Coast Ride Quotes

Molloy: "Good wine is nice to have"

R Kelly: "I'm happiest when I'm hungry"

J. Lo: "Polly wants a f*&#ing cracker!"

Chris Hauth: "Last hill of the day!"

Cute chic at Starbucks in Santa Barbara: "Where are you guys mobbin' from"

1 knackered 1

I'll start by saying that the word for this trip is "knackered" we use it any chance we get..."we're so knackered" or "you're such a knacker" or even better..."I've had enough of this knackery"...Knacker-isms and Phan-isms have become major motifs in this death march...the "Phan Finger" appears daily....

 coast ride group photo...sweet Guadaloupe stop day 3 The start in Tiburon...we look so happy and fat! breakfast stop day 2 breakfast big sur...yes we ate all that.. sweet ass Big Sur Molloy's mullet

So on Monday we started our training camp....leaving from San Fran, and arriving in Carlsbad, CA just 5 LONG days later....its now Wednesday, and and its safe to say that we are tired.  By tired I mean...eyes sunken into your head, avoiding stairs, dull, throbbing, not blogging kinda tired.

The one thing that we realized is that no matter how many 3-4 hours rides that you do, unless you do MANY 6+ hour rides, your ass and soft bits never really gets used that that kind of pounding...

All in all though it couldn't be better...its gonna be 65 and sun today, and I have been feeling stronger every day...yesterday I even managed to get 2nd in the 2 town line sprints...I don't feel bad, because I was beat by Craig "Smiley" Upton, he's a pro,  (former Navigator) and he has onlt been riding half days with us..HAAHA...who am I kidding he would have kicked my ass any way you slice it, but it was semi close (wheel length)

Here's the data on the the last three days:

Day 1 

San Francisco - Monterey

130 miles

7 hours 37 minutes

5000 calories burned (nice)

Day 2

Monterey - Morro Bay (via Big Sur)

127 miles

6 hours 29 minutes

4000 calories burned

Day 3

Morro Bay - Santa Barbara

118 miles

5 hours 42 minutes (killer tailwind!!)

3800 calories burned

Today...is Santa Barbara to Manhattan Beach..115 miles....I'll let you know how that works out..

Sorry folks, I have no energy for witty banter, I'm surprised I've made it this far in this post without having to eat another wretched power bar... 

The thing that is so cool about this ride, is that by the time we are done, this is a ride that you can look at on a map...a map of the ENTIRE US!!

San Fran x NYC

I'm sitting in the lobby of the W San Fran, jet-lagged out of my brain (Its 5:30 am here), and watching all the "go-ers" coming in all banged up.  Its nice to see actually.  Also nice to see is the that everyone is wearing a lot of black....which makes me feel right at home...

Also nice to see...or not nice really....that in s city that is supposed to be so environmentally conscious, that you can buy a cup of coffee at a coffee shop called "ORGANIC COFFEE" and they don't  even have recycled cups, or a recycling bin for you plastic bottles...and ceramic cups for the "stay-ers" were not even an option...we are all hypocrits...don't ever forget it.

Last night me, Molloy, and J.Lo just chilled out, and went for a nice dinner in the Mission.  A Japanese place called Tokyo Go Go...super cool, young, hip, and the sush was some of the best I've had at half the price....Anchor Steam beer of course.

We found a dusty old book store that was dope as hell, and picked up some reading material.

We start the BIG ride tomorrow...San Fran to San Diego in five days.  OOOF.  

not the first time...

I've gotten inspiration from the wall of a bar......sounds alot like bike gaming.

neighbor pop

what more do you need liquor and pie best video store on the planet. bite me netflix.

Big Lebowski Burrito Night

first round skinny ass molloy Burritos and White Russians son...

Slack blogger catch-up - USGP Trenton

USGP Trenton was dope.  I raced....had a great time.  Loved watching dumb-asses that couldn't bear the thought of dropping in on the fly-over. suckas. They would run up one side, and just stop at the top.  This made for nice pile-ups atop a rickety platform. Especially on the first lap.

But thats neither here or there. The course was super good.  Designed by Stu Thorne for www.cyclocrossworld.com.  Trebon won day one, and day two.  I thought TJ would whoop him in the mud, but Treefarm's got the levers.  J Pow, was looking strong as hell too.

check out some pics, the sandpit was FREAKSHOW long, somewhat ridable (if you hold your mouth right).  Good times, good times.  I learned how to gut SRAM shifters too...and added bonus.  Thanks to Mark from the mechanic from Cyclocrossworld team.  Now I can completely screw my shifters up.

