Holden's first Nationals (12/10)

  On Friday, Holden raced in his first ever Cyclo-cross National Championships.  He was pretty nervous before the race and really had his work cut out for him.  He races in the 10-12 age group and yet he is still only 9 years old!  Hard to explain to you if you don't know how the racing age splits work, but he has to race with the big kids nonetheless. 
  Holden had a very difficult race right off the bat as soon as they went through the giant standing pond that was probably 12-18" deep.  Once you ride through one of those, at speed.....your are soaked fromt he waist down.  Which is pretty tough, considering its only about maybe 40 degrees out!  Holden marched on and did his best in probably his most challenging course and race conditions he has ever seen.  He finished with a 20th place and was done!

  He ended up having the highest place result amoungst his team, and was our only junior rider that raced at Nationals.  We are really proud of him, and now that he has had the chance to warm up and look back on his accomplishment, he is pretty proud of himself as well.  It's been pretty cool over the last few days since his race.  Strangers have come up to him who recognize him from the race and congratulate him just for the sake of starting and finishing such a hard race.  He digs the recognition for sure!

U.S National Cyclo-Cross Championships

 
Here I am in Bend, Oregon at the Cyclo-Cross National Championships the morning after my race.  Yesterdays racing started off with cold temps at 32 degrees, lots of standing water and mud, and snow!  I watched the 9:30 race to cheer on my teammate Dominique and preview what the day would have in store for me.  After the race I went back to our rental house (5 minutes away) and relaxed for a couple hours.  With my race starting at 2:15, I started warming up about 1pm in our garage.  By the time we started loading up the bikes to head to the starting line, the weather had changed pretty dramatically with now at 53 degrees and sustained winds about 20mph, but no rain.  Still, alot of standing water and mud - Excellent!
  I got to the starting line with 10 minutes to spare and feeling about as good as I could for such a ruff season.  I was excited and feeling honored just to be here to race in the National Championships.  Due to poor seeding, I was positioned in 73rd out 100 plus riders on the line.  Kristi and Holden took my warm up clothes, and Micah took my spare bike to the pits.  The gun went off, and we were underway.  Within the first 50 meters of the opening tarmac stretch, there was a huge crash ahead of me, and since I was expecting the chaos, I had the chance to come to a quick stop before barreling into the mess myself, with only a few other racers slamming into me.  I picked up my bike and ran around the mayhem and remounted, and I was off.  Wow, 50 meters into the race, and already chaos.....I love cyclo-cross.  After the first lap, I had probably passed somewhere around 20 guys and managed to keep the bike upright in calf deep water, off camber mud, ruts, rockes, soggy grass, and a steep staircase.  I was happy to just have the first lap completed with no casualties on my part.  Now the race was opened up and I could ride my own lines. 
  The grass sections in the "bowl" section of the course was so energy sapping.  Just riding on flat sections with only a couple of inches of mud, we were forced to be in our lowest gears and really work the bike to keep forward momentum.  Really tough going.  Fortunately the crowds were big and voicetrous.  It was a little inspiring having so many friends out there cheering on.  It seemed like every run up, turn, climb, barrier, and mud bog brought some crazy Seattle 'cross fanatic that wanted me to do my  best and give me words of encouragement.  Thanks Seattle 'crossers, what a supportive 'cross culture.
  I didn't suffer any mechanicals, and somehow managed to stay upright the entire race which may have been a miracle in itself on such a technical course.  I finished the race in 65th place, though not a dream placing by any means, I did finish about mid-pack in my field and had a blast racing this super tough course.  Thank you to everyone for your support and good luck wishes, and hopefully next year can shine a little brighter on my goals. 

  I love this sport.

