LeLan Dains

Yep, I'm back

2012-01-11T13:27:00.000-06:00

Ok, I won't start in with the why I've been absent for a few months. It just got easy being an observer and following along with what everyone else has been doing. So, let me give you a quick update of the past few months in case you didn't already know.

1. Moved to Colorado and now work at Carmichael Training Systems
2. Broke my collar bone, yep again.
3. Went to Costa Rica, it was amazing.
4. Ride my bike in the Rockies daily.
5. Life is Good.

Now that you are up to speed, let me dive right into a hot topic. I recently heard that the UFD is implementing some changes with regards to race categories for 2012. Age groups are being condensed to simply 39 under and 40+. I originally put the following on Aaron Elwell's blog, but I thought I would share it here as well.

"Gonna share my two cents on this, because it is something I am passionate about. Everyone needs to buck up and put on their big boy pants! This is racing. This isn't "everyone gets a medal just for showing up." An expert is an expert regardless of age (and so on). I supposedly "benefited" from the previous format because I was guaranteed a podium at any race I attended. That's because I was often the only Cat 1 20-29 there! Nobody wants to race or "win" like that. And as a race promoter it is a losing battle when you have to payout or give medals/prizes to essentially every rider that shows up! Anyways, I could go on and on and rant forever on this. The bottom line is the point of racing is just that. To come out, have a good time, push yourself to the max and beyond, and enjoy the heck out of riding your bike. Whether you were 1st or 30th. Then crack open a cold beverage and enjoy the company of your racing community. Congrats to the UFD for implementing this change."

Hey, I've been beat by many a 'seasoned' veteran. These guys are smoking fast. Competition will only make us all that much better. I cannot stress how much easier this will make it for race promoters. Anyways, that's how I feel about it, everyone is entitled to their opinions on the matter! What do you think?

Game on!

2011-09-29T10:19:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-30T14:28:00.000-05:00

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!!!

2011-07-25T22:23:00.002-05:00

** 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

2011-06-26T19:34:00.000-05:00

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

2011-06-18T23:07:00.000-05:00

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

2011-06-16T11:13:00.000-05:00

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!!!

2011-06-13T14:56:00.006-05:00

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.

2011-06-10T18:28:00.003-05:00

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

2011-06-09T21:46:00.005-05:00

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

2011-06-07T22:36:00.008-05:00

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

2011-05-30T21:46:00.002-05:00

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

2011-05-23T19:56:00.003-05:00

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

2011-05-20T11:39:00.004-05:00

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

2011-05-15T14:00:00.007-05:00

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

2011-05-08T13:17:00.002-05:00

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

2011-05-05T22:04:00.002-05:00

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

2011-05-04T22:20:00.002-05:00

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

2011-05-01T18:28:00.003-05:00

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

2011-04-22T18:07:00.011-05:00

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

2011-04-14T19:38:00.003-05:00

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!

Lagging

2011-04-07T20:17:00.002-05:00

It's a bit late, but I wasn't in a big hurry to post about last Sunday's Bazaar Road Race. Needless to say I didn't have the best of results. As I passed the finish line knowing I could either hang it up and end the suffering or continue on for 18 more miles of pain, I chose to keep on turning the pedals. There ain't no way I'm quitting a race as long as I can pedal. It doesn't matter to me if I'm having a bad day, I'm gonna finish.

I do have some good news though. I haven't mentioned anything on here to date, because nothing has been confirmed. And honestly it still hasn't. But, I will be going to Wisconsin for two weeks to try and earn a spot on Trek's Travel team as a bike guide for the summer. I won't know for sure if I've got a job until May 6th. I've got my fingers crossed!

Good Problems

2011-03-28T18:22:00.003-05:00

There are certainly good problems out there, but they are still just problems. All of a sudden we have too many mountain bike races in the region! Now, as a mountain bike racer I'm not complaining. I love the fact that there are so many races ranging from xc to 6+hr races. But, as a race promoter it presents a bit of a problem. Especially when we do not have a large number of racers in the area.

What I'm trying to say is that the folks in Manhattan have revived the Fancy Creek mtb race. This is great news except it will be on the same day that we had planned our Camp Alexander race. Not wanting to split up the racers and make you choose between races we have decided to postpone the Camp Alexander mtb race. I know this is two years in a row now that we have got your hopes up with a race at Camp Alexander only to pull the plug on it. All I can do is apologize. There is some good news to come out of this though. We WILL be hosting the Riverfront MTB Race again this October in Melvern, KS. This is a relatively new trail that most have not experienced. It is certainly worth the trip. Check out pictures from last years race here. It is not until Oct. 2nd though, so you'll have to be patient on that one. Also, we are in the works on creating a point to point endurance race involving both Camp Alexander and the Riverfront trails in Melvern. We anticipate this to be in the fall as well, but we have not settled on a date yet. Most likely you'll have to pass on a 'cross race, but this one will definitely be worth it. I will be revealing more on this in the nearish future if it fully materializes.

Hey, most races in the spring time get canceled due to weather anyways (sorry, not trying to jinx it!) So, I think this is a good thing.

Group Rides

2011-03-27T17:37:00.005-05:00

I have to share Aaron's sentiment on canceled races. I have had this debate myself with friends, especially since I used to LOVE ripping it up in the mud. But, anymore I have turned into a wuss and hate to clean my bike, so I try to avoid the mud. Not to mention the trail damage it does. But, I get even more confused when road races get canceled. I had planned on doing my first collegiate race until KSU canceled the races this weekend. Can't say I am too upset, the weather is terrible! I am done riding in the cold.

Anyways, had a wonderful training ride this past Thursday. Finally got out with Tim, Scott, and Matt. Tim and I have not gotten to ride together for quite some time.

The four of us got in a couple of good laps at Camp Alexander before venturing south to meet up with the first Thursday night group ride of the year. A fantastic turnout of 30 showed even though th weather was a little chillier than expected. I can only hope for more of this!

Jed, Renee, and myself. Finally a picture that shows my good side.

Kosinski was kind enough to let me ride his Redline SS for a stretch. I wanted to test out those H-Bars. I guess he didn't mind pedaling my Superfly for a bit.

(Pictures courtesy of John Decker, thanks John!)

One more time at Perry

2011-03-21T11:48:00.004-05:00

Made it up to Perry for the third race in the Dam series. Wasn't feeling spectacular and was losing confidence as the race start drew near. This photo is right at the start and I do not appear to be very happy about life.

Here is the pack climbing up the finishing hill. this was only the first of seven times up the hill. At least we had a south wind pushing us up the hill. You would think that would make the climb easier, no, it just makes everyone go faster. Still just as hard.

Yep, looking good for the camera. If you can't be fast, it's good to look fast.

