Benefit rides

I don't usually get out for the road rides that benefit various causes, but it's a whole different story if I can ride my moutain bike. Last month I rode the Third Annual Tour de Tryptophan/24 Hours of the Fullerton Loop Fund Raiser. It was the first time I was able to walk a Le Mans start--I like that!!

I'll be out at Cook's Corner on Saturday morning with some Sho-Air teammates and plenty of other riders in support of Tom Ritchey's Project Rwanda.

Join us.

Mission Impossible

While working with Lynda, I've really gotten to understand the importance of rest and easy days. If I don't rest and have a good time cruising keeping the TSS down then it's futile to attempt the intense workouts she has planned, it becomes mission impossible.


The goal for this past Saturday was a big IF workout. It was raining in Simi so the Coates gang and I ditched the ride last minute and did the Montrose ride in Pasadena instead. Once we got going my "mission" was to stay with this fellow -- not totally impossible. It would definitely ensure that I'd have a good ride. I was doing fine until I missed one of the accelerations. Bummer. Although it wasn't quite mission accomplished, I had a solid workout according to the powermeter so I achieved my main goal. =) Been taking it "easy" since then so I can hit the intervals hard this week.

It's impossible to be on fire all the time

Hundred and one or ten below

Two weeks ago it almost felt like summer with the unseasonably warm temperatures. This weekend it was the total opposite with a dusting of snow. I may have to break out the "winter" riding clothes.

I think these two are involved in a turf war again, over SoCal.

The original bosses of the Bloods & the Crips

Multiday race videos

My favorite mtb stage race video has to be the old 2004 Addidas Transalp video. I think I watched it once a day when I was getting ready for the race last year.



The La Ruta site recently added the 2006 video. I was caught stuffing my pie hole at CP3 on the top of Irazul on day two.

TransAlp 2007 (part II)

I forgot to mention that Jeantex also has a road version of the TransAlp. Interestingly enough, neither the road nor the mtb race will allow towing. I wonder if enough folks have been reading my three part series on towing at multi-day races? =) Part I, II & III

The rule really only affects the mixed category teams. So the mixed team race is going to be a lot more interesting this year; Jorg & Anna are going to have to figure something out if they want a shot at the podium.

The Rules:

Road TA -- Section 18 rule 5:
Both partners of a team can assist each other within the framework of the traffic regulations. However mechanical connections between the two bicycles (towing ropes or similar) are not permitted.

MTB TA -- Rule 6.5:
While it is allowed for team members to support each other by pushing or pulling manually, it is prohibited -for saftey reasons- to use any kind of device or mechanical aide to do so. There will be repated checks at the start and along each daily stage to ensure your compliance with this regulation.


Will Chester be consistent with the rules at both of his races? Could there be a similar rule going into effect at the TransRockies? Some mixed teams might need a new game plan next summer.

Update: The Cape Epic has banned towing as well.
Rule 16.4 - No towing between riders is allowed.

I don't really see towing being an option at the TransRockies Challenge next year, but there' s nothing in the official rules yet.

TransAlp 2007

Registration for the Jeantex TransAlp started yesterday at midnight. It's different from previous years where teams had to download the application, fill it out and submit it as fast as possible. Now teams have four days to register. A lottery will determine which teams get entries.

Each day has its challenges

New training partner

On Sunday, I went out to the Fullerton Loop to ride with a new training partner, Eddy Garmin. The plan was to ride three loops at a moderate pace. I thought my legs would be fine after Saturday's ride and that it would be no problem, but I was totally wrong. Eddy was at least a tenth of a mile ahead of me in no time and the gap increased as time went on. I got schooled on my own training loop.

Behind from the start

This guy is an animal. He doesn't feel pain at all!

On the redline

Rode the Simi ride yesterday with Dustin and Nick. It was definitely what Dustin termed a "wakeup call." I've been easing into a normal training schedule after a couple of unstructured weeks. It felt good to be riding on the redline again, but I'm glad the ride ended when it did because I was spent.

It took me most of the ride to get use to riding in such a huge pack at high speed. The average pace at Simi is similar to the top end at Bud's ride and there's at least 100 more riders. I was amazed at the speeds some of these guys carry on winding downhills; big chainring hammering as hard as they can to ensure they aren't slowing down. I was also surprised to see that a couple of the strongest guys that put the hurt on at Buds were in a world of hurt headed into the last climb--the 7 minute climb. Nick and I got separated from Dustin early on so we rode most of the ride together. Nick was keeping a good pace on the climbs just like at the 8-hour in Keyesville we raced in March.

I'll be back again next week!

It was a good hurt

Changes in '07

With a new team comes a new direction. Most of my events next year will be target races for the team so my schedule will actually have a little bit of structure to it. No Ironbike, no TransRockies or TransAlps...maybe La Ruta. Still plenty of fun, just a little different.

Won't be testing this towing system at the TransRockies next year

Danke Shein

Thanks to everyone that made this a fun year:

Monica for helping with all the prerace logistics.

My Warrior Society teammates for support at the races early in the year.

Tani and the great guy's at The Path for getting my bike race ready during the first half of the year.

Tim, Sherry, Jason and Suzanne from Switchback Cyclery for support at the Hurkey race and keeping my bike going during the latter half of the year.

Scott, Justin, Manny, Terry, and Bernice from Team Sho-Air for the awesome support the past couple of months.

Lucky Gilly and Caroline for being a great support crew.

Dean my training partner and duo teammate this year.

Lynda for the awesome coaching and everything that goes with it.

La Ruta Lou, my racing bud and unofficial coach, for all the great advice and for sharing your wealth of experience.

Blair, my Cape Epic partner, for the tips on how to race smarter.

Dr. Shane and Bernice for all the DMS that kept my legs going after weeks of training.

Desert Dan Cain for tips on how to deal with MTB shoe issues.

Angelika for all the help resolving the issues with my stolen bike.

All the Warrior Society volunteers.

Cycling Genius

Besides being graceful while out of the saddle single speeders are cycling geniuses. They've realized that there's not too much difference in efficiency between sitting and standing before the lab rats figured it out. I'd better get with the program and check the Acme catalog for a nice SS rig. Who knows what I'm missing out on?

A Sho-Air Vision Quest in 2007

Practically the entire Sho-Air team will be doing either the Vision Quest or Counting Coup in March. With 18 riders showing up to race I'm guessing there's going to be a lot of guys with black jerseys off the front. Wait a minute. With everyone racing who's going to do support? =)

The only person not racing the VQ will be Lou, but that's because she'll be in Alaska racing 350 miles in the snow at the Ultrasport. I don't envy her as that one is a little too cold for me.

Brrrrrrr!!

Photo from here