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The most recent stop was in Portland, OR to visit good friends...

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 12:13:08 -0400

The most recent stop was in Portland, OR to visit good friends Daniel and Austin Sheridan from Knoxville. Daniel had a few days off so we took a couple days to ride the Hood River single track. It’s a very impressive area. The epic hood mountain views were equally as good as the fast dry single track. Recommended if your in the area.

Olympia Washington. We arrive in town at 5pm and go to a bike...

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:36:00 -0400

Olympia Washington. We arrive in town at 5pm and go to a bike shop to find a map and some good trail info. While in the shop, we notice a flyer advertising a Wednesday night group ride at Capitol Forest with the “Friends of Capitol Forest” (FOCF). We decide to go there. We rush out to the trail, and get there just in time for the ride at 6. This was a fun group of riders who love to hang out and ride together on their trails. After the awesome evening ride, we were invited to join the crew for a burger cookout. These dudes know how to cook out!!! There were veggie burgers, salmon burgers and all of the fixins. (Not to mention a few beers as well.) After this, we were invited to their “Friday Night Super D Series.” On Thursday, we did some shuttle runs on the trail we would be racing on come Friday. THIS TRAIL WAS AWESOME. At the top, it was single track with swooping berms and enough roots and rocks to keep things interesting. The dirt was prime and you could seriously rail the corners. Near the bottom, it flattened out and was basically a massive pump track through a field. No pedaling necessary. So much fun. On the night of the race about 45 people came out. I got the third fastest time on the course, and Emily set a new female record. Two massive pots of chili, numerous desserts, and plenty of beer around a bond fire followed. Before leaving, we were then invited to attend a pump track party the next night! These people just don’t quit. So, who could turn down a pump track? Not us. We shredded some serious pump track and enjoyed sipping from the FCOF’s signature “Tequila Bar.” After this it was time to move on to Portland. We had such a great time in Capitol Forest. Thanks so much for the hospitality FCOF! Check Their Website http://friendsofcapitolforest.org/

After Missoula we headed to the Canada border to drop Izzy off...

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:31:27 -0400

After Missoula we headed to the Canada border to drop Izzy off with his family near Vancouver. Emily and I headed on to see what the legendary Squamish and Whistler area had to offer us. First, we explored Squamish. We did some really fun rides there as we zipped in and out of the green ferns in the thick, damp North West forest. After a few more rides, we decided to head on to Whistler. This place was crazy. Downhill bikers were riding all over town, and you could watch them haul ass and do tricks down the ski slope from the village. Of course, the trail “Comfortably Numb” was recommended to us, and we definitely wanted to see what it was all about. We set out one morning on the ten mile section of single track. We were warned to allot at least four hours to ride this trail. This seemed like a long time, and we were skeptical that it would truly take this long. Very soon after we got on that trail, we could easily see how it would take so long. Riding this trail was like a balancing act. We crawled up and over roots, rocks and who knows what else. There were also plenty of opportunities to test the true size of you balls as there were some burly drops and rocks on the down hills. It wasn’t your girlfiend’s trail. (Unless your GF is a badass.) So, in conclusion, Whistler and Squamish were all that they are cracked up to be. If you are in the area, you will have plenty of opportunities to seriously huck yall’s meat.

Missoula was a great race. The course was one of the best I have...

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:25:19 -0400

Missoula was a great race. The course was one of the best I have been on. All of the Cat 1 men were combined at the start, so the field was a large one with close to thirty guys racing. This made for an interesting race because there were so many people out on the course. Starting near the junior men added extra pile up of racers out there. Despite the crowded course, I rode really well and was pleased with my performance for the day. My good race landed me a fourth place finish overall in the Cat 1 men.

Once the racing was done it was time to celebrate. Our stay in Missoula ended with the rowdiest mountain biker party I have ever seen. The details will be left to your imagination….

Sun Valley was a highlight for this trip. We rode over 200 miles...

