CX Krugers 11_24_08 PDX

A smashing cx weekend, The morning started off at a brisk 34 degrees (1degree c) ride out to the race) but it warmed up to a sunny day. smashing pumpkins followed alright, as you can see, mud was galore, riding over pumpkins , jumping in puddles and generally being a bike nut. There's a photo in here of Jordan from Hufnagel cycles doing it like a proper fairy over the barrier.

Jordan Hufnagel showing fairies how to do it.

twisted egg

my mum just sent me 2 of these.

Cadbury Creme Eggs that have been twisted into a bar... yum.... but i have to say I do like the Eggs better.

bike polo

Ricky, God, Animals...funny

Cracks me up....

Dave, keep your chin up mate.

This is a little shout out to my friend Dave, of current, I work with Dave at Yakima and he also rides for the Bike Vigilantes. Of current Dave is a man of injury, this great injury came of greatness, courage and speed. Dave broke his collarbone by executing a large man flip over the handlebars of his zesty cross bike, of course this was under race conditions and at high speed, thus resulting in bone breakage.

The other bit of a bummer here is that Dave is a monster, yes, a bike monster, Dave has had a particularly good season, getting faster winning races, catting up. really fearlessly tearing it up out there, unlike myself who had a few mechanical but then lost all motivation mid season like a big looser.

I can also sympathise with Dave, for when I tore my bicep where it connects at my shoulder, I soon realized that life is pretty tough without the use of one arm and also the long long time it takes to heal. The good news for Dave is that bones heal quicker that tissue, and there are less long term side affects (I think my shoulder still bothers me now) so he will be back on the bike in no time at all, getting some fat and dark winter miles for the onslaught of next season when I'm sure he will be a Cat 3 roadie.

Dave keep your chin up mate.

Dave in action (read more about Bike Vigilantes by clicking the image )

British post box design - could it be any better?

Take look at this photo, store it in your memory banks and next time you go to one of those American blue boxes, think about this image and how well the type is designed, the legibility and at a glance clarity, the kerning and lettering size, then you will come to the conclusion that Yes, the British are design savvy in too many ways to mention.

Did somebody just make a new sexy?

sexy rain bike

Windmills, Foampits, Jetlag and lack of motivation.

Being wide awake at 5:30am on weekends is not fun, I blame this on jetlag.
Now that i'm back in the US I have such mixed emotions, each time I go back to the U.K. I am reminded of what I really love and what I can leave behind. There are so many British attributes of the culture that I dearly love. But the freedom and public cycle paths of America still win.
My family is well and my gran has no clue who i am - she has alzheimers, but she is well.

Really , I will get my UK photographs sorted and posted to flickr.... soon, soon.

Anyway onto something totally different. This weekend was a big cyclocross deal. The Single Speed Cyclcocross World Championships were held about 10miles from my house. On the was a 20ft windmill with rotating arms and a well wicked foam bath. I did not race this weekend, apparently I have a problem with motivation.

The foam pit - people rode through this mess.

The windmill about to chop some bloke.

UCI Track World Cup - Manchester UK

After Sunday the Brits had won 15 out of 18 events! Taking away
A sliding finish - Mens A Match Sprint, bars got tide up, Jason Kenny (Brit) slid over the line to take Gold.

Amazing- Manchester Velodrome & training center - pure track luxury for an indoor velodrome. (wood, 40 degrees). TT's, Match Sprints, Keirins, Madisons and Points Races... f'in amazing. Needless to say the Brits won 6 Golds on the Saturday I was there and a ton on Sunday as well- stellar.
UCI Track coverage was on national TV today - gotta love the Brits - Track racing on TV!

As if that was not enough - A Brit becomes F1 world Champion!


Lewis Hamilton became the youngest world champion in Formula One history by the skin of his teeth after a nail-biting Brazilian Grand Prix.