Cross World is here. Today marked the beginning of Cyclocross 2009-10. I do not yet have a cross bike but I did not let the details detour me. Actually I had not planned on racing today at all, but after a morning Spin Pizza ride and pulling in to see all the beautiful tape outlining the course and the barriers and all the people on bikes, I could not help myself. This was all on top of me having my customary fall allergy explosion and feeling pretty crappy, I did not expect much this weekend after they way I have been feeling, so why save myself for Sunday's race. I unloaded the Epic MTB and checked to make sure I could pop over the barriers without having to get off and headed to the start line. I went hard for a brief period but I felt horrible and just kept going slower and slower. Shadd Schriner rocked his way to the win holding off Mark Studnicki and Brian Jenson, well done Shadd. Even though I was a bit miserable riding it was still good to be apart of the proceedings and hopefully it blew some snot out of me to make room for oxygen tomorrow.
The first ever Swope Park MTB race is being held tomorrow. Hopefully a long tradition is getting its start.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Stumpjumper Trail Crew
A few days ago Craig asked me what bike I was wanting to race next year, a topic I am always keen on discussing, and had been milling over myself on the interweb just the day before. "You know, I am thinking about racing a Stumpjumper." Not exactly what he was thinking I would say but none the less he listened as I told of the merits of bikes with loads of travel that only weigh what my hardtails did 10 years ago.
So yesterday he alerted me of this cool interweb contest of sorts to choose the members of the first ever assembled Stumpjumper Trail Crew, This looks right up my ally, so here I am officially throwing my name in the hat and making my case why I belong as one of the 8 founding members.
They are looking for avid mountain bikers who ride a lot. A lot is a fairly relaitve phrase, but I do not believe their are any circles of mountain bikers that would not consider the amount that I ride as a lot. A little snapshot of the past three days has my tally of miles aboard 4 inches of travel and tires wider than 2 inches as firmly over 150. In the greater picture I have consistently been logging miles in dirt for the last 15 years of my life, I have taken the wonderful opportunity to ride dirt pedal bikes in every corner of the country, on all manner of terrain, both riding and racing. I am an avid mountain biker that rides a lot.
They want people who can tell a good story. That will be a little harder for me to quantify. But I do have a few stories in my bag that sound good around a campfire. Do you want to hear about the time Amber and I were four wheel drifting corners in a deluge of rain to get down to the Mah Da Hey trail in North Dakota, only to discover the next day we were on a knifes edge ridge with death plummets on either side. Or the time I was racing in Steamboat Springs in a 24 hour race and got blown of my bike by lightning. I like my story of my first 12 hour race in Nebraska, Amber, Her Dad, and I-with a collection of crappy lights, a half a loaf of bread, some peanut butter. I also like the story about my Dad and I sleeping in the airport in Vancouver. I have a nice little tale of riding on the Navajo Reservation and coming across people living at in the middle of NOWHERE offering me food and tea. There are plenty of stories from my first 27 years of life, there should be many more to come, and I feel I am pretty decent at telling them.
Now it does look like I may be a little more racer boy than they are looking for here in this group, and I will never claim to be otherwise. Even though my legs are not shaved and I log a lot more hours on fat tires than skinny I believe in racing. At its most basic level it is an all out trail ride with good friends, the more complex element involves combining your values with long term projections, making a plan and then laying your soul on the line to see what your made of(that all can be a frightening prospect, and may never overcome). I believe I have a balance between the different sides of racing, and the MTB industry would do well to take a cue from myself and my many racing mates on how to throw down and still keep our world attractive to the outsiders looking in.
I also fit right in on the trail care side if the coin. My father and I initially created the trails that have mutated into Lake Wilson's supreme dream ribbon. Myself and my trail partner Bob Behrens scratched in a network of trails along the Arkansas River in Great Bend, KS. And now that I am in Kansas City I have put many hours into the beginning of the masterpiece that will be Swope Park. There is absolutely nothing that gets my crank turning like Swope Park-the future is so exciting for the miles and miles of steep rocky root infested trails that will be smack in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri.