No, this is not my impression of Lance. I was just getting dropped from the lead pack (as many others already had) and was desperately hoping someone was coming to pull me back to the group on the downhill. I don't go very fast downhill. I have to pedal while most just coast. I suppose I get the weight benefits of going uphill though. This was the 5th time up the hill. While I did regroup with three others and catch the pack again on that 6th lap, I was gone again on the 6th time up the hill. It was then just suffer on home to the finish the entire 7th lap. Ended up finishing right in the middle.

Dustin joined me and as you can see was sporting the new ESU gear. He came out and finished 10th in his first road race, on a 40 year old steel frame I might add. The two of us are hoping to make it up to Manhattan next weekend to do some collegiate racing. Even though I didn't do as well as I wanted, I had a blast. I suppose that is why I keep doing it. The day it is no longer fun is the day I will quit. And I don't see that happening any time soon!

Saving the Starving

2011-03-17T14:16:00.003-05:00

Numana (click link to the right) was at ESU last night and requested help in packaging food to be sent to Japan in lieu of everything that is going down over there. Seeing that Numana is a group we ride in support of it was a no-brainer for team high gear to join in the cause. In total the university and community brought out a few hundred people to assist. So many in fact, that they had to rotate and limit how much people could work. What a good problem to have.

I wanted to get more photos, but this is the only one I have for you. I know Matt took more, so check his blog in the near future for his write up.

Here are just a few of the team mates that came (Randy and Mike were also there). More of a family then a team really, I love these peeps! I'm hoping we will have more opportunities to support our new organizations this year.

A little bit better

2011-03-13T21:10:00.002-05:00

So round 2 of this road racing experiment went a little bit better. I was able to crack the top 10 and earned a few points as I finished in 6th. Starting to feel a little better about it. Fortunately they drop one race for the overall series, so if I can do even better next week I might finish fairly decent in the overall.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lanternerouge/5524916296/in/set-72157626135111129/

Class

2011-03-09T21:00:00.002-06:00

So, I'm not entirely sure that anyone outside of my family reads this, but I just keep posting anyways. Yesterday I had my first class of my mountain bike class. And let me tell you it gets me pretty dang excited. I have been a pretty strong advocate for cycling in Emporia and at Emporia State University for a while now. It makes me pretty happy that we have 18 strong in our first attempt at a mtb class. Not only that, Bobby Smith has followed suit and has 15 students in his mtb class. Maybe we'll just start a trend. I know ESU is already talking about offering the course again in the fall. When it comes to bikes, the only thing I like better then riding them is helping others get involved and seeing them enjoy riding their bikes. It makes me happy!

Road Racin'

2011-03-07T19:24:00.002-06:00

Well, got my first taste of big time road racing at the first installment of the Perry Dam race. Let me tell you, racing on the road is simply a different animal. Don't get me wrong, I love me some mountain biking, but riding on the road can be a lot of fun. I wasn't overly pleased with my showing, but considering I was the only one on a cross bike I am not too disappointed. I'm thinking this early season road stuff will do its job though and have me ready to go come April for some dirt action!

Is it gonna rain?

2011-02-27T17:01:00.002-06:00

That is what Scott asked me when I was trying to sway him into joining us for our afternoon ride. "Nah," was my simple response. He wisely chose not to join us. Call me crazy, but I'm glad we went anyway. I hate to ask friends to come pick me up, but I'll take a freezing, rain-soaked ride over the trainer any day. Especially this time of year. I can't stand to be inside. I'm just glad I've got a few crazies willing to join me on these expeditions.

I won't be applying to be a weatherman any time soon.

Save the Date

2011-02-24T16:45:00.002-06:00

May 22nd.

Write it down on your calendars, because it is a race that you will not want to miss. I will be getting more details out in the near future, but here is the pertinent info you need:

Camp Alexander MTB and 5k trail race.
Sunday, May, 22nd 2011
At Camp Alexander Emporia, KS
Tons' of fun
GUARANTEED CASH MONEY FOR EXPERTS
SWEET PRIZES FOR SPORT AND BEGINNER CLASSES
Food (for a small fee) and music (for free)

That's right Trek/High Gear and the Human Power Company are working hard to bring you what will be one of the best grass roots races you will attend this year. As if fun wasn't enough motivation, the top 3 experts (in each age group!) are guaranteed to make their money back and then some. We are not out to make a profit and want to make the trip worth your while. Sport and beginner top finishers will be rewarded with some very fine, and useful, gear. That's right, not a medal that you will forget about next week, but tools that will help you for the rest of your riding life! And bring your non-riding, but equally crazy running friends, because there will be a 5k trail race to kick off the day.

How can it get any better you ask!? Well, the Camp Alexander trails are very spectator friendly and camping is available on site. Not only that, but let us know that you will be coming in on Saturday and we will round up some locals to show you the race course and point you in the direction of some fine local dining only 3 miles from the race site.

Wow, I am exhausted from excitement just thinking about it. But, seriously now, if you have any questions drop me a comment. Our races are above all about fun. No points, no series, just mountain bikers pushing each other to ride harder and possibly getting something tangible for your effort. We look forward to seeing you there!

Warm Weather = Group Ride

2011-02-13T20:33:00.003-06:00

It goes without saying that today's warm weather brought out the folks for a ride. Unfortunately, the snow is melting which leaves the gravel a bit muddy. So, we stayed on the pavement for 50 miles today. You know you are in a mountain biking community when only one person out of seven on the group road ride was on a road bike.

Getting back to High Gear after 50 miles of sunny riding.

Scott needed to take a 'natural' break. We found his choice of cover to be pretty amusing given that there was a whole row of trees that he could of hid behind. But no, he chose the smallest one around.

new views

2011-02-02T21:41:00.003-06:00

Well, unless this is your first time you may be noticing that things are looking a little bit differently (and they will probably keep changing from time to time). I finally got to work on updating ye ol' bloggy. First and foremost check out the links (pictures) on your right. These are the peeps that make this whole Trek/High Gear team work. They are truly amazing organizations and I recommend you check out their products and/or see what they are all about.

The snowpocalypse wasn't too bad here in Emporia, KS. But, it was enough to make a person stay inside. Fortunately I have had two very wonderful roommates motivating me to ride and despite the indoor lockdown I have managed to crank out some of my best winter workouts. Let's just hope I can keep the jets under control for another month or two until the real racing begins.

Bike Expo

2011-01-31T19:37:00.005-06:00

There have been a lot of posts on the warm weather, needless to say I was out on my bike as well. I certainly wasn't going to let the tummy trouble I was having keep me inside on a 63 degree day. But, more important things were going down this weekend -

That's right, Adventure Monkey traveled to St. Louis to spread the mission to some MO and IL folks. It was a great day of talking with wonderful peeps. Even got a few t-shirts, socks, and magazines sold.

