the k michael weekly update

Oh boy.

2012-02-25T08:41:00.003-08:00

When I start getting messages from my friends about my lack of updates - I know I must be in the thick of it.

And in the thick of it, I am. I've pulled my fair share of all-nighters in my life, but I think the month of February has buried me deeper than I've ever been! These are problems I've begged for in the past - and I still know the value of being busy, both on and off the bike. My training has been relegated to the trainer, but I've had zero ability to ride for more than 1-2 hours at a time. Yikes...

As March rolls around, I'm looking to take some down time, get the house in order (see photos below), spend time with friends and family, and train like a mad man.

I'll write more later, but I have a teaser for what has been occupying my time in the studio for the last few months. (other than some sweet Israeli episodes of Music Voyager, too! - which I'll post about later)

Our Feature Documentary, 'Dave', world premieres in San Jose at Cinequest, March 2nd. Here's a link to the website where you can find all the info you need - AND a trailer.

Enjoy!

What $7 can do

2012-01-17T06:26:00.001-08:00

Let's get to 'what seven dollars can do for you' in a second.

First, I'd like to express my gratitude for the great shoot we had with the boys from Radioshack Nissan Trek. Paul, Chris, Kim and myself were a four-man production crew capturing everything we could from high atop mountains, out of the back of speeding vans, and from the back of a high-speed moto, cruising around Mallorca, Spain. A welcome addition to our group this time was the duo of Glenn and Paige, from Capital Sports Entertainment, who were there taking superb photos and providing some much-needed athlete wrangling.

(I pulled all photos - except the blingy shoes - from Glenn Kasin's stash, which I'm truly blown away by.)

Maybe one of my favorite moments from the trip was when Andy grabbed the Super8 camera out of my hands and started shooting his own film.

Upon returning to Colorado, I found one of those boxes that has 'fun' written all over it. (read: a cardboard box with Trek logos all over it) I opened it up to find a sweet pair of racing kicks for the 2012 season.

Tom K from Bontrager has really learned how to make my day. In fact, as I tore open the box, my motivation to ride in the 31 degree(F) weather rose and ultimately, it allowed me to go through with the original plan for a 2-hour ride. Man, it was so cold when I got back! (but totally worth it)

The 2012 pre-season has started a little stranger than years past. I think I was more fit in December than I've been in the past, but with a move, a few international work trips, and a crazy busy schedule in general, my training was a little derailed. It's a strange feeling knowing that your motivation is at a higher level than it has ever been, only to be forced into 1-hour runs and short core-workouts in hotel rooms in random countries. After a jaunt to Israel this next week, I'm home for a while and looking to be ready to toe the line by April. Also, after a nice 6-day, quasi training camp here at home, I'll be ready to take a little break.

So, what about this seven dollars? Last weekend, Josh B (the suffer master himself) and I went on two big training rides. The first was my first ride after getting back to the states and I paid dearly for my lack of riding the previous 2 weeks. I made it home, but it wasn't pretty.

The next day, we jumped into another big one. Unfortunately for Josh and I, there is no going easy. Ever. We rode on the flats near Boulder for the first two hours of the ride to 'take it easy' before hitting the mountains. That wasn't the case.

After putting the hurt on ourselves for a couple hours, we hit the mountains and kept the pace going. (remember, this is less than 24 hours after my near death experience in the mountains the day before!) Josh and I may make our rides hard for one another, but we also help one another get through these types of days. Thank God I was feeling 10 times better than the day before, otherwise I'd have to be pulled off the road.

As we approached Estes Park in a nasty head wind, I realized I left my $20 bill in the car. This was to be used for a motivational refueling of coffee, paired with some sort of super rich, fattening and sugary muffin. We were crushed - knowing we had another hour and a half on the bike before getting back to the car. But wait - Josh had 7 bucks! You've never seen a better pair of spandex-clad, shivering, and hungry bargain shoppers. Not exactly sure on this, but I believe we picked up 2 muffins, a rockstar energy drink, small coffee, several free coffee samples, and a pack of starbursts.

And with that, we were on our way back to Boulder.

That familiar feeling

2011-12-12T20:10:00.000-08:00

Five years ago, a friend of mine handed me an envelope with 30 sheets of paper inside and said, 'These will make you strong.'

On each of those sheets, which I still have, is a different indoor trainer workout. I may be one of the only people I know who doesn't mind getting on a trainer, but that's not to say I don't fear it just a little bit every time I climb onto my bike down in the basement. The attractive part of having to do this is the pureness and quality of each workout. You get what you put in...

I'm not one to watch movies or TV while the time ticks away on the heart rate monitor. It's all business and it takes as much focus as possible to survive through those workouts! I must say, after five years of doing these through the winter, the proof is in the pedaling and I'm staying loyal to the program. However, per an earlier post on this blog, I have diversified my training and I'm feeling the benefits of a new and fresh routine.

Nordic skiing has taken me in and I'm finding myself hoping for snow for the first time in almost 8 years! (I'll still appreciate the dry Front Range roads for the road riding...) AND, it's hard to imagine a better view on your way to a workout.

In other news, Filament just acquired a new Keurig coffee brewer (courtesy of Rachel) and with crazy looming deadlines coupled with tired legs and arms, it couldn't have come at a better time!

It's fun and humbling being a beginner

2011-11-28T15:56:00.000-08:00

It's been quite some time since I've put pen to paper, er, fingers to keyboard on this dusty old blog. However, the reason for the neglect is a good one. I've started skate skiing.

Let me tell you, this is hard. Thanks to my elite and patient 3 member instructional team, I've been hitting the trails in beautiful Mazama, Washington.

I didn't think it would hit me the way it did, but yes - I'm in love with the sport. Now if I can just spend a few years working on technique, I may be able to hang with my friends out there...

To top it all off, I had an excellent Thanksgiving weekend with with top-notch company. I believe it was the first time any of us four 'young adults' really attempted a full-on Thanksgiving feast on our own. And yes - it all turned out amazingly...

Moules et Frites

2011-10-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

Having never traveled abroad during the first 27-or-so years of my life, I've been making up for it with a vengeance over the last four. One aspect of traveling the world I really enjoy is meeting new friends. During the previous three trips to Belgium and France to shoot with the Leopard Trek athletes, I met Kim Tiebergyn, a seasoned, but young moto driver for filmmakers and photographers. Having driven for Getty Images and photographers like Tim De Waele, I felt like I was sneaking on to the back of Kim's moto. Although cruising (at 100km/h!) down a bike path (illegally!) in the town of Kortrijk following Fabian Cancellara from the back of a moto seems dangerous, I felt more than comfortable with Kim at the helm.

Turns out he and his girlfriend, Célien, have some culinary talents as well. Not taking 'no' for an answer, Paul, from Trek, and I were invited over for a nice dinner consisting of salad, mussels, and fries - the national meal of Belgium. Not sure how many mussels makes up 5 Kilos, but I can tell you it's a lot!

Another perk of being in Belgium is access to good ol' traditional waffle stands.

As November approaches, so does my memory of riding the trainer. I'm ready for it, though. And, since I don't race 'cross, my cycling updates have suffered from slow news days. For me, I'm looking forward to a new start in training for 2012. I'm also looking forward to seeing my friends out on those cold and snowy roads this winter in hopes to have some socializing during the upcoming long and chilly rides.

As Winter starts to show it's potential around here, I thought I'd share a couple nice photos from a great Fall.

Diving into the off-season (and Lake Michigan)

2011-10-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

And.... It's a wrap on what's been a long, but fruitful bike racing season. That statement feels odd to write, but when I think back to our team training camp, it feels appropriate.

Although my season ended a week earlier than I wanted, I'm happy to be eating french fries, taking trips without having to fit workouts in, enjoying the Fall, and - of course - planning on how I'm going to be better next season. A big congratulations goes out to Josh Tostado on his 3rd consecutive solo 24 hour national championship. This man is an incredible athlete and one of the good guys of the sport. I know what I would have had to put myself through to compete against him last weekend and although that scared me during the run-up to nationals, I was looking forward to the rematch! Falling ill before your big event is never easy to swallow, but that's life. Next season...

I just had the best 4 days of Fall that you could probably have by spending them in Traverse City, MI. Having never been, I hit the ground running via the perfect local (and once local) contingent of new friends.

I could go on and on about how beautiful it is up there, but it won't do it justice. Instead, I'll post a very small slice of the photo pie here with the bullet-points of what we did.

The Bruski-Sturtz home-town reception. Wine tour. Movies and baseball at home. Great food. Swimming in Lake Michigan (in October?!). Gallivanting around town. Beautiful Fall colors. And most of all... I spent four days with great people.

No Outs.

2011-09-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

It seems so much time goes by in the blink of an eye. (I say this, of course, when I'm under deadlines - but when it comes to racing a bike for 24 hours straight, well, that's another story)

The last two months have been filled with countless flights to everywhere for both film-making and cycling. As much as I love both, the truth is they don't always mix well. My journeys to Park City and South Dakota proved to me that you just never know what to expect when you've been traveling for weeks without a bike. The Park City Point to Point was an incredibly challenging and humbling day. I knew from the very first short climb that my time up front with the leaders was going to expire quickly - and expire it did. I cracked big time. Let me tell you, friends - when you have even a slightly bad day in a race that boasts 14,000 feet of climbing in 78 miles you will lose time. I didn't have a slightly bad day - I had a pretty disastrous day. My text message here to my friend, Kelly, the night before the race may have been the first clue into my ill-fated day! (And Kelly's maiden name is actually 'Keim' - sorry Kel)

Even with a disastrous day happening, it's hard to have a bad day on the bike for me. The PCPP is put on by some of the best promoters in the sport and the course is just amazing. I can live with that lackluster result given the fact I was treated to such great riding.