Specialized wants riders that can lead group rides. I think I am well qualified in that regard. Currently I lead 3 rides a week for Spin Pizza, and every weekend we do not race put together a small band of rangers to assault either Landahl or Swope. I also guided in this cool little mountain biking location called Moab, Utah for 6 months. This is a duty I can perform at a high proficiency level.
Specialized wants riders that respect and our respected by their mountain biking peers. I know how hard I have worked so that I can feel I have my place in our greater mountain bike community. Anyone who I witness take the time and make the effort to really live out what they love in bikes is a friend of mine. I can not speak for everyone out there but I believe they feel the same of me. If that is true of you reading this I would appreciate you leaving a note in the comments for me to prove this to Specialized's Stumpjumper Trail Crew assembly team.
There is my pitch, I will hope for the best, which is hands loose on the bars, elbows bent, hips floating over the saddle, left foot leading, bike leaning subtly inside, eyeing the outside bank in the bench, that should give you just enough time to straighten it up to bump jump the root garden just ahead.
So yesterday he alerted me of this cool interweb contest of sorts to choose the members of the first ever assembled Stumpjumper Trail Crew, This looks right up my ally, so here I am officially throwing my name in the hat and making my case why I belong as one of the 8 founding members.
They are looking for avid mountain bikers who ride a lot. A lot is a fairly relaitve phrase, but I do not believe their are any circles of mountain bikers that would not consider the amount that I ride as a lot. A little snapshot of the past three days has my tally of miles aboard 4 inches of travel and tires wider than 2 inches as firmly over 150. In the greater picture I have consistently been logging miles in dirt for the last 15 years of my life, I have taken the wonderful opportunity to ride dirt pedal bikes in every corner of the country, on all manner of terrain, both riding and racing. I am an avid mountain biker that rides a lot.
They want people who can tell a good story. That will be a little harder for me to quantify. But I do have a few stories in my bag that sound good around a campfire. Do you want to hear about the time Amber and I were four wheel drifting corners in a deluge of rain to get down to the Mah Da Hey trail in North Dakota, only to discover the next day we were on a knifes edge ridge with death plummets on either side. Or the time I was racing in Steamboat Springs in a 24 hour race and got blown of my bike by lightning. I like my story of my first 12 hour race in Nebraska, Amber, Her Dad, and I-with a collection of crappy lights, a half a loaf of bread, some peanut butter. I also like the story about my Dad and I sleeping in the airport in Vancouver. I have a nice little tale of riding on the Navajo Reservation and coming across people living at in the middle of NOWHERE offering me food and tea. There are plenty of stories from my first 27 years of life, there should be many more to come, and I feel I am pretty decent at telling them.
Now it does look like I may be a little more racer boy than they are looking for here in this group, and I will never claim to be otherwise. Even though my legs are not shaved and I log a lot more hours on fat tires than skinny I believe in racing. At its most basic level it is an all out trail ride with good friends, the more complex element involves combining your values with long term projections, making a plan and then laying your soul on the line to see what your made of(that all can be a frightening prospect, and may never overcome). I believe I have a balance between the different sides of racing, and the MTB industry would do well to take a cue from myself and my many racing mates on how to throw down and still keep our world attractive to the outsiders looking in.
I also fit right in on the trail care side if the coin. My father and I initially created the trails that have mutated into Lake Wilson's supreme dream ribbon. Myself and my trail partner Bob Behrens scratched in a network of trails along the Arkansas River in Great Bend, KS. And now that I am in Kansas City I have put many hours into the beginning of the masterpiece that will be Swope Park. There is absolutely nothing that gets my crank turning like Swope Park-the future is so exciting for the miles and miles of steep rocky root infested trails that will be smack in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri.
Specialized wants riders that can lead group rides. I think I am well qualified in that regard. Currently I lead 3 rides a week for Spin Pizza, and every weekend we do not race put together a small band of rangers to assault either Landahl or Swope. I also guided in this cool little mountain biking location called Moab, Utah for 6 months. This is a duty I can perform at a high proficiency level.
