Pizza and a Movie is back.....

Yes the weather conditions have finally turned making riding difficult without a snorkel and flippers, so UnrealCycles is pleased to announce the return of Movie Thursday.

Starting this week, Thursday 19th we will have a selection of old school MTB and related films in the freshly refurbished Unreal Cycles showroom.

Come join us, no need to for reservations, bring a beer (or two) we will supply the pizza.

Do You Believe In Magic?

Magic is different in every girl’s heart. Everyone’s magic is as unique as they are. Mine? Bikes.
I remember Christmas when I was little, when all the other 2nd grade girls were wishing for a Barbie mansion, I was wishing for carbon bars.
Even now that I’m 14, I still get all stoked around Christmastime, just wishing and hoping that I’ll get surprised with some awesome bike-related gift that would blow my mind. On the way home from getting Starbucks on Christmas Eve, I was wondering just what may be under that tree in the morning.
I had two Starbucks’ in my hands when I walked into my house. I went to the dining room to see about 6 of our friends sitting at the table with cameras pointed at our faces. What?
I turned to look into the living room and I saw them. Two red, white and black downhill bikes with big red bows tied to the handlebars. It didn’t matter that they were used. Oh. My. God. I almost dropped my Starbucks (NOOOOOO) and I’m sure the look on my face was priceless. I set down the Starbucks on the table (carefully) and said “Are you serious?” Yes. Yes they were.
It was easily the shock of my brother and I’s lives, and the best Christmas any bike-crazy kid could dream of. A million thank you’s to everyone who made this happen: Kris and Pat Morin (my awesome parents), Eddie Fontes, Joanna Petterson, and many more.
I also had a great time shuttling on Christmas day with friends!
And lastly, weird hippie healing vibes to my Mom, who shattered her wrist after crashing and going down a cliff on the last run of the day. You’ll be back to your ninja ways Mom, and stronger than ever.

Keep chasing…

2012

Hey all! So, I’m really looking forward to this New Year. 2011 was pretty great, but ended with some serious ups and downs. Absolutely insane Christmas. Probably the biggest highs and lows I have ever had in my entire life.

I don’t know how many of you have ever received a crazy surprise gift, but it is absolutely incredible!!! On Christmas Eve this year, my parents sent my sister and I out to get coffee. When we returned, there were a bunch of people with video cameras. When I turned, there were 2 downhill bikes under the tree with big red bows. I was totally, completely, utterly shocked and surprised. It was awesome. Easily the best Christmas present ever. I had no idea, but this had been in the works since August! We then had a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner with some of my favorite people. The next morning, we got up and had nice morning opening gifts with Mom and Dad. After that, we were off to the canyons to do Christmas Shuttles on our new bikes, with a massive group of friends! The group picture isn’t even all of us! I love my Morewood Izimu, it is wicked fast. I was riding faster and smoother than I ever have before. I am going to be FAST on the slopes this year.

But on the last run of the day, we had a problem. I wasn’t there to see it, but Mom had a bobble on a trail (one she has ridden hundreds of times) and went off a cliff. She ended up falling over 30 feet down, shattering her arm, and hurting the rest of herself pretty bad. We rushed her to ER, where she spent the rest of the evening getting x-rays, and getting her arm semi-reset. She got home late that night, and then went into surgery two days later. She currently has two plates in her left wrist. The past week and half have been tough, as she had bad reactions to some of the pain meds, and was sick for a while. She is doing much better now, though. I am so fortunate to have a mom that rides and shreds, I hope she can be back on the bike soon! Thank you to all the wishes, support, and visits from our friends, we really appreciate everyone.

Now, on to 2012. As many of you know, I am now officially a member of the Morewood iXS US Enduro team. With them, I will be doing many gravity based events this year, which I am really looking forward to. I am also continuing my sponsorship with Grammo for cross country mountain bike racing, as well as some road racing. I am racing Varsity in the 2012 NorCal Highschool mountain bike series, and there will be ferocious completion. I am also a Cat 1 mountain biker for all other events this year. I am a little nervous about the move up to these brutal catergories, but hopefully my hard work will pay off.