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:39:07 -0400

Sun Valley was a highlight for this trip. We rode over 200 miles of trails never touching the same piece of single track, raced strong from an injured shoulder, and met great people. To leave on a good note we took two last rides. One as the sun set, and the next started with a 4:30 am wake up, Night Riders, and a big ole hill climb. After watching the sun rise over Sun Valley we descended 8 miles back to the car, packed up, and hit the road for Missoula, MT.

Nationals was a succesful weekend with unreal support. Sean took...

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:29:04 -0400

Nationals was a succesful weekend with unreal support. Sean took 10th place in both Cat 1 19-24 Short Track and Cross Country. Izzy worked hard for a 12th place finish in Cat 1 Short Track, and fought strong in the U23 Cross Country. Emily got on the podium with a 3rd place finish in Cat 1 19-24. A big thanks goes out to Robert Marion and the American Classic team for indefinite help… follow their blog at http://www.carpediemmtb.com/ Also I can’t begin to explain how amazing the customer support from Sram was at the race; they fixed my bike and set me up with a new xx brake and an xo derailleur…These guys are 2legit.

Smith Optics Knows Group Rides

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:15:51 -0400

During Sun Valley Bike Week, Smith Optics and Ride Sun Valley put on stoker rides every day. The idea behind the stoker ride is to show the people in town for the festivities some of the more remote trails that would be difficult to usually get to. We were expecting just a little group ride leaving from town, but when we got there we were met by Rebecca Rusch and handed a Red Bull and some riding food.

We loaded up our bikes in a trailer and then piled our bodies in a bus. After a quick trip we jumped out and unloaded our bikes. Over thirty of us spandex rockin freaks were let loose on the trail.

After a long stunning gravel road climb we stopped at a little ski cabin. This is where we knew the organization behind this ride was bullet proof. There was a few people already there that had drove up a back way and had cooked us lunch! Lets recap for a second, we didn’t have to pay for the ride, we were given transportation, and now lunch!!! Wahhooo! For some of the other riders this meant they could spend more money on dinner, for us it meant we got to eat lunch and any day you get three meals is a great day!

Once we were sufficiently stuffed to the gills with hot dogs, chips, and lemonade we turned our wheels down the hill and shredded! The decent was awesome as to be expected, though Izzy did take two tumbles and left a good bit of knee skin on the trail. Sean blasted ahead with some of the pros that were on the ride.

With the short cool down on the road we arrived back in town. Right where we started was a big Smith Optics cooler filled with Ninkasi Beer—it was delicious. There was enough to last us a few more days so we stocked the sprinter up and headed to the venue to get ready for Nationals a few days away.

For our lead up to Nationals we have gone for the nomadic mountain biker tactic. This includes leg...

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:37:00 -0400

For our lead up to Nationals we have gone for the nomadic mountain biker tactic. This includes leg shaving in the river, epic single track rides, hunting deer, and eating a lot of rice/veggies/curry/tuna pasta/dirt. In these past few days we have been calling Sawtooth National Forest home. With a beautiful river running straight through camp we would’ve had ample trout to cook up if only we remembered the fishing poles. The riding around Ketchum can only be described as the perfect balance between type 4 and type 5 fun (see fun type chart below)

Tomorrow after we do a Tuesday morning group ride we will pick up camp and move to a camping area right next to the Nationals Venue provided to us by visitsunvalley.com. We feel well rested and ready to race the 2012 USA Mountain Bike National Championships after channeling the forest energy into our blood (I checked to make sure that was UCI legal). Check back in later this week for our race updates/photos/results.

We made a quick stop in Grand Juunction, CO to pick up Emily...

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:08:48 -0400

We made a quick stop in Grand Juunction, CO to pick up Emily Parker and are now in Sun Valley. The trails are epic and endless! First race of Nationals is short track on Thursday… Stay tuned

When we say we did not know each other 3 months ago we were not...

