Träd ...

Just after I feel like I am pulling things together I go and smack a tree today while riding. I don't know if I have ever hit my shoulder that hard before. It's super sore and I can't tell right now if I did something serious to it, but it sure hurts like I did. I am hoping that tomorrow morning it feels better and I can go ride. First Tad, who broke his Scapula while riding with Todd and Troy and now me. Shoulder's suck. I really don't need this right now with nationals coming up soon. I am still certain things should be good, maybe just a few days on the road bike instead of the mountain bike. Maybe one of these days I can miss the rain.

Sunshine is Fine!

Today I got some sun. Tad and I went out for a 6 hour ride today while it was about the hottest it's been in Durango this whole year. For some reason sunblock just doesn't do much for me anymore. Aside from getting dark, I have been training up for the upcoming National Champs in a few weeks out in Sol Vista. I was hoping to do Marathon Nat's this weekend, but it looks like its already full. I am really dissapointed since last year I wasn't able to finish and I really liked the course. Oh well, it's how that stuff goes I guess. Aside from riding my bike I haven't had much of anything else going on. Been working at RGP's a lot. It was a bit of a hard transition coming back from Germany, where I was able to go ride all day, come back and relax, to having to work a bunch and having a set schedule. Well I am off to get some dinner and Aloe Vera for my burn. Get out and enjoy this awesome weather!

Love This Song, More to Come...

Unglaubliches Ende

Having a good race is the best feeling ever. Sometimes I forget how good it feels to come across the finish line knowing that you just gave your all, minimalized your mistakes and put together a great race. And having a great result to go with this makes it even better.

This last weekend in Germany we had a full schedule of racing on our hands. I really wanted to make the best of these last races and also both of them sounded like they would suit me relatively well. The first race on tap was an 11.5km hill climb in Buhlertahl. I was really excited and was hoping to capitalize on my climb skills, but things did not go as planned. I felt like I got a really good warm up in, but come the start I felt flat. This was not a course to not be 100% on since the first few paved sections were extremely steep. I got a decent start, but soon found myself falling backwards. I felt like I was overheating until around 6-7km in I seemed to regain my composure and finished better than I started in 30th place. Not the result I was looking for, but that's racing. That night we packed up all of our things and left the Hostel in Kirchzarten.


Needless to say I became very attached to Kirchzarten, I plan to return very soon. After leaving the Hostel, we pressed north to Solingen for a really sweet race out side of town. The course was super fun, with a lot of different terrain that was a pleausre to ride. It was 4-5km in distance and had some super fast power sections, small climbs and a very technical rocky turn before climbing back up to the start/finish.

After a decent start, I was able to move up a lot, but got caught in a bunch of traffic on the first lap. I made my way through the clutter and got into a grove. I finally feel like I got my race legs back. Last year I had my race in Deer Valley where I felt like I was riding at my best, and that last day in Soligen I felt the same. I was able to keep consist laps and felt strong the entire race. It's moments like that when you really remeber why you give up so much for racing.

I crossed the line in 9th place, putting me 16th in the elites. My best race of the season so far. This whole European trip for me has been a dream come true in many ways, the entire trip to me now seems surreal. After coming back I have regained focus and my love for racing my bike. I can't help but thank the people around me who made this whole experience happen. Thank you again to everyone! You have all proved once again that I can count on you for anything when I need it.

Große Abenteuer

The riding here in Germany is pretty amazing. It took a little while to find all the sweet rides, but once you do, you are stoked. I can honestly say that Germany has some of the best biking I have ever ridden before. It's a lot different from the stuff that I am used to riding back in Colorado, but it's super fun. I have been doing most of my riding with Tad. He keeps me in place, making sure no matter what I don't get too big of a head. Even when I am feeling my best I will look over and see his heart rate, and its always 15-20 bpm lower than mine. Always.

Another person who I have been riding with a lot is Jimmy Deaton. For those who don't know, Jimmy is awesome. He is an amazing rider and even better person. He used to kill the NORBA XC and UCI World Cup DH Circuit in mountain biking primordial days and is here with USA Cycling coaching some of us and helping keep things running smooth. Its a fun crew out here. I also got a chance to meet up with another friend who lives about 5-6km from where I am staying in Kirchzarten, Calle Friberg.

Calle took me on a very fun ride that was a bit epic. The climbs here are a lot steeper than they are in the states and, they go on for quite a while. To add to it, they have a lot more roots and rocks, but still so fun! We climbed up for well over an hour and saw everything. It's sweet having such a knowledgeable guide here. He even showed me this sweet spring where you can fill up your bottles with the freshest tasting water ever.