Specialized wants riders that respect and our respected by their mountain biking peers. I know how hard I have worked so that I can feel I have my place in our greater mountain bike community. Anyone who I witness take the time and make the effort to really live out what they love in bikes is a friend of mine. I can not speak for everyone out there but I believe they feel the same of me. If that is true of you reading this I would appreciate you leaving a note in the comments for me to prove this to Specialized's Stumpjumper Trail Crew assembly team.
There is my pitch, I will hope for the best, which is hands loose on the bars, elbows bent, hips floating over the saddle, left foot leading, bike leaning subtly inside, eyeing the outside bank in the bench, that should give you just enough time to straighten it up to bump jump the root garden just ahead.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Binder Lake and a long weekend
It rained in Kansas City all day Friday and radar showed clouds swirling above Jeff City. A few phone calls and we found out it was nothing more than clouds. Travis and I set sail on I70 Saturday morning. We arrived at Binder Lake around 10:30 for the noon -six race set to take place. A little drizzle greeted us and made the lower sections of the course a touch greasy, nothin to complain about though. Good Ol' Le Mans start, I was to my bike third and into the trail first with Chris Ploch in tow. We quickly were by ourselves motoring along. After a little creek crossing and hard left I slipped out and Chris took the lead. I followed him around the first lap until he handed off to Tom Albert. Travis and I planned on doing two laps in a pull, so I followed Tom until half way around then I went around him and built up a 1 minute lead or so. Travis smoked out his first lap and Chris just briged up to him and came in 20 seconds or so ahead of Travis. Travis reeled it back in on Tom, and with Chris and I headed out we were deadlocked. I followed Chris the entire lap, I was feeling good but the pace was defintly quick and taking a toll on me. When Chris passed back to Tom I tried to keep the pace rolling and went around with the intention of giving Travis a healthy lead. It was working as I had built around 2 minutes at the half way point, but little teaser cramps were shooting up my left leg. The harderst climb on the back half put me over the top, full on gracilis lock down. I spent a couple of heart sickening minutes pulled over trying to get it to relax away. After what felt like an eternity it did, I limped in the mile and half that was left and dejectedly handed back off to Travis. Travis tore into his lap and kept the damage minimal until on his forth lap he found himself pulled over, cramped up. He came in and we smiled and laughed and he called out as I took off, "How about one lap at a time." Sounds good. With a steady diet of stretching, massage, and bio freeze, I was feeling better but was still a little gun shy about tearing into the lap with everything I had, I poured in a little juice and still turned a decent lap. Travis went out for his last lap, and I told him to make sure and get around quick enough to send me out for one more. He did, with time to spare, and I got to go out and rally around in the woods once more. The course was sweet, and it was beautiful in the trees, I really enjoyed my final lap.
Chris and Tom kept the gas on the whole time and finished 10 minutes or so ahead of us, it was a blast having them to chase. I hope we get to do it again soon.
And speaking of gas on the whole time, Jeff Winkler, on a six inch travel Scott roosted everyone in the solo class by MILES. He finished only a couple of minutes behind Travis and I. Holy Crap was he flying, it was one of the most impressive sights I have seen at a bike race this year. Hats off to Jeff.
Having Monday off we had a nice little gathering at Landahl. It was slick on the rocks but still a blast. My crashes always come in pairs, and after last weeks tree kissing I thought I was off the hook when I kept it upright at the race. Landahl delivered on my dualist fate, A stupid flop over on my shoulder and hand is making right side endeavors rather challenging. Luckily I was able break into the Peanut Butter this morning using my legs and left hand. I should be feeling better soon, but not right now.
Swope is two weeks away, and then Cross Season begins. Keep up
Chris and Tom kept the gas on the whole time and finished 10 minutes or so ahead of us, it was a blast having them to chase. I hope we get to do it again soon.
And speaking of gas on the whole time, Jeff Winkler, on a six inch travel Scott roosted everyone in the solo class by MILES. He finished only a couple of minutes behind Travis and I. Holy Crap was he flying, it was one of the most impressive sights I have seen at a bike race this year. Hats off to Jeff.
