Overall winner and all around good guy Jeremy Rodriguez taking it all at the first ever (legal) cross country mountain bike race in Cook County.

Palos Meltdown

Next weekend. This Labor Day the woods were filled with people doing laps in training for the first ever legal bike "race" in Cook County Forest Preserves. I think the overall thought on the race is short and sweet. Granted the laps are a bit on the difficult side-But "Hot Lap" racers can pull a 30 minute lap. (Probably) Singletrack was getting dusty and hopefully it will rain a bit before Sunday.

5 years

Week before 24-9

Buzzin through on the x-cal-limbs are down and now I have another broken helmet. Scary ass feeling to see your glasses fill with blood and none of your friends want to look either.
The usual smack; and pop goes the helmet. But this time I was screaming I'm bleeding and blood was pouring down my face. I love helmets. No damage to my eye thankfully. That's 6 more stitches and I think I've broken the 200 stitch mark.
Fast track at Palos Hospital had me fixed up in just over an hour. Being a repeat customer I didn't have to fill out any paperwork. Then off to Pepe's for a pitcher of Margaritas.



Thanks Canal Trail. Your dead limbs are going down be-och.

September 9th, 2007

Palos Meltdown. beginner 5 miles, sport 15 miles, expert- 25 miles.
www.cambr.org for more info.

Memorial Day Crew

MIA

Things are coming together.. The Mesa is up and running and no bike shop employees around yet.. Hopefully last years plan has scare the non-locals off has worked..
Underground singletrack has returned with a vengenance. With two separate rides being pulled off this weekend the trail got some much needed use. There is some more work to do but its ridable. The Rainbow Bridge is rebuilt and we will be able to get at least one or two more seasons out of it. I think its going to be four years old and it still stands. Two areas need new bridges. We're getting by with what we have.
I'll post some new photos later today.
There is just nothing like waking up to a dozen or so mountainbikers outside your door to go for a ride and my lazy ass is just rolling out of bed. We hung out by the prez's house for a cocktail and some brats post ride. Steve has become the most welcomed addition to the merry ban of misfits in which I call friends.

Palos

Last nights ride was good. Canal to Dynamite. Up Dynamite to Psycho down to TURF. Over thru Red Gate and down the bottom of The Back Door. Out and across to Coyote out thru the Metra Lot and up to Country Lane. Back South to behind the Airplane field and back to the Moto-x track and back to Kean. 3 hours and not bad conditions all of those trails where ridable. TURF had a couple of muddy spots, but overall things are looking great for this weekend.

Remember

I forgot. I lose stuff all the time. Put it somewhere and think its a good spot for it-then I can't find it. I find stuff all the time too so I guess it evens off somewhere. I forget.

done with one

Hanging out with this gamer kid Josh. He was building amusement parks all night and I had something to build too.

There were some things I wanted to accomplish with the Heckler. Like take the studs off and put some lighter weight tires on and put on an air fork - plus add poc loc to an already packed riser. Its about 2 lbs lighter than last year and about 5 lighter than with the winter studs. (Maybe less but it felt like 5) Peoria is chock full of fun stuff.

Still need to work on the x-cal but this was easier and it just had to be done the x-cal is ridable but not tricked out quite yet.

Hoo Ha

The Mesa and Sublime is done. We did get more rain last night but we got a good jump on things. All bridges are intact and over all these years apparently I've found out how to make them last. The place seems huge when its wet because you just can't travel fast. By foot or by bike. The outer leg will be next.

Peoria this weekend. I'm thinking I'm going to boogie from work at noon or so. Big 3 truckload job today and then another loop tonight. Did one last night after putting in a good days work on The Mesa.

Commuting again. Past up this morning but will get back to it tomorrow. I had one good commuting day last week. The weather is prime.

Peoria. 2005

Crapper

Its been a while- In two weeks is the Midwest Mtn Bike Fest. I have a crap load of crap to do. T-ball practice. Two jobs and trail work. Work Out. Yard work and crap. CRAP CRAP crapcrap crapper.

It'll get better. But I'm not getting faster. Whatever.

Snow Day in April

The crew at Tim's. From 31st Street beach to his house and back round trip is about 22 miles. Along the lakefront and thru some of Wrigleyville.

Brrrrr

This past weekend was 70 degrees and the lake front path had the lot of reckless down to watch the lumps bouncing. Now its back down in the 20's and back to indoor workouts. I need to get a bunch of crap done. Not enough time to get it all done. sheee-it. Bouncing tonight and tomorrow. Saturday a Sublime cover band is playing so at least I won't have to listen to a full night of Irish music not that its bad but you know what I mean.

damn

Damn this rain.

loop de loop

Beautiful weather yesterday and the loop was hoppin. Jetted from work early and let off some steam before seeing The Number 23. I give it a thumbs down. Jim Carrey is just not a real believable serious actor. At least not for me.

PSSST.

There will be a race the first weekend in September in PALOS. It took us 3 years of convincing- but we'll be meeting up and getting all the details together. More to come.

bringing the gnar

Rode the loop and did some of the Lake Katherine Multi on Sunday. Missed the Stairmaster for 200.00 dollars.
I'm a hooker. A gnarly one.
As of late workouts have been good with sprinkles of outdoor rides here and there. I'm up to 3-4 times a week weather permitting and including indoor rev master rides. I'm really looking forward to riding singletrack again. Rain is in the forecast for the next four days. So I'll be bringing the gnarly shit with me everywhere I go. So bring it bitches. I have a fresh case of gnar for you. Going back to Friday nights at Quig's. I'm happy that the St. Patty's day(s) are over. Man- the Irish sure know how to drag out a holiday. Made some loot and I can pay off some more of the x-cal.

Parade day.

Bouncing at a Irish Pub down the street from the Southside Irish Parade proved to be exactly what I thought it would be... Fights and drunk chicks sleeping in stalls of the bathroom. At one point I was throwing someone out about every 45 minutes or so.
Also-got the first ride on the x-cal 29'er. Did a loop. I'll describe it as like what I do all day-driving a truck. The ride was smooth and I was able to cruise along with little effort. Hopefully todaywill be the next ride. We'll see. 73 degrees yesterday. 60's today- Yahoo.

right on the right

Went to see these guys. Saw them here. Weird that there was no smoking... It was quite refreshing. 50 degree weather today. Feels like summer.