Tuesday, January 12, 2010
I Accept Challenges
Sunday, December 6, 2009
What I DO?- Is I Race!
Let's face it........ when it gets more technical in Cross races I shine. I want more bumps, drops, cliffs, and canyons to traverse. I am the real deal when it comes to riding the Cross bike.....
Let's face it......... I can not "bunny hop" like my GT Dirt Coalition team mate Keith DeFiebre. Call me a wuss, call me whatever you want but I just do not have that move in my bag of tricks. DeFiebre meanwhile is getting huge air while hopping over the boards. Me, I am content to dismount and run like a girl over the boards. I am fine with this......
Friday, November 20, 2009
Cyclocross GT Dirt Coalition Style
This time of year is sort of harvest time for myself. I reap the rewards of all my hard work during the year. My training, my constant riding of the GT Zaskar, my dedication to sport, all pay off when I do the Cyclocross races. I am a man possessed and I ride to succeed....
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
1st Overall Expert 40+ Folsom Cyclebration MTB Stage Race
Thanks to GT for the support and allowing me to chase my dreams out on the trails. The courses in each stage were super fun to race on. There were so many twists and turns and ups and downs on the trails, it was some of the best riding I have ever done!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Running Race
When I run it hot I morph into the Cheetah, the fastest animal on the planet. At times I am the Cheetah when it really gets going in my local races....
Monday, August 17, 2009
FINALLY!!!
I have been waiting so very long to witness a California Mountain Lion in the wild, and it finally happened!! The California Mountain Lion is the undisputed king of our forests, and my dream to view one up close finally came true.
I was on a road bike ride with my friend Kestrel in the mountains of my rural Mendocino county town. We were on a gentle downhill when suddenly at about 150 feet in front of us the giant cat jumped out into the center of the road. Kestrel kept riding toward it as if there was no reason to alter our course. Maybe he was not thinking this creature in front of us can kill us both!
My keen sense and eye sight knew instantly it was the deadly California Mountain Lion I had been waiting to contact. I was like, "here we go.....here we go!". The Puma looked over, made eye contact, and then pounced up the embankment in a single leap displaying its raw power, A big roost of dirt was shot up in the air from its 3 inch claws ripping at the dirt.
Kestrel looked back at me and said "deer..huh?" I shot back, "what?' I could have slapped him for clearly missing the rare, elusive cat I have been tracking for most of my lifetime.
I feel much more complete as a human, and a true outdoors-man after such a long time wanting to fill my vision with this wonderful cat and having it finally go down for real.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Napa X-Country Racing
Lots of action went down in this popular Californian Epic event! The weather was scorching hot and so was the competition.
I put in a big effort in this race and was running in the top 3 range in the 35+ Expert division, only to come unglued in the last mile. Yes the last mile of the 30 mile course. Two riders passed me in that last mile and I went from 4th to 6th place in the end, one spot off the podium. Those passes hurt, especially when those two riders finished 5 seconds and 20 seconds in front of me on the finish line. However it was very promising to be finding my form with many more races still to come on the 2009 calender. My division had this year's National MTB Champion in the group, as well as many other notable Nor-Cal top guns, and I was running up front for most of the 30 mile test. My best is still to come!!
I set up my GT Dirt Coalition tent next to Chris Horton from Sacramento. We doubled up the tents and gave GT a great impact for the masses of MTB enthusiasts who were on hand for the event. Chris represented the GT Dirt Coalition well with a 1st place in the Sport division. Congratulations to Chris on his fine ride! Also, it was cool to hang out with a team mate after the race and throw down some beer and share stories about the day.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
It Is On This Weekend~
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Race Ready
I am riding full steam and head on into the thick of the race season. It just keeps getting better and better for me and my GT. At the previous event I competed in the announcer took a liking to my Carbon Marathon ride, and he went off on countless rants about how sweet the bike is and how cool GT is for putting together the Dirt Coalition team. This led to a pretty large crowd gathering around my team tent after the race to check out the GT Carbon Marathon for themselves. That announcer did a fine job in breaking down the truth about my dream ride Carbon Marathon.
Now it is time for me to go on a ride......
I must say that being a part of the GT Dirt Coalition team has kept me super motivated to race and keep my legs firing on all cylinders. My workouts have been solid and I am ready to race.