Having Monday off we had a nice little gathering at Landahl. It was slick on the rocks but still a blast. My crashes always come in pairs, and after last weeks tree kissing I thought I was off the hook when I kept it upright at the race. Landahl delivered on my dualist fate, A stupid flop over on my shoulder and hand is making right side endeavors rather challenging. Luckily I was able break into the Peanut Butter this morning using my legs and left hand. I should be feeling better soon, but not right now.
Swope is two weeks away, and then Cross Season begins. Keep up
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Cruise the Blues
Cruise the Blues 2009 is in the books. It was another Epic year on the farm. 178 racers made there way out to somewhere east of Tipton, Kansas to the Palen family homestead, to take on their choice of the 6 mile joy course or the 13 mile glory course. My racing partner this year was Travis, who was this time leading us off at the start of the race. We gathered in the cow pins with our respective class racers and a local boy sang the Star Spangled Banner acapella while we watched a small flag blowing in the Kansas breeze, it was a pretty surreal moment, and I am pretty sure that I was not the only one who looked around at the sight and thought, "only in America."
Travis turned in a sold 56 minute lap and put me out on course third after Mike Marchand and my Dad just ahead. I caught my Dad in the opening trees and caught Mike a few miles later. I pulled away from Mike in the trees but he would flit back up to me out in the open fields. Travis did another 56 and put me back out still in the lead and growing. Always at this race I can never breath on the first lap and on the second lap I felt much better. I was not going much faster but I felt a lot better doing it. That lap ended up the fastest of the race at 52:34 and I was told was a new course record. Travis once again went out and did another 56 to finish his shift. I went into my third lap feeling good and ready to bust out my last one, then it went south. I was about to the U-turn in the first creek section when I called out to a buddy I was coming up behind and then clipped my handlebar on a tree, jerked the bar sideways and I hit the tree, then I hit the ground hard. It all happened really fast and I was more than a little stunned. I quickly took inventory and everything checked out to be in rideable shape, just knocked a little sideways in a few places. I was OK but the inside of my leg took a pretty good shot and it was painful to keep on. I rode hard on, but with a couple miles to go the leg I hit was cramping and I had to slow down and pedal with one leg some. I finally got in and we hung on to win, but it was not how I wanted to finish it up, and boy have a been sore since Saturday.
Travis and I were joined by our wives who raced in the glory class as well and rode quite well to finish second in their race. We danced and enjoyed ourselves at the after party and limped back over to Beloit, Kansas to stay the night and begin recovering.
Don't any of you miss this race, it is just plain cool.
Travis turned in a sold 56 minute lap and put me out on course third after Mike Marchand and my Dad just ahead. I caught my Dad in the opening trees and caught Mike a few miles later. I pulled away from Mike in the trees but he would flit back up to me out in the open fields. Travis did another 56 and put me back out still in the lead and growing. Always at this race I can never breath on the first lap and on the second lap I felt much better. I was not going much faster but I felt a lot better doing it. That lap ended up the fastest of the race at 52:34 and I was told was a new course record. Travis once again went out and did another 56 to finish his shift. I went into my third lap feeling good and ready to bust out my last one, then it went south. I was about to the U-turn in the first creek section when I called out to a buddy I was coming up behind and then clipped my handlebar on a tree, jerked the bar sideways and I hit the tree, then I hit the ground hard. It all happened really fast and I was more than a little stunned. I quickly took inventory and everything checked out to be in rideable shape, just knocked a little sideways in a few places. I was OK but the inside of my leg took a pretty good shot and it was painful to keep on. I rode hard on, but with a couple miles to go the leg I hit was cramping and I had to slow down and pedal with one leg some. I finally got in and we hung on to win, but it was not how I wanted to finish it up, and boy have a been sore since Saturday.
Travis and I were joined by our wives who raced in the glory class as well and rode quite well to finish second in their race. We danced and enjoyed ourselves at the after party and limped back over to Beloit, Kansas to stay the night and begin recovering.
