IT STARTED WITH A TEXT FROM MY FRIEND PAUL:

Chris is going to be in town, wanna do something?

Yes, let me call Brian… we’ll have some fun.

Paul works as a cycling coach for Chris Carmichael’s company CTS, and Brian runs The SoCal Cycling Podcast.  Me, I’m just a guy.

We started the night with savory dishes from Guicho’s and sharing bike racing stories.

Ours were amateur, and Chris’s were pro.

Ours were current and small, his were old and epic.

They were the kind of stories only someone who had been there could tell.  Captivating.  About always being hungry to be skinny, about travel, about nobody talking to the new kids… the Americans.

But, the most interesting part was talking about what it takes to be a champion.  That champions are all about themselves.  Their whole lives revolve around them, and are set up to server their single purpose.  To win.

After dinner, we moved downstairs for the podcast.  More friends joined us for this portion.

Brian busted out his fancy equipment and started with a this:

What makes your coaching company different from all the others?

What followed was nugget upon nugget of Chris’s philosophy.  In order, to the best of my recollection:

A coach can inspire an athlete as well as be inspired by an athlete. 

A monkey can interpret the data, a coach coaches.

Where there’s a wheel there’s a way.

A great coach can make something complex simple, understandable.

Winners are calm when they are in the lead, losers are nervous.

A lot of the science we developed for Project ’96 (Olympic games) is still used by USA Cycling… like train low, rest high.  We had a chamber where we have the athletes do intervals in an super-oxygen environment at -300 sea level where they could produce much more power than sea level.  They they’d rest in a simulated altitude of 10,000′.

You’re not a coach if you don’t coach.  Our coaches are all coaching 20-30 athletes, and we are all learning from that all the time.

When you have good legs, you have a good head.  When you have a good head, you have good legs.

The data doesn’t matter on race day.  On race day it’s about racing… what are you going to do?  Quit or win?  Winners, win.

The best athletes are killers, it doesn’t matter how they feel, what the local food is like, how they slept. They are there to win on that day.

On race day, never think I’ll be back or I’m just here to learn.  You don’t know if you’ll be back.  Make it happen today.  You’ll learn more by putting it all on the line.  There is no tomorrow, there is no other race… only this one.

Brian then turned the mic to the audience and Chris fielded a variety of questions… fun for everyone.

MY SON SHANE DRESSES UP FOR HALLOWEEN AS A “BIKER” EVERY YEAR.  What could be funniererer than dressing up in dad’s biking clothes and partying up the night?

There’s no respect, which I’m used to.

There’s no effort to say cyclist or cycling kit or bibs or jersey..  If he knew they were called bibs, there would be even more mockery.

Then there’s these two characters on TMWC this morning going full gas the entire ride:  Brett in his wife’s leotard and Mike with a Ramses mask.  I see a new tradition of mockery has started and no doubt will be full blown next year.

ONE MAN’S DRESS UP, is another man’s party suit.

173.6

_____

Our next event – >  LIVE PODCAST WITH CHRIS CARMICHAEL AND BRIAN CO

YOUR VOTE DOESN’T COUNT, and that’s great!  Can you imagine if a big bike race… like The Tour or Paris Roubaix… came down to a beauty contest and “experts” decided which two teams would contest the final sprint as well as how the rest of the teams would finish?

Ludicrous, right?!

What if the UCI pulled in billions of dollars and the racers made zero?

Impossible?!

That’s how it works at the highest levels of American College Football, which is “amateur”.  The teams generate billions of dollars and the players make ZERO.

And, AND!, at the end of the college football season some “smarterthanme people” get in a room and decide who the best teams are and their final rankings, except for the top 4 voted-best teams who get to play each other.

They say it’s tradition, and best for the kids.

I say, BS.

So, as I watch my struggling Trojans bounce around the bottom 20 in the beauty contest and eat pizza and yell at the TV screen when the refs blow it I can only say thank you to the UCI and ASO, andUSA Cycling.  Because even though you make a mockery of what your customers and fans want and vote for…

… at least your vote doesn’t count, when it really counts!

_____

172.6

_____

Our next event – >  LIVE PODCAST WITH CHRIS CARMICHAEL AND BRIAN CO

THERE ARE A MILLION REASONS WHY I CAN BE FASTER, and just as many why I can be slower.

I started listing the reasons, and my pen ran dry.

I got a new pen, and soon ran out of paper.

I got more paper.  My hand cramped.

Maybe it’s impossible?…

… unless I want to.

_____

173 yikes!

_____

LIVE PODCAST WITH CHRIS CARMICAEL AND BRIAN CO

Join us for a fun, and informative evening.  Brian is a great interviewer, and Chris Carmichael is America’s coach of coaches.

Bring your questions.

I USED TO GET UP EARLY ON SATURDAYS AND RIDE MY BIKE so I could get home early to play with my little kids.

Today I got up early and rode my bike so I could get out to Palm Springs for my aunt’s memorial service.  All week I was looking forward to seeing my cousins and celebrating the life of very special lady.

She had earned many accolades and distinctions throughout her life, like California Young Mother of The Year.  But, for me, it was the way she treated everybody.  When Nora looked at you, when she said your name, you knew… she loved you, and you knew she could see all the potential in you.

This seeing the potential in people lead to a remarkable event she put on every Spring.

Starting in 1980, she and my uncle invited all the cousins in high school to their home.  There were first-cousins and second-cousins and friends of cousins.  Some years over 50 kids would descend upon Palm Springs, from all over the country.  They camped in the back yard, sleeping bags all over the place.

She called it Cousins Conference.

She wanted the next generation to enjoy the bonds of family by getting to know their cousins.  Plus, it was important to her to help the kids understand their divine potential.  Mixed in with pool time and hikes were special workshops and speakers delivering uplifting messages.

That was my aunt, always seeing the best in others…

… and that’s what I’ll always remember.

I DO LIVE TO RIDE, to get that feeling and rush of air.  Sometimes, when I’m really grinding at work the only thing keeping me sane is knowing another day means another ride.

And that ride will refresh me.  Rejuvenate me.  Clear my mind and keep my body healthy to do more great work.

And that work engages my mind.  Pulls out the best of my creativity, demands the most of my capacity, and hopefully produces the funds needed to make the life I want possible.

Taking out the riding leads to less productive work.  Less productive work, leads to less time to live.  Less living and before long… you’re dead.

Happy Friday Y’all… get out and ride this weekend.

PS… get 25% off the t-shirt if you order before 11/1/17, use promo code PEDAL.

WHEN TOM CHIRPED MY NEW, FANCY OAKLEYS LOOK FAST, I could only blurt back… I don’t know if they are, but I hope they intimidate you into riding slow.

Typical ride banter.

Guys propping each other up, just before delivering a wicked attack.

Here’s what little I know about glasses:

Make sure they fit your head. They don’t get caught up in your helmet’s padding and let buckets of sweat stream down your lens.  This usually happens if the glasses are too big for your head.

The right frames will fit nicely into your helmet when you don’t want to wear them.  This is better than fumbling with them in your pockets because it’s faster and will keep the lens cleaner and dryer.

Get the right lens tint for the riding you’re doing.  The new “polaroid” technologies are amazing for dawn and dusk light.  Oakley has lens for specific terrain, road vs mtb.  A clear lens is great for night in the dark – which I’ll be doing a lot more of this time of year.

