Take One

24 Hour Burn Race- Wilkesboro!

2009-05-25T10:03:00.001-07:00

Roanoke Cycling Organization / Team El Toreo was well represented!
Team 1- Paula, Adam, Skip, and me

Team 2- Warren, Dave, Jen, and Laura

Team Support- Jannie, Moe, and three dogs! The start!

My first lap...(Saturday 12:40 P.M.)
Last lap (Sunday 10 something)

Thought Diary

Friday- 10:00 P.M. - Excited! I am ready to go! I don't want to sleep.

Saturday- 6:00 A.M. Slept four hours. Let's get this thing started! I am pumped!

12:00 P.M.- One lap run. Finally!

12:45 P.M. First lap- A few more roots than expected.

3:42 P.M. Second lap- Feels great! I want to keep going! I can ride all day!

7:37 P.M. Third lap- Too many rookie mistakes! I had a hard time changing lenses on glasses. I was not at the line on time. A few minutes into the lap. No timing chip. Back to camp to get it! Stopped to pull out gloves from back pocket. This story goes on...

Sunday- 1:00 A.M. I love night riding. I wish I would stop yawning while riding. The rain actually feels good. I'm seeing aliens hiding in the woods.

2:00 - 7:00 A.M. - sick dog/ no sleep

7:00-8:00 A.M. Sleep! Yes!

10:45 A.M. (last lap)- I am miserable! I want this lap to end now! I can not sit on the seat! This is not fun! I am selling my bike and all equipment on Ebay! I never want to ride again. I am finished for good! This is no way to spend a holiday weekend!

Monday- 8:00 A.M. When does preregistration open for next year's 24 Hour Burn?

Warrior Creek Revisited

2009-04-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to ride the incredible Warrior Creek loop again in Wilkesboro. I rode hard but stopped for a few pics.

A smiling face! Pure heaven! A bar in case you get thirsty!
some great scenery!

Bam! Madden Retires!

2009-04-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

I love John Madden. I am hoping he will come out of retirement like everyone else. Maybe to try something new. Heck! I would love for him to join Phil, Paul, and Bob to commentate the Tour De France!

Recovery= Greenway

2009-04-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

WilkesBERMO! Six Hours of Warrior Creek- Singlespeed Heaven!

2009-04-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

The course- Excellent! About ten miles of fast flowing singletrack with a tons of wicked berms!

The team- Chip and Skip (alternating laps)The waiting!

The transition! Swap the microchip bracelet.

A scary looking group!

Summary- The race itself seemed to be well-organized! This course was phenomenal. Singlespeed heaven! There were some beautiful sections that hugged the lake. There were lots of fun sections that contained berm after berm after berm. It had an amusement park feel. It's rare to find 10 plus miles of singletrack that flows like this. It's easy to see why there was such a huge turnout! I am going back!

2009 Puppy Love

2009-04-02T02:55:00.001-07:00

This year's silent auction consisted of over 200 incredible displays throughout the ballroom and hallways of Hotel Roanoke. The coolest of all was, of course, the cycling display.

Custom jersey created and donated by Roanoke Cycling Organization! SWEET!

Cardinal Bicycles donated a Giant mountain bike!

Two helmets, two jerseys and a super cool basket- donated by RCO!

2009 Adult League Football Champions!!!

2009-04-02T02:47:00.000-07:00

My cross training this offseason consisted of this. It's six on six / 100 yards. I was pretty tried after each game.

When You're Not On The Bike...

2009-03-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

and need to listen to some tunes, check these boys out!

These are the critically acclaimed powered bookshelf speakers from Audioengine. No need for a bulky receiver. Just hook up your iPod or Mp3 player, and you'll be blown away! Oh yeah, they are LOUD!

Training Starts Today!

2009-03-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

Now that weekends are free again, I can start riding again. I am not sure which races I'll do, but there is one thing I do know. My training is going to include some fast spinning drills. I did this last year, for the first time ever, and it seemed to make a difference.

