AnD So It BeGinS...

Post one of a long series of post to come for the SSAR write up. As I post pics and photos I will follow with commentary.

FOr starters my file of pics.
Friday night we headed up a day early, seemed like the smart thing to do since we were starting crazy early the next day. We got there to find a nice surprise as Sand Pine had set everything up. We threw up our tent and got busy hanging out as participants slowly trickled in to camp and hang out.

After attending the Double Dare Last Ocotober in Pisgah Forest, I was inspired. All the other places have races that we just dont get into this far down south and I think its a travesty. My mission is to add more fun and more dynamics to the types of races that Floridians can participate in, thus the SSAR was put together and put on. Admittedly inspired by Eric Wever and the Double Dare, with its own distinct differances.

Team Jenkem: Mike Kanning and Jonathan Stewart. 2nd place

The start was a 24 to 34 mile time trial with the only rule being that you had to stay on single track. Teams started 2 minutes apart and were pulled radomnly from a hat. I had Teams Flaking right up to the last minute, thankfully we had 5 teams, so we at least had 1o competitors, a team was put together that very morning. In retrospect I made it too easy this race, next one I guarantee will be alot harder.

Team Speedy Turtles: Kevin and Bill Hoover 5th place

Team Ebony and Ivory Morrison Carbolinas and Robert Roberts, time trial winners with 24.1 miles covered in 2 hours and 1 min. 3rd place

Team Acid Police Cristian Arroyo and Dave Ruckstuhl 4th place.

Team Bad Ass Mother F****** Brett Wycoff and David Hawkins 1st place, overall winners.

Pruitt memorial is beautiful and it was the perfect place to meet up with the racers to distribute the checkpoints and for their special test.
Sand Pine, assistant and race hound.
The man the myth the legend.

Treadlight rolling in, looking good, Brother rode strong all day.
Robert Roberts, I expected him to get here first since he is the one who showed me this place existed.



The challenge was to drink 5 beers in ten minutes OR hit a can on the other side of the circle with three throws. Number one Rule of MTB adventure racing is to drink for the point. Warrior Princess was the only person that day to hit the can. Took her only 42 tries.







Only two teams eared the beer points. Acid Police and Team Jenkem. Because they got there second on the Time Trial and they got the point for drinking, Team Jenkem was in First place for most of the day.



He actually hit the rock right below the can, very, very close, but NO POINT.








In the spirit of adventure, there extreme creativity was rewarded with a victory. The original clay mountain we called the wall was closed off. But there was another freeride wall there, and they conjured up the cojones to ride down it. As the race promoter and only judge I felt that truly embodied the spirit of the game. Not settling for a close off, but instead finding a wall to ride down close to the described location. The other point they managed to get had to do with the 49th ave trail sign, that could not be found. As well the checkpoint sheet said 49th st, a typo. So, the team rode to the trail head and found a green and white lettered sign that said 49th avenue, I had to award the point for goinng above and beyond and finding the closest thing to what was on the sheet. Congrats guys!

I had a lot of fun watching and seeing everyone enjoying the fun and adventure. All this and the race was free. Maybe one day I may have to start charging, but these days, its this type of event that brings us together to enjoy a fun format and adventure on a budget.


Enjoy,
Laters,
LOS

LeT's GeT i T O n!!!

KoAcH KaRLoS' KoRnEr

This handy dandy little web page that is called my blog has existed for about three years or so. Its a journal of my adventures a place to express my opinions and an outlet for me to share my experiences.

In the past year a lot more has come out of my site. Since I have gone through improvement and changes over the past year, coincidentally enough, I have had emails from strangers and kind folk asking for advice, both for physical and nutritional.

Now after typing the same responses over and over again, I decided that maybe its best that I share there letters with the world and my responses as well.

Interesting enough, some of these emails asking for advice have nothing to do with cycling as well. I have become a virtual guru on advice giving.

So in the tradition of Dear Abby I will kick of the NEW Wednesday Tradition of Koach Karlos' Korner.

This week the email I got reads:

Mr. Indian,
I am expecting my tax return here in a couple of weeks. Even though its a good chunk of change I'm still not trying to spend needlessly, ya know with the economy and all. I want to know what would be your best advice for me, a weekend warrior, to get the most out of my riding. I ride dirt trails on Saturday and Road on Sunday so I can get back quick to be with my family. But, Over the years, I have noticed that my buddies keep getting faster and I keep ending up at the end of the group. Plus after reading about all your trips I'm interested in maybe sneaking away for a weekend and riding from town to town, but ya know, I'm not quite there physically. If I had to choose one upgrade what would you suggest? Better bike set up, currently riding, entry level specialized hardrock and allez, better shoes, better shorts, basically Im looking for an idea of what to do, cause I feel clueless.