I like a tall enough lens to keep the wind out when I’m bombing a hill at high speed.

Brands?  Well, I like Oakley because of the quality and because their roots are OC all the way.  There are lots of options to consider.

Whatever you choose, be sure they make  you look fast… sometimes looking good is all you’ve got.

THE NEW SCALE IS DIGITAL, as was it’s predecessor.

Each morning I stumble over, strip, and step aboard… just like I did with the old scale.  The naked, first light check-in is the only way I know to keep my weight  checked.

If the number is under 170 Toddybehappy, over and Toddybelesshappy… same feelings as with the old scale.

Wait, that’s not really true.  This new scale is meaner.

The old scale was heavy, make of glass.  It’s heft gave a sense of sureness and accuracy.  The readout produced dark gray numbers that seemed to float in the air… kind of a whisper for the eyes to interpret.

The new scale is lite, and made of plastic.  It seems shallow, and quick to judge.  The numbers it generates are a heartless-red, suspended in black… burning the truth, leaving nothing to doubt.

Days like today weigh a lot more than they used to.

AS THE KING OF ABSOLUTELY NOTHING,  I hereby proclaim all KOM’s set today, the 24th day of October 2017, in SoCal to be null and void.  Whatever little KOM you think you scored this day of powerful Santa Ana winds is worthless.

The Strava overlords are in complete agreement.

So congratulations.

You got nothing.

No KOM/QOM.

No kudos.

All comments on your rides, praising your amazing talent, will be erased.

Why?

Because I’m a mean, bitter, turd of a king.  When I see my times shattered… times I poured all my blood (all of it!), sweat (gallons of it!) and tears (tattoos on my soul)… shattered by “athletes” who simply surfed the wind to their coronation, it makes me see red.

And, when I see red… Strava sees red.

And, when Strava sees red… they erase your false claims to your puffed up crowns.

It’s NOT that I’m just pissy because we failed to score one for Gould.

XOXOXO

SOME DAYS YA JUST GOTTA BUY SOMETHING NEW.  For bike riders, one of the best joys/dollar is new water bottles.

No scuffs.  No dents.  No leaks. No fumunda.

They feel healthier… shoot, they probably are.

Some cats will go years and years with the same bottles.  They are so wretched I wouldn’t let my dog drink from them.  It makes no sense.  None.

The one thing you want to keep in tip top shape, before anything is your engine (i.e. your body).  So drink as pure as you can.

Next, is your drive train.  I’ve unknowingly grabbed a leaky, filled with my magic flavor of the day only to have it leak all over my bottom bracket.  Sugar turns to mud, turns to muck, turns to s.l.o.w.

It’s new bottles day.

YOU’LL NEVER KNOW IF YOU CAN RIDE YOUR BIKE TO SAN DIEGO, until you do it.

Then,

You’ll see the sun rise through mountain shadows and set in ocean blue.

You’ll feel the gentle push of coastal breeze at your back.

You’ll pass through beach towns and beach goers.

You’ll meet kindred riders headed your way.

You’ll know why you rode to San Diego.

Or Portland

Or Santa Fe

Or Austin

Or _____?

IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE, THAT’S WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GREAT AMBASSADOR.  At PEDALindustries and DHDwear, our best ambassadors showed us love first.  We reciprocated.  They loved us more.  We loved them more… love, love, love.

What a lovely cycle!

No contracts.

No asking.

Just love.

What kind of love?  Social media posts.  Group emails.  Ride introductions -> referrals.

What kind of reciprocation?  Special access, secret pricing, free products -> more to love.

May the loyalty and love ever deepen.

Keep It Super Simple

_____

170.8

MY BUDDY BART QUIT RIDING SO HE COULD COMPETE IN BODYBUILDING, and it got me thinking… how much does food affect performance?  Because…

… he’s lost 6 lbs from his cycling fighting weight

put on a ton of muscle

works out less than an hour a day

and completely transformed his body…

He was already a lean and disciplined athlete and fast as hell on a bike, so how the heck did he gain muscle and drop weight?

In his words, the diet is the secret… that’s how you build your body.

He’s shared the food regimen with me over the past year.  It’s very bland, and very complex in ways I hadn’t considered.  Basically, it’s boiled chicken and rice.  Every meal.  Butt (yes, it’s a big but), some days are all chicken, some days mostly rice, and some days are a mix.

I’m simplifying a bit, but the point is what you eat and when you eat and the ratios of protein and carbs matters a lot.

The specific training is important, but the food makes the difference between a girlyman and a beefcake.

And that’s what I’m wondering about today…

What’s the optimal diet for a cyclist who wants to be FASTer?

I can’t wait to sit down with Chris Carmichael and learn.

Are you registered? http://pedalindustries.com/store/TRAIN-RIGHT

LATE LAST NIGHT AN INQUISITIVE EMAIL FROM DAVE CAME IN.  I’ve seen a lot of discussion on this topic and my response is always the same.

EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: EXCESSIVE EXERCISE MAY HARM THE HEART, STUDY SAYS.

EMAIL MESSAGE:

Interesting article but seemingly non-conclusive. Your thoughts?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/10/18/excessive-exercise-may-harm-the-heart-study-suggests/amp/

MY RESPONSE:

Nobody gets outta here alive.

I was in high school the first time I heard that phrase… and didn’t understand it.  Jim Morrison yells it at the crowd during a concert, The Doors: Live At The Hollywood Bowl.

Eventually I grasped it.

Once you realize nobody is getting off Earth alive, living well becomes much more important than living long.  There is no living long, life is short… there is only living well.

Part of living well, for me, is the joy I feel on my bike, with the wind on my face, with my friends riding along with me.

Friendship is living well.

Bike friendship is a curious thing.

For instance, one of my college roommates, Bob, dropped by the office today.  We hadn’t gotten together or spoken for years.  He lives in Seattle, where he rides his bike.  He was in town on business.  We’re chatting, and Jeff calls… he’s in town from Park City and is riding his bike to my office.  The three of us were in a college fraternity together.

And there we were, on a beautiful Thursday morning, catching up on our fast moving lives, for the simple reason all 3 of us independently fell in love with bike riding…

… I’m pretty sure, bike riding is good for my heart …

ONCE UPON A TIME MY  ROOMMATE TALLEY GOT THE BRIGHT IDEA TO HEAD OVER TO THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY,  which was really a school full of kids from everywhere but the US.  The thinking was the foreign ladies would be eager some some actual American boys. Talley was also the roommate who came home with a road bike, and we know where that lead… so why not give it a try?  Plus, he’d worked out a can’t fail pickup line…

Habla-vous the Deutch?!

Dude, it’s Spanish, Habla (to speak); French, vous (you); English, the; and German, Deutch (German language).  You know the ladies will be all over us showing our multi-lingualness.

I cracked up.  It was so dumb, but he was repeating it with such confidence I had to join in. 

Habla-vous the Deutch?

Habla-VOUS the Deutch?

Habla-vous THEEE Deutch?

Our accents were terrible, but our confidence was building… and off we went.  Ah, fools rush in… which brings me to next year’s Tour de France course.

The course is just kooky.

It’s starts a week late because of the World Cup.

It has a super short team time trial.

An early mountain stage could see all the sprinters miss the time cut in the first week.