Back In Black!

2008-12-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

My steel Olmo road bike spec'd with Campagnolo had some major rust problems, so I decided to have it sandblasted and repainted. It was a grey to blue fade, and now it's black with gray decals.

It's 5:30 P.M. and Dark...No Problem!

2008-11-04T03:16:00.000-08:00

I just picked up the new Light and Motion Seca 700 Race light. This LED throws out an amazing 700 lumens! The old Vista Nightstick system that I was using just a few years ago is no match for this!

Switch!

2008-10-26T01:57:00.000-07:00

After using several Creative Mp3 players the last few years I have made the switch back to iPod. I now use the iPod Classic for home and the smaller Nano for biking. The cover flow feature is amazing!

Good News!

2008-07-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

Surgery will not be necessary after all. The cast has been replaced with a walking boot. In two weeks I should be able to swim and do some easy spinning . I can't wait!!!

Update

2008-07-22T05:18:00.000-07:00

I opted not to have surgery...

but the x-rays from yesterday showed that surgery will most likely be needed. The fibula is not staying in place which is probably due to stretched or torn ligaments.

I guess I'll be getting a subscription to Netflix...

Bikes Aren't Just For Riding / Racks Aren't Just For Transporting Bikes!

2008-07-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

I was a little over a mile into the Connector Trail at the Cove on Tuesday when my front tire hit a slippery section and washed out. Instinctively, I unclipped my right foot to catch myself. At this point I was on the bike sliding sideways down the embankment. My right foot slammed hard into a rock, and I thought I heard a crack over the sounds blasting from my Mp3 player.

I could not put any pressure on my leg and knew that I needed to get this checked out. Praying that I would have reception I reached for my cell phone and called Ron G. He called Michel from Cafe Michel who just happened to be a couple of miles from the Cove. I was able to get back to the parking lot on my own. I used my Niner as a crutch and hopped on my left leg up the hilly sections and slowly rode the the downhill parts while clipping in my left foot only. Michel took me to the emergency room. Warren S. and Ron went back later that night to get my truck and bike. Thanks guys!

X-rays showed that I broke my fibula in two. I am in the process of making a decision to have surgery or letting it heal with a cast.

Bike racks aren't just for transporting bikes!

Man Caves!

2008-06-10T15:58:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh! Man caves! If you don't have one, you want one. You know that place where you can go to "vent" and "open up." That place where no scented candles or potpourri can be found. Everything from old autographed Redskin memorabilia to framed photos of M.J. in his prime to photos of present stars like LaDainian Thompson and Maria Sharapova can be found in mine. Here are a couple of cycling items displayed in my cave.

Seven fingers!

2005!

Team El Toreo signed this jersey back in 2006!

Lordy Lordy!

2008-06-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

Look who's forty! Happy B-day to the funniest guy I have ever met!

Fat Tire Frenzy -Brief/Long Summary

2008-05-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

Cruising down 460 with Ron G.

Brief Summary- OUUUUUUUCH (seven u's) This race hurt!

Longer Summary- OUUUUUUUUUUUCH! (eleven u's) This race hurt!

2008 Southside Scramble

2008-05-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

Place- Danville, VA.

Weather conditions- perfect for racing!

This was my first race on a singlespeed, and I found out quickly that this was going to be a super fast race. It wasn't long before we were passing some of the Expert class. I witnessed two hammering riders in my class go down within the first mile and a half.

The riders in front were already getting separation on the flat fire road section.

Early on in the race my hands were soaked with sweat which made it extremely difficult on hold the handlebars. It felt like there was Crisco on my handlebars. It took everything I had to keep my hands on the bars, so I had to slow down a little bit. I guess I'll wear gloves next time.

I hit one section of roots and somehow my entire body was thrown forward. My midsection ended up on my handlebars. My face was about two inches from my front tire. I was lucky not to wipe out at this point.