Right before the amazingly fast, super sweet downhill, he got a picture of us and the valleys. Being here in Germany, eating really good food, riding even better single track with good friends and not working 6-7hrs a day has been a god send. I really have been able to relax. That's something that I have not been able to do in a while. It's really nice to go out and enjoy my rides, and come back and be able to truly relax and recover. I know it has been helping me out for these past few races.


This past weekend was the Bundesliga, Bike the Rock in Heubach, Germany. The course was awesome, straight up, straight down. It was muddy, it was a really good course for me. The day before while pre-riding I was feeling terrible. My legs felt like lead and I was struggling with putting everything together for a race run. Then the morning came and I got going with my warm up and I started feeling a lot better. I got a really good call up, like 4th row out of 12-13 (over 100 racers started the U23) and I went to the outside thinking I could dodge some traffic, and luckily it worked. We had a sharp left corner right out of the start and then after 80 meters or road we took another sharp right up a steep, wet, rocky, climb. The gun went off and I just went where there were openings, somehow I managed to go at all the right places and I found myself in the top 15 going up the climb. Instead of trying to go with the top guys, I set my own pace and settled after getting passed back by a lot of others who got untangled. As the race went on, I kept feeling better and better and I was working my way up lap by lap. Unfortunately, the top guys were throttling it, and I only made it 4 laps in, in 41st place. A really good finish for me. I feel like if I was just a bit fast on that first lap I could have made it one more, maybe even two, but, coulda, woulda, shoulda.

Although 41st isn't the best finish for some, or doesnt really sound that great, it is for me. It felt really good to be out enjoying my race, having a bunch of fun and riding well at the same time. I know that if I was able to stay in the race a bit longer, I would have been able to move up more. Its great to be having fun on my bike again. It took a lot of hard work to get here, and now I feel like I am really reaping the benefits. Well I am off to bed, I am hoping to get in some quality hours this week to set me up for these last few races here and the next portion of the year. And once again a huge thanks to all who have helped me, John Polli at Bikeparts.com/Peak Cycles, Marc Gullickson, Jimmy Deaton, Joey Ernst, My parents and all other family members, Sam Jurekovic, Mike Stoll, Chris and Jen from RGP's, Nelson Oldham from Dos Gringos Burritos and many many more! Thanks!

Europäische Rennen

Well I finally cut my teeth on the European race circuit. First up was the Swiss Racer Bikes Cup in Solothurn, Switzerland. The Racer Bikes Cup is what replaced the Swisspower Cup, but is the same thing. There were 80 starters, among them, Nino Schurter (4x World Champion, Olympic medalist) Florian Vogel, Mathias and Lukas Fluckiger, Marco Aurellio Fontana etc. It was a small World Cup basically.

The course was really crazy, about 70-80% of the race was on pavement, but the rest was on relatively difficult wooded single track sections with some really techy steep climbs and three pretty steep chutes/drops. It was really fun, and SUPER fast. I had an okay start, we started right inside a tunnel of a some huge castle in the middle of town. The gun went off and it was full blast. Things were going good, the start was actually not that sketch, the Euro's are really very comfortable with pack riding/racing and it was the best mass start race I have probably been in. Things were going good for the first lap, moving up little by little. Then on the second lap, right on the second chute, I burped my front tire of the rim and went down hard. I got back on right away and then tried to fill it with a CO2. It wasn't sealing though, so I had to take it easy on the pavement since I have around 10 psi in it. I limped my way down to the start/ finish where Marc Gullickson and Jimmy Deaton had another CO2. They pumped me up and I kept going. As I got up the first ramp (in photo) and went around a bark chip corner it dropped air again. I quickly put a tube in, used the remaining CO2 left in my canister and then had to nurse about 15psi back up to our mechanic, Joey Ernst in the next tech zone. I got to him after going around 75% speed and he got me going again soon. Around the end of lap two I got lapped by Nino Schurter and Florian Vogel who were going so fast. I hung with them up a single track section then they easily dropped me on a flat. I got to ride the descent with Marco Aurelio Fontana, (5th at the Olympics) and then once we hit the road sections I was dropped. I finished 3 laps down, in last place. Not the best start, but still really fun, and a great experiance.

Today, we did a smaller race in Wittau, near Freiburg, in Germany. We rode from Kirchzarten to Wittau, which took us around an hour, then we did a few laps on the 3km course and then proceeded to warming up on some steep roads. We were doing 10 laps today, and it was going to be FAST! After having a poor race yesterday I wanted to prove that I had some legs, but even I caught myself by surprise.

