Sunday, August 31, 2008
Excitement
Justin spotted this beauty while we were driving through Yavapai Hills. We think it's a bobcat.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Jam session
Justin and Karen landed in Phoenix safe and sound on Wednesday afternoon. Their flight was uneventful...they even landed early! Sounds like Karen is having a blast. Justin is ditching his conference at 3, so they should be up here by 4:30 or 5!!! We can't wait. I hope he brought his dentist tools. I like to get my teeth cleaned.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Olympic Training
Funny who you end up riding with sometimes.
Saturday at the race I went in feeling pretty confident that I'd be able to do well. I figured I'd just try to hang with Linden from Absolute Bikes and I'd be okay. Shortly after the start I realized it wasn't Linden's day, so I pulled ahead. I was a minute or two up the 15 minute fire road climb and realized I wasn't alone. Someone followed me...it wasn't Linden. Hmm....
It was a long gradual climb for the first 10 minutes and I was still pulling. Because there were just two of us, I decided to speak up. I figured sharing the work at a fun, laid back race wasn't a bad idea. "Would you like to pull?" ".........No.....Not really.....But I will." Later on I would realize how funny that response actually was, but for the time being I was slightly perplexed. Her pace did not slow up at all. If anything she picked it up a notch. We finally hit the peak of the fire road and started heading down for a little. It turned out that she pulled for about 5 minutes before we hit the single track at which point I decided I deserved to lead just in case she sucked in the singletrack.
The course was pretty sweet. From that first turn off it was basically singletrack the rest of the lap - climbing for a good 20 or 25 minutes until the decent back to the start. If I didn't look back every now and then, I wouldn't have known anyone was behind me. I never heard a peep out of this girl. Why am I breathing so hard????? After the short two minute section on the rolling dirt road, we headed back into the singletrack for the last 15-20 minute decent. I was not feeling it. Breaking all over the place. Almost sliding out. I was fully expecting to hear her say "Can I pass?" As soon as I had a chance I let her go by. She was gone in a second, not to be seen by me during the last two laps.
My second lap was much better. My split was a minute quicker than the first. It was a hard race though. The climbing through the single track really sucked it out of me at certain points. I finished in second and headed straight to find some water. While I was standing there, the lovely Katie Monahan walked up and introduced herself. We talked about the race, I apologized for passing her right as we hit the singletrack and explained my motive. She was right there with me. She said I was killing her on that first climb out (huh??? I seriously never heard a breath out of her) I asked her if she was pro...."No, I was an Olympic skier....I'm done with that. I just race mountain bikes for fun."
Saturday at the race I went in feeling pretty confident that I'd be able to do well. I figured I'd just try to hang with Linden from Absolute Bikes and I'd be okay. Shortly after the start I realized it wasn't Linden's day, so I pulled ahead. I was a minute or two up the 15 minute fire road climb and realized I wasn't alone. Someone followed me...it wasn't Linden. Hmm....
It was a long gradual climb for the first 10 minutes and I was still pulling. Because there were just two of us, I decided to speak up. I figured sharing the work at a fun, laid back race wasn't a bad idea. "Would you like to pull?" ".........No.....Not really.....But I will." Later on I would realize how funny that response actually was, but for the time being I was slightly perplexed. Her pace did not slow up at all. If anything she picked it up a notch. We finally hit the peak of the fire road and started heading down for a little. It turned out that she pulled for about 5 minutes before we hit the single track at which point I decided I deserved to lead just in case she sucked in the singletrack.
The course was pretty sweet. From that first turn off it was basically singletrack the rest of the lap - climbing for a good 20 or 25 minutes until the decent back to the start. If I didn't look back every now and then, I wouldn't have known anyone was behind me. I never heard a peep out of this girl. Why am I breathing so hard????? After the short two minute section on the rolling dirt road, we headed back into the singletrack for the last 15-20 minute decent. I was not feeling it. Breaking all over the place. Almost sliding out. I was fully expecting to hear her say "Can I pass?" As soon as I had a chance I let her go by. She was gone in a second, not to be seen by me during the last two laps.
