Sunday, June 17, 2012

Red Bull Divide and Conquer

The Full Dude Men won the Red Bull Divide and Conquer yesterday in West Vancouver. Team "The Full Dude Men" got together a couple months ago when Toby found out about this relay race on the interweb. When red bull puts its name on something everyone wants in, and we wanted in big time. So Toby found a fast runner named Mike "do they have prize money?" Vine of xterra fame, and the Dude Men united with the purpose to crush some balls. Now we had an awesome team and I thought we would be a shoe in for the win, but when we went out to do some course recon and ran into some of the other teams I knew we would have our hands full. I was fully star struck when I was at the pre race meeting with the likes of Will Gadd, Ben Marr, Chris Johnston, Dylan Wolsky, Logan Grayling, Chris Gragtmans, Josh Carlson, Wade Simmons, There was a Traslin and a Titus, the race was stacked with tons of talent.

VineMan did us a huge solid when he was in the lead group of 3 after the run with Titus and Ed Mccarthy. Ed's Mt biker was Dylan Wolsky so when I got the hand off I was pooing my pants because Dylan is one of the best all round dude man huck your meat riders in the world. So I went balls to the wall for an 1:40 and was able to put two minutes into Dylan and left Toby with a bit of lead when he sent it off the red bull launch pad into the Capilano river. Toby crushed the paddle and we won the race. So sick!
Mike show me the money Vine about to put the hurt on. 

the run to mt bike hand off, thats Dylan in the red and Will Gadd green and Mike Traslin in the background. 

Mt bike to Kayak, Toby about to slay Will Gadd. 


final podium. The Full Dude Men in first, team Arcteryx in second, and Giant/Dagger in third.

FDM

more full dude man

we made some money too. dollar dollar bill y'all! 

Monday, June 11, 2012

green light!

Not much going on the past week. But the normal stuff is just great.
Melanie has this sweet garden, she even put chicken manure from abbotosford in it to make the  goods grow. I put the leftover manure on my chest to make the hair grow, it seams to be working. And yes Toby that is Kale, full red flag.   

Bob Long, you love the guide? single rings are the way to go. My new direct mount guide came in and looks very nice and works like the bomb. Bikes have come a long way in the last 10 years, all I see in the photo is carbon, aluminum, and Titanium. I'm leaving a huge carbon footprint.  

Now I drive one of the best cars mankind has ever produced. My only problem is that it had no cupholders. I didn't really care to much about it but I have some nagging passengers who think cupholders are king. So I went down to the MCC and picked up this sweet center console, it was 4$ and now my car has cupholders in the back and in the front. I know eh, 4 cupholders, its crazy! for 4$ you dont get a lid to go with it but lucky for me I have a cooler lid that works perfect. 

check out the fork in the trail. somewhere over there this way. best trail going right now. I poo my pants with joy every time I ride it. 

Melanie on the bridge. 

I've signed up to do this red bull divide and conquer race on june 16 and I need to practice the trails. I know it looks like a photo from Paris-Roubaix but no its a trail called pipeline. Melanie shows how things are done and hucks her meat down the cobbles.  

so yeah this red bull divide and conquer is on June 16. I've teamed up with running guru and xterra honch Mike Vine and Kayaking legend Toby Roessingh. I think we have a solid team, I know its a full dude man event but Im going to sport the full dex for speed. 


Thursday, June 07, 2012

Excellent Adventure and Toonie Racing

About Two weeks ago Marty Lazarski the king of the shore convinced me to race this wades excellent adventure. Marty and 1996 olympian and North Van local Andreas Hestler also got whistler toonie ringer and Aussie honey badger Matty "dingo" Ryan to all join forces and put a serious stab at hoisting the Fromme cup. We all raced really hard and it was a ton of fun following Dre down the trails he knows all to well. When it was all said and done I think we won but I dont really know for sure. But win or loose it was a great time hanging around in wet sandy bike shorts and shredding north van gnar with the legends. you can also check out pinkbikes take or North Shore Mt Bikes take.
Myself, Dre, Dingo, and pro bike racer Marty. 

stage 3 was shot gun a beer and climb up this hill without putting a foot down, here Joe Schwartz shows how to shot gun in true Nelson style. I'm a couple riders back pooing my pants.  
Then Wednesday Melanie and loaded up Team Tercel wagon and drove the mufferless beauty up to Squamish for the toonie race. It was an awesome course, down roller coaster, lumber jacks, then up to icy hole of death, around the rock and then down Brackentrail to the finish. If every course was like this one the sport of "xc" would be booming like the LA kings. My dropper post came in very handy on icy hole.
about to finish. Greg Day and I had a good little battle, I hung on to his wheel best I could down roller coaster and lumber jacks, then I went for gusto on the climb and just kept enough gap to get into icy hole first, I was able to keep my advantage to the finish and walked away with a win. But the true winning took place at the after party. 

big thanks to republic bike shop for hosting the toonie and the beer and burgers were awesome! I'll be back and so should you. 

Monday, June 04, 2012

victory points!

My friends Troy and Christine of Crowsnest Coffee Company came for for a visit on friday. It was pissing rain and nasty out and since all of us are now fair weather riders we just sat around and drank beverages. Coffee at first then it turned to wine, with the wine came settlers and the rest is history.
Nate Dawg broke a wine glass then went home in shame. I cleaned up  with a settlers win. 

sunday we rode in Squamish, this is on the plunge. awesome day for riding bikes. full bc rain forest, slaying slippy rocks and roots with big wheels is just boss!

oh yes let the jokes begin.
We rode this trail called somewhere out there. Maybe my favorite Squampton trail, anywho this was about 3/4 way down it, anyone know were this goes or ends up? everyone loves a good panty line right?  


Friday, June 01, 2012

Nimby 51.

427 spandex clad duders about to tear up pemby. 
It was maybe the best race I have ever done in my life. The course was unreal! The people were killer! and the post food/beer was out of this world. The folks in Pemberton sure know how to put on a race! The Nimby Fifty had some of the best talent in the country as well as a couple Olympians. I think over 400 people did the race. We did 3 loops, Start Loop, 101 switchbacks climbs and Dude man down hill loop, and a good old xc tear your legs off loop at the finish. then 3k of pavement to the finish. After the start loop I found myself in 3rd place behind Max Plaxton and Neal Kindree. I went the wrong way and took Cody Canning and Sean Babcock with me we went about 5-7 off course about 1/4 way up the 101 switchbacks, so hence the Nimby 51. After getting lost I chased full gas the whole time and when it was all said and done I popped out on the pavement 50m behind Colin Kerr. I closed the gap as fast as possible and sucked Colin's wheel for 2km them sprinted him for the line. I ended up 3rd. Not bad for a guy who was literally shoveling chicken poo at 7pm the night before the race. My goal going into it was just to maybe beat Catharine Pendrel. Also Melanie also won the 30-34 woman's category(cougar category). winner winner chicken dinner. So it was a great weekend for team tercel wagon. Its going to take me a month to recover from the race, I'm not 23 anymore and way to fat to be racing bikes, good thing for carbon and big wheels. Here are the results
before the race I was unsure of what tires to run, but good thing for me I have some friends who ride for trek and are very fast and know whats up with what tires to run. So I was told that these bonrager 29-1 tires are the ticket. and they were, super crazy light and fast rolling, an awesome xc tire. I dont know if I would want to ride the hairy gnar with them but for the Nimby they were great.