Hey Grandma is in CA as I write this. Bonnie went down to San Diego to pick her up, Finn is sleeping so I got some spinning in. I managed to get in a couple of hours even though I probably should have stopped after one and got some work done. But Bonnie and Grandma aren't due back up the hill for another couple of hours so I'll take care of business then. Things definitely get a lot easier when Grandma gets to town. It's great that she can come out every time we have a main stage production. I don't know what we'd if we didn't have the help.

As far as training it looks like I'll continue to goof around until after the show closes. I'm gong to try to set up a bike fitting a couple days after we close. I gotta get moving on a road bike if I'm going to have the time to train on it.

Well better knock out some sound for the show. I need to build a 10 minute thunderstorm that's apparent but doesn't upstage the action , with the exception of the opening of the show where the sound should motivate the opening entrance...I'm I giving too much away? I digress.

Ride on!

I thought I might put up a quick post since I have the time at the moment, and I don't know when I will again. This weekend is the San Jacinto enduro. Won't be able to ride it because of work but I'm looking forward to the stories I'm sure will come out of it. I've been working on getting the bikes cleaned up from Moab. The front brake on my Song is giving me some trouble, good thing I really don't have time to ride it. We open a studio show tonight. We got to tech it yesterday, I think it should be well received, it's very entertaining.

On the Wisconsin front, good news from my brothers family. Taylor, my niece who helped crew at 9 mile, shot her first deer. Way to go Taylor! Hard to believe she's already old enough o hunt.

No real plans to start training regular again until after the mainstage show closes the second weekend in November. I'll just goof around until then. I guess if I really look at it that's kind of what I do year round. But let's face it, it's just riding bikes, it should be complicated. Which reminds me, If you're in town next weekend, unicycling club starts. Sunday morning at 10, be there.

Ride on!

Recovery is going well. No real time on the bike, just commuting and spinning. I got in some running yesterday and this morning. But for the most part I'm just taking it easy. This is a good time to slow down on training as work is really picking up. We are in the thick of it in the scene shop. Next week we have a studio show that goes up Wed. and then the orchestra concert is this the weekend after that.

This weekend the plan is to stick around. It'll be a good time to get the bikes cleaned up and take care of some stuff around the house. Ahh the off season. Ride when it fits in, cross train all the time, do it because it's fun, not because you should.

Ride on! or whatever trips your trigger!

What a weekend! We wrapped up the season in Moab, the last race in the 24 hour national points series. At the start of the race Brad was in third and we wanted to make sure he held on to it. Chris and I were in fifth and sixth, if we could move up a place each that would be great, but brad was the focus.

We headed out of town on Thursday morning. Didn't get as far as we hoped, we ended up spending the night in St. George Utah. We found out the Senior games are held there the first two weeks in October each year. I told Bonnie not to be surprised if we are back in St. George in 30 years or so. We rolled into Moab Friday afternoon and made our first stop at the poison spider for a couple for things I needed to pick up. Then we headed into town for lunch and who do we run into...the rest of the team on their way out of the restaurant. We come up with a plan and parted ways. Now would be a good time to let you know who was all involved in our weekend of fun. Four of us were racing. Brad, Chris, Charly (friend of Chris), and myself. The crew that total rocked it was Todd (Brad's bro. in law), Sean (chief mechanic), Kim ( Chris' wife) Kate (Chris' daughter) Bonnie and Finn.

Friday afternoon we set up our pit. The other racers and Todd prerode the course. After getting things set it was time for packet pick up, dinner, shopping, and sleep. Saturday morning we woke to very pleasant conditions and lucky for us they stayed that way the entire race. No wind, mild temps. and an awesome moon Saturday night.

The race started and things were going as planned. Brad and I rode together, not pushing too hard. I have heard just terrible things about this course, and many of my friends who are strong racers have dropped out of this race because it is so long and difficult. I was happy to take it easy and see how things panned out. Lap two we ran into Chris. He was having some troubles and wanted to work on them alone and assured us he'd be fine, so we passed him. Unfortunately Chris did not have the race he was hopping for. The next couple of laps went along pretty uneventful. On our fourth laps I suffered a mechanical like I've never seen. As we were descending a steep fast down hill I go to grab my rear brake and I hear a noise and then no brakes. I hit my front brake and flip into so very soft sand. Brad stopped and we assessed the damage. My rear roter was missing all but one screw. The one screw that was left ripped off the hub. We limped it in making sure I didn't do anything to damage my hub any further. Sean switch out he rear wheel on my back up bike and we were off and running. By the way this is the only mechanical Brad and I had the entire race. Our Siren Songs held up great.

The rest of the race went like so many. Lap times got longer, we got slower, the crew stayed ready and willing and able every time we hit the pit. We had a little bit of excitement when Brad lost his lights...on two different laps. When the sun came up we were able to trudge out two more laps to finish with 13. We did it, we finished Moab!

