Mengoni Grand Prix

Despite all my training and getting down to 147 lbs...I did not win...so I'm eating a friggin burger and drinking some beers. Thanks to Andrew Kozak for the pic..at www.nyvelocity.com

Heidi and Sasha Kill it...I drink

Colorado State MTB Champs....beautiful day, my last in Boulder, and yes...we convinced Heidi to race Single Speed...NOICE!! Josh and I arrived at Eldora just in time for the start of the Expert/SS class, leaving us barley enought time to run to the first climb in order to properly heckle Heidi as she rolled it on the PUSS...Josh gave feed zone a new meaning by trying to feed Heidi...uh...carrot cake. Nice one Josh...we were supposed to trying to feed her beer, but our slack asses were too late to get to Dale's beer tent to have proper supplies, so Josh tried to force the last of his breakfast on her.

Josh and I then proceed to hike the entire course heckling anyone who passes us...this is pretty big bike race, so there was a fair amount of heckling to be done. The Pro women started as well...by the first climb, Katie Compton had a 3 minutes on second place. Why is she so fast? How can I be like her and still retain my manjunk? By the end, she flogged the rest of the pros by more than 10 minutes...OUCH! Heidi was still gettin' it done...killing it on the SS. Up one technical climb Josh puts a dollar bill in his fly, to entise the ladies to make a quick buck...then we started our hike back to the finish....here's an aside..HIKING SUCKS! When you have cyclists knees and tight IT bands and inflexible Hamstrings...it just sucks. But we make it back to find Dave (The Jersey Ditch Snake) and Shannon at the finish...oh, and of course a few Dale's Pale Ales. Heidi comes across the line in 2nd...NICE WORK! (hence the podium shot above), and her lovely daughter Sasha (Sasha-nator) raced in the Shimano Youth Series as well...taking it to all the boys with a basket on her bike....

Of course, Heidi's own Scott "G" Godsil was on deck with their son, Max-man to cheer 'em on as well. Then we had some more beers, and waited around for Dale (http://www.oskarblues.com/) to finsh the beer can yardbirds, so we could eat, and oooh yeah, I have to drive to the fokin' airport and go home, while these kids get to ride the moto's in the mountains and eat and drink at the pig palace again...I'm so pissed I don't live in Ned.

See Heidi...aren't you glad you raced Single?

More Beers, Less Gears

So Josh is off work now, we are both sumarily hungover, what better to do than go Single-Speed Mountain Bike Riding on some single-wide dirt trails.....Heidi has been killing it in the Expert category riding for the Chipolte squad,and since she was racing the next day at Eldora for the Colorado State Champs..it only made sense to pre-ride the course with her...and drink some of the good sponsor's beer, Oskar Blues, (http://www.oskarblues.com/) Makers of Dale's Pale Ale and Old Chubb Scottish Ale. So Heidi said I could ride her puss...er..maybe I should start over...So Heidi said I could BORROW her Pink Ugly Single Speed (P.U.S.S. by Bianchi), and we would all go turn a few hot laps. Then it started raining....so...I guess we'll wait it out in the truck...like this.. That's the thing about Boulder...the Mountains can cause some crazy weather, and its no big deal to wait out a little afternoon rain shower. So we grabbed some beer form the beer tent, (Heidi got the only Pale Ale, and Josh and I got the 8.5% by Volume Old Chubb) and we just hung out. Finally it stapped raining , and we were able to hit it. So much fun to be back in the woods again. There is no amount of road racing that you can do that will give you the handling skills that riding a mountain bike can...and there is no amount of weight training that you can do that will equal single-speeding the mountains of the front range....Also, be it known, that drinking a really thick beer like Old Chubb before doing the former, WILL make you throw up. So, Heidi was entertaining the idea of doing the Single Speed category on Sunday, and Josh and I were puching her to do it....I mean, she's been taking all comers on the gears...why not step it up, and slum it on the SS for a while...that show all those sissy gear-head girls what tough is all about. So we roll on...andof course it starts to rain....and thenit starts to RAIN. and THUNDER and LIGHTNING (Heidi is screaming at the top of her lungs at this point, because she is dealthly afraid of the lightning) Of Course we do the most logical thing we can thing of: LAUGH AT HER. We hide under some trees and laugh our asses off until it stops.....It stopped just long enough to get back to the parking lot, when it starting pouring even harder, and hailing as well....sweet. We were going to head to the Pig Palace (Mountain View Brew Pub and BBQ in Nederland) but the power was out in Ned, so we hit some Mexican grub in Wondervu... Single Speeds are fun. Don't ever forget it bitches.

Pretty in Pink is a Classic

So the "Pretty in Pink" photo of Josh at Red Rocks sporty the girly tee is an instant classic...It made the Classics page on Singlespeed Dream ,Timmy P's Blog....check it out at http://www.timmyp.typepad.com/. As Josh would say, "excellent".

