Is This A Logo??

Is This A Logo??

Friday 28 July 2017

Bandito, National superstars, O'Cups

Well few days late so let's dive right in here!!  The El Bandito 140 happened this past weekend!


This is the first race of Substance Projects Stupercross series.  The Bandito took place in and around Orono Ontario and is DanOfSubstance's answer to the IronCross.  This was a race where there was no right or wrong bike choice (well, maybe a carbon TT bike would not have worked so well...).  With 140kms of varying surfaces including pavement, broken pavement, gravel, sand, stoney fireroads, and Ganaraska forest double track, regardless of what bike you brung, you'd face a challenge.  And apparently there were a few small hills (oh ya...that's sarcasm...).

Mountain bikes and cross bikes were the norm, but there were Sean, Raf, and 13Stone, daring to tear it up on fatbikes.  And RocketDog was crazy enough to attack it on a single speed!!

This was the first year for this race...and it's popularity is only going to grow.  I wasn't able to be there, cuz broken bones but TeamColin (who did the 70km version), and unglued (who challenged the full 140) wrote thorough race reports so if you want to relive all of the suffering, you can read both reports at TeamColin'sBlog!

I am hoping to be able to hit the Eager Beaver 100 miler...the second race of the Stupercross series.  It has been around, in some version for years...but Dan always throws in something unexpected (He's like that...).  It happens August 12th...so hit that registration button soon!!






Other events this past weekend was the MTB Nationals in Canmore Alberta.  Ya, that's not so local, but local girl KTS was there, and killed it!  Taking silver and impressing some of the biggest names in the country!





Gotta be a proud dad there somewhere....


Ya...there!


Coming up this weekend is O'Cup #6 at Albion.  This one is a little different from most O'Cups...more of an Enduro style.  You still have time to get in there!!

As for me, I am still in recovery.  Have managed to hit the gym...even attempted the stationary bike once...lasted 20 minutes till boredom nearly took my life.

Did host a post ride firepit although I didn't ride...


Lois called it Riot's firepity party...

Anyways, I now have this sleek new cast...



At least I can get this one wet...which makes showering and washing so much easier...




Actually, I am kind of hoping it will let me get back on the bike...at least for something slow and easy, before I end up like this guy...






Well not quite...anyways.

The ribs may be the biggest limiting factor for getting more active...but I gotta do something.  Getting fat...and losing form too fast...but can't do anything stupid.

It's a fine line...

So...

Stay posted...





Thursday 20 July 2017

Epic 8, 100 miler, Bean n Bones

So...apparently alot went on this weekend in the world of mountain biking.  Where to start?  How about with the Summer Epic 8 Hour.

OK, fine.  The Summer Epic 8...now a classic local race.  Happened this past weekend, promoted by Pulse Racing, at Hardwood Ski & Bike.  This year's course featured some rolling climbs off the start, then sections of flowing singletrack connected by sections of doubletrack, allowing for passing.  Ending in a swooping descent, the course resulted in fast times, and many laps.

Apex Race Photography was, once again on-site to get your favourite action pic!!




There were local celebrities out at this one...


or is this just RifRaf??


The big guns at the start line...


Team True Grit showed up in force, including these guys...


DavidV and Giant coming in 1st and 2nd in their solo cat
Nicely done!!


And Martin representing the best bike shop in Waterdown, BicycleWorks...


Taking 2nd in his solo cat!


And these folks...some of the friendliest, most passionate mtb-ers in the sport...so awesome to see them on the podium!


Pinoy Pedal Pushers!!


Congrats to all who got their 100km pins!!



Kudos to all who participated, and congrats to all podium finishers!!


What else was going on this weekend?  There was the Carrabassett Backcountry Challenge somewhere in the USofA.  A 100km race that some of our local celebrities  participated in...and kicked butt!!


Andrea...lawyering up?


Alexa...SS queen??



Linda...several crashes and a flat...and still takes third place!  
Impressive!!  Nice work!


There were a couple other events this weekend...like Max's Big Climb...but I haven't heard a thing of what went on there.

And my buddy SteveS rode his fatbike from Ancaster to Turkey Point to bikepack and ride back!!  Crazy...and fun sounding!!  Read all about it at his RideCycleSpin blog!!

I'm still on a bit of racing hiatus...so I didn't attend anything racy.  I did plan a couple of 'longer' rides though.

Friday with recent rains leaving the mtb trails questionable meant a 100+ kms of rail trail, gravel, and road on the CX bike...





I scouted Paul's soy beans...


BWPaul owns the bike shop and is also a farmer...


I may have also checked these...


But that would be telling...


Although I did find these...


Ya...twizzlers and buttertarts...


I also found new friends...





Lois said I should have kissed it, cuz you know...anything could happen...





But that would just be stupid ... (I hope the rash goes away by the weekend)...


Anyways...100 and some kms...a great ride, in great weather!





OK then...