Baystate Cross Sterling, MA

Yesterday I drove 400 miles to race for 45 minutes....Sterling, MA...one of the classic New England UCI races. It was 24 degrees. Sweet. It was fun, I have to say. I intended on leaving directly after my race, and getting my scrawny ass back to the NYC...but when I see the big boys warming up, like cross legend Tim Johnson..and soon to be legend Jeremy Powers....I just have to stay and watch. It was a great battle in the Elite race yesterday between Jesse Anthony, Tim Johnson, and J. Pow. The course favored Anthony and Powers as it was more of a speed course, and not technical or powerful. ALOT of off camber..(or ADVERSE camber as Phil Ligget would say) and the ground was, well, frozen, as per usual in NE cross races. So the three of them were battling it out, and it was so cool to watch them all throwing punches. J.Pow figured it out early I think....there was a wicked steep run-up, that he rode on the first lap. He was the only one that could nail it, and I personally think made a conscious decision to save that shit for later. Then it came...the screws got turned by Jesse and Jeremy, and Tim popped with 2 to go....then with 1 to go....it ws time for that run-up...J.Pow nailed it, and instantly gapped Anthony. After that, it was a matter of just givin it the stick for a lap. Jeremy poured it on, and with a half a lap to go, you physically saw Anthony blow. His chin dropped, his shoulders slumped...and most importantly, his legs stopped moving so damn quick. Powers put another New England Classic in the books....a well deserved victory.

turn up the good...

and turn down the SUCK. That's the advice that I need to be giving myself right now....I tell you...I have been racing a pretty full cross schedule this year, and I am coming to the conclusion that I am getting old, fat , and slow....and THAT just will not do.

But no...seriously...I have been having a great time....It doesn't feel that way about 30 minutes into a 45 minute race, but....I just keep telling myself that its fun..

More self-deprecating  race reports later...

cross bitch slaps me

I love cross like no other, but that shit HURTS!!!!! Did a nice race up at Craigmeur last weekend....I did not win. Kevin Molloy did, and the asshole lapped me...I thought you were my boy Kevin?? The other tragedy is tat my flask sprung a leak....and I ended up with a backpack that was soaked in scotch. I don't so much mind that my bag reaked like a distillery....just pissed that the bag is soaked and not my liver. Photos from the man....Marco Quezada: www.marcoquezada.com more at www.nyvelocity.com

My 3 speed is DEAD

www.timmyp.typepad.com

Below was an e-mail that I just sent my friend Timmy in Boulder...it explains it all...you can check out Timmy's blog (singlespeed dream) from my links, or from the address above. Yo TIMMAY!!!! I hope all is well... I have been traveling so much for work...I determined that I have been home for 3 days out of the last 21...not a good average...oh well. I wanted to thank you for the Disc of our Tasting at the Bench....so good. I just finished going through the "Scotland Arms" photo series...THE BEST!!!! So pissed I wasn't there, but what can you do. The good thing is that I am drinking a nice Laphroaig 10yr Cask strength, and I got a bottle of Lagavulin 16 on sale today for $48....That's US dollars. (Even though those aren't worth much these days) Booze is the only thing cheap in NYC...they know we all need it. I'm actually thinking of investing heavily in cases of of the stuff...at $48 bones a shot, I could move to Boulder and set up a carni style booth in front of Liquor Mart and make 100% profit. That's all for now...Hope to see you before the snow falls, but I think that has already happened where you are. Keep on keepin' on, the Rustler.

Green Mountain Stage Race

Me, Kevin (Molloy) and K.Rahn(Karl), along with Kevin's special lady friend Alice (A.Phat, A.Phunky, Phan) piled into my car early Friday morning to set out for Waitsfield, VT. Home of the Green Mountain Stage Race. (http://www.gmsr.info/) Its like a 6 hour drive from NYC, but we were all excited because we had been planning this trip for a while. We were all doing the Master's 30+ race so we could race together, and so we did't have to ride the crazy long distances of the Cat. 3 or Pro 1/2 Races. We were treating this as a fun trip...we got a nice condo, and planned on doing it right. No sleeping on floors or sofas, no chamois-side-out shorts hanging from every door knob in the place. Civilized...just some good food, beer, and us...stewing in our own race induced flatulence. Dr. J (John Loehner) and his wife Claire were also staying in our hood rounding out the old guys. (Dr. J was doing the Pro race though...hard man).....recipe for a great 4 -day, leg breaking, stage race weekend.

