en-us Copyright 2006-2010 Flocasts Inc Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:41:05 -0500 /assets/portal/simple30/images/logos/cyclingdirt-logo.gif http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/2909-geoff-kabush CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/2909-geoff-kabush Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:39:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/3050-jeremy-horgan-kobelski North America's top elite men tackle round number one of the US Cup Triple Crown at Bonelli Park, California. Only the first race of the season for most of the field, it will be hard to top. The head to head racing was exciting and the course was top notch. Round number two comes to CO this May... CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/3050-jeremy-horgan-kobelski Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:37:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/3060-max-plaxton Plax Maxton goes down in Sunday's Short Track. CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/3060-max-plaxton Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:36:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/3092-todd-wells CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/3092-todd-wells Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:17:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/3050-jeremy-horgan-kobelski CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/3050-jeremy-horgan-kobelski Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:14:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Kathryn LaPointe/10930-bonelli-race-report Surprise! Friday night relationship thriller (don't try this at home): "Uh, honey? I sort of lost track of the race schedule, and I need to go up to LA on Sunday. Can you watch the kids all day? Oh, and I need to go to the bike shop on Saturday, too, to get some parts." Big race, all the pros, yadda yadda. Would you like me to leave you the zoo pass? I'd venture to guess that most people who show up at these races have to wheedle and trade their way there. Fifty-two bucks, and I didn't preregister, so I didn't get the In-N-Out coupon. Racing is expensive, in more ways than one, and it motivates all of us to leave a lung on the course. The newly dug trails at Bonelli provided lots of opportunities to do so. Jeremiah Bishop, interviewed here after his race, called it "a power course, like Madrid." Yeah, like Madrid. Six big hills per lap, three laps for Cat 2 Singlespeed. 6 x 3 = 18. I think in Spain there is more wine. And fewer clouds. The pros all had to endure gray skies on Saturday, but the 1, 2 and 3's racing today were treated to weather that befits the course preview picture. And Colt? I tried to say hi after my race, but you were literally running every time I saw you. I wanted to thank you for the preview. Without it, I'd have shown up with wayyyyy too big a gear. Even with a 22 on the back, I was running as much as you were. Only you have better shoes. The night before the race, I received my ritual mocking from the bike shop guys when I handed over my 19 and begged for something easier. There was no easy gear at Bonelli. Remember my snide comments about the pavement at Sagebrush? I wanted to kiss the road, today. Yay, spinning! The downhills were steep, fast, and rocky. I lost one of my two water bottles on the first descent. Ruh roh. I had turned down someone's offer of feed zone support, thinking I had enough on board. On lap two, I actually stopped at the top of a climb and begged a bottle off one of the course marshalls. I finished that second lap at around an hour and a half. Wait, am I not done? No? But all the guys are... Moly, they were strong. Back up, back down, up, down. Why does it always feel like more up than down? Doesn't that defy the laws of physics? I think I got carpal tunnel on those descents. Most days, I am way too intimate with the brake levers. This love affair ended badly, because I could not control the handle bars without using all ten digits. A bit more excitement than I'm used to. My kingdom for rear suspension. Beautiful day, fun course, great people. What more could a girl ask for? (Tubeless tires, and a better wheelset, and lighter brakes and legs like Heather Irmiger and...) No, I'm happy. I felt really lucky to be out there, at all. (Thank you, husband.) Kathryn LaPointe http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Kathryn LaPointe/10930-bonelli-race-report Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:01:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/photos/album_assoc/247213 Photos from...The 2010 Mountain Bike season is here! Things get rolling this weekend in Southern California at the first stop of the US Cup Triple Crown in Bonelli… CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/photos/album_assoc/247213 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:38:35 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/317881 CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/317881 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:28:17 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Kathryn LaPointe/10915-better-late-than-never-sagebrush-race-report I was at my bike shop when the rain started up again. It has stormed nearly every weekend since January. I am not making this up. I went back to work full time recently, and now have a vested interest in my San Diego sunshine tax. It poured again the Saturday before race day. I was in my bike shop when the water started whipping sideways. Safely behind the windows, the mechanics laughed at me. “Have fun tomorrow.” Bwaaa haaaaa haa. The tourist board must have bribed the heavens, because Sunday dawned crisp, clear and beautiful. A couple hundred racers stripped off extra layers and lined up for the Kenda Cup West opener. Long time classic, the Safari boasts an old school course in the San Diego back country. As part of the Cleveland National Forest, the area is used mainly for motorized off highway vehicles. The groomed trails are sweeping, steep and perfectly bermed. Sagebrush was also my first ever race five years ago, Beginner Women 30-39, check it. I came in last, 45 minutes behind the leader. Auspicious. Allison Mann started riding about the same time I did, and is now making a good showing on the pro circuit. I know this particular bit of information because Justin Mann chatted with me while he used a power saw to free my bicycle. I had cabled locked it onto my bike rack, and forgotten the key. Thanks, Justin, for giving up a bit of your warm up to allow me to race, at all. Allison would go on to finish second, beaten only by Pua Suwicki. Having tired of the beatings I got racing Cat 1 last year, I threw myself in with the singlespeed men. (I keep asking Tom Spiegel for a women's category. If you leg mark it, they will come.) I sprinted to the first corner, enjoying a brief turn at the front. Bye bye, boys. Have fun storming the castle! The infamous two-mile paved climb did its usual job of revealing who enjoyed a polar bear off season. Soon, all the categories were hodgepodged together, fast Sport women inching past the back end of the men, and beginners lung busting past us all. (No one told them about the hike-a-bike.) I blame my slowish start on Jeret Peterson. More than one evening this year, when I was supposed to be riding the trainer, I was parked on the couch, drinking red wine and watching the winter Olympics. Jeret Peterson’s signature “Hurricane” ski jump launched him 55 feet in the air, where he proceeded to flip upside down three times, while spinning in a complete circle five times. Two jumps, seven total seconds in the air. Mesmerizing. He missed gold by less than a point. This year’s Safari pro winner, Sid Taberlay, allowed no such margin. The Sho-Air rider beat Olympian Jeremiah Bishop by over two minutes. I reached Four Corners and cautiously pedaled onto the singletrack. Would it be a saturated, sloggy mess, like last week? Some years, the trails are so dry that the grit acts like ball bearings. Then it is terrifyingly fast. For me, anyway. What I found was Goldilocks dirt, not too wet, not too dry. The extra tack helped me ride higher on the berms. I am a reluctant leaner, and the traction training wheels helped a lot. Anybody remember the off camber right turn going down to the road? The one before the boulder drop? Last year, I flew off my bike and landed in a bush. This time, I whipped around it without too much brake-age, even. YEAH. The road leading up to the hike-a-bike featured the usual soul sucking sand. I didn’t even attempt to ride the bottom section of the hill. The beauty of a singlespeed is that no one raises an eyebrow when you get off the bike. During a particularly steep pitch, I straight armed my handle bars and put the bike up above my head. Huff. Puff. “What’s coming next?” one of the repentant beginners asked forlornly. Rather, who is coming next? Sid rode blithely past our cohort of pushers. On his second lap. “Only three of us saw that, right?” No one has to know. I had a lot of time to look around, getting up that hill. Hello, Mexico. A lucky birder might even glimpse a golden eagle. These raptors close their talons with 1200 pounds per square inch of pressure; the human jaw can close with just 600. I can explode a bike tube with only 60 psi, if I don’t install it right. Sid wasn’t the only bird of prey out there. Bobby Langin Sr. smoked the course in under an hour and a half, winning the Cat 1 50-54 age group. Christina Probert-Turner, 43, finished ahead of all expert women, of any age. I managed to not come in last, as is my habit at Sagebrush. Because it is such an early season race, it has been the maiden voyage every time I upgrade. This year I placed seventh out of eight, but the at least the losing streak is over. Running one gear, and a splashing through a hundred mud puddles, I still shaved an hour off my beginner time. My legs felt good, finally, by