Game on!

Hey everybody!

I hope you are still dead set on putting some fat tires (or shoes) on the dirt this weekend. The 5k trail run and mtb race is set to go. The weather is perfect, for mountain biking, not for cross. In case you guys forgot, cross racing is meant for the winter. ;)

So, come on over to Melvern this Sunday and keep the mtb operating for a few more weeks before hanging it up for the season. As promised there will be sweet prizes for all categories and cold hard green stuff for our Expert Men Cash Class and Expert Women. I can not stress this enough, but the more people you bring, the more money we can give you. So experts, get your fast friends or even first-timers. Load up the car to capacity and bring a crowd.

Race Updates

Ok, here is some much awaited details on the race. But, don't you worry, we are still a good 5 weeks out and planning is coming along nicely. This will certainly be a race that you will not want to miss out on!

Date:

Saturday Oct 1st - IMBA's Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day
(Unfortunately we will not have events planned as expected, however, the chat trails are great for the youngsters and camping is available nearby. Send a message if you would like more information)

Sunday Oct 2nd - 5k trail run and mtb races

Entry Fees:

Beg, Sport, SS = $20
Expert = $25
5k run = $20

Race Times:

5k Run - 9am (mass start all age groups)
Beg Men - 10:30 (2 laps)(mass start)
Beg Women - 10:31 (2 laps)
Expert Men - 12:00 (4 laps)(Mass Start)
Expert Women - 12:01 (3 laps)
Sport Men - 12:02 (3 laps) (Mass Start)
SS - 12:03 (3 laps)
Sport Women - 12:04 (3 laps)
* We reserve the right to combine start times as necessary depending on field sizes!

Age Groups/Divisions

5k
men - 34 under, 35 plus
women - 34 under, 35 plus

MTB
Beg Men - 34 under, 35 plus
Beg Women - Open
SS - Open
Sport Men - 34 under, 35 plus
Sport Women - Open
Expert Men - 34 under, 35 plus
Expert Women - Open

* Remember, if you are an expert male 35 plus you can choose to race down in the 34 under class to go for the overall payout. See post below for more details on that.

Location:

Follow this link for details on course and location:
http://www.kansascyclist.com/trails/MelvernRiverfrontPark.html

Additional Info:

In case you forgot, here is a run down on what to expect. The Riverfront MTB Race and 5K is all about you. More specifically, it is about you having fun. This event will be great whether it is your first time or if you are a hardened veteran of dirt. It is a great atmosphere for first timers and a fun challenging trail for expert riders.

There will be food available for an additional cost (~$5 will get you burger and a drink kinda deal).

We have fantastic prizes thanks to Trek for the top 3 in all age groups. Useful things you will be glad to have! The Expert 34 under and Expert women classes will be the only paid classes. Payouts will be dependent on field sizes. More people = more payback. So, if you are trying to earn some cash it is in your best interest to bring friends!

If anything is unclear, or if you have any questions, feel free to let me know! Hope you can join us!

-LeLan

Save the Date!!!

** Check riverfrontmtbrace.blogspot.com for updated info **

I know what you are thinking, "but LeLan, You said the same thing earlier this year and didn't pull through with the Camp Alexander Race." While that is true, I couldn't bear to host our race the same day as Fancy Creek. Make you guys choose between two amazing events!? Couldn't do it. But, redemption is here as the Riverfront MTB Race in Melvern, KS will be a go (barring weather conditions that would be out of my control!). Here is a little bit of a preview of what you can expect:

Saturday Oct. 1st
* IMBA's International Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day
* A day for the kids. Ride the chat river trail (I would probably say best suited for children ages 5+) with the youngsters. We will have games and other activities available as well. More details on that to come. This day is all about sharing a passion for mountain biking with the youngin's. 

