Yo Eddy !!

I Love My Bike - Book Review

2012-01-25T22:17:00.000-08:00

Picked this book up from the library last weekend. First glance, "Hey something to flip through at home", thinking one cruise through would be enough. According to plan, once home, flip through I did. More then once as a matter of fact. This is a great little book.

Simple formula of taking pictures of people with their bikes from various cities around the U.S. It all works and I found myself studying the photos in detail, checking out the people and bikes, but more importantly - the cool backgrounds. Well done portraits of people and their two wheel rides. If you ever have the need to photograph people and bikes, one awesome little reference book.

Another reason this book works is due to the majority of fixie hipsters contained within. Fixie hipster I'm not, so that subculture of bikes and uniform was a cool change of pace, over the usual carbon race rig and wanna be racer look. A look I've seen plenty of and guilty of myself, so nice change of vibe to see people in normal street clothes mixed with bikes. Fixed gears, tattoos, urban transport, hipster scene. It's all good and makes for some great pictures.

Book by Matthew Finkle and Brittain Sullivan. Based out of Boston. Nice job.

Vintage Bike Show - Hammer & Tongs

2012-01-17T01:38:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to experience some vintage motorcycle gawkin' and picture snapin' over the weekend, courtesy of the Hammer &Tongs show on Saturday. I hit this show last year and dug it, so penciled in for 2012. Family schedule allowed some rare solo time, so armed with camera, off I went on a rainy and snowy afternoon to the festivities.

Show held at Downtown Harley Davidson in Renton. That be Washington for all you non Pacific Northwest types. Downtown Harley located next door to Renton Motorcycles, mega dealership that closed over the last year. Welcome to the new economy. Apparently when paychecks are running low, two wheeled tomfoolery is pretty easy to cut. Bummer for all involved.

On a happier note, decent sized crowd and Pile-O-Bikes on hand for the vintage show, though not as many specimens as last year. Still plenty of stuff to look over, bring back memories, and maybe even create new ones. I recognized a few bikes from the previous show, but fresh vintage iron also mixed in.

Let's get started with assorted rambling and pictures...

Trick little restored Honda XR75, complete with Jeff Ward Racing goodies included. This would have made some Racer Boy or Girl extremely happy back in '76. Now probably making some old dude happy by restoring and staring at it. Nothing wrong with that. Cool little bike.

On the small bike note, Honda CR60 modified by BBR. Look at that trick pipe - sweet!

Well used Bultaco Pursang 250 in that cool Bultaco shade of blue, circa 1978. I always wanted one of these back in the day. Plenty of two wheeled history associated with this famed Spanish marque.

1971 DKW enduro bike. Yes kids, back in the stone age before iPhones, dirt bikes really looked like this. Note the leading link fork, groovy exhaust system, and Johnny Space Commander headlight. DKW stands for Dampf-Kraft-Wagen. Dude, would that be a killer band name or what?

The iconic Yamaha DT. Many dirt bike careers launched via these bikes during the early to mid '70s. A few of these buzzed around my childhood era neighborhood, much to the lust of motorcycle-less me. A friend occasionally let me ride his 100cc model around the backyard, heady stuff for a 12 year old. Thanks Ray Westcott, wherever you now may be. I still remember roosting through the "puddle" in your yard, that turned out to be a leaky septic tank. The stuff dreams are made of.

Nicely done Hodaka 125 set up for vintage racing, complete with modern up pipe. A cottage industry has sprung up to supply the vintage scene with parts and upgrades. Valuable resource for the vintage collector and racer. Welding up expansion chambers for bikes 30+ years out of their heyday to race one again - almost brings tears to my eyes. Vintage eyes that now require reading glasses. Ironically, Hodaka displayed in front of faded, flared jeans, that were in style when this bike was new. What comes around, goes around. I'm just waiting for feathered hair and tube socks to return. The circle will then be complete.

Super sano Husqvarna looking vintage, yet plenty capable. The black rims add a modern touch to this Swedish thing of moto beauty. That's right. Swedish thing of moto beauty. Yeah, I'm weird.

Super trick Kawasaki KX modified for vintage racing via aluminum swingarm and modern shocks. Again, black rims really sets this off. Very nice bike. The unpainted cylinder/head combo, combined with the handmade down pipe - yes please.

Early Suzuki TM250 appears to have just rolled off the dealer floor, circa '72 or '73. Totally restored and spotless. Not recommended, but you could probably eat off those rims.

Can-Am MX 175 straight out of 1978 for your viewing pleasure. I wanted one of these back in the day. Didn't happen. A boy can dream, can't he? Fast forward 33 years. A man can dream, can't he? Not going to happen.

To keep the Can-Am roll alive, later model 250 looking very orange. Circa '79 or '80 if my failing memory serves me correct. Superbly restored example of Canadian motocross technology from the era of Scott boots, cheap gas, and natural motocross tracks.

Motocross bikes ruled the show, but a few other vintage pieces sprinkled throughout, including this Honda CB160 set up for road racing. Specific class that allows racing on the cheap. Cool set up. Dig that ventilated drum brake, exposed air filters, and chin spoiler.

Maico 400 graces the floor amid a blur of activity. Well, something like that anyway. Fantastic looking bike, reminding me of similar Maico models my pals rode in the past.

Trick Bikes-O-Plenty at the show, this vintage race modified YZ included.

1980 Suzuki RM250 looking race ready. I owned and raced a '79 Suzuki RM125 back in the day, so familiar with this era of RM. By this point in motocross history, long travel suspension was the norm, though air cooling and drum brakes remained. Don't worry kids, you can still go plenty fast on something like this. This was the coolest era of motocross bikes in my view, but hey, I'm a little biased.

Very red, very modified Honda XR. Looks great and I'm sure fun to ride.

A few bikes for sale at the show, fueling the idea to race AHMRA events. Someday, when time allows and the wallet is fatter, I'd dig doing just that. For now, I'll dabble outside the tent, peering in with a camera.

Maico sits at table alone, hoping the cute girl with red hair notices.

The Maico parade continues.

Yamaha YZ 465 looking ready to roost. Call me Mr. Cranky, but when motocross lost the open class two strokes, the sport lost something special. In the right hands, very talented hands required, these bikes were the top of the motocross food chain. Sorta like Tyrannosaurus Rex with knobby tires and loud expansion chamber. Big boy pants required while piloting.

My favorite bike of the show. And I'm a two stroke fan. Custom framed, much modified and hand built, Jawa motocross work of art. Powered by a '60s era Jawa speedway motor. A very interesting bike that draws your eye to details of the construction...

Apparently, right side shifting converted to left side. Amazing fabrication of brake pedal now in its place. Modern carb fuels ancient Jawa motor. Handmade frame cradles everything...

Stainless steel exhaust routes through the middle, complete with damped mount. Notice the aluminum plate motor mounts and hand welding on engine case. I totally dig the ancient looking Jawa motor, combined with the (relatively) modern looking bits and pieces...

Another view to ponder and soak up details...

Very cool bike. Would I'd like to own, build, or maintain something like this? Hell, no. But I do appreciate the build, how different it is, and the work that went into it. I talked to the owner and he mentioned it's also ridden hard and raced. That's coolest part of all - it gets used.

Table full of awards ready to congratulate class winners of the Hammer &Tongs race series. Fantastic looking awards, complete with photo of winning rider. Very well done and more personal then the typical Awards 'R' Us plastic trophy.

Lined up memories awaiting inspection.

Hodaka fitted for modern vintage battle. In high school, during the '70s, I remember stopping in Walt's Hodaka with a friend and his dad. Small, well kept shop in a suburban New Jersey backyard. Yes, a part-time backyard shop.

A few years later, we'd frequent another backyard shop near Hackettstown, New Jersey. Place sold Puch parts, new Hercules motorcycles, and dirt riding accessories. Shop opened by knocking on the house front door, then walking out back to the barn. The tail end of a different motorcycle era. A vast cry from the neon lit, modern motorcycle shop. Was it better? In a way, yes. A lemonade stand compared to modern retailing, especially considering online sales. But a pretty damn cool lemonade stand, run by folks who really knew their lemonade.

Please exit from memory lane. Back to the show...

Spectacular looking CZ rests comfortably on plush carpet. These bikes were a bit before my dirt bike involvement days, though I've always wanted one. Festering in the back of my defective brain, the plan to race AHMRA lives, complete with a CZ in the picture. Perhaps one day.

With a little elbow grease, this could be your next ride. Then again, maybe not. A very battered '78 Honda CR125 for your consideration. I owned a '76 CR125 back in '78, but mine looked, ah, a little cleaner. This one appears to have been stored under water.

On the other end of the scale, super clean '75 Honda CR125.

Museum quality 1978 Harley Davidson MX 250 leaning nonchalant to the left. The motor was actually constructed from half a Sportster v-twin, then converted to two-stroke operation. Go ahead, don't believe me.

Actually, it came from Amarachi, an Italian company AMF owned at the time, along with Harley Davidson. Yes, AMF, the bowling company. Bowling, motocross, and Harley Davidson. Can't understand why that didn't work out. Go figure.

Race modified and battle scarred Yamaha TT500 guards the entrance. Restored Husky provides back up and On Any Sunday memories. Tail end of Yamaha IT175 provides a little blue to the picture.

Harley XR 750 flat track bike. An example where Harleys actually work in the dirt, and quite well. I've never been to a flat track race, should add that to the agenda....

Another insanely well prepped bike? Sure, why not? Add this YZ 250 to the pile.

Artsy slide show of additional pics, since I've temporarily run out of rambling comments. Bask in awe of my alleged photography skills and/or waste more time at work. Go ahead, all your coworkers are busy with Facebook anyway...