Lots of lumpy and windy sections.

There’s a monstrous day on the cobble stones of Roubaix.

There’s a Vuelta-like stage the is only 65k, 40 miles… really?  Is it a 50+ amateur road race?

In a nutshell, it’s a makesureChrisFroomedoesn’twin again course.

So who will win?

Peter Sagan, duh.

He’s 27, the prime age for winning stage races.  He looked pretty skinny at the World Championships.  He’s already said he wants to win the Green Jersey, just to throw the dogs off his scent.  He’s won stage races before.  Nobody will be expecting him to go out early on the cobbles and windy and lumpy stages and ambush all the twiggy prima donna climbers… building up a huge lead and clinging onto to it all the way to Paris.

No way you say?

Well, habla-vous the Deutch?

WE’RE ON A QUEST AT THE OFFICE:  start early, finish early.  Jamming all we can into 5 hours of crazy productivity.  The idea came from a video on YouTube about a paddle board company. It sounds ridiculous, but we’re going to give a 3 month trial.

I can confirm, 1 week in, it’s different.  It’s a completely different effort when you know you are limited on time… like that last day at work before going on vacation, it’s a whirlwind of productivity.

… more on this to follow …

TREVOR, OUR OLDEST, LOADED UP HIS BIKE AND BOARDS and moved to Huntington Beach.  Of course, he was on his own in college for many years.  But, this move is different.

It’s not even far away, yet it’s a bigger move.

There’s a sense of permanence.

Because, he’s ready and able.

Like when the training wheels came off on the old cul de saq, he won’t be looking back.

He’ll be smiling.

And so will I.

THE LONGER A GROUP RIDE EXISTS, the more it iterates.

It starts with a few characters getting together at the corner.

At the same time, each week.

Then it gets a name: Como Street, Coffee Crew, TMWC, Food Park, Canyon Velo, Swami’s, Donut Ride, Simi, etc.

A mother hen inserts herself, keeping everybody in line.

The original Coffee Crew was a Saturday ride.  7am start in Corona del Mar, finishing up at C’est Si Bon bakery for doughy delights and… coffee.  Stricky as there, Ed Kurzinski, Kirk Cross, Mike Martin, Paul Miller, Doug Evertz, Jeff Newman, Eric Salzman, a few others and Todd Schooler.

Schooler was our mother hen.  He decided we needed a Tuesday/Thursday work out.  So we did the same course as Saturday on Tuesday and rode hills on Thursday.

Food Park had an 830am start at the food park where Main and MacArthur intersect.  As Saturday Coffee Crew faded out, a few of us would anxiously wait at The Coffee Bean.  Some of the Canyon Velo guys would peel off and join us to wait for Food Park.  About 838, we’d see 70-100 riders roaring and ready to rip through sleepy Irvine.

Now, The Coffee Bean is the start of Food Park… and few know why it starts  when and where it does.

Most of these group rides develop Long and Short options.

Como Long was the premier group ride in SoCal for many years.  100-200 of the best and fastest riders in outrageous colors made the ride look like TdF.  The choice to long or short was made early in the ride and said a lot about your talent and ambition.  Now, not so much.

Yesterday on the Donut Ride, the Long option seemed more a matter of attrition than course selection.

Swami’s Long and Simi Long are seasonal.  “The Pros” drift in for winter miles – real pros you see on TV – and spice up these rides, making them even more popular.

The courses change over time.  There isn’t even a Como Street street anymore – but there was.  That ride would tear through the orange groves of Irvine – gone – around the 2-lane civilian perimeter of El Toro Marine base – gone – shell riders up to the fields of RSM – gone – and into what remains OC’s only country roads.

The groups grow and dwindle, largely based on the mother hen.  The mother hen barks at crappy riding, red light running… and changes the course when it makes sense to do so.  If nobody steps up when the mother hen moves on, the ride will slowly die out.

We’ve started our own long Food Park.  We leave Doheny about 7, ride up the coast and up Newport Coast around Back Bay to The Coffee Bean start and ride with the gang through Irvine and then back to San Clemente.

We’re nearly weekly on this now, and I predict it will be Food Park South in the next year or so.

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo

TODAY STARTED EARLY, and ended late.  First, I broke out of San Clemente at 6:25am to get to Redondo Beach and battle the Donut Ride.  Last, I slipped into the South Bay Cycling Awards for tacos and culture.  In between, was unplanned and awesome.

Ah, the Donut Ride… a nice social jaunt through and around the tranquil Palos Verdes hills.  The temperature is always perfect, and the views stunning.  Seth was there early, greeting the fresh faces and handing out stickers honoring Steve Tilford.  Very cool.

In fact, lots of people showed up for the ride…

… it’s definitely not a race… but I think $600 in primes were handed out tonight…

… so many riders were there, not racing,

the group leaked all over the road …

I guess it was fast… but it’s hard to say, I’ve only done it 3 times.  Still, 94 Strava cups is somethin’.

Feeling great after the “ride”, I rode back up Del Monte to Hawthorne.

Feeling hungry, Chipotle was my next stop.

Feeling tired, I crashed on the sand ’till Dan called.

I’m shaping a board.

Cool, I’ll come over.

Dan’s shop is like being inside a beehive.  All these little shaping rooms, belonging to famous surfboard shapers, interconnect with each other and the fin insertion department and the glassing room.  It’s amazing.

After hosing off the ride and beach, I watched Dan work.

Right before my eyes, he released a magical board from it’s foam prison.  No template, no maniacal measuring, just an artist working with his hands and the tools of his trade.  It was truly beautiful.

I love the board Dan made for me, and already want another.  It’s so great to talk to the shaper and describe the waves I like and the way I surf and him make me something that is awesome.

It got me thinking about how awesome a custom bike frame could be.

The day was ending, the night was begging to join the living.

Seth Davidson’s creation, the awards ceremony was just cool.  Cool because it honored and made fun off the South Bay cycling community.  Cool because it was free.  Cool because everybody was there, and everybody knew each other.

The night was dedicated to the life Steve Tilford lead.  His wife and family and friends flew out for the event.  Steve’s blog taught me a ton about racing, and life and blogging.  I read it nearly every day.  I miss Steve’s sense of living life intentionally.

Awards for great riding and great clubs and great recoveries and great ambassadors and great leaders and great promoters and great advocates and great up and coming talent were handed out by Seth and his co-MC Rashaan Bahati.  The sense of love and appreciation for each person in attendance was real and inspiring.

What a great way to bring the local cycling community together… Seth deserves an award!

MY HAIR IS GROWING OUT, on my legs and on my head.

The legs, to remind me it’s off-season.

The hair, to keep me warm as the days shorten and cool.

None of that will matter tomorrow on the famed Donut Ride.  I’ll be new, hairy-legged guy… and hairy legs are the signal to all the world: I’m new and have no clue.

No one will talk to me.

No one will give me space up front.

No one will want to be within 10′ of me.

And that’s okay, but for a true cycling noob it’s terrible treatment… and the noob will have no idea why it goes down that way.  She just rides home and says screw that crew… wait, what girl has hairy legs in CA?  … he just rides home …

I’m sticking around till nighttime to go to the other world-famous cycling event, The South Bay Cycling Awards.  My nature will be to go wallflower, wonder why I’m there at all, hang around the fringe and shyly sip the essence of Seth’s scene.

