Shaved Legs

It's time once again to start shaving legs and racing bikes. I took a bit of time off over the last little while and rode my bike for fun. Went on a few good adventures with lots of good people. In fact, the last time I raced my bike competitively was on June 24, about a month and a half ago. And that was the Round the Mountain Festival in Kimberley, B.C. Pretty good local race. Results

But that was in the past. There are a hand full of good races coming up in the near future. One week from today is the Lost Boys Lungbuster in Fernie. This proved to be a fun race the last two years I've done it. 3rd both years but hoping to improve on my time and maybe my place this year given I have a new ride and new strategy.

Then in about a month from now on Sept. 15 there is the Fernie Tears and Gears event. I've never been to this one but racing in Fernie can't be a bad thing given their outstanding trails. I have been coerced by the ultra runner - Stephanie McGregor Jones - to team up and destroy the Fernie trails. Should be fun.

The always growing Six In the Stix will take place on Sept. 23 right in my backyard in Cranbrook. This will be the 3rd year in a row this event has went on, showcasing the awesome trails that Cranbrook holds. I will be teaming up with a younger punk who has just gotten in to xc riding this year but who's skills are developing rather quickly. It's going to be awesome.

One week after that on Sept. 29 there is the Kaslo Sufferfest. Some event names, such as the Lungbuster, lie in the names because the competitor doesn't actually bust a lung. However, the Sufferfest is a true sufferfest. This one will be the 100km xc ride with the potential of doing the Monster Enduro the next day. It's going to be a crazy weekend.

So there are still 4 awesome races left this season with a bunch of adventure mixed in.

It seems these days that it doesn't satisfy my cravings to go and do a couple loops of something in the community forest. There needs to be something more. That's where Baker Mountain comes in. This hill has taken me on a bunch of awesome rides this summer and there is sure to be more. All climb to all descend. So good.

Ride on!

Cat UP!

Another weekend, another race. This was the final in a trifecta of races over the last three weeks. This time, Canada Olympic park in the bustling metropolis of Calgary, AB. The drive there was super nice. I went through Kootenay National Park this time instead of going south through Alberta on the 22 which proved to be really relaxing and helped to lessen the blow of having to go to Calgary.

With the last couple races in my mind and knowing that I did well in them, I decided to sign up for the Expert class for this Summer Solstice race. It sure is nice to be up there in terms of rankings but I didn't think my skill was going forward and I wasn't learning as much from races as I would have liked to. There was also the recommendation of some friends to try a higher category, see how it goes. So for this race I was in the Expert category, in the league with the big boys.

COP - Calgary, A.B.

Signing up to a higher category without being told to by either the Alberta Bicycling Association or Cycling BC created some confusion as I was signing in for the race. In the end, one of the reps let me in the Expert class based on my previous results. This was good as now I did not have to drive back to Cranbrook without getting my tires dirty.

Race time was at 1:00pm. The people in my category now looked even more serious and hardcore when lining up at the start gate. This, I knew, was going to be a true test of my skill. The whistle goes off and everyone is battling for position. The course starts out on an open lawn to a short stretch of pavement but quickly turns into smooth singletrack. I was keeping what I thought was a comfortable pace and staying about midpack. There was a few short, gradual climbs on this course but by lap four those same climbs turned into long, steep climbs of destruction. The rest of the course was surprisingly techy with quick turns, wet roots, and super muddy sections. This was a tough, yet fun course.

I stayed about midpack for the duration of the race, making a few spots on some of the climbs. Then lap 4 came. This course was 24km long, with 6km laps. Lap 4 felt great to get to in the position that I was in but it would have its share of problems.

The riders around me, and including myself, started to feel the effects of going hard for that long. Riding started to get sloppy and the pace started to decrease. For the first time ever riding my bike I had the craziest cramps I have yet to experience. Anytime I would shift to a different position on the bike my legs would start to lock up. This also took effect as I was set to pass a rider that had slipped on a wet root. Instead of passing him I pedalled right into his back wheel, coming to a stop. All because of cramping.

Lesson 1: Figure out how to avoid cramps.

