Done

TNWC ride tonight,,, Good hard work with only one day in between racing and today. All day sun until it was time to ride, then 59 degrees and sprinkles on the last day of june. Cold then warm and so forth. Fast pace and lots of wind, the Hessian was killing the pace up front like the energizer bunny. Going up to Trempealeau tomorrow to see the Garro's who are in town visiting family, nice to get to see them as we don't make it to Flagstaff as much as we would like. Great photos from sunday taken by Dana,, she does great work. Time for a recovery beer or two.... sleep and do it all over again.

Domo Mt Kato

Mankato,,,,,,,, Great day for a bike race. Weather was perfect and the trail system there is top notch. After the call ups and pre race jitters gooo was ringing through the air. Hit the hill up front and ready for the work that was a head. By the end of the first climb I was sitting in the top 10 and working on recovery watching Heath take a massive pull on the front end of the group. Fast Fast start.... As lap one sorted it self out I found my comfort zone. Mad at my self for not being able to close down some gapes but happy to keep the ones that I had. Middle of lap to and in to three Heath and I worked together pulling and grinding up some of the climbs and blazing down the steep and buttery descents. I missed the wheel that I wanted to hold on to and put my head down and plugged away. The lap traffic came sooner than I wanted and they had to be passed before the tricky down hills. Lap 4 after getting passed by the same two guys that passed me in Duluth after I crashed, I had to push it hard to stay in contact. One last good push and I caught em at the bottom of the stair case. Across the line in 2nd again in age group and 12th overall. Felt great wish the legs could have gone a little quicker but happy with the way things shook up. Consistency come to mind when I look at the last 4 races. Bummed that Sophia could not make it because of her hurt arm, but she should be back for the next one in Red Wing.. Ahhh Dirt racing so much fun.. Now I want more Dirt...

Walk the Margin

Great group this morning..... At 5:30 it was 64 degrees and almost felt chilly great start to the day. Now time to think about sunday,,, the Spot is cleaned and ready is the driver? I know what to do just need to execute..

Grumply

One of those nights where people just were not happy. I am not going to name names but the grumpy bug was out, and biting. Wednesday night has been a good night lately for the kid and I and we have not been out on the road for a real long time. So we headed out up north to ride around in the coulee's and enjoy a nice late afternoon sun. Great ride for me and the other one did ok for no effort. looked great in here new road shoes from Willy. Dirt for me tomorrow one last single track day to get tuned up before sunday. Sleepy time comes.... Ride fast and Dream Hard..

Gun Show

The AM train was a warm one already 75 at 5:30. I showed up with a knife for a gun fight with the big hitters like Josh and Tj in show. The 44x 17 worked well only missing one sprint. Climbed like a beast and did good all around. Just what was needed for the week to come. Now to drink lots of water going to be 100+ today. Stay cool and Play Loud>>!!

UP

The morning started off well with a huge breakfast and a bit of sunshine. We are full of strawberries here at the house so it is use them where ever you can. Weather man said heavy rain but my map did not show that so it was off to the Proving Grounds. The road going up is green with lot of flowers, and always a great climb, if you went warmed up you are now.

The forest is thick now lots of vegetation and in some places over growing the trail. My only problem is that I am allergic to just about all of it. This past week has been an experiment of histamines and those were all road rides. Glad that I did not head over to the Cup race needed to have a week to my self. Now it is time to get ready for next sunday, Mankato, great little ski area race, they say 500 feet of climbing per lap. Should be a good one. Happy dad's day to the pappa's now time to chill and get ready for the week ahead...

MIM

Minds were in Motion Good event. Smiths put on a good show. Ride was good a few Squirrels but indent free. Dirt tomorrow, then back to work. Nothing left to do but smile smile smile.

Pave

4:45 came early today and if had not been for the stupid cardinal that sits outside my window I may have over slept. Good intervals nothing structured just the work that needed to be done. Summer tomorrow, I'll be a rolling billboard for Smiths. Then fathers day a day for me to ride a bike and drink a beer.

Skanking it Easy

Easy was the call for the day. Find some hills and go up, and then some good tempo riding through the rolling fields. Things are coming along after Sundays event and tues group ride. I need to do this stretching thing more and more. Weekend is going to be a warm one hope to put in as many miles as one can.

Muddy

Legs are taking some time to come around. Need more sleep time but life in the my world has been moving at a fast pace. Easy today with a good dinner and some stretching. More coffee is always good. On a side note to all the H8ters, non believers, Doubters, sinister assholes, who think that racing in MN is a cop out they can put on a kit and line up and see how they do! Or Just Keep it out of My Face!

Dirt Spanker

Hard yes,,,,Harder than I thought that it would be. Very glad to have ridden the trail on saturday with Sophia. I don't think that she was to in to it but that all changed come,,,

Sunday!! Here she is leading out the women up the big first grind. She showed them how to climb.

Coming through on lap 2 she was sitting in 3rd only one minute down I told her to toss her bottle and she chucked right at her brother. Finished in first for age group and 2nd over all.. Great race.