Well, there you have it. Time to wrap this thing up in a blur of pre-mix and knobby tires. Fun afternoon of checking out old bikes - many given a new life - and talking with the folks involved. Cool little sub culture that revolves around the vintage scene. I hope you enjoyed the pictures and words reflecting the day. I certainly got a kick out of putting it all together.

Thanks for reading.

Team 7-Eleven - Book Review

2012-01-12T23:56:00.000-08:00

Santa left a few books under the tree this year, including this one. It has something to do with bikes. How did he know? Santa is watching, so you better be good. For goodness sakes.

Full book title is Team 7-Eleven. How An Unsung Band Of American Cyclists Took On The World - And Won. That's a mouthful, or an eyeful, if you can read silently. Book written by Geoff Drake with Jim Ochowicz. Why am I telling you all this? Just look at the cover, official shot of Andy Hampsten, minus head, for the added bonus. Man, that 7-Eleven team kit looked cool, eh? All aboard the steel Merckx. Makes my old school heart all a flutter...

Enough nonsense, let's get down to some serious reading. Oh yeah, I already read it. And I dug it. I may be a bit biased however, since this stuff is from my era. My serious interest in cycling really took off around 1984, so many of the events and characters from the book, I remember from magazine articles back in the day.

Even so, I'm far from being the Team 7-Eleven expert by any means, so did pick up some knowledge and insight. How the midwest speed skating and cycling scene was the birthplace of it all. Jim Ochowicz built this team from the ground up, during a time when American pro cycling was basically non-existent, on a world level anyway.

Back then, I also didn't realize how Eric Heiden really helped launch the team, via his Olympic speed skating fame. Not being one to milk the limelight, he humbly used his celebrity status to draw attention and money to the team - and cycling itself - something he believed in. Without Ochowicz and Heiden, Team 7-Eleven would have never existed. And the entire landscape of US cycling may have developed differently. Consider that Team 7-Eleven morphed into Team Motorola, then into US Postal, along with the Lance Armstrong era. Team 7-Eleven put a US based pro team on the world map. And that changed the face of pro cycling itself for the better. Well, for US fans anyway. True?

The book takes you on the ride, from the very beginning, with all the famous characters along the way: Davis Phinney, Eric Heiden, Ron Kiefel, Jonathan Boyer, Chris Charmichael, Andy Hampsten, Bob Roll - the list goes on with heros from an earlier time in the sport. At one point, Greg LeMond was signed to ride for 7-Eleven, but the deal fell through. Damn, that would have been something to witness. Reading about the big races of that era, now gone, like the Coors Classic and Tour de Trump, reminded me of flipping through the pages of magazines during the '80s, when this was all new. And of course, when Team 7-Eleven headed to Europe to contest the big ones - like the Giro and the Tour de France. It was truly a fantastic era for cycling. Wanna argue about that?

Also, the corporation of 7-Eleven are heros of this era. At the time, business was booming and money was available to invest. They elected to go with cycling, knowing nothing about the sport. They sponsored various teams, build velodromes, and really helped cycling grow in the US. Without 7-Eleven putting up the dough, US cycling may have never taken off during that era. It was a great chain of events and mix of business and cycling personalities.

Ultimately, what I took away from the book, is what made me a 7-Eleven fan to begin with. This gang of folks took on European cycling in an American way, annoying the old school cycling system. The riders worked as a true team, ate Mexican food, got a little crazy off the bike, blindly went into race situations, pulled off spectacular victories, and experienced embarrassing failures along the way. They went from being the underdogs to a respected pro team in the European peloton. They paved the way. They were the prototype American pro cycling team. They made history while thrilling cycling fans. A very cool story to be celebrated.

Taiwanese Fat Chance?

2012-01-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

Checking my Facebook posts this morning, came across this update from MOMBAT.

MOMBAT? That short for the Museum of Mountain Bike Art & Technology. That's one museum I'd like to spent an afternoon visiting. It's housed at First Flight Bikes in North Carolina, and if I ever find myself in that part of the country, will drop in for sure.

Back to the update. Seems they're selling off a few of their vintage bike collection, and one caught my eye, being the Fat City fan. Fat City Cycles super expert I'm not, but know a fair amount about the history and models - as well as owning a '86 Fat Chance and '91 Yo Eddy - from back in the day.

Fat City bikes were all hand made in the U.S.A. First at their Somerville, MA location, then later via a joint venture with Serotta, in New York state. That's what I thought anyway...

According to this ad, Fat City dabbled with frames made in Taiwan for the Canadian market. Out of the many Fat City related articles, catalogs, and other stories over the years - I've never heard of this. True? If so, doesn't surprise me since Fat City was growing at the time. Interesting story anyway.

Picture of the '91 Taiwanese Fat Chance, courtesy of the MOMBAT site. Click here for more views and details.

I can't confirm or deny the off-shore frames for Canada story, but found it kind of interesting and adds another piece to Fat City Cycles lore. Would I buy this bike? Probably not. But for a collector, a possible cool bike to own, just for the history of it all. If interested, it could be yours. Act now.

Team JL Velo Cyclocross Season - Pile-O-Pics

2012-01-10T22:55:00.000-08:00

For your amusement, a kaleidoscope of the entire 2011 Northwest Velo/JL Velo Racing cyclocross season. Well, at least the events where Racer Boy Ian participated - that's my boy. It was a fun fall for both of us. Him on the racer side and me on the camera side.

I took a few zillions pics during the 'cross season, some already posted on my little ol' blog. I also posted team only pics in Google for the team to cruise through. Slideshow of 'em all below. Grab a drink and pull up a chair.

Some technically a little blurry and/or not perfect, but not bad. Intent was to capture as many teammates as possible with emphasis on the junior racers. What's cooler then kids looking pro and racing 'cross?

Labor Day Cyclocross Championship. 09/05/11. Milton, WA.

MFG Series Race # 1. 09/11/11. Kirkland, WA.

MFG Series Race # 2. 09/18/11. Issaquah, WA.

Seattle Series Race # 1. 09/25/11. Redmond, WA.

MFG Series Race # 3. 10/02/11. North Bend, WA.

Seattle Series Race # 2. 10/09/11. Lakewood, WA.

Seattle Series Race # 3. 10/16/11. Everett, WA.

MFG Series Race # 4. 10/23/11. Redmond, WA.

MFG Series Race # 5. 10/31/11. Seattle, WA.

MFG Series Race # 6, 11/13/11. Seattle, WA.

Seattle Series Race # 7. 11/27/11. Monroe, WA.

Washington State Cyclocross Championship. 12/04/11. Arlington, WA.

Well, there you have it. Pile-O-Pics reflecting our 'cross season. Next fall will roll around sooner then expected. Time flies when you're getting old. Until then, much mountain biking and even a little pavement cruising in the works. Now its your turn to ride and grab some pictures.

Steelman XO-1

2012-01-08T17:06:00.001-08:00

Cruising through the Steelman site, came across his modern version of the iconic Bridgestone XO-1. Very cool bike, eh? Handmade steel, disk brakes, mustache 'bars, celeste paint. Awesome "do everything" rig with a higher end edge.

Click here for more pics, including frame details. Very nice indeed.

Welcome to 2012

2012-01-01T21:10:00.000-08:00

No better way to ring in the new year then a mountain bike ride. True? Sunny and 50 degrees, pretty sweet for the first day of January and 2012.

2012? Sounds like we should manning personal flying machines. I guess in a way, we did just that. Crummy photos as proof, shot on the fly, heading back home through the neighborhood.

With recent rain expected the local trails to be Mud-O-Rama. Not the case, slightly wet and all around perfect. Due to a crazy workload, holiday festivities, along with other excuses - first time I've been riding in weeks. Been awhile since Racer Boy Ian and I cruised the trails together. A great day out. Some singletrack cruisin', Clif Bar eatin', and father-son talkin'. Nothing better then sharing a ride and outdoor time with your kids.

Happy New Year to all who actually check out my little ol' blog. Hope your upcoming year is full of fun rides, cool trails, and great folks to be with. Let's bring on 2012 with as much time as possible on two wheels.

Yo Eddy Slingshot - What?

2011-12-27T22:15:00.000-08:00

What to do with a damaged beyond repair Yo Eddy fork? Make a slingshot out of it, of course. Well, that's what Rody Walter of Groovy Cycleworks does. Pretty cool, eh? It's also for sale, if you're interested.

Besides one off slingshots, Groovy Cycleworks also puts out some, uh, groovy bikes. One man shop specializing in ridable art. Really cool, old school stuff. Besides that, he'll also restore and provide replacement parts for your vintage Fat Chance. Plus, a Groovy Blog to ponder. The full range of creative fun and frolicking.

Always great to see folks like this exist in the bicycle world. Different contrast that will always add something to the culture of it all.

Old School Downhill Action

2011-12-22T22:46:00.000-08:00

Came across this clip of circa '93 downhill racing action. The era of little suspension and a lotta nerve. Downhill bikes have a come a long way since '93, back then 3 inches of suspension was plenty. Bar ends ruled and lycra shorts worked everywhere. People actually downhill racing hardtails. What a (painful) concept.

Check out the high tech starting device, euro dude with the Fat City hat, various early suspension designs, and old school heros Greg Herbold and Insane Wayne Croasdale.

Go ahead, give it a spin. You're probably at work, you could use a break...

Personal Rides: Ellsworth Truth

2011-12-18T16:16:00.001-08:00

It's been awhile since I cranked out an installment of Personal Rides, the critically acclaimed series where I amaze and delight readers with stories of bikes that I've ridden over the years. Soon to be mini-series on Fox, check your local listings...