After my 'insult to injury' interval immediately following the race (I had to ride 5 more miles to the hotel where my car was) I was rushing to Salt Lake to catch a flight to South Dakota. I was pleased to open up a copy of Hemispheres magazine on my United flight and see, in all its glory, Rachel Sturtz's feature on the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. What was even cooler than that was seeing several other passengers flipping through their copies and stopping on that feature.

The Dakota Five-O is another great race put on by a great promoter, Perry Jewett. I was amazed at the fact I held on for 4th after the shellacking I received the day before. My whole family was out in full force handing up water bottles and cheering LOUDLY! The Five-O has sort of become a new tradition for my family to get together and have a small reunion and it's a weekend I look forward to every year.

A week later I found myself on the back of a motorcycle shooting footage of the Half-Ironman World Championships in Las Vegas. Paul and I are currently producing the 5th and final episode of 'Driven' for Trek.

One of the best parts about shooting with a group of athletes is that you get to know them really well and while your aiming a camera in their face all day while they suffer, I think it's a welcome face behind the camera that they appreciate.

Before the start, in the wee hours of the morning, I was grabbing some footage of Australian, Joe Gambles, as he prepped his bike and warmed up for the swim. I noticed from a distance he was hacking and coughing as he was putting his swim cap on. I knew something wasn't right, but I hoped the best for him as I knew he was on target for the worlds.

During the race he tore himself inside out and managed a respectable 5th place. Afterward I overheard him tell one of the sponsors that he woke up with a cold, but if he mentioned anything before the event he would have given himself an out. This is great information for someone like me, who feels like there are more than a couple 'outs' lingering in preparation for the national championships. The truth is, there aren't any outs. I've signed up for everything on my schedule and part of the challenge is doing the best I can.

Two weeks to go for the Solo 24 Hour Nationals. These two weeks are going to be packed full with some very exciting work happening. Stand by for some big news on the film front. (well, I hope it will be big news...)

A European Colorado

2011-09-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that Colorado is an athletic state. When the US Pro Cycling Challenge rolled through the high Rocky Mountain passes and finished up in downtown Denver via Speer Blvd - we all saw that these weren't just your local road criterium crowds. This, my friends, was the realist deal there is in the world of cycling. Watching Cadel Evans, the Schleck brothers, Levi Leipheimer, the Garmin team, and many others suffer up our local training road, Lookout Mountain, I was covered in goosebumps. The crowds (and speed of the team cars!) were reminiscent of a European road race.

I'm actually not sure why I love cycling so much, but whatever it is, the grip it has on me is tightly locked. Over the last couple years, I've lost more of the tech gadgets - and a watch and ipod are about the only gadgets I ride with these days. I'm out to enjoy the quaint mountains and push myself to my limits. Pure fun.

After a 3-week hiatus from racing to shoot some Music Voyager episodes...

...I'm about to get a rude awakening in Park City, UT followed by a kick in the shin in Spearfish, SD. These two races are made up of incredible trails and terrain. I think the total mileage and altitude gain with the races on Saturday and Sunday weigh in at 128 miles with 19,000 ft of climbing. I guess I can chalk it up to training and experience with the latter being more important. I'm looking forward to seeing a huge group of my cheering family out on course in SD followed by homemade banana splits from my uncle Pat.

It's going to be a good weekend on the bike... and off - when I have some ice cream in my hands!

There's more than just Graceland here.

2011-08-18T05:50:00.000-07:00

Memphis, TN has won me over. From it's less than shiny aesthetic to the talented and proud locals who've helped sculpt a part of American music history, Memphis is just one of those towns you have to visit to feel what it's about.

We're packing up and leaving today, but not without a solid send-off from our friend, Scott Bomar. Scott is a kind and unassuming guy who just happens to be one of the most talented people I've met on this trip. If you've seen the movies, 'Hustle and Flow' and/or 'Black Snake Moan', you've seen (or more appropriately, heard) his work. He composed the soundtracks for those films and others. He's also in a band and owns a studio here in Memphis. I'll admit that I couldn't get enough of his stories about the people he's worked with and the process of scoring films.

Well, we're off to Bristol next. We're staring at a 9-hour drive so I'm more than happy I brought my good headphones. I could use the break today from running, too. It's been a sizable challenge trying to stay in shape, but I think I'll be okay for when we get back to CO - and back to my mountain bike.

This was pretty powerful. I've seen it in photos so many times, but being there was incredible.

Our trip coincided with the 34th anniversary of Elvis' death. We were able to get an all-access experience for the vigil.

Amy Lavere and her band played in an old Victorian mansion. Although we were losing light fast, it turned out great.

The marquee pretty much says it all.

We've been treated like family on the trip. I was given some prize fruits and veggies from Jamie and Suzanne, (Grascals). Fun Fact: the tomato I'm slicing up here is Dolly Parton's absolute favorite vegetable. I happen to know this because Jamie, Suzanne and Dolly are good friends... What?!

The Tennessee Voyage

2011-08-12T06:08:00.000-07:00

As I sit here in this Nashville hotel downloading hours of footage from yesterday's Music Voyager shoot, it almost feels like we were in Colombia only a few weeks ago doing the same. However, as the crew met up in the airport a couple days ago, we realized that it has been eight months since we shot our final episodes of season two. As Dax (our sound master) pointed out, it's nice having the same core group on the shoot as it was a seamless - and successful - start to our first day of shooting for season three.

Since I couldn't bring my bike with me, I'm falling back on my AIC training and running roots for the two weeks I'm in TN. I can already feel the effects of the learning curve. (AKA sore legs and joints) I was able to explore a little of Nashville yesterday morning on my run and I must say, this is a cool city. I'm looking forward to this whole shoot as we'll traverse across the state and surely see a unique slice of Americana.

The Roys

Alison Brown

Cinematographer Dave

Class defines this group

2011-08-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

I owe quite a bit to my friend, Jonathon Davis (Trek Store rider). It seems that whenever I'm in a pinch, running late for a race, forgetting things at race venues, in need of a cross-country bike transport, or just moral support, Jon's there. This was the case this last weekend for the Laramie Enduro. With work breathing down my neck until the late afternoon hours on Friday, I rolled into Laramie well past the 8PM number plate pick-up. The website said 'no packet pick-up after 8 or on race day.' Needless to day, I was stressed on my drive - so guess who I called...

Sending me the numbers of the race directors, Jon bailed me out. With that out of the way and some calming phone conversations, I was able to go to bed, stress free.

Cut to: 4:30AM Saturday morning...

The Laramie Enduro is one of those races that has it all; singletrack, steep and punchy climbs, long climbs, double-track roads, technical sections, and most of all - one hell-of-a 2nd half to make sure you earn that finishing time.

The other thing the Enduro has plenty of is competition. After taking a quick gander around at the start to see who was about to put the hammer down, I realized that trying to reach the podium was in itself going to be a huge task - like it always is! As the race started to unfold, the elevated pace coupled with some mechanicals for the unlucky ones, whittled our group down to 4. Colby Pearce, Barkley Robinson, Jay Henry, and myself were working together before another split put Colby and I out front. I know from experience that Jay can never be counted out. Both Colby and I knew it was a matter of time before he would come steamrolling back - and sure enough - here came Jay!

As we were approaching the last climbs of the day, Jay and I found ourselves alone out front. There were a few moments where Jay lifted the pace and I ALMOST cracked, but I held it together knowing that I needed to keep contact before the last mountain. Proving he's one of the classiest guys in the pro field, Jay offered me a bottle from his own support which allowed me to keep rolling through the aid station before the final, grueling climb. I remember chatting with him on the dirt road leading up to the base of the climb, both admitting that the last thing we wanted was to reach this climb with someone next to you. The reason is that we were racing hard for 4 hours already - and who wants to try and attack at hour four in a mtb race?!

As we started the climb, I told myself (I'm keeping it censored here) that I needed to turn myself inside out, pain is temporary, and my legs don't have the right to yell at me just yet. As the tunnel vision worsened and the lactic acid filled every part of my body, I realized I had a little gap on Jay. For those of you who know Jay, you know that it takes a near miracle for that to happen!

I was able to hold him off by a slim 30 seconds at the finish. It took the best day I could imagine on a bike to pull this off against the likes of the talent who lined up. Jay pushed me to the max and that netted a finishing time under the previous course record for both of us.

For those who like a little more analytical info, the key to success for me is eating and staying hydrated. This is true for everyone, of course, but if I'm even a little off - I'm done, cooked, and blown apart. I chose to eat the Pink Lemonade Stinger chews the whole race because they went down easy, tasted good, and provided enough calories - in addition to some calories in the bottle. Boy does it feel good to have nailed the nutrition...

Again, huge thanks to Jon, Jay, Curt W, Honey Stinger, Trek, Bontrager and the classy group of gals and guys that make up the mountain bike community.

Sea breezes and thin air

2011-07-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

It's pretty amazing how a little break from everything can recharge a person. This is, of course, if you let it recharge you. Most of the time, when I travel for fun I have way too many things on my mind to fully soak in new experiences, locations, food and sunshine. I'm proud to say that I've made leaps and bounds towards figuring out the balance of relaxing versus working.

I'm not sure if it's the fact that I'm getting older - or less naive - but I'm slowly realizing that working and racing my bike take some serious energy. And that falling asleep in my chair at work (and sometimes wishing I could take a 20 second nap while training) isn't normal.

After the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge, I raced in Winter Park the following Saturday. This gave me only 4 days to try and recover from that brutal effort we all put in the previous Monday. Although the race went pretty good, I had a big realization when it came time to dig deep, suffer, and try and stay with the two leaders. I pretty much said to myself, 'Oh man, not sure if I want to race these guys!'. Well, that's no good. Especially when it's your job as a pro to race. I did hold on to finish 3rd - and 3rd to two extremely talented gentlemen I might add. Upon finishing the race I realized I needed to not only take a break from the bike, but just get out of Dodge completely for a few days. Recharging was the only item on the to-do list.