I thought I might be able to catch up on a few of the riders towards the end of the last lap but everyone's pace increases right at the end. No one wants to lose where they are.

24km later I ended up in 9th position out of 15 in my category. Not too shabby. There were a great deal of things learned in this race and I have no doubt that it will progress my riding to be in a higher category.

Summer Solstice Results

Over the course of 3 weeks I drove over 1800km to get to and from races. Seems crazy but I guess if I'm having fun it's not so crazy. I think it is time for a weekend off though.

Next up? I'm not too sure. I know Round the Mountain in Kimberley is right around the corner and it would be awesome to defend my spot in that.

I went for a ride last night on the Hungry Hound with some friends. It got me thinking. What if I wasn't into biking? Life would be totally different. Much of my life is based around riding and people that I have met through riding bikes. If all of that were just gone one day, what would I do? Wow, that is way too deep to think about right now.

Thanks for reading my blog.

Peace out.

Hammer Time

The day began early. 5:30am early. That's too early. But it's okay if you're going out to ride your bike. That's what happened today in the awesome riding area of Herron Park, near Kalispell, Montana. The trails are super smooth, and blazingly fast.

About this time last year I headed to the same event not knowing at all what was going to happen as it was my first year racing and that was my first race. I ended up placing 8th and learning a lot about racing.

This year the course was completely changed up, but still had a lot of the same characteristics of last years course. Smooth course, tight switchback climbs, and a great crowd.

I was in the first row lining up to the start. Horn goes off. Everyone wants it so the speed right off the bat is a bit quick but now is not the time to get left behind. I stayed within the first 3 spots as the rest of the group also settled into their spots. There was a climb within the first km and 3 of us broke away from the rest of the group. The pace at this point was not as fast as I would have liked it but I didn't want to haul ass too early as I had no idea what the rest of the course had in store. There was no way to gauge my speed to see what I needed to save for later. So I tagged along in 3rd spot until the first downhill section came. Wow. I think it might be that I started off DH-ing when I moved to Cranbrook which is what gives me the skill on the way down. The two I was following were not going nearly as fast as the course allowed. The next extended hill climb came and I decided to make a leap to start the pace a bit faster. One of the racers amongst us three started at the same pace that I was now doing. At this point I thought we were pretty equally matched. The top of the climb came and now was the downhill right to the start/finish area. I made up a lot of time on the other two racers on this section. I thought I had it. The first hill climb was under way for lap 2 and the guy that was following me made up a bunch of time and apparently has mad climbing skills. He passed me at a good pace on the way up and I didn't see him again. I thought I might be able to catch him again on the way down but he was just too quick of a climber. The rest of the race was filled with harder hill climbs as energy was decreasing. I think I might have given 'er as hard as I ever have in this race cause my legs were aching by the end of the 30km course. In the end this course was super fun and I would end up with 2nd place, and a nice prize bag to top it off.

The race made me realize that Cranbrook must, and does, have a lot of talented riders. We have such a variety of varied terrain here. Most of us riders would laugh at the rock section they set up and power way harder on the downhills.

It was awesome that a good friend came along who also rode the course and ended up with 2nd in his category. Way to go Colin. We both ended up with some pretty sweet shwag and it was a great day for riding bikes. Results

Next up? The Deadgoats in Calgary are putting on The Summer Solstice race at COP this weekend. Time to take out some Deadgoats. This will complete a trifecta of weekends racing my bike. Maybe a weekend off after that is in order...

Wheelie

It's good to get the first one out of the way.

There were a lot of things to prepare for leading up to my first race of the season, especially since there were a lot of changes from the beginning of this year to the beginning of 2011. I was losing some weight, getting better endurance, and having more fun on my bike then I ever have. But probably the biggest change to 2012 is the bike. I was a little hesitant to jump back on a hardtail after not riding one for a whole lotta years. But thinking about how the bike would work in certain situations for the better, and seeing many racers on hartails last year, I knew it was a good idea. Throw 29er into the mix and you have a fast, climb like a billy goat sorta bike.

