Slogging Onward Training Recap & Duluth

TRAINING: I'm amazed my fitness has held somewhat. I'm not tearing it up but doing fine consistant results wise. There's nothing wrong just not on the bike. This is year 2 of the grand mid-summer family experiment (less-is-more). Early season and prior year memory enables a maximization of less-is-more. This season included 5 pre-season 9hr on bike weeks before April 30th, Ragnarok included. Don't know about you but 9hrs a week is a alot for my schedule. May on-bike normal. June & July both 15 hours on bike almost half my normal training!! My training has been Buck, Hillside & MNSCS races really no other hard rides to mention. I've enjoyed more dirt and more riding with the kids. Look out I'm going to start training for maplelag now! Oh, check out the USA Cycling rank 40+ and all PRO listings. Ha, must be my consistency in all conditions and regional placements? At my age I'll take it!! DULUTH CAMPING & FUN TIME: Since I averaged one ride a week the last few weeks I decided to keep it going. Ma and Alta had weekend plans. The boys and I road tripped up to Duluth. Near Duluth at Cloquet KOA as it was close enough for Sunday Hawk Chase race. Good times cooking out. Camping (work). Brewski, soda pop, hot dogs cooked on blazing fire etc etc. The KOA has a game room and a swimming pool. Between turning our SS'ers into geary's and above we had fun!! Saturday we actually went on the new Spirit Mtn Alpine slide. No brakes, two rides. Leo loved the alpine slide the most. Not a bad ride at all. Sunday I was worried about Leo all day while racing. Bad feeling with river and long pants. I found him after race and go figure that's when I let him go in river (he did listen while I raced). So once I was back that's when big brother witnessed his panic. Thanks Kent. It was karma that day for sure had me freaked all day.....whew. GREAT HAWK MNSCS RACE: I didn't feel I did that well - felt sorta crappy beat by new folks. Let me back up and say he course was killer. Muddy or dry the climbing potential, fast downhill spurts and bumpy landing make for a great course. Site unseen off the gun I held with the lead pack. But once Doug shot ahead it broke apart, I felt heavy and couldn't respond like I wanted. Once I finally recovered it was hammer time. I passed near 10 to regain top 10ish position before woods. The Freds we're not too furious and the Ravens not too bird like. Needless to say it was challenge. As I led Nikolai, Jake, Devin and Charlie through lap 1 woods I felt settling ready to respond. Trouble came when a car blocked the entrance. Being first time there I went around behind car, most aforementioned boys zipped into woods ahead of me. So it went as did some mental fire. Later lap 2 Doug and I traded places as I did with Mike B. earlier. Late in race Eric O slowly reeled me back only to have his chain break for his second mechanical! No hardware issues just software for me. Duncan still gets faster! Anyway see you soon, looking forward to the next gig. Signed mr. steady.

Hillside Thunder Dome

All good as Leo, Duncan, Amy and I headed to Hillside Thursday. It was hot. Rain seemed remote, but what did we know. The race went hot, sandy in eye, drizzle, dusk, rain, wind, getting dark, holy crap darkness to I think I can see to finish in windy mayham. I missed the wall cloud but saw funny clouds and heavey rain come. The beach unbrella was popped for rain. I'm talking downpour have a beer and watch lightning rain!! The unbrella, leaned against the hatchback then released a bucket of water on my dry shirt and shorts (brrrrr yeah!!). Surprise, family laugh. That was it we joined the "in the rain crew" and ate Amy's salsa. Later we all went out for din din with Z, Jag, & Stairmaster. Good times. Duncan, Mom and I all ss'ed it. I ended 2nd place behind Sam maybe 3 minutes? Definetly not 30sec. 36x19. Out...

Domestic Side Al Tendencies

Dana's MNSCS series photos are posted through Buck Race

AS OF LATE: After 11 Thursday Night Buck races and an MNSCS (see bloody knee :) ) the last Buck race Thursday was a good one. Fun party and race for family. Of the start i had a pedal pop, then clipped both in while spining off start. I like to push forward with toe on ground to help immeadiate forward progress. Sometimes i push too hard and clipped toe will go off the front (hard to explain). Regardless up the climbs i worked to 6th into hole shot (traverses). I was gunning for Ezra & Charie accross traverse. SS after another SS'er sweet. I got both of them lap 1. Later lap 1 Sam & Adam passed me. I chased but couldn't hang. Jesse went by lap 2? Something like that until last laps Dave, Matt and I Settled into a chase group. I led the 3 of us controlling before each climb to enable fresh ss climb efforts. I held them off at the line for 7th. Ended 2nd in BH series#2. D-man & Mom had good races too. Fun party with DNF band. Watch out for D-man, he appears to want to keep racing...

THIS WEEKEND: Putting all aside today to secure proper homeward points. Aka, keep momma happy. Carpet tore off stairs. Doors off boys rooms for painting. Going to dump to clear out garage. The tow truck took the dead van away this am. Poor D-man on his first freeway juant and van went kaPut on first accel. Hope the van will survive...kinda. Fun last night at a deadly bbq. Leo back today from week long boy scout camp. More fun tonight. Sunday maybe climb, canoe or Wisco. Living the domestic life this weekend & hopefully on the sharp end soon.

50-100% more BuckBump for 100-300% more$$

Kidding, the MN State race today was worth the ticket, and did not disapoint in PAIN per dollar spend. I have Buck Hill wired, have not fell this year. Well, today, in the hot 90 degree sun, I fell. Hairpin turn on southern ridge washed out nicely. Not that fast but blood from the knee to the sock! Left knee, and right elbow got some cuts via on-the ground twister action. Break dance buck bump style! I'll be fine. I regained myself and found my pace again for remaining laps. 9th place overall - not bad. Kept a 4 lap pace for 6 laps today, even with a crash and handle bar re-tweak straighten on lap 4 did A'ok! SS 29'er 36x19.

Duncan figured out how to ride single speed 34x20 on lap 3 and 4. His first two laps left him without a shirt, running up and down hills (then he woke up and rode). We'll lap 3 he fell and also like Dad, got some cuts on his side. We're tough and will be fine. No shirt, no good. I chased him up the hill to make sure he was good to continue start of lap2. Anyway way to hang tough and finish D-Man.

Anyway we both finished and survived a very HOT day. GRANDPA was the winner scoring 3rd in age, without a scrape. Nice!!!!!!

Pictures already up at skinnyski.com also I talked to Dana, she will have her always fab pictures available soon.

BY THE WAY, STAY OFF THE ROADS D-MAN has permit.

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!!