An opportunity to visit Rachel in Seattle came up and I jumped at the thought of getting up there and to take in the Northwest. I've only spent a little time in Seattle, also known as the Emerald City. Think of the rich green forests. (thanks Wikipedia)

I did bring my road bike since I knew I had a day to explore - AND I was going to have a 'guide' who had some plans to cruise on the Burke-Gilman trail and head out to the beach. With this free week before the Breckenridge 100, (I'll get to that in a second) I was free to enjoy good food, relaxation and a casual schedule. I pretty much took advantage of this and enjoyed every minute of it.

I really owe a huge thanks to Rachel for being an incredible host and making this all happen. I was sent back to Colorado ready and recharged. (and not without the added bonus day after my return flight was cancelled...) I can only try and repay the favor.

One word can describe the Breckenridge 100. Ouch.

Around 14,000 feet of elevation gain over 100 miles, the B100 is a race that pretty much humbles anyone who tries it. Coming off a week at sea level, I found myself out of breath just walking up the stairs to our hotel room. Did that make me a little nervous? Yes, yes it did. However, when we rolled out of town at 6AM and up Wheeler Pass to start the first of three different loops, I felt incredible. I had the mental strength to push it and the legs (and most of my lungs) to push the pace.

Looking around at my fellow competitors in the group, I knew I was in for a tough day. Josh Tostado and Jeff Schalk are the real deals when it comes to 100 milers. I hung on for 50 miles and was feeling incredible, but at that halfway mark I started feeling the lack of endurance in my legs. I don't usually race this distance this time of year - and this was a slap in the face (er, punch in the nose) to remind me that you can't just show up without that type of fitness in the legs.

All in all, I had a good day and a lot of fun. Schalk took the win while Josh finished 2nd in a great battle. Two class-acts who both deserve to win.

As a cap to the crazy weekend, we're shooting a new top-secret project which has been a ton of fun. I even got to jump off a ledge into the Arkansas river...

Burnin' like a firecracker on the 4th of July

2011-07-08T06:19:00.000-07:00

It's that time my friends. Time to say, 'I'm ready.'

As an athlete, I believe it's pretty easy to tell yourself that there's still room for improvement. Although this is pretty much the truth all the time, it's a dangerous place to be perpetually living in. That slippery slope of expectations can be frustrating, daunting, and often times pretty dark. Over the years, I've decided that I can no longer scientifically dissect my preparation leading up to race day, but instead focus on the mental side of the sport.

Coming into July I knew I had a few big races on the calendar I wanted to do well in. It's pretty amazing how easy it is to hide behind the '3 weeks until the race' factor and say, 'I'm going to be so ready!' Then, as the '3 days until the race' falls in your lap, it's just as easy to say, 'Well, I did have a stressful week at work, and I'm a little extra tired from not sleeping well, and . . .' These things may be (and probably are) true, but I've been learning to focus on the hay that's in the barn. We've done the work, which is the hardest part. Focusing on the hours and hours on the bike I've put in is much more productive then focusing on one or two little factors that really aren't a huge deal.

I lined up for the annual Firecracker 50 on the 4th, and as I looked around at the competition I got a little nervous - and yes, doubtful of my form. However, as the gun went off and we rolled down Main Street in Breckenridge, I put everything aside and had to tell myself that anything can happen, the work was done, and most importantly - I apologized to my body in advance for what I was about to put it through.

The Firecracker 50 is made up of two monstrous laps each measuring in at 27 miles and about 5,000 ft of climbing. The first 20-30 minutes of the race is a big climb and as we were all jockeying for position, I made it into one of the first selections. As a group, we were working well together, but what I didn't realize was that the guy who shot off the front, Peter Stetina, was fresh off an impressive 22nd place at the Giro 'd Italia. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone climb so fast in my life.

The 'check engine' light came when I reached the top and I thought my day was already done! I tried to relax and stay steady, which proved to be fruitful in my attempt to get back in the game. As the first lap unfolded, I found myself out front with Colin Cares - and just keeping a slight lead on Jay Henry. Those who know Jay know that it's only a matter of time before he comes steamrolling back towards the front.

As Colin and I worked with each other up that first big climb of the 2nd lap, I knew he was about a gear faster than me. I gritted my teeth to stay with him, but when we hit the top, I just couldn't keep it together and he put some time into me. As the race started nearing the end, Jay (looking and riding so fast!) caught and passed me. I knew if I could keep my cool I would hold onto third, but believe me - that's much harder than it sounds in this race. Good friend and super strong rider, Brian Smith, was just over a minute behind me towards the end. I'm glad I held it together to roll through in 3rd. This was definitely one of my best races due to the fact that it was a mental test as much as physical. For me to be in the same zipcode as Colin, Jay, and Brian is an honor. They're not only great athletes, but great guys.

Honey Stinger/Trek rider Jen Gersbach made the podium for the women's side with an impressive 4th place ride. Looking as fit as ever, I'd say she's in for a good 2nd half of the season.

To top it all off I had some friends show up for the race to spectate - and let me tell you, it's a great feeling to see friends after something like that. Thanks Chris, Britt and Livi.

Vive le Tour!

2011-07-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

Today marks the start of the Tour de France. Already fanatical about this event, my interest in the 3 week grand tour has only been pushed deeper by getting to know some of the good people riding in this great race. The following links are products of several trips to Europe, interviews with numerous teammates, shooting looong bike rides, and all-night editing sessions.

Driven by Passion: Jani Brajkovic

Driven by Yellow: Andy and Frank Schleck

There's also been some racing for me lately. (which is good - because that's what I do!) I've said it before, but I still feel I don't say it enough - the Wednesday night Summit Mountain Challenge races in Breckenridge are some of the best races I've done. The courses, competition, and most of all, people involved have made this series a standout. The Gold Run Rush (SMC #2) was re-routed due to record snow this season, but the climbs and course were still really hard, yet a ton of fun. I was able to pull it off - although Josh B (who's flyin' right now) was breathing down my neck, making me earn it!

July is looking to be a big month for my race schedule - which is great since I'll be heading out on a 2 week film shoot in August. I'm lining up for the Firecracker 50 (first time since '08) and then I'll toe the line for the Breckenridge 100. (first time ever) Following that will be my final build-up for nationals, including some fun, but brutal events in Park City, SD, and of course, Colorado.

Here's to Andy, Frank, Jani, and the other 195 riders in the Tour - good luck!

The 'Great' in Grandmother

2011-06-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

I've had the true privilege to get to know my great grandmother really well. She would sit with me and share stories of her journey from Russia to the US as a little German girl. She would share with me her experiences on the boat, (hiding inside of a trunk for most of it). She told me about settling on the Prairie in North Dakota. And when she told me stories about my family, I couldn't get enough. I began to realize why I've always held my family in such high regard. I come from a bloodline of great people and last week's visit with my great grandmother, ultimately my last, reiterated this. Two months shy of her 101st birthday, she was sharp and offered up her usual advice on life. I'm going to miss those conversations, but I feel blessed that I've had them. I'm going to miss you grandma.

From the Alps to the Prairie

2011-06-12T22:33:00.000-07:00

Yikes. It's been a while.

I think it's safe to say that any time I notice a friend's blog become a little neglected (or a response to my call or email), they've probably been pretty busy. That's the case here folks. I'll give a rapid-fire update of the on goings as of late:

Jani Brajkovic. (this might be filed under the old news category, but still newsworthy nonetheless)

Jani is one of the coolest guys we've worked with. His kind and shy nature made it easy for us to work with him. Paul, (my partner in crime for the past few Trek shoots), and I spent several days on the island of Tenerife, Spain shooting with Jani while he rode up and down the volcano. Here is the 3rd episode of 'Driven', featuring the Radioshack sponsored rider.

Upon returning from Spain, I had a couple races that went... well, let's just say that I didn't bring my 'A' game to them. As always they were fun, but I still have some small plate-sized bruises on a couple of places on my body.

Cut to:

Back across the pond, Paul and I had the opportunity to shoot with the Leopard team again. This time we meandered around the French and Italian Alps for a few days - which totally blew my mind. Although I can't say much about it now, I will tell you to keep your eyes out for the finished product very soon. I believe it is going to be a good one.

Cut to:

More bike racing for me. This time, I felt better and started acting like a real rider.

MTB Race News write-up

Angel Fire, NM is one of my favorite races, and not just because it marks the start of the ski resort climbing races, but also because when in Angel Fire, you're a hop, skip, and a jump away from Santa Fe. My traveling companions and good friends, Dave and Justin, were up for a South Boundary ride following the race and then a quick day trip to Santa Fe for some spicy food and good riding. An impromptu invitation also saw the likes of Sarah and Nick from Yeti joining us on the South Boundary expedition. That's a great group right there.

And finally:

One of my favorites - Race to Sunset in Bismarck, ND. It is always a pleasure to return home and see the family. I owe a huge thanks to my parents and my whole family for sporting some custom t-shirts and ringing cowbells for the entire 10 hours of the race. I hit a pretty rough patch around hour 5, but the undying support from my family and the knowledge from my experienced cousin Ryan helped get me through. And really, everyone out on course and in the support area deserve a huge thanks as well. This is one of the highlights of my season for several reasons and this year didn't disappoint. One of my cousins and I have a tradition where we trade sunglasses for the last hour of the race. Appropriately, she had a pair that matched my casual kicks...

I'm humbled by the kind words of the local cycling crew up here. Every year the entire group gets stronger and faster! I so look forward to seeing you all when I make the trek home and I hope I get to see ya sooner than later!

