Learning to ride...

Last weekend was a big weekend for my DD. For her 6th birthday, she got a bike...without training wheels. She had been ducking the inevitable and would choose to ride the scooter instead of a "two-wheeled" bike when we went to the local school, but the new bike did the trick. : ) At first, she would put her foot down, scared that she was going to fall over. Sound familiar to anyone with kids? Then, after she realized that Daddy had her seat and would not fall over, she started to pedal, checking often to see if I was there.

If you have ever weened a little one off of training wheels, you know the amazing feeling when they finally start to gain that balance. She did just that. We worked on starting from a stand still and eventually, I let go...she was pedaling! My little girl was pedaling on her own!! After that we worked on turning...leaning and steering a little, instead of staying straight up and steering a lot. She picked that up very quickly.

I was so inspired, I decided to take a spin on her new bike also...


This weekend, I decided to take my new bike out for its first real off-road ride. I got loaded up on Saturday and headed to Auburn. Rain was threatening, but it looked like it would hold off. After reaching the trailhead, I realized I forgot my camelback with my food, water, tools, everything!! I had a water bottle and thought about just doing a bunch of little laps, but called it and headed home to do a road ride. On the way home, it poured down rain, and my day outside turned into a 4 hour trainer ride inside with some old kung-fu movies.

But, the weather cooperated today and I did get out. I ended up doing about 35 miles and 4 hours in Auburn on a beautiful sunny day. The bike climbs really well, especially up technical sections. I am still getting used to how active it is, however... standing is less to stretch out the legs and more to get up steep or rocky sections. I was amazed at how comfortable the bike is and at how comfortable I was on the bike...if that makes sense.

I rode up to Foresthill Divide, encountering some muddy sections, but not too much, and the Trails on the South and Western facing slopes were really nice. Most of my riding was done with my Talas fork in the 130mm mode, but I opened that bad boy up to 150 when I reached the Confluence trail that the Oak-Tree Super-D will be run on...WOW! Holy mud-in-the-teeth Batman! This bike flies downhill. I had so much fun, I decided to do a little more...up Clementine again and down a trail in Mammoth bar called Wagon wheel (I think). I have been down that trail several times, but never, ever like this. The WTB 2.4 Mutano raptor up front and the 2.2 version in the rear, along with my sweet Santa Cruz suspension had me going way faster than ever before. Then, of course, I climbed out and did the oak-tree super-d course again just to drive home a point....I was learning to ride all over again...leaning into the turns on my new bike just like my little girl...and I was lovin it.

Cheers,
Chuck

training days...mountain bike style

...putting in more time. We have been blessed the last week or so, with some wonderful weather here in Grass Valley. The last couple of days, it has reached the upper 50s and low 60s...nice weather, considering that a week from now, it is supposed to rain for x amount of days again. I have to admit, I am fair weather rider. Or, should I say, I love the weather that CA has to offer, and I love riding in that weather.

Needless to say, I have seized the days here and there where I can get out into the sun (between teaching and hanging with my wife an 3 kids). I built up the Santa Cruz Blur LTc to where I can ride it, although I am waiting for a few more parts to finish off the build...more on the build later. Does it have the blinding acceleration of a road bike? Well, no. That said, I think that I may have stumbled onto something great here.

For years, I have trained on a road bike on the local roads, and ridden the awesome local trails mostly on the weekends. I changed my cranks to 172.5 mm on all of my bikes, and off I went. But, let's face it, the position while riding a road bike is very different from riding a mountain bike. This year, I will be doing mostly all of my training and racing on the Blur LTc. Here is what I think I know so far:

Comfort - A whole new level of comfort. The local rough roads? Like Buttah! 700x23c tires at 110psi? NOT! I am running WTB 26x2.0 Pathways with a kevlar belt for puncture protection, which at 50psi, really help with the tiny bumps.

Flexibility - The Pathway tires allow me to to a bit of off-road riding if I wish, also. I have taken them onto some trails and have been pleasantly surprised with how they handle corners. Don't expect to climb anything wet and too steep, but overall, they handle well. I am planning on throwing on some WTB Prowler MX 2.1 tires for some longer pavement/rougher trail rides.

Safety - Although the bars are wider than a road bike, I can go way inside of the white line with this bike. I know the tires and suspension can take the extra gravel, glass, dirt, mud, sticks, rocks, and whatever else is to the far right of the road. Nevada county gravels the roads during winter months...gravel that collects with sticks and mud. My bike gives me a measure of security if I need to dive to the right for some reason.

Training effect - How many times have I cramped mercilessly at Sea Otter? Well, too many. This year, I am looking forward to mountain biking more and cramping less. But, the big thing is that I will be doing all of my training in the same position as my racing position. It won't matter if I am on the road or the trail, or any combination thereof, I will be very used to this bike and strong when I need to be.

By now, a lot of people are probably crying foul. Mountain bikers are probably screaming "blasphemy!" at the screen..."A Blur LTC on the road?" At the same time, road riders will probably smirk at me as they see me on the road. They will probably figure that is the only bike I own..."that poor guy" they will think to themselves. Well, I will offer assistance as I pass them later as they fix their flat. And, I hope that the mountain bikers know that this bike will see its share of Downieville, Tahoe, and Colorado trails this year...don't worry, I will feed the beast what it craves. : )

Cheers!
Chuck

In remembrance...

Yesterday, a friend of our whole cycling community was killed while riding his bike. Jim (Jimmy) Rodgers used to be one of the owners the Tour of Nevada City Bike Shop and has been integral in forming local cycling teams and clubs.

I got the chance to ride with Jim in mid-December...what a great ride it was. We talked about the junior mountain bike club I have at Union Hill School, bikes that we have, had, and want, and riding in general. What a great ride that was. Jim was the guy to always greet you with a smile, no matter where you were. He had an infectious smile that just warmed your heart...genuine, he was always glad to see you.

It is Jim, and many like him, that make our sport what it is. Cycling is so much more than just riding a bike...it is fun, in the most basic sense of the word. Jim loved going out on group rides. He was the one to introduce himself to anyone new and strike up the conversation. How many friends have you made doing something you love to do? In my 20 years of cycling, I have made countless numbers of friends...friends that I don't see but 1 or 2 times a year on the starting line. But, we pick up right where we left off...talking about life and, of course, bikes. And, let's face it, making friends, and catching up with them once in a while, is fun.

Then, there are those times (most of the time for me) where you ride alone. Many would consider this a type of lonely unending torture. For me, it is bliss...a sort of meditation in the turning of the gears. How many times have I passed Jim, out on a ride of his own, we acknowledging each other with a wave and a smile...we acknowledged each other as friends, but also in the sense that we were doing what we loved.

As so many of Jim's teammates have expressed, our hearts have broken to know that we have lost a person so dear to us and the local cycling community. He was the best we had to offer...a gentleman cyclist that enjoyed every ride and the people on it.

Jimmy Rodgers will be missed. I hope his memory not only inspires people to be involved in the cycling community, but also inspires local cyclists to enjoy every ride...to have fun doing what they love.

Godspeed Jimmy,

Chuck