I settled in and was fairly consistent for the first 11 miles. I felt pretty good. I was hitting the turns well and making it up the short climbs without too much trouble. Then it happened. Cramps! Both quads and my right hamstring said, "Goodbye! We're done!" My back was hurting like it never has before. I was history. I wasn't sure I was going to finish. For the last three miles I had to walk most of the steep sections and gently pedal the flats.

Overall, I loved the race- Great course with no laps! There is nothing like pushing yourself to the limit! What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger!

Here's a short video of the Singlespeeders on the first section of singletrack. Warren S. leads out the pack!

Jen's first race in the Sport Class! She walked away with some bling! Excellent job!

Chris C. on the first singletrack section (above). Warren at the finish!

Frank and Jannie checking for ticks and looking for ladybugs! Also, congrats to Paula and Adam for placing! Ron G- How many laps did you do?

Go Fly A Kite!

2008-04-21T12:25:00.001-07:00

There were some amazing kites at this year's kite festival. One gigantic kite had over 240 panels! If you think flying a kite may be a little boring or that it does not appeal to your competitive nature, then you would love the fighter kites! They really do make these things. I'm not lying. These masterpieces are equipped with razor sharp blades to "fight" other kites. I'm not sure I'm ready for one of these yet, considering how my kite always nosedives into crowds!

Smile! Well, Maybe Not!

2008-04-18T13:23:00.001-07:00

A couple of months ago I purchased a compact digital camera, the Canon SD 750, to carry w/me on rides. A cool sunset, wildlife, Ron G.'s face plant into a mud bog- you never know what you're going to see on any given ride, so I wanted to be ready at all times. It's now one more thing on the mental checklist before each ride. Bike-check, helmet- check, shoes-check, jersey/shorts- check, hammer gel- check, a charged MP3 player -check, CAMERA- check. I have been carrying the camera on every ride.

I was climbing the fire road at the cove this A.M and saw a three black bears. It looked to be a mother with her two cubs. Mom was at the top a very tall tree, and the cubs were just below her. My heart was pumping. I was pretty excited that I could get a picture. I reached for the camera. Where was it? Of course, it was in the truck!

How Could That Be?

2008-04-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

I have been using these Ritchey pedals regularly since December 1996. I can't believe they are still working!

Puppy Love

2008-04-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

Last night was the SPCA's annual fundraiser at the Hotel Roanoke- The Puppy Love Ball. It consisted of nice dinner (which included a big thick piece of steak!- We're animals lovers, right?), band, and a silent auction. Since October Jannie has been collecting donations from various businesses for the silent auction and attending meetings to help plan for this event. We were up late Friday evening putting the final touches on the displays and spent most all of Saturday setting these up. We also managed to have a garage sale on Saturday, but that's a different story. Here is one of the 231 displays!

Many businesses and individuals contributed to this event! Cardinal Bicycles donated this bike for the silent auction! Mail It Plus also helped by supporting this event!

I Love My MP3 players, but...

2008-03-27T07:23:00.001-07:00

There is something so cool about having thousands of songs right there in your pocket, no question about that, but there is something missing- album art! I was in a small cafe yesterday in Petersburg. One room was decorated wall to wall with old album covers from 12 inch vinyl records. BTW, this is a great idea if you hate to paint! Yeah, I know you can still get some of the album art on the tiny screen of a MP3 player, but it is just not the same. There were some pretty cool album covers back in the day. Looking at all those album covers was a walk down Memory Lane. Foreigner, Van Halen, The Cars, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles and Billy Joel had some great covers. When I was a teenager, I mowed grass and lifeguarded during the summers and spent most of my paycheck on these old records!

Statement!

2008-03-14T23:52:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write a statement, an eloquent, well-written statement, somewhat poetic that would summarize this single speed experience so far. A statement that flows well. A statement that could be proudly displayed on t-shirts or bumper stickers one day. After several days of brainstorming for precise words and several painstaking nights of revising I finally have it!

Single speeds are fun as crap!

Holy Cow!

2008-03-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

36 inch wheels!

