Fify Five

Motivation...

This blog was started as a form of motivation, and it lead to a lifestyle of being more motivated than I have ever been. I am not trying to toot my own horn here, but I have alsays been a pretty self motivated dood. This year something clicked however, and it is no longer enough for me to just do hard things. I want to do hard things better than everyone else, and I especially want to crush you on a ss mtb. I have neglected this blog, but I have not neglected my training. I am now under 225lbs, which is something I have not been able to say in two years! It is still only May and I am starting to ride more and longer that I have ever this early in the season.

In other news I will start training for the Levi 100 next week with a series of 60+ mtb rides at CBL with a focus on steady laps and nutrition. I want to go to WI and leave with a medal, and I am focused.

I leave you with Foals new video for Spanish Sahara. I will be listening to this song on my ipod when I pass you.



It's still on.
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Fifty Four

This past Saturday Katie, the Dogs, and I headed South with plans of an overnight somewhere on the OT. Once we arrived at the 32/DD lot we learned of a 275 acre controlled burn on some of the Middlefork and most of Council Bluff Lake loop. It was this that made us decide to hike to CBL, and also the idea of not having to worry about water, camp, fire, and of course toilets! This is the perfect overnight if you want a good 4-5mi hike, but are short on time. It was really amazing seeing the burn in action, and easily the largest burn I have ever witnessed. It turned out to be one of the best trips we have had, and we will be doing this one again soon!

















That is all.
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Fifty Three

Ouachita was one week ago today, and it was truly another epic experience. I will continue to go down to Oden each year for that race no matter what. It is an early start to the season it's easily still the toughest race I have ever done, but the greatest feeling to complete it. Go here for my Bros report, and go here for my garmin link. I have been so busy it seems and riding/hiking a ton. I can't wait for Syllamo's! Today Katie and I took the dogs on a 10mi loaded hike and we saw Taggart and Gino out enjoying the trails as well. Hope everyone has been riding, and I will see you on the trail!
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Fifty Two

I have been riding a ton lately, and I am ready for Ouachita next Sunday for sure. The MTB has been a lot of fun so far this year, and it all starts next Sunday in Oden, Arkansas and at Lost Valley here in the MO for Team Seagal. With that in mind I headed over to Chinatown this am to pick up the one and only Mr. Nico Toscani with the Mound in Weldon Springs as our destination. We left the lot around 9ish and set off for some laps of next weekends race course. All in all it was a great ride and we ended up with about 24mi. The added trails at LV make it soo much more fun, and I can't wait for some night laps out there soon. Oh yeah, Nico
"the Jerk" Toscani melted his Ti seatpost with about 4mi left in our 2nd lap! It made for few good laughs and well hell of a ride to the car for Nico. Go here to see a great photo of the event HERE! Spring is coming.



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Fifty One

GARMIN Connect Route HERE
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Fifty

An entire week in one post!


Well it's been a week since the last post, and a lot has gone on. First last Tuesday Katie and I took the dogs to Chubb for another loaded hike. We ended up hiking 4.5mi in 1:20, and the trail was in pretty good shape. It was nice to see these signs along the trail at the various technical spots.

Whatever happened to wanting to ride the entire trail the way it was built?! The first time I rode Chubb it was 1995, I was dropped off at the West Tyson side and picked up from the Lone Elk side 4hrs later! I walked pretty much 70% of the trail that day, but that is what keep me coming back all these years. Chubb taught me how to mountain bike, and when I see all these assholes efforts cutting the trail and dumbing it down it really pisses me off. The entire trail is 100% rideable, I know, becuase I have(and seen others) ride it all. It is still always a challenge, and I have gone years without making a section that I have cleaned a dozen times before. I took a rest day on Wednesday, but was back at it Thursday with a 25mi road ride which included two stops one at my Mom's to help my Bro build up his newly upgraded 2008 Kona Unit 29er, and then a going away party for my old/new boss. Friday T-Tocs and I meet the ROBORTION at Castlewood for some hillbiking. This was my first real mtb ride of 2010, so I took it easy making sure all things back related were good to go. We saw this in the parking lot. Homemade 2010 Kona Unit Belt Drive SS!!!


Rich(I think that was his name) the owner/creator of this beast!

Pretty cool, and I will be sending these pics to our Kona rep for sure. I am sure this is the only belt drive Kona out there, so we may see this thing on the Kona COG! On Saturday after work I packed the car for a trip down south. Katie was having a ladies night, so I was heading out for a solo trip on the Middlefork.

I ended hiking out about 5mi before setting up camp.





