I can always count on my Mountain Bike and the......

Champ to make me laugh. Well and of course the Goat too. I was bore and need to spin out my legs so I took the Mountain bike up the "Doc Holiday" Trail it goes up and over Lookout Mountain and runs right through the grave yard passing Doc Holiday grave. One of the many famous people to reside in Glenwood. Including Olympian and CSC strongman Bobby Julich.

Starts out on a jeep trail which climbing about 2000 ver over Glenwood and then switch to single track ounce you crest the first ridge.

One thing I've learn fast is most of the single track is a killer. When I say killer I'm if you stack it up you are dead or hurt badly.

Once you crest the top you can get a view of the bustling city of Glenwood. I live up the valley to the right on the side of Red Mountain.

Two things that are off the rain of terror list. The thing that left this track (yes that a Bear track)

And these things. Somehow Even if I wanted to run them over I'd end up on the short end of the stick.

About half way down the backside of Lookout you get dump out on to a clay rode. Then its Big Ring, Little Cog hammer fest for 15 miles down a to Bear Creek.


That’s where the Train derailed. This is as close as I could get. Joe rent a cop kept bust'n my chops..........

Running on all cylinders……..

It’s amazing what a couple (well more like 12) of hours of sleep will do. I feel so much better. Went out for my work out today and felt like I had another engine. It was a total speed work out. 2 hours in length (so a little shorter then normal) consisting of 9 sprints and (2) 15 min spin sets. My sprinting feels good but, I would like to build it just a little more. I’ve been averaging to pull 8.87 W/Kg (or 650W avg. with a 970W peak @ 130rpm) throughout the sprint which is getting there just not were I’d like it. My first set is really strong and then drops off about 20% percent after that, but still has a nice avg. I don’t think I need more power just more leg speed (I’d like to pull 140’s thought-out) and then just push through the pain. Which tell me I won’t be doing much preim hunting in Wisco. The setup and saving it for the end are going to be key. Because my ability to just hammer it and ride off the front is limited. Maybe tomorrow’s fitness test will have a different story. Because I know I’ll be up against those 65Kg weenie that can TT out there till their little bung whole puckers. I’ll be playing the position game and hoping for a good wheel and a great sprint……

Or I could be over thinking it! Maybe I should just let the chips fall where the do. I’ll just put the hammer down. Drill it till my eye balls fall out and I puke…….

There was a great de-railment in the Canyon. A coal train jumped the rail and piled up about 20 cars. I’m going to ride up there later and see if I can get some good pic’s to post. See what my life a degraded too…..

Sometime you just need to lay it down……..

Or I should say, sometime you just need to LAY DOWN! I got home yesterday with a full plate. Too full, what did I do? Laid down and went to sleep. I’ve been riding hard for Seven days strait and could get up to go. Not even for a recovery ride. I was schedule to do 2 hours with 2/3 sprint set. But I’m just broke down. I actually thought I was getting an ulcer because the last couple of days I’ve had stomach pain. So, when I say broke down, I mean Broke Down! But at this point my coach (Katie Compton @ CTS) says I should be broke down and a day off is good. I could barely get off the couch to eat dinner. Which I didn’t get to until 7:30 and promptly fell asleep until 6:00 today. I didn’t even pickup my dinner plate until this morning. But the engine is running good today. I’ve got 5 more speed workouts and then taper to Super-week. I can’t wait until the fourth week of July. I’m not even going to look at my bike!

The ugly truth will be told

Two things are on the Plate today….

One: I’ve instituted war on all animals (excluding humans) while riding my bike. This is retribution for the “Eck” deer take down. I will go out of my way to run over any mammal, reptile, bird, vermin even bug’s are fair game in the war. It’s not only fun but feels like I’m revenging a wrong. What’s my count today you ask? 2-snakes, 1-frog, 1-mouse…..I even ran over a bird that’s was already dead just for the hell of it.

Two: The Baron is talk’n smack, so he must be knock down to size….Mr. “No Hander”….Ha-ha I’m going to sink him like a 3 foot putt in this “No Hander Man’s Race” Why do I think this, B/C he’s a boy among men in the “No Hander” arena.

Look no Hands

Well I was bored last night so I decided to take the Mountain Bike out for a spin. Yes, the Mountain Bike! A short road ride and you can get to some pretty nice trails.