My second lap was much better. My split was a minute quicker than the first. It was a hard race though. The climbing through the single track really sucked it out of me at certain points. I finished in second and headed straight to find some water. While I was standing there, the lovely Katie Monahan walked up and introduced herself. We talked about the race, I apologized for passing her right as we hit the singletrack and explained my motive. She was right there with me. She said I was killing her on that first climb out (huh??? I seriously never heard a breath out of her) I asked her if she was pro...."No, I was an Olympic skier....I'm done with that. I just race mountain bikes for fun."
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Flagstaff Mountain Bike Festival
Sara and I decided late last week that we would do the Flagstaff race. Neither of us consider ourselves race ready but we said "What the Heck" and headed up. I was a little worried about the race due to the fact that I still have my extra weight I brought back on my gut from our summer in IL and that my Vassago is not quite ready so I would be racing my Ferrous which weighs somewhere in the range of the upper 20s lbs.
Sara and I got to Flagstaff and were soon joined by teammates (Darrin A., Tom, Evan and Matt). Matt took a pretty good crash on his roadbike this week so was going to take the weekend off of racing and help us with bottles. Sara and I were pumped cause it was our first race in our new Adrenaline / Vassago kits.
There was no Norba points or series points for this race so they started all Pros, Semis, SSers, and Experts together. It was a pretty big field. They scored all of us together except for SSers.
I felt suprisingly good. I felt great on the climbs and rode away from people but did my standard time losing decents. Man, I have to get better decending! Tom caught on the decent at the end of laps 1 and 2. He had to yell at me to let go of my brakes.
I was pretty happy with my race. I finished up 10th out of the Pros, Semis, and Experts.
Sara had a great race. She ended up getting 2nd out of the Pro / Expert women.
The rest of the ART Team did great as well. Tom and Darrin finished 1st and 2nd respectively out of the SSers and Evan finished a spot or two behind me.
Thanks to Matt for the bottles.
The awards ceremony in Flagstaff was great as well. We had a chance to catch up after our summer away over some post race refreshments.
Here is Tom at the start of the race.
Sara and I got to Flagstaff and were soon joined by teammates (Darrin A., Tom, Evan and Matt). Matt took a pretty good crash on his roadbike this week so was going to take the weekend off of racing and help us with bottles. Sara and I were pumped cause it was our first race in our new Adrenaline / Vassago kits.
There was no Norba points or series points for this race so they started all Pros, Semis, SSers, and Experts together. It was a pretty big field. They scored all of us together except for SSers.
I felt suprisingly good. I felt great on the climbs and rode away from people but did my standard time losing decents. Man, I have to get better decending! Tom caught on the decent at the end of laps 1 and 2. He had to yell at me to let go of my brakes.
I was pretty happy with my race. I finished up 10th out of the Pros, Semis, and Experts.
Sara had a great race. She ended up getting 2nd out of the Pro / Expert women.
The rest of the ART Team did great as well. Tom and Darrin finished 1st and 2nd respectively out of the SSers and Evan finished a spot or two behind me.
Thanks to Matt for the bottles.
The awards ceremony in Flagstaff was great as well. We had a chance to catch up after our summer away over some post race refreshments.
Here is Tom at the start of the race.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
God Given Talent
I think that when Sara upgraded to Pro she thought it was for Professional Donut Eating! We bought this yesterday!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tales From the Stache
It was nice to get a couple of weeks of the school year under my belt again and get back to my Fridays off schedule. Sara was off too so we did a short ride and then worked on bikes all day. We finished Sara's Salsa and I got as far as I could on my Vassago. I was pretty excited with our bike progress on the day and the bikes look hot! I am digging the white parts on my Vassago.
Saturday was dedicated to riding. Sara and I headed out on the 305, up 297, met Becker at the top (finding out he had been bit by a dog on the way up) and headed down 299 / 9854, to 62. We headed into town with Becker on part of 126 that we have never ridden. It was really technical and way fun. Here is Becker and I having a stache pose down.