the time we reached Paved-Climb-to-Four-Corners, the Sequel. I traded leads with a gentleman in an yellow commuter jacket. It was so fun, I can’t even remember who won. I adore the Sport singlespeed starting position. There are always people to catch, and to run from. No more races against myself at the back of the elite women. Are we done with asphalt yet? Oh, looky, it's the Kernan trail. The final downhill. Imagine your favorite long drop, and then double the length. And add mud. The Kernan trail is where I met Stan Ford. He would feature in any Oscar thank you speech I might give. I was preriding it five years ago on a used FSR, six weeks after I started riding a bike at all. And preriding is an exaggeration of my ability at the time. I was huddled under the trees half way down, trying to muster up the courage to get back on, when Stan and his friends rode by, balanced on their pedals as gracefully as figure skaters on blades. I contemplated knitting as a new hobby. Back at the parking lot, he said sternly, and I quote, “I better see you at the race start.” I’ve seen him at many starts, now, as he wages his ongoing battle against Bob Blattner in Cat 1 60+. Bob’s 1:42 beat some teenagers riding the same distance. Dreaming of Kernan is now how I motivate myself on the climbs. It did not disappoint. The only time I put a foot down was when I happened upon some beginners standing three abreast on the crest of the steepest grade. There was some grumbling, later, about the people parked at random on that section. Human cyclocross obstacles? I have not forgotten what it was like to linger at the top and wonder how I was going to get down, when even walking seemed impossible. This year, I delightedly passed about twenty people. Double yeah. But that ephemeral joy isn’t what makes racing worthwhile. That honor belongs to all the people who have blown past me over the years. Watching others push the limits of possibility shrinks my own demons. Sid, you can ride past me any time. Allison, best of luck. Annabelle Nenninger, welcome back. Speaking of incredible athletes, did you know the winner of the 50K cross country ski race won by 3/10 of a second? Some of the downhill skiers rejoiced at merely getting down the slopes of Cypress Mountain, at being there at all. I felt the same about my race. I rode hard, I rode clean, and for the first time on that course, I didn’t bring up the rear of my category. On my home course, and at home on my singlespeed. Good times. See you at Bonelli. Kathryn LaPointe http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Kathryn LaPointe/10915-better-late-than-never-sagebrush-race-report Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:53:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1787-h2o-overdrive-triple-crown-bonelli-park-preview On the eve of the inaugural H2O Overdrive Triple Crown opener at Bonelli Park, things are shaping up to be a fantastic event. The US Cup staff has been putting in the final touches on what has been hundred of man hours of re designing the Bonelli Park course. Sunny skies and mild temps are on tap for the weekend, as the Snow capped San Gabriel’s set a perfect back drop to the Southern California venue. Pro XC Course: The H2O Overdrive Pro cross country course features a four mile loop, with six hundred plus feet of climbing per lap.  There will be the addition of a special start loop used on the first lap only, to let the pack sort itself out, and hopefully help alleviate the all too often bottle neck, and subsequent hike a bike that follows. New single track, bridge crossings, steep punchy climbs and shaded switch backs should be a welcomed site for riders and spectators, a far cry from the normal dusty fire roads that most people associate with a So. Cal urban venue. Pro men will do six laps, and women are slated for 5.  The course is expected to get faster over the weekend, as the course packs down and dry’s out from the recent rains.  Lap times look to be in the 15-17 minute range, making for a very spectator and media friendly course. The players: In only its first year, the H2O Overdrive Triple Crown is drawing some of the world’s top tier talent, with riders like World Cup winner Geoff Kabush and Silver World Medalist Lene Byberg slated to attend.  Both Kabush and Byberg will have heavy competition, as the men and women both go for a potential $20,000 dollar combined pro purse. Other notables include Sho-Air/Specialized riders Sid Taberlay, Max Plaxton, Tad Elliot and Manny Prado.  Gary Fisher/Subaru sends out JHK, Sam Schultz and Heather Irmiger, who were voted North American team of the year for 2009.  