SCX #7/Evergreen Fairgrounds-Monroe (FINALS)

 
  Wow, what a day.  Brutal yet tough/honest weather for the finals of the S.C.X. series in Monroe at the Evergreen Fairgrounds.  It was about 35 degrees and raining.........Hell yeah!
  Holden raced a great race and finished a respectable 17th.  Nice job kid, he nearly puked at the finish he worked so hard.  We are so proud of him this year again, since he really upped his game and learned sooo much racing with the older kids.  Watch out for the future.
  I raced next, as it started to poor down rain.  I started on the back row, but quickly moved up half way through the pack by the first half of the lap.  I worked hard in this group of riders for the remainder of the race and finished in 15th.  Not the best of results, but finally a race I was proud of, and felt good racing.  It was also pretty damn cool having my Lieutenant and Truckman from work show up to cheer me on.  Thanks a bunch Fisher and Jesse.  Pretty cool having you there brothers.
  Hats off to my teammate, Corrie for taking the Cat 3 Womens's championship in commanding fashion.  She led the race from the gun, and never looked back winning with a margin to claim the SCX series title.  Unbeleivable for a second year 'crosser.  You can literally watch her "learning curve" race to race.  Nice job Corrie.  See above podium photo.
  In the Pro 1/2 field, Kristi once again took the SCX title for the 9th time!  She had a battle as she rode with her brace on her fractured hand and had to ride defensively to save her postion.  She hung on just enough to win the overall series by a mere 4 points.  See above podium photo.
  Also, a big congrats to Kristen Kelsey (Buy Local) for her first big Pro 1/2 Womens Win today.  We look forward to having Kelsey on our team next year.  Kristi and Kristen are gonna put the hurt on the rest of the field quite possibly next season.  Incredible racing today girl, nice job.
  As the season is narrowing down, we have two weeks off to train for Nationals in Bend, Oregon.  I will keep you up on the progress, and let you know how things are progressing.
  You gotta love the pic of Corrie and Kristi celebrating with a little bit of the "bubbly".

Kristi's back out on the bike!

 Today Kristi, Sue, and I went out for a mellow ride as the snow was finally melting off of the roads.  This was the first ride for Kristi outside since her hand surgery following her hand fracture nearly two weeks ago.  She has been confined to the wind trainer indoors and it was good to see her back out in the elements toughing it out 'cross style.
  The wind was strong, we got rained on, we flung cow manure, and sand from melted snow all over eachother while cruising along the farm roads.  All in all, this is exactly what 'cross is about in late November.   I loved it. 
  There is even a chance that Kristi may race this Sunday at the SCX finals in Monroe to defend the chance to win a 9th SCX Series title.  Even though she is nowhere near 100%, she might be able to ride well enough to earn some points to limit the 2nd place series rider from winning the series. 
  This could be exciting.  I would not want to go up against a tough hard core cx'er like Kristi if I was riding against her. 

  Thanks for reading.

Snow Day!

 Wednesday brought a fun day to go out on a training ride.  With around 4 inches of dry snow in the Arlington area, the airport trail was begging to be ridden on.  I went out for a few fun laps working up a good heart rate, and sweat even though it was a mere 18 degrees.  I was able to ride for about and hour and a half, then the toes and fingers got to be just a bit too uncomfortably cold.  I packed it in and headed home for a good hot cup of tea with honey.
  You gotta ride the snow when you get the chance, especially with the probability of racing on it at Nationals in Bend, Oregon. 

