next round o' interbiike photo's...

Mary M of Seven Cycles
Originally uploaded by solo_goat

now posted.

check them out - that makes all of them, roughly 200 pics from interbike.

still recovering from lack of sleep and the major effort on wednesday night - that write up will come in the next few days.

for now, enjoy the pics - and i'll update them as soon as i can.

sologoat out

interbike hangover

DSC_0206
Originally uploaded by solo_goat

is hitting me pretty hard today as i caught the red eye late last night and got back into reality at 6am in cleveland.

hats off to continental airlines - they treated my moots sl with care and the box came through in great shape.

cross vegas results still haven't been posted, but there are a few pics up at FLICKR and some video over at youtube. do a search for "crossvegas" and you'll get a few hits.

and, i've been uploading pics to my flickr account - got roughly 150'ish pics up so far. haven't had time to label them, so check 'em out.

interesting stuff at the show - kona ti 29er's, niner ti's, moots new seat post design, trp coming out with magnesium canti's, industry 9 coming out with some kewl road wheels that include two sub 1100 gram wheelsets. yikes.

so check out flickr, crossvegas write up coming up more then likely tomorrow.

for those who were at the event, thanks for making it an epic and cheering me on.

sologoat out

quick update from interbike

bikes, beer and cross.

interbike has come and gone for me, but the vegas cross event was pretty memoriable.... full write up to come in the next few days, but for now - check out the speedgoat.com blog as there is a brief write up and some pics.

gotta catch a flight - red eye back into cleveland as i gotta work tomorrow. fun, fun.

sologoat out

pretty much my favorite animal - vegas update

well, off to vegas in t minus 3 hours. word from my secret contacts (speedgoat staff) is that the pivot/bh bikes are the bomb and dan the man has ridden a moots full suspended 29er that was pretty sweet - front end was ti, rear was aluminum.

everybody is in agreement - TUFO tape has gots to go on my carbon wheelset. my DNF was the second in a few weeks for asylum/freddie fu team members. at least my crash happened in a grass field at 20mph, not at 30mph on pavement with a field inches behind you in the last corner of a crit. not cool.

FYI - speedgoat blog link is added. check out the site often as the interbike pics and reviews are starting to roll in as i type away.

anyhoo, vegas cross is 7pm for the ladies, 9pm for the gents on wednesday night. with a beer tent, elvis, industry reps and a thousand screaming bike geeks, it is going to be a blast.

so, be there or



sologoat out

agrivation

reynolds wheel and tire
Originally uploaded by solo_goat

was the theme for the weekend.

26th on saturday (they paid back to 25) after approximately 5 falls and at some point during the race, i hit one of my spikes on my shoe on a barrier at full speed. i didn't go down, but it knocked the spike insert right out of my shoe.

nice.

sunday, pre-ride the course and adjust my tire pressure for the off-cambers. i roll the front tire in practice. great.

race comes, after talking to shawn adams the day before about the race on saturday, i concentrated on the start - and i got a good one. despite being on the third fourth row, i got up to the top twenty within the first 300 meters. i was sitting pretty.

that is, until my rear tire rolled off. fantastic. with a quarter mile to run to the pits and 15 guys having already passed me, i would of been dead last and well over 2 minutes behind that guy before i could my spare bike.

i called it a day 5 minutes into the race - i later discover that i should of replaced my rim tape as it had dried out.

sologoat out

nat ross write up on 24 worlds

is now up on Cycling News

and check out these write up's too - chris at speedgoat is doing a pre-vegas write up.

