It’s hard enough to slow yourself down, even harder to get the gang to cruise.

Today I shoulda stayed off the bike. It’s too pretty and I have house guests.

Air BBNB – Brown’s Bike N Board

We all played nice and cruised the coast.

The kids pounded up Cove – my legs felt like 5 tons.

If you don’t take time to recover, you can dig yourself into a overtraining pit of dispair… and and possibly not come out for weeks or even months.

Stay rested my friends.

800 riders are flocking to a park in Thousand Oaks CA to memorialize a man most of us never knew, but somehow we caught his spirit.

It’s about 8am on a Thursday and the texts are coming fast and furious.

Where are you?

Where ya at?

I’m north side of lot.

I’m stuck in traffic.

Hope we see you.

We are all rushing through the LA jungle to honor Mike Nosco on a bike ride that takes place on the 3rd of November each year – the day his ride ended.

At 9am, 800 of us take the lane and slowly roll out.

The road is beautiful, lightly traveled, Southern California coastal farmland at it’s absolute best.  There is a beauty and peace in the air swirling around the slow procession lead by a fire truck.

I get it.

Mike probably just wanted to relax and go for a spin.  This is special country, far from the war torn lands he had traveled to many times.

The route bathes me, it’s cleansing.

We stop.

This is where it happened.  A lonely country road with no shoulder, no place for a good life to end.

But it does.

And we are left to think about our own lives, and the roads we travel and the friends we make and the impact we may or may not leave behind.
Peace be with you Nosco family.

Matt Wenger is changing the world, AGAIN.

He did it before by creating the largest weekly mountain bike race in the world: Over The Hump.

Matt’s new creation is the Revolution Bike Fest, and it starts Friday.

He’s so pumped that asking him what it is all about is like getting hit with a fire hose.

Here’s the distilled version:

600+ bikes from 17 manufacturers for you to ride

New trails and a terrain park for you to punish said bikes on

Lots and lots and lots of fun activities for you and your family – especially the youngsters

This revolution is about expanding the joy of bikes to our families, and our friends.

Revolutions take dreams and make them reality.

Revolutions start with an invitation.

Here’s your invitation from Matt:

Couple of things: I got involved in the bike sport scene in 2007 to recover from a motorcycle accident, only to fall in love with the sport. What I didn’t realize is through the bike is that I’d found a cure for much of what ailed me (injury, anxiety and a pre-diabetes condition). Turns out even my work is now entrenched in this awesome community of amazing people that I get to ride with, spend time in the saddle, and grow in amazing friendships.  I’ve made amazing friends, discovered new places, and found an activity that I can do for years and enjoy the fun thrill of adrenaline and cardio fitness at the same time.

My top 3 reasons why you should stop in at Revolution for at least a day, this weekend:

1. A Family Friendly bike event with something for everyone (Riders and innocent bystanders). Kid’s Fest activity center, with tons of fun geared for the 10 and under crowd, music and beer for the non-rider…..all that close to home; you don’t have to travel to Oregon for an epic ride weekend. It’s right here in SoCal.  And the whole family can enjoy the fun.

• Road bike rides
• Kid’s crafts
• Mazda Corn Hole Tournament Saturday
• Huge Exhibit area with brands, yummy food, and good beer.
• Saturday all-day live concert, with 8 bands, including National Headliner “Dramarama”

2. Your ticket allows you to ride over 600 bikes from 17 Bicycle Manufacturers all in one place (Most bike gurus have to make a pilgrim to the two international Bike Tradeshows to find this kind of stable.) Learn to embrace or reduce your carbon footprint: bike technology can cost more than a car, or as little as a pair of Tommy Hilfiger loafers. We’ll have it all here, but you don’t have to sell your car to have a great bike for you (unless you want to). Road bikes, gravel bikes, custom steel bikes, kid’s bikes, electric bikes, gravity gun bikes and all the awesome Orange County features to enjoy them.

• Snow Summit closed last week, so we’ve built SoCal’s newest Bike Park right here at Irvine Lake, as a perfect test track for feeling out your demo rides.
• What’s the big deal with Electric Bikes you ask? Try one and find out.  E-Bike demo course onsite. With 5 electric bike brands to rev up and go.
• SRAM and Shimano bring out their newest component releases for onsite demos.

3. We’ve sent out the beacon and they’re coming.  You should too.  Meet some of the most amazing people on the planet. You are awesome, and we want you to come join our 2 wheeled family.  The SoCal bike community is family is inclusive. I’ve learned more about life from friends on bikes or bike trips, gained new riding skills, following behind them, and developed life-long friendships that have traveled with me through the hardest times.

Revolution is kind of an anomaly, while most bike events throw a number on to bring out the competitive, this is less a test of testosterone and fitness, and more an outdoor life-lover’s fairy tail.

Big, small, girl, boy, local or traveling from out of state? Yep Revolution is for you.

We hope you’ll join us,

Revolution is bringing together all kinds of people, Life’s too short to be static, bored, or alone.  Bikes bring out the best in people- they connect us to our inner child, and early memories.  It doesn’t really matter what kind of bike, or where kids grow up, most of us remember riding to friends houses, heading to the 7-Eleven, or just doing circles on the cul de sac.  This is your chance travel back in time.

Discover your inner kid and bring your kids with you.

Tickets start at $25 for a day visit general entry ticket, $40 for the Live Music pass. Kids six and under are free. Weekend Full Experience Pass includes bus transportation to ride locations, 4 meals, 4 beers, all access pass, and entrance into all the great clinics, expo area, and more.

Revolution Bike Fest

The way I figured out Super Dave was much more than a time trialing, curb jumping maniac was via this terrific podcast:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cyclingtips-podcast/id1117221239?mt=2&i=375184358

I was super surprised at how articulate, thoughtful and impactful he is in the cycling industry.

Shame on me, but that’s what happens when all we do is ride together and tear each other’s legs off.

Dave was an integral part of Felt for many years and is now General Manager of 3T.

If you want a glimpse into how “The Sausage Gets Made” (how bikes are manufactured) you’ll love the interview by Cycling Tips.

Half of me is glad we don’t talk about work when we ride, and half of me wishes we connected better.

Is it worth it to make connecting professionally easy?

­­­­­­­Loading my crusty, old Oakleys into the RaceDay Bag for my commute home it occurred to me that I see better than ever.

How’s that?