The new ride, on the stickered up ride

The stage was set. Race: Coulee Cruiser. Location: Lethbridge, Alberta. My old stomping grounds. Where I grew up and pretty much fell in love with mountain biking. A lot of riding happened in these coulees, and now I wanted to see how I could do in race pace on a rig so different then the one I grew up on, a Norco Kokanee.

I arrived a couple hours before my group was set to go so I took the road bike out for a couple k's to warm up the legs. In doing so I saw a lot of racer types doing the same thing. The nerves started to go a little bit but I figured I was also starting to be a 'racer type' so it should all be good.

Our group was set to go at 11:34am. The family was there rooting for me and I was feeling pretty good on this 27 degree day.

The start of it all

The course was smooth, so smooth. Filled with wide turns and long straight sections, I knew it was going to be a sprint for the whole thing. Just the way I like it. The course was about 6.4 km long and we had to do 3 laps. Game on.

After a sufficiently steep descent into the valley right off the gun, the first hill climb lay ahead of us. Ahead of me was Kevin, a racer that I met at the Edmonton Canada Cup in 2011. He organized the Coulee Cruiser and was also racing in it. But then he dropped his chain on this first climb of the race, not more then 5 minutes in. This was an issue as I was following him closely as I knew his skill and wanted to stay with him. He came to a stop and I had to think quick and try to get around him without running into him. In the process of doing this, somehow my rear axle dropped out of the frame. I have narrowed it down to only one cause. I did not tighten it enough that morning after cleaning my bike. This has never happened before and I am sure it will never happen again. I didn't realize what was going on right away so in the end I probably lost half a minute getting it all geared up again. After all the racers passed me I was on the trail again giving it as hard as I could to regain some spots.

There were 3 decent climbs on this course. All of which were smooth and still fast. I made a lot of time up on them and passed people, which was a bit of an issue everytime as there were no good passing spots so I was forced to go into the grass not knowing if a cactus was right beneath my tire. Luckily enough there were no flats.

The rest of the race went smooth. Really smooth. The bike felt great and my legs were just givin 'er. I threw back an energy gel and forced on. The dude that dropped his chain on the first climb came into sight. I knew I had to pass him.

After passing him I had no idea where I lay in the pack. I just kept pressing on thinking about the finish. Nearly 20 km later the finish came and I was pretty stoked on how I did.

I ended up passing 13 racers to gain a position of 4th, 2 minutes off the leader. Pretty decent I think for my wheel falling out.

This was an awesome course and I am thankful to Kevin from the Lethbridge Headwinds for putting on a spectacular race.

Coulee Cruiser Results

What's next? There are a couple things lined up. This next weekend there is a race in Kalispell, M.T, the Herron Hammer. Not too far away but still takes gas to get there. It was an awesome race last year and I'm sure my new hardtail would haul ass on that course. Maybe take a weekend off and do the Summer Solstice XC #3 in Calgary on May 26th.

2012. The year to be sweeter then all other years. If the world doesn't end.

2012. What are you going to do before the world ends? Here is a bit about what I have done, and what I am hoping to do. It kind of seems weird writing all about me, as if I like to talk about myself, but it is a blog and I guess that's what these are about.

After a pretty sweet year in 2011, being the first year that I planned to race bikes and tried to do the best I could, I thought I might as well go at it again after having tons of fun last year and pushing myself beyond what I thought I could do. There was a bunch of descent results and I got to travel to some really cool places to ride and meet a bunch of cool people.

As last years racing was coming to an end, I needed to think about what would give me a good start on the 2012 season. I did get into a bunch of trainer riding, as well as a considerable amount of ski touring, xc skiing and yes, even running. Running's cool. I even started to eat WAY healthier and I think that has brought about the biggest change to my overall health. Though there were a host of activities to keep me busy ,especially living in the Kootenays, this winter seemed to be the hardest to stay away from a bike. It seems that every year it gets harder and harder to put down the bike for the entire winter. This might mean I need to move to a warmer destination in the cold months.