On my way out of town I rode right by the great trailer park. Now some would ask why I would take this picture? Well as you can see this is no ordinary white trash trailer park. This is a “Baron” quantity trailer park. Please note the Euro cars parked under the sign. Some of the finest German engineering. Also take note of the name and park insignia. A prefect new home for the Baron and his German ride.



The ride starts with about 10 miles of brutal road climbing then to some jeep trail and more climbing. This is called the Transfer Trail. Once on to the Trail you got a short single-track (maybe 700 vert) climb and then it is rolling single track a crossed Lookout Mountain for 12 miles.

I almost forgot all of these pictures were taken “NO HANDED” I’m throwing down! Anytime the “Champ” wants to have a no hands trail race he is on!



The trail intersects “The Boy Scout” tail were its a 5-mile decent into town and a short 2 miles back home. The whole loop is about 30 miles with 3000 vert of climbing. It was going to be a recovery ride and I ended up drilling it and now I’m trashed.



Well I need to run to the bike shop for some goodies and to drool over a Scott CR-1 team frame. I wonder what Goat is doing right now?

It’s like chopping Wood

I just chop’d another 66 grams out of the MASI….Some will ask, How’d you do that? Well young Grasshopper, just a little tweak here and twist there.
New “AC” Ti wheel skewers (-42g)
Al Crank Bolts (-10g)
Al Chain Ring Bolts (-10g)
Al Water Bottle Bolts (-4g)
Now back to the calibrating my scale

International Cycling (Super Week) Races

Just sign up for my International Cycling (Super Week) Races. I’m pumped, the next two weeks I’m going to put the hammer down on the legs……Lighten the bike and take the last couple of pounds off the body. Things are coming together nicely.

Thu, July 14 Humboldt Park Criterium Milwaukee, WI
Fri, July 15 Brewers Hill Criterium Milwaukee, WI
Sat, July 16 Carl Zach Cycling Classic Waukesha, WI
Sun, July 17 Bensenville Criterium Bensenville, IL
Mon, July 18 Ciao Café Tour of Holy Hill Hartford, WI
Tue, July 19 Lake Front Road Race Milwaukee, WI
Wed, July 20 De Pere Cycling Classic De Pere, WI
Thu, July 21 PCW Cycling Heritage Square Criterium Sheboygan, WI
Fri, July 22 Chase Food Folks & Spokes Kenosha, WI
Sat, July 23 Global Communications Lake Front Road Race Milwaukee, WI
Sun, July 24 Bodyworks by Concours Whitefish Bay Classic Whitefish Bay, WI

I'm looking forward to the "Tour of Holy Hell".....I need to prove to myself I can road race......

Just a side note, the dirt bag that bought “Goats” old Trek has skip out on me…..Loser!

Men among boys

These are my top five “ERO” pro-bike racers...

Mario Cipollini
Tom Boonen
Erik Zabel
Thor Hushovd
Alessandro Petacchi

I could watch these guys put the hammer down anytime. I love sprints, why? Because they are exciting and their power is just incredible. Yes a solo breaks and mountain top finishes are cool and it is an incredible feat to pull one out. But they are never as cool as watching 10 plus guys pounding it down to the line. I guess that’s why I’ve never been much of a Lance fan. Some will say these guys can’t hang when the going get tough. Reminder King “T” in Paris-Roubaix or Mairo setting the speed record in “The Tour”. Covering a huge gap and running down a break to do it. These guys are Big and Strong, men among boys.

Whats your MAX baby!

