All Blog Posts (398)

 As many of you know I broke my foot over a year ago and was non weight bearing for 4 months. Subsequently I wore a boot for two months and wondered if I would ever be able to return to sports. I have torn my ACL, ruptured my Achilles tendon, torn my quadriceps etc. but this was the worst injury to date. The technical name for the injury is a Lisfranc fracture/dislocation which varies considerably in treatment. Unfortunately my injury required surgical fusion of the damaged bones with…

This was my third year riding and now racing double centuries. It was also my third, third place double finish this season (Terrible Two, Alta Alpina & Mt. Tam) and my third place position overall in the CA Triple Crown Series (Devil Mtn., Terrible Two and Alta Alpina).

Last week, I just didn't seem to have the gusto to kill it and go for broke at the Tam Double. I had passed up the High Cascades race a couple weeks earlier due to a family emergency. Perhaps I had some pent up…

I've been hearing rumors of a single track trail system, build by mountain bikers, coming together up north.  I had done a little riding up there before and love it, so when I heard Murphy Mack was putting on a hundred miler, I thought, What better way to explore the trails then with a marked and aided race course. 

Murphy reserved A large camp ground in a redwood grove, about 20 minutes from the star finish area, For racers to stay if the wanted.  I picked up my race number there the…

Where to begin...this was really one of my all time most fun bike weekends. Ever. Not because of the result, which was okay, but because of the people and trails and location. Boom.

Much of "the crew" decided to drive up mid-day Friday to get a jump on the weekend. I had prior commitments, so drove up early Saturday morning with Matt Erbentraut. This turned out to be a good call, as Aaron, Ethan, Christian, and Jordan got stranded about 15 miles out from China Peak when the…

Coming in third at Terrible Two, after completing the second of three CA Triple Crown Stage races, and after having raced across 400 miles of road and climbed just over 30,000', I was now only five minutes behind Robert Choi, the reigning CA Triple Crown Stage Race Champion. Just 20 minutes behind me was Maximiliano Mehech, a consistent endurance racer breathing down my neck. Just behind him, holding forth position was Marc Moons, the SRCC Belgian powerhouse.

Alta Alpina remained the…

All the usual suspects were there. Motor-pacing behind behind a big Ford pickup driven by Carlos Perez out of Sebastapol and through Santa Rosa, were Jady, The Triman; Marc, The Belgian; Brian, The TT Course Record Holder; Gabe, The Hopper Master; Robert, The CTC Stage King; Max, The Funny Guy; Gary, The Quite One and Jeff, The Kid. Behind us were nearly 200 other riders, all amped up and zipping along through town in the early morning light toward another long day on their bikes.

My…

Now that results are finally up for the first Oregon Enduro Series race in Hood River, OR, I figured I should write an update on that race and the second (of four) California Enduro Series race in Los Olivos, CA.

This year has been great so far, although much less races due to family committments (a one and four year old). Plus, the races I am doing are taking me further away for full weekends, rather than the local XC racing that I focused on last year. The enduro scene is…

We are lucky to have Camp Tamarancho in Fairfax.  This world-class legal singletrack is always fun, and often a great start or finish to a longer ride.  I've used the clockwise loop to gauge fitness and test equipment for years, shaving minutes and now seconds off of my personal best times.  Besides the usual challenges of switchbacks and rocks, the race course also includes a few minutes of very steep climbing on Dead Heifer Fireroad for each lap.  This year, they added the new Flow Trail…

Not five miles into a 130 mile, 15K+ day, I rolled up next to Jaydy Palko, the SRJC tri-monster, who looked over at me and gave the challenge, 'Hey bitch, sit up or ride?' Crap, I hadn't even warmed up. Wryly, I responded 'ride'.

Quickly Jaydy and I pulled away from the other 30 or so other SRJC riders heading out Dutcher Creek Rd. from Lake Sonoma, en route to Anderson Valley, Ponit Arena and back home over Skaggs. Jeff, the 'kid, an upcoming young club rider, latched on as we…

I'm worked. That took all I had. Only a week out from my successful Devil Mountain Double effort, I stood at the start line in the front row for Boggs VIII, contemplating whether or not I had it in me to defend my Expert title for a forth consecutive year.