Thanks,

Clueless in Central Florida.(That is not the name he wrote, but no need for me to put anyones name out there)


Mr. Clueless,
This answer is simple as pie. You got some cash laying around, you want to be more comfortable and get faster the easiest dollar upgrade you can do is get a Wobble Naught Fit done. Other people go to other guys and get Fits done, but I only know and trust and swear by the Wobble Naught Fit. On top of that I only know and trust and swear by Matt Goforth with On your Mark Cycling down in Palm Beach Gardens Florida. I heard about Wobble Naught from Harvey Minton and his raving review. I contacted Eddie O to do one, but was not Fiscally capable at the time. I then heard that Matt Goforth started doing them locally and met up with him in Gainesville to have the fit done. This was back in 2007 and I wish I would have done it in 2000. It is the number one upgrade I made that year and the best upgrade I have made to boost both my comfort, my power and speed, the second of course is dropping an extra 40lbs of weight.

The number one mistake most cyclist make is thinking that this Fit is for a person who is only racing bikes. However, they are mistaken, this fit gives you comfort and power to ride all day. Stacks your bones and sets you up via laser measurements to get you on your bike performing at your optimal level. People go out and buy titanium this and carbon fiber that, but if your poorly fitted to your ride, you may go fast, but you will not be able to perform at your optimum level. I ride a one gear bike with one fixed gear and fly by guys with 27 gears and all the squishness in the world and I give a huge part of that ability to my wobble naught fit. Not only can I ride fast, but I dont have sore knees anymore, nor lower back issues even when I am loaded down with 20 extra pounds. And although people consider me the racer type, truth be told I am a weekend warrior just like you with the same obligations and a full time 50 hour a plus week job. And I still go ride with guys that ride every single day and smoke them on the trail without even putting in my maximum effort. Dont think twice about it, call Matt Goforth at 561 694 6090. Not only is he a real deal true and hardcore cyclist, but he is a good guy that cares about your progression, skills and comfort. On top of that Matt Goforth is a full supporter of the Naked Indian rides the Great Divide initiative and any person that gets a fit done and mentions that he heard about it or was referred by me, he makes a donation to my Great divide attempt in 2010.

Keep in touch,

Karlos.

Real deal exchange there folks, Go do it, my best advice to you, is get a fit done.

Enjoy,
Laters,
LOS

HeAvEN & HeLL: My MoSt ReCeNt BiKePacKinG VoYaGE!

Classic Self portrait shot of the Nude Indigenous, Aka The Naked Indian, Aka K-Roc the Destroyer.

Im doing this write up different..
Top ten things that did not work this weekend:
1. New shoes, just dont work, got them fit, make my knees hurt, gonna sell them to try and recoup my cash, they are practically brand new
2. Good food is too heavy, putting that much weight on my back just wore me out.
3. I need to not get so excited and follow my own cue sheets, instead, in the process of trying to have an all dirt path to paisley, I failed miserably, all my fault, and had to ride the road almost all the way there.
4. I break the mold as a fixie rider and shorter crank arms are not for me. All weekend I hated the crank arm length and felt like I had zero power.
5. My thighs, calf and glutteus muscles are a result of 300 miles plus of off road fixed gear riding are smaller, and now my shorts don't fit right, which led to horrible painful saddle sores after only 4 hours on the bicycle. I need smaller shorts. Anybody need some large shorts, just holler at me.
6. My rain jacket did absolutely nothing to help me in the cold stormy conditions, I still froze my ass off, luckily the trip was short or it could have easily turned to hypothermia. I need gore tex.
7. Despite what anyone tells you, Local Town Folk suck as weather people.
8. My gear is not water proof, just water resistant.
9. Fixie touring is hard as balls, don't know if I will ever do that again, love my fixie, but touring via fixie is another story with a bunch of weight on your back and on the bike.
10. Jerky is not good during the ride food, at least not for me.

Top ten things that worked for me during the weekend:
1. I love my skull candy headphones.
2. The ONF has so much to offer, the stuff we rode was gorgeous, cant wait to go back.
3. My tiny little can stove worked great.
4. You meet lots of nice people when traveling by bike.(shout out to Bob and Doug)
5. The rangers at Silver Glenn are awesome and very helpful.
6. Salt Springs is a tiny little town and its possible everyone is related.
7. Better to pack my heaviest stuff in my rear pack than on my back.
8. Although the miles were short for the weekend, around 85, we rode more quality then any other trip.
9.Brett is Bulletproof.
10.My wife Paloma is the best wife in the world.



On the hunt to find the dirt path to paisley, it was not long after here that we should of gone right instead of left.
Big Buck Group Camp, Im camping here next time, beautiful and great well.


Choice off road venturing. This section, kicked our ass, I learned, that the Fixie is a beast in the sand. I just motored, Brett just cursed.


It poured so hard Sunday morning, I was cold and misreable, Brett looked cool as a cucumber, as always.


LOve this shot, action and motion. Got to do the Black and White thing more often.

Enjoy,
Laters,
LOS

Details of my travels and routes are intentionally left out, earn the rides, dont mooch of me...