To Hot!

Me(bike smasher), Bobby(Loafer), Nathan(new guy), Aaron(Mavic), Sean(mountianbike adict), Arch(Mavic), Brad(Cambria)
For the last two days I had the privilege of guiding some bike industry types around my local stomping grounds. Sean brought some of his friends up on their way home from Interbike. We hit up the Arnold Rim trail yesterday. All of the climbs seemed to be harder than normal. I think a lot of this was due to the start time of 11:00. It just got hotter and hotter. Fortunately we had a great group of guys and were able to talk enough crap to distract ourselves up the hills.
Today we started out at 9:00 but I don't think we missed any of the heat (100 degrees by the end). We headed straight for Crandel Peak on the easiest route I could think of. It didn't matter the climb in the sun still took its tole. After showing them the amazing view from the old fire look out we finally got to rail some single track. From there it was a mix of trail and fire road all the way to Deer creek. I even conned them into doing some trail work. As exhausting as the day was everyone said they would come back.
I should also note that Brad was the only one to pedal all the way back up the hill to my house. The guy is a beer drinking/hill climbing machine. I'm pretty sure Arch and Aaron are trying to keep Sierra Nevada in the green. Next time I think I'll need a beer drop half way if I want to entice them to do more miles.
Only one flat and no major mechanicals or injuries. Good day!

6 hour Super D

This was the road to bypass the first lift
The course was fun but rocky

As you can see, the lifts were the weak link. On top of the limited bike rack, they could only load about a quarter of the chairs at a time. You had to wait for them to cycle around to designated chairs for riders.

Sean almost lapped me the second time right here. I hate flats!

I raced the six hour Super D at Kirkwood with a couple friends today. The format was pretty simple take the chairlift up ride down for six hours. Whoever had the most laps wins. There was a slight twist however, the chairlifts and the lines are really slow. If you were a strong rider you could beat someone riding the first chair to the base of the second. In fact all the fast guys pedaled the first lap and gained at least a half a lap on those of us in the lift lines. The top riders never rode the lower lift at all.
The race surprised us with plenty of tight technical single track. There was a little double track, but very minimal. I think the ideal set up for me would have been a five inch bike with full downhill tires. My fire bird was awesome but didn't really encourage me to climb from the bottom. My tire setup is were things went south for me and many others. I have been running Maxxis UST tires at thirty pounds for quite a while now with almost no flats. Unfortunately the rocks at Kirkwood are very sharp and plentiful. On the third lap I punched a hole right through the tread. I had to walk down to the mid mountain were the awesome lift staff gave me a tube. I got back on the lift and tried again. I almost made back to the mid mountain before I blew a hole in the back tire. I decided to walk all the way down and get my own tube and tools, that I never should have rode without in the first place. All things repaired I headed up again. After my "fourth" lap Sean and I decided to bail. Hiking down the mountain twice and a lack of backup tubes was enough that I had no chance of even running a decent race.
Over all I think it was a great race. I would love to do it again, with a little more preparation. Everyone was low key and having fun.

Elwell

Top of Packer. You can barely see the fire lookout on the butte behind us. Brandon is actually four months along.
Truffle Shuffle!

If the views don't make you forget the hike a bikes the downhill sure will. Brandon is already forgetting that he is pushing.

Right now he is having a hard time forgetting. The up side is that he is a hundred yards from downhill the rest of the day.

We met up with a group of people I know and finished our adventure with them. This is John about thirty seconds away from an endo.

Top of Elwell looking back.

I wanted to get up to the Downieville area before summer ended. I figured Labor day might be my last chance. I thought I was going solo at first but Brandon pulled in some favors and made the trek with me. My wife was nice enough to shuttle us to the top. Unfortunately for Brandon I wasn't interested in the "normal" Downieville run. I had read about the Mt. Elwell trail a couple times but I could never pull it off. We rode the "perfect cycling trail" from Packer to the base of Elwell. I don't know anyone that could climb to the top, so of course we walked the last mile. We were rewarded with spectacular views in every direction and burly downhills long enough to make my brakes steam at the creek crossings. Bitchen ride!