I moved up past like 12-15 people and pretty much lead the first super steep climb. I moved back into 5th for the second lap then kind of blew apart towards the end. I still managed 25th place and also kept some dignity. The race today was super hard, once again. No where near as hard though as the Swiss Racer Cup. I hope to keep gaining some fitness and carrying that into the rest of the season.

Maybe if I stay on it, I can have some more moments like these, just without the blow up. Until then!

Eine Fun-Bike Ride

Today we went for a really fun bike ride around Kirchzarten and surrounding area. Found some cool roads and a few little climbs. Its a really cool area nestled in some really beautiful mountains. Everything here is SO green. Such a difference from typical Colorado.

Got to ride with Tad today as well. I haven't done that in a while. Tad is one of my favorite people to ride with in Durango. Its kind of weird coming across the ocean and riding with your typical riding partner. He is going really well right now and should have a good race tomorrow. Speaking of which we are racing the Swiss Racer Bikes Cup in Solothurn, Switzerland tomorrow. Super excited for my first European race. Wish me luck.

Exzellentes Essen

   This cereal is so tasty! So far German food is some of the best food I have ever had. Wook up from 12 hours of sleep, some of the best sleep of my life after staying up for 30 plus hours and an hour of riding and had a huge bowl of SCHOKO. Really good stuff. The coffee over here is pretty damn good too. Well its time for another session of awesome German biking! 

A World Away

Today I landed in Frankfurt Germany. Wow, I can honestly say I have never been any where like this. Its a combination of some many other places, but has its own feel to it that is really amazing. I landed this morning at 9:30am, German time. I didn't sleep more than one hour on my 12hr flight, then we drove from Frankfurt to Kirchzarten, about 2hrs and then went and rode for a solid hour to try and spin out the legs.


Like I said, Europe is its own thing, the trails are very different, but still super fun. Everyone sees us riding by and kind of gives us a different look than I am used to. Its less of look at these idiots, and more like, wow, check out these mountain bikers. The first race is this weekend in Solothurn, Switzerland. I am really excited to ride the course and to be racing again. Well, I will keep you all updated when I can. The internet here is kind of slow. I am off to bed before I collapse. Check out my photos link for more shots so far.

Back Home, Then Euroland

    It feels so good to be back home. Although I am only here for a day, I feel like I can really relax here. I am sitting in Dos Gringos Burritos/Cafe Ole, I forgot how awesome the food and coffee is here. I apologize for the last post. It was during a bit of a hard time for me, sometimes its difficult to keep your head up when things are not going as planned. Anyways, I leave for Germany/Switzerland on Wednesday. I couldn't be more excited. I have got my bike running well, and I am putting in some good time in the saddle to try and do my best there. The whole experience of just going over there is going to be so incredible to begin with. While I am over there I will be staying with the U23 National team for a bit and also meeting up with my friend from Sweden, Calle Friberg. He lives close where I am staying and should be able to show me around. It will also be nice to have someone else over there who I know. Well my coffee is getting cold and I need to go ride. Can't wait to ride Sopris, last time I did it was August. 

The Skinny

I haven't updated in a while since I found out I was going to Germany to race. I was hoping to dedicate these past thirty days to just training my ass off, but, that has not been the case at all. I got some training in, not as much as I am happy with, and I have been faced with so much stress of having to get so many things done in time, and working so much every week just so I can sort or afford this trip. But really, this has been the story of my life. Never being able to train as much I should because of work. Or never being as fresh for some races because I just came off a 40 hour week at my jobs. I am not trying to paint some sob story, or create some excuse for why I should be faster or getting more support, but just trying to clue some in on what I go through for me to make my race season happen. And I know I am not the only one. As time goes on I just keep seeing how little money is in this sport. Yeah you can blame some of that on the economy, but this sport was suffering even before that. So many people work so hard right now just to make ends meet and then have to squeeze what money they can out of that to make it to races and cover expenses that sponsors can not. I remember back when I was in middle school and I would be reading a mountain bike magazine under my math book (which explains my math grades now) and thinking of how awesome it would be, to be a professional mountain bike racer. How glamorous the life would be traveling the world racing my bike. Needless to say I quickly found out how little glam and glory there was, and I am not necessarily upset about that. I think a lot of the problems that happen in road can be easily related to money, but I still think the mountain side (especially North American racers) deserve more, and I don't just mean financially. 

