like a glove

Media Fridays

We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

I forgot to mention (I think I forgot to mention) that soon after we left for Copper Harbor I had an icky feeling that I left my brand new gloves at home.  When we got to our free camp site I checked... no gloves.  Annie confirmed for me that they were indeed sitting on the dining room table.

Luckily for me I had opted to leave my old, smelly, shredded gloves in the pterydactyl for "emergencies" (aka - I never throw stuff away even when I should).  So I guess that paid off...

Since I didn't get to utilize my fully functional new gloves for SSUSA I figured I'd start the weekend early last night and put them to good use.

It felt good knowing my Jameson was safe in my gloved hand.

Since I will be sidelined with injuries and won't be able to ride this weekend, tear it up for me, will you?

It's on!

Media Fridays

We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

So I pre-posted this before I left... so hopefully everything is going to plan and we are still alive and well.  We will just go with that...

Anyway, tomorrow we'll be racing/riding out at Copper Harbor for SSUSA.  If you haven't already checked out a video of their trails... here is one to wet your appetite.  It seems they made some last minute changes to the course on Wednesday... reversing a lot of trails... making it sound like much climbing.  Whatever, it will be fun!

So here is just a little of what we'll probably be hitting, enjoy the video, I will enjoy the actual trails tomorrow.  Go get your bike on yourself!!

Copper Harbor Trails July 2014 from mgsugar on Vimeo.

Really? Now you do it?

Media Fridays

We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Love/Hate this.  These trails were right down the street (less than a mile) from the school I worked at up in Mass.  Love that they are doing this... Hate that it wasn't happening while I was still up there.  Looks like they got a great turn out and sounds like it's going to be a good thing going strong for a while to come... here's some info from one of the sponsors.

Quick/slow

Media Fridays

We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Short. Sweet. Slow. Gets you in the mood.

Bare Knuckle Brigade- Hiatus: 612 from T.C. Worley on Vimeo.

Kinda like your mother. 

I don't know... 

It's Friday. Ride your ass off the weekend and feel the week just melt away!!

What is a calendar?

Media Fridays

We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Wow.

So we all know that keeping commitments straight is not my strong suit.  With a trip to WV this weekend I thought it might be a great opportunity to explore the Hilly Billy Roubaoix course a little to get an idea of what I'd be getting myself into in June. 

Then it dawned on me. I'll be in Aruba at some point in June... Checked with Annie, the keeper of my schedule, yup - we return on the 20th. Not gonna work. I mean, I guess I could drive the 5-6 hours up to Morgantown when we got off the plane and then race the next day, but let's face it, I'm no superman. 

Balls. 

Totally unrelated. My garmins "lost" ride data. I spun for like 30 minutes the other day while Annie was telling me about her day but that little computer is trying to tell me it didn't happen. Kinda blows. I mean, it was just me on the trainer, so I pretty much know what I did there, but makes me kinda nervous about actually losing a real ride where I would actual care about looking at my performance. 

Your media

Media Fridays

We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Here is your chance to make great bike beer film and win a chance to brew with the big boys.  I've got some ideas rolling around in my head to team up with TheMutt (since he's a beer brewing fellow) and put something together.  Will it happen?  Yo, I don't know.  But it's in idea phase currently.

Since we do focus on bikes around here, and your video prolly should be bike centered (even though the contest is about beer) here are some helpful hints for making a great video. 

Or just go out and ride like you were being filmed and reward yourself with a nice beverage of your choice afterwards... that works as well!!  Personally, I can't WAIT to sleep in tomorrow.  But either way, enjoy your weekend!!

far away

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Some people get to ride in amazing places like this... *cough cough* Sonya Looney.

I, on the other hand, get to drool over the words and videos of others.

 

Something Good from Gary Thomas on Vimeo.

Be safe

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

You have likely already seen this video floating around... and the message doesn't apply so much to the majority of those of you reading this, but it is an important message to get out to non-cyclists.  You may recall that I had scouted out the possibility of commuting by bike to work, and then that just stopped.  No, nothing happened, but it was the concern that something might that has kept me from riding to work.  

Personally, I feel that the majority of my route is ok.  No, it's not ideal, but I felt pretty good with the route.  Annie, on the other hand, wouldn't agree with that assessment.  That isn't because she "worries too much" or anything like that, if anything, it's because I don't fear the possibility of getting hit.  That isn't to say that I think I'm invincible, or that "it won't happen to me," but I do my best to ride safely and go about  my day.  In reality, the route isn't bike friendly in all spots, and some of those spots could be really dangerous if I am unlucky to meet a distracted driver at the wrong time... so, to avoid putting Annie (or even a driver that might strike me) in that position, I've nixed that commuting route.  

Right now there does not seem to be a feasible safer alternative (unless I want to rack up some serious miles) so commuting by bike is off the shelf.  