The Kona team sends out Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks, and Specialized Factory rider Todd Wells is expected to be in the mix all weekend as well. Canada’s Adam Morka makes the trip down to test his early season form, as well as a host of the nation’s fastest men and women racers. The format:  Saturday will be the H2O Overdrive XC race, while Sunday the riders will complete the Triple Crown event with a Short Track race and a Super D TT that will crown the first winner of the season. Colt From Cyclingdirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1787-h2o-overdrive-triple-crown-bonelli-park-preview Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:41:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/316824 http://www.peopleforbikes.org Some ride for fun, for health, for the environment, for a better commute. If you want a better future for biking, get involved at: ?http://www.peopleforbikes.org "If I Ride" is a bicycle rider's poem to biking. Peopleforbikes.org is dedicated to channeling that passion to improve the future of bicycling. Our goal is to gather a million names of support, to speak with one, powerful voice—to make bicycling safer, more convenient and appealing for everyone. Simply put, we believe that life is far more enjoyable when its experienced on two wheels. We believe that by coming together, we can make our world a better place to ride. CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/316824 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:02:05 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236742-us-cup-triple-crown-1-bonelli-park Cyclingdirt Network 2009 US Cup Coverage Course Map  Race Preview CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236742-us-cup-triple-crown-1-bonelli-park Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:08:46 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1782-google-maps-adds-bike-routes [By: Mary Catherine O'Connor for Wired.] At long last, Google Maps has routes specifically for bikes. With the click of a mouse, the new feature allows you to plot the best (and flattest!) ride from Point A to Point B. Several cities, including New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, have bike-specific mapping sites. But Google is rolling it out in 150 cities nationwide and announcing it Wednesday at the 10th Annual Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. “This has been a top-requested feature from Google Maps users for the last couple years,” says Shannon Guymon, product manager for Google Maps. “There are over 50,000 signatures on a petition.” The news thrilled bike advocates, who have for years been pushing — and petitioning — the search giant to include bike routes on Google Maps. No longer do they have to rely upon paper maps or open-source DIY map hacking or crazy-cool helmet-mounted heads up iPhones. “This new tool will open people’s eyes to the possibility and practicality of hopping on a bike and riding,” says Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “We know people want to ride more, we know it’s good for people and communities when they do ride more — this makes it possible. It is a game-changer, especially for those short trips that are the most polluting.” Cyclists will have to map their victory lap from their desks, because Google’s cool mapping tool is available only on a computer for now. “Making the bike-route tool available on Google Maps for mobile devices is a high priority,” Guymon says. But it’s a priority without a launch date. To create the mapping tool, Google developed an algorithm that uses several inputs — including designated bike lanes or trails, topography and traffic signals — to determine the best route for riding. The map sends you around, not over, hills. But if you really want to tackle that Category 1 climb, you can click and drag the suggested route anywhere you like, just like you can with pedestrian or driving routes. Users can suggest changes or make corrections to routes using the ever-present “report a problem” feature on Google Maps. Google kicked its bike-mapping effort into high gear in October when it started using improved datasets that provided more specific information about trails, street details and more granularity on college campuses. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy provided Google with information on 12,000 miles of bike trails nationwide, and the League of American Bicyclists helped gather data on bike lanes and so forth. “We’ve got a five-person team in Seattle that has spent the majority of its time working on this project since October,” says Guymon. To test the tool, bike-commuting Google employees vetted suggested routes against their own experience, pointing out discrepancies on routes or time allowances. Google Maps for bikes has a unique look and feel. Bike trails are prime cycling turf — “They’re like the highways for cyclists,” Guymon says — so they’re indicated in dark green. Streets with dedicated bike lanes are light green. And streets that don’t have a bike lane but are still a decent route because of their topography, light traffic or other factors are indicated by dotted green lines. Don’t go looking for turn-by-turn GPS-based navigation though. That feature remains strictly auto-centric. Colt From Cyclingdirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1782-google-maps-adds-bike-routes Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:30:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Tim Darwick/10865-the-trans-sylvania-epic-or-how-im-learning-to-stop-fearing-training-programs I was not planning on racing much this year, not at first. Being in my final semester of undergraduate education, I have more than a few responsibilities bearing down, and my bank account is still angry at me for going to Cyclocross Nationals. My situation did not seem very conducive to committing to competition. Plus, I am far from a phenomenon, so few people would miss me on the local circuits. Racing is (or rather, was) the last thing on my mind. I soon realized how absurd, and boring, this choice was. Just as your elders will never be able to stop naggin' you (no matter your age), I will never be able to turn down competitive athletic pursuits on bikes (no matter how poorly I do).So, almost as quickly as I decided not to race, I reversed my decision to the polar opposite conclusion. Not only was I going to race, but I decided to participate in some of the largest events of the year. Luckily for me, the most tempting event was going down right in my backyard, or at least within riding distance of it. The Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic is the newest of the multi-day mountain bike stage races to hit the Ameri-lands. Located in the central Pennsylvania regions, the event hits some of the finest trails available to Appalachian dwellers. But instead of spitting more words to tell you how awesome this area is, let me show you through the magic of photography. Just a small peak of the incredible riding available to us, riding you can now enjoy in its full glory. The event tackles a vast range of terrain, from the typical rock strewn Rothrock singletrack, to the finely groomed rollers of Raystown Lake, and everything in between. Trans-Sylvania is based around spectacular riding and a great camping atmosphere; all you have to do is get on a bike and ride for a week. Even as a local, this event is impossible to pass up. Relocate yourselves to the Trans-Sylvania web-location to get all the nitty-gritty info on stages, logistics, and non-racing fun going on that week. Finishing this event will be no small feat, especially for me, which is why I enlisted the services of the off-road endurance legend, Chris Eatough. Using his expansive experience in endurance mountain biking competition, Eatough started his own coaching service to pass on his sagacious wisdom to the rest of us. Complete details can be found at the following web-location: http://chriseatough.com/. In addition to one-on-one coaching, he has created race-specific training plans, available at a flat rate, to help the average rider compete and complete to the best of their abilities. These plans are designed to fit easily into the typical rider’s lifestyle of work and family commitments while providing the most effective means for competing in specific events. Lucky for me, Chris has developed a plan specifically for Trans-Sylvania, meaning my list of excuses for lack of preparation is severely diminished. The first week of training will be a little altered, however, as I made a last minutes trip to Colorado for the week. Thus, all of my riding will be on this fine machine right here: I think this is the Beta version of Di2… … I will at least have Nordic skiing to replace some of the volume I’m losing on the bike. So, armed with an event of the Epic variety, and a training plan of the professional variety, I find myself ecstatic to get this year going. Over the next three months, I will chronicle my experiences of training with Chris Eatough’s program in preparation for the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic. But don’t let me go it alone! If you find yourself getting the itch to participate in this fantastic event, but don’t quite know how to prepare, head on over to Eatough’s home on the web and get yourself an affordable copy of his plan for Trans-Sylvania. Then we can share our experiences. It will be like a sing-along blog, but with less singing and more singletrack (ride-along blogging? I feel so revolutionary). In any case, I hope to see all your pretty faces in center regions of Pennsylvania for the Trans-Sylvania Epic starting May 30. If you show up, come on over and introduce yourself. I shouldn’t be too hard to find, I’ll be the guy who looks like this: Winter facial hair may not be representative of Summer facial hair; look for a banjo for confirmation of identity. Tim Darwick http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Tim Darwick/10865-the-trans-sylvania-epic-or-how-im-learning-to-stop-fearing-training-programs Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:17:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1780-cyclingdirt-flolive-services   Fill out my Wufoo form! Pat Hitchins http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1780-cyclingdirt-flolive-services Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:14:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1776-heather-irmiger-update-february-rolesaway [Posted by Heather Irmiger at www.jhkandheather.com. Part of the Cyclingdirt Network.]  