The year was 1999, Racer Boy Ian almost ready to enter the world. Lovely wife Lori doing the house nesting thing - new crib, set up baby room, and other activities revolving around welcoming your first born. Bike geek, that be me, figured this could be the last chance to score a new mountain bike for quite awhile, not being sure what to expect being a new dad. Apparently, male and female brains are not quite alike.

The new bike selection process began to replace my current main mountain ride at the time, the illustrious '91 Fat Chance Yo Eddy, that I'd been riding since '93. A damn cool bike for sure, but pretty dated with non suspension adjusted geometry and 1" headset - even with rocking the Manitou suspension fork - all 60 mm of bumper technology, complete with greased rod for damping.

By 1999 full suspension had developed enough to work pretty well, so I wanted in, despite my old school roots. After reading and checking on various bikes, I zeroed in on a Ellsworth Truth. Handmade in the USA, four inches of rear travel, and geared towards XC use. Sign me up. One problem though, no one seemed to have 'em in stock. Bummer.

Small, short lived Seattle shop - can't remember the name - was the local Ellsworth dealer. One of the employees let me test ride his personal Truth. Cool, but a few week wait for a frame. I didn't wanna wait. Hey, we have a baby on the way...

I tried the mail order outfit, Cambria, none in stock, but they sent me a demo Truth to ride for a week. I rode it for few days and really liked it. Cambria had no frames in stock, also a wait. Damn. Offered to sell me the demo for a nice price. I didn't care for the parts pick or frame color, so shipped it back. The Cambria folks seemed really cool, even over the phone, wanted to give them my business - but didn't wanna wait for weeks. The search continued.

I forget where, probably from a magazine ad, called another mail order outfit. And at this point, years later, don't even remember the shop's name. Why yes, they did have Truth frames in stock, so I placed my order. Full Shimano XTR, Mavic ceramic rims, Thomson seatpost, Flite saddle, LP carbon 'bars, RockShox SID fork, Chris King headset, the full goodies list. This was gonna be a sweet bike. I gave the dude my credit card number and anxiously waited for the big brown UPS truck. And waited... And waited...

A week or two goes by, I call 'em to check on progress. Oh yeah, we just waiting for the headset, should ship tomorrow. More time goes by. My credit card is billed for the full amount, yet no bike. With very pregnant wife and other more important things to worry about, more time slips. I finally call 'em to cancel my order and magically my bike ships that day. Obviously this shop didn't have frames in stock and/or running by the seat of their lying pants filling orders after billing customers. Very lame indeed. Out of all my bicycle related purchases over the years, the only bad example, since bike related folks tend to be pretty cool. Not a happy customer experience.

In any case, the Truth finally arrived. Pulling it out of the box, looked fantastic. Matt black frame, gothic looking graphics, dark gray XTR, bright blue SID fork, red flight saddle. Awesome. After some minor assembly and tweaking, test ride confirms a sweet bike indeed. Light, snappy, but with rear suspension. The XTR worked flawlessly. The RockShox fork felt great - for awhile anyway. More on that later.

I rarely captured bike related pictures during that era, so only a few exist of the Truth. Here they are, with related tidbits of info from my defective mug...

Here's me, all puffy and red faced, getting my ass kicked during an actual mountain bike race, circa 2008. I wound up crashing heavily, no fault of the Ellsworth, severely bruising my leg and scoring a DNF. Weirdest injury I've ever had. Imagine getting hit in the femur with a baseball bat, but not breaking the bone. I limped around for weeks afterwards. When the swelling deep in my leg let go, entire leg turned various shades of purple, blue and yellow. Ouch.

Incredibly blurry, crappy shot, circa 2007. Ian and I riding the Iron Horse Trail, including the two mile tunnel. This was a medium sized Truth frame, me being between sizes. Seatpost jacked up and long stem to fit. Probably should have went for the large, but coming from the old school XC background, felt fine. I went with XTR v-brakes, looking to be light as possible. Combined with ceramic rims, next best thing to disk brakes.

Three different forks lived on this bike over the years. The original '99 era RockShox SID didn't last long. Adjustment was a hassle, it always seemed to blow through the travel, then include annoying top out noise. Replaced with a '99 Marzocchi Z-2, that felt heavier for sure, but worked well and required no fiddling. In 2004, grabbed a new Fox Talus fork on sale. Adjustable everything, including travel. Fantastic fork, felt like a whole different bike. I usually ran it at 90 mm of travel, steered well and provided enough suspension for XC Geek me.

The Truth was my mountain steed for almost 10 years, 1999 - 2008, a long run for any mountain bike. This being an early Ellsworth, press in bushings for the suspension pivots, instead of bearings. I replaced and greased the bushings occasionally, but still developed the occasional creak. I started spending way too much time tracing down the annoying creak factor and replacement parts were getting scarce. The creaking was actually minor, but enough to drive me insane during a ride. I let my gear head neighbor test ride to sample the noise, he couldn't even hear it. Maybe I am insane, I can't deal with noisy bikes, no matter how minor.

After 9 years of use, slighty creaky pivots, and a hankering to ride a hardtail again (see, I am insane) - I stripped the Ellsworth and sold it off via eBay, complete with minor bidding war.

Pics after strip down....

1999 era goodness, minus parts. I included the Chris King headset as part of the sale. Should of kept it, too late now. The rear suspension design worked well, even though the rear would stiffen under braking. After riding hardtails for 15 years previously, not a concern, still felt like a couch. A light, fast couch mind you. A nice frame indeed.

Detail of BB and pivot area, including pressed in bushings. I dig aluminum frames that feature unfinished welds. Very cool. Easton Ultra Lite sticker in view, to reflect the frame tubing. If I remember correctly, entire frame with rear shock was under 5 pounds. Impressive, especially for 1999.

I really liked the mat black finish and white Gothic graphics. Styling right up my alley.

Expensive to purchase in '99, around $3500 at the time, but worth it after 9 years of use. A 2011 comparable version would run you over $6500, thanks to inflation. Yikes. That's way outta my financial league now. Even for bike nut me, $7000 bicycles seem insanely priced.

For even more of the bargain angle, consider I moved the XTR and Fox fork over to a Cannondale hardtail I built up after the Ellsworth. I rode that for two years, then used the same XTR and Fox fork to build up a great bike for son Ian. Accountant type I'm not, but factor in hours of use and enjoyment and we're talking a fantastic all around deal. Also, add in the $350 I scored selling the frame via eBay. Not bad at all.

In a sense, this bike has come full circle. Purchased as my son was born in '99, now he's racing and riding with most of the components off it, 12 years later. How cool is that?

Cyclocross State Championship - The Season Ends

2011-12-09T13:24:00.000-08:00

Late and final Cross-O-Report for the season, you get what you pay for, which for this quick post - not much. Race was last Sunday, pics uploaded to blog days ago, finally threw some words down and posted. Better late then never.

Season closer was the Washington State Cyclocross Championship, have a good day and you'll be crowned state champion for your division. Racer and spectator numbers seemed a little down from the MFG or Seattle series, but still a good turn out. Speeds seemed to be up a bit, since doing well could earn some serious bragging rights.

Pics and words from the event...

Cool venue, area near the small airport in Arlington, Washington. Cold weather greeted all, but a really nice winter day. Early December is still technically fall, seems like winter to me. Here, wave of racers waits for the start under a low level sun.

On your mark, get set .....

Ice, ice baby. Cold in the morning, giving way to sunny temps in the 40s. Reminded me of my East Coast roots. Cold and clear.

Frost tent.

Enter the light.

Blur in.

Blur out.

JL Velo juniors warm up. A team that warms up together, races together. Kinetic, now a team sponsor, offered up a pile of trainers for the team. Sweet!

My son and Racer Boy Ian, hydrates before the start. That's fancy talk for drinking water.

JL Velo boys ready to rumble in the Junior Boys 13 - 14 division.

Older JL Velo boys ready to rumble in the, uh, older junior divisions. That be 15 - 18 years old.

JL Velo girls Ella and Emma chat on the start line.

High five on the line. They're ready to roll.

Away they go to a scenic backdrop. The Pacific Northwest rocks. Trust me on that.

Follow the tape.

Teammate Evan hits the sand section.

Look where you wanna go.

Henry hits the sand. Fast teammate and 12 year old. Wanna race? Some of these kids can put a whooping on adult racers.

Ian plows into the sand. I can tell by his face, he's going for it. That's my boy.

Emma runs towards the corner and cheering masses.

Brandan cranking out of a corner.

Blurry, but I dig this pic. Shadow me photographs a speeding Ian. Seems to the case now, he races and I support. No problem there. Awesome to see him in action.

Run under the sun.

Some run, Ian rides. Great job.

In the groove.

Hammer time.

Emma rides the sand section. Cool! Always fantastic to see younger girls racing, there seems to be a shortage of 'em.

Dappled sunlight. Course was a mixture of grass, gravel, sand, and a little singletrack.

Race your shadow.

Great venue for a 'cross race.

Ian crosses the finish line, 6th place out of 8 racers in the Junior Boys 13 - 14 class. He rode really well today, could see it, he was going for it. Many fast kids in his class, most of 'em on his team. I think he did great, a nice way to end the 'cross season. He did a lot of racing this fall, around 10 'cross races in all. Very cool and I'm proud of him.

Teammate Emma with a 2nd place finish in the Junior Girls 13 - 14 class. Fantastic.

Teammates Henry and Jarrett take 2nd and 1st place respectively in the Junior Boys 13 - 14 class, with Jarrett now officially state champion. Congratulations.