Now came the wait for awards. And we waited. But it was worth it. Brad didn't keep his third place for the series, he moved up to second! Way to go Brad! He had a great season we are all proud.

Here is a shot of our pit before the race.
Don't we all look nice and relaxed before the fun starts.

These were my weapons of choice to take on the dreaded beast call 24 hours of Moab.

This is the guy that took care of all of our bikes, 8 total, throughout the race.

Here Brad and I are as we come in for the last time. What a ride!

So that it the 2009 season is over and I'm looking forward to goofing around. A huge thank you goes out o Bonnie and Finn for all of their understanding, support, and love. I could not have this lifestyle without them. Thanks to Siren Bicycles for dependable, fast, and comfortable bikes. My new Song SL was just the bike for this season. I could spend the rest of this entry thanking everybody but I think I'll just do that in person. Stay tuned we have big plans for next season, brad and I have some different ideas as far as endurance racing is concerned...

All of Bonnie's softball games were in the morning so we headed off the hill to run some errands in the afternoon. The plan was after we were done she would drop me off and I'd run home. Well things popped up as they will and with the days getting shorter I ran out of time. Plan B was for me to get up early this morning and go for a long run.

I didn't get out too early, about 6:30. Finn woke up early so I hung with him to give Mom a little more sack time. She still has more softball today so she needs her rest. Did I mention that she played three games before noon yesterday!

It was cool this morning. As I started up the control road to the South Ridge trail head the sun was coming up. This shot is fuzzy but it's a look west where the clouds are still below the hill.

As you can see still sunny on my way down to May Valley.

Came across this little guy trying to get warm in the morning sunshine, I was doing the same.

Several mountain blue birds were taking advantage of this water source.

It felt good to get out for a few hours on a nice easy trail run. It's a great way to start the day. This afternoon I hope to get my bikes up and running for Moab. Bonnie is at her first game of the day right now and Finn is napping. Hopefully he'll get up in time of us to catch Bonnie's next game.

Ride on!

Go Packers!

Had a light week of training. I guess we'll call it the taper before Moab. I got together with Brendan and we talked road bike. Looks like the next step is to get me fitted. I don't know why I need to be fitted for a road bike but not a mt. bike. Stuff is coming together for next weekend as well. We are all in contact with each other, ready to converge in Utah and have a blast wrapping up the season. I'm ready for some suffering and as I understand it this is the course to do it on. This weekend I'll get one more nice ride in, build up my bike and catch up on some homework. Bonnie is in a softball tournament so my plans will depend on how well the team does. Go Idyllwild Arts!

Ride on!

Training was good this weekend. I got to pre-ride the San Jacinto Enduro. The plan was to get up nice and early to get a jump on the day. I rolled out of bed at 3:45 and was on the bike by 4:00. I got to the Lake Hemet Market, were all loops start and finish, around 4:30. Just a heads up, it's cold at the market at that time of day, and mind you we were having unseasonably warm weather. I guessing by mid Oct. it'll be down right frigid. I've never ridden Rouse Ridge so I think I'll need to go back and hit it again, most of my ride on Sunday was in the dark, I'll bet the views are amazing in the daylight. At the bottom I refilled my water and was headed back up to Idyllwild. At the top of the climb, at the Idyllwild Arts campus, there is another opportunity to refill water bottles. I think this loop a rider should be able to do it with just two big water bottles, but if you want to be safe a pack isn't a bad idea. With the course passing just a couple of miles from my house I decided to swing by and see Bonnie and Finn since they would be gone off the hill most of the day and I wouldn't get to see them until evening. After that I shot up to Cowbell and down to May Valley on some super fun single track. This part of the loop makes all of that climbing I did well worth it.

Loop one concludes off of Hurkey Creek and back to the Lake Hemet Market. I refueled at Hurkey Creek where the water is free, however if you want snackens then the market is the place to go. Loop two was hot this weekend. Like I said earlier I think it'll be considerably cooler in a few weeks. Nice views all along this loop.
On this loop I'd take two bottles and a pack. It's shorter then the first loop but there aren't any places to stop for water, once you're out there...you're out there. There is horse traffic on this loop so be sure to keep that in mind when coming around blind curves and always give them the right on way. The only place on the entire Enduro you might encounter hikers is on the Ramona trail. This is a fun decent with some good techy stuff to test you after a long day in the saddle.

One thing I really like about this course is it's set up to be social. Here's what I mean...there is a lot of double track and control road. Offering ample time to ride side by side taking in the beauty of the San Jacinos. Riding this course is a fun way to wrap up a good season of racing and training. So if you get a chance treat yourself to one more good hard day of mountain biking fun this season!

For more info just go to www.sirenbicycles.com look at the shop blog.

Ride on!