Will these be the new "29er" wheels?

http://www.bertaut.com/monster.html

http://twentynineinches.com/2007/02/14/36-inch-wheels-the-next-big-thing/

And the Winner Is...

2008-03-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to try the singlespeed thing for several years now but never took the plunge until now. I narrowed my choices down to three frames: Gary Fisher Rig, Bianchi Rita, and a Niner One 9. I sold every old bike part I could find in my basement on Ebay then I placed bids on each of the three frames.

And the winner is...

THE NINER ONE 9!

I consulted teammate and friend Warren Schimizzi on gear set-up, tires, rims, and hubs. Two weeks later the bike was built and ready to ride. I hooked up with Ron, Warren, Paula, Donnie, and Chris for my first ss ride. This ride included some road but mostly single/double track. My first impressions are that the bike handles well and is very light. I can't wait to ride it again!

2008-02-13T14:56:00.000-08:00

Sunday, I hooked up with Chris B. from SVMBA to ride the new Southside Scramble race course. About five miles of new singletrack has been added which is called Crooked Stick. This year the experts will complete two laps, sport/singlespeed one, and the beginners will race in a modified single lap.

There is also going to be another race there June 6. This is going to be a part of the Southern Classic Series. Pretty cool stuff! Check this link out!

http://www.southernclassicmtb.org/

Awesome Dates and a Great Video!

2008-01-27T16:39:00.000-08:00

If you have not heard yet, the Va. Derailer Series has new, and what I consider improved, race dates. Yep! Three in the Spring and the remaining in Sept. and Oct. This means no racing in the hottest part of the summer. One of the hardest, most difficult races I have ever raced was the 2005 Southside Scramble in 96 degrees in August. Last year, it was even hotter! So, this series will now take place in much cooler conditions! That's great news! And, of course, there has been a new race added which is catching a lot of buzz!

http://www.vaderailerseries.com/

Check out this video from last year's Southside Scramble. Just click on the Southside Scramble video, not the trails highlight video you'll see first. See if you recognize the RCO racer hammering down the singletrack. Who is that madman?

http://www.danville-va.gov/departments.asp?menuid=2820&sub1menuid=2836&sub2menuid=2901&sub3menuid=3312

Best Downhill Ever?

2008-01-18T11:35:00.000-08:00

This trail is called Greens Lick. It's located a little off the BRP outside of Asheville, NC. It's smooth and well-maintained by the locals. From the parking lot it takes about an hour at a steady pace to get to this point. Many of the turns are banked, so you can flat out fly! But what makes this trail so incredible is that it was constructed with some major places to jump. There were so many that I lost count. Several of jumps have landing ramps, so you have hit it right. They come at you fast, one right after another. It almost has a free ride feel to it, which can be a lot fun! There are several videos posted on this trail, so check them out if you get a chance. Of course, it's always better to actually go there and ride it!

I have been wanting to go back here. There is a pretty cool campground nearby. Spring maybe? I hope so!

Let It Snow!

2008-01-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

Schools were closed today! So, what did I do? I completed a short neighborhood run in the snow, took a spin class at the RAC, got an oil change for the truck, picked up some new contact lenses, and called Ron G to order a Thompson mountain bike seatpost and stem. I love Thompson components! I can wait to get these on my bike!

Game

2008-01-01T04:16:00.000-08:00

We left Roanoke at 6:32 A.M.

We were in our seats at 2:15. Actually, we stood the entire game!

Jessica Simpson was there!

One of the Hogs!

Just before kickoff- video!

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

Couple of game shots! You can't tell from the pictures, but it rained the entire game!

Final pics!

Game Costs

Gas to and from Springfield- $51.35

Metro (round trip)- $15.60

Use of restrooms at McDonalds- . 50 cents

Game tickets / Food and beverages- $558.78

Apparel - $82.12

Beating Dallas by Sean Taylor's number (21) and making playoffs = PRICELESS!

Tickets- Redskins / Cowboys!