My turn. Great start up the grind 6 or 7th going in to the single. motoring through the first lap I found my self on the deck. Got up and latched on to Eric, only to loose him towards the end of the lap. for the next 2 laps I bounced back and forth passing on the climbs only to get passed on the flats. End of the 3rd lap I took my eyes off the trail to look at a rider ahead who was running and Down I went again. Back up I could hear the Cheers for Heath who was coming for me. Ge got me mid way through the last lap and I got him back shortly their after. My back was in pain but wanted to get it done. One climb to go and one more down and It was over. 2nd in age group and 10th overall. That is 3 for 3 in 2nd place and missed the money by one spot again. Good race and great weekend happy that the whole family went and had a blast in the town of Duluth.

Youth Youth Youth

I hope that JMK likes this one... 20+ years and still kicking ass... Need to find a record store........

Spanker

The Kid and I made it to Mount Du Lac for a pre ride. Glad to get to see the race course before we raced it. Nothing like having to learn it as you race it. Bitch of a grunt on the start and then again on the lap continue. Think that the gear that I chose is right, any steeper and the tight twisty might get hard to power through. Fun single reminded me of Snowmass with the Birch and Pine forest. Been a long time since I have been to Duluth, a lot has changed but lots still the same. First time for the rest of the family. Dinner is next and then ice creme. I want to go fast tomorrow hope all goes well.

Song of The Day

Crusty Eyes

The Sun is up early this time of year and the birds are loud. 4:45 came fast today, but with the sun up I was ready. Until I went out to find a chilly 50 degrees out. Good group one flat which slowed down the morning. Legs are felling good never went into the red. Pre ride tomorrow with the kid then race on sunday. Friday+Sun+ Bikes=Beer Drinking.

TNWC Ride

The Tuesday Night World Champ ride was a good one last night. With light winds and misty rain the temps were ideal. Good group pushing the pace on the flats and flying up the climbs. Legs did what they were supposed to feeling good and hoping to be ready for Duluth. More to come easy to day. Follow the plan.

Birds Birds and Poo

So we have our fair share of crazy's. They come in the shop some times and give us a good show. Now their is this one that has two birds that ride on her handle bars, big birds. She can be nice but is not all there, and lately has been in a bunch. Well today she comes in with a big of cherries for Scot for the work that he had done. She asked me to install a Knog light on her bars. Now i go out there to see these huge birds and as I get near the bike one lets a big SHIT go,,,Nasty. I ask to keep the birds restrained due to their large Talons and beaks. Light gets on thanks are said and stepped over the bird shit. Now Scot has some fruit to eat and he better wash it a whole shit ton.

Gloomy

More rain, not stopping the wheels from spinning. One gear and some fenders do the trick. Easy spins to and from work. Good start, more food please.

Misty Morning

The Weather man is like john denver full of shit. The temps were cool and the clouds were hanging on top of the climbs. Pickle came up from the island to join me for some tempo riding. It was good.

The valleys were cool and windy and the tops were like said misty mountains. Unzip on the way up and dry off on the way down. 50 and cool is this june? Good loop

6 hills some bigger than others and winds in your face with every turn. Would have like more distance but this time of year less is more. Another race coming in 7days. Work tomorrow, and more rain.

Showers

Rain. A good thing it makes my grass green cleans off my driveway.. And gets me off the bike. My OCD makes me ride every day, today is a recovery day a clean and dial in the bike day. A slow day at the shop, shame their is noting to break or light on fire. Tempo tomorrow no race for 7 days.

What it takes to get me out of bed

Best Use of a SUPERFLY!!

Down hill slide

Photo from Dana

Afton

Bike racing at the Old Ski Hill. Sunday set up to be a nice day outside with all but Anna racing. Sophia was first off for two laps of her 10 mile race. You could see that she had some nerves but knew what she needed to do. Coming through on her first lap she was down 40 seconds or so and working hard pissed about some rubbing that had been going on. With a bit more hard work on the back side of the course she was able to come in 1st again in her age group.James was next as he stood on the start line he was all smiles his goal was to take it nice and easy and make sure that his wheels kept spinning. I think that the tall guy behind him was a bit of sandbager . I was next ....A good group of guys at the line and the cool temps of earlier were gone and now it was good and warm. 4 laps 25 miles and lots of climbing. Go a fast lead out to the single track and I was sitting where I need to be going into the first climb. I made my moves and passed as I could as guys reached for gears and chains slipped. The first lap was good with gaps opening which set up some solo riding on 2 and 3. Small groups were formed as I worked with riders and tried to stay up front.It was warm and between that and all the climbing as the race went on riding strong was my goal. Moving smart and pushing it where I could. Coming in to the last lap Hollywood, was shouting encouragement and stuffed my jersey with a had full of Ice. Much cooler now I sat in and got to work picked off one or two more guys and kept moving grinding the climbs and stretching out my back when I could. Last big climb the manhandler I got nipped by a pro rider that i had been holding off I could not stay with him. Happy with my ride I rolled in 2:15 for 25 miles and ready for a beer. Good for 2nd in age group and 11th overall missed the money by 2 spots. More work to be done before the next one in Duluth.