I know this race; the mass chaotic start; hundreds of riders elbow to elbow, wheels crossed battling for position up the first climb; the hypoxic push for the first single track hole shot; the ripping narrow descents through the…

I had decided early on to adjust my focus toward longer events this season. My base season was increased from 3 to 4 months. I opted out of the first few high intensity short cross country races. Instead, I set my goals around later events such as the CA Triple Crown Stage Race (the three hardest double centuries in the State: Devil Mountain Double, Terrible Two and Alta Alpina), Boggs VIII 8hr, Tahoe Sierra 100 and High Cascades 100. 

The first up on this change of course was DMD.…

Had a great trip down south for the California Enduro Series. Ryan, Marco Osborne,  (team WTB rider) and I headed out Friday morning with a stuffed van and our big bikes.  Stage two of the California Enduro Series was down at the Dirt Club in Los Olivos, south of Pismo Beach. After 5 hours of driving we arrived at the venue and set up shop. All of us were looking to get as many practice runs on the trails as possible. 

The race featured 4 different segments that each rider rides…

So what's a Lemurian? People keep asking so I interneted it. It has something to do with a lost land under the sea in the Indian ocean.  But that's silly so I'm just gonna tell people it's a super rad bike race.  The race is one big 26 mile loop with two serious climbs sandwiching some lush flowing single track.

The mass start. I thought I had a good position, about five rows back.  The gun went off, things got crowded, I got by bars tangled for a second and when I looked ahead I saw…

This race is a Northern California classic; one big loop, lots of climbing and lots of relatively technical descending.  It usually draws a pretty fast regional field, pitting climbers versus descenders and rewarding those that can do both well.  Despite small course changes and varied conditions, no one has done it in under 2 hours.  I originally raced singlespeed here, then moved to the geared class.  Last year I finished second overall in just under 2:12, my fastest time till that point. …

The Sea Otter Classic in Monterey is the largest consumer bicycle show in the country.  It also serves as a major race event for many disciplines of cycling, including XC.  This year it was once again part of the Pro XCT series, which makes it the most competitive event that is this close to Marin.  I travelled down Friday morning for two days of racing.

I would be racing my Santa Cruz Highball at under 19 lbs.  I have been very happy with my XX1 1x11 drivetrain and I woulld be…

 Sunday was a great day of racing at the 20th anniversary of the NVDC. This was my second ever XC race, my first being the Cool race a month back. I am new to the Summit team and excited to be riding with my fellow team mates who are fast and fit. Jim, Shiloh, Ryan and I rode up together in the Summit Van and arrived at the venue early. We had a great setup right at the finish line with all the goods. My Jamis Dakota team with Sram 26-39 chainrings , 11-36 cassette and SID fork was the…

Sunday was the 20th year of the Napa Valley Dirt Classic.  This early season race always brings out a great crowd of NorCal racers, all eager to test their legs and race before Sea Otter.

I was the returning champion, having won last years race against a relatively weak field.  This year some fast guys were in town and the locals were fit and out in force.

Barry Wicks and Kris Sneddon, two national pros that race for Kona, were in the area training.  They had ridden the King's…

Yesterday was a perfect NorCal mountain bike racing day! The 20th anniversary of the Napa Dirt Classic at Pacific Union College in Angwin saw perfect weather with sun and high 70's. Dirt was good too-while a little dry and dusty, it was better than prior years mud.

My training has been pretty consistent and this is a big target race for me and the Summit team every year (Jim Hewett won the Pro class last year). Hoping for better results than the three flats dnf I had at my…

We got some of the best conditions I've seen for this race in the last couple of years and a lot of strong riders showed up to race.  

I got my usual bad start and was winded after riding the first hundred yards.  This is a race where it is important to get a good start, but you also have to be able to finish strong.  Going past the airport I could see that there were at least 20 riders ahead of me.  I convinced myself that they would all crack on the final climb.  

I slowly…

The crowd was a little smaller for the third ride of the 2013 Grasshopper Adventure Series.  Instead of 300+, we started with 140 or so.  The course may have deterred some road racers, as it was 54 miles of pavement with 3 miles of dirt thrown in.  The fireroads down to Austin Creek and over to Cazedero make you question the wheels and tires you will use, if not what type of bike.

I opted for my training wheels, which are a bit heavy but feature 32 spokes and Stan's Notubes tubeless…