Ironwood

Went to wolverine trails this weekend and skied! Happy I did that but I'm slow and out of shape slightly. Ski's took a beating but what the can you do. Snow is in the forcast so cross the fingers.

snow are you ever coming?

Snow in the forcast. Not thinking we will get any to stay but hoping. I have to many new things to use. I have a bike for sale GF Paragon looking at $1000 drop me a line if you want pic's but they should be up soon. Also, steel on one 29er fork (white) let me know pic's of that to come also.

Horizon

Well, Things are really coming along quickly for next season of racing. It looks to be a great time no matter how the racing goes (we will hope and train for good things), but before that season starts I have my first season of Ski racing which I'm excited about (Not as much as Mountain bike racing). I got a new set of ski's. Salamon equip 10's...nice! Also waiting of on these.Atomic world cup.















On the mounatin bike end of things I Build up this nice rear wheel.

Ac 225 hub, DT swiss rev's, and ZTR 355 rim, Way better then anything I have ever had.










Oh watch out for these ladies and gent's next season. They'll be all over riding,racing and enjoying the bike.
http://www.ribmountaincycles.net/

Blufflands Epic

What I think was the final weekend of racing for me came to a close this weekend in Lacrosse in the form of a 12 hour race. Had no experience, no knowledge of my stamina, and really no clue how to approach the race. I had a little help from Ben Koenig on how to go about riding for that amount of time, but didn't know what to expect.

The start was nice for once slow and steady, no big sprint where I get sent to the back and fit the whole race. This is also the spot that I should have been more attentive also because Chris (don't have a last name wems doesn't have results up) got off the front and I would have to do more work then was need to catch him later in the race. So, after one lap I'm in second and chasing, by the third Chris and I are riding together at who's ever pace is leading at the time, but mostly him. Two more laps or so and Chris's pace is a little too much for me with the work I had done and the work to come. I had to back off a little and he was able to ride away. In the end he was something like 30 -40 mins up on me for 13 laps and 91 miles of riding.

where have I been?

Well, lets see where to start. I still ride my bike if anyone wondered, and I have a few races that I have not wrote about.
Pre-fat: Ok race ended up 13Th that's like all I remember since it was a long time ago.
Same weekend, Green Bay. Not my best showing, but I did race 61 miles that weekend so I was happy with what I did.
I then took 5 weeks of which was a little stupid on my part, but I was in a really bad hole with riding and I need a little time to remember why I do ride my bike as often as I do.
Then came Wolf river. This race hurt but since a lot of people didn't show I ended up with a 5Th in my age group of fast riders so it what it is.
This coming weekend will be the final race of the season for me at Lacrosse in the 12 hour solo event. Not really sure how it will go, but I'm very excited about it and feel I will have a good showing.

And the most important thing and the reason I am up dating this blog finally is to give props to my good friend Ben Koenig on a remarkable accomplishment at 24 hour nationals. A solid 3rd place in a field of pros. I am very happy to know Ben as a friend and a fellow racer. Now all I need to figure out is how to beat him. This is something that never surprised me out of Ben I have seen him do things that not many others could do, so this is just another one of those moments. I just hope that someone steps up and helps him out in the coming year's because he has already proven what he is able to do and it was done without a coach, without much funding, and with his mother and father as his pit crew.

Mn v. Wi

Good pic of about two seconds before I hit the washout and had to run the start hill...not good.

Working my way up the pack on the tight single-track.

Hucking a little jump on the downhill. I wish that every course had a nice little kicker to huck. I miss the motorcycle a little!

Just an extra pic!

More to come...

My placement doesn't do Justice for my race. I found a washout at the bottom of the first climb and was forced to run the starting hill. Second or third to last then at the first section of single I got to stand and wait for people to take there turn. Elite women also standing behind us. I felt strong for a lot of the race. More to come with pic's....

oh, Crystal Ridge

Pain and more pain. Crystal Ridge was the 7Th stop of wors and after the Sunburst I was looking for a better finish. Not what I ended up with. 39Th overall and 13Th in my age group. The course was tough and at one point in the season it would have been a great place for me to race at, but I am not that racer at the moment. The start didn't go as I had planned and I was not riding well enough on the hills to make up time on other riders. I think this may have been the only race this season where I was not able to advance in placement after the start and even fall back place's.

