Daddy Day weekend 2007

Daddy day 2007 was the best I have had in years. I decided in this post to give a lil introduction to the rest of my clan as well as tell the tale of my Daddy day weekend.
First is a pic of the love of my life. Paloma, which translates into dove in english, is a beautiful soul that I had the chance to meet in 05. As quick as we met we fell for one another and have literally been together ever since.
Were part Brady bunch but the my three sons version. I have my two boys Kain and Kailan which are pictured above with my arms around and then my beautiful bronze baby that she brought to our family named Gabriel.
It goes without saying that we have a lot of fun around the house. As well, we have our fair share of headaches, anyone who has brothers can immediately understand.
Paloma is the Hub of the family that keeps the wheel turning. For five years I was a single dad. Try training, working full time and running a house and you quickly discover somethings got to give. And often the bike time was the time I had to sacrifice as well as it should have been. But, with my girls assistance I am able to finally breathe, among other things.
Kain, my oldest son is 13 and a real firecracker. As a youngin he used to race the Goneriding circuit and was even the state champion in his division. A genius in school that was spared the benefit of having common sense, my only hope is that he turns out to be the best he can be. He doesn't ride his bike anymore which is a tiny Lil heart break, but he rides his skateboard an awful lot, which I don't mind, considering I didn't touch a bicycle till I was 27.
Kailan, is seven years old, and truly an old soul. The only kid I know that will ask for hot sauce with his eggs, wants to drink my coffee and if I turn my head will steal my beer. As I kid, I never had a taste for any of those things. When I see him, I am reminded about the beauty of humanity and the blessing we have in our individuality. Truly a fun loving guy, out of all my kids he is voted most likely to be a hardcore roadie. He has been known to knock out 30 plus miles on his modified single speed bmx, the kid is no joke when it comes to the long haul. I have a route in Deltona that we ride with seven big climbs and he sticks every one, dancing on the pedals like Lance Armstrong.
Gabriel, is my Lil powerhouse. Smart, tough, reliant and very independent, he is going to be a forced to be reckoned with once I get him in the trails. The kid is almost as big as my seven year old and is half his age. I cant wait to see him grow up and blossom cause he is truly a talent in more ways then one.
Daddy day, was typical, with dinner and a viewing of fantastic four, which I liked. The day before my wife and I went for a ride thru some back country dirt roads and we had a total blast. I am finally able to share the first official pic of the "bitch" which already, at the current set up, weighs less then my 05 season MTB fetish bike. Its riding like a dream and I cant wait to crush the ORAAM in July.
Well, I hope all the daddies out there enjoyed their days as much as I did. What can I say, I'm a lucky and blessed man in more ways then one.
Enjoy!

The Lower 48

2007 at the Croom 50 Osias and I are slicing through some choice Central Florida single track. Most of the team had made the event. HtH, Shaun and "The Chad" had taken off a considerable amount of time ahead of us. That early morning was proving to be interesting. A Lil delay, a Lil rain, a Lil unpredictable mishap. I had forgotten either the bladder for my camel back or I had the bladder and not the pack, but one or the other was going on. And I had to prepare to do something that I had not ever considered doing. I have done numerous long rides, but never an off road ride with just a bottle.
Well as luck would have it I came across a guy I know from around the way and he had a bottle he could spare so I was able to ride with two at least.
In spite of it all, I didn't let it bother me. I just, you know, dealt with it like a pro would. I made a nutrition plan and Hydration plan and figured I would just have to stop to re water at every stop instead of just once. And it worked, but not with out mechanical problems slowing first Osias, then Me, when my wheel went out of true instantaneously after floating a berm a little too fast and a Lil too high.
Back then, I was still riding my cross bike, I hadn't upgraded to the "bitch" as of yet. And you can jump a cross bike, heck you can do anything on a cross bike, you just got to know what your doing. Its no secret that it was a cheap ass wheel set I was Rollin, OEM with the O.G. purchase of the bike. And I had already had it for three years, raced it hard several times, rode it thousands of road miles and done already 100 plus off road miles on the set in the past month, I was pretty sure I could of used a new one.
But Osias is the Man in more ways then one. I am starting to wonder if he is Human. Regardless, He took the wheel, with Trevor Buzz assisting he was able to man handle it back into ride able form. He did the physical work and Trevor twisted the spoke wrench and presto jumbo I was back on the bike.
So...
I'm in front, and Osias is behind on his single speed. His busted ass single speed that every time we do a ride on spend just as much time fixing it as we do riding it.
And I figure, this cross bike, has a 48 big ring, I'm going to slam it in that lower four eight and stand up and hammer and see if super human O can hang.
You can ask O yourself if he was able to hang or not for the length of my ten second effort.
But I was reminded by one important thing and it all came back to me this year at Tsali.
When O told me he had just done the entire course in the big ring; it sparked a rebirth of information I had let become dormant. That is what MTB racing is all about. Its about the BIG RING. Heck that is what bike racing is about, period. Check them time trial bikes, ain't no granny gear. Before I found out he was a doper, I have an image engraved in my mind of Jan Ullrich, doing that time trial at Alpe d' Huez in the big ring up hill.
Every time I'm scoping a race course I'm thinking, "OK, this section or this downhill, I could totally mash the big ring." But my boy O brought it into 2007 and kept it simple. Big Ring the whole course!
Amen brotha!
AMen.
So to my fellow country men and women, team mates, single track warriors and samurai. If you ain't big ringing it, then what are you waiting for?

