Next year......

.....I hope to be able to ride up those stairs!

Yeah, wishful thinking. Don't even think the WTB boys were riding up 'em......but, looking at their lap times, I could be wrong. Those guys are fast!

Here we are, weeks later, and I still have a smile on my face thinking about that 24 Hours of Adrenalin race at Laguna Seca. Something about that mountain biking stuff just gets me goofy......I dig it.

And you know, it's a great way to end the day......something about summer time mountain bike rides in the evening.....perfect end to a hectically hellacious work day.

Um.....

.....did this team get a new mechanic??? Nice.

Burnout.

Back in the day(yeah, another one of those silly stories), I went through a section of burnout with cycling. It was about 1986 or so. It had gotten to a point where cycling was just no longer fun for me - it was a chore. Training schedules were over-analyzed, races were over-hyped, results were poured over like it was the end of the world. There was just too much information, too much to think about. The one goal - how to get faster, how to do well in races, how to win. I forgot the one reason why I got into the sport in the first place - because the riding itself was fun.

I don't wish burnout on anyone. It's debilitating. If it wasn't for the re-discovery of mountain biking at that time, I probably would have just stopped riding altogether. It brought the "fun" aspect of cycling back to me. It showed me that there was more to bicycling than just racing........that the ride itself was the joy in it all.

So, with that said, have fun out there!

Now, about that saddle sore.........

First Win!

Way to go guys! MC snags a win at the San Jose Crit yesterday........way to go Dude!

And Geno and Jimmy C......you guys are my idols!

Saddle Sores Suck.......

Went out for a ride over the weekend and went a little further than expected. And, being the bonehead I am, decided I didn't need Bag Balm. Mistake - big mistake. Ouch.

Is that Nevada City I hear???

Yep, the race is comin' up soon - Father's Day. And wouldn't you know it, they open up the field to Masters 4s. Whoa. 'Course, you gotta race with those Masters 1/2/3 guys too. Still, I think some guys from the Sport team would do okay in there......Gianni, Bob R., Maurice, Joseph M.......think you guys might go for it??

Yes, unfinished business I have there.......but is this the year??? Hmmmmm.

Geezo Rodney......

....did ya fall off the face of the earth or what???

No no - just been busy. Sorry for the lack of posts on here - hope to be back in action starting today.

Good luck to everyone racing the Crit today in San Jose - keep it safe!! Hope all goes well - let me know what happened out there.

And to Bob R. - Dude, you are my idol......3rd in the Mt. Ham RR - Awesome!!! Like I said before, he's a cyclist's cyclist......and well on his way to the top spot on the podium. Go get 'em Bob!

Man, you ever get in one of those funks......

.....where you seem to just be watching instead of doing??? I guess it's just one of those weeks. Extra hours at work, less time to ride, just too much going on all at once. And the thing of it is, that's the time to get out and ride the most.

So, to all out at the group rides and the 50, etc. - I hope to be back in action soon.

I don't know if you guys have all noticed this, but life is way better with cycling. I was reading Heft on Wheels last night.......man, what a transition that dude made! That Trek 5200 he was riding must have gone through hell though. Cycling literally changed the way he lived.

This is neverending......

Manolo Saiz Arrested

Cycling news-sources are reporting that Manolo Saiz, the manager of the Liberty Seguros team, and the patent owner of the word VENGA, was arrested in Spain today.

VeloNews quotes the Cadena Ser radio station: "Police have arrested Manolo Saiz and the Liberty team doctor Eufemiano Fuentes on suspicion of being involved in doping.

"PEZ will keep you posted on the developments in this breaking story in Thursday's EuroTrash, but it doesn't look all that good for Saiz and his team, especially considering the fact that this has apparently been a lengthy investigation.

Inquiring minds wanna know.......

........How's the ride Alicat??????

And finally tonight......

.....a photo montage of cycling randomness.

Words of Wisdom.....

.....from a teammate. Gotta love it.

This blog.....

.....is becoming one of my favorites. I'm tellin' ya right now - if you need a coach, you best hire this guru now.

Made the horrible mistake again.....

.....of staring at this bike in the candy store tonight.

But, you know, this one below is just as sexy to me. Call me kooky, call me crazy......but I gotta thing for the old school stuff.

Oh man, that sux!