Teammate Theo scored a 2nd place in the Junior Boys 15 - 16 division. Nice!

Teammates Brandan and Parker score 1st and 3rd in the Junior Boys 17 - 18 division. Another state champ for team JL Velo. Brave lad in 2nd place rocks the podium kilt.

Ringside view from the JL Velo team tent.

Another burger please. Burp. Thanks. Life is rough.

Well, there it is sports fans. Another well run event, another cyclocross season in the books. Third 'cross season for Ian, first season racing with a team. I did a whopping two 'cross races myself, Ian is the real racer of the family. Even though I've been racing lame, been a blast watching him in action and grabbing some photos. It's all good.

Now time for some fun mountain bike rides together, the mountain bike race season a few weeks down the road. Stay tuned.

Alone in the Mayhem

2011-12-08T23:47:00.000-08:00

Crazy busy at work for the last few weeks. Then add in busy at home with family and kid related festivities - homework, projects, sports practices, bike racing - it's all been a little loopy. I haven't ridden my own bike in weeks. Not cool.

Times like this I daydream about living like Dick Proenneke. Who? The dude that lived in Alaska on his own for years. Our local PBS station replays this film at least once a year. Just a cabin and sharp axe required. No work, commute, or helping kids with endless math homework sheets. Yes please.

Live there for years? No. A good solid month would do for me. I'll keep dreaming.

On Any Sunday - The Movie

2011-12-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

While cruising Facebook last Saturday night, came across a posted link to the entire 1971 Bruce Brown classic, "On Any Sunday". I've seen this film a few times, but the last was easily over 10 years ago. I clicked the link, intention of watching for a few minutes. An hour and twenty eight minutes later, watched the entire deal via YouTube and enjoyed every second of it. Being from that motorcycle era - well, maybe just a tad later - the film pushes all my old school buttons. It's now pretty dated, but still the best motorcycle documentary ever filmed. Hands down. Thanks to Bruce Brown, who's also responsible for the surfing classic, "The Endless Summer".

This film could never be recreated today for many reasons. First, films from the '70s have that specific look and feel to 'em. A softer, more muted colorful look; I'm sure due to the type of film used during the era. Everything also moves at a slower pace, the camera shots and dialog. Film critic I'm not, but check out some films from the '70 and you'll see what I'm babbling about.

Second, during the '70s, a dirt bike boom hit the U.S. Mini bikes, mini cycles, and dirt bikes were everywhere. The sport of motocross was gaining popularity, along with observed trials and other events. Many manufactures were involved with a huge selection of various dirt motorcycles available. Land access and environmental issues were yet to exist. Plenty of areas existed to play ride, practice motocross, and get out with your friends. For better or worse, that scene is long gone.

The whole overall tone to "On Any Sunday" is about having fun and getting yourself out there - not watching other people ride - the film itself giving you the itch to ride. And many did just that, including myself and a bunch of friends during that era. In my case, not directly from the film - was already involved with dirt bikes - prior to originally seeing it. Still, once viewed, nodding my head in approval the whole time with a smile on my face.

If this film were recreated today - caution, old guy cranky alert - it would probably involve tattooed freestyle motocrossers back flipping over 60 foot jumps, to a death metal or rap soundtrack, complete with fast MTV style clips. The intent being how insane these guys are, while the audience munches on a barrel sized portion of popcorn, complete with two gallon sized soda. The message wouldn't be to get out there yourself. Or maybe I'm just biased or been around the block too many times. Old cranky guy alert over, we now return to our regular programming.

In any case, we still have the original film to inspire and show us a good time. Since I'm a motorcycle guy (though on a few year hiatus) and bicycle guy, viewing the film - reminded me how mountain biking fits the vibe of this film. The final scene of Steve McQueen, Malcom Smith, and Mert Lawwill riding and sliding around the beach, laughing and just having a great time riding together - it's the same for me now getting some pals out for a mountain bike ride.

My '70s memories of dirt biking and racing motocross can't be replaced. However, I now have decades of mountain biking memories piled on top of that. Two wheels in any form is always a good thing.

Click here for the full film on YouTube. Full movies on YouTube disappear at times, so if the link goes bad, do yourself a favor and grab via DVD rental. The film is now a classic and worth the time, no matter what your two wheeled slant may be. Check it out.

Seattle Cyclocross Race # 7 - Last of the Series

2011-11-29T22:35:00.001-08:00

Last race of the Seattle Cyclocross series splashed down last Sunday. Splashed? Yeah, it was a rainy Mud Fest, with all the associated fun and frolicking of racing 'cross in the rain. This event being the final of the seven race series, with son Racer Boy Ian competing in four of 'em. We skipped a few, but combined with the MFG series, we experienced plenty of racing action this fall.

This race held at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, Washington. First time as a race venue for us, though I've been to this site a few times over the years, since it holds the fair and car racing events. I noticed a small supercross style motocross track while driving in for this visit. It sat muddy and quiet, unlike the 'cross action nearby.

Without further ado, some pics and notes from the festivities...

Ian caught mid remount, barriers looming. As you can see, a beautiful fall day for everyone to enjoy. The course was a mixture of mud, wet sand, and wet pavement. Afterwards; a bag of wet, muddy, sandy race kit to lug home.

Yeah. It was a little muddy.

One of Ian's junior teammates goes for the barriers, in full view of team tent. I didn't get many pics of the junior race, since it was pouring and didn't wanna risk drenching the camera. Call me a wussy.

Houston, we have a problem. Teammate Matt looks for a place to land.

Splat. We have touch down. Was up in second and back in the chase.

Ian bares his teeth and sprints for the finish. Handlebar to the right belongs to teammate Emma, racing in the Junior Girls 13-14 class. They've battled it out for two races now. Fun to watch. Girls racers rock. Go Emma!

They blur the camera with their sprint, while another junior racer is consoled on the sideline.

Finish line straight ahead, both of 'em on the gas. I don't know who hit the line first, Ian doesn't either - it was that close. Emma scored a third place for her class for the day - great job. Ian scored way down in the standings, after getting caught behind a start crash, then crashing and getting tangled with a teammate later in the race. Add in the muddy conditions and I'm still proud of him. I get a huge kick out of watching him race, no matter what the results.

Ian displays post race semi clean bike, courtesy of charity bike wash. Proceeds to benefit a local high school mountain bike team. Awesome. Money well donated.

Post race, muddy face, Ian - filling me on the details.

Team tent glove warmer.

Scott, one of the Old Guy Ride regulars, enjoying a post race beer; after doing battle in the CAT4 Master Mens 55+ division.

Rain, mud, campfire and barriers. Must be a 'cross race.

Official blurry leg shot # 1.

JL Velo teammate Cole stands in for official blurry leg shot # 2.

Rain has stopped and another class gets ready to roll.

Are we not women? We are DEVO. Fast girls ready to rock.

Round 'N' Round we go.

Crashes only count if caught on film.

This slightly muddy, slightly steep run up, included at no extra charge. Yes, the junior racers enjoyed this as well. It's this kinda stuff that makes cyclocross oh, so much fun.

Unidentified single speed dude clears the top.

Are we having fun yet?

The joy continues.

View from the top. If this was a mountain bike race, direction would be reversed.

Sound not included with this pic. If it was, you'd hear young lad screaming "Go Mom go!", and how cool is that? Pro photographer woman smiles with approval. Since I've spent so many races running around taking pictures, the pro shooters recognize me with a smile and hello. One pro dude has given me some advice. Nice folks. I really dig cycling related photography and working to get better at it.

Faces of 'cross. I take so many pics, hard to decide which to post. Some better then others. A few zillion others not posted.

Go ahead, take my picture.

Overcast, rain, mud, speed 'n' suffering. I guess that be 'cross.

Did I mention it was muddy?

Reeve, dad to two of Ian's teammates, plows his own mud slot.

I dig doing these blur shots. What can I say?

Next to the 'cross race, some indoor flat track racing taking place. I snuck in for a few shots. Sue me. A whole different crowd and culture, but appeals to my old school roots.

Don't worry. That'll buff right out...

Decent barrier shot, thanks to number 222. Your check is in the mail.

Another Sunday, another race day, another Pile-O-Pics. Despite the weather and tough race, Ian mentioned it was fun and glad he entered. That's what it's all about. The series was well run, with fun courses, fast scoring and results. Great job. This event even sported free hot dogs, bratwurst, and sodas for all. I indulged with a few of each (burp). On top of that, taco pot luck with Ian's team under that shared tent. Nice way to the end the series. We'll be back next year.

Thanks for reading and checking out the pics. Adios for now..

Vintage Motocross Pics - Cool Find

2011-11-26T17:31:00.000-08:00

While cruisin' the web, came across this great collection of vintage motocross pics. Lee Sutton is the photographer, no idea who he is, but certainly enjoyed his images from "back in the day". Those days being my motocross era and arguably the coolest period for the sport.

Well, to me anyway, and few thousand other old dudes...

If interested, click here and enjoy a blast from the past.

Bike Riding Robots Attack

2011-11-22T21:45:00.000-08:00

Techno overkill project, but kinda cool. Call the neighbors, wake the kids - an actual bike riding robot. How much time did this take to develop and construct? Plenty, I'm sure.

What's more amazing is how the human body does this with nuances a robot could never match. Subtle and not so subtle input to remain upright, especially riding off road. Let's see a robot do this...

Okay, give robot designer dude a few more years, and little mechanical freaks will be ripping it with the best of 'em. Even so, I'll take the robot's place every time. Would you rather be in the saddle or running a controller behind the snow fence?