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:13:09 -0400

When we say we did not know each other 3 months ago we were not joking. Our limited communication before the trip left little impression how this show down was going to play out. Turns out Izzy and I have about opposite personalities…to the point that I was unsure if Izzy would slice my tires in my sleep. Our week in Crested Butte was the meeting point of two roads. We set out on our mountain bikes and discovered our two personalities are at ease deep in the national forests. With a few days of altitude riding under our belt we left camp at 1:30 am and drove up what I would guess was the sketchiest road a sprinter has gone up. Sleeping at 12000ft was short lived as we got up just in time to see the sun raising… Next stop = Sun Valley

After 5 hours of trail riding at Hermosa Creek followed by a...

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:57:00 -0400

After 5 hours of trail riding at Hermosa Creek followed by a pleasant float down the river with Troy Wells and his girlfriend Cricket it was a beautiful drive out of town to end the day. Durango is an amazing place I’ll be back for sure. Next stop Crested Butte. ~Sean

Getting some riding in at 10,000ft. Happy times, back on the...

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:50:58 -0400

Getting some riding in at 10,000ft. Happy times, back on the bike! ~Sean

Last Friday Sean, myself, and Janice (the van) rolled into a...

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:03:00 -0400

Last Friday Sean, myself, and Janice (the van) rolled into a parking spot on the field were the expo area would be the next day. This field felt a little more secure than the parking lot we slept in the night before at the trailhead of Ute Valley. There we saw several cars with individuals lurking within the dark windows. We started to set up and some of the pros we met at Short Track race in Boulder a few days before showed up.

We got set up and I started doing some interviews. This race was the first for my new job. I was the only one there for CyclingDirt and I had to make sure to get all the interviews.

Our set up was ideal. We had two tents, one coming off the side door and one on the back. We had our camping stove out on a table and a bike stand with all the tools one would need to fix their race machine.

I pre-rode the course with Mitch Hoke and Colin Cares. That was pretty rad. They put a few seconds into me on every decent. After riding with them I did a few laps on my own to dial in the lines. The course was awesome! Scary looking rock gardens that were super fun in order to clear them all you had to do was huck your meat. Go fast and pull the front wheel up and try and land gently (I hit rim once).

In the morning was the amateur racing. Elisa Otter, from Union College stayed with us at the race! She is super rad and hucks it all day long down steep rocky terrain. We both raced and Sean was an awesome feed zone (until we had a snafu and I crashed, but it was all good and I made up the spot I lost) to his credit I was indecisive when I needed to just shout either ‘Coke!’ or ‘Gatorade’.

The race was great! With giant flowy rock sections and quasi—techy climbs we were kept on our toes. Elisa did real well in her divisions and walked away with some sweet prizes. Still no mula! The men win cash but the women win prizes in cat 1 it is super messed up. My school coach is a woman and she never has to worry about running out of socks because she won so many when she was racing.

After our races I had to transfer into work mode! This race was my first opportunity to break into the world of CyclingDirt. After getting some great burritos in me courtesy of Sean I began running around the course. Another guest appearance at the race was Eva Wilson. Eva and I went to school together last year and she won the Division II Omnium at Nationals! Sean, Elisa, Eva, and myself hit the trails to film highlight footage for the woman’s race. We made it out to the first rock garden when the storm rolled in. Man it was nuts. All that loose sand turns right into clay. The Pro women were sliding down the rocks; they had about as much traction as an elephant on marbles.

Once the rain had stopped the women finished and I was there to catch a few interviews. Then we headed back out on the trails to catch the men’s race. This time we went to the last rock garden. It was a long downhill with little rock drops. I felt as though I was flying down it when I was racing, but as soon as the lead group shot by I realized I was slower than molasses compared to them. After their race I caught a few interviews then it was chill time. Sean again made some killer food and Eva ran away from the USAC camp she was being held captive at and Elisa stayed with us in the van. Needless to say—we had a dance party until bedtime!

The next day was the eliminator and short track racing. Due to the eliminator being a weird event there wasn’t that much of a crowd. Ryan Trebon (winner of the Men’s Pro XC race) won again. Chloe Woodruff of Crankbrothers won the woman’s race. Elisa killed it in the women’s Cat 1 short track race and was in the lead group till the last lap. My foot came unclipped warming up for my race and slammed into my stem, my race was over before it began. Sean and I shot some more video.

