...like "The Maker of Shoes"

SBC Classic

2011-10-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

Today was day two of awesome racing on two wheels. Back to good old, SheVegas for some Fall fun. SBC Classic. Good thing the rain held off.

This marked Jenni's first cyclocross race, so I was hoping for the best. It was also a good showing from the GB crowd, seeing this is the closest race of the season.

We arrived plenty early to be sure to get in a lap prior to the Junior's race. I rode the first half of the course, getting to the slickrock near the quarry. I slammed my rear (tubular) tire/wheel on a jagged rock/ledge and immediately heard the dreading "hiss" of the flat tire! Boo....mechanical on a pre-ride!? Walked back to the car, and tried to figure out what to do, as I packed light, and didn't bring a spare rear wheel.

Off to the SRAM Neutral Support Tent for some help, hopefully. Sure enough, "Yeah, just bring over your wheel, and you can borrow one of these for the race." In a matter of minutes I had a sweet new deep dish carbon clincher on my bike! :) Nice bling...

The race went well. Got a good start on the holeshot, and pretty much stayed there all day. It was quite the effort to not get caught from behind on the uber-bumpy course, with some fun twisting sections. I seemed to lose time on most of the slow speed corners, but would regain the gap on the straights? I guess Jesse Sharp was right, when he said "it'll be a big guy who wins the race." The Specialized Crux work flawlessly again(as did the borrowed ZIPP wheel), without any crashes. (I did have a course wrong-turn into the pits however, and at no point was I able to pedal up the entire Equalizer.)

(well-equipped for spectating, and awards)

All smiles on the podium. Photo courtesy of future Mrs. Shoemaker.

Stickers for awards!? Hmm...I like it!

Another great weekend in the books! Thanks to Jenni for cheering me along, and handing out kisses during the race, and to The Bike Hub/Specialized Cycling Team for racing well into the off-season!

Next week is Estabrook Park Cross in Milwaukee on Saturday. Hopefully I can get some tubulars mounted by then!?

And for all the haters out there....

"Your upgrade request has been submitted and is awaiting approval of this request by USA Cycling."

MTB -> CX

2011-10-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

Tis another season of transitioning. Last weekend was the final WORS race of the season at Sheboygan.

The week leading into SheVegas, I ran over to The Bike Hub to disassemble/ship my S-works race bike(above) that I sold. So, that meant I had (3) options for the race:
1. Race my Singlespeed
2. Race my new Specialized Crux (like Wally Kunstman in the Sport race)
3. Don't race, and just play the role of team cheerleader/hydration technician.

I chose option #1, and enjoyed a nice MTB ride that day. Not much of a race for me. Five laps on the SS really took it's toll.

Another great venue to finish out the WORS season 2011. Thanks again to The Bike Hub/Specialized Cycling Team for the support this season!

Now comes CYCLOCROSS SEASON!!!

This Tuesday I made the phone call to Tommy at The Bike Hub, asking about a new tubular wheel/tire setup for my cyclocross bike. Apparently it's what all the top guys use? Anyway, he managed to have them there, with tires glued(and dry) by the end of the week in time for racing on Saturday! Thanks again Tom for the speedy service!!!(Porkchop owed me a beer, because he said it couldn't happen in time for the race!)

Saturday morning was Badger Prairie CX race in Verona, WI, just outside Madison. This is the same venue that is hosting Cyclocross Nationals in January, but this weekend was a different course.

Another day of toeing the line of the Cat 4 race to gain some experience. I had a good warmup on the trainer, and felt pretty good going into the start. Another front row spot is always critical, as it's hard to chase from the rear of the pack. After the start, I sat up and looked around as I didn't want to be first down the pavement into a 20+mph headwind. So, Quentin saw me looking around cluelessly and decided to hammer his heart out. Everyone else chased, and he strung out the field. I was 6th wheel, as everyone just sat in behind Q, not wanting to work.

The rest of the race was rather uneventful for me. Like last weekend's race, where I learned tire pressure is very important(when I was crashing), I learned the same thing this weekend. Except this weekend I had tubulars. And the rear tire must have had too LOW of pressure, and I kept "rolling" the tire in the corners. Needless to say, I LOST positions in the slow cornering, and GAINED positions during the straight-lines/climbs. Like Tim Wilcox says, a cyclocross bike is NOT a mountain bike. I ended up finishing in 7th place overall. Another fun day of cross racing with a good group of guys(and gals).

Side note: The new tubular wheels/tires are pretty sweet. It's a huge difference as far as ride quality goes. Very smooth and supple! I can see the benefits over a standard clincher wheel/tire.

The name of the race was "Furthercross", as in Furthermore Beer. Gotta love a race that has FREE BEER post-race! The "Fallen Apple" brew was awesome....good thing Quentin drove me down there.(Don't Drink & Drive!)

I managed to meet up with Andy Tegge on Sunday morning for a CX ride at the Reforestation Camp for a couple hours of riding. I realized my tubular tire pressure was pretty damn low, and my pump is reading ~4psi high, compare to Andy's digital tire pressure gauge. (When I got home I found THIS on The Bike Hub website, so I'll have to order one ASAP!). Tires felt much better with a higher pressure.

I made it home in time to watch the Packers own the Rams. I made some Chili, and am watching the Brewers playoff game. Fingers Crossed!

Next weekend is crazy busy!!
Saturday: CX race #1 in Milwaukee (then head home immediately after the Cat 4 race. carpool anyone?), then I need to make a showing at my fiance's bridal shower in GB(Thankfully, she's super-understanding about my newfound cyclocross addiction!), then drive to Stevens Point for the WORS banquet. Hopefully I can crash at MDC's house!?
Sunday: Drive from Stevens Point to Sun Prairie for CX race #2 on the weekend. Then drive back home to GB.

Hopefully, if racing goes well, I can get my upgrade to CX Cat 3!?

Geesh...lotta miles next weekend.

....Keep on, keepin' on...

Bear Paw & Oct 1/2

2011-09-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

...rain, rain go away...

Rough day today at Bear Paw. Quite the mudbath of a race. I decided it was in my(and my mountain bike's) best interest to pull the plug after one lap. I was one of the 15 racers that DNF'd. There were only 24 finishers in the Pro/Cat 1 field! Props to those that endured for the whole thing!

I'm glad I don't have to hose off all of my clothing before putting it in the washer/dryer on a daily basis. Hosing the mtb shoes off post-race is not the best feeling either.

This isn't my bike, but most bikes looked very similar. Mud. Everywhere.

Anyway, I did have a great time enjoying watching everyone else race, and taking some photo's and video.

Moving on.....Next weekend.....what's everyone doing??

Who's racing the WEMS race at Levis Trow?

Who's racing Cyclocross in MKE or Kewaskum?

I'm contemplating with the idea of doing some course recon in Sheboygan on Sunday morning, then driving over to Kewaskum to heckle some racers with a cowbell!? Anyone else up for it??

Anyone want to carpool from the GB area, let me know!!

IMBA & Bear Paw

2011-09-24T17:41:00.000-07:00

Here's the singletrack that was built at Bear Paw, when IMBA came for the trail building school. It's always a great feeling to enjoy the fruits of your labor. The section took 3+hours of ~20 ppl to fine tune. That's a lot of man hours, for a section that takes 60 seconds to ride!

CheqFat

2011-09-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

Hayward, WI is gorgeous this time of year. I really look forward to a long weekend in the Northwoods in Wisco with some great friends, and some good racing.

This year was no different! Good roster to stay in the sweet cabin for the 2nd year in a row again. Well worth the long drive!

Friday's drive up went pretty fast, as I was in good company with Jvog and Sikora. Made time fly.

Everyone else arrived shortly after us, and then it was off for an 'easy' 1hr pre-ride. We rode the course backwards from the finish for 30minutes then turned around. I was surprised to see we rode just under 1,000ft elevation gain.

Rad baked ziti feed when we got back to the cabin, and starving! Thanks Swede & Kim(bo Slice).

Early morning staging sucks. 4:20am wake up calls, to drive your bike to the start line, in cold temps is getting old. We managed to stage about 7-8 rows back. Not too bad. Tired.

Back to the cabin to sleep for a couple hours, then wake again for pre-race breakfasts. Rolled out to the start at about 8am. I was able to bring my CX Bike and trainer for a decent warm-up next to the car.

10am rollout behind the quad. Hammer/draft/hammer/draft. Made it up to the main 'peleton' on the road, and noticed a small group WAY up the road. I assume it was CVV and some other roadies?? Shortly after we hit the off-road goodness, I was in close quarters to Brett and Jvog, most likely just outside the top 100.

It's always surprising the amount of flats/crashes/mechanicals in the first section of 'Rosies Field'.

The first 20 miles or so were pretty good. Raced pretty hard.

Then came the CRAMPS. damn.

I managed to push through it for another 5miles making sure to keep up with/trying to drop Jvog. Then I popped. I sat up on a long gravel grinder in order to try to spin out the legs. That would be the last time I'd see Jeremy until post-race. I hope his Blizzard tasted good!

The last 15miles were a tempo ride to the finish. The bike was fast. I was not. Blah...

I rolled in 247th overall, out of the 1900 participants. Not quite the race results I was hoping for, but glad to finish in one piece.

I was glad to be done to congratulate the guys who came in before me, and welcome in those racers behind me. What a great venue, and great weather for a long race! Hopefully Lifetime Fitness keeps it going with the same vibe next year!?

Saturday night post-race is always a great time. The traditional Famous Dave's recovery BBQ was in order! And boy was it gooooood.

Campfire till 11:30pm or so reminiscing about the day's events, and then it was off to bed, and another year in the books.

I wonder what 2012 Chequamegon 40 will be like?

Sorry about the lack of photos on this one.

Here's a more exciting RACE REPORT from the CheqKing, Brian Matter.

RACE REPORT from The Bike Hub/Specialized Cycling Team.

Retiring

2011-08-22T18:32:00.001-07:00

Well.....after many days and weeks of soul searching and deliberation.....I've decided it's in my best interest as a mountain biker....

...that I've decided to retire.......my road bike to the basement for the remainder of the season.......and commence training on my new RAD 2012 Specialized Crux! Thank you again Bike Hub and Specialized! :)

BRING ON THE COW BELLS!!!

Checkout The Bike Hub/Specialized Cycling team's race report from the Border Battle HERE!

Breck32

2011-07-31T18:09:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a week off of work and fly out to Denver, Colorado to visit Mr. Ben Welnak for a week of mountain biking in the Rocky Mountains.

He convinced me to do the BRECK 32mile XC race while I was out there too. Nothing like a flatlander racing at 10,000ft...

Thanks to Tom and The Bike Hub for the bike box!

This is how they do trailwork in Colorado. By the BUS LOAD!

Logging some miles early in the week.

Race Day.

Roll out of the 32 mile race. (thanks for the photo's Amy Welnak!)

Pre-race jittery stomach

Different riding than in WI. Plenty of UP, and then plenty of DOWN. Not much FLAT. Most climbing this sea-level dweller has ever completed on a mountain bike.

All in all, it was a great time and a great venue.

My race, or "hard ride", was pretty low key the first 20+miles. With "all the climbing" I rode very conservatively to insure I would be able to actually finish in one piece, and not die of oxygen-deprivation. Once I realized all the tough climbs were behind me, I was able to hammer the last ~10 miles or so, and pass alot of racers in my wave, and had a very strong finish. I'll race more aggressively next year!

I was pleased with my final placing in the race, as I had no clue what to expect when racing at elevation. I ended up 37th out of ~120 racers in the 32mile XC race.

Post-race recovery pizza and beer in Breckenridge with Ben Welnak, Brandon Newcomer, Jonathan Davis, and Jeff Kerkove.

This posting is for the race itself. After spending 7 days in Colorado, I'm sure another post will be in the works shortly...

Crystal Lake Classic

2011-05-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 22nd was another showing in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, in the land of the Hodag.

I headed up to Rookie's log cabin on Saturday morning, to crash there for the weekend. A short two hour drive later, and I was in the middle-of-nowhere Wabeno, to hookup w/Justin for the pre-ride. In hindsight, this was a bad idea. As we got there, it was still raining and the course was soaked. We decided to ride anyway. So much for having a clean bike. After a slow lap of the course, I was glad to be done, and headed back to the compound to clean the bikes and relax for the night. A short viewing of RAD, and I was off to bed.

Sunday morning, and it was off to the race. Not too sure what to think of what lied ahead, we toed the line. Always good to be lined up with your friends and competition.

Another somewhat slow leadout on the long doubletrack had me rather surprised. It was one of my better starts so far, but that didn't last too long. On some of the loose gravel doubletrack climbs, I seemed to be losing positions left and right. After trying to grab the wheels, it wasn't happening. Still tired from last week's race? Time to race my own race. I was joined by a familiar face, who racing his first Pro/Cat 1 race. It was fun to catchup with Mark again out there. We pretty much rode together the whole race, trading pulls.

Everything was going great, until the dark clouds rolled in, and the skies seemed to dumped buckets of rain on us during our 4th lap. We managed to form gaps in the slick, greasy singletrack, that left us riding solo to the finish. The final 7 miles where more or less a battle of staying upright.

(Above photo by Mark Shindel)

I was the 42nd racer to cross the finish line that day, soaked and muddy. I was not happy with what happened on the course on this day, but I was happy I was able to cross the finish line in one piece.

After a quick awards ceremony, it was loading up the messy bikes and clothes, and hit the road for the ~3hr drive home.

On the team side of things, everyone else ROCKED out there!

I'm looking forward to the days of races that are WARM and DRY. It's been awhile since we've have those kind of races. Ah...the memories.

Next up is the WEMS Greenbush(3hr solo), assuming it's not raining this weekend!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend!

Tour of NeWI

2011-05-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

Today was a nice solo ride, exploring the best of the Northeast Wisconsin countryside.

Sunday will be a long day at the Camp. Anyone riding?

