Sonora Pass

Great news...Sonora Pass is open. That means it's time for a serious ride on the hardest, steepest pass in the Sierra's. I am thinking sometime in the next few weeks. Just need the weather to warm up a bit.133 Kilometers round trip from my cabin and the promise of great Mexican food at the finish.Anybody care to join???

Happy Birthday Shonny!

Happy Birthday to my good friend and teammate Shonny V who is celebrating her annual 21st birthday today.
Check her out in this old SoBe commercial with Bode Miller.

Peaks and Valleys

I've kinda been in a funk lately. I can't explain why really. I just am.

Life is like that. Peaks and valleys. Luckily, I do not suffer from manic swings like some people I know. I am usually an upbeat person, and when I get down, it is usually not that far and it usually is not for long. And right now, I am not really down, just in a valley between peaks.

While I have the liberty of riding my bike nearly every day, it provides me with big blocks of time to get some thinking done. So that means it's time for a long solo ride. My destination: an old training route, Mount Diablo. But yesterday, I had a lot on my mind so I rode it a couple of times (plus, it's what the training called for, lots of climbing.)

Mt. Tam from the summit of Mt. Diablo

When I get like this, I start evaluating the important things in my life. It usually gets me back on the upswing. Still, there are things that get me sad from time to time. While I managed to ride Diablo multiple times in personal record time both times while not even trying, I still left bothered by something...but what???

Mt. Diablo from Mt. Tam

So this morning, I rolled out at sunrise on my mountain bike with no real destination in mind, just ride for 3 hours, easy. I drop into deep concentration and find myself at the top of Mt. Tam, looking over at Mt. Diablo. That's when it struck me. All of it.

Yesterday I was atop Mt Diablo, an old training route for me and a goal so to speak. And this morning, I find myself looking over at Mt. Diablo from the top of Tam, but I had to descend Diablo and travel the distance between in order to reach the top of Tam. It was that journey that answered why I am down, figuratively speaking.

In order to achieve great things, to live your dream, we must travel through the valleys as it's what separates and defines the peaks. The key is to let go of those things that keep us in the valleys. We have to let go of those things that prevent us from reaching the peak. Even if it means letting go of other dreams.

I figured out after eight hours of riding on two mountains that it's letting go of the things that have held me back that saddened me. Ironically, I am sad about letting go of old dreams that have, long ago, let go of me.

What's holding you back?

Why I ride...

There are a multitude of reasons why I ride my bike. Here are a few...There are very few if any places in the country that you will see a sign like this:I have ridden this loop a thousand times...and I love it more each time. Like an imaginary tightrope through the forest...
a pre-emptive shhhhhhh....... Any questions?

Off The Hook

Okay...so there is talent...and there is David "Off the Hook" Hasselhoff.

Mt. Tam Intervals

12 Step Program

Tonight, after work, I had a self imposed intervention. I showed myself that I have a bad drinking problem. I walked around the studio and pointed out where I hide all of my drinks from the rest of the world and myself. I probably have three to four bottles a day. I easily polish off two while at work. The empties were everywhere.
In my own defense, I pointed out to myself that I am bored with plain old flat water. I drink copious amounts of it while riding and racing so it's no wonder I go for the bubbly stuff when I'm off the bike and just working or hanging at home. I don't go stunt car drivin' or get stupid violent and start shootin' guns. I just chill and enjoy a bottle or two. Sometimes alone, but hey, I'm okay being alone when I'm sippin the bubbly...it just means more for me.
And another thing...it's not like I am drinking that import stuff. I just stick to the domestic stuff. It's gotta be less severe...right? It has less sodium.
I'm going to be okay. The first step is admitting I have a problem. So there...I said it. I have a problem. I am addicted to Sparkling Mineral Water.
I am going to get help...It's just..."Once it hits your lips, it's so good!"

Range of Light

Lake Tahoe, CA
This is the second week of low intensity rides to recover from a big block of training and racing. I have literally been on my bike training or racing at a building intensity since November 1st. I think in that time, I have worn holes in the pavement around Marin. To abate some of the impending boredom and to find some inspiration, I put Mt. Tam in my rearview mirror and I headed to Tahoe.

It was hard to know whether I was doing the right thing, going to the right place as the weather in Marin has been extraordinary (finally). I was leaving my training security blanket and heading into the snow laden unknown.
To my surprise, despite all of the reports of an abundance of snow, Tahoe was warm like it should be this time of year. With the change of every season in Tahoe, there is an electricity in the air. This excitement is indescribable, one must experience it to understand. So, especially this spring, after an unheard of snowfall, Tahoe was abuzz with the arrival of warm days and cool nights. The Lake is full, the river is running, the creeks are at full tilt and everything is green. I love this time of year in the Sierras, and especially in Tahoe. The tourists are gone for the most part and the weather is great. There is still snow on the higher peaks to add to the visual impact. I was even lucky enough to get an afternoon thunderstorm, characteristic of late summer, but rare this time of year.