Summer riding was being planned. What was I going to ride? I have been on a hand full of different bikes and  the ones that always stuck out to me were Giant's. They just have the feel, you know? Different companies do things differently and I like how Giant does their thing. I've been on their Reign X, Trance and, until recently, my favourite was the Anthem. Getting racy for sure. There is a new bike in town for 2012. The XTC 29er composite model. This thing hauls! I needed a few minutes on it to get used to it since I haven't rode a hard tail since I was a kid, but once the Giant feel was back, it was game on. This is sure to be a favourite. Who hooked me up with this steed you ask? Well, I don't shop often, but when I do I prefer to shop at Favorit Cycles, right here in Cranbrook, B.C.

2012 Giant XTC Composite 29er. Hell Yeah!

After a long and cold winter, finally the time came to ride bikes. To start off the season an awesome group of friends and I headed down south to Utah/ Arizona. We rode a bunch of great trail. Gooseberry, Bootleg Canyon, and Jem Trail to name a few. It was a great way to spend 10 days on an awesome bike with a good group. It wasn't nearly long enough though. When we came back to Cranbrook there was still snow on the ground and temperatures were not as high as I had hoped. Oh well.

Jem Trail

So what's planned for 2012? Well I am not too sure yet. I know there are a few key races I want to attend and a lot of other ones that sound really good too. Here is a list of potentials for this year:

May - 13th - Coulee Cruiser - Lethbridge, A.B.
           20th - Herron Hammer - Kalispel, M.T.
           26th - Summer Solstice - Calgary, A.B.
           26-27th - Round and Round 24Hr. - Spokane, W.A.

June - 2-3- Kananaskiker - Canmore, A.B.
          17th - North Face 6Hr Enduro - Kamloops, B.C.
          24th - Round The Mountain - Kimberley, B.C.

July - 14-15 - Canada Cup XC - Canmore, A.B.

August - 3-5 - Great Northern MTB Stage Race - Whitefish, M.T.
              18th - Lost Boys Lungbuster - Fernie, B.C.

September - 9th - Kootenay Krusher - Nipika, B.C
                    28-29th - Kaslo Sufferfest - Kaslo, B.C

October - ? - Six In The Stix 6Hr Enduro - Cranbrook, B.C.

The stoke keeps building for the spring and summer months to get here. It is not far off now.

Stay tuned. This is sure to be one awesome year.

Thanks for reading my blog. Peace out.

Boo Yeah!

Edmonton Canada Cup. Can't say enough about it. It was short and sweet. It was short because the course was only 7km long, and sweet because it was so muddy that I had to laugh as the whole course was slop. Good times. It was a really nice day for a ride that day, but apparently the day before there was a crazy downpour.

The course was good. It would have been smooth and fast but there was mud which made it slippery and slow. I would say a good 40% was spent running as the terrain did not allow for my tires to grip and make progress on the course. It was good though. I can't say I have ever raced in that much mud, good experience.

Edmonton Canada Cup course. Greasy. 

Super greasy. 

I ended up getting first in my category, I think. I had a pretty good lead over #2 but went through the wrong gate on lap #2. Long story short, I may or may not have been disqualified for going through the wrong gate, thus giving up my win. Regardless of that, I destroyed my category. I originally signed up for a category that I was not allowed in with the license that I have. I learned a lot about how the whole point system works and what I need to do for next year, which is good. Here are the results ->http://www.edmontoncanadacup.com/2011/07/2011-kecc-results/

Edmonton was good. It was a great event and if it was dry, it would have been a screaming fast course. Going to races is cool. I get to ride my bike in new areas and meet new people. What's better then that? I also got to visit some great friends in Edmonton. If I think about it a certain way, I would not be living in B.C. or riding bikes if it were not for them. They are pretty cool people!

Since Edmonton I have been taking it a little easier. The first half of summer seemed pretty intense. Races almost every week. Now things are starting to slow down, and it's cool. It gives me a chance to hang out with friends from Cranbrook, and go out and do some new trails that are yet to be discovered. That might also be one of the greatest things about biking. There are so many places to go ride bike that I am never going to get the chance to do them all. Just keep exploring, keeping things new and exciting! To add on to new and exciting, I just received an Opus Avro rigid single speed. Wow. That thing is something else. The lack of creature comforts on it is awesome. Going back to the basics. A totally new, or old, way to ride a bike.