I have been training all winter, and now with spring, I will be ramping it up even more. I just got my current training schedule last night, it goes out to May. Something my coach, Paige Ramsey, said really helped inspire and drive me through my winter training, and makes me work longer and harder every time I workout. She said, “No matter how hard you are working, there is always someone going harder, longer, and faster.” This has motivated me so much, because every time I am hurting, and want to shift down and ease up, I see my competitors. I see them, and I shift up, and speed up; outrunning the pain. I am determined to be even stronger and faster this year, and secure the best results possible. I am attacking this New Year, and I refuse to give any ground. Let’s go, 2012.

An Accidental Quest..............The Final Chapter

                 Sacramento CX Race #8 at Laguna del Sol. Last one! http://www.lagunadelsol.com/ LdS is a clothing optional resort in Wilton. Sac CX raced there last year and we are back to race and to have the end of the season awards party. As has been the pattern Asa has gone to the venue to do course set up Friday morning and I show up Friday evening after my day job. This time we have a room in the  hotel right on the course, sweet! Not long after I arrive, Gene of TimeYourRace.com shows up with Thai food for the crew. We chow down, hit the hot tub then off to bed.

Icey!

                 We get up at o'dark 30 to finish setting up timing, reg and the P.A. It's cold (or at least California cold). I put down my sports drink and when I get back to it there is a layer of ice on top. Brrrrrrrrrrrr. I made the mistake of leaving my Paru in the back of my truck. (Asa is going to want it back. But today it's still mine. I may not give it back.)

Close up of the ice. No rain, just frozen condensation.

     
          We get set up and open reg. Wyatt is home so Frank gets the mic while I do my warm up. 9:30 rolls right around and it's race time! It's been a hard week at work and on the bike. My legs were not up for the plan my coach had laid out. This whole deal is an accidental quest remember. My year long plan originally had me taking a break in September; I was supposed to be in a build phase after a break in October. We changed that plan when I got into this quest. My legs had just had enough. My coach, Mistress H, nielson.heather@yahoo.com, had been having me do CX workouts and this last week I just could not do 'em. So coach that she is, she built me a rest and sustain plan to get me to this last race with as much go as possible.
             It is the usual cast of characters on the Men's C 55+ start line. We are off. I have my usual trouble with the only set of barriers and get behind. Lap 2 Richard is out front and I decide to try to just hang off his wheel and see how it goes. When we get to the finish line the lap card says 2 to go. I'm trying to figure out a plan of attack as we roll thru the first part of lap 2. But we aren't too far into the lap when I hear the "1 to go" announcement. So if we get caught this will be the last lap. I decide to make my move at a set of corners that seem to bother Richard. I'm going to jump just before the corners and see if  I can hold on until the end. I do and it works but we are too fast and don't get lapped. (The rest of the C55+ers do get lapped.) Now I need to hold on for another lap. I give it all I have and it's just enough. I don't drop Richard but he can't catch me either. Yay! Another win gets me the "perfect 300" score I was after. So in a best 6 of 8 series I had 6 firsts. I'm really stoked! But my work and day are not yet done.
            I go back to my announcing chores and the podium awards. We are at a clothing optional resort and we have decided to end the series with a naked race. Helmets required, shoes and gloves optional. I've been talking up the "balls out" race all day. Both to warn those folks who have N.S.S. (naked sensitivity syndrome) and to get the racers into it. Endouro Bearings, Jagwire and Unreal Cycles have donated prizes that will go to the first man and woman across the finish line. The morning ice is long gone, the sun is out and at 3:00 there are 13 hardy souls on the line and I'm one of them. I don't have the legs or skills to win but I just had to give a go. I mean it's not everyday you can race naked. It turned out the residents of LdS knew about the naked race and they lined part of the course in the uniform of the moment and cheered, heartily for the racers. Way Cool! (They had been mostly discrete thru out the rest of the day.)
           Next up for me was the series awards ceremony at the club house. We did the series podium for all 18 classes and had a raffle where everyone took something home. Great day and great series. It wasn't until I was unwinding in the hot tub that it all started to sink in. First place in a series! I've never done that before. First season of announcing and just as crazy my first naked race. Wow first in a series. I'm still smiling. Thank you for wishing me luck.