Well, now I’m tired. We've been on Maui since February 25th and training hard and today was a good one – now I have 2 rest days planned and I definitely need them! I’ve got to say that being tired from only riding feels really good. Although being a professional athlete can be mentally complex, the daily routine is pretty simple: eat, train, recover, eat, and sleep.  This routine and type of fatigue pales in comparison to my last month which had me filling far more roles than just being an athlete. February was a crazy month – I had a ton going on – I was an athlete, a model for an ad campaign, a backcountry hut tripper, a VP of finance and sales woman for our business start up, Studio Shed and, of course, a bike racer. One of the things I love about being an elite level athlete is the opportunity to work with our sponsors on product feedback and getting the opportunity to do cool things like photo shoots. Early in February, Jeremy and I headed to Chicago for a 24 hour trip to SRAM. The trip felt so Hollywood: fly in, check in to a very cool hotel (The Amalfi – sweet), dinner with our people, photos the entire next day, fly out. It was a whirl wind trip - all for a great product campaign soon to arrive on many newsstands and internet banner ads. Here are a couple “just for fun” photos from our day of studio hotness: Photo Shoot with SRAM - Hollywood, ummm, Chicago. Next up was a quick 48hr hut trip with friends near Aspen, Colorado.  This sounds relaxing, and while it was VERY fun, it was pretty intense given the long hours of work we had been putting in to get ready for the Colorado Garden and Home Show.  If you don’t already know about it, Jeremy and his business partner are in year two of a very cool start up business: Studio Shed. In the beginning, it was just two guys cranking away at a fun hobby.  Lately though, the business has really taken off and my involvement as the VP of finance and with the company as a whole has steadily increased.   We had been prepping for this show since December, but just like anything, the week before was crunch time: phone calls, T-shirt orders, e-mails, photos, etc.  We were working hard many hours a day, all while training and occassionally sleeping.  Amidst our intense week of preparation, Jeremy and I threw our gear into the car and drove the 3 hours to Glenwood Springs - our hut trip rendevous point.  Six hours of sleep later we were skinning deep into the woods to drop off the face of the earth for 2 days - badly needed.  Our hut trip was fun, still lacking in sleep, but a great couple of days of training with a very fit, fun crew of current pro or former pro athletes. Aspen area: the crew and Heather, Pete Webber, Kelli Emmett After 2 nights and 2 spectacular days of skiing, JHK and I woke up early on Friday morning, threw our gear together again and busted it out of the hut.  Within 4 hours, we had skied out of the woods, driven back to Boulder, snagged some lunch, and headed to the show in downtown Denver to finish with the show set up - whew!   After a late night wrap up, we hit the sack for a few hours and were back at it again the next morning for the opening of the TEN day long show.  My lack of sleep was only beginning - for the next 10 days we balanced eat, sleep, train, eat, recover, sleep with stand, talk, stand, skip sleep.  Somehow though, I had a great time -  putting some time and energy into being an entrepreneur has been a blast!The Garden and Home Show, in Denver, was our second show and a huge hit. We had a full shed on display at our booth and people LOVED it. We really wanted to show people that they can have a good looking place to store bikes, have an office, a spare guest room, etc. Prepping for the show was a lot of work and my stress levels often climbed very high, but I must say it was a welcome distraction from the often narrow-mindedness of training. Pre-show shed build & Dezi at the show - she loves the shed & our T-shirts! In action at the show booth! (hardcastlephotography.com) Some of my best seasons have come on the heels of very distracting and busy early season – back in the day, I was able to rise to the top of the sport by being both an athlete and a student or an employee.   