Bump & Jump

2011-05-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked race #1 of the 2011 season. It went about as expected. Great to be back out racing on dirt again. It was a good test of the legs and lungs. Finished mid-pack. Wasn't quite able to catch my teammate Scott Golomski, who finished 21 seconds before me!

The Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper 29 worked flawlessly, and the new kits were quite the hit out on the course!

I saw a lot of video camera's mounted on helmets and bikes in the start chute yesterday.

He's my 6minute clip of the Pro/Cat 1 start....(ContourGPS camera from The Bike Hub)

Great day of racing for The Bike Hub/Specialized Cycling Team. Great inaugural race for the new team, and everyone came out flying! Looking to make some improvements, and getting in some great upcoming training rides over the course of the next few months! Great group of guys! Thanks for letting me tag along!

Next up, is the WEMS Stump Farm 100 race. Hopefully "home course advantage" comes into play.

I'm also looking forward to hanging out with an "outta towner" that weekend as well. More to come...

New Flag

2011-03-01T20:04:00.000-08:00

Looks like we'll be flying some NEW COLORS this season....

Hopefully, in time for our Tennessee Training Trip on April 9th-17th!

ABR Trails

2011-02-26T08:20:00.001-08:00

Last weekend was our "man-cation" up north. Destination: ABR Trails in Ironwood, MI.

Roster:
LJ
Scotty
Tatro
Me

This trip will now be on my yearly calendar every Winter.

Good times..(photos in reverse order).

Cabins are located out on the trail. Therefore, you carry/ski your gear in from the trailhead.

Sweet Slippers, LJ!

Home for the weekend.

Big Hills.

LJ = Bear Bait.

Break Time.

We are here.

LJ and Scotty eating breakfast.

Cow Cow Nah.

2011-02-13T18:25:00.000-08:00

Warm temperatures(relatively speaking) today meant hitting the pavement on two wheels. Just a nice long, slow endurance ride. For still being "cold", I managed to OVER-dress actually!?

Random things about today's ride:
1. It felt damn good to ride outside again, instead of on the trainer.
2. I forget about how hard it is to keep your HR at a set number, while riding outdoors. (Especially with a ~20mph cross/headwind, and with some hills.)
3. I was glad to see the small dogs on Blake Road again. I see they like to chase me during cold temperatures as well, so it's not only for the Summer months.
4. I got passed by a freight train. Then I waved at the conductor. Reminded me of Top Gun.
5. I found an "Elk Farm"(?) today. I found a "Deer Farm"(?) on my last ride.
6. Fenders are a very nice luxury.
7. Bar Mitts act like SAILS when there is a 20mph cross wind.
8. Wrightstown Shell is cyclist-friendly.

Ridin' S.O.L.O.
(THIS GUY went later)

(photo for Jvog)

Great day for riding. Finished with over 3 hours, and at no point was I ever cold. If anything, I was too warm. Best ride of the year. I'm ready for Spring.

I was gonna take these carbon tubulars home from The Bike Hub yesterday, but Tom said the owner of them might be a tad angry if I did!?

I managed to finally assemble/install the Roof Basket yesterday in the snow. Thanks Subaru!

Next weekend will be a road trip to THIS PLACE with the guys. Hopefully they get some good snow this week! Looking forward to some xc skiing, and snowshoeing.

...Money in the bank.

35 Sunday

2011-02-09T05:33:00.000-08:00

Sunday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the upper 20s.

Anyone up for a LONG ride this Sunday? Most likely late morning preferably. Stop in Kaukauna for some food/coffee perhaps? 4 hours of pedaling? (I will either be on the SS Madison, or the Cx bike.)

Let me know if you're interested in riding.

Wake Up!!

2011-01-29T07:41:00.000-08:00

Got your DAILY BUZZ on yet this morning?...

Performance Medicine: Part 2....LIVE!!!

2011-01-19T16:58:00.000-08:00

Booked

2011-01-12T19:42:00.000-08:00

The 4th annual training trip to Townsend, TN is again in the works.

It will be an enjoyable (8) nights in the Great Smokey Mountains.

Honeybear Haven has been reserved, and the roster is set. This year we'll be 5 riders strong.

1. Myself
2. Justin Piontek
3. Ben Nuebauer
4. Nate Jasperson
5. Jeremy Vogels

Looks like we'll be caravan'n down with a Vibe and an H3.

Hopefully, the road up to Clingman's Dome will be open this year!? Finally!?

I can almost taste the "bucket of fried stuff" from Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Or maybe it's the Yuengling?

LIVE! Cycling & Running Performance Medicine Meetup

2011-01-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

Here's a live Meetup conference of "cycling and running performance medicine" tonight from Golden, Colorado.

Meeting starts at 5:30pm Mtn time.

Get On It

2011-01-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

As I sit here and watch the Packer game on TV, they say the wind chill here is Green Bay is +2F.

Twitter message from @BWelnak:
Are you sweating now-get on it! @themakerofshoes: RT @LeviLeipheimer: "The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle."

So that's what I decided to do today. GET ON IT! I planned on riding the trainer in the basement. But, Jenni beat me to it. (I think she's training hard for this year's Chequamegon 40??) That made my decision easy to hit the pavement outside instead. Checked the temperature, 11 degrees. Time to bundle up. What seemed to take forever, I was finally on my ride.

The plan was a nice "easy" endurance ride. Nothing major.

It was my normal loop, up Dickinson road, wave to my boss as he drove by, down Heritage Rd, and up Sportsmen Rd. I opted to leave out Ledgetop Rd climb, as I was pretty damn cold at this point. I had an internal stuggle with myself at the corner of School Rd. and Hwy 57, thinking if I should head North toward DePere, for a quick way out, to call for a ride from Jenni? Eff that. "Just keep on, keepin on!" Onward to Wrightstown, even though my extremities felt like pins and needles.

Finally, I made it to the bicycle-friendly Shell gas station in Wrightstown for a warmup. Aaron was working again. That guy is very welcoming. Always a nice conversation about where I rode in from, and where I was headed. My story wasn't quite as intriguing as the one he told me of the cyclist "passing thru" on her way to West Virginia, from Seattle. It was safe to say, that while I was warming up, I did enjoy the BEST hot chocolate of my life! Shortly after that, I enjoyed the BEST(and only) Honey Stinger Waffle of my life as well. Wow, scrumptious! Those will definitely be a staple go-to training food in my cupboard from now on!

After my quick refuel and warmup, it was back to the pavement. I was very thankful for the stiff tailwind most of the way home! Makes riding in 20degree weather much more enjoyable.

So, no, I didn't get out yesterday, like THIS teammate or THIS teammate. But, I think I made up for it today. At least in my mind. I pulled back into my driveway at about 2hours 40minutes of saddle time. Yes, it was slow ride today. Low heart rate, overweight body and overweight bike and a crazy cold headwind. But, sometimes you gotta go slow, to go fast, right!? Sure as hell better than riding the trainer.

Workout hard. Recover hard.

We all have our own routines. Whether that's your routine you do every morning, before going to work for "The Man", or pre-race warmup routine. I'm trying to still perfect my post-workout recovery routine. "Recover today, perform tomorrow." So, immediately after getting back inside, I down my Fluid Recovery Drink, that I mixed up earlier before my ride. It has a bunch of good stuff in it.

Head downstairs for a quick stretching session. Then back upstairs to get out of my sweat-soaked clothing prior to hitting the shower.

Post-shower, time to relax and kick the feet up, and watch the Packers dominate the Bears(I hope!). But first, I throw on my new favorite thing recently added to my routine. My sport-specific Vitalsox Recovery Sock. I've been using some cheepy Walmart compression stockings since last year. I got quite the laughs on our Tennessee Trip with the team, but I didn't care. In my opinion, they worked for me(increased blood circulation), so I could care less what they looked like.

Let the recovery begin.

I hope everyone had a great and happy New Year's this weekend, and I hope everyone chooses to make it there best year ever.

Now...get on it.

ABRandom

2010-12-30T20:59:00.003-08:00

I was able to manage a solid day on the classic ski's last week with Ben Welnak, who was in town for the Holidays. The destination were the ABR trails in Ironwood, Michigan. Damn, that was some good skiing. I can't wait to head back up there in February for the weekend!

O2S 2011

2010-12-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

Registration is NOW OPEN for Ore To Shore Mountain Bike Epic 2011 in Marquette, MI.

August 13, 2011.

I'll be there....

Classic & Skate

2010-12-19T12:09:00.000-08:00

I finally broke down, and made the purchase of a Fisher skate ski package from The Bike Hub this season. It was nice to get a skiing lesson from Shop Manager Tom today as well. Thanks Tommy!

After classic skiing with Sikora on Thursday night, I realized how much I really do like traditional skiing. I like the lower intensity, high duration workout it can bring. Also a great social time, as tracks are side-by-side. The below is my heart rate from that traditional ski with Erin.

(most of the time spent skiing, the avg. hr was ~130bpm)

Then came Sunday, which was my first experience/attempt at skate skiing. After watching some youtube videos on "how to skate ski" it was off to the trailhead to meet Tom at 10am. Lets just say, it's pretty much exactly what I expected. Much more intense, than traditional skiing. I had the cardio to do it alright, but obviously I had ZERO technique. All in all, Tom said I did pretty well, albeit, pretty slow. It's frustrating to start something new, and not immediately being "great" at it. I'm a newbie. I've accepted that fact. Only way to improve is to "keep on, keepin' on". After a few pointers from Tom's friend Scott, turns out I need to keep my arms in, and legs on a narrower base. Thanks for the pointers. After just under 1.5hours, we were back to the lodge, and I was spent! Anyway, here's the heart rate info from my skate ski "lesson" today.

(most of the time spent skiing, the avg. hr was ~150bpm)

Summary of my Sunday's skate ski: Cardio good, technique bad.

First "frost" of the season.

Then, look who I ran into in the parking lot. Fresh from Colorado himself, Mr. Ben Welnak, Endurance Racer.

I can see how skate skiing would very much mimic the workouts of mountain biking. It will definitely be a staple in my upcoming workout routine this Winter. I will not be giving up the traditional ski's however, as I will continue to use that for endurance training. I do like spending the good portion of the day on the ski trails, and I doubt I can do that on skate ski's at this point.

This upcoming Xmas week should be another busy one:(3 day workweek)
Hot Yoga Monday.
Snowshoe Tuesday(1-4" of snow??)
Then head up to ABR trails to meet Ben Welnak for some more classic skiing on Thursday.

If anyone is up for some skiing next Friday/Saturday/Sunday over Xmas, let me know.

Dells

2010-12-16T19:39:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week was a short trip down to Wisconsin Dells w/Jenni to the Kalahari Resort. Two nights of indoor water parks, food/drinks, and an indoor theme park. Some photos, in no specific order...

Breakfast. Banana French Toast.

Feeding the giraffes.

Mmm....beef. It's whats for dinner.

"I wanna be BIG!"

Yep, I won at Mini Golf.

Carousel goodness.

Yep, I'm a speed racer on the Go Karts. Zoom Zoom.

Indoor Ferris wheels. Whee Whee Weeee..

Everything omelet.

Pina Colada Chicken.

Largest gingerbread house ever. No, they would not let me eat it.

Hit and Run Victim

2010-12-11T11:01:00.000-08:00

Saturday started good.

Nice solo MTB SS snow ride at Baird Creek. Fun stuff.

Then I got back to the parking lot at Superior Rd and Baird Creek Rd, under Hwy 43.

There I found my car all messed up, and broken pieces everywhere! Obviously, it was a Hit and Run.

In the above photo, you can see the tracks leading directly into the back of my new Outback! You can also see the tracks where they spun out in reverse, to get the hell outta there in a hurry! Who does that!?!
And more clear tracks, coming straight into my car. WTF!?

Quick call to the local GBPD, and a quick incident report later....nothing. Nothing they can do about it, since it must have been a larger vehicle(truck or SUV) with a solid front end. It didn't leave any paint on my car, nor any other pieces of there vehicle on the ground. Err.

So, yes, I'm extremely pissed about this. It was already a bad week, that was made worse. So, now I wait until next week to talk to "insurance man" to see how to proceed. Frustrating...as this will most likely be many thousands of dollars in damage. I'm guessing new liftgate, rear corner panel, bumper, rear taillight assembly, and that just the stuff my untrained eye noticed.

Anyway, please be on the lookout for a larger vehicle that might have some new front end damage(most likely to bumper) as of Saturday morning, that was traveling on the east side of Green Bay.

:(

Watches and Warnings

2010-12-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM SATURDAY TO
6 PM CST SUNDAY.

* SNOW WILL BEGIN TO OVERSPREAD CENTRAL WISCONSIN SATURDAY MORNING
AND BECOME HEAVY IN THE AFTERNOON. THE HEAVIEST PERIOD OF
SNOWFALL WILL OCCUR SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. NEAR BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY.


Yep, I'm hoping for the most snow possible.  Then we can get skiing again.  Finally!

First comes snowshoeing however!  Nothing more fun that hitting your local trails with your friends
during a snowstorm.  Just like we did this time LAST YEAR.  I'm hoping to hit up a little riding in
the snow tomorrow morning before the storm, then a little snowshoeing with LJ and Jvog later
on Saturday night.

Sunday, will be the trainer in the basement, then take a road trip to THIS PLACE for a couple
nights, for a nice little getaway with Jenni.  I'm looking forward to a little R&R.

The NEW TEAM organization is going smoothly, and we should be releasing a new supporting
sponsor this coming week.  Stay tuned.

MTB Maniac

2010-12-06T19:30:00.000-08:00

I'd like to welcome friend and future teammate, Scott Golomski (AKA: MTB Maniac), to the blog-o-sphere world.

I assume he'll be pretty active this Winter, as he's an avid Birkie racer, and will be found outside more often than not.

Change is Good.

2010-12-05T18:51:00.000-08:00

It's OFFICIAL......bring on 2011.

No Snow

2010-12-05T11:36:00.001-08:00

December 4th, 2010, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and still......NO SNOW to be found anywhere.

