Elliott, at 45, still rocks the house

160 starter, dirt and broken roads, and the sheriff makes the split and takes the gallop. maybe he'll show up for a few cross races, too.

Dirt Dog, Oh no Mr Super D

Figured i need to start prep'ing for the defence of the stars and stripes due up in Vermont in July, ...so this weekend, Santa Ynez. Sure didn't need tarmac to bake down there, melted a couple of times in those grass fields ...... So, some crazy idea came to me that doing SuperD would be a good healthy mix and add to the fun at Natz ("what for?" said Mark Noble, no kidding). With lots of trepidation, even until the start.... it began with a 6 beep countdown and the ugliest example of how to take the first off camber corner... well, that was motivation and the yell of my name, to get me sprinting hard and flying down the first cross hill single track descent... if ya want'ta go fast, don't touch the breaks ... but look out for the launching rollers just before the narrow bend... if ya get to much air ... off the trail you go and down the hill... and maybe not upright. being not real good at these high speed 2 wheel dirt meneuvers ... i was scrubbing tons of speed in the not so banked 180s.... S turning at the bottom creekbed run, then shooting a straight line to the flats, ..not all on purpose, spooking the last of the fans. I headed into the pedal section, and saw I was catching 2 guys in front of me, winding out and back and slamming the rocky dry creek bottom, sprinted for a 180 and the line. All that in just 6 minutes, pretty fun,..dangerous?!!! and a 2nd place in the 40+. not bad first try for a skinny tyre boy, who likes dirt. but it wrecked my real chances for the next day and the event I really came for.

Was it the waiting around till 7 at night to start, or the 3 hours of XC course pre ride, or all the different warm ups for the delayed super d, that sucked the needed mojo outa my legs (head) to stay with the socal "legend" (?) KK (kevin kettler)? ... oh yeh, he gave me a lots of his history too. funny thing was, at the line, as the defending champ, no mention, OK. He and I sprinted away at the first rise, but he had no interest in helping, making short pulls and then sitting up, he said nothing. guess he wanted to solo.. not knowing much about dirt tactics and figuring with all the open climbing, the guy with the best legs would take it. ... for a 50's expert race mid season, he was a bit too steely, ...couldn't get a word out of him, and he wouldn't work... boy I was in trouble, ... and so on the back of the course, I found out how bad my leg were from yesterday's over work,.. when kk attacked up the dirt road climbmy legs wouldn't respond ... he got around 5 or 6 guys and began to open up a gap as we bombed down another high speed single track. you had to pass where there was no room, sometimes shoving uys out of the way...... the gap seemed like it got pretty big, but I must'ta closed it some near the end when motivated by the line nearing, cause at the finish it was just ~30".
learned some lesson this weekend about the mtb scene that will help as it comes closer to Natzs, things are a lot different back east and Mt snow is known as the most technical is the US... couldn't be a lot trickier than SunPeaks worlds par-course.
But I'll have to say, going downhill fast has its' appeal.

Enjoy blister black tarmac

All you asphault slaves, enjoy the weekend baking on the tarmac, while I snort dirt with the counterculture mountain weanies. Can you say super D, let alone describe what it is , a bit easier than explaining the TdF to an SC fan... " Ah, what is this team thing anyway. "Well, really that only works with the top pros or in master racing if you buy all the riders."
It is gonna be warm even in Santa Ynez, break out the short sleeves and the stars and bars.
Till later, goedeavond!

Don't do this

This was once a spectacular Pecan tree(Carya illinoensis). One of the two most impressive ones which I had seen in all of the local counties. Now some one has gone and destroyed it. Criminal! Well, both the owner of the tree and the one who butchered it are to blame. If I were in Belgium or France, it might seem they knew what they were doing, but here it is just plain stupid and cruel. It was a really cool tree and it will never be right again. It will be a constant reminder of what is right about nature and wrong about man.
Heck, might as well cut it up for lumber now.

Beware of Furry Friend, Tuck

Remember how cool it was to play with caterpillars when we were kids.... Well, don't touch this one, he is a tussock moth. See that fur, looks like the bristles on a brush and it is just like the fiber in fiberglass. Yuck! It makes you itch like crazy and break out in hives... chicken pox style. smoosch it, squish it and if they get thick as carpets, like at my house, call us and we will nuke 'em with all kinds of neat stuff.
Happy Spring

Happy Birth day, upgrade?

Fifty one year ago today I was born, wow... seems like yesterday I was a kid in school, though I don't remember much very clearly. made me kinda think yesterday, as my slow reactions left me in the laughing group, why I was racing with all these kids, but that is the way it has always been in cylcing for me. it was a good day, cause I did some yow-mans work to put the teams best candidate in the front group.... when I sighed some relief, the best of the rest took off to be part of the race. Wente always makes for a great race, cause the route is so fun with its' twisting descents and green hills.
Enjoy today, tomorrow maybe even more exciting!

Sea Otter RR - C-Walker breaks legs

Well, CW countered his own move when he got caught with JBoyer takin the ride, nobody in the small group of 8 choose to follow, knowing what danger lerked on CW's wheel, he has done it for years, likes ridin alone and can. LBlout powered the chase, with unstoppable work by CWire and WStetina. I helped for a couple of laps till my legs advised better if I want to stand a chance of seeing the line with these guys. JB kept his distance just at the back, allowing the chase to do what it could, we can all learn from that gesture. The ever present visual was his inevitable move with fresh legs. CW and LB looked the strongest and WS was hanging tough, he really had some great form. Second to last time through the feed, the break sputtered and JB attacked, CW was glued to his wheel and they rocketed away. LB looked around as WS gamed me a bit and then jumped up to him.... they took off up the road to link up with LB. WS stayed with LB for most of the last lap as I bummed some food to keep from going cross eyed. oh yah, it is dinner time about now. I could of walked up the finish hill faster, looking over my shoulder sure at this crawl some one would catch me,... nope made it and with load of time.... collapsed on the line, my legs were so sore

No sense DQing LB for his great ride, I remember getting 4th there one year and they gave the place to this other guy. Ran into him the next week at Wards F and asked where he finished, 4th he said,..."what, no way, I won that group sprint." He said "ya, they always get it messed up". Glad I won that day!