Sunday Oct. 2nd
* 5k trail run - that's right, if biking isn't your thing and running/jogging/walking is, then come join us for a 5k trail run to start the day.
* MTB races - standard beg, sport, ss, expert XC type racing. Sorry, no marathon. Laps are fast on this trail and are great for XC racing, but I would hate to see you go round and round and get bored with it. 
* Sweet, useful prizes compliments of Trek that you have grown accustomed to at these events. I know you love those shiny medals, but let's face it, you can't do anything with them! We want to reward the winners with useful items that are helpful to your riding. Not to mention a chance at SWAG just for showing up.
* OVERALL EXPERT CASH PAYOUT - That's right, we've heard your call for an overall expert payout and we agree. Let me try and explain this simply. If you are familiar with our events you know that there are only two age groups. 34 under and 35 plus. This year the 34 under class will serve as the "money" class. This means anyone over 35 that wants to fight for the cash can do so by racing 'under' their age group. This only works down and not up. That means any expert that is 34 and under MUST race the 34 under class. Deal with it, you're an expert. I won't listen to complaints that one of the older guys beat you. Trust me, they're fast. But, anyone 35 and over can choose to race down for the overall payout. Hopefully that makes sense. 
* I want to give you as much money as I can. I'm not putting on this race to get money in my pocket or even to stock up a club account. It is for you. Therefore I will take the bare minimum to cover my costs and the rest goes back to the riders. This is especially important for the experts. If you want to make more money, bring more friends. It's that simple. Any ability. The more people, the more money and prizes I can give back. I will guarantee paying three deep to the 'cash' class, but could go 5 deep if the turnout is good. 35 plus group will be racing for said sweet prizes above.
* This especially means skipping the cross race that weekend and joining us for a mtb race!
* There will be food there for an additional cost. Don't know the menu, but typically $5 will get you a burger and chips kind of deal.
* More activities for the kiddies (pumpkin painting or something of that sort.) Make this a great family weekend and bring the whole crew.
* Camping is available within 5 miles of the race venue. 

That seems like some good starter info. I will certainly be coming back with more detailed information. If you have any questions be sure to let me know. In the mean time, here is a little photo to peak your interest!

Briefly

I'll give you a small taste of the happenings today. I just haven't posted lately so I wanted to at least give you something. I was able to take the age group win and that also meant I was the KS State Champ 19-29. I was pretty pleased with that, but I did have to stop twice on the first lap as the front tire was wanting to get rid of all the air it had in it. I wanted to be a bit closer to the overall leader. But hey, a great day to be on the bike none-the-less.

Here are a few photos from riding yesterday.

Ants in my pants

Well, maybe not in my pants, but they were in my helmet! Jed's as well. Apparently we ran over an ant hill and flung ants all over ourselves. These little buggers were vicious too. They were definitely of the flesh eating variety of ant. In fact, Jed and I had to tear away from the parade lap so we could get back to the house and hose ourselves down. It was not enjoyable to say the least. But, aside from this little fiasco the Campfire Ride was certainly a success. Some people held off because of the amount of rain we have been getting, but the trail was in surprisingly good shape and perfect for putting some rubber down. Once the sun went down we got the fire going and started in on the s'mores. (sorry, no pics at the moment, but I know some of the other guys were taking some, so maybe I'll swipe theirs and add it in later.)

 Oh, and I gotta post some pics of sleeping beauty. Dustin and I curled up on the deck and watched the amazing light show last night (lightning, in case you weren't catching on).

We ended up falling asleep outside. Man was it amazing. Or dare I say, de-light-ful! That's right, I just went there.  Ok, I'm just gonna wrap this up now.

Training Wheels

Maybe training wheels are needed. But, after reading race reports from the MO State Championships it sounds like I was in good company. Maybe I will learn how to keep it upright. But, as a wise man once told me (my pops) "if you ain't crashing, you ain't trying."

Just some minor road rash as I slid out in some loose stuff in a corner. But, annoying none the less.

As Betsy Shogren pointed out though, at least my brand new Swiftwick socks remained unscathed. Thank goodness too, I love those socks!