Oh well, cross country skiing can wait. Saturday brought another day of mountain biking at the Baird Creek Parkway within the Green Bay city limits. Tyson and myself were the only riders to show at 10am on the brisk morning.

Frozen trails were actually rather slick, with a dusting of snow in some spots.

hmm!? We'll definitely have to incorporate this huge rock garden next season.

Duct taped booties....

...with Toe Warmers inside. Wow, these are a must-have for cold-weather riding. No more cold feet. Well worth the $1.49. These will have to be used until THESE arrive from
The Bike Hub later this week.

Lazy Sunday for me. Quick run on the "dreadmill", followed up by the elliptical cross trainer at the gym. It's pretty nice when you are the ONLY person in the gym.

Then home to watch the Packer game, eat some food, play on the computer, and recover.

December 1st marked the official start to "the plan" as far as structured off-season training goes. It's already been a tough week, getting my body acclimated to what lies ahead. Let's just say change is a good thing, and I'm looking forward to putting in the work to do what has to be done in the upcoming month.

"The plan" also has me cutting out all processed sugars as possible as well. Needless to say, I've been quite on edge all week because of it!? Sorry Jenni!

More big news coming soon on the riding front.....stay tuned for more....

In the meantime, check out ROOKIE's blog. He's on FIRE!!

"stick-to-it-tiveness"

2010-12-02T05:40:00.000-08:00

Another GREAT ARTICLE written by close friend and endurance racer, Ben Welnak, on 303cycling.com. Check it out!

Cold Feet

2010-11-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

Today's cold solo route was the "Tour De Fox". Or my very own "Tour of Green Bay".

Fox River Trail up the east side of the Fox River, then Broadway back down the west side of the Fox River into DePere.

This was the same route that Brando and I used to take our SS's on during our night road rides in the Fall, before he moved to Hotlanta. Ah...the memories.

All in all, I was pretty good as far as temperature goes. Weatherman said it was 24 degrees or so. Bar Mitts are pretty damn nice, and kept my hands nice and toasty. Only thing I need to figure out are how to keep the toes warm. Do they make Bar Mitts for your feet? Hmmm......

Quitting Last Forever

2010-11-21T17:57:00.000-08:00

One item on this year's birthday list was a Road ID from Jenni. I figured with as much riding we do, normally pretty far from home, it's something I hope never actually gets used, but just in case, I'll be good to go. During my run on Saturday, I wondered if the 'first responders' are even trained to look for this information. I hope they do.

The quote wasn't mine, it was chosen by Jenni. She knows me pretty well by now! :)

After a typical Friday night visit at the Bike Hub, I finally decided to pull the trigger on some of THESE. Should make for some warmer hands on the cold Winter month riding ahead.

Preparation

2010-11-14T12:27:00.000-08:00

Preparation: the action or process of making something ready for use or service or of getting ready for some occasion, test, or duty

Everything is life is all about preparation. It's pretty funny to me now as an adult, I can recall my old high school football coach(and later Principal) telling us "Failing to prepare, is the same as preparing to Fail." It might have taken me awhile to realize it, but that statement does hold a lot of truth to it.

(I have another good entry on "Transitions" as well, but I just haven't written that one up yet. Perhaps it'll be another good rainy day write-up)

This is just one of those random things that I happened to focus on today. You could say one's preparation could go all the way back to their childhood, and the decisions they made. Or whether or not a person went to high school and/or college. Or the "Yes Man" putting money away every paycheck into a retirement account. All preparation for the future.

My preparation today, took a much more simplistic approach. It was in the form of appropriate clothing for a just-above-freezing-temps, wet, windy bike ride. And this is my (pretty boring) story....

It looks like Mother Nature finally decided to pull the plug on our mild Fall weather, and throw a taste of Winter our way. Not in the form of snow, but just some seasonal temps and some cold rain. After a lazy Saturday of not doing too much, and too much of polluting my body with beer and unhealthy food this week, I absolutely had to go do something productive come Sunday.

I had a chat with Jenni, over some banana walnut pancakes I whipped up for breakfast, about how much I hate this time of season. It's "too cold to bike" according to Jvog, yet not cold enough to ski. After a few days of rain, I had zero interest in getting muddy at Baird Creek, so what was the plan gonna be? Mount up the trainer? Ride rollers like Tyson? Hitup the gym for a cardio session on the elliptical or treadmill? Head outside for a run like Kurt?

"Just MAN UP and go for a road ride already!", Jenni says. Wow, I just got called out by the funbuster. "Just put on one of those facemask things, and you'll be fine."

So, yep, that was the plan. After a couple text messages to see if anyone else was up for it, looked like I was riding solo. Fox River Trail was the planned route.

After digging out all the cold weather gear, and what seemed like 30minutes of putting everything on, I was mobile and on the move.

Yes, the winds were pretty strong at 20-something mph. BFD. I was prepared with the proper clothing choices, and I was riding. I REALLY do enjoy just riding my bike. After hitting the trail, I realized I really didn't want to ride the boring trail for a couple hours. So, change of plans. It was then the old school Wrightstown Loop I used to with Luke and Brando. Ah, just like old times, but this time, it was me and Jack Johnson(on my ipod). Nice, mellow easy ride. It's amazing the things you notice when you are not trying to "pull though" or setting yourself up for a sprint-sign on the local group rides. Since when is there a caboose on Cty ZZ? The Wrightstown bridge FEELS a lot steeper than it LOOKS. My solo rides are a time where I can just let loose and entertain myself with my thoughts. I guess it's my time, to stress relieve.

Every ride has a purpose. Today's ride was an easy endurance ride. Not sure if it was to get a jump start on next year or just to try to "keep" whatever fitness I have remaining from 2010, but I think it was just for me to get outside and get some activity in. The longer you ride into Winter, the less fitness you'll lose come Spring. We'll see.

Anyway, it was a great solo ride, that was just under 30 miles of pavement. just me, and my thoughts. Yes, it was 39degree cold, windy, and wet. My cold-weather clothing preparation was near perfect. Except for my toes getting pretty damn cold near the end. I think a quick stop at the Bike Hub for some Toe Warmers, for under my booties. So, for the most part, I was prepared today.

Then, later on I got a text from Bloody-Mary-drinking-Jvog, asking, "Can JShoe of 2011, train more than JShoe of 2010?"

Lets just say, Failing to prepare, is the same as preparing to fail. And I will be prepared. Good things are happening.

Today was a good day, and I don't feel like typing anymore. GET SOME!

110610

2010-11-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

Today: Sunny to partly cloudy. High 49F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.

So, no Iceman Cometh for me this weekend. But, good luck to those all in attendance! I'm thinking next season, I'll make the journey.

Today, the Nicolet Roche trail system is on tap for a little group ride goodness. The roster appears to be: Myself, Rookie, Wrong Turn, and Swede.

On a positive note, Langlade Area Mountain Bike Association(LAMBA) received an $8,739 Federal Grant, for trail signage and maintenance equipment for the local trails! Very nice!

Tomorrow: Sunny along with a few clouds. High 53F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday will bring a ride at Baird Creek at some point.

Monday: A few clouds. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the upper 30s.
Monday, back to Baird Creek at ~6pm-ish to celebrate the early sunsets with a night ride.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 50s and lows in the mid 40s.
Then, the weekly Tuesday Night Ride @ Baird Creek at 7pm.

Ah......nothing better than Fall mountain biking in the cool, brisk Wisconsin air. GET SOME!!!

2 for 2

2010-11-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday marked the 2nd annual Stump Farm Duathlon at the Reforestation Camp in Suamico, WI.

Last year, Caleb ran the 5k, and I did the 20mile mountain bike. We won that day. Good times.

So, this season, teammate Ben "Wrong Turn" Neubauer insisted on running the 5k, and I'd do the 20mile mountain bike.

Waiting for Wrong Turn to finish the 5k.

All done. First Place Team Relay finishers! (sweet bike)

Trophy for first place. Mmm beer trophy's are the best.

So...that's 2 races for the new Specialized S-Works of mine. Just so happens, it was 2 victories as well!? Maybe it's the bike?! Very nice! And back-to-back victories for the duathlon! Will it be 3 next year?

Gotta beat 43.6#

2010-10-31T06:21:00.000-07:00

After waking up this Sunday morning, drinking coffee, checking the net for the daily news.....

I read THIS ARTICLE....

and THIS ONE.....

It got me thinking that it's time........for THIS. (Cranksgiving 2010)

I'm thinking Friday, Nov 5th, or Saturday Nov 6th!? Stay tuned for more.....

Fall blows...

2010-10-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

..leaves.

There's a trail under there somewhere.

Yep, there it is.

Well, Hello again.....

The trails should be a little bit better now for Tuesday's night ride(weather pending).

Oct 24

2010-10-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

...is the last day to buy tickets to the WORS BANQUET.

The WORS End of Season Awards Banquet will be held October 30 at the Ramada Inn in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

The schedule will be much as it has been in the past:

11:00 - 2:30 Closed Race Directors meeting
3:00-4:00 Open riders meeting
4:00 – 6:00 Social time with cash bar
6:00 – 7:00 Dinner Buffet
7:00 – 10:00 Awards and Raffles

Get Blasted!

2010-10-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

@ Beechwood...

Yet another perfect weekend for racing. After a couple years of heckling, I decided to try my luck at the good old Beechwood Blaster. Being a newbie of the course, and never riding my new bike yet, I opted for the 3 lap race, after consulting with the MC of the day, Josh B. I must say, my expectations were set pretty high, and the venue surely exceeded them. Great organization along with a great course.

This was set to by my first ride on the new ride. (2010 Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper 29) Notice the creative paper plates for numbers. It lets the creative side(or lack thereof) come out in everyone.

Annual 3/4 lap flyover, prior to the Shotgun Start.(litterally)

Ben and Joe on the handup station. Hydration is key.

This is my kind of race.

Post-race recovery food. Fat kids love cake. and cookies. and candy bars. and apple strudel. and muffins. Om nom nom....

MC Josh with the top finishers of the 4 lap race on "the podium". (3rd place Glenn, 2nd Joe, and Winner Ronsta.)

Myself, and (2nd place finisher, and co-race directo) Joe, picking up our winnings.

3-time Blaster winner, Ronsta sporting his new custom Beechwood Blaster sweater/trophy.

All racers received a custom Twin Six t-shirt. (Rookie will be jealous he didn't get one!)

Props out to Paul for his 3rd place finish on the SS for the 2 lap race, and killer riding by LJ, Sara, and Melinda as well. Great to see Wrong Turn come out of his partial retirement as well.

I was the 1st wheel to cross the finish line in the 3 lap race, so I guess I WON. I even managed to go up on the podium, without tipping over. Giggitty. Bike worked flawlessly, and climbs like a goat. Now, I just need to improve the engine. Thanks to the guys I rode with most of the day, Mike C, Mark B, and Greg J. Four lap race next year for sure.

All in all a great morning/afternoon/evening with the crew. Thanks to the Fuel Cafe' guys for putting on this awesome race. See you next year....

WORS: Season Finale

2010-10-12T18:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend marked the final WORS race of the season in Sheboygan, WI. Weather was cooperating perfectly, unlike the cold temperatures for race weekend last season.

(start of the Sport SS wave)

After a nice long warmup with Tyler, Rookie, Mark and a few others, it was time to hit the chute.

Since it was gonna be a pretty bumpy race, I decided to use the Cambelbak. Good choice. No regrets. It was pretty nice to not have to worry about handups(or missing handups) for once.

Plus, Jenni had her hands full all day, as someone else had her attention most of the day....the team mascot.....

(my cheering section)

The Don said GOOOO...and we were off. I REALLY need to work on start position in the chute, as I was in last place, literally, going up the paved incline. With a quick split of the trees, I managed to work my way up prior to the singletrack. One nice thing about being in the back of the pack, is the recovery time from the all the bottlenecks in the singletrack sections early in the race.

After a few sections of singletrack the group I was riding was off the back of the main group. It was Corey, me, Dan, Nick and Mark shortly behind trying to bridge the gap, to no avail.

Up the "equalizer" at the end of first lap, figured an $5 was to be had. Wrong. After attempting to make a pass by taking the left side, I spun out at the top. Damn. But, I made the pass at least. Maybe $5 next lap!?....

Down the Sheboygan slickrock, into the sand pit. Nate led, followed by Corey into the sandy section. Then came SS Mark, myself, Dan(or Bill?), and Nick I believe. See the VIDEO here. (you can even hear me cheering on my Comp teammate in passing. "Go Vogels! You got this!")

The rest of the race was status quo. Hammer as hard as you can without putting yourself into too much trouble. Hit the hills hard, recover on the downside. Let the big wheels hammer the roots, forget about finesse. Just go, and keep the flow.

The Stumpjumper 29 worked flawlessly, as always. The big 29" wheels are a must-have for the roots at Evergreen in my opinion.

I crossed the finish line in 33rd place overall.(also Cru Jones' race number!) For me that was another successful race. With such a great course, I wanted to spin a 6th lap post-race just to enjoy the trails a little bit longer. Hats off to the Sheboygan FAT KATS!

After the awards were the annual Sheboygan Raffle. Again, like every year, I didn't win anything. But, that's fine by me. I'm just happy getting to spend a few extra hours socializing with some great friends and fellow racers. The "race" is just one small aspects of a WORS weekend. It's more about the "whole scene" and getting to hang out with some close friends, the ones you've come to make some strong relationships with over the years. It's pretty funny actually, during our races, with our heart rates pegged at redline, you can still hear racers chatting it up about what's going on outside of the race you are currently doing. Good stuff. Good people.

(Jvog, Jshoe, Rookie)(photo courtesy of Mrs. Jvog)

Every RACE is a learning experience, at least for me. Every SEASON, is a learning experience. The season of 2010 was most likely the most beneficial yet. First season racing Elite has officially come to end. Somewhat bittersweet as usual. Take a short time to reflect, but more importantly, take some time to figure out how to make improvements for 2011. Preparation is key. And I will be prepared....

I have a feeling good things are in store....is it too soon to start training for next season?