All I'm doing now is eating. It's weird, the Nutella flew from my grocery bag, into my hands with a bag of apples and a knife, and now they're in my stomach. Apparently half of the jar of Nutella went missing too...

Until next time - which shouldn't take as long as this time,

km

This one's up for grabs...

2011-05-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

I'm heartbroken to have to announce that I will not be at the Growler this year to defend this plate.

Although both of my jobs are dream jobs for me, the necessity of having to choose between the two is often taxing. Winning this race last year ranked among one of the biggest wins of my career. I had worked so hard to be in the best shape possible for the 2011 edition, but instead it looks like I'll be in peak physical condition for my flight to France that weekend. Yep, France - again!

I'll be in the shrouded mist of the French Alps doing some shooting - so I guess it makes it a little less of a bummer.

Good luck to the guys and gals in Gunnison!

The Gold Coast

2011-05-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not even really sure where to start, but I guess I should kick this off by saying that I won't come close to giving the appropriate amount of word-time to people and places mentioned in the next couple paragraphs.

Last week I went back to Los Angeles to shoot a video with Shepard Fairey, a world-renowned artist best known for his Obey Giant campaign - and more recently, the 'Hope' poster he designed during Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

Lucky for me, good friend and ultra-talented filmmaker, Rod Blackhurst, resides in the city and thus I was able to hire him to help me. Rod and I have traveled all over together working on projects, so it didn't take any time to get back in the swing of things. Here's the link to the video:

Shepard Fairey + Trek = New Team Radioshack bikes for the Tour of California.

Upon returning to CO, I headed down to Cortez, CO with my friend Jesse Swift for some racing in the desert. Honey Stinger/Trek teammates Len Zanni and Colin Osborn met me down there, and along with them was Calle Friberg, Swedish national champion (several times over!) to round out our 4 person team for the 12 our relay.

Unfortunately for us, Lady Luck and I have been on the outs for some reason. After my first lap double-puncture, we rallied all day long to get back into the game. And into the game we were! With all of us tearing ourselves inside out to catch back up, the team delivered me a great opportunity to go out and steal the win. As I was getting ready to head out for my last lap, the leaders came through the timing tent 2:15 ahead of us - sitting in 2nd place. Well, I knew what I needed to do. It was my fault we were in this place so I had to clean it up!

I went out with purpose and I was feeling great. I caught and passed the leader (who, I must mention, was on a 3 person team... Not 4!). As I was cruising along and dreaming of finishing in first after the crazy circumstances, I hit a steep hill. Standing up and mashing on the pedals, I heard a 'pop' and then looked down to see my chain laying in the sand. Long story short, I wasn't prepared enough to fix the chain in a timely manner, thus slipping our team back into 4th at the finish... Lucky I have a very forgiving team and we chalked up the day as a fun one, albeit challenging. Lesson learned - be prepared.

The next day I found myself back in Concourse C, boarding a flight to San Francisco. Trek had asked me to be in a photo shoot for their catalog, ads, and whatever else they'll use the photos for. Of course I said yes. Who wouldn't take the opportunity to ride their bike up and down Highway 1 North of San Fran for 4 days?! I saw mostly familiar faces and met a handful new people. I've worked with photographer, John Laptad before, but never in this capacity. John does tremendously great work, and the fact I knew what he meant when he said, 'I'm shooting at f11', was hopefully a help. Thanks to John for making me look good as I know it's a tougher job than I'd like to admit. He had two lovely girls with him who helped make us look good and tried to keep us on track. Thank you Amarett (Assistant) and Mariva (Stylist) for putting me in the hot seat...

Out there with me doing the heavy lifting as 'models' were new friend Chris and old friend Jeff. The 3 of us are simply fans of riding bikes, so when we weren't shooting we were riding, sprinting, attacking, and just having fun.

I'm finally back home and anxiously awaiting my upcoming schedule. I've been preparing for a few big races that are quickly approaching, but my travel schedule may have something to say about it. As always, I'll just try to hit that moving target known as
my schedule.

Wouter Weylandt

2011-05-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

No one likes to hear the news of a fellow rider passing away. We, as fellow racers and enthusiasts, know the inherent risk of riding our bikes as fast as we can, but we never expect tragedies to happen. We expect to have fun, suffer, give it our best, and go home to our loved ones with stories to tell and recover before the next adventure.

Today, Leopard-Trek rider Wouter Weylandt, suffered a fatal crash in stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia. Although I've only spent time with him on a couple of occasions as 'the film guy', I can't help but feel crushed - which only makes me realize how devastated his family, friends, and team must be. My deepest sympathies go out to them.

Don't ride hard, ride fast.

2011-05-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

Within these wise words lied what I told myself over and over this last weekend in Fruita during the 2nd Mountain States Cup race. As simple as it may sound, it's certainly more difficult to follow through with that advice when in the throws of a mountain bike race. Told to me by good friend Josh on the drive out to the Western Slope, those words were the winning ingredient on Sunday.

It seems that when Brad Bingham toes the line at a race with me, we're doing battle - one way or another! Brad's unbelievable talent on a mountain bike makes him a feared competitor, but his friendly nature makes him a likable guy. When the dust settled on the first 10 miles of the race and Brad and I were alone, I knew it was going to get tough. He's got huge power and insane bike handling skills. After some good miles of back-and-forth racing, I found myself alone - and in the lead! 'Don't ride hard, ride fast!'

Benefiting from a couple big races around the country the same weekend and good preparation, I was able to win my first Mountain States Cup as a pro. Couldn't be happier - and to do it in front of some new teammates (and team manager Len!) it was made much sweeter. Thanks to Honey Stinger, Trek, Bontrager, et al, for all the support.

I woke up that morning with great legs and a good mind. Brad didn't have the day he wanted given some tire troubles to throw into our close battle, but said he had fun nonetheless. Thanks for the great race my friend - there will be a lot more I'm sure...

They Do.

2011-04-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've been really excited to drive to the airport and get on a plane. Don't get me wrong - I love traveling. However, most trips lately consisted of lugging multiple cameras, lighting setups, microphones, hard drives, etc - across numerous countries, leaving me with bruises on my back and dark circles under my eyes. So, a trip to LA to see some of the best friends anyone could ask for and be part of a wedding for two of them was a truly great treat.

My accommodations were provided by my good friend Nicki who happens to be the key hair stylist for a show on Adult Swim called, Children's Hospital. Couldn't be more proud to see her in her element - especially after her and I slung coffee together back in the day in Denver.

The weekend was a perfect and much needed escape. These days it's very rare that large groups of friends can gather and spend some concentrated time together.

Looking around at my cohorts this weekend humbled me. The good-hearted and talented people in this group reminded me of why I strive to be good at what I do. Needless to say, I'm honored to have been in the wedding of two people capable of bringing so much goodness onto one beach in Malibu.

Congrats Rod and Rachel.

'15 seconds...'

2011-04-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

We, as bike racers, know how it feels to hear those words on the start line. I get nervous even typing it. Well, last weekend I heard those words as I signed up for the first race of the year. Fresh off of the trip from Spain and a 4 hour ride the previous day - I suited up and toe'd the line. I have to say, I felt pretty good. So, as much as I'd love to use my travel and ride as an excuse, I can't say it effected me too much. However, my technical riding completely disappeared, leaving my competitors wondering how I managed to ever get a pro mtb license!

Speaking of Spain, I had the great opportunity to spend time and shoot with Jani Brajkovic, of Team Radioshack. He is an extremely humble, talented, and nice guy. Not to mention a cool dad to his fun 3 year old son. Jani allowed us to invade his 6 hour training day for some filming on the Canary Island of Tenerife. Apparently, every passenger in the car must have a seatbelt on there. AND the doors have to be shut... What? I paid 40 Euros and spoke some poor (very poor) Spanish to learn that lesson.

In honor of David Lee Roth, we shot some photos halfway up the Tenerife volcano, where Jani's lone hotel was.

I'll post a link to the Jani piece when it is finished. Thank you again Jani, for the quality time you gave Paul and I.

Denver-Chicago-Madrid-...Tenerife?

2011-04-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

Nestled in a small group of islands just off the coast of Morocco, Tenerife (Spain) looks to be a beautiful place to shoot our next project! Warm weather, huge volcano, beaches, and good people are great ingredients for a successful adventure.

Just as jetlag will surely be setting in when I return, I'll be heading to NM for the first race of the year. Really looking forward to kicking off the season. Hopefully, this trip will help my body absorb the last few big rides I put in.

Yesterday was my first mountain bike ride in Boulder this season and I actually broke down and threw a hydration pack on. For those of you who know me, you know how much I dislike riding with anything on my back other than a jersey. However, Osprey provided packs for us this year and I've totally turned the corner! Possibly the best feature is the magnetic holder that keeps the hose in place. Huge fan.

I feel so spoiled again with all the support this year. Honey Stinger, Trek, Ay-Up Lights, my parents, Bontrager, etc. It has helped keep me motivated through the windy days and early mornings.

PS - Here is the 2nd video from the 'Driven' campaign that we just finished up.

Driven: Fabian Cancellara

Ducks in a row

2011-03-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

Every day that comes and goes, we're one day closer to that first race. No matter how fit or trained an athlete is, nothing can really prepare them for what they'll experience that first day of the season. For me, I've learned to relax and take whatever result I get. It just seems the harder I work, the harder I suffer that opening race. Maybe it's because I never feel like I'm where I should be and it makes it that much tougher. I don't know. What I do know, is that I've put in the work and I'm excited to see where this season goes - and not only for myself, but for the exceptionally talented riders on the Honey Stinger/Trek squad.
(we're missing a few faces here)

I recently read a quote from Eddy Merckx, on Trek teammate Jeff Schalk's blog, stating that the secret to riding fast was to 'ride lots'. This is, and always has been, my theory. I don't pretend to be a doctor or coach, but I know what works for me. I actually don't ride 6 hours a day, but I ride because it's fun and it's a huge release for me. I'm not one to look at and analyze data from every ride because for me, it doesn't always translate. I've tried it, and it wasn't good. I had times where the numbers were great and I was getting dropped, and times where I should have been dropped per the numbers, but had a great day. (With all that said, I know of a couple riders who've won big races by analyzing the numbers!) Personal reference for sure.

