Running with Scissors

I was a very bad boy today, I re-cabled and housed Stella's bike and wanted to test ride it...


todays photo stolen from Jon Suzuki


But I haven't got the new helmet I ordered yet... So I went on a 2 hour ride anyway. That's right Helmet Nazi’s, no brain bucket, sans lid, no dome, Pas de Casque. It was nice, really nice, not being burdened by the mandatory Styrofoam dunce cap.



The one thing you can say about Hairnets is that they are biodegradable.

It was so NICE being back on a bike (even one that's way too small for me). Betina stopped by the shop during her loop just as I was finishing up my work. So I tagged along for the rest of her loop back to her office. Then I got lost in the "Baylands" dyke system while trying to find my way around NASA Ames. I can't believe how much riders hate the Baylands, for me it's like Kansas, flat, shitty roads and windy as all hell, it even smells like home. Ok it's doesn't smell like Cow shit... Mostly Human, Bird and Fish shit... but shit, is shit, is shit...

And riding is riding. Oh salt on my forehead, how I missed thee.

Life's the Pits

Most of the images stolen from Lauren and Morgan



A Mechanic's home away from home.
THE PIT

I hung out with Daniel most of the day. Man he's got a rough job, I don't miss "Neutral Support" at all. Riders expect alot, but by the rules you can't do much. Anyone can change a wheel but only USAC Licensed or Team Mechanics can work on bikes. As a Team Mechanic I can only work on my team's bikes. It leaves a lot of "in need" folks with bad vibes. Sorry man that's racing come prepared, my team packs a wrench.

ok enough of that...

The boys pulled off another 2,3,4. Dave, Josh and Aaron battled Mechanicals, Slide-outs, and Justin Robinson. But Cal-Giant's, Giant rode a great race to grab the win from Dave. Aaron was riding AWESOME, coming back form a flat that left in in last place to 4th on the day... if he didn't flat...


Stella rode a great race landing in 5th


with Betina in 8th


Sarah was racking up the UCI points in Belgium


with Matt, putting the hurt on the Euro's


good week at the 'Lobster camp

Sacto Cross and there's a Crash Test Dumbie For Hire.

I'm looking for pics of the NCNCA Cup Race in Sac but well... I'm a little medicated right now, that story next, and am having a little HTML brain fart trying to steal them from Mike's Blog or the HRS/'Lobster Blog .

Anyway it was a really good race day. Mike gave me a lift to the race and on the 2+ hour drive in the early AM we got our first chance to really chat, and damn that dude has an really good head between his shoulders. It's easy to see why he's so respected and well liked in the cycling community. Not only that, he has a 12 cylinder Ferrari motor bangin' in those legs. Just 8ish weeks after busting his C-bone he not only came out to race but ate up the field. Holding strong at the start, falling back a little, then putting the HURT on the chase group causing them to shatter, for a 5th place finish.

Josh, Dave and Aaron O. were up front, working over the only non-'lobster Cameron Falconer from Rick Hunters team. Ending up 1th-4th respectivaly. Cameron put up an awesome fight, but agents Josh and Dave... man that's one 'Lobster sandwich I wouldn't want a bite of...

I could tell Stella wasn't feeling it after the big battle the day before at CCCX #3, she got a very respectable 8th.

Today was my 3rd Monday ride with the guys, Mike and Aaron K showed up at Paul's shop to put the hurt on me... but I ended up hurting more then planned, by my own doing.

Mike loaned me the new rig I built up for him and we all set out on the "Friday Loop", Everything was going as planned, sticking with the guys on the flats then falling back on the hills. I'm WAY out of shape, and riding with the "A" guys on their easy days always is a work out. We started down "Old Cabin"'s single track and I was in a nice grove about 2 bike leinghts behind Mike until I took a switchback a little wide. I over corrected and BLAM hit a root and the deck...

 

Second Helmet I've busted this year, no concussion thankfully and no real "road rash" but I'm swelling up pretty good and the shoulder I busted is clicking now... Mike's rig was no better off, I jacked up the h-bars and shifters (easily fixable with a 5mm) but the real causality was the new carbon Seat Post that I snapped. He and Aaron were so cool, I was tripping over busting up his bike but they we're way more worried about me. Needless to say the pace dropped and I went in to survival mode to get back to Paul's. Luckily our Easton sponsorship shipment had arrived with new seat posts and we got his baby back together. I've been feeling like a real ass, he's been so cool about it, thanks Mike.

 
My "Wall of Shame" now has a new addition.

 
That makes 6 brain buckets in 22 years of riding that I've killed...

Michelle told me to order 2 more, so I have a back up for "next time". I really hope there isn't one.

Stella Rules

1st @ CCCX #3 2007
I love seeing her smile.

did a week go by? damn I blinked....

Feels like I did my last post yesterday. Little sleep and lots o' work will do dat to ya.

BASP #1 Sierra Point...


stolen from www.abbiorca.com

aka "The Land of Many Flats."

Holy Jeberz I did a ton o'wheel changes at that race.

A little request from mechanics to roadies learing to race cross... When taking a wheel change, cantilever brakes take an extra second to latch, please don't start riding with your mechanic's fingers still in your brake cables, it hurts... a lot...

those running clinchers found out that having them over 40 psi was the golden ticket.



Pick up all HRS /'Lobster the resoults on d'blog Brent is doing a killer job of updating.

Das' Vanderhooten'z rig came togather as planned at the race. Unfourtnutaly I didn't get any pics of it...

But I got a few of this sexy rig

 

Now Datz Pink and Blue

 

Yeah I left the steerer a little long...

 

A little stay wrap love going in to this build, gotta keep her quite on the trailz

 

Ah Yeah, I love nailing the cable routing on the first go.



Datz all for tonight, I got an 2 Advil PMs with my name on 'em

hurts so good...

It has been 11 weeks since I last saw single track, but we took care of that today.

I took the bus over to Santa Cruz and meet up with Dave Wyandt at Paul's shop... The excuse to go over the hill was that I need to pick up some spokes for a wheel build I'm a little behind on (sorry Sara) but I needed a day off and hitting the dirt was the real goal of the day.

Dave was hella cool, keeping it to a nice pace and showing me some really awesome single track that I didn't even know was out there. good week day riding. I'm out of shape and will be feeling it tomorrow, but there's only one way to get the legs back. yuuummmmm pain....

Speaking of Dave


man it was rough watching him get worked over by Justin and Andy, Dave rode a good race but 2 on 1 with those guys is a bad place to be.

It was cool to see Timmy C got 2nd in the SS class, I did a few h2o hand up for him during the race.


Sarah was kicking butt and looking really smooth on the bike


The finish of the day goes to Dodge Ball... powering it up to take 7th from Logan



Matt J got the short end of the stick... his front mech slipped down and started rubbing on his large chain ring. Luckily Ben showed up and they were both on Crank Brothers so we did a bike swap with Matt riding Ben's (a couple of sizes too small) bike. 2 Laps later and Matt was back on his ride... I cranked the bolt down so hard I made the powder coat flake off. The ironic thing is that Michelle's did the same thing that day... grrr...