"nobody has ever drowned in their own sweat"

Special thanks to all of our sponsors this season! We couldn't do it without you!

Performa
S&M Tool
Bike Hub
Specialized
Bike Everywhere

Pre Sheboygan

2010-10-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

Friday night was a short ride at Baird Creek w/Scott G, Tyson, Kurt, and Jesse Sharp....followed by some recovery beverages at Titletown Brewery.

My attempt at video without crashing, like BW.

A busy Saturday meant an early rise to head down to Sheboygan for a quick pre-ride. Looks to be a super fast and dry course....with some added singletrack. Two thumbs up!!

Headed back home to make Jenni's nephew's first year old birthday party. That kid sure demolished the cake! wow! I was extremely jealous.

Then it was one last Pre-Race bike cleaning for the season. A clean bike is a fast bike. I hope.....

Tonight, I get to make fun of JVog rockin' a tuxedo for his bro's wedding. Perhaps he'll still be rockin' the tux for his teamkit for the race tomorrow!? Time will tell....

I cannot wait for go time tomorrow, Sheboygan is always a great venue, and a great social atmosphere post-race! Performa looks to be representing tomorrow with some Oktoberfest goodness....so keep your eyes open...

CO Trip 2010

2010-10-07T15:20:00.001-07:00

What a busy weekend....

I flew into Denver at about 4pm Friday afternoon with Tyler Welnak to visit his brother Ben, for a mountain bike vacation.
Then it was off to Wheat Ridge Cyclery to pickup my Specialized Stumpjumper FSR for the weekend.

We drove over to Centennial Cone immediately after for a ~2hr night ride. The roster was: Ben Welnak, Tyler Welnak, Brett Ebben, and myself. Start out with a solid 2,000ft of climbing.

Then it was off to Breckenridge to camp for the night.

First, we snagged dinner at Tommy Knocker Brewery.

It was a little chilly up at 9,000ft in October! I was a little leary that we were camping next to a huge pile of bones as well!?

It was a brisk 29 degrees in the morning, according to Brett's car temperature gauge. Oh yeah, upon waking I found myself already breathing heavy, as I only live at 700ft, not 9,000+ft.

Saturday was scheduled to be "the long day" of riding and climbing. The plan was to do majority of Stage 2 of the Breck Epic, that Ben did a few weeks prior. Ben figured it'd be about a 6 hour ride.

I think I drank more coffee over the course of the weekend, than I did water.

Parked for day, overlooking Breckenridge Ski Area.

BW checking if we're on schedule. Brett changing a flat tire.

Myself making the turn onto the CT(Colorado Trail).

Brotherly love. Or bickering. Ben and Tyler Welnak.

The group.

We cut the ride a tad bit short, but we still ended up with just shy of 5hours, and ~4,000ft of climbing. Back to BW's casa to eat up some killer food courtesy of Chef Ben.

Sunday morning was Indian Creek. A scheduled 3hr ride.

Ben excited to ride.

We had a group of 7 solid riders.

Go Performa!!

Ben attacking a switchback.

another ~3,000ft to the pile...

After showerering up, we took a quick trip into Golden.....

Local wildlife

Red Rocks Amphitheater. I'm such a tourist.

And the best thing about riding your a$$ off, is the RECOVERY....

Final night "team bonding".

Here's a sweet video Ben made.

Yep, that was the weekend in a nutshell. Super busy, but very good. I was glad to get back to sea level on Monday afternoon, where I could actually breathe normally again.

A HUGE thanks goes out to Ben and Amy for putting up with us for the weekend, and Specialized and Wheat Ridge Cyclery for hooking me up with a sweet ride while I was out there!!

Can't wait to get back out there already! If things go as planned, next year will be another 2-3 training trips over the Summer.

Coming up is the final WORS race of the year in Sheboygan! Should be a great time!

Westward...

2010-09-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

Quick blog post. Life is good right now. The month of September was pretty damn good. Busy, but fun.

Chequamegon 40 was a great weekend away with majority of the Performa team, and WORS Bear Paw was just a great day in the saddle overall. A few productive night rides to get the juices flowing.

(then I stumbled upon my photo(by Danny Marchewka) on CyclingNews.com. ) (my blog heading photo is also by Danny Marchewka)

With that....time to bring on October!! I love the Fall. Sheboygan is always a great venue. Then comes Beechwood Blaster, which I hope to FINALLY attend? Mix in some cross races perhaps? My 30th birthday will be thrown in there for good measure(at Titletown Brewery?). Then the WORS banquet followed by the Stump Farm offroad Duathlon!

But, my October will start out with a trip to visit teammate, Ben Welnak, yet again in the lovely state of Colorado for some Front Range (off road) ridin'.

(photo from 2009's trip)

The plan is for Ty Welnak and me to depart Green Bay Friday afternoon, and return on Monday afternoon. (after hitting Luna w/LJ to fill myself with coffee and head to work for a couple hours Friday morning)

Hit the tarmac(the airport term, not the road bike) around 4pm in CO, then head over to Wheat Ridge Cyclery to pickup my Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Elite for the weekend.

Thank you Specialized!!!!

We're doing a night ride Friday night at Centennial(?) something? Then driving up to Breckenridge to camp for the night at ~10,000ft!? hmm...should be interesting with temperatures in the 30's overnight. Then it's the Colorado Trail for some climbing Saturday upon waking.

Sunday is more Colorado Trail from BW's house. It sounds like we should have quite the crew riding all weekend, so hopefully I can hang with minimal blood loss, and scar tissue. I'll try to update while I'm out there, but I have a feeling the recovery beverages will be more of a priority than sitting on a computer.

I just hope it's not like last year's trip. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate being a Bike Path Warrior as much as the next guy, but this trip is NOT about riding on pavement!

Alright, time to get off my rear, and go pack my gear....

..wait wait wait..stop everything. ROOKIE updated his blog!!

For Sale.

2010-09-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

2010 Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29 (19")

All Stock, except:
Easton EC70 Carbon handlebars and Seatpost.

Brand New(never used): Wheelset/Cassette/Grips

Fox F29RL 90mm air-sprung fork with rebound/compression adjust, lockout and v-brake bosses is everything you need for this true to the trails 29er
9mm thru-axle front hub with hi/lo flanges and DT Swiss Competition spokes comes with 24/28mm end caps for increased tracking strength and multi-fork compatibility, with a quality DT Swiss alloy freehub in the rear
FACT 8m carbon Stumpjumper HT 29er frame with stiff, tapered head tube and 29" race geometry offers superb ride feel and performance in an incredibly lightweight package
Avid Elixir R lightweight hydraulic brakes with tool-free reach adjust and long lasting metallic pads halt bombing runs with superb control and modulation

More pictures upon request.

Email me at j_shoe99@yahoo.com if interested.

Keep Me Employed...

2010-09-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for me to head back inside for some on-bike training. That means that Adult Cycling classes are starting up again for the Fall session at the local YMCA. More participants, the better in my opinion...(and more cyclists = even better)...so.....go sign up for my class. If there is a lack people signed up, they will cancel it on me.

Classes are Monday nights 7:15-8pm @ the West Side YMCA in Howard. Start date is Monday Sep 13th.

Adult Cycling - 42174
Ages: 14 Yrs. to 99 Yrs. Fees: - Cycling Member pro rate $22.50 - Cycling GP pro rate $45.00 Description: Cycling classes for every level. Studio cycling is an exciting, motivational stationary cycling program. Instructor takes the class on an inspirational ride using music and cues to mirror a road experience. Spots Available: 11

(not much) Labor (to)Day

2010-09-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

Today was a pretty lazy Labor Day.

The weekend consisted of some MTB'ing at Baird Creek Saturday morning w/Swede. Then off to Jvog's cottage for the weekend. Sunday morning was more MTB action w/Swede and Fast (SS) Mark at Nicolet Roche. Octoberfest @ Randy & Debbie's was a success. Thanks for the hospitality....

Upcoming plans for the week:

Tuesday: Anyone wanna ride Bairds?(weather pending)
Wednesday: GBCx = good times. Do eet....
Thursday: more Bairds?

I'm leaning toward racing WORS Lake Geneva this weekend, but not positive yet. After looking into hotels, it seems like everything is booked. And from year's past, it seems like camping is typcally filled up early too. What's everyone's plans? Jenni's opting out for this weekend, so looks like I'll be ridin' SOLO. (linked for LJ)

The weekend after will be another travel weekend to Chequamegon Nat'l Forest with the Performa crew. Followed by USGP Cx and WORS Bear Paw.

Busy, busy....

Free Friday

2010-08-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Thursday night brought me to 1265 Lombardi Avenue with 60,000+ of my closest friends.

Since I figured we'd be out pretty late Thursday, I decided to take off of work on Friday. What to do? What to do?

After coercing Andy(Bike Hub mechanic) and Brent "BP" Palmer into riding with me Friday morning, we decided to hitup Nicolet Roche trail system north of Shawano.

The trailhead is somewhat hidden. We drove by it once, then turned around and parked on the side of the street.

...break time....

It is pretty fun riding there. BP and I both ran 34/18 which, in hindsight, was a bit too stiff. The trails consist of a ton of rocks and boulders, and some nice power climbs that make you earn it. While riding I noticed it had a little bit of everything. I found a website stating it was a 12mile loop, but my GPS only said ~7.5miles. Hmm...

I have a feeling I'll venture over there again Labor Day weekend, as it isn't too far of a drive from Jvog's Cottage.

I also had some free time on my hands after I got home and cleaned up the bikes, and did some laundry. Figured it was a good time to head out for a quick 2 mile run, to get the running legs ready for the upcoming cyclocross season. Wow. I still don't understand how I can bike for 3+hours at 170+bpm.....but I try to run for 2miles and I feel like dying. That's OK though, I have ran since a 15k last Fall, so it'll be babysteps for awhile.

Twas a good Friday. Not sure what Saturday or Sunday will bring.

Good luck to all the WORS racers this Sunday.

Why SS?

2010-08-25T18:56:00.001-07:00

I felt I just absolutely had to share this article I read online tonight......

I can specifically recall at least a half dozen times, when I'd show up for a group mountain bike ride on my Singlespeed mountain bike......

...after other friends/teammates/enemies/randoms notice that I have my old tank of a singlespeed, instead of my my new super sweet full carbon race rocket with gears-o-plenty.....they ask the same question time and time again...

"Really!? You're riding a singlespeed!? WHY!?"

My quick response is, "Why not!?"
My semi-technical response is, "I think it's more FUN. And it's better for training." Even though I would never elaborate as to HOW it was better.

then I stumbled upon a great writeup from Lynda Wallenfels, 2009 24hr solo singlespeed nat'l champion.

Here's an excerpt from the article, which I suppose would be the UBER-technical way of explaining WHY I train on a singlespeed, yet race on a geared bike:

Question: Seems everyone has a Single-Speed mountain bike to train on these days. Am I missing out on something?

Answers: Single speed training isn’t just for dedicated single speed racers! All mountain bike racers interested in improving their limiters in a fun and specific way can benefit from riding and training on a single speed.

Single speeders spend more time at higher and lower cadences than gearies. Gearies concentrate the majority of pedaling around a small preferred cadence range, whereas single speeding requires cadences in a huge range, from 20 rpm to over 130 rpm. Single speeding puts you out of your cadence comfort zone and stimulates new abilities.

The force distribution differs significantly between both riding styles. Single speeders spend more time pedaling at higher force levels at lower cadences (i.e., they do a lot of mashing and a lot of standing). It is a matter of physics – to maintain a given power output if cadence decreases pedal force must increase, and as cadence gets really low pedal force must increase a lot. To single speed successfully you have to push a lot harder while pedaling slowly! The cadence and force characteristics of single speeding are similar to structured training drills such as spin-ups or force repeats. The single speed mountain bike is a valuable training tool!

Any hard tail mountain bike can be converted into a single speed. Everybody has an old hard tail in their garage – right? Take off all the shifting stuff and put on a handful of cassette spacers, a chain tensioner and a single speed cog.

Another benefit of riding a single speed is that single-speeds are the ultimate bad weather training machines. Sloppy conditions are hell on drivetrains. Train on a single-speed through mucky and wet conditions to save your bling race bike and components for race day.

Training on a single speed builds fitness in a very specific way.

Torque
Low cadence/high force pedaling time improves low cadence power abilities mimicking the goal of structured workouts such as force repeats or muscle tension sessions. Increasing leg strength on the bike is more specific to mountain bike racing than lifting weights in the gym and comes along with the added benefits of cardio and skill development.

Full body Strength
Pedaling uphill, off-road, out of the saddle with high force and low cadence is a full body effort. This type of training increases upper body and core strength in a riding specific position.

Improve Pedal Stroke
High cadence pedaling time improves pedal stroke and replicates the goal of skills workouts such as spin-ups.

Bike Handling Skill
Single speeding enhances technical skill development with a simplified focus. Single speeding requires no gear-choice, attention and there is no need to ease up on the pedals to plan a gear shift. This frees up all pedaling and thought time to conquer a technical challenge. Hammer straight into an obstacle and attack!

Increased Efficiency
Without a big ring to accelerate after momentum loss, the penalty of technical mistakes is magnified on the single speed. It teaches you to maintain speed in corners and traction while pedaling out of the saddle. You become a more efficient rider with increased skills to maximize efficiency and conserve momentum.

Line Selection
Trail momentum killers such as soft dirt, holes, bumps and rocks become bigger features to the single speeder with no big ring to power it out. The penalty of losing momentum is a strong motivator to ride the fastest line on the trail. You will learn how to keep your bike flowing along with less power. You will become a smoother rider.

Incorporate single speed training into your program as a way to improve limiters in a manner most specific to cycling. The new challenge will add variety, simplicity in bad weather, and most of all you will reap big training benefits while having a ton of fun out on the trails.

Click HERE for the full article on mtbracenews.com

One of the added benefits that she doesn't list is simply the FUN FACTOR of riding with one gear. It's hard to explain, but I feel like a kid again everytime I hop on the old one-cog.