If you ride enough you’ll “see it all”, you’ll develop a “spider-sense” and be able to predict the future.

New guys get dropped more, crash more, flat more, break their gear more, generally have a tougher time.

Old guys seem to sail right on by.

Swap old with experience and it’s the same result.

A young 30-year-old with 15 years of riding under his bibs easily outwits the 45-year-old business sage newby on the local ride.

Given equal fitness, experience will nearly always come out on top.

Want better vision, faster?  Ride often, read books, watch video, get a mentor.

Why ya gotta be a hater just because I’m going twice as fast as you and not breathing hard don’t mean ya need to be a turd about me squeezing by…

…“Strava” under your breath…

Hell boy, I been ripping this climb for 25 freakin’ years and I have a little tiny black book with my times scrawled in Bic ballpoint blue, it’s called handwritin’

Today I’ll go fast, but minutes slower than way back when…

When wheels were 26”, Ritchey tires1.95” wide and pumped to 55lbs;

When Cannondale aluminum-framed bikes weighed in at 26 lbs;

When a Camelbak was required to carry all the tools you’d need to keep that piece-o-crap-bank-breaker together.

I respect you for riding up.  It ain’t easy.

It’s hard.

Look at all the punks that shuttle… makes me shutter.

They be missing out on the endorphin-nirvana you and I be drowning in.

But not you, and not me.

Hell no.

Respect the speed brother, The Old Diesel is comin’ through.

It started off as a simple prod by a fellow cyclist blogging about the virtues of his 10 mile commute by bicycle each day..

So I tried it.

It’s not as easy as you’d think.  It takes some planning: gear and logistics. A RaceDay bag will help keep you on track.

Now I’m hooked.

Working a schedule makes it easy, and makes it something I look forward to at the end of the day when I’m commuting home.  Arriving relaxed vs. stressed from traffic is life changing.

The days I ride in, I’m first one at the office and I’m energized to make good things happen.

For sure, I’m riding home on Mondays, and back in on Tuesdays.  The straight shot home is about 20 miles.  On the way in, I leave very early and catch the world famous TMWC.  Meeting up with the group makes the commute in 40-50 miles depending on the route.

Loving the 1 Less Car lifestyle changes, I’ve added a second day to the schedule, bouncing between Wednesday and Thursday.

You in?… The first person to say “I’m in… and send me a Strava link to their commute is gettin’ one a these fine, ultra soft 1 Less Car t-shirts.

You’ll send a message to the rest of the world, that you’re down for doing your part in reducing traffic and pollution; and increasing fitness and fun.  It’s a 100% cotton t-shirt with an athletic cut… and you’ll look sharp.

What does it mean to have a vision, a dream that only you can see?

… and what are you going to do about it?

We just put on an event with riders from as far away as Arizona, from Malibu to San Diego, and cities and towns in between… all connected by a concrete web so tangled only the locals can navigate without an app…

… at 6:30AM!… on a Tuesday!!!

The unOFFICIAL TMWC has grown into the largest weekday morning, pre-work “race” in the US, and it started with a dream, a vision, only a few could see.

How’d we do it?

Really, how do you do that?

The original crew of 4 laughed at me when I told them the name of the ride, I couldn’t even take it seriously: The Tuesday Morning World Championships.  It sounded so unbelievable I had a crooked grin everytime I said it.  But, we just kept saying it over and over.

Give your dream an audacious and memorable name.

We’d pick up commuters who would join us on parts of the route, and we’d ask them about where they were headed and what they did.  We’d post in club forums, and reach out to local shops and teams.  Many great people have come and gone over the years, and many friendships have been made.

Make friends along the way.

Sure it hurts the ego when you can’t hang, but it’s such an ego stroke when you can make it one corner or hill further than before.  When you PR a segment! Give it your all, beating on each other makes the group stronger.

Be gracious and congratulatory.

With the ride, it took about a month to scout out the course.  Challenging.  Safe.  Interesting. And, for “the city”  pretty darn light-free, completely light and stop free the last 7 miles.  It’s a great course.

Make it great, whatever it is.

Start on time, don’t wait for flats, obey the traffic laws, teach newbys the rules of group riding. The group is depending on a reliable experience they can plan the rest of their busy lives around.

Be dependable.

We kept growing.  Each invitation being delivered with passion and conviction by ever more people:  “Hey man, we got this cool course and awesome group a guys.  We hit it pretty hard every Tuesday.  Come out.”  Depending on skills and fitness, we followed with “we could use a rocket like you to light it up” or “you’ll learn how to ride in a group, it’s safe.”

Keep inviting. One human at a time.

There’s genuine love (too mushy?) for each other.  We’ve shared our life stories:  marriage, work/no work, child-rearing, cancer, broken bones, spiritual journeys, what training is working, what big event is on the radar, encouraging each other all along.

Have love for the group and the individual.

With all that naming, friending, congratulating, greatness, dependability, inviting and loving you still have to persevere.  There have been times when it’s 28 degrees and dark, days we didn’t get home the night before until well after mid-night, many times with an evening MTB  race to follow.  There will be obstacles in the way, but if that dream is burning you’ll show up, you’ve got to show up to your own dream

Persevere, be the leader and be dependable.

Know that there are lots of wonderful new friends that want to be part of what you’ve got going on… and you’ll keep making it better, because those new friends will contribute their time and energy freely, simply because you shared your passion with them and they are digging your vibe.

Share the dream!

Thanks for being part of our dream this year.

Sarah Strange for (wo)manning the registration table and shooting great stills on the corkscrew.

Jim and Vickie Bishop for riding lead moto and shooting the drone footage I can’t wait to see.

Chad and Geno at Baghouse for the awesome awards.

Damion Hickman for the killer t-shirt art.

Shelby Burton for the new sexy kit design.

Marco Sanchez for scoring the Oakley eyewear.

Guy LaRoque, BetterRoofing.com, for the insurance.

Robb Dorf for the PureFit bars.

Dan and Brandon for the Bowls of Heaven.

The local bike shops (I hope you frequent) for being awesome: RocknRoad, The Path and Two Hubs for the great gifts… really, go see these shops they are all unique and cool to visit.

Mike Gould, Chris Johnston and Jim Bishop for being on “the board”.

To all the trophy wives (that Susie Brown!) and husbands and lovers and kids and parents who indulge us and support us.

Now lets go build our dreams!