Can’t blame the hairy legs on that… but, these guys are pretty scary.

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO RACE YOUR BIKE, some come naturally and some require great effort to master.

But, what’s more fun?

Sticking with the racing that suits your natural talent, might lead to greater success.

But, pursuing a discipline that requires you to dramatically improve or change your body or riding style will probably lead to greater growth…

… and even great success when you return to your natural talent…

Mix it up, often.

I CAN’T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST READ, one of our most inspiring regulars is wimping out because…

it’s

tooooo

cold?!

First off, you are a seriously accomplished badass on the bike.  You race in all kinds of conditions.  Doesn’t it make sense to subject your flesh to a little harshness as part of the prep?

Second, it wasn’t even cold today.  I think you just rolled out with Indian Summer on your mind and forgot to check the Weather Channel app for Trabuco Canyon – the coldest part of our ride.  Isn’t it fun to bust out the warmers and vests and jackets we so rarely wear?

Third, we are rising with the sun this time of year – with the eastern horizon brightening and lightening our day.  Isn’t it the best?

Fourth, in a couple of weeks the time changes and we get an hour of sun back to warm us on the start.

Fifth, don’t the few cold days make the warm days so much better?

Sixth, the change in whether is how we now we’re alive at all.  Isn’t it great to come in chilled and jump in a hot shower?

Seventh, we’re all going to be there all through the winter encouraging each other – so many others will back down the miles, drop the intensity and wonder if their scale is lying to them come Spring.  Don’t you need us to stay super-motivated?

Eight, if it’s the cold this week, what’s next?  Too hot?  Too steep?  Too, too, too?

Ninth, what about the legions that follow you on social media who you inspire daily… what will they think? do?

Tenth, you know we’re gonna heckle you… right?

I’VE HAD A NAGGING COUGH FOR ABOUT A MONTH, Mike confided.

Oh wow!  I didn’t even know.

Yeah, I always feel better on the ride.

Everything always feels better on the ride.

IT’S TRUE, RIDE WITH SOMEONE OFTEN ENOUGH AND YOU’LL END UP LIKING THEM A WHOLE LOT… makes me wonder:

How many of the world’s problems could be solved…

How many misunderstandings would be avoided…

How many more friendships would be forged…

How many riders would still be riding…

How many social walls dissolved…

… if we all simply rode together.

(this T is going to press Friday, order before and save 25% with promo code DHD25 click to order now)

I RAN INTO MY BUDDY CHUCK TODAY, we shared a big hug.  It’s been too long.

I’m just luke warm these days.

I don’t care, come up here with me.

Nah, I’m more comfortable in the back.

He drifted rearward, alone.

After, we chatted more, got caught up on family and life.

I pondered spending more time in the back with my struggling pal(s) vs going all out and hold the bar high.

What kind of bridge do I want to be, should I be?

HOW I HOPE MY DAY UNFOLDS… surf sesh and breakfast my justouttacollege friends, nice climbing day on the MTB, some good reading of S Jobs biography, clean the bikes, wash the car, zip thru emails…

I hear it’s best to start with the big tasks, and work down to the small stuff.

Here we go

MY SHADOW BOUNCES ACROSS THE MUSTARD WEED… gotta shoot that, I spin around and one-hand the phone, and… Arlo Guthrie joins the ride.

Good morning America, how are ya?!

It IS a good morning, it’s early, it’s just me and Arlo.  ‘Haven’t heard that song since forever

An iTunes search later educates me the true name of the song: The City of New Orleans… I get a little misty thinking of my baby who’s living in that very city.

Shelby Ray, how are ya?

THINK DIFFERENT IS ONE OF MANY GREAT MAXIMS revealed in Steve Jobs’ biography – my current read.  It started as a challenge to the Mac team, and wound up as an invitation and a promise to the world.

Do different is the challenge of the off-season.

Add.

Delete.

Increase.

Reduce.

With the hope of different results next season, I’m…

Adding weight-lifting.

Deleting bread.

Increasing surfing and paddle-boarding.

Reducing time on the bike.

Get stronger.  Get relaxed.

SUPER DAVE KOESEL HAS LANDED ON TOP OF 3T NORTH AMERICA, and allowed me to check out the view with the company’s latest award-winning creation: The Strada.

Check it out, he said.

Dave is very precise, all about the math and science and research.

I go on feel, intuition and my gut.

the Strada looks really cool, and fast

Every single unnecessary part has been deleted from the bike, like a front chain ring and derailleur.  Everything else has been trimmed and slimmed and hidden from the wind.

the disc brakes are fantastic

I’ve ridden disc brakes off-road for over a decade.  Why aren’t all road bikes equipped with discs by now?  It’s night and day, the difference in braking quality.

the 1X drivetrain is simple

Simply shifting the chain across the cassette with no front chain ring options to consider is very nice.  The set up on the tester was a mid-level mechanical SRAM model, I can only imagine how awesome it would be with an electronic derailleur and the shifting duties split between left and right hands.

big tires, big comfort

Dave loves his numbers, and he pulled out all the data showing the superiority of large tires… specifically which large tires give the greatest speed advantage.  With that added speed, comes added comfort.  Go big.

it’s stiff

The Strada has thru axels, front and rear.  These axels are supposed to greatly increase stiffness while accelerating.  All I can confirm is that the bike climbed much, much better than I anticipated.  I’m an outta the saddle climber, and I love the way this bike feels under massive (well, all I’ve got) torque.

The future is simple, aero and fast.

__________

172.2

We have about 15 spots left, I hope YOU can make it.

I SEE THIS A LOT:  RIDER HEARS ABOUT TMWC, SHOWS UP, GETS SHELLED, and keeps coming back for more.  Some get hit with the TMWC sledgehammer, never to return.  But, most of us keep coming back, week after week.

There are two reasons:

Progression – One stop light at a time, they get a little stronger and hang on a little longer.

Friendship – Either they have a friend that invited them, or they quickly make a friend.

You can do anything with a goal, and a friend.

THE HARDEST WORKING PART OF MY BIKE, is also the hardest to spell.  We say it all the time.  But, can you spell it?  I can’t.  Not with confidence.  Spellchecking is always required on this one, for me.

Being a fairly new component, newer than the wheel or the handlebar or the saddle, it’s name hasn’t morphed into a million different languages.

It has to do with getting a train off it’s tracks.

The inventor was French, which might ‘splain a ting er two – an author, no less.

D-E-R-A-I-L-L-E-U-R

I’m going to cut n paste the main wiki details.  Perhaps a little additional education will help me/you? spell it with confidence.

Etymology

Derailleur is a French word, spelled dérailleur in French,^[1] derived from the derailment of a train from its tracks.^[3] Its first recorded use was 1930.^[1][4] At least one notable bicycle industry author has attempted to promote the anglicized spelling of derailer.^[3][5] As of 2013, however, neither Merriam-Webster^[4] nor the Oxford English Dictionary^[1] has an entry for derailer.