It's Here!

2011-01-16T19:28:00.001-06:00

This little beauty just arrived on Friday! Can not wait to ride!

First Post of the New Year

2011-01-10T20:53:00.002-06:00

And I wish I had something great to report. Been on some good rides with some good friends. Hosted our first of hopefully more '"soup 'n spins." Been plugging away at work getting ready for classes to start back up on Wednesday. The Kansas Cycling Association has put out the yearly calendar (although not entirely comprehensive, non-usa cycling sanctioned races won't appear on there), which makes me very excited for racing to start. Got lot's planned for this spring though, so hopefully more exciting posts will be in store in the near future.

'Tis the season....

2010-12-26T13:32:00.004-06:00

To slack on blogging apparently. It seems that when the temps drop, the riding slows. And when the riding slows, the posts get farther and fewer in between. Hopefully we can rectify that a bit. So, here is the big news from the past few weeks.

I am extremely proud to yet again be a part of the High Gear/Trek racing team. Sponsorship has changed a bit this year and I for one couldn't be happier about it. For immediate details check out the High Gear Website. I will soon be making some edits on this page to add these wonderful new partners.

Secondly, you should be checking The Adventure Monkey daily. Issue 3 of the magazine is out and can be yours for only a dollar. That's right, it's the monkey store dollar menu. Pick up a pair of socks and a t-shirt while you're at it. Or you can head down to high gear and cash in some gift certificates you may have recently received and get some monkey gear.

And yes, we do occasionally get the troops out when the sun is shining.

We had over 20 riders on the trail that day. Hey, hopefully we can get some folks out for a New Year's Day ride? Come on folks!

Big things from the monkey

2010-12-03T21:29:00.002-06:00

That's right, first and foremost go to theadventuremonkey.com to check out the online store. Christmas is coming up, so load up on Adventure Monkey goodies for you and your loved ones. Secondly, Issue #3 of the greatest magazine in publication will be out soon. It can be found on the website as well. And finally, get yourself psyched up for more Adventure Monkey touring as we prepare for two Flint Hills Tours next year. Dates will be announced soon, but expect one in the spring and one in the fall, so make sure to clear your calendar for at least one of those weekends. As always, check in frequently for new happenings!

Socks!

2010-11-15T19:25:00.004-06:00

These socks are taking the world by storm! You can get a pair from High Gear in Emporia, KS or check theadventuremonkey.com frequently as the online store will be up soon. You need these socks!

Freedom Ride

2010-11-07T14:57:00.003-06:00

A beautiful day for a 35 miler in the Flint Hills. Unfortunately for me I missed the boat early and had to settle for 3rd. Had an amazing time though. Here is a picture of the winners:

Sunday Ride

2010-11-01T09:07:00.002-05:00

No spooking for me on Halloween, but I couldn't have asked for a better day. Headed into town early to see my babies before they went off trick-or-treating for the evening. Then headed down to the shop to join up with some heavy hitters from the Emporia area for a group ride, 7 of us in all. The weather was perfect albeit a bit windy. We had the tailwind for the first half of the ride, but kept the tempo pretty calm knowing that we would have to turn back into it to get home. It was indeed a tough journey back and the wind spread out the group a bit. I needed the hard effort though. After the ride Randy and I settled in for the evening and watched a movie to cap off our Halloween. Looking forward to a pretty calm week, but make sure you join us for the Freedom Ride Gravel Road Race!

Are you kidding me!?

2010-10-26T17:37:00.002-05:00

I know I'm a bit behind on this, so maybe you've already seen it. I mean, it was posted last month for crying out loud. But, I just now watched the trailer for Race Across the Sky 2010 and was absolutely blown away. It doesn't help that I have a problem. My name is LeLan...and I'm addicted to bikes. So, take two minutes out of your day, watch this, and then go ride your bike...

..preferably at the freedom ride on November 7th here in the fantabulous founding city of veterans day - Emporia!

Class

2010-10-20T12:41:00.002-05:00

You'll be glad to know that the rim is looking okay. It's taken a lot of dings over the years running tubeless anyways and it's in the same great ol' shape it always has been. (Nevertheless I do not recommend riding on the rim and fully expect that next time I will take my losses and walk it in!)

More importantly, I will be instructing a mountain bike class at ESU next spring! That's right, somebody has to take these difficult classes and it might as well be me. The other good news is I already have 3 people signed up! Hey, I was just hoping to have one person. It seems we're on the right track here. Now I get to spend my time planning all of our riding adventures! Oh yeah, and there will be some learning going on of course! ;)

And once again I will make the reminder that the Freedom Ride is coming up in just under 3 weeks (November 7th.) There will be a 15 mile ride and a 35 mile race. But, don't fear, if you want to do the 35 mile distance without racing that is fine as well. There is also a 5k run/walk for all you runners/walkers out there. Come join us for some gravel fun!

Choices

2010-10-18T10:25:00.002-05:00

So, I hate to admit it, but all this reading in my leadership class is paying off. I had an amazingly frustrating time at the Clinton 3/6 hr race this past Saturday.

First off though, where have all the mountain bikers gone!? So what cross is here. You've got an entire winter for that stuff. You folks have been missing some beautiful mountain bike weather. There aren't much of those left this year you know.

Okay, back to the race. All the books are telling me, and I certainly believe that we must choose our attitudes. A lot of things went wrong at Clinton for me, but there is no sense in getting angry or even quitting. The first lap went fine, rode near the front and was feeling decent. The Toros have been an amazing tire for me, but it is sad to say that after a year and a half they need replaced. Flat number one came on lap 2 as I ripped the rear tire open on a rock. I wasted my first CO2 discovering that Stanz wouldn't seal it. No problem, I'll just throw in the spare tube I've got. Used up the second and final CO2 on that. And of course, that means shortly there after I pinch flatted. Okay, getting a little ticked, but I've got my pump, so let's just patch it and go. Oh wait, Dustin borrowed my patch kit last weekend and I never put it back with my supplies. Fail. Okay, no quitting so I could either run it in or ride it in. Sure, the smart thing to do would have been to run. But, frustration led to riding on the rim. Yes, fully aware this is damaging, but I was not happy and this was much faster, albeit very energy draining.

Got back to the start line and saw that there was still an hour left before the 3 hour mark. At this point I could have packed it up and called it a day, but dang it I had paid my money. The sun was out and there was some fantastic trail action that I hadn't got enough of. I put on a smile, took my sweet time changing the tire and went out for another lap. The last lap was fun. Sure my race was over, I was well out of contention for any placing, but that didn't matter. I had fun on my bike.