By the 3rd and 4Th lap I was cramping on the climbs and losing all rhythm in the singletrack. I stayed up right throughout the race but that didn't seem to matter.

Not much of a race report but I was hurting so bad and the whole race was a twisty maze that after 30 miles I can't put it all together. This week I need a break so I will start rebuilding both my MTB and road bike so they are not of service to me and I need to address back issues that I have been having as of late. Next week could be more of the same before the border battle all in hopes that I can get the power and drive that I had earlier in the season.

Make love with your bike!

I drove my car to a race which I was not pleased with.

I took a nap in the car with my dog. Hunter makes a good pillow.

And my brother and I did some trail work with our redneck ass mower system. This thing works believe it or not. My family loves me this is proof.

As for the future. I have a race on Sunday so I will try and makeup with my bike before then otherwise I fear the disappointment and anger from the last race.

Eau Claire - round number 5

Round number 5 keep me close to home in EC. The race was fast and I was not feeling it as well as I had hoped to be for the hometown fans that were in attendance for me. Sorry everyone. 23rd overall is not a bad spot, but 10th in my age group is not were I had hoped to finish.


Start was ok, not to far back, behind scott cole into the single track who I passed in the next opening and then he got past me again as you can see from this pic.

Now that the race is over I wish I had never lost his wheel because I lost spots every lap after that. James was riding very strong, on his nice new carbon GF, and then came dallas and sam puting me back into 10th. The race was not really intresting for me, maybe thats because I was getting my ass kicked.

SBF

I will have to update this post with pictures once I get my hands on them, but to make this one short for now I will just give you the important details.
- Leave at 5 AMish on Friday for a 5 hour drive
-Race at 5 PM for a 9 Th place in the twilight crit
- Food and drink until 3 AM
- UP for the 11:48 Cat 5 55 mile race... 5 Th place
- UP at 5:30 AM for race prep and and packing/cleaning
- 9 AM race starts and I end later with a 3 rd place overall
More to come whenever I get to it. In the mean time figure out what town I was in and then go there because this town maybe the best place I have been to in awhile.

Round 3 in wausau

The third round of the wors series was a little closer to home for me in Wausau. Tire choice came up with this race but I stayed with what I normally run which turned out to be a good idea. As usual I didn't have the start I was looking for and was forced to work my way through riders the first lap of four. By the end of the first lap I was riding with a group of about 5 to 6 guys everyone worked pretty good at taking pulls and not attacking to much. If there was an attack I or someone else covered quickly. The group was around the top 25 depending on were your inside the group, so I was happy knowing that I was doing OK. We stayed grouped into the 3rd lap, but I started to do most of the work on the front.

A guy from Minnesota put in a gap and I sat in the group until it was obvious that the others would not make the gap. Ryan Krayer and I came out of the group and finished out the third lap with a pretty consistent running order of myself, Minnesotan, and Ryan. The forth lap was a great lap for myself. The guy from Minnesota started to drop and Ryan and I worked well to catch Ron midway through the 4Th lap which is how I stayed until the finishing sprint. Ryan showed why he is a respected racer and pulled Ron and I to the last stretch of the course before the sprint for the finish. I won. Which put me in 18Th overall and 5Th in my age group.

A big thanks goes out to my mechanic, Nate, at Spring Street Sports, Rudy Project, and GU. Lastly my mother and father for the help with pictures and water bottle hand-ups.

Round two

DNF, lost one of my left cleat bolts and sometime later the other bolt came out. So, race over.

