-n-go-go 10d off the couch. Nice. Check out great pics of climb here .. it looked different but it's the same climb. http://www.mountainproject.com/v/minnesota/barn_bluff_red_wing/perfect_crimb_area/105826082 CANOE FISHING WEDNESDAY "Leo with the big catch" I once again woke Leo early and we fished. I paddled alot on lake Mntka. He caught one!! BUCK HILL THURSDAY AGAIN me and the boys hit it for good times. Had a good race on the single speed 34x18 29'er. Hammered the finish to edge out two for 5th.

5 Hours in a Week!

Today I got on the road bike for a tad over an hour. It's been months since I've gone old school 700cc. It was windy so decided why not. I felt strong. Check it, 2 hours at leb, 1 hour on road and maybe a race this weekend...I might hit 5 hours this week!! It's been weeks of sub 5. Time to ramp up the fun again. Check out this bike for sale. Really really funny. Worth the click i swear. http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/bik/1818360923.html