Now to go check on that rim!

Look at us ma, front page!

2010-10-13T18:24:00.003-05:00

That's right. You know you've made it big when you are front page news in the Osage County Herald-Chronicle. Thanks to Wayne for a great write up and once again to all the racers who came. Now, read the article and then continue to tell everyone you know how much fun you had.

And oh yeah, get yourselves ready for the Freedom Ride on Sunday Nov. 7th. This year the 35 mile route will serve as a competitive race. I know that is a short distance for a lot of you gravel grinders, but come on out and sprint it out anyways!

Weekend Fun

2010-10-11T08:09:00.003-05:00

It was a fantastic race day this weekend as we had great weather and fun for the Riverfront MTB Race and Cam took home the SS victory at Moab. You can read all about that here. Big thanks to Matt at High Gear and the Friends of the Trail. And of course all the riders who came out and supported the event!

Riverfront Race

2010-10-07T21:50:00.001-05:00

Is this Sunday! Info can be found here:

riverfrontmtbrace.blogspot.com

Be there!

This Weekend

2010-10-01T11:33:00.002-05:00

Okay, feeling a little bit back on track. I was nearly thinking about nixing the whole blogging thing there for a minute. But, I suppose it is a good outlet whether or not anyone is actually reading it.

But, for those of you that are....this weekend there will be much fun to be had at Melvern. On Sunday Oct. 3rd (this Sunday!) we will be meeting at the Melvern trails (in Melvern, not the lake) at 2pm to do some race course pre-riding. The trail is always open for riding, but will not be marked for the race until the day prior. So, come on out and get a taste of what the course will be like!

I know, I've been bad.

2010-09-24T21:51:00.005-05:00

Well, life happens sometimes. And then you don't blog as much as you would like. So, hopefully these pictures will make you smile.

I made it back up to NY this past weekend for the Livestrong retreat at Frost Valley. It was beautiful!

Oh how I miss this view.

Stopping for some native plum's on the very first Adventure Monkey Tour. Now that was a wonderful weekend. Look for more of these next year!

The kind of beautiful views you can expect. This was taken after the Adventure Monkey himself revealed all he knows about photography!

And now for a look ahead. Riverfront MTB race on Oct. 10th. Be there. Find more information at: riverfrontmtbrace.blogspot.com

News

2010-09-02T13:38:00.003-05:00

You may heard the rumors, but now it is a reality. The first ever mtb race at the riverfront park in Melvern, KS. We were asked to put on this race by the town of Melvern and when we went and rode these trails we were thoroughly impressed. Check this website for all race information:

riverfrontmtbrace.blogspot.com

We would greatly appreciate if you would pass this info along and help spread the word. So, please post this link to your blog and start telling everyone you know. This is a race that you will not want to miss!

Upcoming Fun

2010-08-04T11:20:00.002-05:00

Okay, you should already know about this, but Flint Hills Bike Tour on Sept 10th-12th. The Adventure Monkey and I are meeting up tonight to finalize ALL the details. So, be prepared to get some info on the happenings.

Secondly, get ready to add another mtb race to your calendar for early October. I know, always with the short notice, but when I decide to do something I get stuff done quickly. There is a new trail that you will not want to miss. More details to come on this early next week, so stay tuned!

Back in Kansas

2010-08-01T23:21:00.002-05:00

Yes siree, back in Kansas. A bit of mixed emotions as I miss the folks back East, but certainly glad to be home. And of course I couldn't miss the croc rock race at Perry on my first weekend back. I was a little nervous with the high temps, I am certainly not used to it yet. But, I was able to pull out a second in my age group and was a pretty respectable distance from the overall winner. This was mostly due to Anne Marie's magnificent pit assistance. She saved me some valuable seconds! Everyone else did amazing as well, but you will have to read their blogs to get their scoop on the day.

Weekend Fun

2010-07-19T08:36:00.003-05:00

I had the great pleasure of showing off the Catskills to Jim this past weekend. He is making the transition to Bethlehem and made the time to come up and join me for a race here in the mountains. The race course was a little tough, but extremely fun. However, they decided to shorten the race from 3 laps to 2 (I would have been happy with 3), so it wasn't too bad. The lap was 5 miles long and had a pretty substantial 900' of climbing in that short time (long and steep!). It was a great day on some great trails. I will say this though, from a race promotion stand point the midwest has been far better then anywhere I've been! And I am very much looking forward to returning to those races. Hmm...maybe even at Perry if I'm not too spent from all that driving.

In true Adventure Monkey fashion I will try and remember to plug the upcoming first ever Flint Hills Cyclo-Photography Tour Weekend every time I post. Just so you don't forget. And yes, we are still working on the name. But, at least you know what you would be in for. The date is the weekend of Sept. 10-12, so mark it now. More details on activities and pricing to come. Just know that it will be quite affordable and an amazing time!

Much going on

2010-07-14T08:28:00.002-05:00

Well first and foremost there are some exciting things going on in the world of magazines. The magnificent issue 2 of Adventure Monkey Magazine is now out. You can find both issues of AM Magazine here. Secondly, XXC Magazine has dedicated an entire issue to the Dirty Kanza 200. A worthy honor for an amazing event! Check it out here. I've already got mine ordered!

I also have news that Adventure Monkey Tours is under way and set to roll out with the first Flint Hills Cyling photo-tour. The date is set for Sept 10-12th. Mark your calendars for now and official details will follow in the near future. This will be a great way to spend a weekend with good company, riding and photographing the Flint Hills.

And most excitingly for me, Jim Cummins may be headed up my way this weekend to take part in a little NE mtb racing. Can't wait!

Really? Really!?

2010-07-01T19:35:00.002-05:00

Ah, those nice mountain summers right? Don't have to worry about that oppressive heat. Gimme a break, I just got done with a ride in which I had to wear a base layer and arm warmers. It's July 1st! I was told by an ol' timer that Frost Valley got its name because it would occasionally get frost in July. Our night time temps have been dropping down to the 40's so I guess it could be a real possibility! I found this little excerpt whilst doing some research: "minimum temperatures in the 30s do occur in July at least once every 10 years." I have to wear sweatpants and a hoodie, in July. Needless to say I am not happy about any of this.

recent rides

2010-06-27T14:34:00.003-05:00

Did one of the hardest training rides to date yesterday. I rode 15 miles and it took me nearly 2 hours. 6 of the miles were entirely up hill. I rode three climbs that were right on two miles each and 1000+ ft of climbing each. Just those three climbs alone equalled 3,400 ft of climbing in just 6 miles. That's steep in case you were wondering!

This little cave was a nice feature in the race I did last Sunday. The trail was phenomenal.