Wors - Iola round one

The season started this weekend in Iola. For me a lot of new things were in store; Elite class, first mountain bike race, and first race on a rigid fork. In all it was a good weekend. I'm happy with my results. I will take them as they come this year and try to learn as much as I can about my riding and were I can improve. I would give you a big run down as to how the race went but I don't really have it all clear in my head. Basically, there was about 5 crashes do to operator error and a improper choice on tires or pressure by the operator (more so error in judgment). I was strong on hills, and my mental state was good, but slower in single track. Like I said it will be a learning season for me. Why was I slow in single track? We will work on that, but it may have some thing to do with the amount of time I spend on that skinny tired road bike I have (4 hours today). Either way I leave you with some Rusty's photo's and my father.

Lots of things are happening!

I have been lacking in the up dates, but it's only for good reason. School, work, and riding has been filling my time. I graduated from school so that's good for me. No accounting job at the moment but that is something I will be working on all summer. I have a job which is good for the state of the economy and I can race so I'm happy to a degree. Work is a good upper body workout at the lumber ward so that should keep me active all day and I have to keep rest to a max when I can.

Riding has been good but this weekend will really show me how well my work this winter was. I hope to get some good pictures from the weekend so that I can spice this blog up because I have been lacking on that end of shit. I am getting nervous for this race but I know this season is a big learning experience for me which I hope will be used throughout the season. We will see!

One last thing...Boonen has done it again!

24...Can I live up to the number?

I got my WORS number yesterday, 24, benders old number since he will be sporting a single digit number this year. Thats a fast man to be get an old number from. I will be starting on my Burns!

Durand Road Race and then some

I don't have much to say about Durand...I got 4Th popped on the second too last hill which is a little disappointing but it's done and time to get over it. I hope to get some pictures from it but we will have to wait and see what gets sent my way.

Other then that Iola is coming soon weather is nice so it must be time to play on the mountain bike. It's said to think I can write about cycling more then the fact that I'm going to be graduating in like 2 weeks. Sad to say it doesn't feel like graduation is that near but it is and it's on to the working world. I hope it doesn't interfear with my life on the bike.

Not sure but it looks like I am finally keeping weight off. Hopefully it translates into wins or should I say not getting totally spanked my the elite field. My riding has slowed with the end of the school year and graduation getting close, so I have been getting runs in to keep the legs and lungs fresh. I think this weekend will be the first time out on some single track since the season is so near, and it looks like I will be racing back to back days for the start of the season.

Slowly I copy the likes of the fast guys. We will see how I like it and how well it helps me. Looking like we will have to wait for a bit before the trails are good enough for that though.

22-march

I thought I should take sometime and make a post that was more then a paragraph, so we will see what I can come up with. I was hoping for a few pics from my morning ride but I found out when I went to take some pictures that my memory card was not in the camera so it will have to wait until the afternoon spin and I mean a spin. I put in a good amount hours last week and I will hope to the same this coming week. I'm not going to go say what I have been doing because there are to many guys out there that will not do as much and still kick my tail all over the place come Iola, but I'm getting ready the best I can and we will see what happens.

I been people watching around campus and I'm thinking really mean things about people. They need to reevaluate there health choice's. I don't understand people sometimes, but you know they don't understand me either so there's no point in trying to change things. It's the way of the world I guess. I think I heard the from a Yonder Mountain song or something. Since I'm the subject of health. I'm doing better. The ankle is healing with elevation and ice, but my ass isn't getting in any smaller. I had a 9 pound weight swing from Saturday to today so I will have to watch what I consume and ride a little more.

I hoping to hear from some possible employers soon and have some more resumes and what not to send out. I just hope I can find a place to work in Wisconsin so that I can stay in the area and race and I hope I can get a job that pays well so that I can start getting this debt paid off and I can get my life whatever it might consist of started.

You can feel it coming

I woke up today and wrenched on my bike before class which starts at 8am. Pressed for time when the weather is nice and one can ride. The dilemma now is, go out and drink green beer, or study so I can wake up and get a good ride in Wednesday before class. It can suck not having a social life because you don't go to the bars and dehydrate my body all the time. Well, happy St. Patties day.