Washington State Championships

 
Today was the Washington State Championships in Steilacoom (Lakewood).  A classic Northwest cyclo-cross venue with great history. 
  The day was dry yet very cold.  The temperature was about 37F with winds coming from the North = damn cold.  Since I was 5th in the State last year, I got a front row call up and did my best to make the most of it.  When the whistle blew, I got in my pedal immediately and was off with the hole shot after the long pavement stretch.  Once we entered the grass chicanes and pit areas, the group started to string out with the real contenders moving up.  I settled into a rythm as best as I could but my legs felt terrible.  They felt like the Monday after a race....not good going into a "double weekend" but there was no sense in whining about it.  There was a job to do, and I had to do my best.  After the second lap, I pretty much stayed put in my position of 11th and was not able to move up and bridge up to the next rider.  Instead I worked to protect what I had and kept distance from the riders behind me.  I finished in 11th place which was far from my season goal, but hey, what do you do, this is bike racing.....push on and keep trying.
  Tomorrow is the race #7 of the Seattle Cyclo-Cross Series (SCX) at Sprinker Park in Spanaway.  Typically this is a good course for me, and I have a good time there.  Hell, maybe I tricked my legs to thinking that today was a good warm up for tomorrow's race.
  NOTE:  Holden had a fantastic ride today, and busted his butt for a 5th place at the State Championships.  He looked good, and really rode well, and worked hard.  Kristi and I were so proud, and amazed at how much he has progressed and learned this year.  Congrats Holdenator!
  Also, a great day for my teammates Corrie with a solid 2nd place in a great head to head battle, and D.P. with a spectacular 4th place and Marc "Pappi" right behind him in 5th in the Master 3's.  Our other junior, Ethan also did a great job netting a 6th place behind Holden in the 10-12 year old race.  Nice job guys and great race  Thank you Kristi for pitting for me in my race.  It was a cold day to stand in the wind with a broken hand.  I love you for it.
  I look forward to telling you how tomorrow goes.  For now.....thanks for reading!

M.F.G. #5/Woodland Park

 Woodland Park in Seattle has got to be one of the best locations, courses, and venues for a top level cyclo cross race.  This course in only 2 short years has become legendary.  It flows like an awesome carnival ride, and is just fun to pre-ride in itself.
  The day was a little crazy with Kristi fracturing her hand during her race as she clipped a corner stake while hugging the side of the course.  She went on to win by over a minute and won the M.F.G. Championship!  One tough chick.  She would spend the next 6 hours in the E.R. getting a cast.  She will receive surgery this week and more than likely be out the rest of the season.
  With having raced in Sedro Woolley the day before, I was unsure what I would have to give for this one.  The good thing was, is that neither I nor anyone of my teammates in the Masters class was up for the overall classification, so the pressure was off.  Teammate Steve Jensen and I lined up on the back row and off we went.  As always, the racing was furious, with great tight twisty turns on greasy mud, dirt, pavement, and grass as we chicaned throughout the gorgeous forests of maples and open meadows.  What a gorgeous course.  Being right in the city, seemed to draw out even more spectators than normal. and I even had a good buddy and his wife from work come to cheer on.  Thanks for coming Colby and Pam....that was cool!
  Other than a near miss with a tree after sliding it sideways with one foot out of the pedal, there wasn't much to draw on, other than I did my best, and left it all out on the course.  Unfortunatley in typical M.F.G. fashion, even 1 hour after my race, they didn't have any results posted for our class.  I'm guessing I was somewhere in the middle of the pack.  Regardless, I had a great day of racing.  Holden and I packed up and headed to U.W. hospital to pick up Kristi and get home and begin clean up.
  I'm looking forward to next Saturday....Washington State Championships in Steilacoom, and Sunday...SCX #7 in Sprinker Park.  Two great days that may go great together. 
Thanks for reading.

Woolley Cross

Today I headed up by myself to Sedro Woolley for the Woolley Cross race. This race course is one of my favorite to not only race on, but train on. It can be very tough and typically requires a fair amount of upper body strength, which is probably why its a good course for me. I like to consider it the "Paris Roubaix" of cyclocross courses in the Northwest.
Since the Belly Cross series doesn't recognize Masters until the age of 40, and I still have a few years to go, I had to race my Category 1 ranking with the Pro/Elite class. Fortunately, the fields in this series are much smaller, so anything is possible. So without much training lately with all of the time off of the bike, letting my foot heal, I was a little nervous with some tight legs warming up. Hey, at least the foot is feeling good.
I started on the second row, and had a good start making the selection group early with 7 of us. within the first half of lap, "Hot" Carl (Recycled Cycles) and a Western WA University rider, took off. The rest of us worked to maintain. At the half way point things began to split up, and I was losing some power secondary to my back getting a little sore and tired. Next thing I knew I was riding solo, and working to maintain my good placing. It worked, and I finished the day with a 6th Place in the "Elite/A" class. With a quick change of clothes and a chocolate milk down the gullet, I headed South to quickly wash the bikes/clothes and head to Holden's soccer game.
Tomorrow is the M.F.G. Series finals in Woodland Park of Seattle. Kristi has a good battle to win the series overall, and it should be exciting to watch. I will do what I can, but I may have left a bit out on the course in Sedro Woolley today. Either way, I'm looking forward to giving everything I got at Woodland Park.
Thanks for reading.