After attempting to organize photos on my computer, I ran across a couple fun ones from last year. I figured it would be good to share one since my new team director, Len Zanni, is not only the boss, but he's also qualified in 'tearing your legs off-ology'! (seen here about to throw down the attack...)

I'm really enjoying the company of the team. Not sure if it's good or bad yet, but I found another partner in crime who's pretty much up for any adventure. I have a feeling Colin Osborn, along with training bud Josh B will be pushing me to my limits on training rides, night rides, and in races.

Thank you Devon Balet for the photos and night ride out at camp.

Honey Stinger/Trek Team Camp 2011

2011-03-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Although I have yet to snag all the photos from the weekend, I can try and paint a picture of what our camp was like.

Riding mountain bikes with a bunch of great people, a lot of food, more riding, more food, good stories around the campfire, some night riding, nutella in a tortilla, more stories around the fire, more riding and so on...

More photos coming shortly.

I will say that this group of people is certainly a clan that I'm proud to be a part of. Treating me - and the other newbies to the team - like family, I felt like I was at home. I think it's going to be a good year!

From the 'White Roads' to the Cobble Stones

2011-03-13T06:32:00.000-07:00

After a couple weeks of working in the beautiful countries of Italy, Belgium and France, I'm back home and staring straight into the eyes of the fast approaching cycling season. With a new sponsor and new team for me, and some inspiration drawn from spending time with arguably the best bike racers in the world last week, I'm feeling ready and confident to start the season.

With our team's training camp kicking things off next weekend, I'll get to meet all my new teammates and get a chance to do a ton of mountain biking. I feel stronger than I ever have coming into a season and I have some lofty goals, but I'm also realistic. My other work could keep me on the road for a significant amount of time this summer and an injury is always a possibility, but I'll just take it day by day and enjoy the experience.

With the first major goal of the season to repeat at the Growler - all the way to my hopes of a great finish at 24 hour nationls in October, it's a long season and it's important to remember to have fun, win or not win.

Weekend Edition

2011-02-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

Friends of ours over at NPR, Jasmine and Felix, were on Weekend Edition talking about their time with us (the Music Voyager team) in Colombia.

We had a great time with them and I'm excited to hear their take on the experience over the next few weeks as they share their stories.

You can listen to it hear.

Speaking of Music Voyager, season 2 has begun airing and I'm proud of what we've been able to put together. The producer is already out there, traveling around and putting together the plan for season 3...

Into the Hive

2011-02-19T23:02:00.000-08:00

It's official - I'm a member of the Honey Stinger/Trek off road team. I have always stood by my standards of pairing up with people and products I believe in - and this is certainly no different.

The 2011 Honey Stinger/Trek Team

Why not...

2011-02-09T10:26:00.000-08:00

When asked if I wanted to go running instead of get on the trainer, I said yes. What I was actually saying yes to was a trail run, up and down Apex Park in Golden, at night, in several inches of snow, while temperatures hovered around 0 - 5 degrees F.

Gotta say, it was one of the funnest things I've done in a while. It is always good to break things up a bit and this run was a great way to do it. All in all, we ran 6 or 7 miles (which is crazy for me - because I don't run much!) and gained roughly 1800 feet in elevation.

Unfortunately, Josh informed me his toes were a little frostbitten, but other than that - all was good...

(Apex in warmer days...)

The best chef in town

2011-01-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

Close friend of mine, Mary Nguyen, is an unstoppable woman.

Opening a French-Vietnamese Bistro here in Denver called 'Parallel 17' in 2005, she showed her culinary creativity and astute knowledge of being both a business owner and chef. It didn't start there, however. My history with Mary goes back to when I met her while working at Starbucks. She had 3 or 4 full time jobs (it seemed anyway!) including head chef at Hapa Sushi in Cherry Creek and owning a catering business. She had an undying drive to succeed. Her successes didn't just take her to P17 either, as tonight I was invited to the grand opening of her new restaurant, Street Kitchen Asian Bistro. It's inspiring, humbling, and pride inducing to see a good friend in a moment of great success. As the woman of the hour, she was bombarded by hundreds of people, but I managed to sneak in and give her a congratulatory hug and well wishing.

To me, she's one of the best chefs in Denver - and Denver is becoming quite the food town. Am I biased? Sure, but taste for yourself the incredible cuisine found on her menu. I do suggest any of the sushi, the Roti, curries, and whatever dish that was served in the martini glass. (tuna, rice, veggies) That may have been my favorite...

Cheers Mary! Good luck with the new restaurant.

Elbow Grease

2011-01-20T17:23:00.000-08:00

As I cruise around the mountains on my newly built road bike, I realize that before we know it, Spring will be here - and that means mountain bike racing. I know that I can set some lofty goals each season, but I also realize that it's the foundation you build in the winter that an athlete stands on when it comes time to 'toe the line' during the summer. I've been fortunate enough to have a full-on network of support that helps me keep focused - including Kevin at the Athletic Improvement Center. I've been adding quite a few new routines to my off-season cross training and I think it's already paying off. These new workouts have been so hard and as my friend Jason puts it, 'People in the gym look at us weird because we just thrash ourselves!'

True.

As the new year begins and starts fresh - so do most teams. I'll have a new look to my jersey this season due to an incredible partnership with a team that I've always looked at as being solid. I still have the relationship with Trek, Bontrager and Ay-Up, but this new team will be a huge step in my hopes to have the strongest and funnest season yet... Although it's a few days away from being official, my motivation has already started.

km

Introducing...

2011-01-14T07:59:00.000-08:00

Alexia Lanore Paul

My brand new niece, born on 1.7.11

Hello 2011

2010-12-31T07:01:00.000-08:00

2010 has been a great year. I feel fortunate to be able to say that and I will work hard to be able to say the same thing about 2011 in a year.

I just got home from a trip to North Dakota where I spent some quality time with friends and family, including my parents, grandparents, and my 100-year old great grandmother. For me, it was a nice way to unwind after a month of traveling in sensory-overloading countries, (which was a crazy amount of fun!) Driving through the plains was exactly what I needed...

The next few months look to be filled with a lot of work and training. I just built up my new Trek Madone road bike and I'm excited to hit my favorite, yet steep and painful, rides around here.

(mine is a test model, which is completely white)

Speaking of painful, my winter training program has been going well and I'm seeing some pretty significant gains. It's crazy to say this, but I love how humbled I am by this program. Some of these workouts leave me sore for days, and some leave me nauseous for a few minutes! My good friend Jason Donald said it best; 'People look at you funny in the gym because you are absolutely thrashing yourself!'

As the new year begins, the racing schedules will be announced and I'll be able to plan out my 2011. I'm looking forward to making this the best year yet - and hopefully putting on a certain jersey I've been working toward for a while.

Happy New Year!

A little catching up

2010-12-15T16:41:00.000-08:00

I recently was interviewed by a gent named Ben Welnak for the magazine, 303 Cycling - as well as XXC Magazine. Ben is a stellar fellow who is possionate about riding, racing, and spreading the word on what goes through the minds of us crazy endurance racers. I feel humbled by the kind words and I look forward to reading some more of his features. I meant to post this before I left the country.

Here is one that I was really looking forward to reading as he and I have had some epic battles...
Josh Tostado

Home. Sweet. Home.

2010-12-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love traveling, but coming home after an epic journey - and knowing that you're home for a while - is a great feeling. I'm in my own bed, I can use a washing machine instead of my hands to clean my clothes, I get to mountain bike, and eating healthy is easy again.
(however, with all that said I still miss being on the road!)

Jacob, our host for Music Voyager, took a ton of photos and posted them on the show's facebook page. He and Farook did a great job of posting updates and looking at them now is pretty fun.

I'm happy to be home again. I literally felt my world align as soon as I sat on my bike today. I rode my favorite trails today with Josh and the experience was much needed after being away for a couple weeks.

A little pick-me-up

2010-12-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

We are nearing the end. After 16 days, a few sicknesses, and 90 hours of footage later, we will be heading to Bogotá and then back to the States. I'm really hoping our overnight stop in Bogotá includes some quality time with our new friends from 10 Music - Laura, Felipe, Carlos, and Maria. A well-deserved celebration is in order...

A shout-out of sorts is in order for everyone on the crew, including the producers, ground team, Dave and Dax. Each of us had to hold one another up through some rough moments on this trip. Whether it was lack of sleep or being sick, all of us had our turn, but we were held up by one another.

I can safely say this trip was a success and I'm looking forward to getting home for the holidays before post-production begins on these Colombian episodes. The funny thing is that I'm sitting in another hotel lobby beside the Old City part of Cartegena (google image this place - 'Cartegana Old City' - truly unbelievable) and I'm hearing Christmas music and seeing a full-on celebration as the holiday approaches... but I'm in tropic weather and sweating through the days!

Colombia is beautiful - and so are its people. I'm lucky to have experienced this trip and I believe the episodes will show that.

Best view in the venue

2010-12-05T15:44:00.000-08:00

Yep, this is for real. We shot on top of the highest building in bogotá - and we had the whole heli-pad to ourselves.

Currently, I'm sitting in the Cali airport after just finding out our flight to Medellín has been cancelled due to rough weather. Not sure what the plan is, but it's a great time to update the blog...