    This whole year I have not had as many setbacks and possible ends to my season as any ever before. My season last year ended on a sour note for me, and my collegiate racing didn't exist at all. Mentally that was a really hard blow for me to accept. Working so hard, dedicating so much and sacrificing even more, to look back and have some mediocre results was a hard thing to swallow. And as time goes on I keep finding more and more negative sources that are around me. But for every negative source around me, I seem to keep gaining more and more support from others. Its really easy sometimes to get down about everything trying to keep me down, and yet I don't. Mountain bike racing is all I know. I will not try and create some image of someone who is very capable in a lot of other fields, because I am not. But above all, the work and the sacrifices that I make for the bike are because I love it so much, and desperately want to make this what I do.  For those who have helped me to get this far, I can't even say how much I appreciate what you have done for me. If any of you can help me out by donating money for my Germany trip, I would truly love it, and couldn't tell you how much I would appreciate it. 

Thanks again

Dream Come True

The other day after my cold bike ride, I came home and sat at the computer to check my email. I saw I had received and email from the national team director, Marc Gullickson. I figured it was nothing, then I opened it up and saw this:
Congratulations!


You have been selected to attend USA Cycling’s European MTB Race Camp #1.

I have been dieing to go to Europe forever, and racing my bike in Europe has always been a dream of mine. I can't explain how happy I am. I still can't believe its real! I can not pass up this opportunity but will need some help covering costs. The Camp is $850, plus airfare. I have a link on the side for donations. Anything will help. Thank you so much once again to USACycling and Marc Gullickson and of course John Polli at Bikeparts.com.
Thanks!

Paul and Moss...

Monday from Paul Gemignani on Vimeo.

Fontucky Aint So Sucky

Wow, I am really tired. I am still coughing up a lot of dust. I finally had a good Southern California race. The course here is really cool, pretty difficult though. They changed the it a lot from the previous years. Last year's course was predominantly flat with some steep little pitches here and there, but this years course had some hill to it. In the first kilometer of the track, there was a climb that was really freaking steep and loose. It was an awesome change, It was nice to have some split in the race, but it also sucked a lot. You really had to save some gas for that climb every lap. I have never ridden something so steep and so challenging so many times, while going as fast as I can.

Like normal, I got a terrible start position, I really don't understand how I keep getting these terrible start places. I even had UCI points from the previous year, and a top 30 overall ranking in the now defunct NMBS series from last year. Oh well, It worked out okay, although I am curious how I would have done had I gotten a place a little closer to the front. Any ways, I started right behind Trevor around 80th, we took the outside lines and they worked out pretty well. It was a crazy mad dash with over 120 guys starting in the Pro race, and it held together pretty well until that steep as hell climb called "the elevator". There is where things got really crazy. I had to jump off and start running the climb, then someone swung there leg off and hit me right on the upper lip really hard with there shoe. I honestly thought I broke or chipped a tooth for over the first half of the race. With there being so many people behind me, I really didn't have the option to stop or slow down. Then, finally after going through the technical downhill sections we met back up with the paved road and I could make up some places. As the race went then I got tangled with some other dude who kicked my front derailleur over and it was rubbing my chain the whole rest of the race. Quick note, there are a lot of Semi Pro's who are racing pro and really shouldn't be. I don't necessarily mean fitness wise, but etiquette and also just how to race with the pro's. Just my two cents. Any ways, I was really worried I was going to break a chain or something, but it held together really well. I made it through all 5 laps, feeling better and better as the race went on and got 53rd, passing over 30-40 guys from that climb.

It was a great feeling to come across the line knowing I had a great race. I am really hoping to build off this and have a good season. Another quick note, The new US Cup/ Pro XC tour is awesome. There were a bunch of people out there this weekend watching and cheering us on. The vibe was awesome, the scheduling was really well thought out and ran smoothly. They had awesome goody bags with free T shirts and In N Out Burger tickets. I was really impressed, I can honestly say that the future of mountain bike racing in the US is looking good.Plus the entry fee for Pro men, UCI race even, was only $45. My hat goes off to Scott Tedro and everyone at Sho-Air. Well my Ice cream is melting and Trevor's parents have Formula One racing on so I need to go, but before I do, A huge thanks to Trevor Downing and his family, Sam Jurekovic, Bikeparts.com/Peak Cycles and everyone else who helped me get here. Thanks Again!
Colin

Moving Westward

I am back in California, and this time it’s much nicer! Last year all I really got to see was Ontario, the airport, and the hotel I stayed at in the pseudo-ghetto in Fontana. This time I drove out with my roommate Trevor and our friend Will. It was a bit of a long drive, around 11hrs, but it was really cool for me since I have never seen that part of the country before. As we were leaving Durango this morning, it was beginning to snow outside just a bit. It sounds quite odd to think of since today it was in the upper seventies here. Along with also getting to see a lot of the country, I got to experience In-N-Out Burger. That was also very amazing, I don’t know the last time I ate a burger as awesome as the one I had today. I made sure to follow it up with a nice chocolate shake and some French fries.