Want a cure for the dreaded "burnout" phase of the season?? Take out a singlespeed on your favorite trail for your next ride with some of your riding buddies. I guarantee you have a smile on your face the whole time. That's my cure for my burnout spells. Works every time.

Post Shevegas WORS thru April is my one-cog mtb season at Baird Creek. Night riding galore. We were SS'ing up until Dec 2nd last year, until the snow came. Hopefully we can match or beat that this season.

...Sheboygan will be the last time I ride a geared mountain bike.....most likely until Iola. The only bad part about that....is remembering how to, and when, to use the shifters again.

By riding a SS, you are essentially killing two birds with one stone......
1. You are having a BLAST mountain biking with your friends, and can't stop grinning. (Which is why I ride SS during the off-season)
2. You are getting a KILLER workout that you're geared buddies are not. (Which is why I ride SS during the off-season)

yes, I know. Even after the above UBER-technical explanation of WHY we ride singlespeeds......SOME PEOPLE JUST STILL WON'T GET IT......oh well.

OK, I had to get that off my chest now. Thanks for listening. Time for bed.....as a busy workday, followed by a few hours of never-ending trailwork makes for a tired Jesse.

Is it FALL yet??

RR...

2010-08-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

...does NOT equal Rest and Relaxation this weekend!

This weekend mark's the 3rd viewing of the WORS Reforestation Ramble.

After a short, but super intense thunderstorm on Friday, much of the Green Bay area was underwater. I've heard that the Camp, being a bit north of town, didn't get hit as hard thankfully. After a delayed pre-ride time of 3pm, it gave me some extra time in the morning to get some stuff done.

I'm really looking forward to the race this weekend, as i've put in hundreds and hundreds of miles on this trail system through the years. I guess the 12hr solo races, and 6hour training rides(sometimes in the rain) seem to pay off at times. Hoping for a repeat of my race performance last season. I'm guessing they will choose to eliminate the longer version leadout, and cut out some WET doubletrack to make it closer to the WEMS race? Time will tell......

While degreasing/washing/lubing my Specialized Stumpjumper this morning, I thought to myself, "Why am I getting my bike all shiny again, just to get to covered in mud in a few hours during the pre-ride!?" Simple answer. A clean bike is a fast (and happy) bike.

After last weekend's 48mile point-to-point Epic, Ore to Shore, I realized after the race that my seat bag came open at somepoint, and I no longer had anything to change a flat tire with me. Dangit....So I managed to sneek over the Bike Hub to pickup some "just in case" essentials. A couple things you cannot get caught without on the trail.

If anyone is bored on Sunday post-race, it sounds like most of the team will be heading to a local establishment for some recovery food and adult beverages. I heard ROOKIE has some WORS cash burning a hole in his pocket from his numerous podium appearances...

See ya at the Ramble...and don't forget to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate this weekend.

Quitters....

2010-07-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon a great writeup on mtbracenews.com from Alison Dunlap today....and I couldn't agree more!

Stolen from mtbracenews.com:

Alison Dunlap is a certified Level II USAC Coach and has been working with athletes for five years. She runs a coaching business called Alison Dunlap Coaching, and has mountain bike camps in Moab, UT through the Alison Dunlap Adventure Camps. Alison is also a two-time Olympian, MTB World Champion, and 13-time National Champion. www.alisondunlap.com

Question: If I am having a difficult race when is it OK to DNF. Is it better to pull out and save my energy or is it bad to give up once I have started a race?

Answer:

The answer to this question is easy. You never want to drop out of a race unless you have one of the following excuses:

1. Your bike is broken and is no longer rideable

2. You are deathly ill, throwing up, or running a fever

3. You’ve crashed and there is blood everywhere or you’ve broken a bone

If you’re just having a bad day, then grit your teeth and tough it out. You will have a lot more respect for yourself if you finish then if you drop out. Once you drop out of a race, it becomes easier to drop out of another. It is easy to race hard when you feel good. What makes a true champion is someone that finishes the race despite having the "worst day of his life”. Bike racing is incredibly difficult. Don’t give up on yourself because you think you’re having a bad day. The legs might come around and you might surprise yourself on the next lap. If you quit you’ll never know what might have happened.

Happy trails!

Alison

Franklin Cancelled...

2010-07-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

So that means:

Friday night gathering at Mackinaw's in Green Bay, to drink some beers, eat some Buffalo, and watching THESE GUYS perform. I expect to see everyone I know there.

Saturday will be a good 3hour road ride, then depart down to MKE to watch the DOWNERS AVE road race, and drink some more beer. Anyone else going?

Sunday will need to have some dirt miles involved. Time/Place yet to be determined. Perhaps get a good group of local fast guys at the CAMP for a hammerfest? A little course refresher prior to the Reforestation Ramble? Let me know who's riding.....

TGIF...get yourself some!

4th Place & 5 hours

2010-07-18T14:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning was the Troutman 50k Road Race in Kewaunee, WI. After a short night's sleep, we picked up Seth Lenss for 6am, and off to the race we went. It appeared maybe ~35 racers showed up?(not to mention a ton of racers for the duathlon)

It was a "moderate" speed first half of the race. I tried to stay near the front, and near Mitch, Seth and Caleb. At some point just over half way, Mitch asked Curt what our mileage was. We were about 18.5miles out, and with that answer Mitch decided to attack the group of 10 riders that were off the front. Seth followed suit, as did Caleb and myself. Then we had the gap from the group.

The next ~12 miles would be the hardest I've ever "worked" on a road bike, or at least from what I can remember. With a heart rate over 180bpm for 30+ minutes, I was just happy to be in the lead group with some fast guys. I felt like I was dying trying to hang.....

We took short turns pulling for the next 12 miles until we reached Kewaunee. After a short slow up thru the city, the course took a turn uphill. That's where Mitch attacked first, and Seth shortly after. Caleb and I were slower to react, and then realized no matter how hard we tried, we would end up fighting for 3rd. A few attacks thrown at young Caleb, and nothing. He was with me wheel for wheel. Dammit. Final turn into the finish, and the sprint was on. He thought I was going right, but I chose left. Missed some early shifts, and he outsprinted me by a 1/2 wheel. Oh well, I was happy with 4th overall. Mitch took first, and Seth took 2nd, both with the same time. Great race course, I'll mark it down for next year.

Can you tell when we made the 4man break(based on HR)?

4th Place. Good stuff.

Sunday morning brought the Titletown Bike Tour in Green Bay. Most of us decided on the 100k route. I decided I needed some more saddle time and biked from home instead.

In good company.

Wet, wet ride.

Congrats to Jenni for completing the 35k route, in the pouring rain! Perhaps she'll catch the "biking bug" now??

A great long day in the saddle with some good friends. I pulled into my house with exactly 5 hours. Ride hard, recover hard!

Next weekend plan's are to head down to watch the Downer's Avenue Crit on Saturday. Eat some food. Drink some beer. Oh, and a couple more long days in the saddle.

For the inquiring minds:
I'll be skipping Franklin this weekend, as I skipped Eau Claire too. I decided to take some time off from the normal race scene to focus on a solid "training" block instead. One cannot improve with a overdosed schedule of "race/recover/repeat". Or at least I can't(which I proved w/my power testing). Back to the drawing boards. Hopefully everything works out for the best. I've had some great back to back to back weekends of solid riding/training. (Thanks again to my very-understanding GF for putting up with it!) Looking forward to tearing up Border Battle and Ore To Shore next month!

OK....time to go do something productive. or not.

Side Note:
The thoughts of a Cyclocross Bike are filling my head lately. One that can be used for some local cyclocross training, or perhaps a race or two, and then can be fendered and racked for a new commuter. Anyone have any suggestions?? Bueller....

June 19/20

2010-06-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

Not too much has been happening in the world of Shoemakerville lately.

I picked up some antibiotics and Mucinex yesterday. Hopefully it works soon, as I've been fighting off something for a week now. Being sick and still racing equals piss-poor race results as I learned this past weekend at Kewaskum.

(photo by TJ Harron)

Last night's Camp Crit went well. We had 8-9 riders for the 30minutes of hell. We even had one SS'er who held on for the whole thing. 34/14 is a pretty tough gear I would think. Nate/Tyson battled it out till the line, with Swede taking the "W" yet again.

I just registered for the Subaru Cup races. Cross Country and Short Track. No Super-D for this guy. Hoping to camp all weekend, if the weather cooperates! Looking forward to watching the Top National Pro riders tear it up...

Tonight, will most likely be the Bike Hub Ride for me.

As of right now, four of us Performa riders are venturing down to Mt. Morris this saturday for an early preview of the race course. Then most likely grilling out at my place.

Sunday is the Tour of America's Dairyland race in Appleton. Tentatively, 3-4 of us plan on racing that one as well. Should be a good time, with hopefully nice weather.

Thats this upcoming weekend in a nutshell. Good luck to Jenni and friends who are participating in this marathon in Duluth, MN.

5/19/10: 30 minutes of fun

2010-05-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

Tuesday: Baird Creek MTB w/BW

Wednesday 5/19/10: Camp @ 545pm for warmup lap, then 30min short track after. FREE RECOVERY DRINKS(aka: BEER) post-ride/race for those who are man enough to ride for 30 minutes. DQ Blizzard bets are highly encouraged as well. Challenge your buddy!!

Thursday: Bike Hub Ride
Friday: ?
Saturday/Sunday: WEMS Greenbush. 3hr solo. Anyone else racing? Or perhaps get some guys to ride the course @ 9mile???

The below video is my version of "praying to the cycling gods" as far as a quick delivery on my still-on-order race bike. It's a little BICYCLE BOOGIE courtesy of Cru Jones, and "that girl from Full House".

GET SOME!!

Camp Crit Vol 1.0

2010-05-14T05:22:00.000-07:00

A wet, cool Thursday in Wisconsin. So what's new?

The schedule called out for an intense short track session today, so off to ride the sandy doubletrack at the Reforestation Camp it was. The original crew of 5-6 guys, slowly turned into only this HAMMERHEAD and myself. Oh well, I knew we could still make it work, and it'd be a good scouting mission for the larger groups(hopefully!!) in the upcoming weeks.

Ever since doing the WORS Subaru Cup Short Track race last season, I've been wanted to do more. I also added my first ever road criterium race this Spring. Another brutal, but great time.

Anyway, the plan was for (5) laps of the PINK LOOP at race pace. Ride agressive. Make attacks.

Even though, we only had two 'racers', we sure managed to beat the sh!t out of one another, and push our limits. mission accomplished.

Camp Crit Vol 1.0
(5) Laps
21 minutes
5.8 miles
175bpm Avg HR
186bpm Max HR
~70ft Elevation Gain/lap

Damn, that was the most fun, but brutal, mountain bike ride I've done in a long time! Thanks Erin for pushing me, as I was feeling pretty lethargic prior to riding. I cannot wait to get out there again next week, but hopefully with more riders who want to hammer! If weather permits, we can also do a short track loop at Baird Creek. Who's in?! Bueller...

Ok...time to enjoy my Friday off of work, and GET SOME stuff done before the weekend.

Good Luck to Jenni and all the runners in the GB Cellcom Marathon this Sunday, as well as all the WORS racers up in Rhinelander this weekend! Beware of the hodag!

Sitting, waiting, wishing...

2010-04-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

for this to arrive.......

hopefully just in time for....

THIS

Please, everyone out there in Rockstarland and Internetland, cross your fingers for me on a speedy arrival....There is strength in numbers.....

Only 12 more days and counting....

Reminder!

2010-04-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

Saturday April 17, 2010

Baird Creek Cleanup: The Baird Creek Preservation Foundation is sponsoring the annual Baird Creek Clean-Up at Triangle Hill Park from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. This event is open to the public. Please see the Foundation's website at www.bairdcreek.org for further information.

More MTB'rs the better...

Loading Up....

2010-04-02T12:45:00.001-07:00

Two up. Two more to go...

The 6am departure time will come early tomorrow morning....

3 days until...

2010-03-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

we depart for Townsend, TN for 7 days of biking in the Smoky Mountains.
This is looking to be the best weather forecast yet.

Hopefully, it stays this way!

I'm a BCPF Member.

2010-03-29T18:49:00.001-07:00

I consider myself a mountain biker.

I am also a member of the Baird Creek Preservation Foundation.

That said....

After a good ride out at Baird Creek Parkway this past saturday morning/afternoon with 5 strong riders, I figured we should sneek out for a couple more hours tonight. We had some interesting findings on both days...

1. Saturday's ride, we found a ~12" wide bridge across the far eastern end, which crossed the ~8ft gap across the fast flowing creek. NICE!! If anyone was glad to see this it'd be me. I've had at least two good "incidents" here in year's past.
a. First one, was an early season solo ride, attempting to cross the creek, front (26") tire hitting a rock stopping forward progress, unable to unclip, and WHAM, down I go into the creek. Slammed my knee on a rock, cut it open, and nursed myself back to my car. Turns out the cut got infected, so a trip to the doc was in order for some antibiotics and a tetanus shot.
b. Incident number 2, took place last Fall. While riding the 29" SS, I followed Tommy T's wheel to cross the creek in front of me. After I dropped my front wheel in, I must have had too much weight forward, cuz I pretty much stuck my wheel, and endo'd right into the creek. No cuts or tetanus shot to show for that one, but still sucked.

2. On tonight's ride with Tommy T(the friendly shop manager, not the Governor), we did our normal "Fall Loop" leadout back along the tracks toward the new 12" wide bridge we found on Saturday. WTF!? The bridge is gone!? damn. Oh well, tripod-walk across a log over the creek, and we're off.