In the past few years, I have been to Truckee a lot for bike races and to visit good friends, but I have secretly avoided going to the lake when at all possible. When I did head over to the lake, I did my best to not look at it. In a sense, I avoided eye contact with Tahoe for fear of feeling that deep seated passion I have for it. The lake gets me all choked up. You have to understand that the lake has been a significant part of my life through my formative years and a fair part of my adult life as well. It holds a lot of great memories. It represents a few happy periods of my life. So to visit it brought some resentment for I could not stay. I can recall one of the saddest days of my life was when I was driving down Hwy. 89 in a 30foot moving van headed to Long Beach. You want to talk about culture shock... I can just recall that it was early in the morning, the sun was just coming up and touching the peaks of Squaw and that's when it hit me...with tears welling up and a knot in my stomach I realized moving away from Tahoe is a BIG mistake. Twelve hours later, I was rollin' by Snoop Doggz place in the LBC. But back then, I had no idea who I was or what I should do, let alone trust my instinct. Live and learn... So on this trip, I abandon the whole avoidance tactic. Life is too short to carry regrets and grief. There are no mistakes, just decisions and their consequences.

I hit a lot of the old hang outs and a few new ones like Mamma Sake in the village in Squaw. I ran into a ton of old friends, acquaintances and co-workers. It's like I never left. I have forgotten how therapeutic the lake is. It has this calming effect a lot like the ocean in Santa Cruz has.

I managed to ride my bike more than I should have, but when in Rome...
Enjoy the ride.

Tuesday Night Ride: a photo blog

Every Tuesday evening the fellas get together for a ride. Normally, I ride in the morning, but today was special...I had the day off of work and no serious training ride planned, so tonight I joined them.

The view from inspiration point was...well...Inspirational.

The group was unusually large tonight, but perhaps it has to do with the awesome weather we are having. 7pm and 75 degrees...I'll take it.

Phoenix Lake, ideal for waterskiing...if only it were large enough...

San Quentin Prison has some of the best waterfront real estate in the Bay area...too bad it takes a lot to get a room there.

It's hard to believe that this creek was a raging river only weeks ago.

Bike Gangsta's Paradise

First off, I must apologize to my frequent readers. I am sorry that I am not as quick as some of my Bike Racing Blogger counterparts with the race reports. I usually am traveling all night on Sundays to make it to work on Monday mornings. My mornings consist of hoisting my spent body out of bed, figuring out where I am, and somehow getting a cup of coffee and some clothes on in order to make it to work on time. Anything beyond that is unthinkable...so updating on Monday morning is just not possible.
This weekend was round #1 of the NORBA National Mountain Bike Series in Fontana, CA. Think Southern California, smog, Inland Empire, California Speedway, endless industrial parks, urban jungle, and home to the Hells Angels. All of this became abundantly clear as I rode my bike from the hotel to the venue. I was like a fish out of water. Everyone was looking at me funny as I was dressed in my lycra superhero costume rolling through miles of industrial warehouses south of I-10. Like they have never seen a bike racer (a mountain biker none the less) in their hood...I mean jeeez...come on...I'm TOTALLY normal.
I plugged the numbers into a logarithmic equation and decided that it would be most cost effective to fly down rather than drive based on the cost of gas, distance, time, and the moon alignment on mars. Besides, the venue was a mere 6 miles from Ontario International Airport. If only gas were this inexpensive...(that's 49 cents)

Once I got a couple of laps in on the course on Friday, Cinco de Mayo...It dawned on me that this was no destination resort race like Aspen or Deer Valley. We were really riding through a city park, some back yards, a deserted industrial complex turned Hobo Village, a flood basin and a new housing development. Somewhere in there we actually rode through some desert type hills with a couple of trees. I am not sure if they were fake trees or not, but they made for some nice shade. I am just glad to be racing my bike.

For dinner, a bunch of Knuckleheads from Trek invited some of us to an Italian Dinner...great Carbo loading opportunity I'm thinking. It ended up being Olive Garden at Ontario Mills Mall. The comedy was that while we waited, we watched a Christian Rap and skate Expo. At first I was a bit nervous as here we were, a bunch of skinny, predominantly white country bumkins walking into a rap concert, IN the Inland Empire. Once I got a read on the crowd, I was back at ease...no violence here. I didn't have to throw down and bring out the guns...