History

Various derailleur systems were designed and built in the late 19th century. One example is the Protean two-speed derailleur available on the Whippet safety bicycle.^[6] The French bicycle tourist, writer and cycling promoter Paul de Vivie (1853–1930), who wrote under the name Vélocio, invented a two speed rear derailleur in 1905 which he used on forays into the Alps.^[7] Some early designs used rods to move the chain onto various gears. 1928 saw the introduction of the “Super Champion Gear” (or “Osgear”)^[8] from the company founded by champion cyclist Oscar Egg, as well as the Vittoria Margherita; both employed chainstay mounted ‘paddles’ and single lever chain tensioners mounted near or on the downtube. However, these systems, along with the rod-operated Campagnolo Cambio Corsa^[9] were eventually superseded by parallelogram derailleurs.

In 1937, the derailleur system was introduced to the Tour de France, allowing riders to change gears without having to remove wheels. Previously, riders would have to dismount in order to change their wheel from downhill to uphill mode.^[10] Derailleurs did not become common road racing equipment until 1938 when Simplex introduced a cable-shifted derailleur.

In 1949 Campagnolo introduced the Gran Sport, a more refined version of the then already existing, yet less commercially successful, cable-operated parallelogram rear derailleurs.^[11]

In 1964, Suntour invented the slant-parallelogram rear derailleur, which let the jockey pulley maintain a more constant distance from the different sized sprockets, resulting in easier shifting. Once the patents expired, other manufacturers adopted this design, at least for their better models,^[12] and the “slant parallelogram” remains the current rear derailleur pattern.

Before the 1990s many manufacturers made derailleurs, including Simplex, Huret, Galli, Mavic, Gipiemme, Zeus, Suntour, and Shimano. However, the successful introduction and promotion of indexed shifting by Shimano in 1985 required a compatible system of shift levers, derailleur, sprockets, chainrings, chain, shift cable, and shift housing.^[13]

Today Campagnolo, Shimano, and SRAM are the three main manufacturers of derailleurs, with Italian manufacturer Campagnolo only making road cycling derailleurs and Shimano making both road and offroad. American manufacturer SRAM has been an important third, specializing in derailleurs for mountain bikes, and in 2006 they introduced a drivetrain system for road bicycles.

Modern derailleur types

The major innovations since then have been the switch from friction to indexed shifting and the gradual increase in the number of gears. With friction shifting, the rider first moves the lever enough for the chain to jump to the next sprocket, and then adjusts the lever a slight amount to center the chain on that sprocket. An indexed shifter has a detent or ratchet mechanism which stops the gear lever, and hence the cable and the derailleur, after moving a specific distances with each press or pull. Indexed shifters require re-calibration when cables stretch and parts get damaged or swapped. On racing bicycles, 10-gear rear cassettes appeared in 2000, and 11-gear cassettes appeared in 2009. Most current mountain bicycles have either two or three front chainrings with single ring front setups becoming increasingly popular. Most road bicycles have two chainrings, and touring bicycles commonly have three.

READ MORE

AT 630AM YESTERDAY, I CASUALLY RODE MY BIKE 70 MILES IN 4 HOURS.  At 5pm, I walked 100 feet in 12 minutes.  Clutching my dad’s bony arms, my son Shane and I purposefully plodded into church.

There was no place I’d rather be.

We sat, and listened.

My mind wandered to a time when my dad was strong enough to grab the dining room chair at the end of one leg and hold it straight out.  (Try it some time.)  He used to vault the 6′ back wall and run on the high school track behind our house.  “One lap to think about each kid”. (8 laps).

I’m taller than him now, but he’ll always be a giant to me.

FOR HUMANITY AND SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT, the Tour de Donut sought to answer the question:  Will donuts make you fat or fatletic?

At 6:30am, we began with a weigh-in.  Dozens of data points would be collected and crunched along the way to reach a rich and gooey conclusion.

5 donut shops had been selected as the most worthy.

70ish miles were covered.

100+ donuts consumed.

Twilight found us at Surfin’ Donuts.  I opted for the apple fritter, since the next stop was 25 miles up the coast.  It was on the thin side, crunchy with delicious apples and cinnamon generously applied.

We passed Ole Hanson Beach Park just as the Mach 5 boys were rolling out.   They were not interested in the betterment of humanity and peeled off at Laguna Canyon.

Mike and Steve caught up at Rose Bakery and Cafe.  A light and fluffy sugar-covered twist lit my senses.  A few of our test subjects skipped this spot.  Not the TBD Racing crew, who also joined us at this point, they sugared right up.  We’ll have to trust their weigh in data, hard to do knowing they are lawyers and marketers.

20ish strong we rolled into Sidecar, the most famous of shops.  A huge serpentine line congoed forward.  Like Disneyland, we marked our progress towards true donut creativity.  Here I lost my virginity to the Bacon Donut.  It smelled amazing, and tasted better.  Everybody ate.

I was a little loopy, sugar-loaded I guess.

The bike trail to Donut Star was eventful… but that’s another thing.

At Donut Star, a pink cherry cruller gave me a come hither look.  Soft and delicate, this beauty melted in my mouth – my favorite of the day.  Some of our volunteers strayed to bagels and croissants… no research grant money for them… others, like Chris, doubled up.

Here, I noticed a repeating theme… at each stop patrons inquired how far did we ride and is this the reward?  All applauded our quest, though few grasped the significance.

Most of the TBD’s pulled off here, the rest bidding us farewell in Lake Forest.

5 of us battled on to Royal Hamburgers and Donuts.  My final selection, a chocolate cake donut covered in chocolate.  A solid choice, and very tasty.

On the way back to San Clemente, my energy was actually quite good.

What we learned:

All lost weight.

All drank less water than normal.

Everybody was happy, and cheerful.

Nobody cramped.

Nobody was gassy.

Nobody bonked. 

Nobody flatted.

All the kits fit as fine before as after.

All of the craniums functioned correctly.

In conclusion, donuts are tasty, easy to locate in all towns, with a wide ranging variety to keep you satisfied.

Touring by donut is highly recommended… especially if bacon is involved.

strict scientific measures were taken

yes, Vegans eat donuts… there’s hope

so apropos

Matt had a nice little chat with the kid in the Escalade who yelled “butt dart”

Sidecar’s selection is amazing

45 miles in, and loving it

Cheers!

________________________

Join us on October 11th for dinner and dessert with Chris Carmichael, author of The Time Crunched Cyclist, and Brian Co of the SoCal Cyclist podcast

I HAVE ONE BAD KNEE, and one good knee.  In fact, the same knee is just above my one bad foot.  The knee is bad, from running… more later.  The foot is bad from kicking black lava.  When all is right in my world there is no pain.  Today there is pain.

Dianna thought it would be fun to run home from Drew’s on a hot summer night back in 80something.  I quickly calculated that 7 miles was 6 miles more than I’d run ever then added in bonus miles based on her cuteness and multiplied it by 1000 because it was her idea.

Great let’s do it.

I felt amazing, for obvious reasons.

About 3 miles in I felt a twinge in my left knee, that was left unsaid.

5 miles in it really hurt, and I cheerfully ran on… for obvious reasons.

Over the years, I’ve picked up and put down running… each time leading to a twinge and a memory of that summer night.

A little trail running, around Whiting Ranch and up on Saddleback.

A few triathlons.

One of the first of Scott Tinley’s Dirty Adventures, I finished the swim last and finished the bike first and proceeded to run so slow volunteers were putting me back on the course instead of allowing me to finish… they wanted me to do another loop, figuring there’s no way that guy is done at that pace with that form… oh, I was done.  I wound up 2nd in my age group, but that was my last “long run”.