We have the infamous Honey Run Time Trial over the weekend and only 5 brave souls were able to race in it???

Yikes. Me no likey.

Of course, I'm one to talk - I was outta town! Ooops.

Anyway, there will be other opportunities. Remember, there are 3 coming up in the future - The Forest Ranch Time Trial, the Jack & Jill Time Trial and the Cohasset Time Trial Part 2.

Ah, gotta love those races of truth......they just don't lie to ya. And that's sorta refreshing.....in a vomit-launch kinda way.

Team Mom......

....where are you???

She's gone MIA. I think.

And with the results......

......come the sponsors.

Way to go Geno - and the rest of the Dudes.

Is that the sound of progress I'm hearing??? Hell yeah.

Yeah, I may have gone a little overboard.....

.....on the shoes. But man, my feet are diggin' 'em!

Yep, I'm thinkin' this ride would be......

......some serious fun and pain on the weekly Fast 50. Of course, you could always cruise it to work too.

Nice tape Dude.

Back in my Chico State University days......

.....in the 80s/early 90s, I had a professor in one of my business classes who happened to notice I was wearing a Campagnolo t-shirt one day in class. After class, he talked to me about Campy components, bicycles and cycling in general. It was a great little conversation about a subject we obviously both loved.

Before I left the classroom, he told me something unreal. He told me he was a member of the 1972 Olympic Cycling Team. I was like, NO WAY!!! I was blown away. An actual Olympian in, of all things, cycling......teaching this Management Information Systems class at Chico State University.

Well, sure enough - found his pic recently. He's the 4th rider from the left in the picture above. Great teacher too.....well, at least I thought so! Of course, it makes it a lot easier when you find out one of your Profs is a stud in the sport you love the most.

Gianni.....

.....Dude, got your pics from the 24 Hour race in the mail! Those are AWESOME!!! Thank you!!

And man, I went out on the MTB tonight - gotta get ready now for next year's race. Of course, I hear there's some other MTB races coming up soon.

Anyone up for 12 hours of torture????

"Uh, I think you're going the wrong way."

That's something I probably would hear from my accountant after going to the bike shop this past week - not once, but twice. And yeah, I went the wrong way......I spent more than I probably should have on cycling junk.

However, the two items I purchased - yeah, there were only two - were a pair of cycling shoes and a saddle(okay, if you count BOTH shoes, there are 3 items). These are two of the main contact points on your bicycle, as you already know. So, by my reasoning......which is completely slanted......this was money well spent! Shoes that actually fit my feet......and a saddle that actually fits my fat butt!

The payoff here is tremendous......just a tad bit more cycling comfort. I'm not talking about lounge chair comfort here - I'm talking about taking that little edge off as the miles wear on. Feet a little more comfortable.......your butt not quite so sore at mile 60. Can you put a price on these little comforts??? Well, according to the bike shop, yes, you can.

And so, my wallet shrunk more than I wanted.......but my cycling enjoyment just grew exponentially.

I'd say that's a bargain.

Although it's great to finally be home......

.....my body needs a bike ride......ASAP. Man, what is it about driving in a car for 7 hours that makes you so tired??? And my legs feel like lead. And to top it off, it's raining again!

No worries though - the bike calls and I have to answer. I feel like a slug.

Yet another road trip tomorrow.......

.....to the thriving metropolis of Ridgecrest, CA. Whoopie!! Can't wait. Just kidding. Hoping there's enough room in our small car for my bike. If not, may have to borrow a bicycle while I'm down there......hear there might be some good trails and roads in that area.

OH - the pic.......yeah, actually that has nothing to do with Ridgecrest. Just thought it was a cool pic of Teun van Vliet......I use to idolize those Raleigh riders.......seemed unstoppable in the pro peloton back in the day.

Now some old pics!

If the top picture seems to have riders that look familiar, well, they should/could. The rider on the left and right were in Team Cinzano in Breaking Away. And the Cinzano dude on the right has a son who races bicycles too!

Man, gotta dig those track sprinter legs in the bottom pic. Nasty big.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming......

Bummer......

.....another one bites the dust.

Gianni's Singlespeed for the race.........

.......very cool, but suffered 5 mechanicals on its first lap! Yikes. The most amusing one - Gianni's saddle being 3 to 4 inches lower coming into the finish because his seatpost kept slamming down. Looked like he was riding his daughter's bike!