Man those shorts and jerseys look sweet.

NE Racing

2010-06-20T19:46:00.002-05:00

Did my first mtb race up here today. And I gotta give huge props to Cam and Shad who are out in Colorado ripping it up, because I am tanking over here in these little mountains. Had to (well, thought it would be wise to anyways) get a USA license. Had to start in Sport and thought I should be able to do pretty well. Wrong. Took 6th today in a deep and stacked sport class. They also had us youngsters start with the 30-39 class which aided in a fast start. The trail was phenomenal and I had a blast though. My legs are achin' now, but I'm already looking forward to the next race in about a month.

Trek 29ers

2010-06-16T15:17:00.002-05:00

Gary Fisher inspired of course! Well, it happened. Can't say that I'm shocked, but I didn't expect this to happen so soon. I gotta say I love it. Gary Fisher is one inspirational fella who has the right attitude in my opinion about bikes. Just get on one and ride, whatever your reasons.

The Dawg

2010-06-11T10:38:00.004-05:00

First and foremost congrats to the Adventure Monkey on completing the Dirty Kanza 200 and everyone else who attempted such a feat. It is no small task!

Also, I had a revelation yesterday. Full suspension bikes are nice. I went out to Woodstock yesterday for the weekly Thursday night road ride. When I got there the mood had been changed to a mtb ride. Since I didn't have my mtb, Billy from Overlook let me ride a loaner. An all-mountain, 5" of squishy goodness Kona Dawg. Not top of the line, but not a Wally World special either. But, this baby was the softest thing I have ever ridden. And the stories are true. The East Coast is rocky. Okay, yes, there are some trails in which you can get by with a Hard Tail out here on the East Coast. But, I can safely say that if I was staying out here, I would be getting a FS.

Good Luck my Friends!

2010-06-04T10:43:00.002-05:00

Well, it is the eve of the Dirty Kanza 200 and this will be the first year that I will not be spectating or particpating. Nope, I won't be present and it pains me deeply. This event is truly special for a lot of reasons that start with the people behind it. So, good luck to everyone taking up the challenge tomorrow!

Team High Gear

2010-05-31T20:52:00.008-05:00

Is representing! First off, look at this guy!

14th down at Lance's pad and this sweet photo on Cyclingnews. Big time I tell ya!

And in my first competition in the new kit I participated in a little triathlon. I joined a team and did the bike leg.

Tagging out to my good pal D-Hips. Maggie joined us for the swim and we were third out of the water, first off the bike, and first after the run. It was good fun.

Beauty

2010-05-30T15:38:00.006-05:00

So yes, I do think Kansas is beautiful. But, dang, this is my weekly Thursday night ride.

Oh, and for a point of reference I live in the valley just on the other side of these little peaks. I've been going up to Woodstock on a pretty regular basis now and each time the route is different. But, inevitably we get a number of views of equal greatness. This past Thursday's ride was 50 miles of pure bliss. And to top if off, we finished at the bike shop with some waffles! Ah yes, the life indeed.

But wait, there's more! I once read in a magazine an article about an attempted corporate take over of some amazing trails in Northern Vermont known as the Kingdom Trails. Needless to say the trails won and are now 50+ miles of some amazing looking singletrack. (I will know for sure in about a week) So, let the jealousies continue and feast your eyes on what I will be riding in about a week's time. That's right, camping and riding, life is good.

And finally for some completely unrelated icing on the cake, watch this.

Enjoy

2010-05-27T11:17:00.001-05:00

The Gravel Metric Invitation from OC Imageworks on Vimeo.

Volume

2010-05-25T08:50:00.004-05:00

With the mtb races finally approaching for me (1 more month!) it was time to up the volume. Yes, even the traditionally shorter XC races will require more pedal time then these road races I've been doing. So, I set out with the task of riding 3-4 hours. I knew that unless I wanted to ride circles in front of camp I would have to ride off the mountain, which would be extremely fast and fun. But, also meant that I would be climbing my way back up the mountain to get home. So I opted for the easiest route possible, a stunningly beautiful ride down and around the Rondout reservoir. After reading the Monkey Man's latest post I see that it is quite possible to take some wonderful shots with my good ol' 'point and shoot.' However, I was all loaded up with food and water bottles and left the camera at home. I managed to ride 46 miles with 1800ft of climbing. That's 3x the amount of climbing you'd get in the same mileage on the Reading loop back home. I had one little scare on the ride when I flatted. I have been going back and forth on my bikes and had left my seat bag on the Superfly. Fortunately I flatted near my friend Tom's house and was able to get repaired and back on the road. Enjoyed the scenery around the reservoir and made the turn around. It would be all uphill now. I made it back to camp in 3 hrs 10 minutes, the longest I've been in the saddle all year.

In the news

2010-05-16T08:57:00.002-05:00

Okay, I know you are struggling to keep up with the high volume of posts in the past 24 hours, but this could not wait. Our beloved, and newly dubbed, "Prime Time" Matt Brown made himself a little tv appearance.

Watch it here. Go on, I'll wait.

I know, amazing right! Never mind they butchered most of the details. The fact is the DK 200 (and all the people involved with it) are worthy of such noteriety and I'm glad to see it happen.

Good timing

2010-05-15T20:28:00.004-05:00

The beauty of the Delaware Water Gap area. (the river, not the state mind you)
Kate using the facilities in the ghost town.
Okay, so thank you Bobby for sending me my fancy new gear. You have no idea how much I needed this. For the first time in a long time I finally feel like I am still part of the group. I was having a mental block from training and this was just the right pick me up!
Yes, I shamelessly modeled the new team uni using the timer on my camera. Don't judge me.

Recent Happenings

2010-05-06T22:30:00.003-05:00

Eating french fries and gravy in Toronto. Umm.....I had much higher hopes. But still good of course.
The Maid of the Mist, getting soaked by lots of H2O.
Skull cookie. Enough said.

Also be sure to check out the two wonderful new links to the side. Matt and Steph have decided to join the blogosphere and are entertaining us with their life stories.

Round 2

2010-04-28T09:27:00.002-05:00

Attempted another road race. Unfortunately I couldn't make it two for two. Got a little impatient and had to settle for second place. Lessons well learned. The course was a bit hilly with one KOM challenge. I took second on that as well. It did make me a little proud though when someone said I was crazy for racing on a heavy cross bike.

Would much rather be preparing for Wilson this weekend though. Good luck to everyone headin' out West!

MIA

2010-04-20T09:24:00.004-05:00

Well, no racing for me this week, but I will resume action next Tuesday. The fella's seemed to have had a great time at Bone Bender and Mike even took home the 'W' in his class. Wish I could have been there teaming up with my business partner. Aaron was also racing in CA this weekend at Sea Otter. Congrats to just being there man! Here is a brief video I found of the start of Bone Bender. I also stalked down some photos. Go here for much more. Keep up the good work boys!