The trail is great for night hiking, and I had a great evening sleeping in my hammock just looking at all the stars in the sky. Spending the night in the woods alone is something eveyone should do at least once. It is really a great experience, but I still prefer being with Katie and the dogs. The next morning I woke up at 6am and packed up camp and Hiked the 5mi back to the parking lot where I prepared my breakfast and was greeted by about 20 plus of Missouri's finest getting ready for a Middlefork group ride. I stayed to chat with them for a while, but I knew my back wasn't ready for a full fork ride.







I decided to take the MF to the Trace Creek/CBL connector trail. I did one lap of CBL and then took the connector back to the 32/DD lot. I ended up with just over 20mi ride/5mi hike for the day and made it to Dos Primos just in time for lunch! It was a pretty amazing week and the bike rode great with the exception of my one flat at CBL. I am looking at pretty much repeating last week this week, but with more time on the MTB in order to get myself ready for THIS!!!
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Forty Nine

Woke up today feeling great, back is all good even after yestrday. Wish I could have been HERE today, but my back is still not bike ready yet. It is amazing to me that WE can draw 60+ cyclist to do any of the crazy ass rides we come up with and put on. The best things in life really are free. I love being apart of such a great team, and cycling community. I have met so many cool people because of cycling, and I think we have a very bright future ahead of us here in the Midwest. As bad of a city St. Louis may be for cyclist, we sure have a lot of really cool cyclist here. I love the Death by Hills Route a CFR Creation that I will have to get all Mario Van Peeples on it sooner and later, unless any one wants a rematch?! Coach is one sick mofo for creating this route. The plan right now for the first week of March is to head back down south on Saturday afternoon for some backpacking and hillbike riding on Middlefork. A few more days off the bike, a Hike again on Tuesday, and then some Bpacking/biking on Sunday. Just bummed around today and watched USAvsCAN Hockey game. I also put a few videos of yesterdays hike on YouTube today for your viewing pleasure below.







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Forty Eight

Off the bike for the past two weeks per Dr. George's orders, but today was filled with nothing but amazing moments. 1) Day two with a completely pain free lower back, the new stretches are really working. 2) I hit the scales again and I am officially at the -15lb mark! I am 225 again for the first time in at least 6mos. 3)The weather today was too good to be true, and since Katie and I were not able to make the overnight with TTM we knew a day hike had to happen.
So We packed our bags, and headed South.








3) 10mi Middlefork loaded hike.











4) Dos Primos! 5) Baths for the dogs, and last but not least after 1 day shy of 2mos w/o any alcohol I knew the only way to celebrate such an amazing group of events was to toast the day with a ice cold tall 16oz can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.



It is hard to complain about anything after a day like today. To top it all off we also saw this Guy, and this Guy on the trail during our hike. It is kinda weird that 100mi from home in the middle of nowhere we run into friends! The OT is a special place for sure. I can't wait to see TTM's trip report. Slowly getting my back ready for the Pain Cave.
Good night,


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Forty Seven

The good news is I won't be needing one of these but...

The past few days my back has been getting worse, this is with rest and absolutely no riding of any kind. After My Dr. visit this afternoon it was pretty clear that we are dealing with a disc issue again. It's been two years since I have had any serious back issues, and I would like to keep it that way. I am pretty much just going to be strecting and taking it easy till I get the green light. The shitty part is I have a fully rebuilt 29er SS just sitting in the basement, my pack is actually packed/ready for it's first trip, and Katie's new pack arrived in the mail last night. I have to miss a trip this weekend, and the Death By Hills Ride, but hope to be at least cleared for some hiking next weekend. Pretty frustrated with everything back related, but better now than 1 month from now I suppose.
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Forty Six

Well my 2009 Kona Big Unit 2010 re-Build is finally complete. After a complete overhaul and a few select upgrades my favorite bike is back in action and ready for the epic 2010 season. The only bummer is it rained all day today and my back is still super stiff. I have been off the bike as per my Dr's orders since Feb 12, and I am getting sick of the lack of riding. I have however had tons of time to get all my backpacking gear together, and this Friday looks to be the maiden voyage to Bell Mtn. with Katie and some good friends. I am getting very eager for weeks filled with double chubbs, middleforks, Trifectas, and berryman rides. Until then enjoy some of the new build. Upgrades include new wheelset compliments of Mr. Fellet himself, and the one and only Whiteind Eno SS crankset and BB. Everything else has been on one or more of my mtbs for the past 3-7 years. I have always said if you only use the best shit it pays for itself down the road.





Holy shit I am ready to ride. More gear updates over the next few days as they develop for the ultralight pack setup. That is it for now.
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Forty Five

Tonight I made a stove that can boil 2L of water in under 10min, cost me about .50 to make, and weighs less than 3oz. It runs on denatured alc. and I only used 1oz of fuel to boil the water. In my ti 1.3L pot I am sure the process will be faster especially with my homemade windscreen. My pack now weighs in at 8.2lbs with the new cook system. Go here and here to see how to make your own.



That is all.
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