Riding bikes is awesome. In pretty much any mood, at any time of day, in any weather condition, with or without people, I can get on my bike, rip, and have a good time. There are still times where I am heading to the trail head and I get goosebumps as the stereo blares out a jam. It's so good.

What's next? Well let's see. There is a 6 hour enduro coming up in Kamloops, some races part of the Alberta circuit, a hill climb, and a 100km race in Kaslo. But you know what? Those are pretty small when you consider how much fun I am going to have riding with friends around Cranbrook.

I just want to thank the sponsors again. They keep me riding my bike. That's all there is to it! Opus Bikes, Favorit Cycles, Northstar GM, and High Country Sports. You guys are awesome and I am having a blast this summer because of you.

Peace.

Go Time!

So it's halfway through summer already and riding can't really get any better. It's been a while since my last post on here and some pretty cool things have happened. A couple more races under my belt and some trips that surprisingly enough, didn't involve biking.

First up - Gatorade BC Cup XC in Panorama, B.C. This event was not what I expected it was going to be. It was super fun, but the lack of people and poor course marking caused it to be something a little different. There was very high hopes for this race to be huge, maybe even seeing some pro's that make it in the magazines! But no such luck. It was the smallest event I have been to yet with a total of 28 riders. Maybe this was because it was the first year the BC Cup was held here? Maybe it was because the course was brand new and people did not know what to expect? Whatever it was, there is no other option but for next year to be bigger and better. With it being only a 2.5 hour drive to Panorama, it would be nice to see this event take off.

Panorama BC Cup

Panorama BC Cup, 2nd Place 

Whatever my opinion on the event itself, it was still a race and a lot of learning was taken from it. It's good to see events in my area and I hope more will follow. Results -> http://www.panoramaresort.com/sites/all/assets/images/content/summer/PDF/Gatorade_BC_Cup_XC_Results_-_Panorama.pdf

Another awesome event that happened was the up and down race in Nelson, B.C. This was put on by the riding club and it was good to see a race like this. One team member rode up the Mountain Station hill XC style, and the other member rode back down the hill DH style. This was an awesome bit of fun on a weekend and hope to see more like it!

Nelson Up and Down race. Nelson, B.C. Cool sight to see!

It's not like I needed a break from biking, but this next sweet adventure is certainly what summers should be about. I had the opportunity to go to one of the last remaining ski-able areas around here for it being this far into the summer. It was a long hike in (especially if you go the wrong way) to access a snow patch that is called the Ladies Leg. 

The Ladies Leg

Climbing the Ladies Leg

After 3 runs down the patch and a couple beer it was sufficient to say that a good day was had.

Lost Boys Lungbuster 2011! This is an event I was looking forward to for much of the season. Last year I bagged 3rd place and I really wanted to see what I could do this year knowing that I was a much stronger rider. The morning started out great. I was camping with a few friends in Fernie this weekend so the mood was good and I put on some tunes to start getting stoked. This was going to be an awesome day.

Lost Boys Lungbuster, Fernie, B.C.

I was able to keep a good pace the whole climb, staying in the lead position. On the last switchback the two competitors that had been right behind me the whole time started to inch past me. I could keep up for a bit but soon realized that they were the smarter riders by letting me set the pace for much of the climb and all they had to do was trail me. I tried with everything that I had to keep up with them but they were older riders with more experience. The pace got faster and faster as the finish grew closer. I was able to keep my pace but not speed up to theirs. At first I was a little chapped that I didn't hold on for first. But then I found out that I beat my time from the previous year by around 5 minutes and was stoked for that! Results>http://ferniesummer.skifernie.com/2011/07/lost-boys-lungbuster-results/

Lost Boys Lungbuster, Fernie, B.C. The final 3.

Lost Boys Lungbuster, Fernie, B.C. 

All in all the day was great and I learned even more about racing, this time - pace setting.
The rest of the weekend turned out great as I rode Fernie trails with some good friends.

Life is good when your on your bike!

Next adventure - unknown!
New bike arrival? - SOON!

Peace