Our bikes......

.....at the end of the race in the transition area.

The Trials, Tribulations and Tabulations.....

......of a 24 Hour mountain bike race.

Man, let me tell you, I'm sore. I hurt in places I never imagined I would hurt. I have cuts and bruises all over the place too. And to top it off, I have yet another new appreciation for mountain biking......even with crashing twice and being crashed into once.

First off, let me give out a huge thanks to Johnny C. for putting this team together and providing housing for all of us - Johnny, myself, Kareem, Jim and Dave. His help and organization skills are second-to-none. He is not only da man - he's Super Stud! And, of course, his lap times during the race showed us why. This guy is one of the coolest guys I've ever met in my life too, so I feel honored to know him.

For me, this was a race of fun, persistence and fatigue. It was fun, but the course wears on you. The first part of the course has a bunch of these little steep hills that just grunt away at you - with names such as Hurl Hill. Then you hit the Twisties - singletrack downhill with lots of little switchbacks here and there. Then you hit the fireroad descent and you really fly.........and finally, The Grind. The Grind is one of those mindless fireroad climbs that is just relentless......not steep......just persistent......goes on and on. And it actually can wear away at you mentally.

I ended up doing 4 of our 21 laps - one in the afternoon, one in the evening and two in the morning. I was very very lucky in that I didn't have to use my lighting system once during the race. I was spoiled - Kareem, Jim, Dave and Gianni flew the laps through the night. The astonishing thing to me were how fast these guys were riding. They were just super consistent(read - quick) during the full-moon night!

Instead of a novel, I'll go ahead and list the things learned, seen, pondered upon, etc. during this race:

- Lighting systems in this race are very important. Our team hit lighting problems through the night. Lights broken, died, not working properly, etc.

- Endurolytes are my new miracle supplement - I thought they were snake oil at first.......not now. After suffering severe cramps during lap 2, I took them for laps 3 and 4 and was crampless the entire time. I am now a believer.

- Have your bike ready to go prior to leaving your house. And if you're not running disks, make sure you adjust the toe-in on your pads........or you'll drive the racers nuts with your squeals(as I found out with my extremely loud front brake! Hee hee).

- I have a new appreciation for The Stick.

- Rich Thurman's 42-minute night-time lap blows my mind.......that guy is not human.

- Kareem is FAST on a mountain bike!! If you ever get a chance to ride with him, you better hang on 'cause he'll blow your H2O cages off. Jim too - those two guys move on a mountain bike.

- Chicks who race mountain bikes while wearing G-strings are an amazingly effective distraction while climbing The Grind hill.

- Broken collarbones happen when you hit fireroad ruts on the downhill section(hope you heal quickly!!!).

- The main requirement for being on the winning WTB team is to weigh 120 pounds, have less than 1% bodyfat, and average less than 46-minute laps consistently.

- Although very painful to watch, the solo 24-hour riders are quite amusing to talk to after 20 hours of racing. Try asking them what their name is, and see how long it takes them to respond.

- Being interviewed by 4 PowerBar Research folks from England about why I believe cake frosting is the wave of the future in cycling supplementation was, well, kinda cool in a way. Of course, they better give us a cut of the profits!

- I need to practice mountain biking more - especially downhill singletracking. For some reason, my body kept needing to crash on that section.

- It dawned on me this morning that while a big chunk of the country was finding out who won a million bucks participating in immunity challenges and working as a team(or not), the five of us were recovering from our own challenge.......and really living life instead of watching it on the tube.

- Teammates rule!!

- If I could, I would sign up for next year's race tonight. It was that much fun.

So, in short, my lap times were nothing special - slow compared to some of the other guys; My MTB skills need some work; My mountain bike is in need of a bath; I haven't even unpacked yet; I'm still sleepy; and I'm badly in need of some Advil or something to relieve the pain.

Most of all, it was an experience that you have to try at least once in your life.....especially if you are a cyclist. Keep an open mind going into it, learn from it and come back from it knowing what to do next time........and the fun you had at the time. It truly is a blast.

Looking forward to doing it again next year.

Thanks for reading this long report!

And then......

.....10am on Sunday, it was finally over.

Our fearless leader........

.....Gianni! This is the LeMans start - everyone running to their bikes.......10am Saturday.

The Start......and Finish Line of the 24 Hours......