The left foot is bad thanks to immovable lava at Waimea Bay.  On my way up to dive, I clipped a rock.  It instantly hurt like hell.  Looking down, my baby toe was at a 90 degree angle.  I taped it up, kept diving.  Two years have passed and it’s just worse, flopping around like a mini rag doll and rolling over so the nail is on the ground.  I’ve started to tape it into place again… it kinda helps.

So there’s the background to why the knee and foot are tender today.

They both hurt because I’ve been lifting weights and pedaling a monstrous gear on my MTB – stressing the joints and muscles and tendons…

… It’s the off-season, and I want to be superstong next year like all the cool kids…

… I’m just not as cool as that one hot summer night…

WE HAVE A MORE ROBUST STORY TO TELL, so we are upgrading our website.  It’s going to be a few days until it’s buenisimo.  I tried like heck to get this done in the summer, our business’ off-season.

Making changes in the season, is a lot harder.

Now is the season where we are going full-speed at PEDALindustries – team orders, new products, etc

Whether racing or doing business when it’s time to make hay it’s hard to maintain your focus on ancillary projects, and decisions can be poor due to fatigue or angst.

So, what changes are you going to make this cycling off-season?

Bike fit?

Diet?

Equipment?

Shoes?

Weight lifting?

None of these should be done during “the season”.

But… sometimes ya gotta do, what ya gotta do.

PREPARE TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES of donuts and water alone.

We’ll be rolling out from my house at 630am on Saturday, September 30th.  Those in for the whole ride will be weighing in before we roll out… this is for science.

I can only predict the first stop, Surfin’ Donuts.   We’ll be there about 6:45.

Next stop, Rose Bakery in Corona Del Mar… should be there about 8:15.

From there to Sidecar Donuts in Costa Mesa… 9:15?.

Donut Star in Irvine… about 10:30ish

Royal Donuts in Mission Viejo is next.  11:30kinda.

Then, if we need a final hit of sugar and fat at Rose Cafe in San Clemente, wrapping it up with a weigh in.  Data will be taken, poured over, scrubbed, washed and posted… to protect the innocent no names will be revealed.

If you can’t do the whole thing… join us for some of it.

Rules to remember:

1. We leave on time and stop for no one – usually.
2. Have fun.
3. Ride Safe.

—>  if you don’t know where I live, fill in the contact form and I’ll email you.

(crack open your piggy banks)

DO YOU HAVE AN INSPIRATIONAL AVATAR?  You know, are you a Marvel super-hero:  Wonder Woman, Flash, Thor?  Are you Rocky screaming “Adrien!” bleeding and victorious?  Do you go to sleep dreaming of the RoadRunner – faster and smarter than a pack of coyotes?

It’s one thing to be yourself, it’s quite another to be more than yourself.

So, who are you?

I decided to splurge a little and create my own avatar.  I wanted something I could print up to remind me in times of weakness and despair.  For racing for sure, but also for the other times when things just aren’t spinning quite right.

There are two songs that surface when the racing really hurts:  Fly Like An Eagle and Hungry Like A Wolf.

My avatar had to be an animal.

Which one?

Wolf or Eagle.

Wolves are hunters, they hunt in packs… but I’m drawn to the lone wolf, all the senses on high alert, ready to prey.

Eagles soar, their eyes seeing where to swoop and attack.

What style?

I always liked the timelessness of the Ferrari logo, the prancing horse.  The flat, 2-dimensional look in a single color exuding pride, power and an untamable energy.

It took about a month, working with our design team to create what I was looking for.  An avatar that meant something to me: speed, soaring, fierceness, the lone hunter.

I’d love to know your avatar… you have one, right?

LUNCH WAS AWESOME TODAY, we were supposed to talk about T’s and other products for GQ-6 and wound up sharing family histories.  Two of our respective families were 80’s/90’s refugees.

Richard’s wife was on the last helicopter out of the Hanoi Hilton.  Imagine that.  You’re 5 or 6 years old and your parents scoop you up and your homeland disappears below, forever.  You get to a camp, and wait.  Or, maybe you’re parents in a strange land wondering how you’re going to care for your little family.

Richard’s father’s family was sent to an internment camp.  Anxious to protect his homeland he and the other Japanese-decent young men were part of the 442nd Regiment, the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of American warfare

Steven’s parents fled Hungary in 1990.  In Austria, they lived in a camp and received rejection notices from Australia and Canada – the 2 countries where friends and relatives had settled.  Imagine that.  You, your spouse and you young son shuttle off to America with broken English your only asset.

My history is different.  Both sides of my family walked across the plains to settle in Utah, fleeing religious persecution.

All these families were in search of safety and freedom.

And, it got me thinking…

about the refugees pouring out of the Middle East and Africa,

and the contributions they will make to our rides, and lives

… how can I help?

(Me, Steven and Richard (Mr. GQ-6)… mowing down Lebanese food)

Join us for dinner and/or dessert with Chris Carmichael and Brian Co

THE APPRECIATION AND LOVE WE FEEL FOR PETER SAGAN is a reflection of the man himself.  Immediately after today’s race he dismounts and starts walking.  Throngs press.  He’s cordial, but he strides on.  Quickly.

Where’s he going?

Who’s he searching for?

The press ask, what does it mean to be the first to win 3 World Championships in a row?

It doesn’t change anything.

How does it feel?

I feel for the family and friends of Michele Scarponi who would have celebrated his birthday tomorrow.

I feel bad for Alexander, to beat him in his home country.

Is this your best year ever?

I dedicated the victory to my wife, who is expecting our first baby.

We’ve learned it doesn’t matter what the press ask Peter… and frankly, what more could they ask… he’s going to take time to put things in perspective:  a competitor’s missed chance, a fallen friend, an expecting wife.

The post win walk through ancient streets and emotional fans illustrates why we love this champion.

(Peter finally found, hugged and giggled with Juraj Sagan… brother and teammate.)

Join us for dinner and/or dessert with Chris Carmichael and Brian Co

LAST TIME CHRIS CARMICHAEL CAME TO VISIT… 300 people joined me at the Oakley building.

Why?

Because Chris is the number 1 Cycling coach in the world.

This time, it’s going to be more intimate.

On October 11th a few of us, less than 10, are going to have dinner with Chris and get the juicy stories and specific ideas only he can share.  The rest of us, will join for dessert and a live podcast with Brian Co – The SoCal Cyclist.

… I hope you can make it …

Here are your two options:

5:00 PM – Dinner & Dessert

Your choice from Guicho’s – San Clemente’s wonderful Itallian cuisine.

A signed copy of Chris’ book

1 month of coaching from CTS.

This is your opportunity to hang out and talk with one of the most influential people in cycling today… Chris is super approachable.

7:00 PM – Dessert

Includes a delicious helping of sugar and fat – it’s the offseason – while participating in the live taping of The SoCal Cyclist podcast. 

During dessert, Brian Co will be doing a live Podcast of The SoCal Cyclist.  He’ll interview Chris, and take your questions… so be prepared to participate.

WHAT A TREAT!

Click here to secure your spot.

I FINALLY DROVE TO SEE THE GUY who I paid in January for a new bike.  He wasn’t returning my calls or my emails.  So I drove 4 hours to pay him a visit.  You won’t believe what I found.