And what if these crazed robots get outta control? It be like two wheeled Godzillas terrorizing motorists far and near...

Start training now. Outrun the robots while you can. You've been warned...

MFG Cyclocross Series Race # 6 - The Final Countdown

2011-11-20T16:02:00.001-08:00

I'm officially late with Cross-O-Report blog action. Real life interrupts. We hit the last of the MFG series a week ago. Let's see what my feeble brain can remember...

Cool event, great venue being Woodland Park right in Seattle. Quite the crowd spectating and racing. Heard the announcer mention 950 adult and junior racers, along with 75 in the kiddie race. That's over 1000 people pounding the pedals. Very impressive. Cyclocross just gets bigger and bigger, with more folks enjoying the scene. And a scene it is.

Racer Boy Ian had a good time, said it was his favorite course of the series, even if he finished way down in the standings for the day. However, after the final tally, scored 4th overall in the series for Junior Boys 13 - 14. Awesome!

Entered, competed, and did his best in all six races. Final points add up to 4th place overall. I'm proud of him. Bike racin' ain't easy. Great job.

My lazy ass competed in two races of the series, with completely lame results. Sad, but true, but fun. Ian is the real racer of the family.

Some views and notes from the day...

Cool little video - not mine - gives you a glimpse of the action.

Some pics from me. Clickin' on 'em will score you a bigger view...

Jarrett, Ian, and Luke. All awkward smiles and teammates.

Henry and Ian at the start.

Jarrett/Ian helmet/mind meld.

Lined up for action. Big fields were the order of the day.

Jarrett leads the train. Took 2nd place for the day and 1st overall in the series for Junior Boys 13 - 14. Fantastic work. JL Velo took 1st through 4th in that class. Nice job to all.

Teammate Emma rounds a corner. Girl racers rock. Emma won the Junior Girls 13 - 14 class for the day and 4th over all for the series. She and Ian battled the whole race, with Emma pulling away at the end. Fast girl.

Ian, flat back, in the drops styling.

Go, Ian, Go!

Teammate Matt in action. 3rd place for the day and 3rd overall in the series, for Junior Boys 10 - 12. Awesome.

This woman raced every event for Team Soft Like a Kitten. Slow, steady, to the cheers of all. A diverse crowd makes up the 'cross scene. Part of the deal that makes it so damn cool.

One of the run ups, including log at the top. Scott, winner of the Junior Boys 13-14 class for the day, rides the entire section including the stairs not shown. Teammate Luke runs behind in chase.

Beginner Men's class is cut off shorts, platform pedals, sneakers - and crashes.

If this dude lost his front reflector, he'd be styling...

Ian attacks the run up. Look at his face, he's working it. That's my boy...

Mountain bike, 'cross bike - doesn't matter. Just do it.

Jarrett rounds a corner. One of my favorite pics of the day.

Luke sprints for the line in a sea of faces. Luke scored the 8th place finish for the day and 8th overall in the series. That be for the Junior Boys 15 - 16 division. Nice kid and solid work.

Rad Racing juniors at the finish.

MFG folks - thanks for a great series.

Teammate Emma sprints for the finish.

Ian in a blur of action, goes for the line.

Post race thoughts.

The kiddie racers go at it, smiles all around...

...well, for most.

Team space heater, an unsung hero. Having a central meeting place has been really cool this year. Shared warm ups, conversation, food, and cheering.

Faces of 'cross.

The 'cross scene rocks.

Single speed mating ritual. First time caught on film.

With that, another MFG series draws to a close. Third MFG series for Ian, first series racing on a team. As with most bike racing experiences - all good - especially for 12 year old Ian. I got out there a little myself, expected to do more, but had a blast watching Ian and snapping pictures. Cyclocross is a fantastic way to race bikes for many types of riders. If you've never raced and have pondered the thought, just give it a go.

The 'cross season isn't completely over. A few races remain on the Seattle series calendar, as well as the state championship in December. I suspect we'll be at a few more events before it all officially ends.

Feet Up Slides 'R' Us - Well, him anyway...

2011-11-18T00:02:00.000-08:00

Time to interrupt the bicycle fluff with a little moto inspired fluff. My motorcycle interest has been on hiatus for a few years, pending more time and larger wallet. Until then, watching other people ride will have to suffice. Including this kid - fun to watch. Cool camera work also. Well done.

I am the Lame Man

2011-11-16T22:32:00.000-08:00

I am the Lame Man.

Planned wind trainer torture in the garage.

I am the Lame Man.

Forgot iPod at work.

I am the Lame Man.

Fueled up on a Clif Bar.

I am the Lame Man.

Here I sit online.

I am the Lame Man.

No music. No trainer action.

I am the Lame Man.

Ritchey P-29er

2011-11-12T23:39:00.000-08:00

Caught wind of this in a recent mag, so headed over to the Ritchey site for more info. How sweet it is. New Ritchey 29er in the paint scheme of the famed P-21 and P-23 bikes of yesteryear. Bit of old school, bit of new school, bit of pretty damn cool. Steel of course. I could live without the complicated "Hey, maybe I'll run singlespeed someday" dropouts. But hey, who am I to judge? I'd still take one of these frames in a second.

The 29er hardtail deal pushes all my buttons. Harks back to the 26" wheel hardtails of my formative years, but ride oh so much nicer - partly due to the wheels, partly due to the modern suspension fork. Now add in the old school Ritchey logo and tri-color paint. Yes please.

Grouchy Chef - Mukilteo, Washington

2011-11-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

Hit dinner last night with a group of old coworkers, as we try to do once or twice a year, since no longer sharing the place of employment. This group an eclectic, intelligent, fun loving gang - very cool folks to know and occasionally hang out with. Sometimes we do lunch, other times dinner. This time, dinner it was.

For this event, someone suggested the Grouchy Chef, a somewhat infamous place due to the one man show that owns and runs it. Think of a real life Soup Nazi - if you're a Seinfeld fan - you know what I'm referring to. If not, well - let's just say this guy, Chef Matsumoto, has been known to throw people out of his restaurant for not following his rules. Rules? Yes, many posted on signs throughout the place. No standing by door, sit on bench. No toasting with the glasses. No men in women's restroom, etc.

The place only sits about 20 people, reservations only, and don't dare to be late. To have this group of friends arrive somewhere on time, it must be serious. Before we went in, asked my pals was this serious or just a schtick. Oh no, he's serious, very interesting guy runs the place. Also turns out a few of 'em have been here before, including one who's a regular and even assisted in setting up the sound system after a move between locations.

So we're in, as they say. I should also mention, the place sits inside an industrial type building, off the main road. Not exactly the usual restaurant setup. My pal who is the regular, has witnessed people being asked to leave the premises due to agitating the chef, or breaking some of his rules. This outta be interesting.

I also later discover another one of my work pals knew him a bit via some martial arts training by a family member. Turns out, Chef Matsumoto is also a very high level martial arts master. I guess you really don't wanna piss him off.

Our 7:00 PM reservation hits and we're inside, sitting on the bench as instructed, then led to our table by the chef himself. He really runs the entire place singlehanded. The interior is clean and sparse, casually fancy - nice. At each seat is a binder with a menu inside, in a few languages. On top of the binder, a printed page informing people not to toast with the expensive water glasses. The chef then verbally informs us the linen napkins are for your lap only, to protect your clothes - not for wiping your mouth or nose. The paper napkins are for that. If you need to blow your nose, you must leave the table. I'm thinking is this for real? Apparently so.

What the place is known for, besides the above mentioned fun facts, is the amazing food he serves at super reasonable prices. Super foodie I'm not, but we're talking a four course gourmet meal for around $20. Plus no tipping. A large jar is available to donate something to cancer research instead of a tip, if you wish. The menu only contains a few items and according to my friends, all of it is great.

After you decide on what to eat, the party lines up to the counter, where Chef Matsumoto takes your order. You then stack the menu and "toasting glass warning info" sheet on the counter. And from what I guess is a Japanese culture thing, you don't directly hand him the money - it's placed in a tray on the counter - along with the change he returns. And yes, this is a cash only deal. The whole process really had the Seinfeld Soup Nazi schtick running through my head.

In short order, the chef is bringing out the first course - yes, soup. Like I mentioned, full blown foodie I'm not, but I don't exactly live on junk food either. The soup was spectacular. And I don't even know what kind it was. I thought about licking the bowl clean, but thought for sure I'd wind up out in the parking lot - banned for life - waiting for my friends to finish dinner, while laughing at my misfortune of incurring the wrath of Chef Matsumoto.

After the insanely good soup, a killer small salad, mixed with pieces of fruit and two small slices of bread. Followed by the main dish, in my case, grilled shrimp with risotto cakes - with some sort mouth watering sauce dribbled over it. Damn, that was good. Pal Scott offered a piece of his steak - impressive as well. Finally, dessert included - a plate with small samples of chocolate mousse cake and other sweets. Not exactly large portions, not the intent here, but a pretty amazing meal for under $20. Not easy to top that. Even without rules.

By the time we were half done, we had the whole place to ourselves. Cool setup. The "No Photography" rule was even broken, with the chef himself manning the camera for a group shot. Not my camera however, so no actual proof offered. He also chatted a bit with some of the gang after the meal. A fun night. According to my pals, the chef was in a good mood. We all finished our meals safe and sound...

I got a kick out of the whole shindig. How many times have you gone out to eat, to be served so so food, by overly friendly folks? Plenty I'm sure. Well, this is the opposite. Amazing food served by an apparently eccentric guy, who takes his craft very seriously, who expects the rules of his house to be followed. As payback, a memorable meal at a bargain price. It seems plenty of his regulars and fans agree. The online feedback - good and bad - as in being tossed out of the place, are pretty entertaining to read.