24 Hours of Pain.......and Fun!!!

I'll try to post some pics of this event a bit later - Blogger is having some issues this morning, so it's not allowing me to post any pics just yet.

All I can say is......If you ever get a chance to do this mountain biking event, do it. Don't hesitate. Just make the decision to go for it. It's definitely worth it.

Okay All..........

......off to race the 24 Hours of Adrenalin in Laguna Seca. Be back soon!!

Yep, you guessed it.....more pics!

Yeah.....I'd say it's time to hit some dirt.

A photo montage of Crit racing......EMC style.

"Geezo Rodney.......

......we don't wanna see all 438 crappy pictures of the EMC Crit! Stop posting them!"

Okay - but here's one more of EMC Jennifer and X Bunny!

If you're looking for a cycling or triathlon coach.....

......this is the Guru that you want to hire. Master Gianni......hard at work setting up the wheel pits.

Yep, that's PAB in the top photo........#76......

.....but unfortunately, I need to get my glasses checked 'cause the rest of it looks all blurry.

YES!!

Merkeley Bike has got himself a blog!

I love it.

And, of course, our fabulous Race Announcers!

Our fearless leader Nome Agusta with the microphone and red hat.......and Vic with the microphone behind the lap counter. Casey K. is giving the other official pointers on how to turn the lap cards. Vic was having a difficult time Announcing and lap-carding, so Casey assigned the lap-carding to someone else. That's okay - Vic is one of my favorite race announcers - he likes to let the race develop before he speaks......that's my kind of announcer!

And let me say this about Nome - If the sh*t ever hits the fan during a race you're putting on, Nome is the Dude you want on your race management team. When we had a little crashy crash on the Corner of Doom, I was my typical confused hysterical self.......and Nome was as calm as could be.......talked me through the situation, calm, cool, collected. Situation taken care of.......reminded me of "The Wolf" in this movie. The guy just solves problems.

Dr. X and Larry U. entering the......

....fields into the computers prior to Sunday's EMC Crit. I thought Dr. X was working on his blog at the time, but no such luck. And man, he coulda been there at the end of the Masters 4/5 race, but had to bail due to a prior engagement! That sux!! Oh well - there's always next race.

And I'm stickin' to my prediction - Dr. X is the man with the cure, and a victory will happen before the end of this season. I can almost feel it. Hope I can be there to help out.

Oh man.......okay......

......I'm at one of those points where I'm asking myself what in the world I have gotten myself into.....again. 24 hours of mountain bike racing at Laguna Seca Raceway.......the 24 Hours of Adrenaline. This weekend - Mother's Day.

Okay, so, when I signed up for this sucker, I didn't realize it fell on Mom's Day. My mom isn't going to be totally upset, but I know she'll be a bit bummed out that I won't be with her on her special day.

Then, found out today my bike's headlight is dead - and the rear tail light doesn't blink - which is a requirement! And the bike itself has seen better days.

Don't know what in the world I'm doing.

And to top it off, I'm also the Team Volunteer! Which means, in addition to the racing, I'm volunteering for 4.5 hours too at the race. Another weekend, another volunteership. Hope Laguna Seca isn't a Pleasanton!

In the end though, here's how I look at it: Yeah, my body ain't ready, my bike ain't ready and my mom ain't ready........but we do this crazy stuff for the love of the sport, the life, the cycling community.....and to help a greater cause than ourselves.

OMG.....This pic......

......is awesome! Olaf racin' and winnin' as a Bella. Too cool.

And finally tonight.....

......the money shot - Mr. Campagnolo's legs! Dude, those are gnarly lookin'.

Great job yesterday! Working and racing = too tired to think. Don't know how you guys did it. And takin' the prime (preem) from the Nolanmeister.......that was classic.

Le Petit Lutin & X Bunny at the start......

.....of their race yesterday.

I'm telling you, those last five laps looked like brutal-on-a-stick. The pace went from semi-pedestrian to lightspeed in an instant.......and they just kept ramping it up! Looked like the Peppermint Clan was working the field over a bit.

How'd it feel out there???

And the Fon Man said......

...."Dammit Dave, if you don't win this friggin' race, I'm gonna kick yer ass!" Some pre-race tech talk prior to the 4/5 race yesterday.

Thanks for bringing the goodies Dave - you, as always, rule!!