After reaching San Bernardino National Forest, Trevor took us on awesome ride near his home in Crestline. The views here are amazing; it was also pretty nice to ride in just Shorts and a Jersey. I just spun up to the top and met up with the two of them. After snapping some photos we rallied down the mountain and headed up to his house. It’s really cool getting to see where people grew up. I can honestly say I have never been anywhere in the world like this. Well, it’s getting late and tomorrow we are driving down to ride the course. The one from last year wasn’t bad, but I am really excited to see the new changes. I heard it is a bit more climber friendly. I hope the weather in Durango isn’t too bad. Although when I get back I think I am going to hit a day or two at Silverton. I think the unguided days are about to open back up again. That’s just too good to pass up. Well that’s it for tonight.

colin

Falling Into Place

Just when I thought I was in shape, this kid comes back to town. For a while there, I thought I was getting faster, then I realized it was just because he was hauling me around for past few weeks. Anyways, things in Durango are starting to warm up. The past few days have been creeping into the sixties and there are even a few trails that are ride able. I can't wait to get out on some single track. Road riding is still fun, and riding with friends is awesome, but nothing beats a good mountain bike ride in the woods.

Aside from the weather getting better here, my training has been picking up and becoming more fun. I also got a new bike fit from the guys at Mountain Bike Specialists the other day. It was awesome! They fixed the knee issues I have been having for the past 5-6 months also got me feeling really comfy on both bikes. Its funny how something like a few centimeters here and there can really change things. I have been dealing with IT band syndrome at least once or twice every season since 2005, It will be really interesting to see how this season goes now with out having to worry about that.



Hopefully without fit issues I can actually get my act together and pull a decent season off. But speaking of a good season, a huge congrats goes out to Sam Jurekovic who got 2nd at last weeks first US West Coast Cup in Bonelli Park, California. That's him on the left to first place winner Sid Taberlay. Sam has been like my older brother for the past few years and I am sure that this is just a sign of bigger things to come for Sam. I wish him a fast, fun season! Well my coffee is getting cold, and I need some food. Until next time.

It All Looks White

Well, today it finally snowed. This time I was a little less than enthused. When I left this morning, it looked pretty nice out, around 45, then as we headed out it just started coming down. After the past few weeks of awesome, spring like weather we were begging to get caught in something like this. Oh well, it is still February. I can't really complain, except for the Nordic Center at Hillcrest being closed until we get some more snow and they can properly groom it. I was really bummed when I hiked up there with skis and all and saw a big closed sign at the gate. That is the one good thing about all this snow, I am sure it will make for some awesome skiing. I might have to hit up Silverton one more time this year if we keep getting dumps like these. Until then, I will be on the bike.

On The Road....

I can't really say what I would do if I say this on the road next time I went riding.

Flying By

Its too hard to keep up with time. I can't believe it's almost February. It feels like yesterday I was out XC skiing on Christmas Day. Although I have got to say I am stoked. Really the mountain bike season starts in a little over 2 months and I could not be happier. Like all ways though, time flies when you are out having fun. The weather took a bit of turn to the wintry side this week and we got some more snow here in town. Today it was nice again though and looks like it should be around 50 again on Sunday. Quite happy!


Snowdown started this Wednesday, my room mate Trevor Downing took the win in a very close battle with Dylan Stucki. Congrats to both of them, suffering for 15 minutes on the rollers sounds like hell to me. I was planning on doing the hot wing eating contest today, but had to work at RGP's instead. But if you have ever been to RGP's you know it can't really be considered a job since working there is so much fun. Oh well, there is still the mattress race and the snow dual slalom at Purgatory. I will try and get some practice in for both events before Saturday. Until then!

