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Amber, Myself, G. Fisher, and Maycheck crew from Arkansas

It looks like I am going Fishing again. Yup Gary Fisher bicycles and I will be helping support each other for the 2008 season. I am part of the Fisher 29er crew and will be proudly wearing our custom team colors for all the MTB racing, which I got a peek of the new jerseys and I am definitely stoked. The 29er crew and myself seems to be a logical fit. There are few people as devoted to 29ers as I have been for the last 6 years, and with the introduction of the Superfly Fisher has what I believe is the best 29er on the market. I am also excited about the HiFi 29er, I think it could be the perfect match in the handful of +3 hour events I have planned for the season.

I remember working at Wheatridge Cycles in Denver and the 2002 Fisher line was just rolling out in the fall of 01. The first Fisher 29ers were on their way and I sold three bikes to buy a Mt. Tam 29er. Everyone there gave me such a hard time about the big hoops. It feels good to now be on a 29er dedicated crew on freaking sleek carbon bikes, ready to crush. Take that haters!

SALVAGED

My TT was not a ravishing success, but the morning of riding definitely was. I woke up early and checked the weather and was stoked to see single digits. Yup 9. I received a few emails from folks saying they were not coming out into the cold so I started planning to nix the TT and just have some fun riding. Team Sexy Pants rolled up shortly after I arrived in the parking lot. Yeah you cannot even phase Michelle, for all I could tell she thought it was a lovely spring afternoon. Joel was sipping hot tea and rubbing warming oil on his one leg he forgot to bring a leg warmer for, classic behavior out of those two nutters. As well the reigning NORBA national champion for Expert class racing made an appearance, the man Aaron Elwell from Lawrence, KS. I was hoping to see his new 3D 29er but he only has crow tires right now and had to leave it home. He did report that it was smoking light at 21 lbs. We all took to the trails and warmed right up sliding, bouncing, hopping, hiking, our bikes on the icy one track. As we were about to finish the south loop we rolled up on Steve and Lis who had rode their cross bikes from home up to the trails and were making there way along the river. For a couple from Florida these two are tough as nails when it comes to getting out in the cold. We chatted and they went on to where they had to turn around. Aaron, Joel, and I continued to shred for the next few hours, eventually we rode nearly all of the main trails at Minor, and had a great run on high line before heading home. So much for high end fitness gain, but it was one of those days that makes you giddy that you are a human being and get to do stuff like ride one speeds on frozen trail in freezing temps. Sweet.

UGTT Minor Park

Here is the scoop. It looks like the trails are going to be frozen enough to go ahead with the plans for a singletrack time trial at Minor Park on Sunday morning. Plan on meeting at the strip mall parking on the East side of Holmes just before Blue Ridge blvd (if that doesn't make sense refer to http://www.earthriders.com/) at 8:45. At 9:00 we will all roll out and ride 1 lap of the TT loop which I believe it is around 3 miles. Unless I rope someone down to time it will go like this, I will take off first with the master time, you will be ordered in take off positions behind me to leave in 30 second intervals. When you finish I will read off the time and you will have to subtract 30 seconds if you were 2nd person out, 1 minute if you were 3rd position, and so on. If you pass me on the course your disqualified, or you have to keep track how far you beat me in by and subtract the appropriate amount. It is like bike racing and 2nd grade math all rolled up into one. Of course you can bring a stop watch and just time yourself, which would probably be best. I hope we can do a couple of hot laps but we will just have to judge the trail conditions and make sure we aren't hurting anything. There are no prizes, no classes, no entry fee, and a series champion will not be crowned. This is just another way to have fun on our bikes. Remember that the Mexican Bar on the corner sells breakfast burritos on Sunday mornings. Any questions you can call me at the Trek Store, I work both Friday and Saturday. 913 631-6800. See ya there.

Me and Rudi Nadler riding up Mt. Lemmon in Tucson a couple years ago during Dejays Single Swizzle Agua De Caliente ride. I just had to post this to remind myself my whole life hasn't been cold winter weather.