So Sunday planned another longer ride.  This time on mtb on our local trails.  And this time NewfieSteve and PowerPaul joined me.  Our local trails are huge fun.  Plenty of climbing and much technical with escarpment roots and rocks.

Well...about an hour into our ride, on a technical bit of steep single track descent I got going a little quicker than I should have considering how slick the roots and rocks were.  I determined that it was safer to ride it out than to hit the brakes at this point in those conditions.

Bad decision...

Front wheel washed out on a slick flat rock...and I went down hard.  Hard enough, that I laid there for a minute and thought, "Wow...that was hard..."

Paul and Steve were behind me watching this happen...and thinking maybe I ded...but I got up and surveyed the damage.  The bike was OK.

I had a few bleeding scrapes and skin holes that Paul's first aid kit tended to.  And ribs were a little sore...but it seemed like we survived...

So we continued on...for about another half hour.  But the ribs were really starting to ache...and it seemed my thumb was swelling inside my glove, and wasn't feeling quite right (no, it wasn't left).  Upon inspection it didn't look quite right...




So...we thought it best to call the ride and head home...so we did.  (Thankfully, I was on the single speed and the thumb was not really needed for shifting).  But our 4 hour ride became a short 2 hour ride...  Sorry fellas.  I needz better skillz...

And by Monday the thumb was looking worse...




So...a doc appointment was made...and Tuesday was spent with family doctors, x-ray technicians, and osteo surgeons.  Lois kept me company for the day...but I think only cuz she was hoping to meet this guy...






Anyways.  It was determined that there were broken ribs...that the doctors didn't really care about as long as the lungs were healthy...




And they weren't too concerned about the concussion...it was the thumb...






A broken thumb bone (proximal phalange) and torn/detached ligament (ulnar collateral)...

Means...4 weeks in a cast/splint...and a few days??? off the bike...I guess.

Ah well...that's enough whining for one blog post, isn't it??





OK then...

I'll keep ya updated...

Stay posted...



Thursday 13 July 2017

Buck 8 Climb

Well, blew right through Tuesday like a roadie at a rural 4 way stop.  Sorry, starting off with the bad jokes...

Anyways, last weekend was the Buckwallow O'Cup...Superfly Racing bringing the Buck back to the series!  The Buck is a unique technical challenge to the series with all of the Canadian Shield rock.  Team True Grit managed to grab 6 podium spots...including Seth and JennR in the adult categories (no they are not in the same category)!




And, of course, ApexTed was on hand to catch the action....




So if you haven't got your pics yet get on over to ApexRacePhotography!!

What is coming up this weekend?  Well there is the iconic Summer Epic 8 Hour MTB Relay race at Hardwood Ski&Bike promoted by PulseRacing.




Great venue, awesome event!!  I believe online registration may be closed now, but perhaps you can still sneak a way in with a prompt sob story e-mail???  Or maybe not...

If you ain't at the Summer 8 Hour, well then, you can do Max'sBigClimb.  An event racing up Sydenham Hill, with local hero Mandy Dreyer to support finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.





Or you can always do the Sunday Riot Ride.  OK that's not really a thing (it's fake like the moon landing, Trump as president, Canada only 150, and Elvis died).  Although there was a ride last Sunday...on our local trails.  Fig scraped himself up on a rock and had to bow out...



Well maybe it was worse than that...maybe...




Anyways the rest of us finished up the ride  (there are SO many trail options here!!)...

And as usual finished with too much food, recovery refreshments (including the cider Fig left behind! Jaimie and PowerPaul may have polished that off... ) around the firepit...




Anyways as I mentioned so many trail options locally...and the weather has been perfect...so my ride of choice is the single speed which has been seeing as much time as I can give it!



No challenge to our local trails (yes...that is sarcasm.)  
(Sorry, don't mean to be condescending...you know what that is, right??)


Luckily this wasn't mine...
but someone had a long walk...



There were plenty of Canada150 celebrants out there this week...



Even I had red on my fancy new Foncer jersey.
 (the goofy smile was just a plus).  

Actually the Foncer jersey's are amazing!  The fit, feel, and quality...and an old dude like me can actually reach the pockets in the back!  Sorry...didn't mean to post a cheesy product promotion...I just really like the dang jersey.  Check them out at BicycleWorks in Waterdown, or at Grupetto in Dundas.  Perhaps the $M royalty check is on it's way...and Elvis is still alive...living with Joan Rivers...

Wow...sorry, got on a pictorial review there that JeffS may have even been proud of...

And Lois is calling...oh...she may have just seen my latest Strava post title...





She was kinda angry with me anyways...she was writing some kind of letter or something, and asked me,  "What rhymes with 'orange'?"

I said, "No it doesn't."

Anyways...I'm getting off track, again.  Before I get in any more trouble...I should go.  In the words of one of my favourite people, Pinoy Ryder... "Just Ride"

and,
Stay posted!!