So....after 6 hour in the car, we find ourselves in the mountains of Vermont...we drove the uphill TT course, and I have to say it was intimidating..(now that I'm a...er...flatlander)...but we hit it.

Here's the caviat...Molloy and I are both SICK AS DOGS!!!! Some cold going around, and we are both coughing like freaks, and hacking up shit you don't want to look at....back to hill climb:

Karl attacked early to go for the Hot spot sprint half way up, but the guy who went with him was a dick and wouldn't work...so he came back...with just a few K's to go, the road turned skyward, and the attacks started going off...Molloy finished 10th...I got popped because it actually sounded like I was whistling when a was breathing, (I got 36th) and Karl finshed just a few places ahead of me....its sucks being sick...but the course was unbelievable! Now, food, beer, and get ready for the 54 mile circuit race the next day.

Wake up...still sick...and cook the mother lode of pancakes...this is why I race bikes...FOOD.

Off we go onthe circuit race...we've got like 54 miles, two laps and a bit more on a 19.5 mile course...with of course a big climb, and couple of smaller nut-punchers....Again Karl goes onthe attack early to try and stay away for the Hot Spot sprints, and gets in a break that rolls for a while....Karl gets second in the sprint, and the break comes back..REALLY CROSS-WINDY today...in the 30+ field with not many big teams, the field goes crazy...attack after attack...guttering in the windy sections, and general douche-baggery...(a.k.a. bike racing) Armand and Evil Matt Howard from Bandit Racing (http://www.banditracing.com/) are here too, so its good to be racing with those guys, and they are riding strong...both in the top 10 on Stage 1, so they are going good. Long story short, a break gets away of 3 guys, and then with 5K to go, another 4 guys go, asn stay away..(7 up the road)...the rest of us sprint...K.Rahn leads out Molloy...I'm on Armand's wheel...Karls pulls off, and Molloy rockets away...Armand breaks right, I break left, and 2 other dudes are in there...Molloy takes it for 8th place, I finsihed 5th inthe field sprint for 12th overall...I'm pretty happy with that...being a lunger and all...Kevin and I both were literally coughing up blood after the Circuit...nice...bike racing is fun.

Back to our condo for food(beer), showers(beer), and sleep(scotch). Yep, you got it...Molloy and I are so sick, that we were both doing shots of Dalmore Single Malt (15yr) could be worse...we could get sicker, or we could have had to drink shite whiskey...

Road Race...64.5 miles, 2 big climbs..Middlebury Gap, and the finishing climb : Appalachian Gap. With a number of smaller climbs in between, like Baby Gap (hardly a baby). The idea was to try and get Karl in position fo the Hot Spot sprint at 18.5 miles...he is in 4th for the points classification, and a win at this itermediate sprint would put him in the jersey. So a break goes off with both Kevein and Karl in it...Kevin leads Karl out, Karl thinks the sprint is later, and Kevin wins the sprint with his lead out...nice. Back in the pack, I am covering attacks and trying to keep race leader, Deiter Drake at bay...he is having to chase like a bitch...in the wind. I get dropped on Middlebury...and chase back (it only took like 15 miles) catch the group (whew!) and off we go. Get to the finishing climb, and me Karl and Molloy make the front split...Karl attacks me with 1K to go...I thought about going...but I know my limits...Molloy up the road finishes 20th, Karl 23rd, and me..25th...so we were all right there. Matt and Armand from Bandit finished strong in the top 10. (NYC Flatlanders represent!!) I'm seeing black, and my fingers and toes are numb at this point. (but at least I'm not coughing blood)

Crit...Molloy gets 3rd, Karl gets 7th,, I narrowly escape getting dropped, and hold on for 25th. FOK! this was a hard weekend....now for the 6 hour drivr home, back to the wretched city.

You don't notice how crazy it is in NYC until you leave, and go to a beautiful place like Vermont for a few days...the contrast is crazy, and I think we all are a little depressed by it.

Cycling News...sweet

I still didn't win the Mengoni GP, but at least I made Cycling News... http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos.php?id=/photos/2007/aug07/gpmengoni07/ZUI_3018 Enjoy

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.