Erik Zabel style, that what I call it! Yesterday it was a preim hunt…Yes I didn’t win the race, but I won more cash then the winner. And yes it would have been nice to win, but at this point I’ll take what I can get. My fitness is right on track and my sprint is stronger then every. Setting a new Max HR on two of them. There’s something about looking down at your heart rate monitor after a sprint and it reads 102 or 103% (my Polar reads in percent of MHR) you know you’ve give it everything. Including one were a guy try to lean on me that the line. But I give him an elbow in total Zabel fashion and opened the cash draw for another $25.00. One thing I’ve learn from MTB racing is how not to let guys intimate you with bumping and leaning. So why didn’t I pull out the win? Well timing is everything and on the last lap mine wasn’t good. I happened to get behind a guy who tried to pedal through a corner. Ganked it, and unhooked me. And a 25 meter gap was too much to recover. But that’s racing. I was happy with pounding out the preims though and 11th in a field of 78 guys.
There was a big woman’s field of 30 plus. Which made Sandy very nervous but once the race started she steataled into the lead group of ten. Which blew out the remainder of the field in the first half of the race. She was able to sit-in and not do too much work and sprint for 2 second. Get pimped at the line by a half a wheel.
I’m still amazed that Dave got hit by a Deer at the Big Ring Classic! What do you tell your boss?
Aaaa, Bill I won’t be in to day I got hit by a deer. You hit a deer? How’s your car? No, I got hit by a deer! What? You got hit by a deer? Yep, I got hit by a deer!
It’s just amazing!
Besides that it sounds like the Wisco boy kicked some major butt…..the only thing that worries me is “The Champ” is going to be unbearable……

Drilled

So much to talk about and so little time

1) A Deer hits Dave at a mountain bike…what? That’s right, gets hit by a Deer!
2) Goats get it the money again.
3) The “Champ” rings the cash register again
4) Sandy drills the woman’s field.
5) I rang the prime bell not once, not twice, not three times, but four baby! Ding’a’ling. Then get jack out of the State championship by a dude jamming a pedal in front of me ….
Now I’m trashed…….More on everytime later!

It's so sweet to be free

I'm wireless! Life is prefect now. I can watch cycling TV and surf the Net........or ride my rollers and download porn. Take my PC into the bathroom to do my business while I look for light bike parts. How did I get through life without it? Life in this beautiful country is so great. Where else can one over indulge in everything and not feel guilty about it? Unless you are a lefty, then you feel guilty about everything.

Well, I hope Goat chops the "Champ" down a few pegs, makes him suffer like the dog he is this weekend. Lets some air out of that over inflated head.

Good Luck this weekend Bro's!

My side hurts......

Life is funny. It looks like Goats old trek is going to out bid my Gunnar frame on eBay. How or better yet WHY would someone even pay $1.00 for that piece of junk? And not pay anything for my beautiful piece of art?

And then there’s “The Champ” (the rider formerly known as The Baron) He says “Steel is Real” and “There is no point to all of it” worrying about your bike weight that is. Well I’ve got news for him Steel is not Real. It’s old heavy technology. Yes, in road racing and TT’s where being quick isn’t important old technology can be overcome. By that logic F1 cars would be running cast iron engine blocks. I know it hard to give up on old technology. We all know guys who have an old 486 laptop with a dialup modem and bellow about “how it works just fine” well it may, but at want cost? How many “Steel” frames do you see ridden on the ProTour? Now someone may beat my ass on an old steel rig. But there is no drought I’m faster on a Light/Quick bike. I love new technology for bike parts. I road a Gunnar it was ok, but it sprinted like a pig! And that’s my best game. Acceleration and Sprinting that’s it and an old heavy pig like a Waterford, Serotta or Gunnar doesn’t fit into that plan. So “Champ” you stick with those 486 laptop running windows 3.1. I’ll opt for the latest in technology. Like the newCarbon Scott frame I’ll be riding next year at 853grams.

Now I need to get online and order my new alloy chain ring and bottle cage bolts. For another 14gram savings.

Life is so hard!

Well I’ve been infected with the weight weenie bug. The way I look at it, I can’t lose much weight so the bike HAS TO GET LIGHTER! I’ve managed to trim more then 700 grams off my bike…..Now it wasn’t very heavy to being with, at 7528grams any budding weight weenie would love to own. Here is a list of things I’ve done to lop off some more un-needed “Fat”……

Changed out My Campy Running gear to Dura-Ace -80 grams
Replaced my Mavic Elites to Amer. Classic 350’s -519 g
Changed to a Ritchey WCS crank -21 g
Dura-Ace 10 speed chain -22g
Changed my Dura-Ace Cass to an Amer. Classic -55 g
Changed Water bottle holder -11g

Add it up! -708 grams, now that’s getting light……..6820 grams or 15.03 lb but that’s without a water bottle. My big dilemma is should I get a set of American Classic Carbon Wheels and shave another 200g off! Now that would be sweet! 6650grams, doesn’t that sound beautiful? That would put me under 15lb.s…….but I’ve got some Ritchey Carbon Wheel on order. Getting these would put me over the top for wheel investment this year! But their so LIGHT how could I not get them? Life is so hard sometimes.