I Feel a Bit Out of Place

I took this picture a year ago after Durango got a HUGE snow storm. I see this now and just laugh at how much snow we had and how much we have now. Last winter pretty much seemed typically to me, after living near Aspen for so long I am used to it being really cold and snowy in January. But these past few weeks here have been more like March or even April for me. Today it was 56 outside and very sunny. It's been like this for the past couple of weeks, and its great too with the snow melting off really quickly. Everyday it has been getting warmer and the roads are almost bone dry. Although the forecast says we should be getting more snow soon, I really hope this weather stays. I love the sun and the warmth way too much.

But I guess a spring like Snowdown would be kind of weird. This year's theme is "In Da Nile" and looks even better than last years. I can easily say that Snowdown 2008 was one of my most favorite moments of the year. With the Hot Wing eating contest, and Trevor almost wining the roller races, and so many other events I know its going to be awesome. The only let down is that I didn't get to enter the beard growing contest in time. Oh well, there is always next year. Hopefully, if it does snow, it will not be too much, because this weather is to awesome to see go. Well I am off, got another day at RGP's and then back on the bike! Enjoy your January!

So Far...

So far this January has been pretty awesome. The weather has really improved, the temps for the past few days have been in the 40's mid day, and the snow is melting of the streets pretty quickly as well. I have been getting in some good hours and staying on target so far this year. Then today I went up to Silverton for some of the best snowboarding I have ever had in my entire life. And I have snowboarded at many of Colorado and Utah's premier resorts and Silverton is among the best, maybe even the best. It's definitely a place of its own, with the feel being very locals only, yet not very many people there are really locals.

As you can tell, the view's from the mountain are pretty epic. The whole album can be found under the my photos link on the side bar. I really wish I would have taken more photos, but even the photo's I have do not do this place justice. But aside from today, I have been mostly on the bike and also on the XC skis. Trevor my roommate got back from Tucson the other day. He was there for three weeks and is very fast and already finished with base. Lucky! But also its great having him back in the house and also to have someone else to ride in the cold with.

Since the snow has been melting off, the roads have been really messy lately. Since our back yard is covered in very deep snow, we have been using the bathtub to clean out bikes. It actually works really well. Well, I am beat, and I have a hot shower and some food calling my name so, until next time, keep enjoying 09!

New Years

It's finally here, 2009. Really excited for this year. Of course, I don't know who is not really excited for a new year? Its the clean slate, a chance to try and make up for mistakes and start over again. It feels a bit odd for me celebrating New Years last night since I began preparation for 09 a few weeks ago, but now its official.


Finally the roads here in Durango are starting to clear and its a bit easier to go ride. The temps have gone up drastically and is almost 40 outside right now. This is another welcome change. The below freezing temps were killing me. Been XC skiing a lot, the Hillcrest golf course is great right now. The groomers have been doing a great job and making it really fun and easy to get out there. Well it's time to go ride! The sun is out and looking awesome. Happy New Year everyone.

New Challenges

I love riding my bike, I really don't see anything that could ever change that, but riding these past few days has been very challenging. But it does feel great to turn the pedals for a few hours, even though I can't really feel my feet. This first week out of the class room has been great, although a bit crazy. Been working a lot, and been riding even more. Still here in Durango. Didn't have the time or the money to go back home, and I figured I would riding in better conditions, but the snow is really fun. Besides, when else can I drift turns like Sam Hill? Well never, but I still like to act like it. And really, I don't mind the snow so much, its the freezing cold that is killing me. Yesterday it was around 25-27 degrees out, today it never got above 22. I will definitely be busting out the XC skis soon. Hillcrest is looking awesome, and I really want to get out there. It's a bit weird being in the house by myself for Christmas, but it's also really fun. I think I have had my iPod playing on the stereo the whole time and it's much easier to clean up, and keep things clean. I do very much miss my family, but the Elliott's have been more than welcoming and acting as my family away from home. A big thanks to them! Well it sounds like my tea is done and I need to get back to shoveling the sidewalk. With it being so cold out I have made sure to dress properly.


Merry Xmas everyone and happy holidays! Stay warm!

Finally

It's snowing! Really excited to get out there soon and play in it!

Almost There

I saw this and just had to share. Well, today was my last day of classes. It was a really good feeling to walk out of the room knowing all I had left was the final. I hate exams, but luckily I only have three, two on Monday then one on Wednesday. It's great, the first one Monday and only one of Wednesday are at 7:30am. I can not explain how excited I am for those, especially since they are chemistry and math. The upside to an early test is then I have the whole day left for things a lot more fun. The weather tonight is supposed get a whole lot more wintry. I am actually pretty excited for some snow. We haven't really had any in Durango for a while. I can't believe I am actually excited for it, but I am ready for a change in seasons.