I decided that I was going to put some more hours in the saddle in trying to get ready for Payson so I head towards Thumb Butte. I parted from Becker and Sara and rode through town did and hour at Thumb Butte and then rode home. I was smoked when I got home. Still on the fence whether I can handle climbing Mingus with the guys tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Good Morning!
You ugly javelinas that woke me up yesterday. I didn't get them all in the picture, but there must have been 6 or 8 that cruised through our yard just under our bedroom window. The gravel makes it impossible for them to move quietly. As soon as I took the picture they ran......fast.
Monday, August 11, 2008
It ate my tires
Check out the monster that flew into our garage one night. We were trying to work on bikes and it kept flapping around us, looking for a comfortable spot. I finally had to grab it by both wings and throw it outside. I was afraid: #1 that it would eat all my bikes if we left it in there overnight, but also #2 that by touching it's wings it would be incapable of flying (is that a myth?). I was glad to see the next morning that it was not in the spot that I dropped it the night before.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
New Clothes
I should have gotten the Noirs but when I ordered I wasn't planning on putting the new stuff on the Sycip.
Still need to add the juicy's but I'm waiting for a bleed kit for the front.
Still need to add the juicy's but I'm waiting for a bleed kit for the front.
The Butte
We had a pretty good weekend of riding. Saturday we started at Thumb Butte with Robert and Steve. Thumb Butte is an area we have not yet spent enough time. Mike and Adam rode it when they were here. The last few sections of the Whiskey were through that area. In fact, on Saturday we rode that last torturous, big-time-cramp, gradual-but-super-rocky climb. It wasn't so bad this time around. Sunday morning Zach rode up Mingus on 89A, down to Jerome and Clarkdale then turned around and rode back. AND HE GOT DROPPED!!! It's not funny but it is. I've been hurting on every ride since we've been back and he just LOVES trying to make me laugh on the last climb when I have no energy left to do so. Instead I want to cry. At one point I really wanted to push him off of his bike. But back to him getting dropped. He rode Mingus with a 19 year old super fast kid, a 58 year old, and a ...we'll say... 55 year old (not quite sure of his age). Is that great or what. Zach got dropped by 2 old dudes. Granted, one guy owns one of the bike shops in town and the other is a freak of nature. But it's still fun. I went and did the Skull Valley Loop. Over the summer months there's a ride that leaves the safeway at 6:30am on both Saturday and Sunday. I ended up knowing a few people on the ride. Keith is a retired Air Force helicopter pilot and has to be the nicest guy I've ever met. Brian is the husband of one of the ladies at the preschool. Everyone else I had met for the first time. I was the only female. Me and two other dudes got dropped for the first 2 thirds. We met up with everyone at Wilhoit and I kept up with the fast group from there. I was able to hang with the final sprint into town too. So I felt pretty good about myself after the ride, which made hearing about Zach's drop even better!!!!
This week wasn't so good. I spent most of the day Monday cleaning and studying - no ride. Tuesday I was exhausted from working at the preschool again. Wednesday I packed my bike and planned on riding after work to the butte, but a scary looking storm rolled in and I skipped it. Tonight I did the same but I ignored the lightening and sprinkles. It had already downpoured earlier that day for crying out loud. I rode the streets to Thumb Butte on the 1x1...not exactly fun cause it's geared pretty easy I think. Rode the start of the ride we did Saturday and then turned around and back tracked. I didn't realize it until tonight when I rode the opposite way, but the trail we started with on Saturday was one of the first Zach and I did when we first moved here.
This week wasn't so good. I spent most of the day Monday cleaning and studying - no ride. Tuesday I was exhausted from working at the preschool again. Wednesday I packed my bike and planned on riding after work to the butte, but a scary looking storm rolled in and I skipped it. Tonight I did the same but I ignored the lightening and sprinkles. It had already downpoured earlier that day for crying out loud. I rode the streets to Thumb Butte on the 1x1...not exactly fun cause it's geared pretty easy I think. Rode the start of the ride we did Saturday and then turned around and back tracked. I didn't realize it until tonight when I rode the opposite way, but the trail we started with on Saturday was one of the first Zach and I did when we first moved here.
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