Ajustment made to Oregon

I am liken the biken scene here more all the time especially some training during the week and the temps are usually pretty bearable. What rain ? You just get to a point were you don't notice it so much.

The colors of fall are still rocken. Still many leaves to fall slide around on once in while. Some times when trying to train in a park around town I feal like I am in a bog and going no were.

I went to a beaver game the other day. Man the pack ten has the peeps in the stadium, even haven Elvis was in the house.This guy looked the real if your keepen track how old Elvis would be now.Lots of score and fun time .

I raced the last Cross Crusade of the year Sunday. it was in Barton Park and a old rock quarry. You have to be at these hugely attended races at just the right time for a short pre ride time on the coerce and I wasn't Dammmmm. It was of corce very muddy with fast sections but lots of hidden rocks like minnie mine fields for ones tires. I'm still trying to figure out the tire pressure thing with different conditions. I was running way to low for it but didn't know till race start. I got a great start being 3 rows back with 70 riders again and move up to 4th place right off and held that with a good feal about the hole thing till when start catching some of the 100 or so 35+ guys. My group of seasoned vets went threw them like butter and I was more thick lard. So quickly I lost ground but would catch back then loose again with my legs put tin on the ache. Last lap a third of the way I hit another one those pesky rocks in a dip and have low tire simdum fast.I rode it a tird of a lap to the pits and found out others had front flats leaving with an empty cube rt,dam again. Just as Ryan the Shamono guy used to work at Open Road dude figured this oout he was on with the flat filler stuff but then a tire angel brings back a front shamono tire so on with it and finish around two and half mins. down off what might bean from 4th to 9th.Crap happens but man did I have fun most of that race.

More Crasyness

The human Thunder Dome rocked with people haging from the bars and many more chasing races with evil things in their hands.

Go time travel and fan time

So I bean on the road a bit lately,enjoying this and hang en with family and friends. Lots of miles with many great views especially along and above the Columbia river. It can be pretty spectacular sometimes. I left Missoula with a few more stops to make before heading back to Oregon. iireally should of stayed and raced the States in Montana sounds and looks like I missed a great venue with out monsoons and mega mud bowl at the cross crusade. After it raining an inch and half the day before and most the race day. I need to get over this fobia soon. But being a intrigued supportive fan was so entertaining. here a few shots of all the circus crusade.

West coast fun and view

Yes to to this that

and the other thing. i spent a few days with Danyel and family in Seattle.Great riding there and the cross scene had a great coerce at Evergreen high a place I ran state cross country in the 70's oh way back anyway the coerce was easily one of the best ever for my travels and venues.Great use of the short hills and cinder track zone.

I may ed my way back to Zoo-Town for a short visit and a stock up of bike inventory. I stopped in Vantage were the bridge crosses the Columbia and found this old grade to the north that heads up and to Elensburg what a great long extended not to steep maybe 12 miles worth of up

iImay ed it over here to the vibe of Zoo and like that. Have seen a few peeps and rode with a few and drank with a few more now it's time to buck up and head back west for the next mud fest in Portland.Got to see if the flippers are working better than last outing.Happy Trails Chow...

Fond memories of the dry days

I was caught in Butte with a little show and not much go. I think I can master some what the mud on the coast but miss those tractiony fast dry days.

Holly racen in the mud

Hi all how you doin? I had a long weekend trying the race each day thing which is a bit hard on old peeps. Saturday was a staler day in Salem on a old golf coerce with out any pavement. Just grass ,sand and pathways of loose grave. The temp was great with plenty of sunshine,after raining all the day before.

The numbers in each race where alot like Montana. I had maybe 12 in the young 50+ Steve Yene a well known road and cross racer was there with a few other very strong riders and even the organiser of the tour of the Walla Walla Steve Rep

Things went out fast and I was drooped by Steve Y. in a hurry so holding second was what it looked like it might be especially when after catching B-35+ riders you would be blocked some time more than the front rider. But 3 laps in the man looses some throttle and I pull up for a while then manage getting gap threw a sand trap and away I went for the next few laps to the win. That with some bigger rides and some cross practice paid off.

I hooked up with some friends I meant in Tucson last year and stayed in Portland which is so hip especially on the east side of the river. We did some a promotion party for a magazine called Wend that is mostly athletic story and picture descriptive..Well they had free good wine and beer which we all no isn't the best recovery way.

So for real we do get home and in bed by ten with a six thirty am. up and depart from the house to the Cross Crusade venue in Hilsburo fair grounds to get a good spot around the coerce and believe this is a most with 1,300 to 1,400 races and any were from 500 to a thousand spectators who get on the crazy side often.

The youngsters again for me 69 riderstried doing thing you always do at the start get up to the front but on this very muddy and grease like traction alot of the time I started losing touch with the top 15 right a way. I no more than was sort of getting the mud thing then I was in a front wheel slide and down with ten feet or so of body slide, they go bye bye again. So towards the last third and we are running into many of the 120 B 35+ riders who started 2 mins. ahead of us I get bumped on like the only mild down hill and slide out and to top that guy gives me the WWO wrestling fly body slam,I so stars and shit then just like that got up and just wanted to chase peeps down again.Guess I had some testy goin on,ribs head and neck hurt after the driney went away. So just when I am getting this slick city tricky corning gig out it's over. I ended up 5th which was a big shock thinking I was way furhter back.

So with my venture into the world of crasy numbers and very festive peeps wearing some nothing or something very spectacular and colorful. I would highly recommend this venue just to experience,race or both....Good fun...

More of the Bend thing

So a few more of the trail and Old Mill District. Lots to see and do in a spread but close area.There is that Missoula vibe here but to me and others theres nothing quite like the Zoo town vibe.

I have bean looken over the scads of entrees for the Nationals Cross Race. After doing the nats last year in Kansas I'm seeing double the numbers all ready. Oregon is like cross capitol with the cross crusade getting any were from 1,000 to 1,400 people at there scenes which is over the top but pretty cool. They are the true rock stars of cross even though Montana has the best thriller dance crew. Doin it up solid gold style. The rolling thunder cross race this weekend will rock. Peeps can check out results and probably video on Montana cross.com

It is raining here in Oregon imagine that and supposed to all weekend so this wimp Nancy will have to buck up or stay off the bike.All for now take care.