Your bike I hope.

Yes, the bike was ready.

How is it?

That’s not why I’m calling… but, it’s amazing.

Well?

Okay, this guy is a genius.  He’s designed all kinds of custom parts.  He owns hundreds of thousands of dollars of special machinery for carbon, titanium and steel building. But, he’s doing it all.  Designing, manufacturing, assembling, emailing, calling, ordering, testing, traveling, sweeping the floors…

He needs a business manager.

I know.  Imagine me doing braces, molds, consultations, answering phones, ordering, sweeping the floors…

Let me guess, you want to buy in?

Yes.

Okay, let me tell you a little story about my buddy Marv.

Marv and I used to ride Whiting Ranch every week, along with Roger.  One day Marv shows up with an Intense.  I’d already spotted the brand in Mountain Bike Action.  Jeff Steber was the creator-designer-engineer, and the bikes mirrored Jeff’s super cool vibe.  Soon, I was ripping on a tie-dye Intense of my own.  I think Roger even got one.  Anyway, Marv liked the bikes so much he sold his big electronics company and bought into Jeff’s baby company.  I think they’d sold about 15 frames up to that point.

Together, Marv and Jeff built Intense into an International brand.  20ish years later, they sold the company and retired.

You want to do that?

Yeah, I think so… how do we do it?

Let’s call Marv.

THE DAYS ARE GETTIN’ SHORTER, theres a tiny bite in the air

fall in Socal

no leaves changing, but

lights added

warmers donned

fair weather riders find excuses

the committed. find courage and camaraderie with the faithful

Us, the few that ride no matter what.

(don’t let the sun go down on my spirit)

WHEN I PLAYED FOR THE EAGLES… wait… say that again… he smiles, When I played for the eagles… (really, how could I forget that?)… say it one more time…

When I played for the Eagles, in Philadelphia…

He didn’t offer this, it came up in conversation about college football – the one thing that makes me question why I cut the cord.

Post ride, we ate at Pipes.

He’s a San Diego kid, living in AZ now.  He walked on at BYU (no scholarship) and wound up the starting middle linebacker, basically the Kobe Bryant of the defense.  Then, he tried out and made the Eagles… I think it was very brief, not positive.  But, who cares?  He was a pro.

I miss Pipes.

‘so good, I confirm and get on with what I gotta know…

Hey, what kind of weight training did you do as a football player? (Ya know, because I bought that book)

At BYU, we’d lift for 4 hours in the morning.  I was so wasted, I’d go home and sleep for 4 hours then go back to the field for 7 on 7 passing drills.

That sounds crazy.

It was, we weren’t very sophisticated.

What about as a pro?

The most enlightened training I ever did was the winter before the combine.  I hired a coach to get me ready.  He was much more about recovery, stretching, plyometrics, nutrition, rest.  We never over did it.  I felt great.  Best I’d ever felt in my life.

What was the dumbest workout you ever did?

At BYU, one day they had us squat our weight to failure.

How many did you do?

I squatted 260 lbs 97 times.

What?! That’s nuts!

How long did it take?  (I’m thinking like an hour, right?)

About 2 1/2 minutes.

I’m speechless.

(he’s worked incredibly hard to shed 70 lbs of muscle)

IT’S 547AM AND I’M HUSTLING to load Trevor’s car with our bikes.  It’s been 2 years since he did The TMWC.  He just bought a new bike, and this will be his 2nd ride since taking a long break from the sport.  I know I’m stoked to have my number 1 riding with me, but I can’t decide if I’m excited to be faster than him.

I like it when he’s faster… he’s one of the few people I like to watch thrash me.

Must be a genetics thing.

We get to the start, unload.  He dresses.  I attach front wheels and water the grass.

We’re plenty early, which is nice because… he forgot his bottle.  #rookiemove.

It’s a big group, and the pace is spirited.  I drift back and check on him.  His form is perfect, he’s nose breathing.  But we’re two miles in and he admits this is going to hurt.

I wonder if it’s discouraging, humbling or motivating to be suffering on a ride he owned when fit.

The guys welcome me back too… I’ve been traveling or loafing for 3 weeks.  Damn, I love this crew.  Truly.

I check on him again, still there and looking good.

We race up SMP to Melinda.

I drift back.

Back.

Way back.

I’m done Dad.

We cruise to the re-group.  He pulls the plug and together we spin back to the car.  I let him know the quality of the riders has increased as the group has grown.  I’m not sure he cares.

Well, now we know my baseline.

There’s my answer: motivating.  He’s seen what he can do, and he’ll be back next week to make it a little further.

(yes, the ride has sped up in 2 years)

HAVE YOU STARTED THE WORKOUT YET?  The rocks in my skull shifted… workout… workout… hmmmm…

The Maximum Overload workout?

Yeah!

Not yet.  Don’t have the book yet.  Did you?

Yes!… go easy.  This is the first day in a week that I can barely walk.

Haha… okay, will do.  Thanks Jim!

Here’s the problem, as cyclists we are fit.  As athletes, we are terrible.  Cycling is a restricted motion.  If you don’t mix it up and stretch you’re asking for trouble.  But, you won’t know you’re asking because you won’t breathing hard or even hurting when you try something new.

I was paralyzed the day after the annual turkey bowl, one year.

This off-season I’m definitely going to back the miles down and work on strength.  I’m going to start with the aforementioned book.  It should arrive tomorrow.  I’m going to get a trainer to make sure my form is correct.

Today, to prep, I did some of the exercises Jim was talking about:  lunges and step-ups.  However… I did them sans any weight.  Just stretching the muscles out, checking my form.  And, that was after 30 minutes on the MTB doing some big ring, out of the saddle climbing.

Have you started?

DON’T MISS A THING, FREE UPDATES BY EMAIL

175 – this is a guess, left my scale in UT.

GENERALLY, I PREFER NUANCE, but I’m failing to make my point regarding USA Cycling.  Saying competitive cycling is on the decline is like MySpace saying social media is on the decline.  MySpace was squashed by FaceBook the minute it was purchased by Rupert Murdock… because his vision was not forward looking.

Social Media has exploded, because the products got better.

The new guys had a better vision.

USA Cycling… oh, how you break our hearts with your pathetic market offering.

USA Cycling should have invented STRAVA.

USA Cycling should have brought the Gran Fondo to the US.

USA Cycling should have seen the opportunities to race on different surfaces.

Instead, they saw nothing.

NOT,

ONE,

DAMN,

THING!

I came back to road cycling about 4 years ago when my oldest son developed an interested.  We rode together, then he left me far behind.

But not as far behind as USA Cycling had remained.

Trevor and I went to do the Boulevard Road Race.  I’d done it 20+ years before, and was looking forward to seeing how things had improved.

Nothing had changed.  NOTHING!

Same crappy paper numbers.

Same ridiculous lines – longer for pre-reg racers than those registering day of.

Same lack of organization.

Same guys forgetting to bring pins for the racers’ numbers.

Same tape across the road for the finish line…. no banner, no arch… just a flipping orange cone!

Same surly race refs.

I was completely flabbergasted at the lack of interest on the part of the self-appointed governing body to put on a first class event.  The guys racing were on amazing equipment, training better than ever, spending more money and time than ever.  But USA Cycling had done nothing in 20 years to improve the product!

NOT, ONE, THING.