Saturday, race day, Mathieu Toulouse from Maxxis told me that he got food poisoning from the "authentic burrito" that he had in celebration the night before. Bummer to race sick like that. The race started out at a good clip, but not outrageously fast as it can be sometimes. I was unfortunate to get caught behind a pileup in the first corner and went from top 30 to last 5 of the record field size of 100. I had a lot of work to do, which meant taking a lot of calculated risks to move up. I did what had to be done to move up. The part that made me most nervous was while on the first lap of the race, I was passing a group of people and as I swung out of the draft, I was going head on with a gang of "Thugs In Training" wielding GUNS. (Okay, so they were paintball guns). When you're going hypoxic, you have a tough time making that sort of distinction. It freaked me out...Needless to say, I didn't make the pass...

Later in the race we encountered them in a mock battle in the HoboVillage. While I never encountered any hostilities, Jeremiah Bishop claims to have been struck on the ankle by insurgent stray fire. The report has been unconfirmed.
Nathan (my brother) drove over from the LBC to watch me on Sunday in the Hurricane of Pain. He couldn't really see much (nor could I). Imagine throwing a bag of fine, dry dirt into a blender on max speed without the top on and that will give you an idea as to what it looked like from my perspective. I am still coughing up dirt almost 24 hours later. We hit Chevy's before I hopped on my flight home. That's one thing I am going to miss when I am done, is my mobility and ability to see so many friends and family all around the continent.

Luckily, Jason Sager didn't discover this skate park or he might have missed out on his first top 10 finish in a NORBA National on Sunday. Congrats SEGA.

I ran into Cowboy. His booth was right next to the Luna truck. He hooked me up with another sweet pair of Fuzzy Duds. Last week, at Bogg's, he was out on course cheering me on and was surprised that in the heat of the battle I could not only recognize him, but give him a shout out at the same time. Thanks for the goods Cowboy.

Sunday night I realized while my legs were screaming at me while standing in line waiting for the "B" line cattle call on Southwest, I am one lucky person to experience life like this. Monday is just another day at work, but after experiences like this, it is hard to stop smiling...even though it is just another Monday.

Enjoy YOUR ride...

Cinco de Mayo

My most memorable Cinco de Mayo was spent here...
However...
Today I'm on a plane to Fontana, CA (Fontucky) for Round #1 of the NORBA National Mountain Bike Series. Given that Pacificos and Fish tacos are probably not the best pre-race food, I can safely say that this years Cinco will not be celebrated traditionally. I am sure that there will be a big party at the Chevy's next to the hotel, but you won't find me there. I want the real thing...

It's amazing, I have spent two Cinco de Mayos in Mexico. We Americans celebrate it here (or shall I say "Market" it) way more than the Mexicans do in Mexico. It is really quite tranquillo there with the exception of the American tourist bars that make a big deal out of it. You would think that it would be a bigger deal down there. But maybe it is not because the marketing powers that train us to be consumers for any occasion does not have the same power in Mexico. That's one great thing about being there.

Sure you have your cola super powers and your beer battles, but you are not so inundated by marketing everywhere you turn from sun up to sundown. If you find yourself walking along a street in a tourist part of town you will be asked to look at time shares at a local resort.

And sitting on a tourist frequented beach at popular snorkeling spot you will be asked if you want to buy a poncho or some jewelry. Sure, it can be bothersome sometimes, but at least those are real people with real voices and questions and not some impersonal gimmick designed to irritate you so you will pay attention like here in the states. At least you can kindly decline the offer of people. Or better yet, learn some Spanish and strike up a conversation. If you are the adventuresome type you can get away from it all and just sit on a beach away from those tourist spots, and just enjoy the sun, the sand, the tranquility and a couple of beers with your tacos. I will...

Feliz Cinco de Mayo.

My next gig...

I appreciate the concern for my happiness that many of you have shared with me when I finally retire from racing my bike in September. To be honest, it will not be easy, but I know that it is the right thing to do. It's time. I WILL land on my feet...I always do. But don't fool yourself...it is all part of a bigger plan. I'm not stopping cause I'm tired. I'm simply switching gears. I have seen the future. I know I am not the most gifted athlete out there. Sure I have honed my talent...some may argue to excess. I have proven to myself that I can go out and hurt myself and suffer like no other with the best of them. So What's next???
Something that takes no talent or skill...just some creativity and a bit of humility...

That's not me...but I imagine I could do this too with some practice (and some longer hair). I think I would wear High Tops too...so I don't blow out an ankle...but some Van's checkered slip-ons might really get the votes too...tough decisions.So me and the boyz at the shop have been planning this for a while (as you can see by the date on the pic)...prepping...and training. So now that we got the skillz and the sweat suits (Thanks Jelly Belly), we can announce our official entry in the US Air Guitar National Championships. If we win, we get to go on a NO expenses paid trip to Finland for Worlds. Look for us to become the "Air Supreme" in SF on May 11th. We're taking any suggestions on a group name.
If this doesn't pan out...I've got more ideas...