Tubeless 29er

Mavic 29er

check 'em out

sologoat out

MI UCI cross - day 1

MI UCI cross - day 1
Originally uploaded by solo_goat

ah, what a day.

it was a frustrating one at that - must of been on the ground at least 5 times. 3 of which happened on the first three laps - tons of off chambers and slow riders had me not feeling the cross vibe.

start line call up was just like nationals - call up all the guys who you read about all the time and then let everbody else chase them. so, at the start line, i was 4 rows back. hmmm.

race started and i proceed to have my early crashes - at one point, i am nearly the last guy.

i pick it up and start picking off riders - i catch 5 or 6 riders in the closing laps as i can watch page flying and coming closer.

just as i head out on my last lap, page takes the win - at least i didn't get lapped. tough way to start the cross season, but the goal was to survive, not to get lapped with hopes that i i'll be paying my dues early this year so i can cash them out later in the season.

tomorrow's another day and another race.

sologoat out

200-1 odds

sl cross moots
Originally uploaded by solo_goat

sneak pick of the new build up.

full write up coming this weekend as i travel out to michigan for the double UCI cross weekend, to be followed up by Cross Vegas next week.

3 UCI cross races in 5 days - sweet.

busy with work, busy with racing and riding - hopes to get to WV for some of the enduro series is fading fast. need to check the schedule for next weekend as it's probably the only one i can hit up - possibly. i haven't had much free time as of late.

speaking of which - i'm looking for a phone, wireless card, calling plan, etc, that can update the blog, browse web pages, upload to flickr possibly. was wondering if anybody had any experience with the verizon wireless router with modem/dial up acess or with the TELECOM net only services. TELECOM seems to be the way to go as they got a cool little browser/phone type contraption and the plans start pretty reasonably.

and then - there is the ever sweet IPHONE. craig at speedgoat has one and it's hella cool.

that's it - off to cleveland.

oh - and, according to my buddy gary d, i have odds at 200-1 at cross vegas for the win. place 'yer bets now!

sologoat out.

a walk in the park

this will not be.

page, tilford - just to name a few. should be a good warm up for cross vegas and a very abrupt wake up call to the 2007 cross season.

get fit or get dropped. all in less then one hour.

ah - i love the feel of lactic acid.

sologoat out

it's true..

yep, despite a few random emails, i have proof - yes, ernesto lube is the real deal.



100% biodegradable and super cheap in the long run if you send back in your used up bottles for re-fills - at 3 bucks a bottle for a re-fill, i honestly don't ever want to hear a squeaky chain again.

that's it - gotta run. work, work, work.

stay tuned this week - will be posting my upcoming race schedule and a few pics of the new moots sl cross which by some miracle, just got built up a few days ago.

and - the ernesto part sell off to raise funds for the last 4 months of racing is about to begin. got 2 d/a new chainring sets, 2 complete lighting systems from my old sponsor, and i think i am going to sell off my SOMA if any of you single speed freaks are interested.... i'll be adding a new album set on my FLICK account in the next day or two with all the schwag..

sologoat out

i'm in...

registration for cylcocross nationals was just silly - the registration started at 1am saturday. yep, 1am not PM.

what a joke that was - next time cross nationals is on the east coast, i think that they should have registration at 6AM east coast time so those dorks can wake up at 4:45am for registration. seriously, what was the point?

registration was limited to 120 riders per class, so if you didn't get in early and you missed out, too bad until next year.

for masters racers, the earlier you register, the better... 8 riders per line at the start. top 10 from last year first, winner from last years age group (if it applies), then the order of registration...

for elite's, it is something similar to that except that anybody holding UCI points trumps the order of registration. so, you could theoretically be the last to register but because you have a ton of UCI points, you have a good starting position.

and starting position is everything - moving up positions in the masters race is one thing.

in the elite race, it is another. every guy out there is just as fast as you and is as determined not to let you pass.

in other cross news...

sorry to gerry and the pittsburgh cross racers for me not showing up to race today - some things came up and i had to run over to help my dad out. sorry for the no show.

and - the sl cross moots got completed late last night complete with pink bar wrap. looks hella sweet.

that's it - gotta run..

sologoat out

ernesto lube

Ernesto Lube and Ernesto have partnered up - i'll be soon running Ernesto Lube on my bikes.

here's the main info right off the site:

The 4oz bottle is $6.00. By economic means, you'll fare better with the bigger bottle, then, send us the bottle back after you're done, and we'll refill it for a small surcharge. Refills for the 4oz bottles are $3.00.