Rain, Rain and more Rain

I did nothing to today; got up call “The Champ” (my new name for the Baron) went and got some breakfast. List some bike crap on ebay (including Goats old Trek. I’m going to get big bucks for it) bought some stuff on ebay (It didn’t look like my Ritchey wheel are going to make it for Superweek. So I got some American Classic Sprint 350’s and some other goodies to light’n up the Steed. Shooting for 15.5 lb….) Road the rollers for and 1.5 hours. Watched “Breaking Away” and the Discovery Team on cycling TV. I think I’m going to by more light crap for my bike and then go to sleep (I'll be dreaming of “The Champ) I wonder what goats is doing right now?

Dry Creek!

It starts out bumpy, but then truns into miles of smooth


red clay roads over Rolling hills.......97% MHR and its Heaven!


Just keep an eye out for the speed bumps.........


Then is smooth pavement all the way home! Sweet.....

Total Roubaix Espoirs style!

I’ve found a new training route. It’s by far the coolest loop today. The start is 2 miles of flat road to a 1000’ of climbing. Then 10 miles of a Roubaix style mountain road with views that will blow you away. It traverses Lookout Mountain and is in a high mountain meadow. There are about ten rolling climbs on it and crest out at 7500’. Then best part is you end up on another road where you can add 10 plus miles of rolling hills for a total loop of 50 miles or descend into the town of Carbondale. Where there are about ten other routes of varying lengths. I’ve ridden it twice now and send a total of 2 cars! My legs a totally trash. I’ll have to take some pic.s the next time I’m on it (Most likely tonight) it’s like a post card!.........Plus it’s a total Mans Route not one of these half pro sissy routes….

A word to the wise!

This one going out to my Bro's in Wisco! They are planning to lay it down this weekend at the "State" race. Don't count your chickens before they are hatched and don't count your races before they are won! Unlike this Dumba$$

Beer anyone?

Well after stopping off at the TEVA games on Friday and having a brush with greatness. We head down to the Front Range for some racing. Which didn’t turn out as planned, but fun nu-the-less. A quick stop at Vail Mountain for lunch on Friday turned into a couple of hour. Checking out all the white water Kayaking, Rock Climbing and Mountain Biking. The Kayak Redo was pretty cool; I wish I could do some for those tricks. I have a hard time just surfing a wave. After lunch Sandy and I took the Dog for a run up Vail Mountain to freshen the legs up a little and who do we run into? The Olympian himself, Todd Wells. He was in town for the Mountain Bike race. What a nice guy.
Half way to Denver the rain started and never let up. I woke up on Saturday to 50deg and rain. Not very good racing conditions. But what the hell its just rain. I won the first four Beer sprints and then the lighting came. They stop the race and canceled the rest of the races for the day. But hay I got a case of Beer, you can’t beat that. So we decide to bag the circuit race on Sunday and go check out the TEVA mountain bike race. Guess what? They cancel that too! There was 6” of snow and lighting high up on the mountain, so they cancel that race too. So there wasn’t too much racing to be had in Colorado this weekend. But hay I’ve got a case of Beer!

Got to love a Clean Bike

I there is nothing like a clean bike! I’ve can’t stand a speck of mud or brake dust on it. Lately I’ve been able to keep it so clean you could eat off the cassette. Shinny piece of beautiful machinery. The only thing I don’t like about cleaning is I find more nicks in the finish. Aaaaaa not another one……One day I’m going to have a breakdown! But then again I could just get that new Merckx’s I’ve been jones’n for…..Now that would be so Nice!

Has any body read the CXKing Blog lately? He’s been call all “Wisco bike riders Dorks” This from a guy who thinks he's a Pro and sleeps in a tent! A complete Jack-off! Hope he move back to MN! Well its time to hit the road……

Rig is clean

The rig is clean and loaded! Loaded for bear......Just got done loading all the bike crap for this weekends Hammer-fest. I'm heading down to the Front Range for the "Sara Kay Memorial" in Golden. It's a Circuit race and Crit rolled in to a weekend. Whats the big deal? The world famous 1st lap BEER priem thats what! But more on that later......Sleep now. I wounder what Gaots doing right now?