2007-12-28T14:01:00.000-08:00

PRIME REAL ESTATE- Sec. 142, row 7, seats 9 /10 = 50 yard line / Seven rows from the field!

We were lucky to get these! Can't wait for Sunday!

So, Here's What I Do Between Rides!

2007-12-26T02:22:00.000-08:00

First, I drink two cups of Yuban coffee. I get dressed and do all of the normal before work activities.

After a 12 minute drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I arrive here! I teach seventh grade English. This is year number sixteen.

It's a few minutes before the first bell, and the room is quiet and empty. It won't stay that way for long. Sixty-six students will pass through here today. Let me tell you a little about my teaching and my classroom.

I love graphic organizers and have several displayed in my classroom. I use them on a daily basis. This one is on forms of literature.

This one is about figurative language! They include several examples. I always have students look at various examples of a particular concept and then form a definition.

I always try my best to follow all of the correct teaching models, and I also believe it's important for students at this age to get up and move. Here are a couple of activities I do.

The first one is basketball. At the end of the class I ask questions. If the question is answered correctly then the student gets three shots. The shots are worth fractions such as 1/4 point and 1/2 point and so on, so we can get a little more practice adding fractions. There is also a Records board where we keep track of records.

Another game most students seem to like is what I call the Circle Game. Students form a circle and pass a foam ball. Before passing the ball the student must say something in a particular category. These categories could be anything from a prepositional phrases to compound sentences to literature elements. To keep things interesting we have "silly rules" like no names and no pointing.

This is a Byrd Buck! Students can earn these by going above and beyond the call of duty on an assignment, exhibiting exceptional character, or simply by helping out in one way or another (running an errand / taking up or passing out materials).

Each Friday I open my "store." Students may spend Byrd Bucks on various items such as football/ baseball cards, crazy pencils, erasers, stuffed animals. By the way, I am always in need of donations to the store.

That's a glimpse of what I do between rides. I could go on forever, but that's enough for now. I can truly say that I love what I do!

What Every Guy Needs...

2007-12-26T02:10:00.000-08:00

is a pair of great boots! Here are my latest 4 x 4 go anywhere, do anything boots. They are made by Rocky and have Vibram soles and Gore-Tex uppers.

The History of Bikes (Well, my bikes)

2007-12-21T00:05:00.000-08:00

1966- 1975- Not a bike, but these things were fun! Every kid in the neighborhood had one. You could do some great fish tails with these plastic wheels! It was my first and only single speed.

1975- 1994-It was the banana seat bikes and a couple of ten speed bikes (like the one in the pic). In the neighborhood we built a "dirt course" with several small ramps and jumped them with these bikes!

1994- I purchased a Giant Sedona mountain bike from CMT. I never thought I would spend 600 bucks on a bike! It had front suspension!

1997- Then came the Specialized Stumpjumper. V- brakes were the rage!

2002- Next was the Intense Tracer. Sold it after a month. Call me old-school, but I couldn't get into FS.

2002- So, it was back to a hardtail. Decided to buy a Jamis Dragon frame. Steel is real. Well, at least for a year it was. I wanted to go with a lighter frame, so...

2003- it was back to the old 1997 Stumpjumper.

2003- I purchased my first real road bike. It was an Olmo! I completed a couple of centuries on this bike.

2007- I decided to give a GF 29er a try! It's what I'm rollin on now!

So, what's next? Who knows?

To be continued...

Goals!

2007-12-09T08:02:00.000-08:00

2007 is winding down, and it's time to start thinking about yearly goals. But first of all I'd like to share one of Jannie's goals from last year.

"I want to make it up the Roanoke Mountain loop WITHOUT STOPPING before I turn 34," Jannie remarked after purchasing her Specialized road bike. She tried a couple times w/out success. We marked her progress with a landmark. Well, here's what happened in 2007 the day before she turned 34.