Next up for me is a very popular race in Napa. This event is one of the more epic races in Nor-Cal, and I will be there on the start line ready to throw down.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
OH YEAH!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Summer Heat
I took the "hole shot" on the group and led my GT Dirt Coalition team mate Keith DeFiebre for 1/2 a mile of pavement into a head wind and then on to the single track....
The GT Marathon is RAD! This bike is Awesome!!!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
It's On
This past weekend in Fresno, at a US National BMX event, I faced up to the best competition possible. Strong, skilled, and smooth riding competitors from all over were lined up against me in the gate. The level of talent in the gate was quite possibly the best I have ever faced. Fighting for hole-shots, and battling for track lines against the best riders will only help me in my comeback to racing.
I have the CCCX XC race coming up next Saturday, and the P.G. Butterfly Crit. on Sunday.
It is on for some racing and I am more then ready to have at it!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Training Hard
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Sea Otter Classic
I posted up doing some security on the famous Sea Otter Classic dual slalom. Someone had to keep the camera men in check so I set up shop in the third berm area and ran the show.....
Racing Action: In the Super-D, GT Dirt Coalition team mate Keith Defiebre and I had a plan to use road racing tactics to get Keith 2 wins in as many years. We carried out the strategy to perfection and Keith won the race in the largest amount of time of any category. Victory IS sweet!
X-Country action was long and hot. I surprised myself by getting 8th place in the grueling 38 mile event as I had an injury and then illness that took me off the bike for a full 3 weeks leading up to the race. I'm optimistic about rocking the GT Zaskar to some BIG finishes in 2009!!
I'm now healthy again, have a big race in my legs, got a taste of the racing action and believe me, IT'S ON!!!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Fire Power!
This picture is no illusion~ I am completely sideways getting down & dirty in a berm on my workout course. I have so much crazy turning ability it makes me laugh sometimes.....
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Climate Controlled
My first MTB race of the season is now on the horizon. It will be one of the biggest races in the USA, The Sea Otter Classic. This is where my new ride will make its competitive debut.
This past week has been has been difficult, as I have been battling cold and flu symptoms. But I seemed to have made a turn for the better and am starting to feel my energy level rise and get back to normal.
Now I will spend some quality time in the saddle and try and gear up for next weeks Sea Otter Classic.
It is going to be fun!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Going Off~
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Oh I See....
I am liking the new team kit.....
The carbon Zaskar built up on day one- the first ride was outstanding.....
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
My Helping Hand~
Today was the first day of my Wednesday Bike ride/repair program I have going for under privileged youths in my area. This is the 3rd year of the ride/repair program. I lend a helping hand in repairing any kids bike for free to enable them to ride to school, or with friends simply having fun. I also teach the kids pack riding techniques and help out with coaching and mentoring. The program has been a big success locally, and I really like to help out those less fortunate then me.
Two times in the last week or so I have went out on some really fun Tandem Bike rides with my Sweetheart. She loves to go fast and I am more then obliged to give her the thrill of speed. One time we shot through a flowing river at full speed. It was an all or nothing move as we approached the stream crossing. I tired to get her prepared for the impact of bike versus river, but my girl seems to have no fear when put in these types of go for broke on the bike situations. We ripped across the river and I can only imagine that both of our smiles were equally as big after we cleared the obstacle and kept on going.
One of the cool things about my bike rides from home is I get to pass by the giant American Bison which are staged near my place. These animals have some serious power and always check on me as I ride by heading for the hills....
Getting back to racing always reminds me of going at it with my friend and ex-team mate Trent Klasna. Trent and I competed in many races together and trained a tremendous amount together. Now I am so stoked to be racing on the GT Carbon ZASKAR.
Trent went on to be the #1 ranked professional Road racer in America for two years. And I can remember each time I put the hurt on him on the bike!!! All the throw down sessions we had while racing and training will for sure help me when I am competing during 2009.
Here Klasna is leading a breakaway on the final lap or a USA Pro event in Pennsylvania....
Klasna winning the Redlands event after dropping the entire field made up of some of the USA's best Road racers......My training is seriously coming together. Each ride I can feel my strength improving and my legs getting into form. The next few weeks are crucial to my development in my build up for the 2009 racing campaign. Plus I am so motivated to be getting the 2009 GT Carbon ZASKAR. This dream ride should be arriving very soon.
Thank you GT BICYCLES!