PS  The kids dominated!  1-2-3 when to Kevin 15, Mikael 18, Andrew 15… couldn’t be better.  We raised a record amount for the local high school MTB teams.  Official results will be up soon at TheTMWC.com

PSS… I’m sure I missed or forgot something, drop me a line and I’ll get it updated.

The unOFFICIAL TMWC happens once a year, in July.

Tuesday morning, 6:30AM – quiet time in our little mecca.

7/19 is a Tour de France rest day, and we are all geeked up.

It’s warm, but not hot.

The faces are friendly, the introductions genuine.

Interlopers, real pros or soon to be pros, will own the day.  We don’t care.

Us regulars just want to play in the same sandbox as long as we can and with a little luck snag a PR on one of the course’s many segments.

This is our day to share what we love with you.

It’s real.

Straights and turns, false flats and climbs, streets and sidewalks…

All leading to a broad, bike-only road, edged with friendly trees and shade.

The final 7 miles.

Just a gentle pitch to start.

Brief punches out of the saddle to keep it honest.

A tunnel to yell and scream.

A sleepy motorcycle bar warns “trouble ahead, trouble behind”.

A 4 minute (for some) wall to conquer.

A 50 m.p.h descent, twisting under an endless oak canopy.

A this-can’t-be-flat straight away past the 100-year-old general store and elementary school.

A final 1-minute blast (for some) up the cork screw to a this-is-definitely-not-flat drag strip finish.

If you are on this list below, awesome.

See who of your friends should be on it, and pass along our little invite.

If you’re not, we hope you can make it… whether you beat us silly or you’re hanging on with all you’ve got, it won’t be the same without you.

There are 100 spots in total to be had, and we’d love to fill them soon so we can properly plan an awesome morning for you.

(Last year we had a hundred, so I’m sure we’ll hit that again… the question is will you or your pals be there?)

The event is free and a fundraiser, and U19 have guaranteed spots.

We hope you’ll be able to stay for a Bowl of Heaven and the podium presentation of 2016 Tuesday Morning World Champions.

Cheers!, tb

Register at TheTMWC.com

Some interesting stats so far:

$492 in donations, most common is $20 – largest $200!

34 registrants

3 of you have never done the ride

48% admit to riding 10-15 hours/week

82% of you learned about the ride from a friend –  gotta pass this email along : )

Thanks in advance, you all continue to amaze me with great friendship, riding skills and generosity.

Fritz Reimers

William Langstaff

Jim Bishop

Robert Cavallo

Christopher Hill

Michael Quito

Mark Christopherson

Daniel Eitman

RJ Kern

Steve Horvath

Brian Cronk

Todd Brown

Patrick Galvin

John Brantley

Scott Lamb

Kevin Vermaerke

Frank Warren

Kevin Cavallo

Rigo Cruz

Jim Carter

Michael Russell

Cy Zuidema

Thomas Butterfield

Jason Hole

Spencer Roundy

Brandon Thede

Michael Wieczorek

Patrick Coffey

Shayne Kennedy

Chris Johnston

Wade Poulson

Marco Sanchez

Michael Gould

My high school friends, then (2009) and now.

Such a happy day, during a very turbulent time of my life.

What to do when life gravity is pulling you down? Get some earthly gravity to pump you up.

My two sons, Trevor and Shane, and my other “high school” friends, Austin and Clutch, headed for our favorite downhill run: The San Juan Trial.

Why is it our favorite?

Because back when these punks were weak and scrawny (not Clutch), we only bombed trails, and SJT is the most bombable trail in OC – miles and miles of single track all headed downhill, all on decomposed granite – the kind of terrain that grinds flesh to the bone, all  flanked by buckthorn – the plant that tears at your clothes and skin, all full of twisty turns and rocky drops and lots and lots and lots of smiles.

Looking into that picture I see what time can do:  all four of the kids are now excellent men, blazing their own ride through life… making me as happy for them today as “way back when”.

South of town I see this guy heading towards me, he turns around so I wait.

Do you know how to get to Oceanside?

Yep, through the base.

They wouldn’t let me through.

Did you have ID?

My racing license…

Well, we need to get your real ID… you staying in a local hotel?

Best Western.

Okay, let’s go back and get it… I’m in no hurry, and headed that way.

My name’s Michael, we shake hands… I’m Todd.

ID in pocket, we roll up Coast Highway and catch Dave.

Where are you headed?

I’m meeting the guys at the T-shirt shop, then Celo Pacific.

Awesome… I’ve always wanted to do that ride… we can cruise down, draft the pack back.  Just what I’m a needin’.

Introductions are made, we point south.   Chatting, getting to know new faces.  Michael mixes right in… we’re rotating a double pace line with an odd number, always someone new to talk to.

At the end of the base, the boys are whipped out to water spring weeds, while we wait for the Celo crew.

Here they come, right on cue we are hammering at 35mph with a steady, unusual southern wind.  OK, new guy could be shot out the back… this train is being stoked by big lumber.

I make a move up the final hill before the North gate, solo through the small gate onto the emergency runway… the group is way back, it’s now or never… never, I scratch and latch onto a break of 4 very fast guys.

The tunnel under the 5 is wet and muddy, we slow and the main group reconnects.

Michael is there and takes a pull on the front. Nice job, new guy!

Tri guy takes the lead through the campground and stays there averaging 30mph, nobody comes around for miles.  I’m right behind him, so blame me tri guy.

Up the hill, the group swarms us… new guy included… lining up the sprint, it’s a fast one and the interlopers from San Clemente take the V.  Pretty sure the CP guys hate that… I sit up and congratulate tri-guy on the manly pull.

Cruising back through town, Michael and I decide to catch a “coffee” at Kaylani‘s.

Turns out he works for Travis Pastrana’s Nitro Circus… he’s used to managing rock groups, now manages the US tour for TP – there are 3 tours running this year.

Turns out he had a ride to Europe to race pro and went all teenager with his step-dad and screwed that up.

Turns out he raised a family, started riding again in his 30’s, and was instantly running with pros.

Turns out family came first so he retired again.

Turns out he got back on the bike 5 years ago and was easily spinning with the local hot shots.

Turns out a freaking car turned in front of him as he was crossing the line for the win on a local ride: broken neck, sternum, bleeding on the brain.

Turns out he’s tough – he is Aussie – and last year he qualified for Master’s World Championships.

Turns out he’s another gem, just riding along.

