Changes

You will see that there are some changes on this blog. There was no falling out between us and the Vassago peeps. We still love Vassago and everything they do. I would like thank Vassago again for everything over the last few years.

It just seemed like it was time to support and ride for our friends and local frame builders. Daryl Roberts (Founder & Chief Designer), Sam Davis (Welder), and Shawn Morra (Machinist) make up FORM Cycles . Daryl with the support of his lovely wife Melanie base the FORM Headquarters out of Sedona, AZ. These guys are building some beautiful bikes!!!! Here are mine.... THANKS GUYS!!!

STEEL















TITANIUM

12 Hours at Night

Well, no need to do a race report since the local paper did it for me.


Here is the pre-race article


Here is the post-race article


Articles were cool but they didn't put my props to race organization and sponsors

Back in the Saddle

This past weekend I did my first solo 12 hour race since the whole bloody pee incident. This was also going to be Sara's very first solo 12 hour race as well as her first race since the fall. The race that we attended was 12 Hours of Temecula a race in the SOCAL Endurance Series

Friday morning we embarked on the beautiful drive through the mountains towards Temecula, CA.
























We made some stops around Temecula to pick up some dinner and burgers for the race and made it to the venue around 2:00. Jason the race promoter who is one of the nicest people you will ever meet was there to greet us. He gave us rock star parking with the vans being parked right by the demo/staging area where Daryl was going to set up the Form tent and display.


Once we were set up, we set out for a pre-ride. Sara and Daryl had never been here before and were amazed with the views and some of the wild sections of the course. Here is some footage I found from the January Temecula race to give you an idea of the course.

The course ended up being 9.3 miles with 1,100 feet of climbing per lap. After the pre-ride we ate some dinner and got to bed early.

The morning went smooth. We had the Vassago Solo pit area set up and it was time for race prep, racer meeting, and to the start line shortly before 9:00. Sara's started to get a little nervous before the start in trying to figure out if she had everything she needed in our pit area and realizing she was going to be on her bike for 12 hours.

The race went great. No bike issues. I felt great all day. I didn't quite have as much high end as I usually do in the early laps but all in all I felt good. Probably the high point of the race was when another solo guy yelled at me for fumbling in a techy section so I let him go by. We then got to the big switch back climb and this dude couldn't climb for poop. So I knobby rubbed him up the entire climb. He even got off his bike and told me to go by and I said "No, I'm fine." He got back on his bike and went and gave him a couple of more rubs right before I went past when the climb opened up. I think he got the point.

Another exciting point was the big rattle snake that said hello to me around one of the turns. He was far enough off the trail but still made a little poop come out.

I was happy with 12 Laps and 4th in the Pro Solo Class for my first 12 hour race in almost a year. Sara ended up 3rd in the Womens Pro Solo Class but would have been 2nd if she realized the results had shorted her one lap and had the times for 2 laps combined.

























Daryl had a great race finishing 1st in the Expert Solo Class. Tom Ament was having a great race until his broken ankle forced him to stop ridding. Tom Stack hammered out 11 laps and wins the award for the dirtiest legs.

Whiskey 50

I wasn't quite sure how this year's Whiskey Off-Road was going to shake out. I am only half way back into shape and we got some wind, rain, and snow the days before the race and I hate racing in mud. Regardless of how the race was going to turn out for me the weekend was going to be a blast! Sara decided she wasn't ready for the 50 and decided she would do some volunteer work at the event. She is setting her sights for Temecula in June.

We had a big group coming into town to stay with us Friday night before the race. After packet pick-up and some dinner, breakfast prep for the morning, and some minor bike maintenance all nine of us were off to bed. (In separate rooms)

We all rose for some pancakes and sausage around 5:30. We did find some pieces of sausage in Sara's pill case the night after the race. I think it was compliments of Tom and Evan. Tom had a busy morning preparing for the race, playing hide the sausage, and hiding my shoes. Thanks BGT!!!

The day of the race couldn't have brought better weather. It was a little cool getting ready but perfect temp of 45 degrees for the start.

Evan and I getting Vassagos ready for the start.


















Evan sporting the vintage Straight-Up Cyclery jersey.















Here is me trying to sneak my Optimus onto a display stand in the Form Cycles tent without Daryl noticing.

