P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C.

What had they done?  They’d loaded up on old people with old thinking.  Collected the dues, and cried themselves to the bank at the membership’s expense.

Is it Lance Armstrong’s fault… give, me, a, break… LeMond and Lance did more for cycling in the USA than USA Cycling ever did.  2 guys. 2.  Incredible guys for sure, but it was just 2 of them.

L & L inspired us.

Have you ever been inspired by USA Cycling?

Ever?

There are great intentions at the local level, investments of time and energy by smart and passionate people some working to fix USA Cycling, others have given up on USAC and are putting on hugely successful events… I personally love you for it, and have tried to do all the USAC races I could to support you.

Still doubting me?  Ask yourself what happened to NORBA once USA Cycling got it’s fangs deep into NORBA’s neck.

The best mountain bike races, with the deepest purses are put on outside of USA Cycling.  Go to an Epic Rides event – big money, big competition, big fun.

Take a look at The Crusher.  Huge turn out, hugely competitive.

Where did Levi get his idea for brining the Gran Fondo to America?  From Europe.  What the heck has USA Cycling been doing in Europe all this time?  #clueless

OverTheHump gets 600 people on a weeknight.

There are more races – analog and digital – than ever.  Many, you can’t even get in if you don’t register in the first few hours, minutes sometimes.

USA Cycling sold out a long time ago.

DON’T MISS A THING, FREE UPDATES BY EMAIL

“HE LEFT KANSAS CITY IN JULY, wearing a checkered coat and un-matching pants.  He had $40 cash, and his imitation-leather suitcase contained only a shirt, two undershorts, two pairs of socks and some drawing materials.  But when he paid his fare for the trip to California, he bought a first-class ticket.”

Who?

The digital world is magic.

But, books are magical.

Books make me think, different.  Books transport me through time.  Books get into the nitty gritty details of life, the characters’ minds.

Through the years, I’ve probably spent more on books than on bikes, and I miss getting lost in the local bookstore for hours.

Books like Uphill Battle: Cycling’s Greatest Climbers thrust us into the minds of the elite climbers much better than I simple Instagram post of a naked Froome on his bike.  Here we discover the standards they held for themselves, and the expectations  their bosses and fans rained on them.  Exploring these pages brings to surface my own dreams and expectations.

The standards to which we hold ourselves, the visions of our future selves

are the wheels we ride through life.  

(Walt Disney took that Kansas City train to Hollywood, and built the Magic Kingdom)

Quote from Walt Disney: An American Original

DON’T MISS A THING, FREE UPDATES BY EMAIL

FROM A RESULTS STANDPOINT,  this has been an amazing year. I haven’t had this much success since the kids were just hopes.

Here are the variety of reasons:

The kids are gone.

Well, technically they’re back.  They are adults now, and we run what feels like an AIRBNB while they get their careers going.  It’s a lot of fun, more than I anticipated… probably because they are so busy making their own lives, and we get a lot of snippets of the action.  So… I have the time to train 10-12 hours a week.

Road vs MTB.

I’m a far better road racer than XC racer.  Trevor got me back into the road, when he picked up bike racing. Prior to that it was 80% MTB.  It took about 3 years to get my 1-2 minute power back.  On the road, you need group savvy and you need bursts of power.  Without those two skills, you’ll be looking at a lot of butts… disappearing in the distance.

Equipment

For the first time in a million years I have a truly awesome road bike I named Flashy Jack.  It’s very aero, pretty light, with ceramic bearings everywhere.  Plus, it looks fast.  If you want to play with the best, and you’ve got decent talent, you have to have equipment that is on par with the best.  If you have immense talent, you can skimp on the equipment – I don’t.

Diet

It’s hard to be svelte as you age.  I do my darndest to stay under 170.  I’d like to be skinny Todd of 30 years ago, but my core is just so muscular.  I’ve focused on eating real food vs processed food, drinking a lot of water, and getting plenty of sleep.  That’s the trifecta… oh, and removing stress from my life as much as possible.

Training

The best thing that happened this year was the massive increase in the quality of our Tuesday morning ride.  It’s just so, darn, great.  Really talented guys, pushing each other.  We’ve all become much fitter, and better tactically.

Doping

This occurred to me after reading Seth’s blog post on USACycling participation.  It’s down.  That’s true, very true.  “Why back in my day”, we used to have 70-100 guys in every race.  The racing was very dynamic.  This was my first in a long time where I did a lot of racing.  The races had smaller fields, not empty, but smaller.  Lots of people tell me guys stay home because they don’t want to race dopers, and others tell me the dopers all quit after they started getting caught.  I’m not discounting my results at all, the guys that are showing up are plenty o’ fast, but…

… if you’re a masters racer and you’ve been away…

… come back, we’re having a blast!

(our Tuesday crew)

THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO IN OUR BIKE COMMUNITY, where we are… and hopefully where you are, too!

More clubs.

More group rides.

More Fondos and Centuries.

More bikes for more surfaces.

Mobile mechanics, mobile apps.

Excellent blogs and podcasts.

“TV” covering cycling around the world for pennies.

Up in the South Bay there’s even an annual awards ceremony.

Everyone’s invited.  I’m going for the first time this year, and expect it will be filled with hilarity and hi-jinx.  Check it out.

But, some traditions are dying out.

It’s kind of like the restaurant business.

As a kid, my family ate at Coco’s and Love’s Barbeque.  Both companies had many locations.  They are gone.  Nobody has stopped eating, nobody is starving.  We’re fatter than ever.  The old have been replaced by the new, catering to new demands of new generations.

If dynamic changes aren’t taking place in your cycling community, get started.  Create a Facebook group, or a Strava club.  It’s free, and it’s a blast to stay in touch with each other.  Start a group ride.  Write a race report.  Put on an event.  Bike riders are so much fun to be around, help your community connect.

If you love the old traditions, get involved.  They are struggling due to lack of love, nothing more.  They don’t need to fade away, they need to adapt.  They need your energy.

Change is apedal, and we are richer for it in every way.

DON’T MISS A THING, FREE UPDATES BY EMAIL

I MET SURFER DAN ON THE DONUT RIDE. after he’d ripped my legs off on every climb in Palos Verdes.  I didn’t know his moniker was Surfer Dan at the time, he was just Dan and he looked like he surfed.  But on STRAVA, he shows up as ”   … surfer”.

Later in the summer of ’15, Dan came down for the unOFFICIAL TMWC.  And, he’s joined us unofficially every year since.

Along the way, I figured out what he does for a living – he’s an extremely modest, world-class surfboard shaper.

Awesome.

Awesome because Trevor (my oldest) wasn’t riding bikes and kept inviting me to surf nasty shorebreak waves with him… I needed a new, high-performance surfboard.

At the ’17 TMWC I asked Dan if he’d make me a board.  We chatted about the magical properties the board would need to get The Old Diesel surfing like a punk.

What an easy conversation: we’re friends + he’s at the top of his profession + I have a real need.

And, that’s how you get paid to ride.

You get to know people.

Decide you like and trust them.

Pick them to help you get what you want.

Dan never asked me if I wanted a board.  He could have easily, but it would have been weird if it was on that first Donut Ride.

Part of me wishes he’d asked me if I needed a new board, because I did.

(my new board is perfectly magical – Thanks DAN!)