The fact that he runs the entire place alone, almost puts this into the performance art category. Certainly a different experience then hitting the local Red Lobster. Food critic I'm not, but enough of an experience to bump my usual bike fluff off the blog for a post.

I plan to return, this time with my lovely wife, sans the kids. I've already given her the rundown of the rules required to sample and enjoy this place. It's something out of the ordinary, and that's always a good thing.

MFG Cyclocross Series - Race # 5

2011-10-30T21:56:00.001-07:00

The cyclocross train keeps on rollin' with MFG Race # 5 now in the books. The MFG and Seattle series usually alternate weekends, this weekend being the rare doubleheader. MFG on Saturday and Seattle on Sunday. More 'cross then you can shake a stick at. Better eat your Wheaties.

This patented Cross-O-Report reflecting the action from Saturday...

Magnuson Park in Seattle hosted as the official race site. Spectacular fall day included at no extra charge.

SRAM red and blue skies.

Still working on my alleged photography skills, playing with blur and panning. Crappy, decent, not bad? Place your vote now.

Aligned helmets. Ian to the left of both shots.

Fast kid and teammate Henry, buzzes the tunnel.

Ian dives into the tunnel.

Other junior racers cruise the tunnel. Not really a full tunnel, but a cool vantage point for some overhead shots.

Teammate Jarrett focuses on the win, taking first place for Junior Boys 13 -14 division. Great job.

Ian looking pro running the barriers. Nothing cooler then watching your 12 year old son race. Put in a solid ride, taking 5th place in Junior Boys 13-14 division, only 7 kids in that class for the day.

Not really Ian's type of course - flat, fast, decent amount of pavement - him being more of a technical mountain biker. Also racing with two swollen knuckles, courtesy of a gym class mishap that bent his fingers back. Ouch. Then, even though he seemed fine at the race, spent the rest of the day on the couch feeling sick. We elected to skip the Sunday race and sleep in - smart move - need to keep all this fun and positive.

Being close to Halloween, Costumes-O-Plenty circulating the course. Gotta love the 'cross scene.

Yes indeed.

Surf Rock - Dick Dale Style

2011-10-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

My fascination with surf guitar continues. Specifically, old dudes still rocking surf guitars in defiance to age, trends, tide levels, and loss of hearing.

With that, may I present Dick Dale completely melting ears and shredding guitar picks, along with generally kicking ass. If you don't think this rocks - better get yourself checked...

We now return to our regularly scheduled bike fluff, already in progress...

Link Wray - Late to the Party

2011-10-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

Over the years I've seen the name Link Wray mentioned occasionally. I knew he was some kind of guitar pioneer, but never heard anything he's done. So, I've heard of him, but never heard him. Until recently anyway...

George, a musician work pal of mine and I, did a little music related DVD swap a few weeks back. I loaned him one of my Ramones DVDs in exchange for his copy of It Might Get Loud, which I really enjoyed. The film is worthy of an entire post itself, but that's for another time. In the documentary, Jimmy Page is listening and playing air guitar to Link Wray's Rumble, with a huge grin on his face.

See for yourself, via poor example taken from YouTube...

That put a bug in my ear to hear more of Link Wray, and after a few hours of cruising Google and YouTube, very cool find indeed. Being a fan of louder rock - metal, punk, surf - found his work fascinating. His early country western sound, no thanks, not my deal. His rock oriented work in the '50s and '60, yes please, way ahead of its time.

A few examples from the early '60s...

I've heard The Ventures and Dick Dale, both fantastic surf sounds from that era - but I think Link Wray is even better. There's more of a raw sound to it, which pushes all my buttons. And actual feedback. Feedback, I tell you. Link Wray could very well be the pioneer of the power chord distorted rock sound. And that is the basis for - punk, alternative, grunge - whatever you label it, rock goodness. Amazing.

His life story interesting as well. Born in 1929 in North Carolina, served in the Korean war, contracted tuberculosis that cost him a lung, which curtailed his singing and focus more on guitar. His instrumental Rumble in 1958 put him on the map, however he never obtained full guitar hero status, at least in a modern view. In a sense, denied his rock star fame and fortune, considering the sound he contributed to the evolving rock scene.

Out of all this, what I dig most of his story, is that he continued to perform until 2005. His last show only 4 months before his death at age 76. Incredible. And not only that, from the clips I've viewed, his sound was even better later on. Punchier and louder. Impressive.

Clip from 1998, Link Wray around 70 years old. Incredible. I've watched it about 10 times and still get a kick out of it...

It's always cool to discover great music that's new to you, especially a historic "find" like this. I'm just sorry I'm late to Link Wray party, would have been fantastic to see him live. He may have been possibly the coolest old dude in rock.

Link Wray, R.I.P - with maybe just little feedback for effect...

MFG Cyclocross Series - Race # 4

2011-10-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

Gather 'round kids for yet another tale of 'cross racing and 'cross related folk. Each post very similar to previous editions in words and pictures. Yup, let's put that monthly Internet service payment to use, shall we?

This "same yet slightly different" cross report originates from Marymoor Park, smack dab in the middle of Redmond, right here in the lovely state of Washington. This being official Race # 4 of the official MFG Cyclocross series. Not to be confused with official Seattle Cyclocross official Race # 1, held at the very same location. And you though bike racing was easy.

Racer Boy Ian was iffy about racing on this particular Sunday, due to after effects of a bad cold that kept him outta school for three days this week. I skipped my (alleged attempt to sorta) race, so we could sleep in to access Ian's health later in the morning...

Awoke not feeling 100% - but with just a stuffy nose and currently being 4th overall for his division - pushed the go button for race duty. Overall series points are points, no matter what the finishing position. Off we go, mom and sis bagging this edition and remaining at the estate.

I continue to shoot a few zillion pictures per race. Some crappy, some kinda blurry, and the occasional few that look sorta okay.

Some examples in no particular order...

A few of the JL Velo junior boys joke around the staging area, Ian buried back there somewhere. Not shown, dude that helps run Rad Racing who I chatted with, noting his Ramones shirt. I unzipped my jacket to display my Ramones shirt and the rock talk commenced.

There's a lady who knows all that glitters is mud, and she's buying a stairway to nowhere.

The joke would be funnier with running the stairway to nowhere, picturing women racers doing battle. I am however, too lazy to dig though the pile of pics at this point. D-U-M-B, everyone's accusing me.

Actual adult members of JL Velo line up for their attempt at fame and glory.

Part of the course buzzed along the banks of the velodrome, as Ian demonstrates. We heard there were Crashes-O-Plenty earlier on the blue painted stripe to Ian's right. Wet/muddy 'cross tires + painted pavement = road rash. It's all part of that new math the kids are doin'.

Coming soon to a gym near you: Cyclocross Stairmaster. Carry bike up wet slippery steps, watching CNN on a flat screen TV, while fellow gym members heckle you and ring cowbells.

JL Velo teammate Garth, does a little flat track demo for the cheering masses.

You can't go wrong with a name like Team Wedgie. Notice the ample space left over for possible sponsors...

Ian grits his teeth and guns it down the start straight. We talked a bit and changed his strategy for this race. Instead of hanging off the back and slowly passing some people, tried going fast at the start and hanging on as long as possible. He was buzzing pretty good on the first lap, not all that far behind the usual super fast kids, then faded towards the end.

Eventually finished 12th out of 15 kids in his class. Considering he was pretty sick just a few days before, I give him big kudos for going for it and trying a new approach. I always get a kick outta watching him and the other kids race.

Some of the younger kids going at it. With the shades and upturned cycling cap, this little girl is styling. Fantastic experience for these kids, especially the girls. Not to stereotype, but what would be cooler - have this young girl grow into a kick ass 'cross racer - or a cheerleader? I vote 'cross racer. The ballot box is now open.

Course also wandered around the velodrome infield, as well as the surrounding area. Great spot for a 'cross race, pavement parking and real rest rooms included at no extra charge. Call now, operators are standing by.

Ian sets up for one of the many corners, tongue pointing out the correct direction.

Ian's race included all the Junior fields (ages 9 - 17 or so) along with Beginner Men and Women. A motley assortment of adults, kids, pro look racers, sweatshirts, 'cross and mountain bikes - including now semi-famous local dude on the snow rig - seen at stair bottom.

Towards the top is super fast 12 year old Scott, the only racer I saw ride the stair section. Awesome.

Cyclocross racers come in all shapes and sizes.

Teammate Henry's 12th birthday means donuts for all. Mmm....donuts.

JL Velo Racer Dude pierces zoom lens with death stare, while Clark Kent pedals for his life.

Go ahead, comment on his pink kit. I double dog dare you. I get a kick outta seeing the Team Soft Like a Kitten gang in action. The 'cross scene is a cool mix of roadies, mountain biker types, 'cross specialists, hipsters, single speed nut jobs, kids and normal folk. All around fun group of creative and interesting people. Get out there.

Follow the leader.

Carve a corner.

Look into my spokes. You are getting sleepy... You will buy a 'cross bike... You will enter a 'cross race... You will get muddy... You will suffer like a dog... You will like it...

Every face tells a story.

You gotta be a fast dude to rock the neon pink, singlespeed, Speedvagen.

Two pro looking JL Velo types in battle with weirdo helmet guy, along with shirtless dude racing with one bib strap pulled down, Fred Flintstone style. Yabba Dabba Do. Man, I love 'cross.

This now concludes yet another installment of the 'Cross Report; chock full of blurry pics, lame humor, goofy embedded links, and a sappy ending. Good night. Drive safely....