S.C.X./Maris Farms

Well even though, I was out of the racing for the weekend with tendonitis in my left foot, that wasn't gonna stop me from heading out to the races to support Holden and Kristi.
The morning started off with a bang, literally, when as we were headed South bound on I-405, after hitting a large bump, the trailer disconnected from the truck, and boy did the sparks fly. We quickly pulled over to the side and got the trailer jacked back up and remounted to the hitch. I'm still not sure how or why it became disconnected, but the rest of the trip down and back were without problems.
The racing was great with "tons" of mud on what is normally a brutal course regardless. Again, I wasn't racing, so I was able to commit 100% to Holden and then Kristi's race. Holden had a fantastic race in the deep mud (nearly knee deep in spots) and really pushed himself to his limits. He raced like a champ and really learned once again, what one can do when it comes to pushing your limits. Way to go Holden.
Kristi, was coming back from a week or so of fatigue and illness. She looked much better out on the course, with no bike troubles, only pitting once for a clean bike. She earned a strong 2nd place behind a Sunnyside Sports rider from Oregon. A good comeback race for her after last weekend.
Tomorrow will be my first day back on the bike in a week, and I'm really looking forward to getting back on. This weekend is one of my favorite courses, Sedro Woolley. Hopefully I have a chance to loosen up and get ready for another good result on one of the best courses for me.
Thanks for reading and I will keep you posted.

BAD NEWS - out with injury!

I just got home from the Doctors office with news that takes me off the bike for a week. Not good to hear, but it could always be worse.
Last week, at work, I took a ladder rung across the top of my foot with full body weith crushed onto it. It hurt a bit, but I thought it would subside in a few days, and kept it to myself.
After the double weekend, and hard days on the bike, I believe I aggrevated it even more, making it very uncomfortable at times just to stand. When I flexed my big toe downward a stretching vibration/sound emmitted from my foot. One of the creepiest things I have ever felt. The Dr. diagnosed it as Traumatic Induced Tendonitis. He requested that I take a full week off of any form of exercise to give the tendons rest and a chance to heal as well as prescribing anti-inflammatories for the time being. I guess next week at Maris Farms (SCX#5) I will just be there to assist my teammates, Kristi, and Holden! That's the good side of things I guess. I get a chance to focus on their day.
What a season so far, huh? What do you do?........Game on!

S.C.X. #4/Steliacoom

Halloween morning we pack up the True Northg O.S.V. and headed down to Steilacoom for by Northwest CX history, a classic Cyclo-cross venue. The sky's lifted and the sun shined on this Halloween day, and finally graced us with a race sans-mud!
The course was laid out in opposite fashion of the traditional course and Rad Racing Grand Prix. Very fast, twisty in the grass fields, fast pavement, and some moderate grade power climbs in wide trails to start all over again.
With a last row start due to not having much for series points, I had my work cut out for me. I made sure to race within a group the entire time, since with the speeds and openness of portions of the course, it would be suicidal to work alone. Most of the time I was in groups with the likes of great riders like Tim Ellis(Carbon Neutral Racing), and Randy Iddings (Redline), and we all worked good together. Unfortunately what felt like a good ride, only amounted to an 18th place. I was happy with the ride, but the result was again...dissapointing. Well, there is always next week.