#meetnewpeople

It was my birthday.  I’d been training all year for the mountain bike season.  And my plan was to kick @#$!

But… I’d over trained, raced way too many days on the road.  My diet was off enough to pack on 5 pounds. And my legs truly felt like crap… they bit back at me, just taking my “smoke break” walk around the office parking lot.

Racing was suddenly not seeming like a fun thing to do on the b-day.

The Boss insisted I would feel good in the morning… I believe everything he says.

Bam!… next thing I know it’s dark, and early, and my birthday.  Eggs are cooking, avocado is cut, smoothie is blending, fueling up the old diesel.

I’m ahead of schedule, scattering through my brain comes… “fix that cleat!”

No problem, I’ve got time and I have a brand new cleat.

Done.  Loaded. Heading down the road.  Let’s race!

Sign up, warm up.  All on schedule.

At the Start line I find a buddy to hand up my bottle after lap 1 – figuring there’s no need to add to the sloth I’ve become.

And we’re off.

I try my new strategy of not going out like an idiot but actually pacing myself the first 5 minutes.

15 minutes later, my masterpiece is not looking good at all.

Standing up and hammering hard, my foot pulls out of the pedal.  Damn cleat.  I sit and grind, pedaling in strong efficient circles.  Foot pulls out again.  DAMN cleat! Blast a rock garden. Foot out.  Ddddddddamndamndamn.  My right leg can only put out a fraction of the power being demanded.

Either the lack of rest or the pedaling imbalance or both creates all kinds of lactic acid.  ouch, ouCH, OUCH!

I roll through the Start/Finish for lap 2… buddy with bottle has vanished. Shoot.

Next lap begins the long parade of being passed, a lot.  Often.  Not trying to be arrogant, but dudes I normally beat by minutes are passing me and kindly inquiring – Todd, you okay? – yep, just not my day.

Back through Start/Finish I get my bottle for the final lap… too late.  Once you bonk – once I bonk – it’s over.

I wanted to quit, bad.  But, I never quit.  Ever.  Quitting aint my style.  I’m all in, regardless of the pain, the mishaps, whatever… I’m a finisher.  Plus, I paid for this epic fail, and I’m gonna get my money’s worth.

These are all rookie mistakes – lack of rest, failing to test new equipment in advance, not having a solid race food plan.

Maybe I’m not that old after all?

Deconstruction:  finished 20 minutes off the winning pace, but… PR’d the first half of the course, made the absolute best of the downhills, got a nice reminder of what it takes to race at high levels before Nationals this summer, saw all my friends and really enjoyed the day.

I am not shocked by the Brussels bombings, and you shouldn’t be either.

Right out of high school, a group of us traveled Europe by back pack and Eurail for the summer.  Europe at that time was a wonderful playground of history and adventure for us.

Travel was easy, language from my native “English” to my adopted Spanish to Italian was easy to navigate.  The Germans spoke great English.  The French made no effort to help our rotten translations, but who cared?… the food and bread were unforgettable!

11 years ago my pals and I landed in Paris, excited to witness the Tour de France.  It had been 25 years, but how much could have changed?

For the most part, nothing had changed in France.  The locals still sneered, even with my friend’s wife speaking decent French.  But who cares… the food and bread, and the riding(!) were unforgettable. I had no idea how amazing cycling would be, the roads seemed to be paved and banked and sized solely for the purpose or traveling by bicycle.  Perfect.

There was one part of the trip that did freak me out a little.

One evening, as the sun was dropping, we found ourselves passing through what could only be called a Muslim slum.  Instantly, I felt uncomfortable.  At first I chalked it up to wearing lycra, then I added being white, then I added being different, then I could only add the unpleasant feelings of not being welcome.  At all.

Mind you, I’ve lived among the poorest of Mexico wearing the standard uniform of Mormon missionary.  I know what it’s like to stand out, and hail from a very foreign culture.

This was different.  This was thick.

Maybe it was my paranoia at the time, but I distinctly recall thinking to myself France was going to go down.

The people were not integrating, not learning the language, and more importantly not participating in the economy.  This is a formula for disaster.  And the French, were not having children at nearly the rate of the immigrants.  At some point, they could not/can not afford to stay separate.  One of two peoples is/was going to swallow the other.

The only Honors class I took in college was Sociology.  Really the only thing I remember was being fascinated by the topic and by the students who were clearly smarter than me.

You may think some politicians, and wannabe politicians, are nuts to want to close our borders… let me suggest you go visit France, and England and experience what is going on there.

Solving the integration problem for immigrants must be addressed for immigration to be successful.  Landing in a foreign country, getting on the government dole and clinging to your fellow compatriots is not the answer.

A wise man once said work is a blessing.  The older I get, the wiser that seams.  When we work side by side towards a common goal our differences melt away, and we learn to appreciate and enjoy each others unique talents and backgrounds.

Europe’s 40 year history of kicking the can down the road is coming to head.  They desperately need vision, leadership.

Sure, it’s easy for a white dude, with time to ride a bike to make those comments… but, I’ve been kicked hard in the nuts by life just like everybody else I know and the only answer I’ve ever found that makes me happy is getting up the next morning and putting my pants on one leg at a time and getting back to work.

Witness all the successful immigrants in our country today, they get to work and integrate.

Is that too simple of a solution for immigration… getting to work?

As my dad celebrates his retirement at age 80, I would like to raise a toast to him for giving me the greatest advice for business and life I’ve ever received.

Calling Dad for advice is kinda like sincere prayer… things are either really great, or really not great.

This advice though is timeless so I hope  you find value in it to.

Here’s how it goes….

Dad, I have this thing, and it’s huge…

Dad laughs and says…  Well did I ever tell you about my first legal contract for the family property at the Zion Ponderosa?  I was straight out of school and so green and so nervous… and 54 years later, that contract is still in place today.

Then he says the key advice…

Or Dad, you can’t believe what is going on in my life…

He laughs, and he says oh that’s a good one…

Did I ever tell you about representing the doctor who cut off the wrong leg?

His story is always larger than life… we laugh, and he gives me the advice.

Or Dad, what would you do if this was going down in your life?

Always more laughter and complimenting me on my predicament followed by…

Did I ever tell you about how I rescued RoseMarie Reid’s swimming suit empire business?

My “thing” seems so small, and he says this key phrase….