After memories like these though, I really question how badly I really want snow. I could go for some skiing though. Aside from the snow, I am excited to be done with school for a while and to really focus on racing/training. Now that the third revised schedule for the US Cup Series or whatever they are calling it is out, I can get a better idea of what 2009 should look like. I am still trying to finalize my schedule and figure out what races I will be going to. The good news is that it looks like I will be getting the same support for next year as this year except for a few minor changes. This makes me very excited for 09 and can't wait to get back to racing. But first, finals...

Home Is Where The Coffee Is

I swear good coffee makes the world go round, at least it does mine. I made the trip back and forth from Durango to Aspen this week and saw the family. It was nice being back in the valley for a few days and seeing some good friends. Got a few bike rides in in the cold. I forgot how cold it gets there sometimes.

Once again, the warm coffee saved me on the cold days. Along with the good bike rides and coffee, I indulged in as much good food as possible. Thanksgiving is an awesome holiday when you are a poor college student who doesn't have much money to spend on stuff like food.


Some how it seems that I keep finding photos of bikes and bike accessories turned into furniture or other things. This photo comes from Jesse Swift, who used to build frames for Dean bikes back in the day. I guess after my last post about my sister's new lamp, Jesse had to show me his. And I will admit it, this lamp is pretty damn awesome, and I promise this is the last lamp I put on my blog for a long time. Today I did the next race in the Squawker Cup Series and only made it for two laps after I took a harsh fall in the opening lap on an icy sidewalk. Smacked my knee pretty hard and it's still super sore and turning colors. Unfortunately, it's not the first time I have had this happen. I hate DNF's. Oh well, I think there are two races next weekend, and I am sure it will still be muddy then. Until then I will be drinking more coffee and getting my study on!

All Crossed Up

Cyclocross man! I love it! I haven't been able to race much cross this year due to me working so much, but when I do I make it count. I love getting out there and suffering so much that you are certain you are going to pass out, but you want to catch up the guys in front of you, but still keep away from the guys behind. It doesn't hurt that most of the Durango cycling population is there either racing or yelling and shouting at you to go faster. It's really hard to get enough of something so good and so fun.

It's more fun when you are racing against a bunch of friends who you normally never get to race with. In this case it's Cody Wilderman, long time friend, big time pinner on the downhill bike. It was awesome seeing him up chasing the top guys today for most of the race until his back gave out. We had a long talk today after the race where we were trying to think of things that came close to being as awesome as bike riding/racing. We both concluded that the only things that came remotely close were coffee and burritos. Anyways, I need some dinner. Tomorrow is the official start off my week off from school and I am super excited. See you on the bike!

Saturday Rides

My Saturday's are turning into epic days for biking, last weekend White Rim, and today I went out and rode with some of the roadie population in Durango. I figured we were setting out on a typical rode ride, on pavement, but it ended up turning into an even better ride since a good portion of it was on dirt. Plus there was a decent amount of climbing, my favorite. Riding with Matt Shriver and Ben Kneller was also a really cool experience. I normally don't get to hear any stories of what its like racing on the road and it sounds really fun. Anyways, here's to awesome Saturday's! And thanks again to Ben and Matt for letting me tag along today.

Free Time

I am on Turkey Day break and could not be happier! After 14 straight weeks of classes and homework, I have one to myself. I cannot wait. Especially since the weather down here in Durango has been awesome and looks to stay this way for a while. That helps when you are supposed to be on the road a decent amount everyday, and it's also nice to be able walk around downtown and not be freezing. Really, great weather during November is one of the best gifts you can get and definitely leaves me thankful.

Another really cool gift my sister is getting back is her old fork that was recalled a while ago from Cervelo. This really cool artist, Leif Valin, offered to make this for her. Leif can be reached at lvalin1115@hotmail.com, and his Flickr can be seen here. some really cool stuff. This is probably on of the coolest lamps I have ever seen. Well I am off for a bike ride, I have a cyclocross race here on campus again. I am really loving cross season, and with most of the races being so close from my house it's even better. Take care and get out and enjoy some awesome November weather!

Epic

Wow, I am still tired from this one. Longest bike ride I have ever done, most miles I have ever done on a mountain bike and also quite possibly my most favorite ride of all time. It was Brian Smith's birthday this weekend and its been a yearly thing where him, his wife Jenny, and a bunch of friends all go out to Moab and ride the white rim in one day.