Sometimes, when you’re only an athlete, you can actually be overly focused on how a training ride went, how your legs feel, or become obsessed with thinking about the future. This past February was the closest I’ve come in a long time to filling many different roles: a model, a financial VP of a start-up company, a saleswoman, AND an athlete! Now it’s March and the race and travel season is approaching fast (first race is Bonelli in 9 days)! It feels great to be just a bike racer again, and the bonus of my February distractions....I’ve been training for 3 months and it feels like I’m just getting started! Colt From Cyclingdirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1776-heather-irmiger-update-february-rolesaway Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:43:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/314549 For all of you not able to make the show I've put together a few clips of key things that caught my eye this morning. Including : Custom Airbrushed Serotta, Kimori Bikes, Industry 9 Components, & Sheila Moon Clothing CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/314549 Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:34:59 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/314548 A quick recap of what we saw at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show on Day 1. We will be coming back and revisiting many of these for their own short video clip. CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/314548 Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:33:51 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/314533 Carl Strong of Strong Frames CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/play/314533 Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:10:06 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236722-2010-nahmbs Add your favorite NAHMBS video to this coverage! Use the blue [Add Videos] link to your right --> CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236722-2010-nahmbs Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:05:13 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1771-sam-schultz-update-usada-punched-in-the-face [Posted by Sam Schultz on www.schultzbrothersracing.com, part of the Cyclingdirt Network.]   USADA ALWAYS KEEPS THINGS INTERESTING  Last night The Cycling House staff (minus Andy) decided to celebrate our last night before todays big camp with a delicious dinner out.  We loaded up the minivan and pushed off to the highfalutin shopping mall right near our house and stopped in at RA for some sushi.  Right as we were sitting down I got a call from Andy.  I was excited, thinking that he decided to join us.  Instead he was calling to inform me that USADA (United States Anti Doping Agency) had just showed up at the house for an out of competition test.  Damn.  Sushi sounded delicious so instead of leaving my meal they ended up coming up to the restaurant to meet me.  It was pretty entertaining to see them walk in with their USADA jackets, duffel bags, and paperwork.  They tried to keep a low profile, but it's hard to avoid a scene when two people walk into a bathroom stall with an empty cup and walk out with it filled with yellow liquid.  There was definitely one guy giving us the big eye in the bathroom.  Anyway, I got the sample taken care of and other than the curious restaurant workers I don't think too many others noticed that I was pouring my urine into the proper vials in the outside seating area.  Ahh yes, the glamour of being a professional athlete. PUNCHED IN THE FACE Today I was punched in the face.  Over the last 24 years there have been many times that I would not have been surprised to receive a punch (and maybe a few times where I actually deserved it), but I was not expecting one today.It all started when I decided to load my bike up and drive across town to hit up some MTB trails.  I was cruising along with a coffee and scone stop in mind when a gangsta'd out Buick cut through traffic like a maniac, eventually flying into the left hand turn lane, cutting off a bunch of cars.  I raised my hand and gave him a little scowl as I drove by.  My gesture was quickly returned by a very angry looking double bird.  I didn't think too much of it until about 1 minute later when I saw the same Buick flying down the center lane of the road.  He pulled ahead of me and then swerved to a stop, blocking both lanes of southbound traffic and forcing me to lock up my brakes to avoid hitting him.  He quickly jumped out of his car and ran up to my window, spouting out a lot of four letter words and asking if I wanted to "start shit".  I said "no" which I guess was the wrong answer because he leaned into my window and threw two quick sucker punches.  The first one got me squarely in the nose but the next one just glanced off my cheek.  Before I really even knew what had happened he was hopping back to his car with gangster like gestures saying "what's up now!?"  He then peeled off back in the opposite direction.     Maybe I should have said "yes, I would like to start shit" and starteda situation like this.  I have been doing my pushups lately... After he was gone I pulled to the side of the road to take care of my bloody nose and figure out what had just happened.  A nice old man who had seen the whole thing stopped and offered up one of those instant ice packs for my cheek and recommended that I call the police.  Once I regained my bearings I made a quick report (unfortunately with no license plate number) and continued on my way.  