Don't any of you miss this race, it is just plain cool.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Rapture In Misery
This year marked my fourth consecutive Rapture In Misery 12 hour Race. The past three years I have ran the gamut of Duo, 3 man, and last year Solo class racing, so I figured it was time to recycle back to Duo. Of course my season long racing mate Travis was up for the task.
Last weekend we made a little recon mission up to check out the course. We rode for three hours and suffered like dogs. Yeah it was hot outside but mainly the course whipped us all. The prospect of 12 hours of going hard sitting around 50 minutes and getting back on to hammer again seemed daunting at the least.
Race morning started early packing four people, three bikes, and enough stuff to see us through into Travis's Subaru. We had tents sticking up into the back seat, wheels crammed all around us, Amber and I sitting in one corner of the backseat, and Dana slammed all the way forward in her passenger seat, but by golly we were not going to take two cars. We were there soon enough and began the comical episode of us assembling some ancient lawn tent of Dana's, this thing was a relic, but I did not make it any easier by leaving out a few key poles. All the snickering bystanders better get while the gettin's good.
I started off the race for us with the stupid run that I have done way to many times. Actually I do not hate the run as much as I like to complain about it. I was real happy that this run was up a fairly steep hill. For whatever reason I have always been a much better uphill runner comparatively, and you do not have to smash you legs as much as running along flat ground in carbon sole bike shoes. I was 2nd to my bike and followed Tieg Lamb pulling myself and a train of others down the initial stretch of trail. I was a little to comfortable riding behind him and went around on the first chance uphill. I looked back as we crossed the dam and was pleased to see Craig Stoeltzing on my wheel. I rolled off the front up the first major climb, I was trying to take it easy but it seemed much more fun to go fast and I was not feeling to bad at the pace I was carrying along.
I handed off to Travis and stopped the clock at 42 minutes and a few seconds, which would remain the fastest lap for the race. Travis continued a blistering pace with a 44 minute lap, and handed back off to me with a substantial lead beginning to form. My second lap was on the long side of 42 minutes and I felt pretty rough actually, the food I ate was not digesting well and I was feeling overheated and wasted a good bit of my bottle pouring it over my head. I came in and sent Travis back out and I let my stomach normal out, which it did pretty well. My third lap was probably my most fun lap of the race, I felt good and clouds had the sun blocked and the temperature dropped enough to really aid you in pedaling your brains out. Travis's 3rd lap was miserable for him, his stomach had gone south worse than mine and he felt horrible when he came in. All he mumbled was, "I am getting sick." I could tell he was not joking around. I told him to have two bottles ready when I came back and I would do two laps. Although I slowed to do the two in a row it was pretty fun and I enjoyed myself the whole time. Travis got feeling chipper again and headed back out, he bounced back quickly and turned some more good laps. My 6th lap was a little more eventful. On the opening descent I slipped of my line and cut my sidewall. I hate getting flats, it just takes me out of race mode and into chuck my bike into the pond mood, but I changed it and carried on. By the end of my lap it started to do some bonafide raining, it felt all nice and refreshing but the last section of singletrack was slick already. Travis went out again with his lights on and slick trail under tread, I did not envy him. That would have been me had he not let me get in a extra dry/light lap, interesting how things work out for me isn't it. So the rain picked up, I sat around somber about the next four hours of in the dark mud riding. I was looking down the barrel of two laps no matter how you calculated the time, trust me I had ran every circumstance. Travis was about ten minutes from getting back around when the weather report and trail reports made the decision easy for Heartland. No one would go out after 9:00, the race was finished. Yahoo, Travis sauntered in a few minutes later and I thanked my lucky stars I had a flat tire or Travis would have beat the 9:00 barrier and I would be out there pitching a Missouri mud hole sized fit. Interesting isn't it.
Well we were in the lead when it was over so that means you win, and we had a fun time breaking down the relic tent in the rain and stuffing it back into the car which was now extra full with the North Face bags we scored in the awards. Unfortunately they kept sliding off and hitting me in the head as I slumbered.