3. About another 1/8th mile up the trail on our normal loop, we hit the downhill switchback to the "Big Bridge in the back". We traverse down the switchback, to cross the bridge. WTF!? There is NO MORE BRIDGE?!? Seriously!? It's literally cut up and laying in the creekbed! This bridge was a good 24" wide, by about 16ft long! Now, it's cut up into segments, laying in the creekbed. It looks like a chainsaw was the weapon of choice. Look down the trail slightly, and we find pieces of the 12" bridge that was gone just up the trail as well! Err. Not sure how to cross the creek w/o the bridge. Re-route back up the trail, up the creek a bit, to find a place to cross. Now people will be crossing THRU the creek, instead of over it. I'm guessing THRU the creek is causing more DAMAGE than OVER the creek!? So, not exactly sure why anyone would want it gone. Anyone? Bueller......Bueller......

CLICK HERE for a video of Swede riding the bridge, that is now sitting in pieces in the creek.(scroll down for the video)

I've seen some guys BOMB straight down the hill into the bridge, and fly across it. BE CAREFUL!!!

4. THIS one is still intact.

5. They need some sort of insight from local cyclists regarding the existing trail system.

6. "Political Red Tape" sucks!!!

So, the ride tonight was somewhat bittersweet. Yes, it was a great time out on a mountain bike, but it was pretty disappointing find the "damage" that was done sometime between saturday and tonight.

I wonder WHO would be so disgruntled, that they would go out there and cut up every bridge they could find, which will (in the long run) most likely only cause more "disruption" to the trail system. (Example: if a tree is down, or a bridge is removed, people will not just STOP riding. They will find an alternate route, meaning they will most likely make a new trail/path/bridge/jump getting around the obstacle.)

I'm surprised they didn't cut out the new "Eagle Scout Project Boardwalk"(over a VERY muddy section) that was completed by local scout members this past Fall!!

Frustrating.......

OK, I'm done ranting. On a semi-related issue though:

Saturday April 17, 2010

(photo of 2009 BC Cleanup from last year)

Access: Granted

2010-03-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

My check cleared today for THIS.

I'm now 2 for 2.

Redemption

2010-03-21T15:09:00.001-07:00

Today was a "redemption day" for me.

Sunday's plan was the same plan as the week prior. Double rides equaling long hours in the saddle. Last week, we met up with some local Flyers to 'warm up' for just under two hours. Then headed South with Cole to Kaukauna for another two hours.

The difference between last week and this week's rides:

1) We started out at 10am with about 10-12 riders today, versus 4 of us last week.

2) I started out today first two hours much easier than last week. Very smart idea.

3) While still windy today, it wasn't 20mph north winds in your face.

4) The ride to Kaukauna was much easier today with 3 riders(Swede, Sikora, and myself), than 2 last week.(granted one rider last week was a PRO, Cole, then myself). And we did add Joe G. to our loop today, as we crossed paths.

5) Both rides included a short stop at Plum Hill Cafe. Pretty cool place if you ask me. Last week was only coffee. Today was coffee and some strawberry crepes. Mmmm.....

6) This week was .8miles farther than last week.

7) NO BONK this week!!! Woohoo!!! I'll thank the crepes, and my bag of goodies(endurolytes and ibuprofen). I bonked horribly on the way home last week. I've learned from my mistakes.

8) Last weeks ride wasn't the last ride before a rest week. Today's is. :)

9) To those of you who showed up today to ride. Thanks! That was a damn good time!

10) This week was the most 'training stress' of the training season thus far. The plan is hopefully working.

I've been craving crepes for a LONG time.

Nate enjoying some eggs. Sikora Flyer enjoying his french toast and broken Blackberry.

Time to get up some motivation to go grocery shopping, then charring some meat on the grill, and sip some whiskey off the dock.

...keep on, keepin' on yall....

(two weeks from now, we'll be blogging in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains. These two weeks better fly by!!)

Ugh.

2010-03-14T15:51:00.001-07:00

Sunday's warm temps, and 20+mph NNE wind gusts, meant time to hit the pavement.

Met up w/Fast Mark, Wenzlick, and Sikora @ 9am for ~2hours of fun headed to the North.

After finishing up that ride, I got a text from Cole House, who's in town for the week, before he leaves for Europe for some Classics racing. Biked over to his house for another planned 2 hours of riding. We headed South toward to Kaukauna with the tailwind.

A quick stop in Kaukauna at a local coffee shop, since someone didn't get his morning coffee.

Riding to the South was a bad idea, at least my legs were thinking that. The last ~15miles home into the 20mph headwinds were 100% survival-mode riding, trying to be the biggest wheel sucker I could be. I got popped off the back of Cole's wheel MANY times. Thanks for waiting up for my slow ass!

Wow, that was one hell of a bonk on the way home. You ever feel like you just want to stop pedaling and lay down on the side of the road and goto sleep? Probably not the best thing to do.

Finally made it home, and final actual riding time was about 4.25hrs. Good ride, with some good company. Glad I didn't choose to ride solo today, as I was originally planning on doing.

Took a nice hot shower, then started to eat everything in sight. But I must say, I'm rather jealous after hearing all these people talking about eating CAKE!?(Sikora, Tommy Thompson, Mark Cole). Save me a piece! Fat kids love cake!!

...just keep on, keepin' on....

"Erin go Braugh"

2010-03-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

Another Friday night update for me. This time while being lazy and drinking a beer.

I've been rather lethargic lately, as far as updates go. oh well....not too too much has been new. Here are a few quick blurbs about whats going on in my world, or what crossed my mind at least, in no specific order.

-Jenni went down to Milwaukee last night for a Black Eyed Peas concert. Needless to say, she came home pretty tired this afternoon, and just wanted to rest. That means time for me to write a blog posting.

-I applied for a CAT 1 MTB license upgrade this week. Access granted. So, I registered for CAT 1 MTB primary license, and CAT 5 road secondary license. Looking forward to breaking out the new Tarmac on the road scene. Not too sure about the leg shavin' thing though.

-Wors Series number is applied for. Nothing specific, just something between 10 and 100. We'll see what "The Don" throws my way.

-THIS is a badass movie to watch on the trainer, especially since St. Patrick's Day is coming up. I watched it while riding last night, as I knew the wife would have zero interest in watching it.

-Tomorrow's weather is 44 degrees, rain, and 25mph winds. So, while riding the trainer in the morning, I will get to see how the World will end.

-After I witness the World's end, I'll be drinking some beers with the guys from the Bike Hub. We'll be heading to a local Irish Pub to watch/listen to a kick-ass old time country/bluegrass band, who we are friends with. Stop on out!!

-Performa Cycling Spring Training Trip is booked and plans are set. Depart GB on Saturday, April 3rd bright and early, and return on Sunday, April 11th. We are again four strong this year. Benjammin "Wrong Turn" Neubauer cannot make the venture this season, but taking his place will be our new rookie to the team, Justin "barely old enough to legally drink" Piontek. I frikkin' cannot wait!!! Seven FULL days of cycling and fun, with a great group of guys in the Tennessee foothills, and Smokey Mountains.

-News broke this week of no more "24hrs of 9-Mile" or "24hrs of Big Bear". Figures. Everyone around here could have told you this was gonna happen. Hopefully there's still enough time to organize something WEMS-like at 9mile this year. Time will tell. This seems pretty cool though..

-I dropped off the dog at the groomer's tonight. Eatough is now ready for Spring.

-This guy is trying to organize a group ride on Sunday morning at 9am. Damn, thats early! We'll see what happens. Might join up with them for a 'warmup' then go solo for a couple hours. Hmm...

-Twas a good feeling tonight, going shopping for some (smaller) casual shorts for Spring/Summer. I haven't bought new shorts in 2+ years, so that was also 25+ pounds ago. Time to buy some Summer clothes that actually fit. :)

-Daylight savings begins Sunday. It's about time. Warmer temps, and sunny sky's should be a very welcoming sight this upcoming week, after all this wet, gloomy weather.

-Oh, I bought a new car a week or two ago. So far, so good. It will be the designated TN team vehicle this season. Should be interesting, with 4 bikes up top.

-Still waiting on delivery of the new Specialized Stumpjumper 29er Expert Carbon. ETA = "late April". Hopefully, I'll have it in time for Iola. Otherwise, SS it will be. I do not want my first 'elite' experience to be without gears.

Beer's empty. Hope everyone has a good, safe weekend.

TGI daylight savings this week!

Rack for Sale

2010-02-27T08:18:00.000-08:00

Used Saris Thelma 3-bike Rack. Fits 2" receiver.

Thelma is our lightest, most easy to use platform hitch-mounted rack.

Bikes can be loaded and ready to go in less than two minutes and the entire rack can be installed or removed by just one person.

Rack weighs ~31 pounds. Ratchet straps to secure bikes. Never contacts the bike frames, just the wheels. Rack folds up when not in use. Fits bikes with 700c tires, and 26" mountain bikes. (I carried my 29" SS with a little creative ingenuity, as well). Carries up to 3 bikes, up to 35 pounds each.

$349.99 msrp
Asking $200.00

Let me know if you're interested.

j_shoe99@yahoo.com

(I absolutely LOVE this rack, but traded in the truck with the hitch on it, so no longer need it. )

Friday Night Fun

2010-02-12T19:43:00.000-08:00

Quick update:

With the fresh ~4" of snow this week, I thought Jenni and I should go snowshoeing on Friday night. Nothing too exciting to report. Much of the "well beaten path" would be fully ride-able, but by next weekend(assuming no more snow) the trails should be mostly good to go. Low pressure and big knobs....

Hoping to get some good hours on the ski's this weekend, followed up by some long trainer rides on the new machine.

Final touches are being put onto the "3rd Annual Performa Spring Training Trip" to Townsend, TN in early April again. Stay tuned for more details....

Think Spring...and Happy Valentine's Day. Now go buy yourself something nice, like this guy did.

En Route...

2010-01-30T05:29:00.000-08:00

2010 Specialized Tarmac Expert SL

I hope this GUY is correct. "It’s more bike than anyone non-pro can handle. It’s super comfortable, yet incredibly stiff."

BC:GPS

2010-01-14T19:34:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the first night I was able to get the newly acquired GARMIN 500 out to Baird Creek by way of snowshoe. Nice casual pace with Jenni. She was happy she got to try out her new snowshoes, and I was happy I was able to map some typical bike routes.

Looking forward to Spring...to record all the MTB trails out there, and hopefully making some new loops, instead of our standard. Change is good.

Anyone feel like pedaling outside this weekend?? (mid 30's are forecasted)

(I'm SOOO jealous of Dave and Rebecca, who leave for AZ tomorrow for a month or so! Have fun and drive safe!)

Man With a Plan

2010-01-05T17:50:00.001-08:00

2010 is upon us. Sort of makes you ask, "what happened to 2009!?" Oh well, time to look forward to new and better things hopefully for everyone out there.

I'm guessing everyone out there had a great holiday and happy new year, and enjoyed way too many sweet things, as I did!

January 1st marked the start of a new season for me. I know many of you are in the same boat. Time to dust off the old trainer, and make sure the legs are still capable of pushing and pulling in a circular motion, in which we call a pedal stroke.

The past two months have been rather sporadic, with no real set plan to follow. This was the first Fall/Winter season ever where I still had motivation to pedal post-Shevegas. the MTB'ing at Baird Creek was perfect this Fall. I'm actually looking forward to the days of becoming an a 100% rec-rider.

Below are a couple pics of how I spent most of December. Drinking beer, and eating unhealthy...But, enjoying life and time with friends and family, so it's cool.

The New Year's weekend I was able to relax alot, which was exactly what I wanted to do. I was able to do some research/reading/browsing of the net, and able to put together my training plan for 2010. Looks to be pretty WORS specific, with no WEMS on the schedule. Of course, there will be a few other 'fun' races I'd like to do as well, but nothing over a few hours.

Yes, I've been slacking on this 'blog' thing lately, sue me. I sure have had alot goin on, as well as things going thru my head. I've been planning to post stuff, but my motivation to do so just wasn't there/here. Ideally, I'd like to post something that's super motivating/inspiring/invigorating to an average joe, but I just haven't been able to put it into words. For some reason, in times of 'new years resolutions', it seems like a very uplifting time of the year, so I'm optimistic about alot of things, and I cannot really pinpoint why? Anyway, no real motivating/inspiring stories from me today, maybe, I'll save it for another time?

One great writeup I stumbled on was THIS one. This is the type of story that I could relate to. At one point, not too many years ago, I too was an overweight and relatively sedentary person. Then, I chose to get off of my A$$ and do something about it. So, anyone and everyone, get out and DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING! Everyone starts from square one at some point in there life. Whether it is Donald Trump or Lance Armstrong. We ALL start the same. I've always been a firm believer in surrounding yourself with positive things. If you do this, positive things are bound to happen. I'd like to thank my girlfriend Jenni, for really making me realize this!

Another major time consumer was my basement the past few months. It's been on my 'to-do list' since I moved in here 2.5yrs ago.

Below is a photo of my basement as of last Summer.

After realizing, I'll be spending countless hours and hours down there working out, I figured it deserved a little attention. It was definitely NOT a very motivating room to workout in. So, after many hours of work, and countless trips to Home Depot, Menards, and Fleet Farm, i'd consider it 99% complete. It's good to go for our "Performa 3hr training rides"(or yoga/pilates, lifting, core work, etc)! Muahahahaha....let the training commence!

Special thanks to The Bike Hub for the Lance posters.

Tonight was my first trainer ride of the new year. Quite the love/hate relationship. Lower wattage numbers than I hoped to see, but it's early January, so i'll have plenty of time to work on that prior to climbing the Tennessee hills. I cannot wait to add THIS to the stable downstairs next month.

This friday night is an impromptu gathering of the minds, and then the Green Bay Gambler game on Saturday night. Hope to see you there....

Time to put the computer down. So, irregardless of what happened last year in 2009, forget about it already! Whether it was the lowest point of your life, or it was your best year yet, It's done. Finished. Look forward to what could be, work your a$$ off, and surround yourself with positive people and environments and great things will happen......

Merry Xmas: Performa Style

2009-12-24T08:58:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

the same, yet different

2009-12-12T06:23:00.000-08:00

This week brought us ~14" of fresh snow. Now is the time when our mountain bike trails at Baird Creek becoming unpassable, and we turn in our knobby tires, for some snowshoes. Jvog and I managed approx. 90 minutes of play time in the snow, along with frozen-toed Bullet(aka: the wolf).