Once I got out there and got warmed up the race went great! I felt better and better as the race went on. A lot of people went out too hard and had problems on the big climb. I passed a ton of people on the 12 mile climb up from Skull Valley. It actually got pretty warm during the race. I wound up barely breaking 4 hours (3:59.25) which was slower than last year but still respectable and better than I had hoped. It is a sure thing that the Whiskey is no longer a small race. More and more freakishly fast people are showing up each year. Going to take a lot of work to try and get back into the top 20 next year.



Me at the finish




















Tom at the finish





















Tom saying something stupid
















Despite his stupidity Tom had a great race finishing 4th in Single Speed.

















I had a great day on the bike and a giant step in getting my body and racing back into shape. Thanks to Kris, Misty, and Vassago for the continued support!

Snow Day

I got that wonderful call at 5:30 this morning that school was cancelled due to snow. Sara got her call shortly after mine. The picture is the view out of our garage this morning. Took Layla for a walk and then made some breakfast. Looks like another day of training on the rollers.

First Race

The reason I didn't call this the first race of the year is cause it felt like my first race ever. The road back after some extra pounds and 4 months of antibiotics is going to require a little work.

I'm glad I have mental support from Tom who told me that if I'm going to go that slow on a race course, I need to put flashing harzard lights on the back of my bike.

This Past Month...

So much has happened over the last month.

4 weeks ago

we spent my last week of summer before school in Sedona with Daryl and Melanie having some fun and quality creek time with the dogs

















2 weeks ago

For Haven's Sake was a blast!!! Tom and Kim had everything nailed and the event ran like a well oiled machine. We raised a bunch of money for a great cause and a fun time was had by all.

Thanks again to everyone who volunteered, contributed, and attended!
















Last Weekend

Camped and watched Sara and Tom race the St Mary's Food Bank race in Flagstaff.

Sara and Tom both finished in 2nd in the respective categories.























Also, Jeff, Norma, & Coco stayed with us Saturday night cause Jeff was doing the Skull Valley Road Race on Sunday. Layla and Coco got to have round 2 of their weekend's play. Here is Layla after they rolled in the dirt for hours in Flag.















As of late, I'm just working on motivation to start riding again after some bloody pee, infections, and medication battle.

Really?

10 years of marriage!

Good thing he didn't kiss me for the first time with that nasty moustache!

Prescott 12 Hours at Night

Tom, Tom, and Kim drove up this weekend for Prescott's inaugural 12 Hours at Night sponsored by GO Adventure Recreation. It was something new for me. I've never done a 12 hour race that was entirely at night. The race went from 8 pm Saturday till 8 am Sunday. Big thanks to Tom Ament industries for making me some ghetto lights to get me through the event. Tom makes awesome little lights that are super bright with long run times.

As we were getting ready for the race a storm started moving in. Here is me in deep thought looking at the lightning dancing around.




We got some pretty crazy lightning and wind for the first few hours but no rain. The weather added a little excitement.

Getting ready!!!



Starting the race I knew I had my work cut out for me cause I saw that Taylor Lideen a young up and coming endurance racer was there. I've raced with him before and he is super fast. We hit the first 5 laps pretty hard which didn't allow me to get any of my hamburgers consumed. So I was running on Gatorade, water, and GU for about the first 1/3 of the race. On the 6th lap Taylor put a little time on me but I was surprised to see him off the course and packing his car up at the end of the 6th lap. Turns out he had some stitches in his had that started to open up on him. So him dropping out allowed me to slow things down a little and get some solid food in me.
'
Anyway, It was the best 12 hour course I've ridden. It flowed nice and there was not any spots that I really hated. I'll be looking forward to this event next year.








I ended up winning the Men's Solo geared category with 15 laps and 135 miles. I have to thank Sara, Jeff, and Layla for the support. Would have been a lot harder without them.















Kim killed it on her first 12 hour race! She won the women's single speed category with 13 laps which would have been enough to take second in the men's single speed category














Great job to Tom Stack too for his 3rd place finish!!!

Haven's Benefit details

Mark your calendars and check out the awesome flyer Kim made!
You can register ahead of time at BikeReg.com.
An event website has also been set up at forhavenssake.sports.officelive.com. From there you can register for the bike event, make direct donations, and find links to all of the businesses that have contributed to make this benefit happen!! You can read more about Haven and her fight here.