Oh yeah, and don't forget to check out the post below if you are in the market for a sweet bike. Don't worry, I didn't crash nearly as much on that one!

Bike for sale!!!

First things first, I wanted to share a little action from Dandy Randy's Racecourse. This baby rides like a roller coaster and is so much fun! Jed came out and shared in the splendor with me. It was sure nice to have someone to share in the joy! I know, endless Flint Hills gravel at our doorstep and roller coaster trails in our backyard. Be jealous.

Ok, now on to the real business at hand. I have a magnificent bike that needs a new home. Don't worry, it's potty trained. Here is a spec list and pics:

2008 Gary Fisher Superfly

19" Monocoque Carbon Frame

Titec Carbon Handlebars and Stem

XO Carbon Shifters and Rear Derailleur

XT Front Derailleur

Juicy Ultimate Hydraulic Disc Brakes

Bontrager RXL Carbon Seat Post

Brand New Drive Train (Race Face Rings, New Chain, New Cassette)

Bontrager RXL Wheels - Tubeless Ready (rim strips included, just add sealant and you are good to go!)

Maxxis Crossmarks

I know right!? And this could be all yours for $1800. I am willing to negotiate on price and delivery. 

Series results updated for the UFD. We are halfway through the season and I am currently tied for third. Wait, wait, hold your applause and congratulations. I know that sounds pretty cool, but the Cat 1 19-29 field has not been deep at all this year. As you can see for yourself by clicking on the link there has not been many 19-29 competitors this year. In fact, for two races in a row Steinmetz was the only guy in the class! Trust me, he would have won if anyone did show up. It's the only way I could be in third after only doing 1 of 5 races ! I suppose I've got my excuse, I was out for some of these do to this:

Broken clavicle in case you couldn't gather

I'm good and over that now, but I will be missing yet another race this weekend due to a wedding. Ah! I just want to race my mtb. Oh well, soon enough. I should be good and trained up by the next one so I will have n excuses!

Thursday Night Ride

Storm rolling in at dusk

Had yet another amazing time on the Thursday night group ride. I'm not sure I could have a bad time. It is truly amazing to see so many people out on a weekly community ride. (Well, I say that, but that's just because I haven't been caught up in the recent crashes!) With yet another summer storm threatening to close in on some hapless bike riders (oh yeah, you DK'ers know what I'm talking 'bout) we decided it would be best to head right for it. "Head right for the carnage," you say. Well yes actually. By heading into the wind and towards the storm we allow ourselves to actually stay ahead of the storm. If the weather would have turned on us we could have just spun around and coasted on the tail wind back to town. Fortunately the storm stayed farther south then we ever intended on going, so we stayed dry. Instead we were treated to a simply beautiful June evening with gorgeous views of a Kansas storm front. One of the many sights I love in the plains.

Matt Day was very enthused to be the model in my skyline shot. I was just happy that I got decent colors out of the sky and foreground. Now if I only had some fancy editing programs I could really make something out of it. That's ok, Matt makes it beautiful. No touch ups needed. 

Ah yes, that is Sir Timothy, good shepherd of the High Plains flock. Tending to his sheep and making sure none are lost to the storm. 

And I will end you with the same picture I started with, only slightly tweaked. I know, but I like them both. So here you go. Peace out.

Dirty Kanza 200 Report

Well, another DK come and gone. As previously stated in the blog post just below this one I did not participate. At least not as a racer. That is not to say that I wasn't completely immersed in the happenings. In 2009, again not racing, I was fortunate enough to ride around with the film crew. As a race enthusiast that was a blast. You can check out that video courtesy of the boys at IM Design here. Then in 2010 I missed out altogether. Living up in New York I didn't have the means to travel back for this special event. The mere thought of not even being here for the festivities nearly had me shedding tears. Yeah, that's what this thing means to me. So when this year's DK rolled around I was all sorts of filled with excitement. Just coming off the broken collar bone I had never considered that I would race it this year. Plus, it doesn't really fit into my training schedule for this year. At least that's what I tried to tell myself. But, then Jim had to talk me into going and riding the first half of the route a few days before the race was to take place(like that was hard to do!). I felt absolutely amazing. So great in fact, that when Jim assured me there was a spot on the starting line if I wanted it, I had to give it some serious consideration. But, wisdom prevailed and I chose 'option B' which was running support for the Salsa gang and Nick Legan from Velonews.


