Grubby at the Olympics - Part Tres

Went to Malone's after my Thursday night driving session. Got to watch Grubby in the final heat and he was crashed out by the South African racer. I drove home with my eyes brimming....

Even writing this right now, my eyes water. He has been so close to world championships and Olympic gold but has yet been able to make it through the final stretch. His misses have been mechanical or being crashed out, he has not had the opportunity to race it all the way to the tape.

And as he has said, "That's racing."

On another note, Jill did pull off a medal run in her final heat and took home the Bronze!

Grubby at the Olympics - Part Deux

Apparently the BMX has been postponed (rain?). I'm doing my best to stay calm and be patient for the reschedule. Perhaps Friday?

Go Grubby!

edit: Additionally, for those of you who have never seen a bmx race, here is the Olympic coverage of the quarterfinals.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/share.html?videoid=0820_hd_cbb_en154

Grubby at the Olympics

I got to see Grubby (Jared Graves) on tv tonight. Late tonight. But it is good to see him advance through the quarter finals and I can't wait to find out how it goes tomorrow. Here is a guy who has spent many a night in this house...off at the Olmpics and killing it!

I should also mention that Jill Kitner, an ex-Yeti rider has advanced as well on the women's side. The times I have met her, she has always been very nice but not someone I have known on such a personal level as Grubby.

Best of luck to both tomorrow!

Freedom

I had to run an errand for work this morning. As I was being shuttled to the Ford dealership to pick up our F-550, we stopped to pick up a breakfast burrito at a nice little breakfast shack (trailer really).

As I stood in the rain waiting for my burrito, I heard peals of laughter and children's voices coming from behind me. I turned to watch the kiddos riding their tiny bikes in circles in the church parking lot across the street. Laughing in the rain. I stood there grinning as it took me back.

Remember when we were growing up and your bike was a symbol of freedom for you? You could ride where ever you wanted to, it was faster than walking and you did not have to get a parent to drive you? I remember riding to the store, to school, to our friends down the road, to the stream and to the bog. Riding, even in just the driveway, was freedom.

And so I stood and watched these kids exercising their freedom in their world and I had a sudden epiphany. I still ride my bike, I still grin and laugh while pedaling, I still look to stretch the bounds of my personal freedom on two wheels.

I just ride in bigger circles.

Bicycle Commuting - Intermezzo

I've noticed a lack in reporting on my bicycle commuting this summer. A few factors have contributed to my lackluster performance as of late.

1. Flat tire on the road bike - my road tires are roached...dry rotted and squared off. I have new tires on the way but I was hesitant to fix the flat and try riding again out of fear that the same would happen again. I fear I have picked up too much glass in my front tire and I really, really do not want to catch a flat at 30 mph on the road. Actually, I fear the resulting wreck.
2. Titanium ARC project - it is coming along. I've needed some parts for the past weeks and finally placed the order the other day. I should be able to get it together over the next few days.
3. Hope was gone for over two weeks and then worked all last week. So I brought Gibson to work. Commuting on a bike becomes a little past difficult when you have a 110 pound dog to bring to work. I suppose I could try putting him on a bus....
4. It's damn hot. No really, my drive to work often finishes with a low to mid 80's ambient temperature. This puts a damper on my desire to hop on a bike for my morning commute.
5. Gas got more expensive and I felt like contributing to the oil exec's profits. Oh...wait a minute.
6. There is NOOOO...rule six.
7. Riding the full suspension mountain bike to work is really not appealing. Knobby tires on pavement never equates to fun. They just don't belong there.
   
8. Tell me to get off my lazy ass...I should be riding a bike. Really.
   

Ned

I decided to reinstitute the Nederland rides. In a previous job...a previous world...we used to leave our office at 12 on Fridays, drive to Ned, ride for many hours and finish up with a filling meal at Mountain Burger. Trust me, we tried a double and couldn't finish it...this is a very satisfying meal!

For the past three weeks, Phil and I have been leaving the office at 5:30 on Tuesday tothe Tuesdays, for the past three weeks, Phil and I have been driving the hour up to Nederland to ride the trails. We don't have a ton of time so we cram as much riding in as possible (generally 2 hours) before the sun goes down. We have talked about bringing lights and riding past dusk but as of yet, we have not found the need to throw halogens on our handlebars. It could be a motivation thing....

Why Nederland?

The riding there is pure fun. Rolling hills, nothing too taxing, good terrain and twisty trails that force you onto the last few knobs toward the edge of your tire. Your elevation gain over the front range contributes to a 10-15 degree decrease in air temperature and you are sheltered from the sun's intensity by a good deal of shade. You laugh, you grunt, you sweat and you grin. Everyone who has been introduced to Ned falls in love.

