Nederland is heaven. Best singletrack I have ever ridden. Take the bus up with the boys and ride for 4hrs. Singletrack so good you wanna giggle like a little girl.
It’s gonna snow up there tomorrow. No worries though, I’m off to Mexico for some pre-wedding fun before Mr. Frischkorn-Treto’s wedding. Gonna stay at Walker’s parents new house outside of Cabo San Lucas.
Rayme and I went up to our buddy Bill’s house up in Edwards a little while back. It’s right outside of Vail, right next to Beaver Creek and Arrowhead. Rayme had a Yoga workshop and I took the mt. bike up the ski hill and across the ridge one day and did a sweet road ride with Bill the next. Some good steak and vino wrapped up each day….off season is good man.
The leaves were going crazy and it reminded me of back east abit…..but with huge mtns and thin air.
Back in the end of August when I got hit by a car, one of the Boulder locals, Whitey Debroux was looking out for me. I was pretty banged up and he hooked me up with one of his Crash and Burn Kits.
The kit will be a great addition to any riders race-day travel bag. We’ve all been in the situation of being totally road-rashed and cut up, walking through the aisles of Walgreen’s, CVS or Piggly Wiggly trying to find Tegaderm with people looking at you like you have the plauge…….this kit solves those and many other problems.
Thanks Whitey
I wish they had this when I was a young pup back in Joy-see:
Dan and I had the rare honor of sitting with Eddy Merckx for 2 days to sign autographs for our adoring public….well, it was his public, we were kinda along for the ride.
Eddy is pretty funny guy. He’s been through it all when it comes to these public functions and he has a real no BS type of attitude….Dan an dI both liked it.
Best story of the day. This guy comes up to the table with an old Merckx track frame from the 70’s for Eddy to sign.
Super Fan: “Hello Eddy! I got this frame from a guy who said you raced on it. Could you sign it for me?”
Best Rider of All Time: (takes the frame and gives it a good look over)
“Whom ever gave you this frame is a liar.”
Super Fan: (looks like he may cry. still manages to have enough courage to give Eddy the fork to sign)
Best Rider of All Time: (takes another good look at the fork which has the steerer tube drilled out!!!!!)
“This fork is dangerous….I will not sign it”
Eddy then went on to sign several hundred more posters. Dan and I were just happy to be there.
InterBike time.
Dan and I did 2 days at the Outdoor Demo in Boulder City, NV working for SRAM. We did 4, 40 minutes rides with 15 dealers each day.
It was cool to take people out and really show them how well the new Force Group works. Those guys are so dialed in and had the coolest most comfortable booth you could have in the middle of the desert. It was fun to see and check out all the new gear all the companies have coming out for ‘07.
Then it was onto the show in Vegas. First thing, Ron Ritzler comes up to me and says, ” you gotta go see the Michelin booth, there is a huge picture of ya!!!”
The show was crazy. So much to see and do, not to mention it’s hard to walk 15 feet without running into someone you know. Great to shake some hands and catch up with the sponsors who helped us out all season. Props have to go to SRAM to putting us up all week and showing us a good time.
Some pictures….
It’s been awhile….lots has happened…some good, some bad.
Since mid-August:
Rayme and I decided not to move to Boise.
I got the flu.
I got hit head-on by a car.
My hand got infected and my hip was bothering me as a result of getting hit.
I missed Gateway Cup in St. Louis a s a result of my hand.
Went to the doctor and found out the top of my femur was fractured.
Moved to Boulder with Rayme.
Took two weeks off the bike.
Missed the Parker Stage Race as a result of my leg.
Found out some of the boys are moving on to bigger and better things.
Started posting for missingsaddle.com….finally.
I’m Vegas now with Dan doing some PR stuff for SRAM and Gita. We are taking groups out for 45 minute rides all day. It’s nice seeing all the dealers fired up on the new SRAM gear and they are stoked to actually get out and ride the Force groups.
More to come…I promise.
When an old road you have ridden hundreds of times get repaved and has a shoulder added, it’s like you never ridden it before. Add in some great weather, classic Colorado scenery and you get this:
We raced a crit on Saturday night…it was fast…Jackson got in a break…then it got dark…then it rained…then guys fell on the ground…then Jackson got second…then Dan and I limped to the finish in the top 20…then we got paid. It has begun…
Jackson rode like a bad-ass, once again. For me, he is the best domestic rider of the year. Who else has been getting results since Feb. in every different type of race? So yeah, Charlotte was great. I have never had a bad racing experience in the South. People are so nice, the races are good, there is good money and people are just stoked to watch some bike racing. Thanks to eveyone who came up after the race to give some kind words about the team, the bikes and give some good luck wishes for the rest of the season.
At Harris Teeter you can get this:
Rayme and I just got back from an awesome 3 days up in Aspen. It was a nice break from the front range heat, but a harder times on the lungs up at 10,000 feet. Aspen is a pretty interesting place. I saw more fake boobs and lips than any where else I have ever been. So much money there it’s kinda crazy. Every fancy store you can think of and even the cops roll around in Volvo XC-90 SUV’s. We stayed at The Sky Hotel, which was a step above what I’m normally used to with the team. Nikki Sixx from Motley Crew was even staying on the same floor….he was rocking the leapord print cowboy hat and a pound of make-up…soooo rock and roll.
We ate some great food, drank some great wine and did some of the most beautiful rides of my whole life. Day one took my mt. bike and I on the Government Trail all the way to Snowmass Village and back. 3 hrs of sweet Aspen lined, 8 inch wide single-track trails. Made me feel like I was 16 again.
Heaven…..
Day two took Rayme and I up to the Maroon Bells. It was a chill 10 minute spin thorugh town and then an hour straight up to the trail head where the road dead ends at almost 12,000 feet. Rayme kicked some ass…she’s so cool.
Tourist style….
On Friday it’s off to Charlotte for the first of three big money crits. Over $250,000 is up for grabs and the boys and I are looking to take some of that home.