Sunday Secret trail ride

Yesterday, Sunday, June 10th I decided to go for a solo ride. Circumstance and thunderstorms led me to riding by myself ignoring my training schedule which clearly said off road or on road group ride. Regardless, I decided to go to the secret trail since almost half of the 6 mile trail is technically uphill and I had to test the newest set up that I had put together and I need to climb as much as possible before July 22nd.
Well, I had originally purchased a complete raleigh XXI + G a bad ass black and red machine made of steel and hardcore raw unadultarated energy. And in Tsali and my other previous rides, I did enjoy its descending ability. However, the bike left something to be desired in the uphill department. Mainly, cause, although it is bulletproof, this feature does not come without some weight penalties.
Eventually, after some long internal discussions with the self, I searched and found a 29er frame that boasted a 3 lb weight, for my size 16in, with carbon fiber seat stays and scandium. Long story short, I purchased the Salsa Mamasita and it now sits firmly planted under my backside. From now on and for the purpose of future referance it will be called Da Bitch.
So just as recent as yesterday I swapped the tires from the 2.3 exiwolfs it came with to my old Panaracer 45c cyclocross tire. It made the bike considerablly lighter, and I was eager to test it.
Well I went to the secret trail and the first three miles were pretty nauseating. I think Ramen noodles is not a good pre ride food. The last 9 miles were great and I really started banking the turns and cutting up the single track. The second lap, I decided to do some strength training and ride the entire loop in one gear. But it was not all work on this sunday, I did decide to take a lil pic of one of the vistas from the trail.
Overall, I think the tires will work till I buy something a lil bigger before the ORAAM in July. It held good in the corners, hard to pedal in the soft dirt, but held up while climbing in the standing position.
Ok, stay posted.

laters,
LOS

Dangerous words and the Tsali 12 hour recap

Just recently the team took a trip up to North Carolina to participate for the third year in a row in the Tsali 12 hour Mountain bike race.
The warriors of Bikeworks lined up and fought a hard 12 hour battle. As one of the reporters of the team, I can tell you first hand that each team member and participating rider put their heart and soul into the race. Unfortunately, this year did not bring us a three peat with a victory. However, it should be noted, that there were successes.
The Sport team turned out some of the fastest laps that any of those riders have ever done at that race. Tony turned out more miles off road that day then he probably ever has in his life. He completed 4 laps in the 12 hour period for his team. Personally I turned out the fastest laps I have ever had in comparison to the previous year’s times.
Our sport team turned out 14 laps, that is a little over 140 miles in the 12 hour time period good enough for 5th place. Bikeworks Orlando one completed 12 laps in the allotted time scoring a 6th place finish, successfully defeating 19 other teams that showed up to do battle. Our only 3 man beginner team did eleven laps and finished 12th beating out 13 other teams that day.
I guess the gauntlet has been thrown and the challenge is for next year for team Bikeworks to regain a Tsali 12 hour title. My confidence is high that the team will deliver a win in 2008. The team is stronger then ever, faster then ever and smarter then ever, the Florida state championship series should really shape up to be a dramatic one.
Big thanks to our sponsors and supporters for all the spiritual, physical and financial support and encouragement. The fun and the opportunities our team has are surely appreciated.

On another note, the Sunday after the race, as I watched the team leave camp, I stayed an extra day to enjoy the area. I uncovered a 5 mile downhill run that is right next to the parking lot that I had to poach and conquer. My top speed was 33 mph. The scary part is that’s only 3 mph faster than my single-track max downhill speed from the race the previous day!! We were also invited to a hike that started from the camp to the Appalachian Trail (aka the A.T.). Well, of course I went with the intention of going there taking a picture and hiking back to camp. Well, after several creek crossing and some light mountain climbing we reached the A.T. 6 miles later. That’s when I was informed that it was only one more mile to the Natahala Outdoor center, were we could have lunch and plenty of drinks. Needless to say, feeling a little deceived, I completed the 7 mile hike with much pride and accomplishment. The entire time, all I could think about was how challenging it would be to do the entire A.T. by mountain bike. I brought it up at lunch, and I was quickly explained, that not only would it be difficult, it’s illegal. Wow, The ultimate trail poaching of the century, the A.T. by Mountain bike. Dangerous words indeed considering that it’s a federal crime.