I knew these guys were experienced warriors of gravel grinders. And being the support crew of riders of this caliber meant I needed to be on top of my game. Everyone rolled through the first checkpoint looking good. It wasn't until the halfway point that a couple of the guys started to feel the effects of the heat and early race pace. Ryan Horkey and Joe Meiser decided it was best to take a bit of a rest in the shade after 100 miles. Tim "Eki" Ek and Jason Gaikowski had rolled on through and kept on pushing the pace. A lot of riders were lost to the pit of despair known to cyclists as DNF at the halfway point. Already the heat and hills were claiming the souls and legs of would be DK finishers. And the day was just under way and only getting hotter...and hillier.

Nick was possibly the least experienced on the gravel, but not a stranger to the bike. Nick has conquered routes such as the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. I was certain that if he could handle those cobbles then he could master our flint rock. After 100 miles he was following his plan to perfection. Good hydration and steady pace. Since Nick had taken his time on the first century he was able to capitalize on the fundamental principle of a classic fable that most riders had forgotten or simply ignored. Nick was able to leave the halfway feeling pretty fresh and did so ahead of a ton of people that had come in faster than him. After all, this is a 200 mile race. There are no prizes for first to the halfway point.

Photo courtesy of Jason Boucher

I can only assume these guys were waiting on a ride. There is usually no coming back from a break of this nature.

On the third leg trouble really set in for any riders still out on course. A random thunderstorm decided it was time to roll up on the hapless racers. As only Kansas can produce the storm brought cloud to ground lightning, torrential down pour, hail, and the threat of tornadoes. Hmm...the forecast called for 10% chance of rain. At least heat would no longer be a problem. But, they faced a foe of equal tenacity, mud. I've been to the east coast, and I assure you that mud is rideable. This mud is like quick mix concrete. Attempt to pedal through it and your bike will stop dead in it's tracks and instantly weigh 50 lbs. Kansas did it's best to prevent being conquered. But, in the end Jason, Eki, Nick joined 65 total finishers that all powered through these obstacles to best the 2011 DK200. Congrats fella's!

After sending these guys home for some much needed sleep my night was not over. I had already seen Randy come home in 16th overall and 2nd in the master's a class. I nearly lost my mind when he finished I was so proud of him! Then Scott bested 200 miles of torture as well. But, at about 2:30 in the morning Jed and Garret came across the finish line. I know the feeling of beating this race and I couldn't have been happier for all of them. 

In the end that's what this challenge becomes. Beating the race, not the other riders. The other guys and gals may start as your competitor, but when you're out there on the road they instantly become your life support. Often being instrumental in reaching the finish alive. Or at least crucial in enjoying the day, finishing or not. I think most people would agree that is what makes this race so amazing and special. 

Dirty Kanza 200

Oh yes, it is growing near. This Saturday in fact, in case you didn't already know that. Peeps are getting excited and I most certainly am one of them. Sure, any race gets my juices going. But, this is epic, this is the DK200. And this is in my back yard (literally, I live out in the Flint Hills).

No, I am not a participant this year. I completed this beast of a race in 2008. Right now I am content to say I am a finisher, but each year it gets harder and harder to say no. Maybe I am starting to forget all the pain and suffering one must endure to reach the finish. Maybe I'm do for another epic test of willpower. Maybe next year I'll be back at the DK200.