The drive home was my turn to feel crappy. I made Travis pull over so I could get some water and some fresh air. But the bed felt good that night.
Until next time you can enjoy Amber Chambers's latest article here.
Last weekend we made a little recon mission up to check out the course. We rode for three hours and suffered like dogs. Yeah it was hot outside but mainly the course whipped us all. The prospect of 12 hours of going hard sitting around 50 minutes and getting back on to hammer again seemed daunting at the least.
Race morning started early packing four people, three bikes, and enough stuff to see us through into Travis's Subaru. We had tents sticking up into the back seat, wheels crammed all around us, Amber and I sitting in one corner of the backseat, and Dana slammed all the way forward in her passenger seat, but by golly we were not going to take two cars. We were there soon enough and began the comical episode of us assembling some ancient lawn tent of Dana's, this thing was a relic, but I did not make it any easier by leaving out a few key poles. All the snickering bystanders better get while the gettin's good.
I started off the race for us with the stupid run that I have done way to many times. Actually I do not hate the run as much as I like to complain about it. I was real happy that this run was up a fairly steep hill. For whatever reason I have always been a much better uphill runner comparatively, and you do not have to smash you legs as much as running along flat ground in carbon sole bike shoes. I was 2nd to my bike and followed Tieg Lamb pulling myself and a train of others down the initial stretch of trail. I was a little to comfortable riding behind him and went around on the first chance uphill. I looked back as we crossed the dam and was pleased to see Craig Stoeltzing on my wheel. I rolled off the front up the first major climb, I was trying to take it easy but it seemed much more fun to go fast and I was not feeling to bad at the pace I was carrying along.
I handed off to Travis and stopped the clock at 42 minutes and a few seconds, which would remain the fastest lap for the race. Travis continued a blistering pace with a 44 minute lap, and handed back off to me with a substantial lead beginning to form. My second lap was on the long side of 42 minutes and I felt pretty rough actually, the food I ate was not digesting well and I was feeling overheated and wasted a good bit of my bottle pouring it over my head. I came in and sent Travis back out and I let my stomach normal out, which it did pretty well. My third lap was probably my most fun lap of the race, I felt good and clouds had the sun blocked and the temperature dropped enough to really aid you in pedaling your brains out. Travis's 3rd lap was miserable for him, his stomach had gone south worse than mine and he felt horrible when he came in. All he mumbled was, "I am getting sick." I could tell he was not joking around. I told him to have two bottles ready when I came back and I would do two laps. Although I slowed to do the two in a row it was pretty fun and I enjoyed myself the whole time. Travis got feeling chipper again and headed back out, he bounced back quickly and turned some more good laps. My 6th lap was a little more eventful. On the opening descent I slipped of my line and cut my sidewall. I hate getting flats, it just takes me out of race mode and into chuck my bike into the pond mood, but I changed it and carried on. By the end of my lap it started to do some bonafide raining, it felt all nice and refreshing but the last section of singletrack was slick already. Travis went out again with his lights on and slick trail under tread, I did not envy him. That would have been me had he not let me get in a extra dry/light lap, interesting how things work out for me isn't it. So the rain picked up, I sat around somber about the next four hours of in the dark mud riding. I was looking down the barrel of two laps no matter how you calculated the time, trust me I had ran every circumstance. Travis was about ten minutes from getting back around when the weather report and trail reports made the decision easy for Heartland. No one would go out after 9:00, the race was finished. Yahoo, Travis sauntered in a few minutes later and I thanked my lucky stars I had a flat tire or Travis would have beat the 9:00 barrier and I would be out there pitching a Missouri mud hole sized fit. Interesting isn't it.
Well we were in the lead when it was over so that means you win, and we had a fun time breaking down the relic tent in the rain and stuffing it back into the car which was now extra full with the North Face bags we scored in the awards. Unfortunately they kept sliding off and hitting me in the head as I slumbered.
The drive home was my turn to feel crappy. I made Travis pull over so I could get some water and some fresh air. But the bed felt good that night.
Until next time you can enjoy Amber Chambers's latest article here.
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