Fall

 Fall weather is finally here. We've been enjoying the tacky dirt and cool temps. Not to mention the colors.

 It was cold enough the boys got to ride in their DH gear.

 Its going to be a bummer when this trail is covered in snow.

 She is having fun, really.

 Way better than sitting around playing video games.

 I took Stoker up to Bell Mt. For some granite action.

 A little trail.

 A lot of granite.

 More Granite.

 Scary hard to stop on Granite.

 I got the family out on the new Damn trail.

 Think he likes green?

 Jeanie got to try out her new Knolly Endorphin.

 Its blurry but I couldn't resist this shot. Jeanie's digging the all mountain bike.

 Bobby and I went out on the first really nasty ride of the season. I forgot how much fun it can be.

 I always talk about customer service. Well this week I called Cobb cycles and told them about tearing my seat on some asphalt and they sold me a new one for half price. Not to bad.

This is whats left of my Hans Damf tires on my Solstice. They wear faster than the High rollers I used before and their more expensive but they are the best tires I have ever used. So I will have to cough up some money for a new pair. This tire is still hooking up pretty well but its time is limited.

2 Months of stuff

The last couple months have flown by. So much stuff going in so many different directions. I know I'm slower and heavier for it. But I do like really strong frothy adult beverages.

 I'm not sure how I did this. I knew the Solstice wasn't shifting right. I wonder if SRAM will  warrantee it for me?  

 We signed the boys up for their first true XC race. The last three weeks we've been riding them 3 to 4 times a week. This is our first pre run of the course in Nevada City.  

 The course is very well cut and maintained. 

 Jeanie chased/yelled at Ashton and I Chased/yelled at Gage. The no OHV's on the trails help keep them from getting tore up.

 We rode  South Fork trail several times to get them stronger. Their lap times just kept going down. So awesome. Towards the end they quit whining about the climbs too. 

 I think Jeanie might have had more fun than the Boys.

 Last week Bobby and I went to Arnold and had one of the best rides we've ever had there.

 This rock drop/right turn is still getting the better of Gage. Its not for a lack of trying though. I think if you make faces at it it gets easier (look close).

 The people that put on the Dirt Classic race couldn't be nicer. Within minutes our boys were like part of the family. 

 As soon as we got out of the car Gage and Anthony (303) were good buds.

 And their off!

 Gage beet his best time by 14 min and I wasn't with him to yell at him to go faster. 

 Ashton was 20 min faster with the sweep crew to keep him company.

 The smiles say it all.

 Both kids couldn't wait to power the smoothie machine. They gave every racer a free smoothie.

 Ashton pedaled that thing until it was time to go.

 They made the race so much fun for the boys. The whole atmosphere was laid back and fun. I just wish we would have done the whole series. Next year we will and Jeanie and I will race it to. 

 Two races in one day might be to much, but we couldn't help ourselves. The Terra Llanes Classic was going on at Northstar. Terra and Shimano put on a fun race for the kids. They had a blast. I think Ashton's nose itches.

 Gage was the only kid in Body armor.

 These twins had the most tricked out little bikes I have ever seen. 

 Terra with all the kids. If you look close you can see new gear that the kids won in the raffle. Gage won a full set of DH gear from Troy Lee. Ashton won a Camelback MULE.

 After the race was over we turned the boys loose on the mountain. They have been dyeing to ride the lifts at Northstar for a couple years. Gage had to wear his new jersey.

 He loved the boardwalk on Big trees. Rode it better than I did my first time.

 Rock gardens are old hat to Gage by now.

 After a pretty gnarly wreck Gage didn't want to play anymore. I made him nurse it down to the bottom. Two races and Chair lifts in one day is kind of a lot.

 Its so cool being able to take the whole family up. No body gets stuck baby sitting any more.

 Some times he was going fast enough he forgot he was hurt.

Do you think he had fun?

Bell MT

 Sean and I decided to ride Bell Mt. an the Uzzis today. I think the big bikes were actually slower on the downhill. My Solstice felt way more maneuverable and never felt over its head.

Still an awesome loop. It seemed a lot easier this time, after riding the Tebb's death climb last weekend.

16 miles, 2800ft gain 3hrs 45 min, 2661 calories

Tebbs suffer fest

 Dan Tebbs ( the owner of Victory Velo in Auburn) is famous for 5 and 6 hour sufferfests. I have officially survived my first one. We climbed from Meyers to the top of Freel pass and rode down Armstrong trail followed by Sidewinder and Corral trail. The climb up has set a new bar for Sean and I.  I think the only other trail that comes close is Ape Canyon.

The loop is amazing. Worth all the gain. 

4300ft gain, 27miles, 5hrs, 3490 calories