Saturday, August 30, 2008

Kiss Cross

 This is usually the time of year when I am gearing up for more painful fun than non riders can possibly imagine. We call it KissCross in west Michigan. However, I am in AZ. his is the time of year when the weather is starting to cool down a bit and you are able to get your mtn bike on. 
 I am also without a 'cross rig for the first time in six years. I am feeling a bit out of whack because of that. So I guess with all my friends getting ready to chase the Farmer around and try to hold his wheel, I will be enjoying single track. 

 It has been nice to be home and have a few days off before the crazy craziness that Interbike brings to my industry this time of year. I doubt I can explain it, I never really worked for a company as hot as this one. We are launching a few new surprises and have already been the IN bike this year, so it should be non-stop. 
 I was hoping I could just get stuck doing the dirt demo. Two days of a million people riding bikes, just because. I have been informed that, due to my uncanny knack of being able to do sales as well, that I am going to man the battle stations inside as well. SO 15 hour days await, in Vegas, and its all work.

 I may forgo the 'crossvegas and just hit up the crit as well as the new arena 4X.
Hopefully I will have a camera by then.

 enjoy the cross season, and remember not to whine---we drink beer.

Friday, August 29, 2008

far away places....











Monday, August 25, 2008

"dry county"

are you serious? there are places they forbid selling of alcohol? get the f--- out!

how in the world can people outlaw this?  isn't this how we poisoned the indians so we could rob, rape, and murder our way into "discovering" this country? and now we forbid selling it. 


I made arkansas last night after 500 miles of driving. that sux by the way, both the driving 500 miles and getting so tired I had to stop in a dry county. Good thing I am like a Boy Scout and was prepared with the night time elixir. 

outlawing beer sales is damn right un american. 

Friday, August 22, 2008

"today was a good day..."

 I woke up and rode the " neighborhood trails" in Charlotte. Pretty much an abandoned green space the guys put a trail network on. Pretty cool to ride from the shop a few blocks and disappear into a trail. 

 Of course the said trail has to be cool, otherwise it is just a mess in the neighborhood. This trail has the local flavor. That flavor is trail obstacles that kick ass. Want a double? there ya go, how boot a kicker? take several, try me on a few rhythm sections, it was tight and twisty and lots of fun. 

 That being done I had to hustle to make a 9:30 / 12:30 conference call with the office. Check, now what? How about a ride over at the White Water center in Charlotte? OK. That was pretty cool as well. It being so dry here the single track was wicked wicked fast and pretty much paved. I mean paved with fun. 
 
 By now I was hungry, so I went over to the White Water place and had a Pint and some deep fried pickles. Hell ya! Just friggin beat that. Topped that off with Black Bean burger and another Pint. 

 Off to shower, do some laundry and drink more beer. Life as a mountain biker sure rocks.

Did I mention tomorrow marks the end of my demo tour!!!!!!!!! Heading home Sunday to the little Midget and Shakes. 

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Boogers

Since I have been in Charlotte, NC, I have been noticing I have a booger problem. Not that I am walking around with a bat in my cave, but more like when you first move out west. I am not quite sure what it is, but you definitely have BOOGERS.

 The riding in and around the CITY of Charlotte is very very good. There are not a ton of miles in the parks but more parks with miles. Also. the trails are tight,twisty, and filled with roots. This makes for a ten mile BMX course if you want to jump around a bit. The roots are not tooo bad if you feel like TT either but I prefer fun. Plus there are table tops, step ups, and bermed turns. All this is reminding me of Michigan without all the sand. So far everything I have ridden has been better than Michigan, save the NCT> that trail is top notch and for another disclaimer I really have not ridden everything in Michigan. 

 Last demo is this weekend and then I get to head for home, sorta. I have slept in our new place like three maybe four times. When I left things were still in boxes; so I guess I really mean I am heading to Midget and Shakes the Clown. 

Friday, August 8, 2008

riding on flats

so i have been amiss at this blogging thing due to many factors or excuses read on and decide for your self.

 I am nearing the end of my first year getting paid to travel on someone else's dime and ride trails i have only read or looked at in magazines. pretty cool gig overall and i have rather enjoyed most of it. i have met really cool people and made friends of most of them. i have gotten to ride very cool places and NOT  ride in REALLY  cool places---sometimes it really is work.

 I must say that the thing i absolutely hated the most out of this whole year was missing my wife by my side. uh and my dog. the two of them together can make me laugh till i cry. nothing better than the midget getting pissed off cause shakes is following her around underfoot. 

 so lets see...NY was pretty cool.I did a gig at the Dark Horse 40. a race put on by the Dark Horse Cycles guys. they know how to pit on a show. tons of food tons of beer and tons of pretty killer single track.Michigan riders should check it out and go collect a paycheck. they aint got the founders team speed, but pretty damn good payouts and tons of fun.
what was not all that fun was going to manhattan to do a few shop openings and have shop guys demo bikes in the city. they have a great bit of single track right in the middle of parks where super urban jungle gives way to single track. bad news is junkies take drug induced shits on that trail and then shop guys on a demo ride into it and poo poo is all over your mach 4 and mach 5, fine if you hit dog crap and fine if you hit horse crap but human druggie feces is not too f in cool. good thing the NYC car wash had a powerwasher. it just threw the bike in and let the suds wash off the human waste.....uh yea i puked.

 went to vagina beach ( virginia beach) to hang with my boy K. he first called me when i was at slingshot and wanted a deal on a ddx. he gave so i gave and we been kickin since. so i figure what the heck i would give him a shout and let him take me for rides while i set him up on fancy bikes. we did a good road ride and set to chillin. SORTA. damn security system on my trailer went ape crazy and i spent the next few hours getting that fixed. WHICH WAS A GOOD THING...cause that night a crime spree went nutz in his hood. i got robbed of my personal belongings..namely midgets camera and my ipod god, plus a few things i really liked as well.
Kevin lives in mr rodgers neighborhood so it was pretty f-ed up to have this happen. so i gots my insurance company on it and i get to go shoppin...but in the meantime i got no ipod....lets see you drive a gillion miles and not have a pod. ( yea i got xm but the pod is where its at).

 i am on the home stretch. i see my wife soon and get to recharge a few days then time to strap it on for interbike. i plan on getting my as kicked as we are the hot shit right now, and getting hotter with our crazy new stuff.

 if you want pics in this blog go kick some virginia ass and get me back my crap...

thanks for reading. 

ps.   shout out to kevin,sal,and juds. thanks for watching the train wreck!