Application styles are endless:

- Recreational riders
- Commuters
- Triathlons
- mountain bike races
- roadie riders
- snigle speed knuckleheads
- even 29er people
- kids bikes
- your aunt's bike...
- chainsaws
- garage door chains
- door hinges

This is the only lube you can use to fry some good country chicken eggs for breakfast.

and you also have to check out their Ernesto Lube WiseCracker if you want to add a little bling to your fixie.

with that - gotta run.

sologoat out

bikes back and getting hitched

asylums are now back in the casa of ernesto. all is well.

sent them out via UPS to monterey and had them held for pick up - actually worked out pretty well as we didn't have to deal with getting them on the plane. UPS has a better insurance policy too, should anything happen.

just got to plan on sending them out early and them getting back late (about 4 days each way).



also, want to wish my speedgoat pals a belated congrats (michael) and a future congrats (jeremey) on their marriages. congrats to both of you guys.

with that, gotta roll - hell week of training and house stuff as i try to catch up on painting. damn the maker of wall paper.

sologoat out

i gotta a date with pain on september 26th

Cross Vegas is now scheduled.

should be an overall interesting race - top notch competition means that one of my first cross races of the year will have the same racing speed as nationals. at that rate, 2 wheel slides at 25+mph in the corners will be the norm. go fast or get passed.

back to work - sologoat out.

24 Worlds Complete Write Up

is now posted at the SPEEDGOAT BLOG

I added a few more tidbits of info in it for more info to those who don't follow my blog.

i'm beat, legs are feeling heavy as i push my fitness to last for another month or so of enduro events and the start of the cross season - which cross season will start up next week for me at a low key local event over in PA in the month of mud series.

bikes for worlds were sent out UPS - which actually worked out pretty well, as long as one can deal with not having your bikes for a week before and after an event. cost was about the same as it would sending them with me via plane, but the insurance coverage and the hassle/cost it saves was worth it in the long run.

anyhoo, now off to domestic stuff - painting. fun, fun.

sologoat out

part 3 of 3 - 24 adrenaline worlds

Lap Seven – fear the night
Time to start picking things up as the night comes and temperatures start to fall. On my first complete lap in darkness, I fall hard twice on the single track section a few miles in. Ruts you can see during the day are now invisible. I decide that after bailing twice that I would take it easy through these sections until darkness is no more.

Lap 8 through 6am Sunday – 12 hours that I don’t recall
I peddle through the night, keeping a steady pace, but losing ground on the leaders. I’ve somehow slipped back to 9th place in the darkness.

I was able to get fresh clothes on around 2am, and actually had to put on some arm warmers as although it was warm when I was climbing, there were a few low spots that got very chilly. Very odd to be sweating one minute and freezing 30 seconds later – in the east, you are either one or the other.

During the night, I pass numerous riders who appear to be suffering the effects of the heat and the effort – the riders are swerving all over, some appear in-coherent, one rider was sleeping, and others are walking in a daze. In between all this madness, I catch up with Brandon who later pulls out – he’s the first to pull out that I know of due to the heat and stomach issues.

6am – light brings rebirth
At first light, I learn the news – the two aussie’s (claxson and bell) are out, along with many others, due to the heat. They were suffering from severe dehydration – many riders had to be taken out via ambulance. (Later heard from my pit crew that many riders were throwing up, were not able to talk/walk, etc.)

I’m now up to 7th place, and I get mad at myself. I can’t give up so easily.



I sprint out of the pits convinced I could make up ground.

The temps have not risen yet, but sunlight is creeping out. My eyes can now see the ruts that I feared earlier in the day and I’m now flying through sections I feared. My legs have come back.

4 hours and 3 laps later –
I’m now sitting in 4th place, now roughly only 4-5 minutes behind Nat. Two laps to go.

The temperatures at 10am now jump back up to at least 90 degrees – I lose the arm warmers and base layer. I start chasing Nat, and Hendershot starts chasing me.