            But this isn't the quest I started this blog to write about; there is an intentional quest I want to share with you........................................more later...............................By George

An Accidental Quest.............the penultimate part.

           Race number 7 of the Sac CX series was last Saturday 12/3/11. Lange Twins Winery just outside of Lodi was the venue. www.langetwins.com It's a great place, at least in part because the Winery kicks down with multiple bottles of nice wine for podium prizes! Also they let us use most of their property. Asa and her crew went down to Lodi several times to scout, plan and build. Then on Friday she and some volunteers from Kinetic Cycles went to set up Saturday's course; stakes, cones. delineaters, and tape. I headed to Lodi after work Friday afternoon. I was expecting to help finish up the course set up but they were done before I got there so I met Ace at our motel. We like to stay near the venues when we can; more sleep and less stress. After Thai food, back at the motel, I put together a Sac CX mix to use at the race, and yes, I did include CCRs "Stuck In Lodi Again".

            Saturday morning we're back at Lange Twins doing the final course work and setting up the timing arch, scoring and reg computers and P.A. system. As has been the plan lately I do some m.c. work then my buddy Wyatt Morin takes the mic so I can get in a warm up and then race. 'Cross races are short, mine is about 30 minutes, so the warm up is really important. If you have been following along with my quest you know that I went in to this race knowing that the series is mine to win or lose. This race I have the added pressure of knowing that Asa is a fan of the wine and I'm expected to come home with some!

The  start gap that didn't hold up.

            Last race the plan that worked for me was to get a gap on my competition at the start and just stay out front. Why change a winning strategy? It turns out that the boys have decided that they won't let me walk away with another race that easily. I get a small gap but they close it back up and at the first set of barriers 2 of them get by me. Scott gets a good gap of his own, I'm in 3rd behind Richard and it feels like he's going to let Scott go. "Richard we can't let him go. Punch it!" Richard kicks it up but I still have a little more go so I pass and try to get Scott. I close but lose time at the next set of barriers. It's an up hill sprint to the finish line. I'm closing on Scott as we reach the end of lap 1. Scott looks back to see how big his gap is and I'm right on his wheel. "Oh Shit' He is clearly bummed, thinking he had a gap and it's gone. Lap 2 we swap positions a couple more times, then early lap 3 I get in front and slowly open up a gap. Scott finishes 3rd, Richard 2nd and I'm 1st! Which means that with one race to go I have the series locked up and I scored the big bag of wine bottles. So Asa is happy, twice. I'm all smiles.

Here we are on the podium!  With wine, metals and smiles.

             Our last race of the Sac CX series will be at Laguna del Sol, in Wilton. What I'd like to do is win one more. My motivation is I can finish the best 6 of 8 series with 6 wins for a perfect 300 points, right now I have 299. Only a couple of other racers have a shot at the perfect 300 point season. I'm going to try to go for it. It remains to be seen if I can do it. I know the Grammo Paru is up it.One more time please, wish me luck.  by George

             

An Accidental Quest............. continued

        I asked you to wish me luck in my last blog and it worked out, so thank you! Friday evening, after leaving my day job, I hurried home to get in an hour spin on the trainer and then pack to go to Ione's Howard Park. (Ione is a quaint little town about an hour south of my home.) Asa was already there working on setting up Saturday's race. We'd decided to camp out in the park to save a trip back and forth, to be course security, to get a little extra sleep and because it's fun.
         I caught up with Asa and part of her crew at the local pizza place. They'd just finished setting up and a pitcher of beer. I was surprised to find my strongest competition in the series at the table. I hadn't realized that he was on the Folsom Bike Team that was this week's race sponsor. So he had the pre-course knowledge that I usually have to help me in my race efforts. I also found out that he had changed up his bike choice to help get me this week. Hummmm.
           After finishing off my half of a pizza, we're off to the Howard Park. As we are setting up the tent an Ione Police car cruises thru the park. He's doing one final check before locking the gates. He wants to know what we're up to camping in the park. No, we are not starting an "Occupy Ione". Yes, we are cleared to be here. He's really very nice and let's us know that he's going to close and "dummy lock" the gate so it'll look closed but we can still get out if needed.

We're off! 6 old guys and a couple of juniors.