Rainy Day off

I was so excited about our singlespeed cross ride we had planned this morning. Alan Sykes has just built up a beautiful Waterford Cross SS, and we were planning a morning ride in the hills, but it is raining and hovering around 32 outside. The worst possible conditions. So I am just making due and reminding myself it is the off-season. I hate off-season.



So here are a couple of things to keep you smiling coming on the horizon. January 20th I am planning on organizing a time trial on the wagon wheel loop (south loop) at Minor Park. The tentative plan is meet at the Taco Tuesday parking spot at 8:45 and ride over together, preride the loop all together so everyone is clear on where to go. Then go off is 30 second intervals shredding for all your worth, end back on the bridge, tell me any stories that might make me laugh. Possibly do a second loop if people are up for it. Drop me a line if you are interested and pass it on to anyone who might be. If the trail is muddy I will come up the another plan, and post it here.

As well Feb. 9th is the annual psychowyco trail running race. There is a 10, 20, 50k option. I am opting for the ten myself. Details can be found at www.psycowyco.com.

Here is another video bit from Sunday. I look pretty funny pumping my bike through the last little bit of mud

Grote Pris CX 08

Well that was a fun way to get things cracking. Mud, mud and more mud were the conditions at Herman Laird Park. Amber and I got there a couple hours early to scope it out and see all our friends race. Shop mates Alan Sykes, Lis Heal, and JJ Montana were toeing the line in their respective races. Alan did an extra lap for good measure, Lis crushed it, bridging up to to Jenn at one point, but fell back after chain suck sucked. I was out warming up when JJ finished but last I saw she was in a real close race with four other girls. Props to her for steppin up out of the Juniors to race with the big girls. I mean the older girls.

I had a spotty warm up, mostly chatting with folks and enjoying 60 degree weather. Bill and Shadd were going rounds in the masters race, so I cruised around watching the lines they were riding and thinking how tired they were going to be in race #2. Bill still took the whole shot and drug us up the road for the 1st lap. He shut me down the 1st time I tried to go around him but I got around when we hit an open grassy section. I punched it pretty hard knowing that Shadd was tired from one race already and the peanut butter mud was going to get any easier. I opened a gap in the 1st lap and then tried to stay consistent. The time gaps were growing steadily, but the mud was taking its toll on the bike. I stopped shifting into a higher gear because I could not get it to climb back up. I hung on and chalked up a big W for the 1st race of 08. Pretty sweet day all in all. Classic cross conditions, cheering wild fans, and Boulevard was a sponsor to help celebrate. No racing for a bit so we will keep you posted on the fun we make on our own. Thanks Amber for the pics, video, and pit bike placement.

2008 racing starts now

In 2008 I have decided to start my own racing journal, because 07 was so much freakin fun I got to have somewhere to talk about it more. So kcdirtbikeracing is my online home for all the dirty fun I'm gonna toss up in 08.

I have somewhat recently moved to Kansas City and am working, with my wife Amber, at the Trek Store of Kansas City. The Fisher factory days are over, but 07 still saw me pin one on over 30 times, and have my 1st season of Cross ending with a podium spot at CX Nats in the SS class, I was smiling after I was done not smiling, generally the way racing goes.

Real quick before 08 starts I have to shout out to all the people who made racing possible in 07. Rob Pennell at Badger Cycles built me two AMAZING singlespeeds that saw the bulk of the start lines. My Uncle Chris Chambers brazed me up a geared cross rig that won me my 1st Cat 1,2 cross race. My Dad at Golden Belt Bicycle Company outfitted most of my bikes and built me some ridiculously fast wheels, I'll post a picture sometime. Matt Brown at High Gear Bike Shop in Emporia, KS chipped in and helped me through the three month cross season, Thank you Matt and Stephanie. And most importantly Amber Chambers was at nearly every race handing me up bottles, ringing the cow bell, and looking cute. Thank you Amber.

All right it is stinkin freakin on. Grote Pris this afternoon. See ya