The Bench - My First Tasting

For years these tastings have been going on up in Nederland. For years, when I would talk to Josh on a Friday, he would say...if you lived here, you could be going to The Bench right now. My visits to Boulder in the past have never coincided with a Tasting...Ok, so at Thanksgiving we did some serious tasting (6 or 7 Scotches, and god knows how many beers) but I had never been to a Tasting proper...at The Bench...until now. It was me Timmy, Stacey, and eventually Mr. Fitness. Too bad...Josh couldn't be there..he had a hot date to see the Beasties again at the Fillmore...a damn shame. My first tasting and no Joshua...next time. The weather was gorgeous, crisp, almost Fall-like, and it was the first Bench for everyone in a little while. First a little back ground. These tastings started a few years ago with Josh and Timmy et al, and it was basically happy hour. but when you live in such a beautiful place as Nederland, Colorado...why would you sit in a dingy bar with a bunch of assholes, when you could be outside drinking some new beers/scotch/whiskey with your closest friends. So everyone would bring a Bomber of their favorite (or new) beer, and or some other libation, and everyone would try it.

You can check out the history of the Tastings at Timmy's blog..singlespeed dram here.

It started something like this:

I broke the rule, by bringing more than one Bomber...but I couldn't resist...IT WAS MY FIRST BENCH!! I brought an Anchor Brewing Small Beer, the new limited release from Left Hand..a Rye Bock, and a Hudson Bay Baby Bourbon...the only legally distilled bourbon from NYC since before prohibition. Timmay! and Stace brought the good stand-bys: Stone Brewings Rejuevination IPA, and Arrogant Bastard Ale...all in Deuce-Deuce oz ..Bombers..of course. Timmy...did you bring that sweet as Unibroue Terrible Belgian Style or did Fitness? but we had that, and the Fitness showed up with anther good one...Aventinus....6 Bombers, and Bourbon...not a bad one.

Obviously the idea is to try some new stuff, talk about, etc. But more importantly just like any happy hour. Its to blow off the steam of the week. To catch up with your friends, and to make plans for the weekend. To friggin relax. we had a great time. Obviously I'm not in Ned that often so they caught me up on all the gossip, and we geeked out on some bike stuff (Sorry Stace...you're a trooper)...It was a GREAT time...one of the many highlights of my vacation.

After a bit, the "tasting" part just went out the window, and we were just DRINKING...and it ended something like this:

After we finished up, Fitness and I went for great Indian food at Kathmandoo in Nederland...so good...

So there...I'm no longer a Tasting Virgin.

My vacation sucked...

Right.... Need I say more? Actually....yes I do. There is alot to say about this night....lets start with HOLY SHIT!!! What an amazing venue...Red Rocks is the best. If you haven't been there...GO. I don't care if its the Carpenter's Tribute Band tour....GO...its an unbelievable setting, great sound, and an amazing atmosphere... So here's how it went. I did my usual..road all damn day, ate some food, drank some beer. We had a crew put together to caravan to the Beasties, comprised of...Heidi and Scott Godsil, Josh, Dave, and Me. Heidi was driving...oooof...I'm suprised she didn't leave our asses on the side of the road on the way home...Anyway...Heidi came and picked me up at the yurt, then we met Dave and Josh in Boulder...Dave was loaded for bear..(you are the man Dave)...he had a cooler with a 30 pack of Tecate on ice, pre-cut limes, gatorade...you name it....So in the car...open some beers, and we are off to pick up Scott in Denver...he was working a trade show there and staying with his parents..so we picked him up, and off we went...3 Tecates later, and Godsil (Scott) make the call on the food...and we get a 5 Gyros to go.. (I still owe you for that Scott..) and we are off. We show up at Red Rocks...get styled out with the parking, and meet some other friends in the parking lot...more beer, bourbon, tequila, and we meet up with Shannon...who was styled out head to toe in a Pink Velvet Tracksuit...Pink shoes..the flat brim ...she looked AWESOME!!! Heidi...You should have let G wear the Blue Tracksuit...that's all I'm sayin.

Now we are inside, and IT IS ON! So we have some high dollar beers from the concession stands and wait for the show to start...Meanwhile Heidi and Shannon head to the T-shirt booth...they come back with the hot girly tee...Josh...being fond of the pink asked if they had men's in pink...answer being "No" He shoe horned his skinny ass into Heidi'sOh it gets better...The show was fokin AMAZING...Shannon took Josh and I ALL the way down to the front...sorted out the crowd, and perched us about 10 rows back from the stage...and then it went like this:And like this....

Oh...and this..... Then it ended with us in the parking lot...drinking the rest of the beers...and anhilating an entire package of Chips-A-Hoy chocolate chip cookies... It gets better.....because we have to get back inthe car....and at this point we are C.H.D...Cold Hammered Dogshit....and sober Heidi has to put up with it for an hour... more later about stealing food and beer from Godsil's parents house, trying to convince a young co-ed at the pizza joint in Boulder to sell us a pie after hours, and us killing an entire bag of BBQ chips and a cinnamon roll...Josh...I owe you big time for that ticket my friend.