          Just about first light the main crew arrives with the timing arch, PA, and reg and scoring equipment. We help get all that set up then racers start rolling in. I do a little mc-ing then Wyatt shows up, even before I'm looking, so I can get my warm up in. Thanks Wyatt. I have a nice warm up. I didn't mention that the weather forecast had not been too favorable but it was dry and warmer (about 54 degrees) than any one had expected.

Here's the early gap I wanted starting to form. Go go go!

          Most of the Men's C 55+ racers are on the start line when I roll up. They let me know that they've been talking about trying to beat me and/or at least hang with me for a lap or two. One wants to know what I've done to get better since last year. I say the coach I hired last January, Heather Nielson has made a huge difference in my fitness. http://www.heathernielson.com/ Thank you Mistress H! It feels both good, and a little weird, to be the guy to beat. I decided to pull the trigger early and see if I can discourage the other old guys. I want to look unbeatable. I try for a really early gap and pull it off. Hole shot! It's a 2 mile lap with very little vert; about 50 ft. I just keep pushing and pushing. I try not to look back and just work on chasing the racers 45+ that started ahead of me. All is going well. I've said before that barriers are an issue for we and that's still true; this race especially. I slipped and almost went down on a couple of dismounts and that made me too cautious. Too timid is actually more dangerous; I know this but still have trouble committing to the dismount. The rest of my race is going well and I'm feeling pretty good when out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a Folsom Bike Jersey not too far back, Eeeck. Is it my nemesis? No it's just a teammate of his warming up. But it keeps me pushing. My 30 minute race goes 40 minutes but I hold on to first. Yay!
          Change clothes and it's back to work. I need to get to the mic so Wyatt can do his warm up and race. The post race conversations all day long include discussion about how rough the course was. At first I'm thinking it wasn't really that rough. Then I'm wondering if my mad mountain bike skills smoothed it out for me. Then I come to my senses and realise that, nope, it was my Grammo CX bike. The carbon Paru not only accelerates well it really dampens the rough stuff while still letting me feel the course. After a full day of mc-ing and course take down we are out. Home. Food. And just sit. I'm not sure if my victory has locked up the series for me yet. So before bed I check the standings, it's a best 6 of 8 series so it takes a little math to see how it stands. Nope, I'm not secure yet. I need one more win to be secure. So the series is still mine to win or lose. And once again I ask you to wish me luck!


                                               by George, Asa's husband.

An Accidental Quest part2 cont.

           So maybe I should explain that the Sac CX Series I'm racing and blogging about is run by a quartet that includes my wife, Asa, the owner of this blog. So I not only go to these races to race but also as one of a couple of dozen volunteers. Besides racing I'm spending 8 to 10 hours working; helping to set up the courses, the sound system and timing arch, organizing the podiums, mc-ing and any general grunt work as needed.   
            The rain, with which I ended my last entry, was still sprinkling when we arrived at o'dark 30.
All the set up work we did the night before was still good to go. Just a few more details to work on then we open reg. and the course. About a half hour before the start my buddy Wyatt, (you know Wyatt and his mohawk from these blogs) takes over the mc duties so I can warm up and race. My warm up goes well. This course is the most technical of the season and it's wet. The rain has stopped for the day but the ground is soaked. The climbs are short, steep and slippery but doable. There is a tricky,180 degree, sand corner that gives me trouble. The grass is short enough to be fast. I like the off camber straight. I feel good and confident and really want this one after yesterday.
            The Men's C 55+ lines up and starts with the Junior Men's B racers. This time it's just Tommy Sevey, a good kid and a great 'crosser. We declare him to be an honorary old guy and off we go. Tommy gets the hole shot then the rest of us are racing. I get to the front and stay there. We all drop Tommy. There is a little shifting of the order behind me but I hold on. A couple of times I slipped on a climb and I never got good at the sand corner but all in all I had a good race. My gap was never really big enough to be comfortable so I had to keep pushing; at the same time I never really felt too threatened.
             I'm happy with another 1st place, of course, and I gain a couple of points in the series overall. Thanks to my coach, Mistress H and Asa's Grammo Paru CX bike, with 3 races to go the series is mine to win or lose. I'm hoping to win another one in 2 weeks. Wish me luck.


By George