Yes, we want motorists to respect our right to ride.  To give us space, to slow down if necessary, and just be safe!  But we, as cyclists, have to do our part.  Obey traffic laws.  Signal your turns, be courteous.  There are assholes in every group, but the more we can do the right thing and provide a positive image for cyclists in general, the closer we can all come to sharing the road respectfully.

Be safe out there.

Will I?

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

It's been wet, and looks like it will continue to be so here so I don't know what that means for my weekend. Original plans were to make a run at some mileage out in the mountains of western NC to test out my gearing for the Snake... but who knows what will end up happening. 

If I don't get out, I'll just sit home watching this over and over in envy. 

Big news coming next week - so stay tuned!

mmmmm mountains!

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

It's fall... it's mountain time.  D-Wayne proposed a ride out at Bent Creek on December 1st.  I said yes... cause I should see how my legs will stand up to real climbing on the Glow Worm.  This morning I realized that is next weekend!!  Wow, November just flew by!  This weekend I think I'll get the 20 on there and start hammering some hills around these parts.

Get yourself out in the leaves and pedal your ass off... Thanksgiving is coming, so start earning those calories now!  I guess it's high time I start thinking about some of these mountain events...

Oh yeah, and then there is this.... Timmy Anderson of the Faster (red) Mustache crew.

You are welcome!

The Brawl

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Up at 3am... tried to go back to sleep for about 30 minutes, it wasn't happening... so I got up.  Thoughts of things I needed to do before heading down to the coast were running through my head, compounded with all the crap I need to get done at work today....  On the bright side, I did find this

Yup, I did get a little sample in a swag bag that I got at a race earlier this year... so my butt will be silky smooth as I pedal around the woods for 6 hours tomorrow.

I found a little video from the Brawl last year.

Oops, wrong brawl.  Here is the real one.

Brunswick Brawl 2012 from Sir Bikes on Vimeo.

I'm "excited."  I'm sure you are too!  Never fear, I'll tell you all about how it goes next week, cause after all... that's what I do.

Landmine Classic

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

I miss this race... used to be my old stomping grounds.  Now that we are settled down here in Charlotte... well almost completely settled.  The bathroom reno should be wrapping up next week, and then I get to finally start on my bike room - right now it is a pile of dusty bikes and bathroom materials.

Anyway, once we are in the groove down here it is time to start thinking about possibly visits back up north.  I know it is too late for this year, but perhaps next year I can get a visit to coincide with the Landmine Classic.

Don't Stop Riding

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

He's riding.  Are you?

FASST from Sam Newman on Vimeo.

next year

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

I missed it this year... but will do everything in my power to make it next year! 

just amazing

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Ok... so this isn't bike related... but it is DAMN beautiful.  THIS is what mountain biking is all about... getting out and being.

Time in the Valley; Summer from John Woodside on Vimeo.

Enjoy the beauty around us... even better if you can do it from a bike!

Miles

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

My plan is to start working on upping trail mileage and saddle time in preparation for the Snake Creek Gap TT, and hopefully that starts today.  From looking over some Strava data it looks like 34(ish) miles with 5000+ ft of elevation. 

That being said, I will not be coming close to the guys and gals who ride the CTR.  But man, what beautiful country to be riding/surviving in!!

2013 Colorado Trail Race from Aaron Johnson on Vimeo.

Some day?

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

This is one of the first "big" races I became aware of years back thanks to Thom P.  Its all the way on the other side of the country, and just seems to hold some sort of magical place in all that is mountain biking.   Will I ever ride it... who knows.  I think I should start with some of the other big guys in my back yard, ever hear of Pisgah?  

Anyway, the Breck Epic is coming... here's a little overview of the whole deal.

Mountains

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Sometimes I take way too much time picking a video... case in point.

This one  is a beaut.  Gorgeous landscape for sure.  As a kid I visited the mountains out there, but haven't been there on a bike.... yet.

The Tetons from Yeti Cycles on Vimeo.

Missed it

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

I won't even give you one guess what happened on the way home from work yesterday.  RAIN.  Pouring rain.  Sure it may have been a COUPLE of pockets  I went through, but I was over it.  I wasn't going to get to the trail to find it had been raining there as well.  I went home.

Here is some footage from Thom P's The Gnar Weasels Shredeth.  Of course it's inaugural year is the year after I move from the area... 

So that was the "highlights."  If you want more, have time to waste, or want to see what I used to ride back in the day... check out the course. 

POOP

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

So of course, in my excitement at the opportunity (and permissions!!) to go to SSUSA I didn't really look at the dates involved.

SSUSA: August 17th

First day of school: August 15th

No rode trip for Eastwood... BOOOO!!!

Well, for those of you that are going, or just wish you are going, here is a little race that the 29nSNGL put on a couple years back.  I think I may have already posted this video, so deal with it.

This just gives you a small idea of what SSUSA might be under their direction.

Enjoy.