Un-Training

I originally had purchased a ticket to go to Scotland for Single-Speed World Championships with longtime derelicts Josh and Timmy P. but my damn useless career got in the way, and I had to cancel. So I used the ticket to go visit Josh in Boulder. Where he lives, and where I want to live. Since Josh is going to the motherland on vacation, he couldn’t really take any more time off work, so the plan was for me to train on the road during the day, and we would drink beer by night, with some Single-Speed Dirt Bike action on the weekend.

So this is my vacation. My plan: To drink so much that I negate any amount of training that I do. Come to find out…I trained a lot…so what does that mean? YES! DRINKING A LOT!! Basically, Josh and I would wake up in the yurt…crank out some great espresso..old school style, and Josh would roll to work and I would roll out on the bike. I would spend 3-4 hours on my bike everyday, descending down from Nederland at 8300 ft, to Boulder at 5230 ft, across the flats, and up one of many different ways to gain altitude….ride up to about 9200ft, then descend back to Ned. Then I would shower (sometimes), play Frisbee with Jackson and Lucy for a minute, then head into Boulder for some food, and inevitably…beer.

I really love this place, and I know that I am gonna live there before too long. Its a combination of the community, the lifestyle, and the pace, but mostly the people. Josh, Timmy, Fitness, and their circle of friends are phenomenal. Good people. Not that New York doesn’t have good people…it does, but somewhere along the way, those good people became “New Yorkers”…Hard and jaded…they lost their soul somewhere out there....I'm not gonna let that shit happen to me.....

So I didn't take any pictures while I was out slogging away the miles in the mountain...but I did take more pictures of all the cool people, and some great experience I had there....so keep checking...I'm gonna keep posting. Josh: You are the man...Thanks for everything...

Molloy wins Club Championships!

Molloy wins it from a break...

He gets to sport that #1 all next year...sweet. I was in a break earlier in the race that didn't have the right mix, when it came back Kevin (Molloy) went with the counter, and it stayed away....he showed those boys a clean set 'o wheels...and even had time to think about his victory salute. Meanwhile, back with the common folk...myself and Ken Harris were blocking for that little bitch....bringing back attacks left and right. Congrats Molloy....beers are on you.

Throwback #4

Then I raced my bike....a bunch. I'd like to be able to post a picture of me with my arms raised up...or be able to give you the play by play of what went down in the break....but I cant. I haven't gottenthe big W yet this season, but the season ain't over. I did have alotof fun, and some of my friends won, and I like to think that I contributed to that in some way....but don't even think for one minute I wouldn't do anything short of clubbing a baby seal to cross theline in first...with the "Satan's got your nose" Goatheads in the air...

Throwback #3

Then I moved into a new apartment......and had a party...

It was supposed to be the day of Grant's Tomb Criterium...this post would have been vastly different had that happened. It snowed and iced like crazy, and the race was canceled. It also just so happed to be Saint Patrick's day, and me and my Irish heritage couldn't resist...so I had a party....beer, wine, mixed drinks, sushi, a choux tree...and karaoke. It ended at 5:30am the next day with pizza. Well played.

F'ed up as a can o' boogers.

Throwback #2

Then I got a new bike....

Jamis came correct again this year for my team, CRCA/Sakonnet Technology (www.skntcycling.com) and provided us with an early release of the Xenith SL (due out at Interbike '07)...840 gram frameset....I built this beast up to be about 14.5 lbs....but guess what....it didn't make me go any faster. A great bike despite the fact it did not come with fitness.

The Throwback Post #1

Ok, so my last real post was in January....needless to say, alot has happened since then. My lack of posting all started when I decided to change my blog template. When I did, I lost all my links and all of the custom stuff (be it very little) that I had done to my blog, so it kinda was a nut puncher. Since January, I've done alot. I drank alot, I trained alot, Raced alot, changed jobs, and fell out of love with NYC. So before I post all the kick ass photo's from my recent vacation in Boulder...lets get caught up. In Febuary there were somemore roller races, put on by NY Velocity (http://www.nyvelocity.com/) I decided not to race, as I was deep in my program of beer drinking at that point, so I went as Molloy's handler. I drank and heckled every one. I told Molloy he was losing, even when he was winning just to watch him kill himself...he he ...I though he was gonna punch me. Oh yeah...and Floyd Landis showed up to try and regain some face. We passed the hat for charity...I don't remember what charity, I was too drunk and I have been in way too much oxygen debt since then to recall...but I was in charge of the hat. Molloy raced and dispatched most everyone.. He got third again.....but he did it with style, as you can see by the next photo with a Guiness in hand...... Landis showed up with his entourage to try and win in the court of the people. I thought he acted like a dick....Here he is with the winner Gui.