I have ridden the White Rim numerous times before, but never in one day. I didn't really know what to expect. 100 plus miles on a mountain bike is very different. But needless to say I was very excited for this ride. We set out on the trail at 6am and it was freezing!


As we rode through, it started warming up and the views became more spectacular, be sure to check out all of my pictures from this ride. The trail/road was in pretty condition, except for a few moon dusty sections that were almost unreal. But really to think about it, the whole trip was pretty unreal.

Around mile 65-70 I hit the wall and was suffering hardcore for a while. It took a lot of chocolate covered espresso beans and Cytomax to bring me back. Then once we got to the final climb I seemed to feel better and better and actually rode stronger up Shaffer's than I did most of the whole ride before. That was really cool since I felt like a drag in those last few miles leading up to the climb and didn't really know how making it back to the car was going to happen. Jesse Swift and Josh Kravetz were pulling me for a good 15-20 miles and shared some awesome food with me in hopes that I wouldn't just completely shut down. Once I did get back to the car I was DONE! I was shaking and so cold and so hungry and all I could think about was what I wanted to eat and how much of it I could shove down my throat. I can not wait to do this ride again next year, and most importantly, a huge happy birthday to Brian Smith.

Pure Fun

Here's a picture of my bike after today's ride. It was awesome, so much fun. Mud is so much fun to ride in, and today was perfect mud, nothing really tricky to ride in, but still just a bit slippery and really messy. This is another prime example of me not ever growing up, I still love raging my bike through puddles and mud bogs like a 5 year old.


It was also a really sick ride since Todd Wells showed up and taught the Fort Lewis team mounting and dismounting technique. It was ridiculous watching him do what he was doing. I have never really talked to him, but it is very easy to see that he is a super chill person. It today was cool enough then after that, I went over to Tad and Evan's house and they hooked me up with some premo burritos for dinner. Nothing like excellent for free and it seems like every time I go over there, I end up laughing so hard my cheeks hurt. Anyways, time to hit the homework and go to bed, I have another decent day tomorrow for class and biking. Maybe it will be muddy still!

Time Flying By

It snowed today. I really can't believe it, mainly because I actually was wanting some snow. The snow kind of reminds me of home and I don't even really mind the cold too much. For once this is a bit of a new thing. I usually hate snow and try and milk summer for as long as possible. But this time around I find myself looking forward to the winter. This season was a bit of a let down to me so seeing the snow is just more notification of 09 coming. It is also a bit depressing too since I have realized how fast everything is going. It honestly seems like yesterday I was riding up Sopris thinking, I wonder when all the snow will melt and all the trails will be open.

I also realized how bad I have been at updating this thing. I originally started this so I could have something to look back at and move forward from. When I looked at my blog and saw that this year I have been lacking on the updates I got really disappointed. I remember when almost everyday I have something I wanted to put down on here, and now it seems like if I get 3 posts a month I am doing well. I will definitely have to change that, as weird as it sounds, writing is one of my most favorite things to do and I miss it to be honest. Plus, I have been quite lazy lately due to the influx in school and work.

Oh well, there are worse things, at least I have still been getting out on the bike a decent amount. It seems impossible to not ride everyday here in Durango. It feels like every time I walk out of class and look out over town I can't help but get thoughts like, oh yeah test tracks looks sick! Or, hmm, I wonder how Sailing Hawks is riding? And the strangest of them all was last Saturday when I thought, huh, I feel like riding up to Purgatory and back. The cool part is that I am never disappointed. That is another thing that I am happy to see is that after all this time, looking back at all my past posts, very few things have changed. I love to ride my bike, and the more coffee the better. As long as that never changes, I have a good feeling I will be happy. And with the amount of time I am going to spending on the bike this winter, I should be plenty happy.

See you on the roads!

Rocktober

I swear this year is flying by. Thankfully the weather is still awesome down here in Durango, 68 out right now. The past few days have been a blur, first there was the Rally of the Dead that started last Thursday and went all weekend. On Friday they had their Zombie party in an old abandoned warehouse. Really cool, for ten bucks it was all the beer you could drink from Ska Brewing and New Belgium, and they had great music and showed the movie Bike Porn.

Trevor and I got in the full theme of the night by getting bloody and drinking plenty of beer. The next day was the actual race, which consisted of 5 stages all over great single track in Durango. Not having a single speed I wasn't able to race, but Dylan Stucki put it down and came out with 5th overall. This is an awesome event that I have to do next year for sure. Next up for me is some local cross races and maybe a trip out to National Champs. But right now I am enjoying the weather before the snow comes.