Some pic's from Moab...

Canyonlands National park
Just a couple of pictures from Moab. I don't have any riding pictures yet, but I should get them sometime in the future. Maybe a little video. Over all a good trip, hard on the body but good for the mind. The cut is better and I will take the stitches out on Thursday. My ankle is the sore part right now. Very stiff and weak. I'm hoping that it has everything to do with the swelling that my lower leg has and once that subsides I will be able to get back on the bike.

bummer

This puts a stop to your riding. More to come on the rest of the trip and this little cut you see here at a later date as I'm to unhappy about things at the moment.

It's all good...

The trip to Moab is coming soon and the weather had to go and slap us in the face again. I stuck to the rollers. To much for ice and snow on the road. I have to stay safe with the trip coming up.
That's about all I have right now from the cycling end of life.

Back to Tax (don't even think you know what I'm talking about)!

Where did the warm temps go?

Well, last weekend fooled my legs into thinking it was time to ride outside so I did and intend to keep doing so except when it's time to watch the tour of Cali. Wish I could be enjoying the warmer temps, but it looks like I will have to wait a few more weeks for that. Not around here of course in the Moab. My school hooked myself and Parker (Hudson, WI) with some cash to get out on some epic rides over springbreak. Leaving Winona, Mn on the 27 of February be back a week later. I'm giddy at the moment.
The bike is about ready just needs some new Stan's in my wheels and some survival stuff. I just hope my legs are ready for some base miles. I know they are ready to get shaved and I'm ready to get a little tan. Lets just hope my shaved tan legs has an added bonus of sex appeal.
Season is closer, legs are stronger, weight is staying down, and I didn't drop a dime yesterday.

Other notes, Lance weights 165lbs on a 5 foot 10 body, Out of shape or is he just filling us full of the shit. Personally, I think he is full of shit.

Rudy Project Rydon

I have been meaning to get this out, so I found a bit of time to write a bit. Rudy Project Rydon is what we have here. They deserve a look before you spend a good amount on shades. Light, interchangeable lens, hard case. They speak for themselves give them a shot, you will like.

School!

Schools the death of my working out at the moment. I have a long week extending into the weekend. Had a chance to go up to the cities on Thursday to look at the Shimano DA stuff and all the other good stuff (not going to happen), Saturday could have went to Welch snowboarding(not going to happen), and I would like to workout sometime (not going to happen). It's just one of those weeks.
On a good note...nevermind I don't have one.

Weight loss...

Found this out this morning. When wighting yourself place the scale on the carpet you will instantly be a pound lighter. (depending on the carpet) The season is comin!

Badger State

Saturday was cold. I think about -10 without windchill at the start of the 30K freestyle race. The course was fast for the conditions, but I'm still glad they shortened the race from 43k to 30K. I placed 14 overall out of 106 which is respectable considering I have never done a ski race before this. I think the start of a ski race is worse then a bike start. No room to move or get moving so you just sit in and go when you can. The first lap was a little relaxed for me I didn't get into the right group and was skiing at there pace which was a little slower then I could of moved at. So, once we came around for the 2nd lap I took off and none of the four I was with jumped on. I had no idea of were the next guys were so I just keep a faster pace and gaped up to two others. Once I was on that train one guy fell off and that left me with the other guy you keep a little bit of a gap I couldn't make. I was happy with my spot but a better start could put me up farther. I just hope I can accomplish results like that next cycling season.

On the cycling season I am hoping to maybe make a few road races early in the season, and find some legs early in the season. We will see what happens.

Well, it will be nice to have GU on board for 2009. The most under rated part on racing I think. Everyone is always talking about weight of bikes and new technology, which is great make your bike top of the line and ubber-light. Then try and ride it day in and day out and see how fast you burnout without a good amount of quality energy and recovery food/drink. That's the most important thing the amount of riding you are able to get in without a major bonk because after three hours of riding it's not about how light your bike is it's about your mental state and strenght. As far as I go, I'm working on strenght, but I won't say how much.