The Last Dance...

2009-12-08T20:09:00.000-08:00

So this past weekend brought us some cool brisk weather in the upper 20's. Seven of us decided to hitup our local Baird Creek Parkway for one last ride, prior to the snow flying for Winter. Plus, we knew Tom was itching to tryout his new 2010 Specialized Epic Marathon 29.

Turns out our ride on Sunday, was NOT our last ride of the season. I was able to get Curt(of the T-Town Flyers) to sub my cycling class on Monday night, so I was able to sneak out once again for another "last ride of the season" on the SS. It was ~20 degrees or so. Brisk, but not 'cold'. After a full loop, with low batteries taunting us, we decided to call it quits, and head out. After attempting to remove my booties, I realized the toe area had turned into a 'steel toe' of sorts, from the water of the creek crossings forming a thick layer of ice over the course of our ride. No wonder my toes were number. It was by far, the coldest weather I've ever ridden in. There is something very rewarding of having ice formed on your facial hair after a good workout, all while most people were sitting at home getting drunk watching the Packer/Ravens game. All in a good nights work I guess. Damn, that was a fun season...(sorry no photos)

Tonight brought me back into the best shop in town, to snag myself a set of snowshoes, in preparation of the 8-14" we are 'supposed' to get. We'll see what happens. Now, Jvog and Duece can stop ripping on me for not have any snowshoes.

Random note: 24 hour gyms are nice on nights like tonight.... during bad snowstorms, when all the local YMCA's decide to close. You can still go and get your workouts in, and very often will be the only one there.

With as 'sad' it is to see the biking season of 2009 become a distant memory.....it is rather invigorating to welcome in the 2009-2010 cross country ski season with open arms.

....Bring on the snow!!!!

For Sale.

2009-12-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

2009 Specialized Epic Expert Carbon (Large)

100mm-travel Epic FACT IS carbon main triangle trims weight and adds stiffness for enhanced control. Performance-oriented geometry makes the Epic the fastest bike from Point A to Point B.
Specialized proprietary FlowControl Mini Brain allows Epic's AFR rear shock to instantaneously transition between firm and fully active settings, enhancing both efficiency and control.
Wheels built for speed: light and durable DT Swiss X420SL rims and Competition stainless spokes, Custom DT Swiss 370 rear hub with Two-Pawl freehub and RWS quick release, Specialized Hi-Lo 9mm thru-axle front hub for stiffness and steering percision
Custom Avid Elixir R Carbon SL brakes feature full hydraulic calipers and organic pads for enhanced modulation. 160 or 185mm rotor for awesome control with minimal weight. Elixir R Carbon SL levers feature tool-free reach adjustment for enhanced comfort and control. Carbon lever blade trims weight.
100mm-travel RockShox SID Race fork with Black Box Motion Control damper and external rebound and external compression adjust helps match fork performance to FlowControl Mini Brain and FSR telemetry.

Email me if interested: j_shoe99@yahoo.com

Hipster Cyclocross

2009-11-20T10:34:00.003-08:00

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/5684963/

Pretty funny animation...

Friday.

2009-11-12T11:32:00.001-08:00

The RULES are set for this Friday's ALLEY CAT, and the envelopes are printed!!!!

Again, this is a CHARITY RIDE and for a great cause! Get out and ride to help feed the hungry!

I've also managed to scavenge up some PRIZES locally, for the TOP FINISHERS!!!

The Abbey. Depere. Friday Night. 7pm. Bike(road, mtn, cross, hybrid, commuter, bmx, fixy, whatev). Bag. Lock. Light.

Get Some!!(this Friday)

2009-11-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

2009-11-01T05:47:00.000-08:00

Westbound...

Umm...

2009-10-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

10-15" of snow!? In October!? WTH!?

Hopefully my Thursday evening flight will make it on schedule.....

....looks like more snowshoeing, than mtn biking too. Or more brewery tours, than mtn biking!?

Better Days are comin...

2009-10-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

At least it'll be SUNNY for my trip out to Denver this wkend! Temps could be slightly warmer for my liking, but NO RAIN/SNOW forecasted.

Saturday

Oct 31

Sunny

High 47°F

Low 35°F

Precip 0 %

Sunday

Nov 01

Sunny

High 51°F

Low 34°F

Precip 0 %

Monday

Nov 02

Sunny

High 52°F

Low 35°F

Precip 0 %

I'm pretty jacked about how everything for this FUN mtb vacation is fallling into place. More details to follow....

Sigh...

2009-10-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

What a week it's been. TGIF tomorrow!!! With a crazy busy week at work, I absolutely cannot wait until this week is over. It seemed as though EVERY capital project was due yesterday for some reason. err...

Ever get that feeling like there just isn't enough hours in a given day!? Yep, that's where I am right now. Im guessing the LACK OF SUNLIGHT isn't helping the cause, nor is the CONSTANT RAINSHOWERS this week!

Met with the local crew tonight. We had a very productive team meeting to discuss logistics of the past season, and future seasons to come. I'm still very impressed on what we've accomplished in just two seasons.

Then it was off to view the highly anticipated "Race Across The Sky", a documentary on the Leadville Trail 100 Race. Good flick. Not quite 24solo quality, but good nonetheless. Im assuming registration applications for the race next year will double for sure.

Tomorrow night will bring some more basement remodeling work, or possibly an ALLEY RAT RACE if the rain holds off...

Saturday morning will either consist of more work in the dungeon...
or perhaps helping the BCPF with an invasive plant species removal from 9-11am. It's these kind of activities us local bikers, can help show the local community we respect the trails we ride every day. A "show of good will" if you will. Another step in the right direction, as far as making Baird Creek our team's protected backyard.

I decided to skip the Standing Rocks ride on Saturday, but I still plan on attending the WORS banquet to collect some bling, and down some Point Special!

Sunday, will again be spent in the dungeon, trying to finish up the wood floors. For some reason, im REALLY anxious to get the basement done. I think im focusing my time/efforts on that, since the racing season is done for me. It's actually helping me keep my sanity by occupying my time. And home projects are always fun. Perhaps sneak out for a MTB ride on sunday?

Monday will be begin my first Indoor Cycling Session since Fall. Hopefully, I don't pass out in front of my class!

Tuesday is 'Happy Bday to me'. Most likely will be heading out for some adult beverages with the crew. Stay tuned for more details...

Wednesday. Hmm.....most likely will be packing my bags.....

Thursday-Monday. VACATION!!! Hopefully, the snow stays away long enough to checkout some REAL mountain biking with B-Dub.

Dang...I didn't know I had THAT much to do between now and vacation.......again....not enough hours in a day!

that said, time to catch some zzzzzzz's.....

Race Across...Baird Creek?

2009-10-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

After Race Across The Sky on thursday night(Oct 22nd), a few of us were talking of a night ride across Green Bay at Baird Creek. Anyone else interested, let us know....

I'm Back...

2009-10-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

After taking the Summer off, from leading my Monday night Indoor Cycling classes at the local GB West Side YMCA.....I'm back. Starting Monday, October 26th, 7:15-8:00pm, my session starts again. I know a few people have been asking when they start, and I know I have a few teammates signed up already, so with only (8) openings left....hurry up and sign up!

Adult Studio Cycling - 35675
Ages: 14 Yrs. to 99 Yrs. Fees: - Cycling Member $24.00 - Cycling General Public $48.00 Description: Cycling classes for every level. Studio cycling is an exciting, motivational stationary cycling program. Instructor takes the class on an inspirational ride using music and cues to mirror a road experience. Spots Available: 8

Meets:
Monday	10-26-2009	7:15PM - 8:00PM	MPR Room #2 - West Side YMCA
Monday	11-02-2009	7:15PM - 8:00PM	MPR Room #2 - West Side YMCA
Monday	11-09-2009	7:15PM - 8:00PM	MPR Room #2 - West Side YMCA
Monday	11-16-2009	7:15PM - 8:00PM	MPR Room #2 - West Side YMCA
Monday	11-30-2009	7:15PM - 8:00PM	MPR Room #2 - West Side YMCA
Monday	12-07-2009	7:15PM - 8:00PM	MPR Room #2 - West Side YMCA
Monday	12-14-2009	7:15PM - 8:00PM	MPR Room #2 - West Side YMCA

WORS #11: Bear Paw

2009-10-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

Start Chute, with Hill Climb WAY in the background

Sara waiting for the GO!

Comp 25-29: Dan, Ben, Ben

I can only imagine what Caleb is thinking.

Congrats Justin and Brian, Comp 19-24

Great race Cole!

After having a horrible day on Saturday with nothing going my way, Sunday was more of the same, resulting in a 5th and 20th overall.

Essentially, the past 51 weeks of training will come down to Sheboygan. Winner take all for the top 3 spots.

Random quote to Wrong Turn:
"Ready your breakfast and eat hearty... For SUNDAY, we dine in hell! "

One Sweet Clunker...

2009-10-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

She-Vegas: 9/27

2009-09-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

If anyone else is interested.....A few of us are heading down to Sheboygan to "pre-ride/pre-race" the course this Sunday morning(Sep. 27th). We should get to Evergreen Park at about 9-9:30am-ish.

Tentative Roster:
Jshoe
LJ
Sara
Wrong Turn
Roland
Fast Mark
Sikora
Andy
Caleb(?)

....More wheels spinnin' the better....

4:19pm

2009-09-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

This afternoon marked the official start of Fall. It came in with a cool, wet afternoon. This meant my first day forced back into my basement on the trainer since this past April. Err....

One positive thing about hitting the trainer tonight, was that it reminded me of how precise and exact of a workout session you can get, without the external variables of riding outside. I really cannot wait until this off-season, and applying my new PowerTap technology/training.

...But first.....THIS....and THAT. And just maybe THIS, but it's doubtful.

Goodbye Summer, and it was nice while it lasted.....

Chequamegon 2009

2009-09-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

Chequamegon weekend is finally here. My first year attempting to enter this race, and I am in. I just HAD to see what kinda race this was, as EVERYONE seems to talk about it as it's the holy grail of mountain bike racing. After much planning, it was time to take Friday off of work, and head up to the Northwoods of Wisconsin....

Jvog giving 'bunny ears' to a coffee mug!?

Breakfast of Champions.

All loaded up. Jvog, Lund, and Jshoe.

Arrival at the Cabin rental. SWEET!!!
Weekend Roster: Jvog, Paul, Melinda, Luke, Sara, Nate, Kim, Lund, Parman, Chris Plesko, Marni, Scott, Brett Ebben, Me

Killin' some time and talkin' smart.

Chequamegon 40 Registration. For ~2500 racers, it went surprisingly quickly. They have obviously done this before.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Nathan Jasperson presiding. Time to discuss logistics for race day.

"Is somebody out there!?"

Bike maintenence on the porch.

"You guys should REALLY be going to bed soon, you have a big race tomorrow!"

The 5am (aka:WAY-TOO-EARLY) wake up call to stage the bikes.

Ghost Bikes. 5:45am. 15-18 rows deep already. Mental note to self: Go Earlier next year!

Time to race.

After staging about 15-18 rows deep, I figured we had maybe 400-500 people in front of us yet. After not getting in a pre-ride, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had a very poor showing at Ore To Shore, due to some mechanical issues, so I had very low expectations as far as race results from my first Chequamegon experience. The rollout thru town was much faster than expected, as we were consistently rolling at 23-34mph. Jvog quickly dissappeared toward the front to try to make up some time immediately, as I was more conservative. Yep, no sight of Jvog once we got outta town. Oh well, I fully expected him to beat me anyway, since he's got a ton of road racing experience, compared to my zero. The course was bone dry, and pretty much what I expected. Mostly hardpack rolling hills on some ski trails. I was pushing a hard pace early in hopes of catching 'the fast guys'. But, I'm slow, and they are way way too fast. Ab0ut 30 minutes of hammering, I admitedly eased up, as I had no clue what to expect of the race course. Time to conserve some energy. The hills slowly started taking there toll on me, but I was still passing people on most ascents, and descents. Damn, that EPIC can scream downhill without any worries! Finally, we got to "Fire Tower Hill", and I immediately see what everyone warned me about. UP we go. Slow climb, but not too bad. Crap. UP we go again, but a little bit slower this time. Ugh. Again? Yep, up a 3rd hill, but with a rider in front of me botching a section, I too had to dismount and hike-a-bike up the hill. Fourth hill up we go. Hmm, not too bad. Definetely not was I was expecting from what people told me. About 10 more miles to go until the finish, and I'm expecting some more major climbs to be found. Not the case, as it was pretty much more of the same. Just hammer, hammer, hammer. I caught glimpse of Jvog about 5 miles out, in a small group in front of me. Time to SLOWLY reel him in. Our two groups converged into one amongst some hills. Slowly, I worked my way up to the front, right behind Jeremy's wheel. He has NO CLUE im behind him at this point, and im sure as H not going to tell him I'm there. Time to load up on some drinks and some gels and try to recover, in preparation for the all-out sprint to the finish I'm thinking. I rode his wheel for maybe 1/4 mile when we approached a fast downhill into a left turn. He took it way too fast, and ended up going wide right, skidding to the side of the trail. Crap, what do I do? I scrubbed some speed, and took the inside line, as I KNEW he'd see me fly by him. Yep, he did. I redlined my bike up the next hill in hopes of completely dropping him then and there. "This is the last hill to the finish!", a friendly spectator yells to me. I hope he's not kidding. YES, fast descent and Im back into familiar territory of Telemark Resort! Solo sprint to the finish, and cross the line in 2:32:00.