Cameron returning to a dress code we can appreciate. Thanks for paving the way good sir!
Typical Mike. Wide eyed (at least I assume under the glasses) and smiling from ear to ear.

Sir Wintle III. 'Nuff said.

First Race

2010-04-14T10:14:00.003-05:00

After seeing that Kansas native Brian Jenson came up to the Tour of Battenkill and showed these East Coaster's how the boys from the midwest ride, I knew I would have to keep the Kansas winning streak going in my first attempt at a road race. Sure, my field may have been a little smaller, and it was Cat 4's and 5's, but I took home the win none the less. Tons of fun and I think I will do some more of this road racin' stuff.

Monkey Man on the Radio

2010-04-09T15:02:00.002-05:00

Radio - Podcast's, what's the difference? The fact is there are people in the Kansas area doing great things. Eric Benjamin, better know as the monkey man is one of those said people. Look for great things to come from The Adventure Monkey. To hear some of those projects take a listen to his recent interview on the Kansas Cyclist podcast here.

And in case you missed it, catch up on Jim Cummins speaking of the DK 200 here.

What have I done!?

2010-04-06T13:20:00.002-05:00

I never thought I would be at this point. When I first started riding I was certain I would not be wearing those spandex shorts. Well okay, they provide some padding for your rump, but I'll only wear them under my b-ball shorts. Okay, I'll wear the spandex, but I'll never shave my legs.

And yet here I am with perfectly smooth shaved legs. It's amazing what this sport will do to you. And yet, I continue to love it every day. I'm still not convinced on all the selling points of why one should shave there legs, but with so many people doing it I thought I would see what all the hype was about. Plus, I'm comfortable enough to answer the stares and q's that will inevitably be thrown my way. All I can say so far is....it feels nice.

Just wanted to remind you all of what my back yard looks like. A little bare still, but spring is coming...

Get your gravel on

2010-04-03T16:29:00.002-05:00

I first saw this magnificent film about a year ago (or more?) thanks to Mr. Josh Patterson. It is magnificent. Hopefully it will inspire you to go do great things.

Lincoln, NE from RAPHA on Vimeo.

April No fools

2010-04-02T20:11:00.002-05:00

Guess if I was clever enough I would have devised a hilarious prank post for you all yesterday. We can clearly see that didn't happen. I did freshen up the page a little with a new photo up top. Taken by none other then the adventure monkey himself. The ride itself was a bit brutal. I had certainly forgotten the wind. Eric calls it 'Kansas climbing.' All I know is it's hard work. Going into the wind provided us little opportunity for casual conversation. With my tum tum growling we made it into Olpe and refueled with what I am sure was high quality riding food from the gas station. With the wind at our backs we were able to hammer it home with the greatest of ease. About 40 miles for the day. A bit shorter then anticipated, but we got start considerably later then planned.

While we were playing in the wind, a handful of High Gear faithfuls made their way down to Arkansas for the Ouachita Challenge. And as expected they had themselves a great time and turned out some great results. Aaron came home with a 3rd place finish, congrats good sir!

Adventure Monkey

2010-03-21T21:58:00.002-05:00

Check out the first of many wonderful magazines to come here. I'm starting to like this writing thing. For more great work from the creator of The Adventure Monkey Magazine click here.

Boredom

2010-03-17T18:27:00.002-05:00

Boredom leads to a lot of time wasting on the computer. I did however, stumble upon this little beauty from last years Ouachita Challenge. Especially take note of the two handsome devils at 28 seconds. And then again, a good looking trio at 2:16. I'm a bit jealous I won't be making the trip again this year.

Jim

2010-03-12T20:14:00.002-06:00

Have you met my friend Jim? He's pretty wonderful. Not only is he the fantastic promoter of one of the greatest events in all the land, but now he is a famous broadcaster on the interwebs. Check him out here.

Good news, Better news

2010-03-08T09:32:00.003-06:00

mid 40s for this afternoon and the sun is shining. Couldn't be happier to be getting out on the bike this afternoon. But that's not the good news. In just two short weeks I will be back in Kansas for a 9 day visit. That leaves plenty of time for a couple of gravel grinders, so prepare to be making yourselves available for a ride!

And yes, there is better news. Maybe not for Tim. I was recently accepted into Grad school at ESU and will be returning once again to Emporia this summer. I certainly couldn't be happier to return home!

Back in Action

2010-03-02T09:03:00.002-06:00

That's right boys and girls, I'm back. Apparently I had gotten lazy and just turned in to a weeny over the winter. Not that riding the trainer doesn't have it's value. It certainly kept me in shape all winter. But, I just couldn't take it any more. I had to ride outside no matter what. And so, I ventured out again yesterday in less then ideal conditions. The 'snowmaggedon' if you will, took it's toll on the area, but I was riding regardless. I put in 35 miles. Before you Kansas boys start shaking your heads, because I know you've been doubling that number, you need to realize that this was 35 miles of snow covered mountain passes (passes just sounds much cooler then roads). After giving it all I could to get up the snow covered dirt roads, it was all I could do to hang on down the backside. When I finally returned home I was exhausted and covered head to toe with sand and grime. My bike would need quite the clean up to be operational again (sorry, left the camera at home). And I couldn't have felt any better about it. So with two weeks to the day from my first race, I fully intend on riding outside whenever I can. Indoor training just can't compare.

2010-02-26T20:12:00.002-06:00

Well, the 'snowpocalypse' has graced us with 4 feet of snow. However, riding looks optimistic for Monday and Tuesday when I'm off. Upper 30s and sunshine. The roads should be good and clear by then as well.

A beautiful winter wonderland. Not much visibility going on here. This is what I got to see when I stepped out of my office. Actually, I took this yesterday. Since this picture we added on another foot or two of snow.

It was a challenge to get up the path to my apartment. My blue jeans were soaked, I trudged a long way in some deep snow. The next morning was even worse. I couldn't even take this path as it was up to my chest!

My humble abode.

Ah, the great outdoors

2010-02-23T12:29:00.004-06:00

Yes I finally sucked it up. Sure, the winters are a bit rough up here, but mostly I've just been a weeny. The temps were in the low 30s and only a light flurry for precipitation. After seeing what the Adventure Monkey was riding in, I knew this would be no problem.

The sign my friends, reads: "Next 1 1/2 miles, Use Low Gear." That is for the semis. For bikers that means "Hold on for Dear Life." In fact, as I was blazing down the hill the tears streaming from my eyes were freezing to my cheek. Unfortunately, the only way to get home is back up the hill. A mile and a half of 8% grade and that is no fun no matter what the temps are.