M.F.G. #5 King County CX

Saturday brought a ton of rain to a grassy course which of course translates to a greasy, and slippery course when designed on a slope in an urban park setting. After warming up out on the course, I decided on running the Hutchinson Bulldog clinchers instead of the usuall tubulars. I wanted something with some corner bite on the off camber greasy grass and something that wouldn't pack up with thick mud on the climbs. Those tires are great for those conditions.
After a warm up and embrocation, we made our way to the start. The gun went off, and we headed out. Within the first 200 meters, approximately 8 other riders went down in front of me on an off camber grass section. I was able to clear them and the section which moved me up in the pack rather quickly. I continued to race the following hour in the 10'ish spot with nothing overly exciting and never needing to pit. I enjoyed racing on the tough course, with some climbing sections in these type of conditions. Pouring down rain the entire time. I finished in 10th place and was happy with my race.
The next day is SCX #4 at Steilacoom. Heading for home, to clean up and get the gear and bikes ready all over again.

M.F.G. #4/Pacific Raceway

Sunday was a great day at Pacific Raceways in Kent. Stop #4 on the M.F.G. circuit. With torrential rains, and a very wet, and muddy course before us, we toed the line.
I lined up on the 2nd row, and the gun went off. I got a good start sitting in 7th place for the first lap or so, and settled into 9th position. Though we were covered in splattery mud from head to toe from the get go, the bike continued to run smooth, since the the mud was thin. Either way, I had the confidense that Kristi working in the pits for me, would be able to hand me a clean running Specialized Crux should I have a problem. For the first time in nearly a month, I was firing on all cylinders and my legs and back were not giving me problems. The field separtated vastly with me and a few other riders including Tim Ellis, taking turns duking it out in the 10 spot.
On the last lap a couple of racers got by me, and I finished in 12th place. Considering my recent races over the last few weeks, I was happy and content to feel like myself. That was a good thing. I'm looking forward to the double weekend coming up where we race M.F.G. #5 at Evergreen on Saturday, and S.C.X. at Steilacoom on Sunday.
Wish me luck, and thanks for reading.

M.F.G. #1 - Big Finn Hill

Sunday was the first opening round of the M.F.G. Series held at Big Finn Hill Park in Kirkland, Washington.
I didn't expect too much in a performance from myself, after climbing 220 floors the day before (Sept. 11) to remember and pay tribute to FDNY's fallen. My body was tired, and it didn't help that a drank my share of beer throughout the day at 2 other Fireman gatherings to remember the 343 and celebrate their lives.
I lined up on the back row, since I knew I wouldn't be in the front group today. The gun went off, and we were off. My legs never hurt per say, but at the same time, they just felt dead and could not produce any speed or power. With two laps to go, I was closely following Zak Daab of HUP United, when we entered a high speed grass hump to pavement transition section at approximately 25mph. Zac lost traction as he transitioned to the pavement portion and laid it down hard. I tried to make it around with no time to apply the brakes. His wheel flipped into the air and I hit it dead on, flipping me over the bars in suddenly I was airborn at 20+mph! I rolled several times as me and my bike plowed into a row of parked cars. I quickly got up and saw that my tire had rolled off of the rim. Zac was not so lucky and was injured and out of the race. I shouldered my bike and ran 200 meters to the pits and got a new bike from DP who was ready(Thank you DP), and remounted continuing on. I knew the day was going to be rough, but jeez!
As I continued through the course, I was handed off a beer when I rode through the beer garden. I drank it up, and rode the next muddy technical section with the cup in my mouth, since I had every intention on consuming my "gift". I cleared the section and finished the brew. I finished the race in 22nd Place. Not much of a result to say the least, but I knew it was worth the small sacrifice I paid the day before.
I'm about the head out for a training ride to get things back in gear, to prepare for the next race. All is well, and thanks for reading.

9/11 Memorial Stairclimb

September 11th is a day that no American should ever forget. It is also a special day for Fireman around the world, as it is the largest Line of Duty Death (LODD) single day in the history of the Fire Service. 343 of New York's Firemen lost their lives that day in an effort to rescue as many trapped occupants of the World Trade Center as they could. Let's not forget that members of the FDNY successfully rescued thousands of civilians from those buildings before they eventually collapsed.
Every year, Fireman from all over the Puget Sound gather to remember our fallen brothers by climbing 2 Union square (55 stories) twice, to ensure that every brother makes it(the equivelant of the Trade Towers)to the top and will not be forgotten. We carry a picture of our fallen to the top and do so with honors. I went up that climb "4" times on Saturday, 220 floors, to take 5 of my brothers to the top. I took the following names with me to the top.