Or, Dad I’ve got this business idea that could be…

Oh yes!, he laughs… did I ever tell you about our helicopter business flying fat cats from LA skyscrapers and landing on the tarmac at LAX?

I say that’s crazy… he says I know, laughs some more and clues me in with this advice…

Or, Dad I’m really concerned about this thing going on…

He laughs and looks at me and says, well ya but remember when we were trading gold and pesos and the check cashing business?… haha, I laugh too and he unloads the advice.

Dad, how did you ever figure out how to handle this thing I’m facing…

The smiles and laughs come harder and happier… and he tells me about him and Merwin clobbering the largest law firms in the nation – just a couple of cowboy cousins kicking butt… and he tells me again what to do.

So, here’s the advice…

Get up in the morning and put your pants on 1 leg at a time, and get to work.

The juicy details of that advice were a little bitter at times until I understood that my dad, loves to work and do big projects and have fun while he’s at.

Now I shared that so I could tell you this… because sandwhiched in between the laughter, the awesome story and the advice was this… You Can Do This

Cheers to my dad for putting his pants on one leg at a time and going  to work, making it fun, and providing so many wonderful times for his associates and family.

Can’t wait to see what he does tomorrow!

Whatever you put in your bottles, get white tops.

White tops allow you to mark your secret recipes…

… leaving you and your support team one less thing to screw up.

I don’t know about you but… I love to hate my fellow racers, to find something that just makes me want to stomp their guts into the ground.

You know it’s not hard to do.  I find a lot to hate about myself, for example.

But Smiley, Smiley just ticks me off to a whole new level.

First, he’s so damn nice and personable.  He’s a total giver in a sport filled with takers.  He’s that guy that brings the tent early, and takes it home late; that guy that helps you patiently fix a broken bike, even as his start time viciously approaches; that guy that asks how the family is, and the actually listens…

… and he does all this with the most beautiful pearly smile, UGH!

Second, when I told my coach about my goal to take him down she just nodded and said, “ya know, he was built to race mountain bikes; and isn’t he a nice man?”

… all without a hint of hope, #$%@!

But the real kick in the nuts, is when chatting Smiley up about an upcoming race and how svelte I am, how primed I am, how much I’m looking forward to racing the big guns like him…

… there isn’t the slightest doubt in his mind that I have no shot, NONE…

Smiley, the epitome of that guy you hate to love!

Damn… my legs feel goooooooood.

Right on que, iTunes serves me up the theme song to SHAFT – the 70’s Blaxion hero.

Which reminds me of 0 to 1, Peter Theil’s awesome book:  Every business is successful as far as it can do what nobody else can.  Competing is stupid.

Isn’t that what winning is all about, doing that thing that makes a difference at the exact moment that matters?

The likelihood of me winning tomorrow is very, very, very, very, very small…

but damn, like Shaft I feel like “a bad mother”!

… and that’s worth all effort right there.

Look at these cowboys!

Smiling, happy, and on the top of the podium.

The two on the right, Mike and Mark, ride in our local group ride.

They’ve gone from being shot out the back, to shooting off the front… simply by coming out each week and hanging on a little further.

They clawed their way until they finished with the leaders, even winning the day.

Now they are confident hammering away, mile after mile, whether with the regulars on the local group ride or out in new territory with unknown racers.

The only shame in getting dropped on a group ride is not returning.

HEE HAW!

and it’s raining… you have two choices:

A.  Stick to your training schedule.

B.  Take a day off.

If you opt for A, you’re basically telling the entire world cycling is more important than: rest, family, work, reading, hot chocolate, watching movies, sleeping in, long dinners, a fireplace, singing (in the rain), visiting friends, writing letters, etc

If you opt for B, you’re basically telling the entire world life you love every season of life… the sunny and the (occasional) rain.

Soak it in.

USA Cycling’s “Race Predictor” is maddeningly accurate, kinda.

The sooner you sign up the higher it ranks you… because you are among the few eager beavers who sign up early.

The “pros” wait until the last minute.

Why?

I dunno.

To psych each out?

To mess with the promoter?

To be sure they only sign up when 100% ready vs risk losing to an old diesel on an off day?

Who cares?… there’s nothing like seeing yourself ranked #1 in an event with zero chance of winning.

“You two should be out on the dance floor.”

“Todd’s tired, he did a big bike race today”.

(Ugh… damn woman!)

I’m not on the dance floor because the lights are too bright and my dance moves will look awful.  Not, because I’m too tired.

Later that night:

“Lover, could we not mention the “big bike race” as being the reason I’m not busting out my moves?”

“Why?”

“Because it’s embarrassing.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s kinda silly.  It’s just something I do for myself, to keep in shape, make friends and have fun.  And, it sounds stupid when you say it.”

“How should I say it?”

“Okay… and there is no right way to say it.”

“Then you better dance with me next time.”

“I look stupid when I dance under bright lights.”

“Well, which stupid do you want to be?”

First, you must decide what is a win.

Finishing?

Beating you friends?

Reaching a new PR?

Breaking into the top 10?

Standing on the top step of the podium?

Winners know what winning is.

1.  Pick up a barbell that equals how much weight you want to lose.

Imagine tossing that overboard on your next climb, or hanging it in the back of your buddy’s jersey.

It’s a lot more than just the weight, it’s also all the resources that tissue is using – oxygen, nutrients, blood.  Think about that extra insulation on a hot day.

Getting your mind set on what that weight means is huge, and huge is not good.

2.  Weigh yourself daily.

Right after you get up, take care of business in the bathroom – pee, poop, cut your hair, trim your nails… get on the scale.

Look at that number.

If it’s higher than yesterday, what did you screw up on your diet?

If it’s lower than yesterday, what did you do right?

Track it daily in an app like Happy Scale.

You will know instantly what that milkshake at 9pm did to you.

3.  Do weight-based training… not weight training.

Climb hills often, and look at your times.

Do pull ups.

Thrashing your friends on a long, straight, slight down hill is not going to help.  Climbing with skinny guys helps.

Give your body reasons to be leaner.

4.  Eat real food, early.

Huge breakfast, good size lunch, puny dinner.

You know what eggs look like, steak looks like, tomatoes look like, bananas look like, avocados look like.

If you can’t identify the ingredients of what you are eating, it’s probably not real food.

Real Food + Real Early = Real Results

5.  Drink lots of water.

Most of the time you think you are hungry, you are really thirsty.