I did manage to stop and take a few photos along the way. The ice is beautiful here all colorful like.
The Superfly wanted to stop and pose with the pretty ice.

Sweet Video

2010-02-14T18:17:00.002-06:00

Memory Lane

2010-02-07T13:37:00.004-06:00

Ah yes, Super Bowl Sunday. I do plan on watching the game...at least for a bit. Maybe it will hold my attention until half time, then I might flip back towards the end to see who wins. No, these days I'm more interested in the kickoff of races such as the Tour of Qatar. Team Sky did have an impressive win. Although Radioshack was not present and no one is really fielding their 'A' teams.

Anyways, the real reason for today's post was a trip down memory lane. While re-living the early days of High Gear cyclery I stumbled upon the profile of Emporia Legend Tim Mohn, which I highly recommend you take a peek at. I had forgotten how Tim and I were once bitter rivals . Take this quote from his page for example:

Why should someone take up cycling as a new hobby?s the perfect sport.

Cycling is the perfect sport.

Done by all ages.

Both sexes.

All races, nationalities and religions.

Big one’s, small one’s, even somewhat bald one’s (no offense Lelan).

I will ride till the day I die. And so can you.

Very funny Dr. Seuss. Yep, he spared no excuse at chopping away at my self esteem and I made sure to challenge his man hood whenever an opportunity would present itself. Which was basically every time I came into the shop. And now those days are gone. Distance has put an end to our 'love to hate each other' relationship. I can only imagine that in my absence, and lacking a suitable trash talker, he has fallen off the pace. But don't you worry Timmy. One day I shall return to speak slanderously of your name and challenge you to a bout of two-wheeled debauchery.

In the meantime, enjoy this video. Particularly that handsome devil of a drummer.

(Click the picture for the video!)

Oh Tim, how I miss you, ya big galoot.

No Trails

2010-01-28T19:15:00.005-06:00

I previously eluded to the notion that I would be riding outside this past Tuesday. Not only would I have the opportunity to ride outside, but sweet single track awaited me and the Superfly. I am here to tell you that journey never happened. Monday did bring in a warm front that would carry into Tuesday. Unfortunately it also brought a torrential down pour with it. Lame. Ah, just need to survive February it seems. First race kicks off March 16th and I may have very little outdoor riding time. But, it doesn't concern me too much at the moment since my good friend Tom and I have been getting in some quality trainer riding (Tom recently bought the three part CTS Climbing DVDs).

A bit of randomness to get you through your day:

Meatloaf Hands!

Oh sweet victory.

2010-01-25T13:07:00.000-06:00

I wish all my training rides ended like this.

My Adventure Monkey

2010-01-22T14:45:00.003-06:00

I want to kick this post off by highlighting a fine new addition to the list of wonderful links on the right hand side of the page. Visit The Adventure Monkey and you will soon know of what I speak. Magnificent musings and photos from an E-Town local.

So....my adventure monkey couldn't be happier at the moment. Warm temperatures for Tuesday (40 degrees!) have led me to contact some folks for a group ride. Sure, I have to drive an hour and a half to get there, but it's worth it. I will get to ride outside (and on trails none the less!), with other people! Hmm...it just occured to me that since this ride is at 5:30 (will be pitch black by then) I will need the lights and this will negate the 40 degree temps. Didn't say my monkey was bright, still adventerous though. Better make sure the Superfly is tuned up, lights are charged up, and warm clothes are ready to go!

New Developments

2010-01-11T12:33:00.004-06:00

I have a little bit of excitement to report. I sucked it up and dropped the money on a license. Never needed one before, but every race up here requires one. And that seems to be the way things are headed all over. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just one more thing we have to spend money on. So, you're looking at rider # 261426. Hey, it beats buying the one day license every time.

More importantly, I have found a new goal for this summer. Garrett has inspired me to quit being a lazy bum. I completed the DK 200, to date the most challenging race I've had the pleasure of participating in, and then I found this little beauty.

That's right, a 24 hour race is in my future. Close by and a reasonable price. Maybe that will put a little fire in the legs for a return trip to the Dirty Kanza in 2011! I am certainly looking forward to the challenge. Congrats and good luck by the way, to all those fools who signed up for their first (or yet another) DK 200. It is one of the best events I have ever done. And a big congrats to the newly formed High Gear race team. I couldn't imagine a better group of people.

Alright, back to the grind on that %$#@* trainer. Gonna keep my spirits up and dream of sunny skies and warm temps. It won't be long!

New Year, New Fun

2010-01-06T18:00:00.002-06:00

That's the hopes anyways. To back track a little....Christmas was a bit uneventful for me. In fact it was the first one in 25 years I didn't spend with my family in the fine state of KS. But, it does mean I've earned myself a little more time to visit when I travel back that way. New Year's was good, rang in 2010 in the CEO's hot tub looking out over the ice covered lake and snow covered mountains. Can't complain there.

I am quite excited to know that I will be racing my bike in just 2 and a 1/2 short months. I found a local Tuesday night crit series not far from here that I will be able to make regular appearances at. Never done 'em before, but I'll take what I can get. Then come mtb season I will actually be able to work mon-fri and have weekends free. That means I will be able to do some racing! So until then I'll just keep plugging away on the trainer. In fact, I'm headed there now.

Belleayre & Boston

2009-12-20T19:15:00.004-06:00

Yep, that's Pauly and the Ol' North Church back there. You know the story one if by land, two if by sea. I spent the weekend in Bean-town this weekend and it was fantastic. Walked the freedom trail and got to see all the sights. Boston is pretty small so it is easy to see everything in one day. Then a blizzard rolled up the East coast and tried to snow me in, but these folks are ready for the snow and had the roads cleared in no time.

More importantly, I got my board last week. Went up to Belleayre the next day. I can't be riding the trainer 7 days a week, so here's to shreddin' the mountain!
Ah yes, just like riding a bike. We wasted no time in finding the double black runs.

Panther Mtn. in the bag!

2009-12-09T20:55:00.005-06:00

Another peak down. Hiked Panther yesterday and it was fantastic. Quite a bit of snow on the ground, but some beautiful views.

You gotta stay protected out there in the wild. Nothing says manly like a hatchet in a leather pouch strapped to your leg.

Me and my lil' sis in Woodstock. My mama, aunt Donna, and cousin Ash came to visit as well. Now it's my turn to travel. Look for a return trip early next year! I'll be expecting Camp Alexander to be in tip top shape for a quick ride.