Fancy Creek

Well, I got back in the saddle and made my return to racing yesterday at the Dirty Little Secret put on by the fine folks at Big Poppi. The trail was better than I remembered. It was at this trail that I did my very first mountain bike race 5 or 6 years ago. As for the collar bone, I certainly can't use it as an excuse. Sure, it was sore. But the pain was nothing I couldn't fight through. The legs on the other hand, well they were pretty lackluster. The trail also beat me up pretty good. I hadn't taken into account that I had also lost a fair amount of upper body strength. There wasn't much to lose to begin with, but whatever I had is surely gone now. There were other forces working against me as well. I lost my right contact during my pre-ride lap. I suppose depth perception isn't all that important in a mountain bike race, is it?

Anyways, the race was phenomenal. Aaron and the crew went above and beyond to put on a good time. Socks were given at registration (which for aspiring race promoters, I thought was way better than another t-shirt). BBQ was ready the moment you finished up. And sweet swag was raffled off at no extra charge.






Randy and I made the trip from Emporia, while Aaron and Dusty also showed up to represent High Gear. It was a good thing Aaron was there to at least put in a decent performance on behalf of the rest of us! Congrats to everyone that showed up.

One heck of a fine day

Some days are just good. Yesterday was definitely one of them.

Wake up and work on trails. I suppose not everybody enjoys working on trails, but it is necessary. I love it though. Almost as much as riding a bike. Especially if it is making new trail, it makes me feel like a little kid!

Next, watch the Tour of California. If I'm not riding bikes, then watching people race them is a pretty darn good alternative. You can catch all the action of the ToC here.



And finish the day by strapping on a light and joining the Thursday Night Community Ride. Riding with good friends and folks from the community. Then headed home in the dark. Simply blissful.

Need a say more? One heck of a fine day.

Adventure Monkey Tour

Round two of Adventure Monkey Tours is complete! The weekend was pretty fantastic albeit we could have done with some slightly warmer weather. Wind I can deal with, that's always gonna be there. But, I thought for sure we were done with the cold!



Perhaps not amber yet, but these waves were rockin' in the wind. It was a beautiful sight, one of many we saw throughout the weekend.



This pretty much sums up Bobby. Always enjoying life. He was able to join us for our Friday ride, we all sure wished he could have stayed the whole weekend. It doesn't matter where you're riding as long as you've got this guy along!



The Superfly needed a rest.



Navigating a creek crossing and getting a little taste of former DK200 glory.



Stopped at an old cemetery along the route. There were headstones for Civil War and even Mexican-American War vets!



Trip wouldn't have been complete without a trip to Bummy's in Elmdale. Gary was serving us up. The lady who runs the store is 94 and has been operating the place since 1947. Simply amazing.



These are some ol' time malt makers. This place used to be a butcher shop and malt stop. It definitely served us well with some of Milwaukee's Best brewskies and chocolate milk. Not a malt, but refreshing none the less. Make sure to sign up for our fall tour here!

High Gear campfire ride

Had our first fantastic campfire ride of the year. Hopefully more will follow over the course of the summer. About 15-20 came out to turn some laps at Raunchy Randy's Racecourse. After grilling some 'dogs and chowing down a few of us continued the fun well into the night with some night riding. Bobby, Dustin, and myself topped the night off by rolling out sleeping bags and sleeping under the stars.

Big ol' thanks to the fine folks at High Gear for providing the food and setting this little shin dig up. I'm ready for the next one!

p.s. sorry no pics, I was to busy riding!

Go by bike

That's right, if you didn't already know shame on you, May is Go by Bike month. That means it is beautiful out and you should be riding your bike everywhere that's possible. There are the obvious health and money saving incentives, but if that isn't enough High Gear is going to sweeten the deal.

Simply take a picture of yourself, your bike, and the place you commuted to (ie. work, school, grocery store, etc.) and email it to info@ridehighgear.com and you will be put into a drawing for a $25 gift certificate! I know, I'm going crazy from excitement myself!

Go to the High Gear website if you want to read the parent post. So go ride your bike already!