Drink early, and drink often, but don’t drink late in the day unless you want to get up all night.

Let’s set the table:  Chris Froome produces less power now than when he first joined the pro peloton.  Chris Froome demolishes the competition.  One reason (confirmable), he weighs 20 lbs less than he did in 2007.

…. now pass me the 85% dark chocolate.

My goal last year was to ride less, and get faster.

Mission accomplished.

My unwritten, back of the mind goal was to keep the riding around 10 hours/week.

Can’t say it was shocking that Strava had me down for 521 hours in 2015, but I was a little surprised at how spot on my estimate was.  Of course, that includes vacation weeks, sick days etc… but still…

10, is less than 12 and less than 15 and a lot less than 20.

Why 10?… because I have other things I want to accomplish… things that actually matter.  Not that being in great shape doesn’t matter, right?

How?… we’re talking how I got faster – I’ll be brief here, and more detailed later.

First, I rested more.

Second, I lost weight.

Third, I kept my equipment in great condition.

Fourth, I rode with faster (than me) guys.

Getting faster in less time is kinda like a giant ball of yarn, it’s gonna take me a bit to unravel it all… but I promise I won’t hold back, and I’ll keep sharing what works and what doesn’t work.

Sometime you just have to pick one.

Right now I pick to focus on MTB Marathon Champs.

I’m picking this over MTB XC Champs, Whisky 50, Leadville, all the road races… because, it’s the one I stand the best chance of winning. You have to pick one, or the training just isn’t good enough… quickly you become jack of all trades master of none.

You want a kit that’s as aero as possible… take advantage of these details on your next kit.

Hide your zipper in the Zipper Garage.  Don’t let that thing flap around in the wind, hide it.

Your Speed arm band provides excellent compression and an invisible air profile.

Stay cooler with our aerolite mesh side panels.

Your Speed leg bands keeps the your bib in place, provide excellent compression and an invisible air profile.

Keep your valuables locked up in the zippered pocket and you visible with the reflective aero cover.

We use this design to highlight the quality of our printing, notice how the design flows from Jersey to Bib.

… the design shows how well your panels will line up, across the pockets, across the zippers too.  This looks like a skin suit, but it’s our Speed kit.

For visibility on the road, we printed the butt panel or our Speed bib in our yellow.

Your friend finally got a bike and starts riding… to save his cycling life you must invoke Rule #1.

You could have a heart to heart over a latte, or just forward this email.

Secret rule number 1:  Never, ever, ever skimp on the bib!

You’re sitting on that thing… for hours!  Your bib must:

 be comfy, caress you, protect you,

through mud, rain, dirt and sun and sweat.

This is the union of all unions.

You screw up your bib choice and that union is gonna end quickly and ugly.

 Newbs don’t get this

They are so freaked out over Lycra they buy the cheapest thing possible knowing/thinking/hoping they’ll toss it after one ride.

Whoops… even cheapo bibs are so much better they keep wearing them, eventually wasting hard-earned dollars on chamois butter.

That’s not you.

You know better

You know quality bibs are the apparel equivalent of an outrageously expensive carbon fiber frame.

We have a team so thrifty, they buy the cheap jersey and come to us for the bib.

Why would you do that?

Because it matters!

Great bibs shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg… they should just be great.

1. Your bibs should be made of Italian fabrics, they are the best.  The Italians are so into fabrics and fashion and cycling!  Don’t experiment, they’ve got it mastered.

2. Every single panel of the bibs you choose should be made of 100% polyester because polyester is the softest and most elastic of fabrics. And those panels need to be expertly cut every time and comprised of just the right polyester so you get the perfect amount of compression.  Plus, when you use polyester, you can print every single panel and create striking designs.

3. Your bibs should have a pad that fits like a loving glove, no matter how long you ride.  The pad should be anatomical perfection, and gender specific.  It should be stretchy.    And, AND!, the pad has got to be placed and sewn in the correct location.  Critical stuff here.  Get it wrong and you’ll look like a banana smuggler and feel a lot worse.

At the end of your ride, you must lovingly and thankfully step out of your bibs…

you might want to stay in them all afternoon…

Take a shower.  Clean up.

Wash your bibs inside out, so the print stays crisp.

Air dry your bibs after the spin cycle.

Take care of your bibs and they will take care of you.  Really.

Should you be having anything less than an awesome experience with your bibs, you may want to check out our line up.

We’ll make sure you feel as warm and cuddled as your bits and pieces will when you ride in our bibs.

May all your rides be comfortable!

PS… our latest kit, called Speed, could be just what your looking for.

It’s Tuesday morning, and it’s raining… and I stayed in bed and skipped the TMWC.

Now what if this turns out to really be an El Nino year?

1.  We’ll get all kinds of random training in, making us more like surfers who depend on good waves to surf their arms off and no waves to recover and wait for more great surf.

2.  We’ll have many days of hero dirt vs many days of moon dust.

3.  We might… just might… Man and WOman up and learn to ride with wet socks for more than 10 minutes because it’s Tuesday and that’s what we do.

Until next week… #nomatterwhat.

Well, hell.

Jeff, my great friend, riding buddy of 30 years, confidant and all around nicest person you’ll ever meet is in the hospital, under the knife…

50% of his bike-related hospital trips (6) have been on rides with me, two within 15 months.

%^&*, is about all I can say about this.

His wife is not happy, with either of us.  We’ll probably be banned from ever riding together again.  Can’t say I blame her one bit.

We’re just a couple of 53-year old knuckleheads… doing what we love.

This time we were on Tidal Wave, a rockin’ mountain bike trail with humongous banked turns and more than a few some what large table top jumps.

We had just watched what looked like a helmet mounted to a bike rip the course, getting massive air.  The kid was probably 10.  He even had a GoPro.

It looked so fun, “let’s just roll” the course.

It was fun.  Super fun.  Even when Jr took a tumble and shredded his kit it was fun.

We HAD to take a second run.  The park was closed, lifts were stopped.  We were the last kids on the mountain.  Boys being boys, we rode past the Do Not Ride Up Trail sign to the very top.  Epicness awaited.

I begged to rest for moment, to get some air in my sea-level lungs.  The locals acquiesced.

Fresh and ready, we entered the course slowly.  There was no jockeying for position, just a simple roll out and down the course with huge grins.

The builder of the course is a genius.  In no time, you get in a rhythm and quickly gain confidence and speed.