Bogotá to Cali

2010-12-02T18:40:00.000-08:00

It's been a very fun run here in the beautiful city of Bogotá and we have some great footage to show for it as well. Tomorrow we board a plane bound for Cali where another Colombian adventure awaits. In the meantime, I need to get some rest and fight this nasty cold I have...

Colombia's finest

2010-11-30T17:04:00.000-08:00

One of the scenes I was really looking forward to shooting was in Bogotá's velodrome with a kid named Edwin. Seeing is believing and inspirational. Edwin lost his left hand when an old land mine he had seen on the ground exploded. Although he has some unique challenges now, Edwin is poised to make the 2012 Paralympic games in London racing on the velodrome. I was able to get a smile out of Edwin when I gave him one of my Trek team jerseys, but his gift of inspiration in return pretty much made my gift to him pale in comparison.

Day 2

2010-11-28T22:46:00.000-08:00

This phot was taken by Jacob, our host, in a roll-reversal inside downtown Bogotá just after shooting with some very cool musicians and a great crew. (and yes, that is Colombian coffee!)

It's only been 24 hours, but we've managed to shoot several, solid scenes. The local ground team here is unblelievably sharp. Felipe, Laura and Maria - thank you for keeping us on track.

Up in the air

2010-11-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

I'm not big on ripping off film titles for my blog, but I couldn't resist as I'm literally on a flight to Bogota, Colombia right now. This is right on the heels of a trip to Belgium and France that took me to some of the world famous cycling staples such as Ghent, Wevelgem, and the famed cobble stone stretch in Paris - Roubaix ... The Arenberg Forest. I'm sitting next to Dave G as we prepare to shoot some new episodes of music voyager over the next two and a half weeks. We're meeting the whole crew on the ground and it looks like cameras start rolling immediately. I'll do my best to keep this updated as the journey unfolds. I've got some training to incorporate while I'm down there as well so I'm pretty sure I'll stay busy.

Photos to come. I hope.

Adding up the miles

2010-11-21T11:38:00.000-08:00

I'm currently in a hotel room in Kortrijk, Belgium getting ready for a couple full days of shooting. I'm getting a little disoriented as I just went to NY and saw Libby absolutely shine in her show, The Libertine, just before crossing the pond into the beautiful country loaded with historic structures, mussels, beer, waffles, chocolate and much more. I'll post some photos when I get a chance, but for now I should get some sleep. (I think it's been 28 hours or so since I got any real sleep!) I'll need to rest as a 2 and a half week trip to Colombia is on the schedule just two days after I get home... I feel very fortunate to do these things and it's certainly exciting. Exhausting, but exciting.

A Red Carpet of sorts

2010-11-10T06:12:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the first semi-public screening of our film, Red Rocks Territory. Chris, who works at Filament, and I are excited to show the finished product to the several talented individuals involved in the production. (and the few 'outsiders' that we were able to sneak in...) Although there are targeted outlets for this film, I believe the final home(s) where this project will live is yet to be determined. As they say in television, stay tuned.

The Balance

2010-11-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

What can I do to improve? It's something I ask often when it comes to different aspects of my life, such as cycling and work. And beleive me, there's ALWAYS a list...

As a gift, my roommate got me into a training program at the Athletic Improvement Center, a program which will help train my big weaknesses. An example would be core strength. I've always worked on my core, but even after the assessment test a few days ago, I'm still struggling to walk! This is going to be very good. The people involved are really positive and it's one of the most important qualities for me - and these guys exemplify just that.

This program is happening at the perfect time as well. I leave for nearly a month when I go to Europe and Colombia. I'll have some good workouts to focus on at the end of the day.

I'm really looking forward to these trips as we're striving to make Music Voyager (and the other non-disclosed projects on tap) the best they can be - and better than before.

Looks to be a good, and busy, Winter.

It's a good sign

2010-10-28T07:29:00.000-07:00

I've struggled over the last few weeks in my post-Moab down time. If you (the reader of my ramblings) take training and racing to a scientific and analytical level - you may want to skip the rest of this paragraph... I couldn't wait to get back on my bike after nationals. As soon as my hands were healed enough to grab onto the handlebars, I was out on the trails doing what I love. I'm not one to burn out on riding my bike. It's always been a funny concept to me when people cringe at the thought of training. This isn't to say I don't have times where I'm tired, but I don't blame the bike. I just take a day and when I walk by the bikes in the basement, I always want to feel good enough to get back on - and usually can't wait until I'm rested. This happens to me during the season as well, and I'm sure I've entered a plethora of races where I was a little tired. Oh well. Needless to say, I'm back on the trails and feel right at home!

I just read this article written by a Boulder, CO friend, Judy Freeman. I'd say this is the shortest, most comprehensive explanation of what it's like to be a pro mountain biker today.

In other news, it looks like Music Voyager will be hitting the road in about a month. Although I can't confirm plans just yet, I can say that our producer of the show, Farook, has been traveling the world putting all of the puzzle pieces in place to make season 2 a good one. I also just found out the show is now airing in my home state of North Dakota.

We're staying busy over here at the Taxi II building - and that's a good sign for sure.

The Badger State

2010-10-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm home from a whirlwind trip that took me to a few fully-packed days in Waterloo, WI and San Diego, CA. Although I'm unable to mention (or post photos from...) the cool things I was doing for another couple months, I can say that I was able to visit with some of the good people from Trek.

I met Trek's president, John Burke, when he invited a group of people to his home for a soiree. My introduction to him was made extra-special due to some kind words from Paul Rogers (creative extraordinaire at Trek) and Michael Browne (marketing extraordinaire and the reason I was on the Trek team in 2010). I felt at home being in the company of these guys and a few others in the room. As I looked around I realized how lucky I am to have been on such a great team for the last 3 years. (wow - it's been 3 years?!)

I don't know what next year holds for me, but I can say that the last 3 years have helped shape my cycling career into an experience that I would have never dreamed of - not to mention the teams and people that helped me during the years previous. The task of getting into the Trek organization wasn't easy. It took the right people and the right timing to happen. I just knew that when it did happen, the hard work was just beginning, and not because I was told this, but because I wanted the relationship to last and be successful. It's easy to work hard when you look down at the logo on your jersey and you get a feeling of pride. I've pedaled harder in the last few years than I ever have and will continue to do so for the next - however many - years.

The 2010 cycling season is over for me and I'm satisfied with the results. Not only the placings, but how I trained back in January and how I raced through October.

I've had some down time (along with cheeseburgers, pizza, desserts...) and now I'm ready to start shaping my plans for 2011. It's not just about racing, but about riding. As I've said before, I race so that I can ride my bike - not the other way around.

24 Hour Nationals

2010-10-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I lost some sleep on the days leading up to the race. I knew the form I had to be in leading up to it, I knew the competition was going to be insanely fast, and I knew what I was about to put my body, mind, and crew through. I was losing sleep because I knew everything was in place and I had a shot...

I become a little overwhelmed when I think about the generosity of the people on my crew. Their undying support and willingness to suffer along with me is totally crazy. We had some familiar faces in the camp as well as a few new ones. Bethany and Chris R came back for round 2 of nationals while Matt came out to wrench for me for the first time this year. I also had good friends Jen G, Chris S (aka Showtime), Dave G, Dave O, Justin (who shot these photos), Amy and Chelsea lending helping hands. We were also posted up next to good friends, Wes and Ann. Wes knocked out 9 laps before his knees called it an early (actually late) night on his solo attempt.

From the gun at noon on Saturday, I knew I wanted to create some separation from the other soloists. I feel confident about my cross country race pace and the ability to 'settle in', so I kind of went with that plan. I also knew that Josh Tostado (yep - the head to head battle continued again this year!) was going to be there no matter what and I just prepared for that. The first few laps were pretty crazy. Josh and I were actually attacking one another pretty much until it got dark. We're friends, but we love to have a good race going on so we're usually putting it on the line. I think the decisive move for him - from my point of view - was the effort he put in on our first night lap. I just remember him going so hard at times and thinking to myself - 'he's gotta pay for that at some point.' I decided to back off a little, but try and keep the pace consistent. I truly believed I would be able to reel him in later in the race if I saved a little. The reality is that Josh didn't slow down - at all! I just kept telling myself to keep pushing and not give up. I came to this race to win it and I was tearing myself inside out to do just that.

When morning rolled around, Josh had put some more time into me and it was looking like I would finish 2nd - again - to Josh. I really can't think of a better guy to see in that stars and stripes jersey. Did I want it? Yes. Did I do everything I could to try and win it? Yes. Josh just rode out of his mind and earned it.

As one of my crew members said to me, 'You brought your A game, but Josh brought his A+ game.' I couldn't agree more. Every time I race against Josh, I have more respect for him and the fact he pushed me to 18 laps was remarkable. I was told only one other rider has ever done that in the 16 year history of the race! I think we both like racing one another, because we know that neither one of us will ever give up - which is frightening - and means you better bring your A+ game if you want to win.

Congrats Josh, Cary, Ben, Ernesto - and all the other riders out there. It was one hell of a way to spend 24 hours!

km

Paying some moral bills

2010-10-07T10:36:00.000-07:00

A little pre-Moab shout-out:

Mom and Gary (and the rest of my family) - Thanks for the continued support, which without, I wouldn't have the gusto to stay motivated to do everything I love.

Libby - Many kisses. I'm going to miss you out in the desert.

Trek and Bontrager - What can I say? I still think it's crazy that I get to ride with your logo on my back, chest, and other various placements...

Ay-Up - You light up my nights. Thank you.