Lt. Frank Callahan - Ladder co. 35
FF Chris Pickford - Engine co. 201
Lt. Micheal Healey - Squad co. 41
FF Chris Santora - Engine co. 54
Capt. Tim Stackpole - Division 11

After climbing 220 floors, I knew that this would not bode well for my cyclo-cross race well the following day, but I'm more than willing to sacrifice my personal goals to ensure the rememberance of our fallen. A small sacrifice to say the least. RFB-DTRT

New Specialized Crux bikes have arrived

Yeehaw! My new frames arrived. I got 2 Specialized Crux Aluminum framesets with Carbon forks. The bikes are gorgeous, and I spent all day Thursday building them up. After I built up the first one (both are nearly identical except one has carbon bars and the other aluminum) I took it out for a ride. Holy Cow! I forgot what a really tight, repsonsive bike really feels like. The Crux rides very comfortable, yet is very snappy when you step on it. It just responds quick.
I'm really looking forward to tearing things up on Sunday at MFG #1 at Big Finn Hill in Kirkland.
Thanks for reading

Labor Day Cyclo-Cross Classic

photo by Micah.


The season is officially underway, as yesterday was the "Labor Day Cyclo-Cross Classic" which took place at North Seatac Park which holds a ton of Northwest cycl-cross history.
The day was cool temps with breezy conditions but alas, no rain. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous before my start since I always started the early part of the season a bit slow and then working up into the front by October. My goal was top half, since I haven't raced any type of bike since last January. I lined up on the front row and upon the judge say "go", I was into my pedal and had two pedal strokes already in, when I heard the others just getting clipped in..."nice!" With the easy hole shot but being concerned to not go to early, I just got into a rythm as we rolled around the start/finish area of the venue and up the crazy steep/long runnup! After the runnup, we climbed up through some fairly technical single track and I was still in the lead. A little shocked to say the least. At the top, Tom Phillips came around and just walked away. In the next lap a few more came by that were now in this leading group of about 7. Nothing really exciting emmitted from my race but by the end, I was able to finish with a solid 5th Place. Considering that most of the top guys were on hand, I felt pretty good and was surprised on my fitness level so early in the season.
I have to add, that I chose a tire selection that I had yet to ever ride on. I rode the Challenge Grifo XS (semi slick/file tread) clinchers on dura ace wheels. I had about 40psi in the rear and 35psi in the front. I would have run them lower, but the pinch flat hazards at North Seatac are like nowhere else...brutal. The tires were crazy fast and still gave great traction in the dry to tacky conditions. I absolutely loved these treads.
Special thanks go out to DP, Micah, and Don for working the pits also, I love the ocnfidense that these guys give and the cheering they provide. Yeehaw, the season is underway, and I'm feeling good with the first one done. Gotta go....time to get out for another training ride.
Thanks for reading.

A Teammate Steps Down

Today is a bummer day to say the least. My teammate and good friend, Phil(Dr. Phil) Oppenheimer let me know that he will not be racing this season. Phil is gonna focus on spending some more quality time with his wife and kids and take a little break from the sport. How can you bust his chops, when he gives a reason like that.
I commonly discuss how much fun it has been racing together over the years knowing that we are both in eachothers corner helping to accomplish eachothers and the teams goals. Dr. Phil and I share a similar racing style and have many a times worked hand in hand to be a major factor in many Masters races against our competitors. It won't be the same this year.
All in all, and putting my interests aside, Phil, I can appreciate your priorities and focus and wish you only the best. I'm looking forward to the next time we get to hit the wind trainers under the tent as the rain pours down, and the course turns to a quagmire. It's gonna be a tough season brother.