Must Fight the Lameness

2011-10-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

Man, I haven't ridden in a week. Last ride was a quick solo mountain bike cruise after Ian's 'cross race last Sunday. A nice ride, but way too short. Now here it is, almost Sunday again. Yikes.

Busy/weird week at work combined with a slight cold installed as my excuse. Drove to work everyday, sat in traffic, and paid to park. That'll teach me. I almost put in some trainer time in the garage, but did not. I am lame.

Last winter was my lamest winter in years, slacked off big time. Must not let that happen again. Must fight the lameness...

Seattle Cyclocross Series - Race # 3

2011-10-18T16:02:00.000-07:00

Race number 3 of the Seattle Cyclocross series went down on Sunday. As usual, Ian did battle in the Junior Boys 13 - 14 division. I, uh, walked around and took pictures. Oh yeah, I also ate a bratwurst (burp). I'm exhausted. Mom and sister Amy came out to cheer Ian on, which is always cool. They even had a playground to provide a little side entertainment for Amy. Wife Lori eventually froze her ass off, gotta bring warmer clothes next time. Considering they're not bike geeks, good sports to hang around for a few hours.

Event held at Silver Lake in Everett, Washington. Our first trip there, very condensed park; for parking and warm up. Cool course though - very technical with short climbs and descents, a few barriers and plenty of beach sand. At least what I saw of it while eating my bratwurst sandwich...

Ian dug the course, very mountain bikey - yes, mountain bikey - look it up. After scoping it out, was looking forward to racing. I bumped up his confidence by telling him it was his kind of course, with all his mountain bike experience. One of the adult racers on the team also mentioned it to him. Nice.

Unfortunately, Ian only was able to pre-ride part of the course, since we arrived slightly late to the festivities. Sometimes lugging the entire family to the gig slows down the process. Not a big deal though.

Alrighty then, the story in pictures...

I've never seen the JL Velo team tent so crowed. Lots of people racing and related visitors. Pretty cool. First time Ian has warmed up on a trainer (green jacket). Good thing I brought it, since really no room for a riding warm up.

Off go the Juniors. Short pavement start dumps 'em right into the sand. Cowabunga dude!

The sand claimed a few Juniors, as well as adults. That's Ian to the far right.

Ian runs through another Pile-O-Sand. Put in a solid race, grabbing 10th place out of 20 kids. Tough course, I think he did great. He's getting more competitive, was slightly disappointed with 10th place, thought he was going to score higher. I think if he rode the sand sections instead of running, would have bumped up a few places. The faster kids rode most of the sandy areas - not easy though.

I explained being slightly disappointed can be a good thing, means he wants to do well. To me, he put in a great showing at a tough race. There's also some really fast kids in his class, some of which can put a whooping on adult racers.

This kid is around 10 years old. Wanna race him? Some of these kids are impressive indeed.

Run Ian run.

Expensive saddles and Silver Lake.

Some fast dudes give it a go. I'm getting a kick outta photographing this stuff. Shooting a 'cross race is a hellava lot easier then racing a 'cross race...

Run with the seagull. He'll show you the way. Or maybe leave a deposit on your helmet.

Focus on the landing.

Tattoos make you go faster. It's pure science, trust me. I have no tattoos and I'm slower then crap. See? How much proof do you need?

Movement is good. Speed is good.

I dig this shot. Am I allowed to say that? I've been taking a stupid amount of pictures at each race. Burst mode and digital "film" add up to thousands of shots. Total Loony Tunes to sort through later. It's fun though, in a sick "Hey, it's 1:00 AM, I better get to bed" sorta way.

The sand claims yet another victim. Dude started cramping up while remounting. Ouch. I really felt for him while finishing my bratwurst sandwich and checking camera settings...

His bike does match the sand, and his team kit the course tape. Some kind of artistic statement, yes? Maybe not...

Are we having fun yet? Inverted bikes mock all passing racers...

Redline bikes are so fast, hard to keep a hold of 'em. Dudes under Redline tent gawk in amazement.

Grrr...

Blue highlights and sand. Perfect together. Who knew?

Smile or grimace? You be the judge.

Hey, nobody passes me. Especially her....

That's all folks. Another quickly written, fluffy bike post added to the Internet. Just doing what I can to add to the Information Superhighway. Al Gore would be proud.

Until next time. Same fluffy time, same fluffy channel...

Playing Hookey at Duthie

2011-10-15T23:13:00.000-07:00

The kids had no school on Friday, some sort of teacher related day off deal. Neighbor Dave and his 8 year old son Caleb, mentioned they were headed to Duthie for the day and asked if Ian wanted to tag along. Considering I have plenty of vacation days available, I bagged work on Friday and also joined the fun. Bombing around Duthie mountain bike park beats work any day.

We loaded up the race prepped '94 Camry wagon, complete with four bikes on the roof rack. Buzzed around Duthie for a few hours, together and separately, then hit Chipolte for some burrito action on the way home.

Way better then yet another day at work...

Ian trades the 'cross bike for the mountain bike. Different tools for different jobs.

Pump track action.

The day was a blur.

This kid, all of three years old, was hitting the pump track on his push bike. Non riding mom watching nearby. Said she normally takes him to a skatepark. This kid will be flying in a few years.

Seattle Cyclocross Series Race # 2

2011-10-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we headed down to Lakewood - that be Washington - for race number two of the Seattle cyclocross series. Venue for this event was Fort Steilacoom Park, pretty nice place for a 'cross race. I hit this park twice last spring; once for a mountain bike race for Ian, then again to volunteer for the first ever high school mountain bike race held in Washington. That was cool.

So, some quick details and pics for trip number three from Steilacoom...

Weather felt like 'cross weather. A little wet, but not fully raining. Overcast skies and fall is here. Defying gravity, racer dude levitates over the barrier section.

Rad Racing juniors line up for action.

JL Velo juniors do the same.

Ian gazes off into the distance. Contemplating race strategy - or maybe unfinished homework waiting at home?

Go Ian go...

Scott, racing in the Junior Boys 13 - 14 class, trails a kid racing in the 15-16 class. Scott eventually passed him and won the race overall. Very fast kid, that Scott is.

A gaggle of JL Velo juniors attack the barriers, Ian included.

Ian getting ready for the running remount.

Kid racers rock.

Ian heading out of the second barrier section.

For the smaller kids, the barriers are larger then they appear...

Teammates screaming encouragement always helps...

Fast dudes in full battle.

Turn right at the barn, get ready to run...

Slice splash action.

Puddle mirror action.

Inverted bikes nap in the pit area, hoping to not be awakened.

Just a stroll in the park. A fast stroll...

Pan Action 'R' Us.

Pan Action 'R' Us, take two...

Round 'N' Round we go...

Gravel road action. Downhill even...

Focused on the next corner. Or maybe the food vendor truck...

You gotta be bad ass to rock the pink kit.

If I stare straight ahead, maybe this guy will stop yelling at me...

Not much of a write up today. Race was almost a week ago, I finally sorted through the pictures tonight, it's late and I'm lame. Ian scored 12th out of 15 kids in the Junior Boys 13-14 class. Said he didn't feel that great - no problem, still racked up some series points.

He also was dead last going into the first corner. Start was a long, wet pavement section. Some of the 'cross starts intimidate him a little, since they're fast and quite a few kids gunning for it. He agreed to work on that a bit. Cyclocross races are short and starting off the back makes it pretty tough to catch many racers.

In any case, I'm always proud of him. Racing 'cross or bikes in general ain't easy. Ian and the rest of the junior fields always impress me. They are the future of the sport.

Wildlife Helmet Testing

2011-10-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

This video is already making the rounds, but worth the post. If you haven't seen it, give it a whirl. Pretty amazing...

Bicycle Commuting Numbers are Up

2011-10-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Interesting article on the increasing numbers of bike commuters in various U.S. cities. Click here to check it out.

I've been bike commuting on and off for 25+ years. The last 7 or so years, very much on, with more miles ridden to work then driven. Yeah, I'm bragging a little. Over those years I've witnessed the increase of bikes buzzing around Seattle. During some commutes, I get a kick out of sitting in a small pack of bikes, waiting for a light to change.

Seattle isn't Copenhagen, at least not yet - and probably never will be. Even so, great to see the numbers up and people using bikes for transportation. If you're already a cyclist, give bike commuting a shot. An easy way to add riding to your normal day, save money, and potentially even time. Give it a go.

Ride on...

MFG Cyclocross Series - Race # 3

2011-10-03T15:25:00.001-07:00

Cyclocross season keeps on cranking with MFG race # 3 taking place yesterday. This event sponsored by the SCCA/Starbucks Cycling Team. The venue for this race was flat out awesome and new to us; Mountain Meadows Farm in North Bend. Spectacular views of Mount Si as a backdrop to all the action. Mix in some cloud cover and a few spritzes of rain, and yes my friends, it feels like a 'cross day.

We almost skipped this race, due to Ian giving his a mug a good ringing with a mountain bike crash on Friday afternoon - complete with a slightly cracked and dented helmet - and mild concussion symptoms. He had a slight headache on Saturday, check with on-call Doc gave the okay to race, if the headache was gone by Sunday. Besides the slight headache, he showed no other symptoms.

Woke up Sunday feeling fine. Tough parent call on this one. Once Ian starts a race series, he really wants to complete 'em all for the most amount of overall points. I gotta commend him on that. I figured a 30 minute 'cross race would be okay. Since his race wasn't until 12:10 PM, we slept in and skipped my race at 9:30 AM, leaving the final decision until late that morning. So after a quick car load session, away we went.