Zooooooooooom.

I waited at the bottom.  And waited.

I was riding backup.  It was very steep.

Matt rolled around a corner towards me.  He had started last.

Jeff was not good:  left clavicle in 3 pieces, right wrist in two pieces.

The long walk to the car, was long, too long.

Short drive to the hospital….

“Now the doctor came in stinking of gin
And proceeded to lie on the table
He said Rocky you met your match
And Rocky said, doc it’s only a scratch
And I’ll be better I’ll be better doc as soon as I am able.”

Rocky Raccoon – Lennon/McCartney

… heal fast my fast friend.

So, I’m going to write a book.

This topic has been burning and brewing for way too long.

The question I have right now is can I write the entire book while listening solely to Ted Nugent’s Stranglehold?

Kozo Shimano said, the problem with cycling is the engine is weak.

Ouch.

He was right. We are weak.

My motorcycle ripped. It had 50 horses.

We are clever.

On bikes we sprint faster than horses and soar like eagles.

Eat great. Get rest.

Take care of your engine.

1. 13 hours ago
2. Kevin Wayt Great race tonight TB! 11 hours ago
3. Kevin Wayt Wish I could sprint with you guys at the end…:-( 11 hours ago
4. Todd Brown PEDALindustries You can Kevin. We just need to work once it. I’ll show you a few tricks pre race next week.11 hours ago
5. Kevin Wayt Great! Can you lend me some power too :-) 11 hours agoRemove
6. Todd Brown PEDALindustries No. But I can show you how to get some power on your own and how to steal some from others (I guard mine like a squirrel guards his nuts – and it does take balls to have power). Sprinting is an art form, it takes a calm, calculating devilish will. To really do it right you must commit well before the race, you must be willing to vomit, be able to hold your breath until your ears hurt, be able to turn your legs over long after they have turned to stone, and and and and and and do all this with a Gatsby-foolish grin… top down and scarf blowing in the wind on a lazy summer day. Got it? Probably not… But you can have it.2 hours ago

(From TMWC FB Group Discussion)

Gabriel sent me a question about tonight’s crit – should he go and what should he do during the ride.  Dave and Ryan and the rest of ya feel free to jump in here:

Gabe it’s a great idea. I’ll be down there early. Warm up with me… in the meantime here are some basics to consider:

Always keep your fingers looped around the bars – thumb and forefinger should be touching in case you hit an unseen bump (learned this from the great Nelson Vails)

Never overlap wheels (learned from Experience)

Never stop pedaling – apply your brakes when needed but never, ever stop pedaling and slam on your brakes at the same time (learned from the legend Bob Bills).

Be vigilant – trust no one to be thinking or caring about you -> IQ decreases as race duration and speed increases.

Pay attention to wind direction – take your pulls when it’s time then get some shelter and rest.

… and remember, it’s supposed to be fun, so have fun!

“Never heard that before”…

I’ve heard that response to one of my ideas countless times.

This time, I had the idea to do a rolling road closure for our annual charity bike ride… like they do for funerals.

How cool would it be if we could do the TMWC with Sheriff’s escort for the ride?… I’m trying to make that happen.

Doing the unusual is never easy, but nearly always worth it.

Seems like everybody has something on sale this Memorial Weekend, and it’s got me wondering.

Are we putting things on sale because business is slow or because the particular product wasn’t a seller… in other words are we blowing out the crap, are we discounting our brand equity, is the sale sucking the sexy from our essence?

What would be a better way to reward our customers without using the word or concept of On Sale?

Would an email directly to our most rabid fans with this flavor be more effective…

Subject: We like you!

Hi SuperRabidFan, we know you love our gear because you buy a lot of it and we think you deserve X% off this Memorial weekend.

Here’s the new and cool stuff, and below are some things we need to move out for even more of the new and cool… the X% applies to your entire purchase – new and old.

 Thanks for being awesome!

Biggest hotel chain in the world? AirBnB

BIggest taxi company in the world? Uber

BIggest bike race promoter in the world? STRAVA

If I ride my bike today…

The wind will blow through my hair

The sun will shine on my face

My mind will clear

My body will rev up

I might:

Meet someone new

Get a flat

Have an encounter with a car

Slam on the brakes

Find a new path or perspective

Some things are given, many things are possible.

That’s life… on a bike.

It’s been years, no decades, since USA Cycling has made an exciting announcement.

A new CEO: YOUNG. ACCOMPLISHED.  Here’s to much success for Derek Bouchard-Hall.

After retiring from cycling in 2002, he attained an MBA from Harvard Business School and began a career in consulting with Ernst & Young in Boston and then with McKinsey in London. At McKinsey, Bouchard-Hall focused on designing and implementing change programs across a range of commercial and governmental organizations. He joined Wiggle in 2011 where he rose to assume leadership of the international business of the rapidly growing global online retailer.

read more

I don’t need to be the fastest guy on the ride,
I just want to ride with people that are getting faster.

All champions know exactly what they want.  They can see it, taste it, feel it, touch it, hear it.  What they want is crystal clear.

More importantly they know why they want it.

No matter how gnarly the challenge if the why is big enough, the how always presents itself.

When the champion arrives at the destination sublime satisfaction is there to greet, because the champion knows why it had to happen, had to be.

This TED talk is awesome.

If your training is pretty good, you will get dropped… and lose minutes, you won’t even be able to see the leaders.

If your training is excellent, you will finish in the middle of the pack… but you won’t be on the podium.

If your training is outstanding, if there’s nothing more to do, add or subtract… you could place, you might even win.

Road racing demands ALL you can do.

The large man I roll past mutters “1 of your legs equals both of mine”.

I bit my tongue, it was more like his belly was 3 times the size of mine.

When it comes down to speed on a bike a lot of it simple math and physics.

Want to go faster, lose weight.

It’s not unique to cycling, it’s the same in running, business, serenity.

They call it dead weight for a reason.

Are these 4 Mistakes are costing you time and money?

1.  Bad art.  .jpg, .png, .doc, etc are not the formats your manufacturer needs or can ultimately use.  What you need is Vector Art, and those files are going to end with .ai or .pdf.  Note, saving a .jpg as .ai does not make it vector.  If you can’t get the original files then a good vendor will be able to help you turn your art to vector art, and most likely will give you a copy for future use.