Larry Kemp Cycling Camp

On August 19-22nd, we headed over for the Larry Kemp Junior Cycling Camp at the Flying Horseshoe Ranch in Cle Ellum, Washington. The camp is for younger kids interested in the sport of cycling. They work on skills clinics in both mountain biking, road, and cyclo-cross and receive great coaching and mentoring from Cycle University, and Cascade Cycling club. They even have a silly cycling olympics night where they compete in fun cycling games against eachother to demonstrate their learned skills. The kids are assigned cabins with counselors and have all of the ammenities of a traditional summer camp. Kristi was the lead coach and camp organizer, Sue (her Mom) was one of the 4 amazing cooks, and I was both a mechanic and an EMT. Lots of gauze and band-aids is always a must! It was great having the True North OSV with us to support what I was doing, and I was able to sneak away at night and sleep comfortable inside the trailer with some great music, as the kids sat up all night giggling in the cabins.
This was Holden's 3rd year in the camp and he had a blast that included a 30 mile road ride on Saturday.

3rd Annual Cavanaugh Roubaix

Yesterday, was the 3rd Annual Cavanaugh Roubaix ride that Kristi and I put on for family, recreational riders, and racers alike. This a very tough 60 mile ride starting and ending at our house. The ride starts off with a rolling climb up to Lake Cavanuagh (Skagit County), and then up and over a gravel mountain pass(Roubaix) down into OSO (Snohomish County) and back to our house for a BBQ. During the ride, there are "sprinter points" available at the Skagit County line sign, and the Arlington city limits sign with points being awarded. This years sprinters points went to Tony from Tacoma Bike, and Kristi from Cycle University. There are also climbers points (K.O.M.) awarded at two locations that include the "untold climb" and at the top of the gravel pass that includes grades of 23%, which went to Nate from Tacoma Bike, and Kristi once again. The ride was escorted by two support vehicles to carry extra equipment and fuids/food. Thank you Corazon, Ashley, Mandi, and Tracie for keeping us good.
This year the weather was very damp yet still warm, and to say the least, the riders and bikes were a bit muddy at the end of the day. We had a total of 15 riders make the trip that ranged in age from mid 20's to 61 years old. We only had one crash and 3 flats on the day, and considering the rough terrain we were riding on, that was pretty lucky.
Following the ride, everyone enjoyed a great BBQ and social time at our place recalling war stories of the ride. A great time was had by all, and we really appreciated everyone who came to brave the tough Cavanaugh Roubaix ride.

Cycling and Kayaking in Seattle

Yesterday, Holden and I rode our bikes into Seattle and had breakfast on the water at Agua Verde in the University District. We enjoyed some breakfast burritos, good espresso, and great views.
After breakfast, we walked down stairs to the Agua Verde Paddle Club to rent some sea kayaks with our friend and fellow racer, Nick Adsero. We had an awesome time paddling out into Lake Union, through the neighborhoods of houseboats, and back to the marsh areas near S.R. 520. What a great day paddling in one of the most beautiful and fun cities in the U.S. What a gorgeous day on the water.
After kayaking, Holden and I rode to Gasworks Park to play around and then back up to Cycle University to meet up with Kristi as she was finishing work, and catch a ride back home. Life is good........

2010 STP

On the weekend of July 17 & 18, a bunch of us rode the famous Seattle to Portland bike ride. 12 of us rode together with awesome support from Mandi and Holden driving while pulling the True North O.S.V.
We started off from University of WA and headed South. Our goal was to ride 150 miles of the 200 on the first day, and then only have 50 miles to do on Sunday, so we booked our hotel in Kelso (150 mile mark) and hoped for the best. At the 100 mile mark (Centralia), Holden got his bike out and rode with us for nearly 30 miles which was a lot of fun. We finished up our day with all 12 team E.F.M. (Edmonds Family Medical) riders making the 150 miles look easy. After some showers, Team E.F.M. sat down for some good Mexican food and called it a night.
The next morning we got to relax since we only had 50 miles to go. We rolled out around 10am and headed to Portland. All in all, the day was pretty uneventful with only Trish getting a flat about 10 miles out of Portland. We all got regrouped as we came into town, and rode the last 2 miles in a tight group. It was fun coming into the finish line with Mandi and Holden there waiting for us.
After relaxing in the park for a couple of hours, we went to the hotel, showered up, and uncorked some "Sailor Jerry's Rum" while watching the Tour de France on TV. This has got to be the life! We went out for some Pizza dinner and continued to celebrate into the night.
All in all, a great time and special thanks to; Mandi, Holden, Edmonds Family Medical, and Northwood MFG/True North O.S.V. for the support over the weekend.