Human body - I'm sorry, but bear with me on this one. We're in it together.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Fall.
km

'Exorcism via shredding'

2010-10-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Mr. Chorlton, for the kind words in your article about the CB Classic 100. It was certainly a great way to spend a day; riding in the beautiful fall colors in and around Crested Butte beside some of the best people I know.

The lead-up to the end of my 2010 cycling season has been a ton of fun. I've been doing some new races and spending time with new, as wells as familiar, friends.

A couple weeks ago I traveled to Sundance, WY to race the Bear Lodge Mountain Classic with friends, Dave and Kevin. (both from the Sturgis/Spearfish area) With extremely steep and loose climbs and a pretty unnerving descent, this race was hard! Making it harder was Dave Olson looming right around me! In the end, I escaped with some scrapes from what must have been a humorous scene of me hitting the deck - hard. Dave rolled in 2nd and we thought we'd pull our fast Chilean friend, Christian, onto the 'podium' for a quick pic.

Last weekend was the CB Classic - a race I look forward to every year because of the trails, weather, and most of all, people. Dave Ochs, ride organizer and team director of Team Alpine Orthopaedics, makes this event. His good natured vibe and general passion for putting this event on makes it worth the trip alone. Every time I see Dave at races, you know you can expect to see a smile.

The route takes you out on 3 monster laps on the trails outside of Crested Butte, with the home-base being the Brick Oven in downtown CB. Each loop is different and the total elevation gain is roughly 13,000 feet - over nearly 100 miles. Ouch. The race went well sans a few 'foggy' areas on the last lap. Brian Smith was knocking on my door near the end, making it a pretty close race!

(Thanks for the photo Fred!)

Brian is a good friend of mine and ex-teammate, and I know how fast he is. He just came back from a major injury, with the Classic being his first race this year. Man, you were flyin'!

One of the coolest parts of the weekend was hanging with my friend, Wes, who was essential in getting me into bike racing. Wes taught me many lessons as he would drop me up climbs - and down descents - when I got into riding. My first 24 hour mountain bike races were spent trying to hold up my end of the deal in our duo category attempts. Those were the days Wes!

Next up is Moab. I'm humbled by the support from my family, Libby, friends, sponsors, and the crew who are making the trip out to the desert to help me out. Next weekend is also a big weekend for a few friends...

Chris Lieto and Julie Dibens (as well as a few other Trek K•Swiss athletes) are gunning for the Ironman world championships in Kona Hawaii. Chris and Julie - good luck out there! I'll be getting reports Saturday afternoon.

Eszter Horyani (US solo 24-hour champ) is in Australia aiming to win the solo 24-hour world championships. Keep on pushing E! I'm bummed I won't see you in Moab, but you'll be flying in OZ.

A nod to some generous people (part 1)

2010-09-24T06:54:00.000-07:00

It wasn't that long ago that I was on a $200(US) Specialized Rock Hopper. With no suspension and low-end components, this bike - in all its purple glory - was my ride. I took pride in keeping it clean and safe from bike thieves. Well, technically it probably was a while ago, but I'll never forget the humble beginnings of a rider who considers himself very lucky to have world-class support today.

Since turning pro in 2006, (and previous to that) I've had plenty of help along the way in the form of people and products. Today, my core support is made up of the people and products I've sought out. Financial and gear support comes from the likes of Trek, my parents, Bontrager and Ay-Up lights.

This post technically isn't my 'official duty' as a sponsored athlete, but rather my official duty as a thankful athlete. I owe it to these companies who spend time, money and ample resources to develop world-class products, in addition to sending out salt-of-the-earth people to represent their gear. One person in a cast of several generous characters is Andy Fellows from Ay-Up Lights.

Last year, an article came out in cyclingnews that mentioned a lighting failure I had in the middle of the night in Moab. The writer of this article threw me a bone by mentioning I needed a light sponsor. Well, after another Ay-Up athlete, Travis Macy, put me in contact with Andy, I found myself on their list of athletes. Being a solo 24-hour racer, this was one of the best sponsorships I could have asked for. Those of you who have looked into buying a lighting setup understand how difficult it is to pick the right product for the right price for the right application. Let me do you a favor... read on.

I'm the very proud owner of the Adventure V4 Kit.

As a mountain biker who struggles riding with a camelback, much less a bunch of other heavy and cumbersome items, I was looking for a lighting kit that didn't A) have batteries that break water bottle cages B) have unreliable and flimsy lights and C) burn out in an hour and a half - leaving a rider guessing whether or not he or she will be riding to the finish line in darkness.

I've been aware of Ay-Up for quite some time - and pretty much from the beginning just over 3 years ago. I saw these light and well-designed lights in Monterey, CA when I raced the Solo 24-Hour Worlds and they caught my eye. As an owner of a film/video production company, I have to be honest and say that - yes - design and looks play an important role in products I buy. So there's the first A+.

The lights themselves are the lightest on the market. (2nd A+)

In the V4 kit, I have two sets of lights - one placed on my handlebar and the other on my helmet, making the night 'come alive' as they say. However, remember my dislike for heavy batteries? Ay Up's got my back!

Lightweight (as light as an iphone) and lasting around 6hrs each (A+++!), the Epic battery blows away anything I've seen and WAY out-performs the several lighting kits I've raced with.

I'd like to re-iterate that I'm a huge fan of design, function, and a company's beliefs and people. Ay-Up has impressed me so much that I truly believe I'm doing someone a favor when I recommending these lights. In fact, if there are any front-rangers out there who want to do a night ride with me and try them out - give me a shout. I'll let you use mine. I encourage people to spend some time on their website as they have several products and kits that work in any application from adventure sports, climbing, skiing, and pretty much anything you'd ever need light for. A huge selling point for me as well, is that the pricing isn't outrageous. These guys just do it right - plain and simple.

Moab is right around the corner and I'm looking forward to lighting it up at night - thanks to Travis and Andy. Thanks for helping me out boys!

km

If only you could see lactic acid

2010-09-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

This is pre-implosion. Congrats to Brad, Dave, Josh and Ben for riding great at the Five O.

In other news, Josh is in Guatemala and he's been documenting his journey thus far in his blog. I dropped him off at the airport and all he had was a backpack, passport and no idea when he was coming home. Enjoy the journey Tribeca... (my new nickname for the guy who tripods around corners he finds himself going into a little too fast...)

Also, Jonathan Davis from the Trek Store team finished third overall at the Vapor Trail 125. Again, the race is called, 'The Vapor Trail 125'... Need I say more?

Way to break through those dark moments my friend.

I've been racing a bunch lately and aside from a little bad luck, I'm feeling good and having a lot of fun. The Fall Classic was this last weekend and friends Dave and Kevin came down from South Dakota for it. We've developed somewhat of a routine, (if you can call doing something twice a routine) of hitting Denny's for a pre-race breakfast. Both times proved to be a successful endeavor for us. There's just something about wheat pancakes, eggs and coffee that make a person feel good...

With October approaching, my internal clock knows it's time for Moab. Not in the normal sense of a leisurely trip with friends to do some fall riding, but something more along the lines of one last race to say goodbye to the 2010 season and my 4th year as a pro. Moab is tough - mentally, physically and everything in between. Last year was a success and I hope to show up to the line just as prepared this year. I've always believed that, win or lose, the one thing you can do is make sure you've done what you could leading up to start.

What it's really about

2010-09-07T16:47:00.000-07:00

Some called it crazy. Some called it bad planning. Some thought it was going to be the death of me. Well, I thought it would be the best weekend of riding I could have!

I am fresh off of a whirlwind trip from Colorado to Park City to Spearfish, SD and back to CO. Earlier this year, back when there was snow on the ground, Shannon from the Park City Point to Point bike race asked me to join in the fun of this epic, 75 mile, 14,000 feet of climbing, epic adventure. The only catch was that it was the day before the Dakota Five-O in Spearfish. Both of these races are a mountain biker's dream. Mainly singletrack and a lot of climbing, the trails that make up these races are destination trails in their own right. Well, I found a way to partake in both races via a late flight Saturday night into Rapid City. Of course I knew I would have a pair of sore legs and a tired body, but I wasn't going to let it ruin the weekend.

However, there were a few snags to work out. which bike goes where? How? What about food? Support? And so on... Dave from the Trek Store in Boulder gave me a few leads and I ended up befriending a gent named John Davis. This pretty much changed the destiny of the weekend as John and his crew (including wife and kids) took me into their group. If I could describe a total professional program of preparation, support and just good times - these guys fit the bill. I was in good hands - and so was my bike as it rode with John in his RV while I hit the friendly skies.

I was introduced to new friends when I reached Park City and we all had a nice little pre-ride the day before the race to scout the start. After the ride I was treated to a fantastic pre-race dinner and interesting conversation. Shortly after, it was time to hit the hay and gear up for some major time in the saddle.

The PCPP started at 7AM and a lead group of four quickly formed. I found myself riding with strongmen Josh Tostado, Alex Grant, and a young buck - all of 16 - named Keagan.

Keagan was riding the duo category with another 16 year-old stomper so he was blazing that first leg with the 3 of us solo guys. About 2 hours in I ran into some bad luck and suffered a mechanical. As the group rode away from me I just had to remember that it was a long day and anything could happen. Plus - I was riding some great trails and I knew I was going to enjoy that. As the day wore on I had some more tough luck, but managed to hold onto 3rd overall. Alex ended up putting a little time into Tostado (who I'll be seeing in Moab in about a month) and pulled off the win. I was happy to finish the race and feel solid the whole time. After the race, the podium was set up and I had about 5 minutes to spare after getting the paycheck for the day.

Off to the airport I went. John and crew were all in after killing it out on the course and they wished me well in my next adventure of the weekend.