Elisa left after her race, Eva went back to the sea of 14 year old spandex monkeys and Sean and I packed up the van and headed over to the Sho-Air/Specialized team house for some showers we were asked to have (we were a little smelly). Before the showers we headed up a mountain to go swimming it was rad I got to ice my knee! We got back and headed to dinner (2^nd night in a row of thai food). Topped off the evening with FroYo then headed back to the team house where a whole lot of interviews waited to be uploaded. This was our first race weekend and my first coverage for CyclingDirt. It was a blast and I can’t wait for the next race!

With a bad wing I left Izzy in Boulder to do some riding while I...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 20:05:00 -0400

With a bad wing I left Izzy in Boulder to do some riding while I took the week to recover with good friends Greg and Carley in Denver. After a few days of pool chilling we went to Leadville to walk up this big hill Mount Elbert. At 14440 feet it is accordingly the highest of the fourteeners in Colorado. Coming from the hills of Tennessee I reckoned it would take some climbing gear to reach the highest peak in Colorado but it turns out people trail run to the top before breakfast.

A quick stop in Kansas

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:05:08 -0400

A quick stop in Kansas

I have heard that starting off a trip with a setback gives you...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:47:00 -0400

I have heard that starting off a trip with a setback gives you good luck for the rest of the journey, but what about when that setback leaves you without a training partner? We set out from Knoxville, Tennessee with the intention of making it to Kansas City for the first night. After six or so hours of driving we approached St. Louis. Sean asked if I wanted to go check it out. Enamored by the giant arch I demanded we stop. If only I knew what was around the corner.

After doing the normal tourist things around the arch (pretend to be in a Crossfit class, urban slack-lining, and challenging cars to a footrace) we made our way back to the van. We hadn’t ridden that day so we decided to spin our legs out.

We went on this awesome ride down the greenway along the Mississippi. We wove through junkyards, construction sites, and factories. This trip is all about riding in the big alpine wilderness at ten thousand feet of elevation not shooting through decrepit industrial buildings, but there was something wild about this ride. Perhaps it was the adventure of it that flipped my switch. Whatever it was that excited me, we were off on our first ride of the journey.

To spice things up a little I suggested we turn off the greenway and head back to the van via the mean streets of St. Louis. For those keeping count this was the third bad idea I had. We rode through some traffic, which was awesome (reminded me of home). For those of you that don’t ride in city traffic, just imagine mountain biking on a techy trail where the boulders and trees move.

We were less than a mile from the van when smiles turned to frowns. I hopped over a curb. As I did it I thought about how easy it is to mess up when you are going fast. Just as my concessions cleared I heard a smack and looked behind me to see Sean mid flight. He was horizontal to the ground and around four feet above the pavement. His bike was nose down still attached to his shoes.

When I crash my thought process goes: Is my bike ok? Am I broken? Do I need medical care? How long am I out for? As soon as I stopped Sean was back on his feet. Holding one half of his handlebars.

In my last column I wrote about how the newest lightest parts aren’t always the best. This is an example. Sean’s top of the line carbon handlebars snapped mid bunny hop causing the crash that we would later find out dislocated Sean’s shoulder—#carbonfail!

Standing there in the middle of downtown St. Louis I was following the directions I downloaded on my phone on how to put back Sean’s shoulder. One of my hands pushed his arm behind him while the other guided the shoulder and held the phone in reading distance. It was a mess. I didn’t have the training I needed to reset his shoulder we needed to find medical assistance.

In a city like St. Louis you would think hospitals are open ready to take in patients at all times. We called three hospitals/emergency care centers not one was open. Finally after getting a recommendation from a security guard at one of the closed hospitals we found an open emergency room.

The first night of the trip was spent ½ in the hospital room and ½ in the van in the parking lot of the East St. Louis hospital. Not exactly Kansas City.