Jeremy came in 8 seconds later. I soon found out Sikora came in 16 seconds before me. Dangit, I should tried harder. :)

Bib #	Overall Place	Division Place	Age Group Place	Name	City, State	Finish Time	Event
1504	239	212	28	Shoemaker, Jesse	De Pere, WI	02:32:00.0	Chequamegon 40

That was definitely a great time, and a fun race. I can't wait to sign up for the lottery next year. I was pleased with my time, as I figured 2h30m would be a rather 'optimistic time', and 2h45m would be a 'realistic time'. I was rather glad to have a positive race(with no cramping) as compared to the failure I felt of Ore To Shore.

All in all, Performa Cycling racer's all had great days in the saddle:
Jvog: 2:32:08
Luke U: 3:00:17
Paul "Bloody Heeled" Kekstas: 3:02:46
Sara: 4:05:18

...back to the cabin for some post-race adult beverages.

Paul and his victory dance.

Livin' the dream.

Listenin' to Plesko's tales of the Tour Divide. Crazy!!

Night Night, Mr. Parman.

Chillin'.

Mocking Jvog's 'bunny ears'.

Crap. We drank all 'the good beer'. Time for the Coors Light.

All in a good weekend's work.

What a fun weekend with some great friends, perfect weather and a great race venue. I definitely hope to go back in 2010!

(anyone interested in hitting up Bear Paw or Sheboygan next weekend??)

CFTF Virgin

2009-09-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

Well, this weekend will mark my FIRST ever Chequamegon 40 experience. The main reason I signed up for the lottery was to see what all this HYPE is about. Im more anxious for a relaxing, fun weekend out of town, with some good people, at a kick a$$ cabin!

The Performa Pad is located just South of Hayward.

The bad news => I lost my confirmation card.
The good news => After a quick email to the race director, he replied within minutes with an email confirmation of my registration! Great customer service!

The EPIC is washed, lubed and ready to go. After my first Ore To Shore experience earlier this season, I'm just hoping to finish this race in one piece, no mechanicals, and no cramping. I learn from my mistakes, which meant me going to the BIKE HUB last night to snag some CO2 cartridges!

The plan is to depart the casa-de-shoe @ 9am w/Jvog. En route to Weston to pickup Lundo, then northbound until Sunday.

I cannot wait to "sip the whiskey off the dock, and catch some walleye outta the bottle".

See ya in da Northwoods!

Wrong Turn's demise

2009-09-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

Treadfest CLIF Bar Cat 2 Comp Series start wave from Team WORS on Vimeo.

The above video is courtesy of Team Wors. I started laughing when I watched it, at Ben "Wrong Turn" Neubauer's expense. Sorry, Benny....

Ben is on the far left side in his Performa black/blue kit(I'm on far right). You can see his hopes and dreams crumble away before your very eyes. (ok, a little over dramatic...)

Notice he snaps his chain about 3 feet out of the gate ultimately giving him a DNF for Treadfest. You can see his head drop, and feet spin outta control.

He was NOT too pleased, as the same thing happened at Iola earlier this year.(and maybe Greenbush WEMS?)

2 nights. 2 crashes.

2009-09-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well, 9-9-09 brought out the first Performa Night Ride @ Baird Creek. Met at "the cool-people-only lot" for 7:30pm. I was hoping for more riders, but we still ended up with 5 solid riders, all with great technical-riding abilities.

The nights roster consisted of: Tom and Andy (from the Bike Hub), "Fast Mark" Shindel, Junior X'r Caleb, and myself.

I was happily surprised at the high pace we were managing to push thru the darkness. I was able to show Tom and Andy our "Performa Loop" we normally ride. They were VERY impressed to say the least. So impressed, Andy went back during the day today to find the loop again. Official ride time of just over an hour I believe, which was fine by me, since it was my first night-ride of the season. Hoping for many more to come!! Feel free to join us out there, as they are no-drop rides, so no need to getting worried about getting lost. Riding the trails you frequent daily sure are different when the lights go out.

Oh....quick blurb. The night ride was actually Swede's idea. I recieved a phone call from him just as I arrived at Baird Creek.

"I'm not gonna be able to make the ride tonight," says Swede.
"What!? Why not!?" says me.
"I gotta go to the Hospital to checked out. I think I broke my arm(while riding at Baird Creek just earlier)," he says calmly.

Get well soon, Swede! Let me know if you need anything.......

That was crash #1. 999 bad luck!?

With the temps near 80 degrees and sunny today, I figured I'd take advantage of the unofficial last Thursday Night Ride from the Bike Hub, instead of my scheduled "hard workout".

We had a good 20+ riders as we departed. Nice easy warmup, which leads into some extended inclines(not really "hills"). After pushing it with the lead group, I realized my legs were still not recovered from Tuesday's hard efforts. Oh well, I sit up and let the 4 leaders pop off the front, as we all regroup shortly after anyway. Long story short, I did not have my "sprinting legs" with me tonight. It turned out to be a very good thing actually.

Heading toward Wrightstown from Hwy 96, the pace picked up slightly prior to the City Limit sprint sign. There was a solo sprinter that flew up from the back. I think his name was Logan!? Off he goes out front, uncontested. He got, maybe, 30 feet off the front of the group, then WHAM! Chainsuck, while in a FULL SPRINT. His crank siezed up, body yet fully torqued. Power tranferred thru the right arm, into the handlebars, and BANG! Hit hit the pavement so hard, something that looked like glass shattered? Perhaps, his glasses? helmet? Still not sure. We all hurried to catch up, as some stopped the oncoming traffic. I think he ended up being alright, just a bit dazed, with some pretty bad road rash. Nate ended up making the call to the ambulance, and a passing off-duty paramedic stopped to offer her assistance as well. I don't think he broke anything, but I still wish him a speedy recovery. About half the group took off after the police arrived, so we could get back by dark, which we barely made it. Whoever stayed with him, please let me know how it turned out.

Random thought: I assume all cars passing by thought a cyclist got hit by a car. It was rather chaotic.

That was crash #2 in two days. WTF?! I (luckily) have not really seen ANY bad crashes this season, and now this!? Kind of makes me wonder if I should even venture down to Lake Geneva to try my luck on the technical course.

Hopefully, this bad luck goes away, and everyone rides safe and stays healthy through the remaining month or so we have left to ride/race!

See ya down at Treadfest!

Lake Geneva

2009-09-10T09:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the low 50s.
Sunday: Plenty of sun. Highs in the low 80s and lows in the mid 50s.

VERY NICE!!!! looks to be some good camping/racing weather! Most likely heading down to Lake Geneva for WORS#10: Treadfest w/Wrong Turn on Saturday for pre-ride, then camping at Big Foot Beach State Park on Saturday night.

Delayed Randomness

2009-09-07T18:37:00.000-07:00

To quote Aaron Lewis, "It's been awhile" since I've updated this blog. I've either been too BUSY, or too LAZY, but mostly the latter.

Here's some randomness I took off my camera in no particular order.....but I can say it's been a rather productive past few weeks.

Drunken Bullet.

Sippin' Whiskey on the Dock.

Sunday's MTB recon mission to Bear Paw.
Mmm....mint ice cream. Let the long weekend begin.
After the cut.
Before the cut.
Reforestation Ramble: 1st place Comp 25-29. Best race of my cycling career. So far....
Go Brewers!

Bear Paw "Rock Garden" Video.

T-minus 7 days.

2009-08-23T15:34:00.001-07:00

Well, we decided to hitup the Camp on Saturday for 3 laps w/Seth and Caleb. Caleb learned that the Camp is actually a rough course while testing out his new 96er fully-rigid. Should be a good hard fast race course next weekend! The rain this week definitely helped the course firm up. And I must say I really do like this year's course layout. Nice addition of some hills, and some added singletrack! Great job Dale and Shawn. The EPIC is dialed in, and ready to scream! I cannot wait to unleash fury next Sunday.

LJ, Sara, and Fast Mark trash talking prior to the ride.

After getting home from a road ride this afternoon, I noticed my newly (tubeless) mounted rear Racing Ralph was extremely low on air. After airing it up, I noticed another problem on the rear wheel. Im guessing spokes would work alot better if they were actually attached to the rim!? Stupid broken spoke. At least it happened on a training ride, and not during next week's 36 mile race!

Anyone coming up for the race next weekend?

Fixie Skillz...

2009-08-21T11:01:00.001-07:00

He Rides a Purple Bike

2009-08-13T10:50:00.001-07:00

My "Race The Lake" bike

Alley Rat Race: Aug 28th (8pm)

2009-08-10T08:43:00.001-07:00

2009-08-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

O2S. Site #67.

2009-08-04T06:28:00.001-07:00

If anyone is around O2S this wkend, stop by site #67 for a beer.....

Tentative plans are to leave GB around 9am on Friday morning. Goto camp, and setup for the wkend. Then, possibly hitup the trails at Marquette Mountain. I've heard great things about the 'free-ride' trails over there. :) (They even have a trail called "walk this sucker" and "your mom")

Race Saturday. Party like rockstars Saturday night.

Grass Rash!?

2009-07-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

WELL, it's not exactly the "road rash" a road racer would get, it's more of a "grass rash" on my forearm and leg. Sort of makes me wish I had shaven legs.

Kewaskum's 2009 WORS course was virtually identical the same as last years course. Essentially, you pay money to race through a mowed field. Litterally. Oh, and you climb a hill and bike around the outside of a corn field.

With the pre-ride on Saturday I was rather worried and unsure to what expect out of my performance come Sunday afternoon. Pre-rode one lap, and then made a few suspension tweaks hoping to soften the ride. Hopefully that works.

Back to Wrong Turn's house for the evening. Benny whipped up some chick'n'pasta, with a few brews. Fresh reminder of the TN trip. Then came the showing of the classic road-race flick "American Flyers".

Woke up Sunday morning, made some food, and turned on the Tour. Got a late start to the race venue, due to the excitement of today's stage.

After getting to the venue, and talking with some friends/competition, no one really seemed too eager to race today, nor did I.

The race went something like this....
To say the least, it wasn't what I had planned or expected, at all! Shortly after Don gives us the quick GOOOOO, we were off. Sitting comfortably toward the front on the leadout up until the camping area, I was right where I wanted to be. Then, the non-series racer I was wheel-sucking decided to completely wash out on a 90degree grassy corner right in front of me. Oh SH1T this is gonna hurt. I had to lock up my brakes, and go figure, I too ended up washing out my front wheel, and down I go..... sliding across the grassy corner. Props(and my apologies) to all the 19-34 COMP racers behind me for NOT RUNNING ME OVER. :) I really appreciated it, and I'm sorry for slowing you down. After getting back up, I found myself about 3 riders from the end of the wave. After hopping back on my bike and riding a few feet, I realized my seat was now pointed at about 9oclock to the left. Crap. Hop off, loosen seatclamp, readjust seat, tighten clamp, mount bike. Back on my way, but now im completely dropped from my wave of riders, and about 20 seconds from the nearest racer. damn. damn. damn. After a few discouraging thoughts and some swear words, I regathered my composure. Time to catch some guys. (and continually picking long grass attached to my shorts, elbow, and handlebars from the crash)

By the base of 'the climb' I managed to pass a couple wheels. Pretty slow moving to the top of the singletrack climb, as it was for the remainder of the day. I managed to continue to pass guys one at a time, but then started to slow down to a maintence pace. No chance to catch the leaders, it was time to settle in.

Another race within a race would have been trying to slowly catch back up to JVOG, as he too passed me while I was laying on the ground. After I caught sight of him, I slowly reeled him back in, and passed him on a grassy climb before some grassy downhill, fast, switchbacks. Then it happened again. Fast, sharp lefthand switchback. Too much speed(and/or poor fork settings and/or poor tire selection/pressures) and down I go. Front tire washes out, and sliding off course I go. Get back up, seats messed up again. Lose another 30 seconds or so. Damn. What the H am I doing wrong I'm thinking to myself.

Sort of reminded me of a line from the great 1986 Bmx racing flick called RAD. "Down goes Hollywood Mike Miranda(insert JSHOE). It's his second dramatic exit of the day!"

Needless to say, I was a little gunshy in every corner after that for the rest of the day.

Felt pretty good all day, but I guess it wasn't my day. For finding myself ~20seconds from my starting wave within a 1/2 mile of the start, I guess I was still rather pleased with my finish. I managed to pass 9 guys in my age group to finish 6th. (36th overall)

Not too bad considering I took DFL in my age group last year.

Although, the race didn't go down as I hoped or expected, it was quite the positive learning experience.

I've NEVER had any issues near the start, nor have I ever had a crash that knocked me to the back of the pack. I've always been a fast starter, and have never had to 'chase' from the back. It was a new experience to me. After a few seconds of being flustered, I made a mental choice to suck it up, and start racing. Even though I wasn't able to catch-up w/the leaders of the day, I still managed to finish respectably. A few teammates have been talking about doing some "cat and mouse" Cheq40 training sessions. That's sort of what I did today. Start off the back of the pack. Hammer to catch some guys. Sit in and recover. Pass them and bridge up to another group.

As brutally bump as the course was today and the mishaps I had during the race, in hindsight, I can say......I did had fun out there today!

On the way back to Oshkosh, we decided to stop for the traditional post-race DQ recovery Blizzards. Cookie dough for me, Tagalong for Wrong Turn.

Great job to all the racers out there today.

Another solid performance by Performa Cycling today as well!
Sara: 3rd age
Paul: 9th SS
Ben: 4th age
Jeremy: 6th age
Nate: 10th age

Big THANKS to the team for some great handups today. Sorry for not taking the PBR handup today Paul. :)

I most likely will be camping at 9mile next weekend for some riding(NOT racing) and beer drinking. Good luck to all the 12 and 24hr racers! I'll be your SUPER-FAN cheering you on.

Bring on the REST WEEK!.....see ya at The Abbey tomorrow night for some adult beverages.

One Down

2009-07-14T05:39:00.000-07:00

Creek crossing before.

...During...

...After.

Nevermind the celebration beverages. :)

"the Critics say I'm Arrogant. A doper."

2009-07-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

I saw this on TV last night for the first time. Being a Lance Armstrong fan, I thought it was a pretty inspiring commercial, when you think back about what he's gone through to get back to where he is now....