Apologies

2009-12-05T08:43:00.005-06:00

Okay,

For the handful of people that actually wonder what I'm doing with my life, I apologize. My updates are getting about as bad as Garrett and that is just no good. It seems like I never have anything to update you with, but it's just that training has been a little dull. Trainer, trainer, and a little more trainer. I don't know how mad man Mike does it, but I have no desire to be going out in single temps to ride. Not to mention it's pitch black here at 5pm. Don't worry though, because I know you are concerned. Since the riding has been slow I've taken up quite a bit of hiking. In fact there are 35 peaks above 3,500 feet in the Catskills and I am going to climb them all! 4 down, 31 to go.

So since I have no new biking news, let me clue you in to some important info. DK200 2010. You do not want to be the only person not riding this event. Trust me, this is one you do not want to miss. For more check out www.dirtykanza200.wordpress.com.

It is supposed to start snowing soon, which doesn't help getting off the trainer, but it will justify the season ski pass I'm about to get. All the snowboardin' I can handle only 30 minutes away. Throw in a little XC skiing from time to time and I just might have some good cross training this winter. Alrighty, that's all for now. Peace out.

First Snow

2009-10-17T15:50:00.002-05:00

Hmm...too soon for this. Went for a ride today, but it is clear the trainer will have to be set up.

Updates

2009-10-08T18:51:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lack of info lately. I've been out and about a little since the last post. I made a trip to the Big Apple. Did a lot of walking and sightseeing in two days. I'll definitely be going back from time to time.

Been getting some riding in on occasion. Got geared up in my riding lederhosen and scouted out a trail that will be hosting a race next weekend. There were lot's of trails, which were poorly marked, and quite a bit of debris down (we had strong winds recently, I thought I had escaped that!). But, I think I will still manage to go to the race.

I think this little beauty just convinced me it's time to start shaving. Funny isn't, I was never going to wear those funny spandex shorts. Okay, I'll wear the shorts, but only under my regular shorts. Okay, I'll wear the spandex, but I ain't shavin' my legs. Okay, maybe I'll shave my legs. I suppose this is the normal progression for most of us. On a sad note, this happened at about 3 mph crawling up a steep incline. The back tire spun on a root and I couldn't get unclipped. Thought I had that mastered, guess I better practice that.

Also got to see this 15 foot waterfall along the trail. Hopefully people can keep there eyes on the trail and not stargaze at this.

recent happenings

2009-09-14T16:47:00.002-05:00

Gotta make sure I stay away from this guy. This bear has been pawing around camp lately. I should have put my hand by it for context, but he's big.
I made my way up to Windham today. The trail is amazing when you can find it. Apparently after the race they kinda just let it go, so some sections were overgrown. But, a worthwhile trip nonetheless. In this section you ride through a tunnel under the DH course.
Ride and Smile, I did lot's of that today!

DK Video

2009-09-01T20:12:00.003-05:00

Ok Jim, its here! I'm just as happy as you are to finally post this thing. (Thanks to Garret for helping my CPU illiterate behind get it working.) I wanted to do much more with the video, but in the end it turned out to be a decent compilation of riders. So, hopefully it brings back some happier memories and maybe the video will sweet talk you into making another attempt next year!

Hmm...Also just noticed some editing errors towards the end. You'll have to forgive me.

Dirty Kanza 200 - 2009 from Garret Seacat on Vimeo.

Allegrippis Crash

2009-08-29T18:12:00.001-05:00

Before I went to the trails in PA the bike shop feller told me of a sweet video from the trails. So, check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N76X5HN_z1c

2009-08-25T20:28:00.003-05:00

Well, I made it. Safe and sound. Thank goodness I decided to stop and ride along the way. Amazing trails and I may have just gone crazy without it. If you ever roll through PA you MUST stop at the recently opened Allegrippis trails.

View from the trail.

At the trail head.

I plan on riding at Windham this weekend and plenty others in the near future. I'll try to keep the pics coming!

Misery

2009-08-17T22:27:00.002-05:00

Yes indeed. But, only while riding bikes is that a term of endearment. This year's RIM dished out more punishment as expected and I wouldn't have it any other way. After Bobby shortened our trio to a duo Anton and I decided we would destroy ourselves in the 12 hr race anyways. Just the two of us. I felt a little bad since this was only Anton's second race. Didn't matter, the man went out there like a champ and had himself a good ol' time. We held our own for a while fightin' for a podium spot, but severe rain left the course a bit slick and dangerous. We ended up with a superb 4th place finish.

The rest of the Emporia crew was present and in full force. The formidable triple threat of Jim, Tim, and Mike contested the supafast class. And supa' fast it was. Mucho competition in this field. The always good lookin' Burghardt motored his crew of Great Bender's to a solid fourth place finish. Huge props to those fella's that were out in the light shower! Matt, Steph, and Garret successfully defended their coed title. It was a close call though. Rodney and Randy showed they had a lot of fight and kept up good spirits even with all the bad luck. It was great to see a lot of the newer riders come out and not only ride strong, but have a good time. Even with the rain I couldn't think of a better way to spend my weekend. Eating amazing camp food (Thanks Jim!), riding bikes with great friends, and camping in the great outdoors. Huge thanks to the Heartland crew for making these things happen.

p.s. Who knows if we'll ever have a DK video. I'm trying, but it is giving me quite the troubles. I even recruited the ever computer savvy Garret to help and we still can't make it happen. Maybe it'll be up before next year's event!

Cramp Alexander mtb race video

2009-08-13T13:34:00.002-05:00

Here you go. A sweet little recap of the racing action at Camp Alexander. Nothing like watching mtb videos to get you pumped for more racing. Enjoy and see you at Rapture!

Cramp Alexander MTB Race from LeLan Dains on Vimeo.

p.s. DK video to come later today!

Night Riding

2009-08-10T00:01:00.002-05:00

My it has been a long time since I went out for some riding after the sun went down. And boy did I forget what I was missing. It definitely helps that I got a couple of new lights as well. After tonight I'm feeling even better about RIM. It will be a grand ol' time for sure. Mike and I started out tonight wanting to see just how long our lights would last. Needed to test the guarantee on the box. Tim and Garret joined us on lap number two and put in a couple laps. I went out for lap 4 on my own and took quite a spill. Not entirely sure what even happened. Just lost the front tire in a loose downhill corner and was kissing dirt before I new what was going on. After finishing that lap I learned that Tim and Garret had already left and Mike was packing it in. He had gone down as well and had a knot on his calf the size of a softball. Hopefully that is better before next weekend. It had only been two hours so I decided I would forge on alone. The box claimed 3 1/2 hrs on high beam so I needed to be sure. After finishing lap number 5 of the trails my back was getting a bit tender, so I jetted out for 10 miles of gravel. Some pretty gnarly thunder forced me to head back slightly early, but got a total ride time of 3 hours and the lights were still going strong.