About damn time.
Behind the scenes I spent several days trying to obtain the last names of some individuals that really inspired my riding and current level, but after an exhausted search no last names and no pictures, which really sucks for an article about showing some reverance, but O well, for what I get paid to do this ( which is nothing) I guess you all will have to suffer along with me.
Bill.
He is the one who coined the famous phrase to me "Friends dont let Friends ride junk". Bill worked at Bikeworks about 11 years ago. It was Bill who built me a Frankenbike, my first real bike, and Bill who was the first of many to kick my ass on the trail and inspire me to pedal faster. Bill, eventually quit biking, and I know that I am way faster then Bill now, but Still, Bill played a very important roll.
Mike. Mike actually told me and Aaron about the Florida State Championship series. Dood was really a good rider and very fast. We would hit without fail every Saturday Snowhill road he was there and I would watch him ride away, but he would wait as we suffered along. He never gave me any tips and tricks on how to get faster but he Gave Jason Abernathy tons of tips and I kind of just eaves dropped on the tips.
Jason Abernathy.
I watched Jason go from a kid showing up in Sneakers to a full on Super hammer head expert and a CAT 1 Roadie. He eventually left team bike works but he is back on there now, and although he may not be as thin as he was back in those days, the man is still incredibly fast and talented on a bicycle. He probably has like some special VO2Max if we were to take a measurement.
Justin Sapp was another of my Bikeworks Team mates. Really nice guy, very motivating and helpful and superfast. In fact it was watching Justin Ride single speeds that inspired me to throw my leg over one. Justin eventually broke his neck at Santos one thanksgiving many moons ago and retired from Racing. BUT, he is back, he still rides and his attitude and personality never changed or faltered.
Joey Desilva. What can I say about this guy. He was not only fast on a bike, but he could do some crazy type BMX stuff. AND he was always into having a bike different then everyone else. I think he really inspired that in me as well. My team pretty much rolls on specialized, IM always the odd man out. I actually didnt even know you could get custom made name stickers for bikes till I saw Desilva do it. He inspired me in so many ways and he is such a good spirited guy. Lot's of fun too, very funny, freaking hilarious.
Renae Blevins was my first and only coach. She actually gave me training tips and advice and we would go on training rides together to Clermont and she would basically yell at me and stuff to pedal harder or go faster or digg deep. She actually was the first to drop advice on the importance of supplement and it wasnt till three years later that I actually took the advice.
Osias Lozano.
It was always fun to ride with him. But I think watching him progress was the first time I noticed the championship mentality. Osias was once a Junior downhill champion back in Columbia. Started XC racing, didnt do so well, but because he had that championship mentality, he started training and doing it all right and within two or three seasons he was racing expert class. I was very impressed. We went from finishing laps at about the same time, to him riding 15 min faster than me. WOW.
Trevor Busby. Team Captain and all around great guy, it was just awesome watching him ride and seeing how smooth and in control he always was. Very strong rider, very fast and very capable of kicking ass no matter the situation. On top of that very humble. Just the salt of the earth. I always looked up to Trevor, no doubt.
Well, thats the list covering my past up until the present, tomorrow or soon after Part 3 I will talk about the riders I encounter in the present that continue to inspire and motivate me.
Laters,
The NaKeD InDiaN
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