True North demo at Mike's Automotive in Marysville

Yesterday, Holden and I went to Mike's Automotive (Northwood Mfg warranty post) in Marysville to show them the True North OSV. They have expressed interest in becoming a dealership for the unit, and we showed ours off and answered some questions. Great group of guys there, and we hope to be working with them in the future.

Bike Fit & BBQ

On Sunday the 11th, A bunch of North End cycling friends who will be riding together in the STP (Seattle to Portland) this weekend got together at our home for a bike fit and BBQ and drinks.
Kristi provided everyone with a personal bike fit to make those perfect ergonomic adjustments, as we enjoyed a great evening together looking forward to our 200 mile weekend ride.

The Holdenator's first Triathalon

I'm very proud of Holden. Yesterday, he completed his first triathalon. He has looked forward to this for a a few months now, and did a fantastic job. You can get read his story on his blog at

holdentheholdenatorberg.blogspot.com

Winthrop Mountain Bike Trip

Well, we had a great time in Winthrop mountain biking and seeing friends and family. We set up the True North OSV in the yard of Sandra's house overlooking Lake Dibble. On Thursday, Kristi, Holden, and I went for a great ride out of the Chickadee trailhead and ended up all the way down the mountain and back into town for a coffee stop. I forgot my shoes at home (insert idiotic comments now), and had to borrow a pair from some friends in the Valley. Though appreciated, they were 2 sizes too big, which put a damper in my riding week. Instead, while Kristi went out for a training ride, Holden and I would go exploring the ridges/valleys in the SUV.
Great time, and great weather. We did get some great pictures as well.

Check out what I will be riding.

Here is a pic of the frame and fork that I will be racing on this year. Its the 2011 Specialized CRUX. It's a new frame design and new fork. I'm very excited to rail on this bike. Hopefully I will have one put together within the next month or so. Specialized will be the official bike of the Collision 1 Cycling Team.

Pre-Season Training

With the 2010 cyclo-cross season only 3 short months away, I've been doing my best to get out on the bike over the last couple of months to get some base miles in. As we all know, the Western Washington spring never came, and the beginning of summer hasn't been much better. Nonetheless, the miles need to be logged, if the goals are to be accomplished. So regardless of the weather that I'm being delt with, I will be out on the back rural roads of Snohomish County ramping things up. Soggy but true! Thanks for reading.

Bergs in Wenatchee

We are in Wenatchee to support Kristi who ran a half marathon here today. Holden and I rode are bikes around the city as Kristi ran great and went on to get 1st Place in her age group and 6th Overall. Great job Kristi especially on your "Happy Birthday" weekend.

True North/MTB Camping Trip

With Holden on spring break this week, we are packing up the True North OSV and heading East of the mountains for a 3 day camping and mountain biking trip. We are going to the Winthrop/Methow Valley area which is a mountain biking paradise in the Northwest and is one of our favorite places to get away.
We look foward to getting some pics posted as we enjoy the outdoors as a cycling family, and have another opportunity to put the True North O.S.V. to the test.

Collision 1 to ride Specialized for 2010

Is Specialized taking over the world? It could be, and the Collision 1 Cyclo-Cross Team will be supported by Specialized for the 2010 season. It will be exciting to be riding a new bike that will be significantly different than what I have been riding for the last few seasons. The Specialized Tri-Cross comes in both a full Carbon model and an Aluminum model with Carbon seat stays. I probably will not receive my 'cross bikes until this summer, but nonetheless, I'm still very excited.