Slowly but surely

Thank you Shawn and Scott for putting the hurt on me. Got in a decent little ride with a few of the fella's and it proved to be quite taxing on the legs and the collar bone. I get a little overzealous sometimes and forget I'm only 3 weeks into this thing.

But, it is healing nicely, albeit slower then I would like. Just in time too as there are some great things on the horizon. Namely next weekend's Adventure Monkey Tour. Check out the website for more information on the weekend of a lifetime!

Sorry Doc

I know doctor's always want to play it safe and are going to give you their best advice on how to not advance an injury you may have. But, they told me I would be in a sling four weeks and not riding until 6 weeks. 3 weeks in and I put 30 miles in on some nice Flint Hills terrain.



It wasn't the toughest the Flint Hills has to offer, but the sign in the photo does read "minimum maintenance..." and that particular stretch did make a DK appearance once upon a time. Needless to say, it was rough enough for a broken collar bone. As things look now I will be making it back on the trails in no time. Which also means racing soon! (hoping for a comeback at Fancy Creek!)

I regret to inform you all that I did not get the job with Trek Travel this summer. I was a little bummed at first, but I couldn't be happier to continue my work with Adventure Monkey and racing for the best team in all the land!



I also made it up to see mi madre this weekend. I went up with my brother and the most beautiful girl in the whole world. She was pretty tuckered on the way home. That girl can sleep through anything.

Bone Bender

I may be forced off the bike, but I still got one good hand for handing up water bottles. Two of High Gear's finest were heading up to Clinton to contest the 6 hour solo race. Plus, Dustin and Joel teamed up to take Bobby and I's spot in the duo. I couldn't miss it, even if I was slingin' it!



The turn out was great. I got a sweet video of the run, but I'm not smart enough to get it off my phone. Damn smart phones are smarter than me.



Joel kicked off the race for the duo team. Joel was in for a surprise as this was only his second race and first time at Clinton.



He looked a little shell shocked after the first lap, but championed it out and rode hard for a couple more laps.



Dustin running up the final climb of the lap. 3/4 of the field chose to do the same up this slick, rooty/rocky, and off-camber climb.



Mike was speeding along so fast I could barely get his picture. His day got cut a little short though when he clipped a tree and tumbled down a cliff. Left him with some sweet raspberries and welted quad. He still rode a lap and a half before calling it good though!



I was gonna go for a swim in between water boy duties, but I had to keep my clothes on. That's no fun.




Randy was tearing up the course all day long. It was straight out of a Rocky film, and I felt like Mick. Only this was mountain bike racing of course. Every lap I was telling him to ride as hard as he possibly could. He always says he could have rode harder at the end of a race and I wasn't gonna let that happen!



He may not have pulled out the Rocky style victory, but 2nd in the 50+ and top 20 overall. A finish the Italian Stallion would have been proud of. I know I was!

As for me, I'm two weeks into this broken collar bone and really starting to feel better the past two days. I leave for Wisconsin this Monday. Hopefully I can do enough to convince them they should pay me to ride bikes and lead others doing the same. Im pretty confident of one thing, when I get back in two weeks I will be dying to ride with the guys and gals of E-Town!

Out of Comission

No, this isn't my attempt at trying a new hand position. But, fortunately this is the only damage to my bike after my crash in last Sunday's collegiate road race. Man, I was doing good too!



Unfortunately my body didn't hold up quite as well.



I tried to save some money and tell them I already took pictures. They didn't think that was good enough. The doc told me I'd be out for 6-8 weeks. I told her I'd be riding again in 2. (I gotta land that Trek job!)




Fortunately I can still ride the trainer. I got bike on the bike tonight after 3 days of slacking off.



I've got these wonderful roomies to thank for keeping me motivated and always pushing me! And I without a doubt have the best family in the world! So, needless to say I won't be mountain biking much this spring, but I'll be back stronger and more motivated then ever to win a collegiate championship this Fall. Just gotta avoid that road racing!