One lap to go –
At this point, I am on cruise control – not taking any risks on the tight single track, but going hard on the climb.

In the final miles, I see smoke in the distance, then airplanes zooming less than 500 feet above my head.



It doesn’t immediately click to me as to what is going on until I top one of the last climbs of the day – a fire has started just outside of where the race track/pits are.



Very surreal ending to a very surreal day – a blazing fire at the end of a long 24 hours where I ended up 4th on a day where just 6 hours before I was sitting in 9th place.



thanks to my pit crew (dad, tom and dan the man) and for everybody who cheered me on.



and to all the solo freaks out there that day in monterey - that was one hell of a race.

next 24 hour race... stay tuned...

sologoat out

part 2 of 3 - 24 adrenaline worlds

Race Day:
Got to the start of the race well ahead of schedule. Call-ups for the race start at around 11:40am and all solo riders are announced. Teams would start 5 minutes behind to avoid trail congestion.

Noon:
Race starts and I have a decent run to the bike – I am about the 10th rider or so into the first section of single track.



Things start weeding out quickly as the pace and the temperature soar – I would not know it until after the race, but temps would stay at over 100 degrees for over 4 hours straight.

Tinker and Kelly dance away, and the rest of us start our chase – Nat, John, Brandon form a group with a few other riders and start to pull away from me on the first lap. About a mile before the second water stop, I bridge up to the small group.

Lap Two:
On the same climb I bridged up to the group, I drop all of them and quickly open a big gap and I am now sitting in 3rd place. I look back over my shoulder and I can’t see another rider. I’m feeling really good at this point, riding my own race at my own pace.



Lap 3 and 4 go by with not much changing overall.

Lap Five:
I start to feel the heat and start slowing – the same climb that I felt great on a few laps ago, I was starting to feel like my legs were not turning over well and then Nat caught back up to me. For a few moments we discussed how we both thought Tinker and Walker were going out too hard and that they wouldn’t finish the race. The pace they were setting was just too high for this kind of heat.

With Nat having two completely full water bottles and my one bottle empty, he pulls away.

At this point, I had to race my own race and it was then I thought: time to start running a camelback with water.

Lap Six:



Time for the Princeton Tec lights and the camelback to come out. I started the slow process of trying to re-hydrate and re-think my game plan for the rest of the race. I decide to ride one lap at a steady pace, get some fuel in me and plan the rest of the race.

part 1 of 3 - 24 adrenaline worlds

wednesday:
arrive at san jose airport in one piece at around noon. after meeting up with my brother, we head down to monterey to pick up the bikes at the UPS center.

as usual, bike case took a freaking beating, but arrived safe. get bikes together and head out to the race course.

course is 13.5 miles long - classic sandy soil of the west, no rock or roots. it's hot with very little shade - weather man says it is only supposed to get up to 75, but it feels hotter.

i end up riding one lap.

thursday:
wake up early and head out on a lap. after picking up dan the man, head out for the bonus lap to dial in the few single track sections.

not really much to preview, the course is either going up or down and it is open to the elements and the hot sun. sounds horrible, but i love this type of course.

friday:
head out early again for one final lap - the course got lots of climbing on it which i feel is really good for me. the more it goes up the better.

rider meeting is later in the day - tinker was there, along with kelly magelky, nat ross, hendershot, brandon, steve, sloane, john and alexender.. it was NOT going to be easy to podium.

with me dnf'ing at nationals, i had to get a good result over the weekend.

bike setup:
pretty much the same as usual, but i have recently changed to running a triple up front, converted to tubeless to save the weight, lowered my stem, changed my bars and switched to ergon grips.


that's it - off to catch a plane. final part tomorrow.

check out flickr - pics from my dad and dan are up under the 24 adrenaline set. more higher res pics up tomorrow.

sologoat out

quick update - 24 worlds

hot and fast.



temps hit over 100 for 4 hours straight.

i went from 3rd at 3pm to 9th at 6am.

i gave all that i could, got within 3'ish minutes to nat.

more later - rest now.

sologat out