You start off on a trail that twists back on top of itself. You could be 50 yards ahead on the trail but you can reach out and give a buddy a high five. After an ever-so-brief climb, you hit a slow doubletrack climb that gives you a quick elevation gain. From there, you can bomb down a ripping singletrack that takes you past an old yellow bus. This trail feels almost tunnel-like...the vegetation hangs over that trail so close that you can't see into the woods. There is one straight shot where you can see ahead for about twenty or thirty yards but beyond that, you are riding on pure skill and reaction. To the other side of this doubletrack is a trail that looks almost like a mogul run. It is tight but if you have the skill, you can carve your turns from the top of each bump to the next. Great fun! From there, you can follow a double track out to a lollipop and there have been several other offshoots that we have been eyeing for future exploration. Our bushwhacking expedition last night took us down to a small pond with a little skiff. We rode out of the woods last night in the dark, quite satisfied with the evening ride.

There's more to explore, c'mon up, we are going again next Tuesday!

Just another day in the office

I saw a really cool thing yesterday afternoon.

We had a group of children and their parents, numbering around 40, take a tour of our factory at the end of the day. They are all on a cycling team which runs criterium practices on the road loop here in our business park. As they returned to the front office after touring the factory, Jared Graves happened to be hanging out working on his laptop.

The throng was introduced to Grubby (Yeti's nickname for Jared) and he began fielding questions from adults and children. This is nothing special or unusual (to us). Grubby is here at the factory every few months. He is a friend of ours and has stayed at my house for extended periods of time. He has been on the Yeti Factory Race team for several years and is always a contender for the podium in DH, 4X and Dual Slalom events. In August, he heads off to China to represent Austrailia during the inaugural Olympic BMX race.

Wait.

The Olympics.

Grubby, to us, is just another one of the guys. He rides faster than all of us but we laugh, kid around, talk trash and wrestle with him. We forget that he is one of the elite few who has the opportunity to compete at the highest level. In the eyes of this tour group, Grubby is a demigod.

I stood at the back of the group to listen and watch. When they finished and went on their way, I walked over to Grubby and thanked him for being so friendly and accessible. We talked about how even he forgets what being an Olympian means to so many people.

As I left our office, I was reflecting on how incredible it is to have an Olympian in our midst. And I overheard parents who were still outside our office effusively gushing over what an incredible experience they were just witness to. I was left with the thought that while it was just another day in the office for me, it was a day that may define the athletic aspirations for the children who had a chance to sit and talk with a young man who has Olympic gold within his reach.

Biycle Commuting - Part Four

National Bike to Work Day

Cyclists - 19
Walkers - 4

Two flats today...bit of a bummer but that is the way things go, eh?

Building up a new commuter...a Titanium Arc (just for grins).

Bicycle Commuting - Part Three

It was nice to get the engine running this morning. I'm starting to get a little routine in the morning, allowing me to get out of the house in about 20 minutes. That includes time for a shower before I leave (shower before I get on the bike?). It's the only way for me to wake up...riding on the road half asleep is not exactly conducive to survival.

This morning, I saw:
5 bikers
8 walkers
1 oblivious driver who panicked and hit the brakes when he saw me

This is the third and final day that I can ride my bike to work. Yesterday, I elected not to ride since it was the second day in a row I would be reffing at night. Which worked out well, seeing how I missed my alarm that morning. Tomorrow, I have an early morning dentist appointment down in Denver.

OK, I gotta go fix my hair....

Bicycle Commuting - Part Two

Day Two of riding to work.

I saw:

6 Cyclists
5 Walkers
1 Lawn mower rider (though I don't think this person was actually commuting)
1 Leashed dog who still tried to chase me

I spent the morning ride dealing with a headwind significant enough that I had to pedal down the descents just to maintain my momentum. More energy than I cared to expend on an empty stomach. I better go find some food....

Bicycle Commuting

Part of the plan this summer is to commute to work by bike more frequently. This morning was the first opportunity to do so. Hope is now officially out of school though she is probably going to spend most of her day there. Thus, she can cart around the small horse we own. Granted, she is swinging Gibson by the office while she does a few things and then pick him up later on in the day.

An early morning ride can be such a surreal experience. I woke up this morning to low 50 degree weather. It is an easy 8.5 mile ride to work, not too much energy expended, not too much to think about and I can maintain a certain dreamlike state while sitting and simply turning my feet over. Just keep the bike straight, turn the tunes on low and glide my way to work. I have some alone time, no NPR squawking at me, no ton and a half vehicle to guide, no gasoline burned.

Sadly, in the 34 minutes, I didn't see any other cyclists. I saw 3 walkers, 2 folks sitting at the bus stop and 1 jogger. I thought that with gasoline hitting $4 a gallon, I'd see more folks riding to work. I thought that would be the trigger but maybe it's $5 a gallon.

Ride of Silence

I know things get busy and there are choices we all have to make about things we can and can not attend.

The Ride of Silence is done every year in remembrance of cyclists who have been lost or injured while on the road. We all know folks who have been hit while riding...or worse. My props today go out to Stoner who was hit last year but found it in him to bounce and get right back up. Also to Jess who was hit several years ago and worked for a long time to get her back injuries healed.

This one makes me wish I had not scheduled myself to ref hockey tonight. I'd far prefer to join up with the group and ride in remembrance. There are several rides in Colorado this year, one right here in Golden and I am bummed I am not going to be there.