Cyclocross Season!

OK.

I am back.

Been riding.

Not blogging.

I am in the midst of an incredibly fun cyclocross season.

Fun because I am stronger.

Fun because I have raced on some great courses.

Most of all, fun because of all the good people who race, cheer, jeer, and otherwise support me.

The Grass Valley race featured lots of vertical, ideal dirt, swoopy flowy lines, and challenging mountain bikey sections. The vibe at the Sacramento Cross Series races is great too.

Our local cross series has been a real hoot too. The races have been well attended by a whole lot of great folks. I truly appreciate their enthusiasm. The scenic (in parts) Wye Road course delivered smiles.

For a few years now I have wanted to head down to Camp Pendleton for Storm the Beach. Racing on the beach was a blast. Strong winds made for tactical racing while deep sand and steep hills added a good technical element too. 

Thankfully the snipers were cleared before the race began.

 Busting my move!

Our Benton Crossing Cross was held under all too ideal conditions. I keep scheduling this in late November hoping for snow and/or mud, but the last three or four have been sunny & warm. 

Bill threw down on the first lap and ran away.

The cavalry chased in vain - me included.

Leading the chase group.

Sucking wheel and a little dust through the badland section.

Yeah.

That is FUN!!

A couple more races left.

Then a whole lot of another kind of fun.

Skiing!

Bridgeport Mountain Biking

This weekend we camped and rode in the greater Bridgeport area.

Saturday we rode up up up the Masonic Road to the ruins of the Masonic town site, then down down down to the East Fork of the Walker River.

Brian C crests out.

Kathleen and Jim T near the top with the Sweetwater backdrop.

This area is filthy with old mining ruins.

 Jeff begins the long descent.

 The Masonic ruins.

We followed the ride up with a reviving cool down in the West Walker.

A revived Kathleen.

Sunday we rode from near the junction of 108 & 120 to  Kirman Lake, and eventually Poore Lake.

The scenery was fine right from the get go.

 Jim T surveys the scene at Kirman Lake.

Brian N takes a deserved breather at the top of one of the many short sharp kickers.

Mary nails the stream crossing

 and soaks in Poore Lake.

Leaving the low Poore Lake.

Brian, ever the gentleman, holds the gate open for Mary.

We topped that off with a fine splash into Lundy Lake.

Heaping helping of fun with the friends!

Riding, Racing, Swimming & Swinging in Tahoe

Weekend before last (7/21) Mary and I headed up to the Lake Tahoe area for a a little mountain bike racing and a lot of fun.

We arrived mid day Friday and headed straight to King's Beach where the swimming and views were mighty fine indeed.

Friday night we caught the Steve Kimock band at the Crystal Bay club.

 Fantastic show! Check them out here. Scroll down to "Live Tracks from Spring Tour" for a nice sample of what we heard.

Saturday Mary and I headed out for a short mountain bike in the woods off Brockway Pass. The forest here is more lush than ours and we enjoyed it quite a lot.

Sunday was race day - the Tahoe Trail 100k.

Ready to go at the start.

 

Complete zombie at the finish!

Some fluids and a little food and I could at least muster a smile.

Washed up, changed out of the filthy kit, had a brew and came back to life.

The race went well all in all. I felt real strong for the first lap (50k) and the beginning of the second lap, then I started to get crampy & tired and really had to dig deep to keep it rolling through the most difficult part of the course. I managed to recover a bit and rode the last big climb pretty well.

Ended up 18th/45 in my age group (50-59) which I was pretty happy with considering it was my first foray into endurance mountain bike racing. Most importantly I thought it was an awful lot of fun. Yeah, I suffered, but I was able to keep a good attitude, look around at the great scenery, and enjoy myself nonetheless.


Topped the trip off with a swim on the East Shore of Tahoe at Chimney Rock. Amazing water. Mary brought the goggles thankfully, because the underwater views were as good, if not better than these above water views!

A recovery week followed!

Dunderberg Meadow Mountain Bike

 Rode solo Sunday up from Virginia Lakes Road to Dunderberg Meadow and then up to Kavanaugh Ridge.

After a quick descent to start the day I arrived at the meadow.

Pleasant riding once I got off the main road.

Steep climbing brought me to this old set of cabins.

From near the cabin there was about a 1/2 mile of very fine riding 'til I got to this. Ditched the bike and walked to the ridge.

Rewarded with fine views up the Green Creek drainage.

I didn't make it up the normal jeep road to Kavanaugh Ridge as the map did not indicate it went all the way. Maybe next time.

Good, cool riding.

Mountain Biking

In a rare moment of clarity I threw the camera in with my bike stuff before I headed out the door.

Glad I did.

Saturday I enjoyed great riding up near Conway summit with my buddies Brian and Jim.

Here Brian grinds away up aptly named "Buttkick Hill."

 Jim checks the beach scene down at Lundy Lake.

We found real nice high country riding.

Sunday I rode from Mom's in Mammoth out Lookout Mountain way.

Lots of this.

 And a little of that.

Loved it!

It's been a loooong time.

Still having fun!

Skied off Tioga Pass last weekend.

 With Steve.

Been riding the 29er a ton.

Skied up Rock Creek way too.

Last trip for the Bros. Edges broke, bases thrashed & too thin to grind.

 With Nemo.

Corn cycle in full effect!