O well, till next time, stay smooth, stay fast and wash…

single track samurai

Lately my inkling has been leaning towards a feeling that’s hard to put into words. I have gone rogue. I have gone Samurai. I have gone Cimarron. I have gone Lone wolf. I have gone solo.
When it comes to cycling there is nothing truly new under the sun. Sure new technology and fabrication methods are introduced, but long story short, no matter what; it’s still a person on a bike. All the first riders of the tour de France where the original off road century single speed riders. Because back in those days, there were no gears and some of the mountains they ascended and descended were yet to be paved.
And like the tires that we cyclist ride upon, the challenges that we seek seem to come in cycles. Off road Endurance cycling has grown beyond any ones imaginations. 24 hour mountain bike races are more popular now then ever and with the addition of 12 and 6 hour formats, even novices are braving the temptations of the long haul.
That’s where my focus and shift has been averted. I desire the punishment, suffering and rewards that are obtained from the long ride. Ultimately I desire to participate and qualify for overall awards in the NUE, the National ultra endurance mountain bike series. 100 mile, mostly off road races, that draws my attention and desire to compete.
These types of events are going to require a different level of preparation then I have done in the past. Currently I’m in my “Base Miles” phase of my training. And I think the most effective thing I could do to prepare is off road base miles. Sure its easy to take off on the road and ride a long distance, but its entirely different and a lot tougher to put together long off road rides.
January of this year presented and excellent opportunity to do several long off road distance events in succession. It started the 13th with the Tour de san Felasco, followed by the Ididaride on the 20th, then the six hours of carter road on the 28th, preceded by the croom 50 February 3rd, finishing with the 12 hours of razorback on the 17th.
Now I have done the “Tree Fiddy” before; which is the 3 off road challenges that mostly always equal out to more then fifty miles and offer a level of suffering for the unprepared. In the past I have taken frequent breaks during the ride, and ridden hard and suffered cramps. This year, I wanted it to be different so I took a different approach. In order to be able to ride a bike off road for a very long time, you have to find a pace that is easy and sustainable. Instead of riding at 90 percent, I chose to ride at 70 to 80 percent. And what I discovered was the ability to stop only once during the entire ride duration and not suffer any cramps, a complete, total and amazing break through.
This all led to my first 6 hour solo racing event at Carter Road park in Lakeland Florida. The goal was to do as many laps as possible in 6 hours. The person who did the most laps wins. Pretty straight forward, but still something I had never done before. The start was interesting enough with a potato sack 50 yard dash to the bikes. The day was chilly and wet. The first mile was on a dirt road, that had become a mud road, due to the resistance of the mud, it gave the feeling of pedaling up hill even though it was completely flat.
The loop was six miles long, and after three laps, I must admit that I was tired. I felt beat up, riding a cylcocross bike through rooty trails, tends to be a bit punishing, especially after several laps. Right around the three hour mark, I had totally lost count of the laps I had done and I had totally grown tired of the event. And that is when I discovered something amazing. Endurance racing, is about Enduring. As silly as it may sound. The key to being successful is to ride, until the pain stops and the body becomes numb and the effort seems effortless. I discovered that the longer I rode, the faster I went. There were a couple of laps in the middle that I was going slow, but moving nonetheless. While my competitors rested, I rode, pedaled and rode some more. In the end I turned out 10 laps on a six mile course, which was good for 12th place.
A couple of weeks later Trevor and I, headed up to Razorback to practice the 12 hour course. After one lap on my cross bike, I was beat up and tired and dreading the prospect of racing a week later. But come race day, I swallowed my fears and lined up to battle. The course was tough and had lots of climbing. After two laps, I was smoked, but I kept going. After lap three, I started number four and had the chance, if I made the cutoff to do lap 5. Early in lap one; I had problems with wheel rub on my frame since I was running the fattest tires I could to help absorb some of the trail impact. On lap three my headset came loose and I tightened it. Towards the end of lap 4 I had to do the same. Racing to make the cut off was a hard but fun effort, but I made the cut off and sat in the transition area for a good ten minutes tinkering with my bike. I had the headset as tight as I could and it was still a little loose, and it was making a very scary popping sound when I turned it left to right. I guess a fully rigid cyclocross bike was not the best choice for the course that razorback offered that day. I walked off the course at that point, abandoning the fifth lap for safety reasons. The last thing I wanted was to be going downhill and have my top tube separate from my frame. 52nd place out of 75 people and one more lap would have only netted me a 6 spot improvement.
My journey is not done, the battles have just begun. As I continue to prepare, I have had my cross bike repaired and purchased a new bike to help in my samurai warrior battle against the single tracks of this planet. Keep your eyes open for more stories as I keep striving toward my goal. Till then, stay smooth, stay fast and wash that ass!