We headed out from her house on the Blue Ridge Parkway towards Roanoke Mountain. There are two hills to overcome before reaching the bottom of Roanoke Mountain, and she accomplished these without too much trouble.

We stopped for a couple of minutes and then headed up this four mile loop. About two hundred yards into this brutal climb she stopped and got off of her bike and sat down. The look of defeat and frustration was written all over her face. My thoughts were let's just revise this goal to "making up Roanoke Mountain before she turns 35."

But then I heard the words, "I can do this. I want to start over and try it again!"

So, we rode back down and started the painful climb for the second time.

This time she made it all the way to the top WITHOUT STOPPING! GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!

Enjoy the pictures!

Adult Football

2007-12-09T05:52:00.000-08:00

This year I hooked up w/ some guys at work to play in an adult football league. Our cast of characters included some who have never played an organized sport to some with college and NFL experience. Most, of course, fell between those two extremes. For twenty bucks a person we got ten games with three refs followed by a double elimination tournament. We played our games at Salem's practice field on an $800,000 artifical grass! This field was incredible! I can't run as fast anymore, but I still can throw the ball pretty well, so the younger guys on the team played defense while I spent time at quarterback and wide receiver. I was number 28.

Touchdown pass to Coach Nixon.

I tried a spin move here.

Two Toys I Love!

2007-12-08T09:48:00.000-08:00

This is the Creative Vision M: 30 GB. It holds most of my music collection. I use this player for home/ relaxing at the pool/ on the bus- field trips.

This is the Creative Zen V. I use this one for the gym and for riding. It's a 1 GB player. I love this thing! It's nice to be able to listen to music and ride!

26 vs. 29 - My Two Cents

2007-12-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I decided to purchase a new bike. Buying a bike used to be simple, but now you must decide between full suspension or hardtail, single speed or geared, or how about a 29er? The final decision was a 29er. The Gary Fisher X-Cal. was the winner. I usually go with the middle range price point stuff and upgrade when parts wear. My first impression was WOW! This bike just feels right. Big wheels do seem to roll over obstacles easier than smaller wheels. The geometry of this particular frame places the rider's weight further back over the rear wheel. This causes stress on the seat tube- mine broke on a ride this summer. The new GF frames have been redesigned to correct this problem. All in all I really like big wheels. I'm not sure I'll go back to a 26 wheels. Maybe I'll try a different frame, but I'll stick with them big wheels!

2007-12-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a great story about a father and his son and ST.

http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224710

I'll Remember

2007-12-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

I am a diehard Redskins fan. I have been since I was six. I remember watching Billy Kilmer and Larry Brown. I remember pretending to be Charley Taylor in my backyard. I remember the Glory Days with the Hogs, Riggo, and Joe Theismann. I remember the story of the Hogs telling the Cowboys the play at the line of scrimmage, and the Cowboys were still unable to stop it. A couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to work with Art Monk at his football camp at George Mason. I also remember the day the Redskins drafted Sean Taylor. I was excited! Many experts said he was the most gifted player in the draft. His current coach, Greg Williams, said he was THE best player he has EVER coached. Greg Williams has coached in the NFL for years. I always look forward to watching him play every Sunday. On Monday morning I learned from a coworker that Sean Taylor was shot.

I went to bed Monday night thinking things were improving for Sean Taylor. Comcast reported he squeezed the nurse's hand upon request. I figured he'll continued to improve. On Tuesday morning while getting dressed for work, I heard the words, "He's gone, He died."

That hurt.

I did not know him personally. I never met him. Maybe he had some off the field problems, but according to his teammates/ coaches he had turned his life around since the birth of his daughter 18 months ago. I remember some great things about him. I remember his bone crushing hit that turned a Monday night game around two years ago and the fumble recovery returned for a touchdown that helped win the game in Tampa Bay. I doubt that any player has more crushing hits posted on YouTube than Sean Taylor. I'm getting ready the watch the Redskins play their first game w/out number 21. Emotions are running high.

Sean Taylor R.I.P. I'll always remember you.