Month off

Sean and I got even with the South Yuba Trail for all the scars on my legs the last time I was there. By the way, this trail is a geographical anomaly (up hill both ways).
Dave, Katie and Bobby on the new section of PCP


We climbed from the store, so the next 45 min. were even sweeter.

The only thing that could screw up my sleeping cycle worse than a month off was returning to work. 80 hours starting at night made for some chaotic sleep scheduling.
After riding in Bend for five glorious days I returned home to knock out some miles in my back yard. Then I went to Tahoe for a couple days. After riding around up there I spent a week cranking out some big mileage on the forest roads around my house.

PCP Dome?

Khris lovin the PCP
Khris made it out of the new section

George makes it out too


Sunday a couple of the Trogs and I went up the hill for some DH action. They kept talking about a new black diamond section on the PCP trail. I couldn't resist, so we all piled into the Kings minivan and shuttled ourselves up to the top. We took a run down Willow just to get warmed up, then grunted all the way to the top of PCP. A little ways down we turned right onto the new diamond run. It was awesome. Its almost like putting the best parts of Dome at the top of PCP. Super technical slow granite drops. Way different from Bend. It was the perfect section to get me back into the swing of things for our local trails. Great ride guys, Thanks.

Last day in Bend

14miles of downhill flow ahead
It would be hard to find better views, unless you took us out of the photo

On the morning before we had to leave Bend, Sean and I talked my super understanding wife into shuttling us back up to Mt. Bachelor. We wanted to ride some of the trails we missed on our guided tour. We started out a couple miles higher than before, at Dutchman's Flat. The climb up Flagline wasn't too bad. The descent starting at Happy Valley and ending on the Mrazek trail in Shelvin Park tops every other downhill run I have done, even Downieville. It was the smoothest flowiest trail I have ever seen, and it felt like it would never end.
After five days of riding the Niner I was amazed that I hadn't broke anything. I might actually be learning how to be easier on bike parts, maybe.

Bent on Bend

Dee Wright observatory, No bikes just cool
Gage lovin the McKenzie


Ashton Lovin his first real single track with Mom running sweep

Hurry up and get the picture before the mosquitoes get us

Ashton made it. He still wanted more. Moms happy there's no crying

The only picture I took on the Bachelor ride. I couldn't bring myself to stop the flow.

Gage pedaling as fast as he can.

I think he needs a better bike

Lovin it at Phil's

Not lovin it at Phil's. A little dirt sample builds charactor.

Both kids were bleeding a little.

I've been having trouble taking pictures while I'm here in Bend OR. It's hard to justify stopping the flow of these amazing trails. Sean and I explored 25 miles out of Phil's trailhead the other night. We were the last people out of the parking lot at 9:45. Its really easy to get lost in the dark, even when the trails are marked.
Tuesday morning I took the family to the bottom of McKenzie river trail for a couple miles of flow. I think my youngest son finally got bit by the mountain bike bug. He was all grins and singing the whole time. My oldest was riding harder and faster than ever before.
Wednesday we re-enlisted the boys at Cog Wild for a guided tour from Mt Bachelor to Bend. The guys were awesome. They provided us with lunch and miles of single track all the way back to town. There was a group of nine and I think every one of us had had enough. The guides were more than willing to take us on more but I'm not sure we could have done it. Again I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Cog Wild if you're ever in Bend.
Thursday played out pretty mellow riding wise. Spent most the day goofing off with the family and then we decided to get some trail time in. I took them all up to Phil's for a short lap. This place is amazing, you can ride for as short or as long as you like. Or as hard or a easy as you like. We did about 4 miles. I finally got the courage to ride some logs while we were out there messing around. Anyone that knows me understands what a big deal this is(check the vid). Over all I'd have to say Bend has some of the most beginner friendly trails anywhere, but it never leaves the more advanced rider wanting.