Oh yeah, we also picked him up a new helmet on Saturday - now in official team mandated white. He's now officially official like with his team kit, looking all PRO. Pretty cool.

As per my usual alleged and predictable style, some pics and comments about the day...

Ian rocking the full team kit and riding the 'hoods like a mini pro. I watched him pick up speed as the laps increased. Fun to watch. In the end, finished 9th out of 12 kids in the Junior Boys 13-14 class...

It was kind of confusing though, since he pulled off thinking his race was done. I found him sitting under his team tent, while the announcers were congratulating people as they crossed the line. Not sure, he jumped on his bike and crossed the line again. He also remembered finishing a few seconds behind a Rad Racing kid he'd been battling, yet the results show Ian almost two minutes behind him. Seems a little wacky.

Not exactly sure what went down. In any case, after what happened on Friday, he'll gladly take the 9th place series points. Ian was sitting in 5th overall for the series going into this event. Curious to see where he falls after this race.

View from the team area. That's Mount Si looming in the background. Ian's JL Velo team also broke out the grill for this race. Salmon, hamburgers, and dogs for all. Very nice. The 'cross scene rocks.

A few adult JL Velo types going hard.

How green it is. I let Ian play with the camera for awhile. He gets credit for this shot.

Singlespeed types blur the fashion rules and camera pixels. Another Ian shot. Nice!

Course was basically flat with a just a few short hills. Lots of bumpy grass sections.

The later races were treated to a little rain. This dude doesn't seem to mind.

Father 'N' Son chat session. Racing isn't just about going fast on bikes. Teammates Chris and son Matt share some quality time. To me, this pic says it all.

There's always a line here...

Lots of fields to warm up before your race. Not visible: The few million piles of pooh hidden in the grass. Appeared to be deer, Yeti, and who knows what the hell else. More pooh per acre then you could shake a stick at. High pressure hose action required on tires and shoes later...

Quite possibly the world's most scenic parking lot. No?

Ian, center stage, lines up with a pile of junior racers. Just look at all those young faces. Fantastic.

Gaggle of juniors cranking the barrier section. Gotta love that.

Caleb, our 8 year old neighbor, giving the Junior Boys 10-12 class a go. I think he dug it, now bugging his dad for a real 'cross bike. The obsession begins...

Ian rounds a corner, while Mount Si keeps watch from behind.

Go Ian go! Super scenic 'cross course. Agree?

Teammate Jarrett grabbed 1st place in Junior Boys 13-14, once again. This kid is wicked fast. On top of that, super friendly nice kid. His parents help run the JL Velo Junior Development Team. JDT for short. They pull the trailer and set up camp at most events, plus his dad provides technical support, as well as working for Redline bicycles. Nice folks.

With that, I'm pulling the plug on this fluffy post. I was a little concerned letting Ian race, but in the end; said he had fun and scored series points. It all worked out just dandy - as they say in Mayberry.

Well, at least I think they say "Dandy" in Mayberry. Good chance of it anyway....

Helmets are a Good Thing

2011-10-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

Racer Boy Ian took a nice fall yesterday afternoon, riding with our neighbors in the local woods. He crashed in the infamous "Gravity Pit" and rang his bell pretty good. Hit his head hard enough to "see white" for a few seconds, followed by ringing in the ears and a slight headache. All signs of a minor concussion, along with a slightly cracked and dented helmet. Ouch.

Mountain biking and even biking in general has its risks, like any sport. With the speeds Ian now carries through the woods, I knew eventually he'd experience a real crash. Sure, he's had plenty of slower speed falls, but nothing really hard, even after zillions of rides and races under his belt. I realize it's all part of the game and he really does seem to enjoy riding and racing. Ian is a not a "crasher", he rarely even falls. But eventually, we all get bitten playing on two wheels, and it's usually not a big deal. We hope.

Of course, it's concerning to hear your 12 year old son banged his head pretty hard, no matter what the cause. Luckily, these kind of events seem to happen far and few between. Ian has ridden literally hundreds of hours with just a few bumps and bruises along the way, until yesterday. Yesterday was his turn to get bitten.

There's risk to many sports, but I think the benefits usually outweigh the risk. He's experienced many hours of fun, being outside, competing, learning life lessons, and gaining great childhood memories via bicycling. I hope so anyway. And for me, fantastic father/son time. I often ask him if he's enjoying riding and racing, or feels pressured to ride in any way. The answer is always that he enjoys it. If he didn't, I wouldn't push the issue at all. It would be time for something else.

Being a parent is hard at times. You want to keep your kids safe, but not in a plastic wrapped bubble. Kids get banged up playing soccer, football, on the playground, or a long list of other activities. Kids are not designed to sit still and stay indoors. They need air, adventure, and physical activity. As do adults, even if many seem to forget that fact. Yes, I'm mentally justifying the risk. I guess that's part of being a parent. Nobody likes to see their kid get hurt.

When Ian woke up this morning, he still had a very slight headache. Checked with on-call Doc, said he should be fine. There's a cyclocross race tomorrow, Doc said if the headache is gone - should be okay. We'll play it by ear tomorrow. No pressure, tons of races ahead for Ian. Of course, he wants to race. We'll see.

We did go out today and buy a new helmet. Helmets certainly are a good thing. Yesterday was an important reminder of that fact.

Ride safe...

The Magic of Bikes

2011-09-30T23:32:00.000-07:00

Interesting video on how bikes steer themselves. Huh? Have you ever ghost ridden a bike?

You know, pushed it off on its own. They roll quite far without a rider. And you thought you were the star of the operation.

Give it a view. She blinded me with science.

Seattle Cyclocross Series - Race # 1

2011-09-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

September appears to be Cyclocross-O-Rama here at Yo Eddy !! Blog-O-Rama. Life has been a blur of work, bike commuting, kids homework, and 'cross on weekends. Zippity Do Dah. Get me off this crazy thing.

To continue the trend of race reports that all sound basically the same, let's add another to the pile, shall we?

Okay, this one slightly different, since it's the first race of the Seattle Cyclocross Series. First of the season and first for us, since we've only hit the MFG series in the past and present. So now Racer Boy Ian is campaigning two 'cross series at once. The promoters are smart enough to not have events overlap. That means the availability of races almost every weekend, up until December. Cool, eh?

I'm electing to skip the Seattle series myself, since a USA Cycling license is required and that I do not have. Racer Boy Ian does have a license and his team requests participation in this series, so he's gonna roll with his teammates.

Sure, I could pick up a one day license at a few Seattle series events, but probably won't. I'm just gonna continue to embarrass myself in the MFG series, since scoring close to DFL in one series is enough for me. Plus, driving people to 'cross races and not racing yourself is kind of fun. A lot like driving someone for a dentist appointment...

While you're in there getting drilled - I'll be out here in the lobby flipping through magazines. Let me know when you're done.

Back to racing. This event was held at Marymoor Park in Redmond, on the grass surrounding the velodrome. Yes, we have a velodrome, along with tons of 'cross racing, and lots of other bike related fun. If your area is not as hip as ours, feel free to hate us.

The course was fairly long, longer the the two previous MFG events we sampled this season. It also sported two barrier sections. Other difference was electronic scoring, complete with a chip that attaches to your helmet. Race results were posted very quickly. Excellent.

Since I didn't compete (if you can call it that), had time to take a few pictures. We didn't stay for the whole day though, just basically for the junior races. Mom and sister Amy also put in some spectator time to cheer Ian on and even ring cowbells. We didn't wanna kill 'em with too many hours of standing around a 'cross course. If we make this enjoyable, maybe they'll even do it again.

A smattering of photos and rambling comments...

Ella, JL Velo teammate, fuels up. Sure, she looks cute - just try passing her. She placed 3rd in the Junior Girls 13-14 class. Great job. Always cool to see girls racing, we need more of 'em.

Some of the junior boys warming up. Besides racing in their respective junior classes, some also raced earlier in the Cat 4 Mens class, giving the adults a run for their money. Some of these young kids are pretty fast.

I've said it many times. 'Cross is fantastic for kids.

Fast women sprinting for the finish.

Ian and teammates wait for the start. Blue skies included at no extra charge.

Official USA Cycling type, informs the juniors two laps for this race. Fantastic to witness the increasing number of kids at 'cross events.

Round 'N' Round. Juniors hit the course.

Anders, JL Velo teammate, flying through the barriers. Eventually placed 6th in Junior Boys 15-16. Nice job.

Where did he come from?

You're not passing me..

Ian hits the barriers in front of a fellow teammate, pulling off a 7th place in the Junior Boys 13-14 class. Great job and looking good.

More Ian action. He's getting faster and feeling more comfortable running the barriers. These kids getting this kind of experience, can only imagine what a few more years will bring.

Smile, you're on Candid Camera.

Course featured a lot of Tight 'N' Twisty turns. Ian demonstrates.

JL Velo junior, part of a Rad Racing sandwich.

Teammate Jarrett put up an awesome battle against Scott, from Old Town Bicycle. It went right down to the last barrier section and sprint for the line, Scott taking it by a bike length. These kids were flying. Fun to watch, with Scott grabbing 1st place for Junior Boys 13-14.

Ian, running the barriers and gauntlet of spectators.

Teammate Keland styling for the camera and Porta Potties...

Race Action-O-Plenty.

I don't think you wanna mess with this dude...

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there - jumping barriers with you...

Rolled tire equals crash. Bike landing upside down for added bonus.

Racing Audis...

Styling 'N' Flying.

We ended the day with a nice family lunch at our favorite Mexican place. Giant pork burrito for me, thank you. Shared fried ice cream for dessert. Not too shabby of a Sunday if I may say so.

Until next time...