I have so many ideas percolating in my brain right now its not even funny. But thanks to my friends I am either too tired or too busy riding to actually blog post. Probably if I cut back on my fb and twitter I could get a solid post out but fb and twitter have basically become my water cooler. I get in and get out fast. It keeps me connected. Blogging takes me a bit. Its not writing as much as it is journaling but it takes more brain power than I have lately. But I had to get a post in as there has been so much good stuff going on lately I had to get it down on the pad before it all evaporated into thin air.
The post is aptly titled "Down and Dirty" and that really has been my focus all summer. For some of you summer just started for us East Coasters it started back in April. And trust me its not the heat its the humidity that gets you. I lived where its hot but it was dry. I can take 100 degrees and dry any day. 80 and 80% humidity sucks the life right out of you. I finally got the chance to ride Harold Parker in Andover. Both my good friends Rosey and Eli ride there a lot. Pedro's Grand Opening was the perfect opportunity to ride as it was so close by. We got a little pre-game dirt before the party and it was awesome. I love the trails up there. It would be kind of like if the Fells and Bedford had a rocky evil demon love child...it had poured rain right before I met Rosey and Eli. I was stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. They were out doing a quick lap waiting for me! They got soaked. But they still were in good spirits and happy to show me around.
We got a solid 1.5-2 hrs of riding. My ass took a beating as I fell on it pretty hard and then was impaled by my slr saddle in the span of 30 minutes....owwiie. Eli got his ankle pretty jacked up as well but he is tough as nails and didn't miss a beat. Rosey as usual just flowed over shit like a trail ninja. Following him is a clinic in how to be a good mtn biker. One of the revelations of the last couple of weeks has been the Maxxis Aspen tires. My good friend Brian over at JRA hooked me up with these bad boys. In his words they are too fast but not too furious! Ie they look like a bald slick and have all the appearance that you will die on slick roots and rocks but they actually stick to the trail like velcro. Running them tubeless at 25 psi sure helps. Resultsboy says run those tires even lower and I may have to try and see how low I can go without disaster unfolding.
But truly my love of dirt is a total surprise. All my top nemesis on crossresults.com are mtn bikers. Well a few are roadies but frankly what honor is there in that? You come off a road season with boatloads of power and speed and then put two minutes into me at Sucker Brook. Whatevah there is no glory in that. Just wait til NBX and Ice Weasels and lets see how it goes....but I digress. Mtn biking is fun. Mtn bikers are fun to be around. Speed and Mayhem are good things. Uptight and Anal are boring. Road riding does have a zen appeal but it is soooo damn busy on the roads in the summer. Everyone is in a damn rush, cars buzz by, you always have to be attentive it just stresses me out. I have enough stress in my life as is trust me. Give me the dirt and the woods and the mud and the blood. Sounds kind of like a country music song doesn't it? I am so hooked its like I am a dirt addict at this point. It would be healthier if I was a crackhead.
The frosting on this whole three weeks of dirt riding had to be last night at HP capped off with the Pedro's Grand Opening! How cool is it to go from shredding dirt and mud with two of your good friends and then being called up by the voice of New England Cyclo-cross to get to the start grid of a trike race? Unbelievable. Even more mind boggling was as I tried to figure out just how to ride this circus bike and not crash horribly as I dropped down the start ramp, I had Tim Johnson and Rebecca Wellens offering me advice on where to place the pedal for the best start. I was sooo nervous I false started my first start. Doooh. So not PRO. Second start was probably the slowest lap of the night. And I pretty much cased the teeter totter of death. I mean like didn't even get the front wheel up on it flopped off the side and ran with the bike across the finish line. So lame. But I did a hot lap went inside ate some Red Bones and caught up with all my cool friends. The Spooky guys were on hand. And as always it is so great to see Mickey and Garson. Chris Igleheart was there! Pete and the embro squadra may have actually rode to the party. Such a great night.
Pedro's is on a roll right now. I for one am so stoked to be a small part of what they have cooking. Just seeing my friends relaunch one of the most iconic brands of the bike industry fills me with such pride its almost beyond words. Thanks to all my partners in grime for enduring my endless sucking on a mtn bike. You've all been very patient and I am forever in your debt for showing me how to ride east coast style. I suck less than a month or two ago that is for sure...Pats Peak and 24 HOGG are just around the corner and I cannot even wait. Hup! Hup!
We got a solid 1.5-2 hrs of riding. My ass took a beating as I fell on it pretty hard and then was impaled by my slr saddle in the span of 30 minutes....owwiie. Eli got his ankle pretty jacked up as well but he is tough as nails and didn't miss a beat. Rosey as usual just flowed over shit like a trail ninja. Following him is a clinic in how to be a good mtn biker. One of the revelations of the last couple of weeks has been the Maxxis Aspen tires. My good friend Brian over at JRA hooked me up with these bad boys. In his words they are too fast but not too furious! Ie they look like a bald slick and have all the appearance that you will die on slick roots and rocks but they actually stick to the trail like velcro. Running them tubeless at 25 psi sure helps. Resultsboy says run those tires even lower and I may have to try and see how low I can go without disaster unfolding.
But truly my love of dirt is a total surprise. All my top nemesis on crossresults.com are mtn bikers. Well a few are roadies but frankly what honor is there in that? You come off a road season with boatloads of power and speed and then put two minutes into me at Sucker Brook. Whatevah there is no glory in that. Just wait til NBX and Ice Weasels and lets see how it goes....but I digress. Mtn biking is fun. Mtn bikers are fun to be around. Speed and Mayhem are good things. Uptight and Anal are boring. Road riding does have a zen appeal but it is soooo damn busy on the roads in the summer. Everyone is in a damn rush, cars buzz by, you always have to be attentive it just stresses me out. I have enough stress in my life as is trust me. Give me the dirt and the woods and the mud and the blood. Sounds kind of like a country music song doesn't it? I am so hooked its like I am a dirt addict at this point. It would be healthier if I was a crackhead.
The frosting on this whole three weeks of dirt riding had to be last night at HP capped off with the Pedro's Grand Opening! How cool is it to go from shredding dirt and mud with two of your good friends and then being called up by the voice of New England Cyclo-cross to get to the start grid of a trike race? Unbelievable. Even more mind boggling was as I tried to figure out just how to ride this circus bike and not crash horribly as I dropped down the start ramp, I had Tim Johnson and Rebecca Wellens offering me advice on where to place the pedal for the best start. I was sooo nervous I false started my first start. Doooh. So not PRO. Second start was probably the slowest lap of the night. And I pretty much cased the teeter totter of death. I mean like didn't even get the front wheel up on it flopped off the side and ran with the bike across the finish line. So lame. But I did a hot lap went inside ate some Red Bones and caught up with all my cool friends. The Spooky guys were on hand. And as always it is so great to see Mickey and Garson. Chris Igleheart was there! Pete and the embro squadra may have actually rode to the party. Such a great night.
Pedro's is on a roll right now. I for one am so stoked to be a small part of what they have cooking. Just seeing my friends relaunch one of the most iconic brands of the bike industry fills me with such pride its almost beyond words. Thanks to all my partners in grime for enduring my endless sucking on a mtn bike. You've all been very patient and I am forever in your debt for showing me how to ride east coast style. I suck less than a month or two ago that is for sure...Pats Peak and 24 HOGG are just around the corner and I cannot even wait. Hup! Hup!