After all these years of not being punched it was kind of nice to get it out of the way.  It's good to know that I can actually take a punch and I think a good solid adrenaline rush was the perfect way to start my ride.  That being said, I wont' be bummed if it's another 24 years (or more) before my next one. Colt From Cyclingdirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/articles/view/1771-sam-schultz-update-usada-punched-in-the-face Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:02:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/photos/album_assoc/246109 Photos from...Elite level mountain bike racing in North America got an early start this weeken in Southern California with the US Cup West round #1, the Sage Brush… CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/photos/album_assoc/246109 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:42:23 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236657-us-cup-west-1-sage-brush-safari 2009 US Cup Coverage US Cup Official Website  Trailwatch Official Website  CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236657-us-cup-west-1-sage-brush-safari Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:51:17 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Kathryn LaPointe/10743-sagebrush-course-preview If my brothers and I ever pony up for the DNA test, I could tell you which Ojibwa tribe my great-grandmother belonged to. The legend goes that the tribe honored my half-breed grandfather by attemping to burn down his house when he died. My Kumeyaay spirit sisters overlooked my unenrolled status and left me an arrow shaped gift out on the Sagebrush course last week. Granted, it was made of stiff plastic, but it did a marvelous job of clearing mud from my cleats. I'll take it as an auspicious omen for the Kenda Cup West opener tomorrow. The Sagebrush Safari features an old school course way out in the San Diego back country. Despite the remote location, all the big guns are lining up to ride the flowing, bermy OHV trails. Jeremiah Bishop, Sid, Tinker, and Pua will probably finish their twenty-five miles in the time it takes me to slog my nineteen. Is White Lightening a publicly traded company? If it is, buy shares. Or an extra large bottle. Despite claims that the course will have shed today's rain, I still recommend lubing your pedals. Heavily. When my new friends from SD Trek and I rode the course last week, the mud on the Kernan Trail descent was six inches deep, with a slurry creek running down the middle in some places. Slip N Slide on a bike. Be one with the earth, knobby braves. You'll be coated with it by day's end. Kathryn LaPointe http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Kathryn LaPointe/10743-sagebrush-course-preview Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:38:00 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/photos/album_assoc/242053 Photos from...The 2010 Cyclocross season hits it's peak this weekend in Tabor, Czech Republic with the elite World Championships. Dave From Trailwatch will be on-site… CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/photos/album_assoc/242053 Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:42:54 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236391-2010-cyclocross-world-championships 2009 Cyclocross Worlds Course Preview Photos Junior/U23 Race Report CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236391-2010-cyclocross-world-championships Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:13:42 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/photos/album_assoc/240962 Photos from...The 2009-10 UCI Cyclocross World Cup series comes to a close this weekend in Hoogerhiede, the Netherlands. It is also the last chance for the world's… CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/photos/album_assoc/240962 Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:03:34 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236326-uci-world-cup-9-hoogerhiede CyclingDirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view/236326-uci-world-cup-9-hoogerhiede Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:48:47 -0500 http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Colt From Cyclingdirt/10060-happy-2010 Happy New Year Everybody! I hope you all enjoyed a great holiday break with family, friends, and lots of riding! I'm in the airport now on the way back from a great week of rock walls, mountain roads, and desert single track out west. With the start of the new year, Cyclingdirt will begin the next chapter of our off-road coverage. We'll be looking at training, tech reviews, behind the scenes tours, riding spots, and of course the Cyclocross season is still rolling over in Europe! So enjoy the start to the new year and get ready for some excitement! -Colt From Cyclingdirt Colt From Cyclingdirt http://www.cyclingdirt.org/blogs/blogger/Colt From Cyclingdirt/10060-happy-2010 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:10:00 -0500