2.  Bad color.  Saying we like a bright red is nice, but if you want your gear to have that red you must get in front of a PMS Chart and indicate the PMS color you want.  PMS is short for Pantone Matching System, and every printer in the world works from that system.  If you and I pick RED 186 from the chart for your color, then we’ll get you RED 186 on your gear.

3.  Bad budgeting.  Know what you can afford and go get the best possible gear you can get for your money.  Asking “how cheap can I get a jersey” is not the way to go.  Stating I have $X, what’s the best product you have if we order quantity X is the way to get the most bang for your buck.

4.  Bad vendor selection.  Websites are a great way to find vendors, and there are lots of brilliant ads you see for gear.  But, you should always get referrals from current customers and test the gear yourself.

Custom cycling gear is expensive.  Whether you are buying cycling jerseys for the company to wear at a gran fondo, or a custom canopy to gather under, or custom cycling socks to kick around on and off the bike being prepared will make that purchase go much smoother and come out a lot better.

Vector Art. Check.

PMS Colors. Check.

Budget. Check.

Referrals. Check.

Recently, a very good customer asked me to match a competitor’s ridiculous deal on cycling clothes.

While I appreciate the opportunity, let’s face it these requests can pop your balloon.

Confident in my product and service, I stuck to my price for the simple reason that if I go down that road inevitably it’s the customer who loses.

I can’t deliver 100% of my virtuous love at a slut’s price.

I didn’t expect to receive the email above… but, I did.  It’s the kind of email that make me want to walk over hot coals for my customer.

This is not a compliment to me as much as it is to Kevin, because Kevin is building a successful bike shop in a competitive market by devoloping relationships with his customers.  I’ve seen him in action.

I’m just lucky enough to have great, awesome customers.

We love riding bikes.

Love it.

We’re doing all we can to grow the sport.

We invite others to ride with us.

We teach the new riders what it’s all about.

We put on fun events – rides and education.

We create fun retail apparel to share the love.

We scour the globe for great custom products regular folks will love and can afford.

Growing cycling by design means we do all these things on purpose, with an eye for great design.

We hope you love what we do, and when you don’t that you’ll tell us what we can do better.

Ride On!

We get asked all the time, “How much should I charge XYZ to be on our team gear?”

This question implies cash, which is always good.

Truth is we all want as much as we can get – sponsors and teams.  So let’s get it.

Anybody asking for sponsorship needs a plan to answer these questions:  how many events will you attend? how many people will be on the team?  how committed and effective you are with Social Media? how likely are you to get press coverage?  what will you use sponsorship for – travel, gear, living expenses?  can you do some guerrilla marketing or sampling at events? etc.

Sponsors need to ask themselves these questions:  what return am I looking for – customers, sales, a measurable metric?  am I doing this just because I love the sport and want to help some people/give back?  can I afford to give cash or is my product industry related and product could be adequate?  does this team represent my company/brand well?

This picture has excellent guidance on the value of each location on your cycling gear – don’t be emotional about this.  Who goes where should be related to the value they are brining to the time. The pic is from a very detailed article posted by Cycling News.  I highly recommend it.

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of inquires and referrals from outside the cycling industry.

For the record, as much as I think we are in the bicycle business, and as much as all our biz dev is directed there, the majority of our business is serving up delicious promotional products for our long time friends and customers.

And that’s the awesome truth.

I think it was C. Sheen that said “winning” first, but I’ll second that and add a dollop of Thank You to our wonderful fan base.

When I planned this years SoCal Cycling Summit I was truly excited to have America’s best known cycling coach on board: Chris Carmichael.

As the event neared, and more and more negative press came out regarding Lance, I was a little worried.  Some sponsors didn’t want to be involved because of the association between Chris and Lance.  Some people said the same thing.

Fortunately, this has never been about sponsors it’s been about us and our desirie to bring the best and brightest to our town to kick off our season and further connect this community we all love.

So, while I respect and get those decisions, I pressed on because I wanted to hear from the man that legitimized professional cycling coaching and has been a true pioneer, the guy who has a thriving business in an industry known to run on financial fumes, the guy who’s coaches have helped people I know personally to reach peak potential.

Here’s what I learned:

First I learned that Chris is a very humble, soft spoken, thoughtful human being.

He’s very, very smart.

All our interactions were professional, with a uncommon kindness and gratitude.

He has tremendous vision, and consequently a good feel for what works.

Chris’ story telling skills are great, and this is where he really lit up his presentation.
The stories from inside the pro peloton  were hilarious.  I reveled in his accounts of the early 7-11 days, the days that inspired me to try the road myself while living in Utah so far away from my surfing life.

During the evening, as I drifted between those accounts woven into real-life cycling advice and my own pressures to pull off a good event I learned Chris is a good guy to have involved, and a good guy to keep an eye on.  Genuine inspiration and hope shined on the faces of my friends as they allowed the pressures of life to move to the back and the dreams of a moment or two of personal cycling triumphs to be front and center.  It’s good.

Of course, I also learned a ton of stuff about the Time Crunched Cyclist… but you can read the book for that.

Three cheers to all who attended, helped, sponsored, and supported.

Now, go ride your bike!

Because it’s fun to ride with and meet new people.

Because faster people make me better.

Because the same course shows improvement.

Because the same time makes it dependable.

Because fast folks need a way to give back and help new folks.

Because together we achieve more.

Because if I know you will be there, I’ll get outta bed.

Because you give me real feedback.

Because that doughnut is easier to drop if I know the consequence is being dropped.

Because it’s a diverse group that enriches my life.

Because I like people. Because we can engage for good.

Because we can support each other professionally.

Because I get back early and can get my work done.

Because my lover gets it that I need a hobby and an outlet.

Because we support each other in sickness and health.

Because old kids like beating old guys they thought were fast.

Because old guys like seeing new, young blood.

Because runners are people too (and their running days are numbered).

Because it’s good to teach others how to ride in a group and the tactics to stay on – should they ever want to race.

Because it’s just once a week.

We’ve been hauling for the last 12 months.  It’s been a blast.

First was GTB – Off The Bike Branding – more here.

Next was bringing more lifestyle to cycling with Damion.

Then we had Joe Friel come  to Oakley which lead to BiciFire.

And now we are focused on unveiling Dusty Shins.

With all this going on, I felt it necessary to create a mother ship.  There is no way I could do all this alone, so a name representative of what we are doing was kicked around. Hence, we have christened the ship Pedal Industries.