Bike and bags with my new Trek brethren, I flew nice and light to Rapid City where my parents, uncle and cousin were waiting with open arms at the airport. I pretty much had my whole family welcome me when I made it to the vacation house we had in the Black Hills. I ate as much food as I could and stumbled upstairs to bed. 5am came way too quick and I was suiting up again! More food and Josh B and I headed down to the start for the warm up. We ran into local legend, Dave Olson, who joined us for the short, bursty climbs that were to get the legs and lungs opened up. The second I stomped on those pedals I knew I was in for a looong day. With Josh, Dave and fast Colorado pro guy, Brad Bingham, taking the start - I knew it was going to be a painful day.

My family, (aka 'Team Kelly') along with Dave had mapped out every feasible route to the aid stations so they could hand us bottles and food throughout the 50 miles. As the gun went off, I was immediately in a world of hurt. The big guys headed to the front and immediately put me against the ropes. I'm friends with the guys who were in the lead and who were about to do battle, so I was excited to see who would do what. All 3 had a great day and it was Brad taking the win, with Dave (who I witnessed tear himself apart to reel Brad in) getting 2nd and Josh (who rode through a set of bad legs in the beginning to come back strong) getting 3rd.

Team Kelly has been an integral part of any success I may have had in my cycling. The amount of support, love, and fun atmosphere they provide is unparalleled. Saying thank you just isn't enough, but that's all I can do in this blog - so, Thank You. My mom even treated Josh and me to a massage at the post-race party where couple gals had a table set up. I couldn't have needed it more!

The weekend was great, although it went by way too fast. I blinked and, sadly, I was saying goodbye to my family. All said and done, I realized that while racing is something I love to do and I spend a lot of time working at it - it's really the people who you surround yourself with that make the experience.

To my new friends I met in Park City - thank you for defining what the mountain bike racing scene should be.

Leslie Handy, Jonathon Davis, Curt Wilhelm, Brandon Newcomer, Yours Truly, Anthony Thornton, and Bill Wheeler

To my family - I love you all and feel blessed to be surrounded by the best people I know.

(More photos to come)

Happy 100th Birthday Great Grandma

2010-08-28T21:47:00.000-07:00

My King of the Rockies win is for you.

Red Rocks Territory

2010-08-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

Coming Soon.

There are lots of fun projects coming up over at Filament. Lots of riding... and shooting...

km

They're not called the 'Goodlands'

2010-08-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Maah Daah Hey trail is truly one of the most rugged trails there is. The fact that North America's longest continuous singletrack trail lies in the Badlands of North Dakota should, alone, let you know that you will be in the middle of nowhere. A friend of mine, Nick Ybarra, invited a group of riders to ride the 111-mile trail from end to end in hopes of having someone set a new trail record - which I believe stands at 15 and a half hours. I coaxed training partner and friend, Josh, into making the trip back home with me. (which nearly coincided with my great grandmother's 100th birthday!) The catch: Josh had to work until 3pm the day before the ride, meaning we would be pushing it to make the start time of the ride - 4:30AM.

I need to mention that a few days before we headed out, another North Dakota native, Ryan Levander, passed through Colorado to do a half Ironman and do some more riding. He came out to Golden and I loaned him my training bike so he could get a taste of some front range riding. As Josh, Ryan and I made it up Chimney Gulch and over towards Apex, we came upon a sharp right-hander. Josh and I have ridden this several times so we knew what was up. However, Ryan has not and when we heard how fast he was going we knew he was in trouble. Just as we looked back we saw Ryan fly through the air and land smack dab on the side of his face. After a few seconds of unconsciousness he became aware of what happened. When he asked me for the 3rd straight time if my bike was okay - and after he told us we didn't take the photo that we just took 10 minutes earlier - we knew it was time for me to get the car... I felt comforted knowing that Josh has been working in emergency rooms for the past couple months. He got Ryan to the hospital and the CT scan proved that it was a concussion and nothing more. Nothin' like gettin' your bell rung...

Fast-forward to 2AM Friday morning. Josh and I pulled into my parents' driveway and within 15 minutes we were eating a breakfast feast that my mom whipped up. It was a weird feeling eating such a huge breakfast at 2:30AM... My mom had also prepared, labeled, and packed all of our food for the ride. I can honestly say that no ProTour cycling team in the world has the support I get from my mom. After slamming the food, it was off to the trail head - another hour and a half from where we were.

We ran a few minutes late, but made it before the scheduled departure time. I was surprised that Nick and crew were already gone, but then found out why they had already left... look closely.

Nick had left directions on how to navigate around Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This re-route is pretty short, but it's local knowledge. Josh and I spent an hour and 45 minutes roaming around the tall grass and the rugged ridges of the Badlands. Josh was super positive and would crack jokes whenever we would find ourselves completely turned around. I'd be saying things like, 'I think we should be about three ridges over.' and he'd be singing 'Piano Man' (or something like that...) This map shows you how lost we actually got. Keep in mind that this does NOT show you the time we spent off the bike roaming around as my gps was attached to my handlebar.

Back on the trail and hauling, I noticed Josh started to get a little quiet. I could see he was getting really hungry and he kept mentioning food. When we finally reached the cooler that Nick's dad had left for us just shy of halfway, Josh attacked it like he was about to eat his last meal. 1500 calories later (I'm probably exaggerating... maybe not) He asked me, 'Should I have another Ensure?' 'NO!! You're going to be in a coma if you eat any more...'

Well, 30 minutes later, Josh had the most colossal physical and mental collapse I've ever seen him have. We're talking about a seasoned professional mountain biker here. Even as we're back in Colorado, we're still unclear of exactly what happened out there. As it became clear we weren't going to make it back to Medora - the end of the trail - we decided it was time to pull the plug. The dangerous thing about this trail is that you can't just call it quits and walk off the trail. We were in the middle of nowhere. Luckily we stumbled upon a rancher working on a random cattle water well. Even though Red (what a great name!) was hesitant at first, he not only gave us a ride back to Medora (35 miles away) he also gave us a tour of the ranch where he worked, Elkhorn Ranch. Turns out that Elkhorn has an account with my family's business. How's that for a small town connection!

We were greeted with smiles and hugs from my mom, aunt, cousin and grandma. We had some good food and shared our story - all in all a great time considering the circumstances.

Josh and I hung out with my family all day the next day and enjoyed the beautiful summer weather. It seems every time I go home, I never have enough energy to enjoy the small town bar scene. (I'm not really a bar guy, but hey - when in Rome...) Josh and I headed to the local bar where we ran into all sorts of fun. We got heckled by a group from a bachelorette party, ran into some of my old friends, and we just about got caught in the middle of a bar fight between a couple big cowboys from Texas and some 'dudes' from the local college.

I can never really thank my family enough for their generosity and hospitality. It made for a truly unforgettable trip.

The air up there

2010-08-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

I called up my sizzling fast good friend, Jen Gersbach, (who also happens to know the Vail Valley inside and out) to order up an epic high country mountain bike ride. As she drove up to Keystone for the CO state championships, she offered a few good trails and 'off-the-top-of-my-head' directions for me to write down.

Josh and I headed up and had a great day in the high country of Colorado. Unfortunately, I guess my camera was jealous and in an act of aggression, deleted all of my photos so I wouldn't be able to share any visuals of our trip. Let me just say that sweet singletrack, good company, fresh air, and wild raspberries equals a heluva good time. These high altitude rides are great for fitness levels, which is great for me as the big races of my season are approaching.

I've thrown my hat in with the other riders who will ride the Maah Daah Hey trail in Medora, ND next weekend. While this isn't a race as much as a personal test, the idea is to see what sort of times can be posted over the 111-mile long haul. I've never done the whole trail so this should be a fun, epic adventure. I believe the goal of this ride is to raise awareness of this trail in hopes an official race will take place in the near future.

Plenty more racing coming up...

Kudos to mtbracenews.com

2010-08-03T05:48:00.000-07:00

Shannon Boffeli and his crew from mtbracenews.com have been remarkably impressive in their coverage of mountain bike racing. I say this for a couple of reasons: 1 - The fact that they cover East coast to West coast racing is great for the sport. 2 - They race these events along with the racers they're reporting on. Based out of Utah, I know it's not an easy task to get to these races, race, and then write up an article about it - all while having a 'real' job. (in addition to putting on the Park City Point to Point race this September)

Here's a report from the Laramie Enduro. Note the 8th placed rider in this pretty tough pro field...

'You WILL be attacked by eagles'

2010-08-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like being on the start line of a mountain bike race. As the event director looks at his stop watch and yells, '2 minutes!' the nerves in the group begin to elevate. My nerves are exceptionally elevated when I know I'll have to push my body and mind to the limit for the next 5 hours, as was the case in the Laramie Enduro this weekend.

Now on top of that, our race director added two little pieces of information before the gun went off. The first was a reminder that last year, a particular section of the race course had claimed, 'a set of broken ribs, a couple broken legs, a few collar bones and a broken back - in addition to the countless cases of road rash. So be careful on that descent.'

'Also, be aware that you will be attacked by eagles about a mile after that descent. There is an eagle's nest that you will ride past. That's just the way it is.'

I'm really pleased to report that I didn't really crash and I did not get attacked by the threatening eagles.

The Laramie Enduro is one of my favorite races and I didn't know I was going to race it up until 3 days before the start when Rich, the director, invited me in. With the winners of the last three editions of this race toeing the line, I knew it was going to be a real hard day in the saddle.

The last time I raced this event(07) I was fortunate enough to go home with the win. The same was true for Jay Henry(08) and Barkley Robinson(09). This trio of riders would ultimately make up the front group and we would end up riding with one another for three and a half hours. The pace was ridiculous at times and it seemed that each one of us could make it to the line first. I was feeling really good, but had a few 'spot of bother' moments. In one of those moments, I totally smashed into a rock with my drive train and destroyed my brand new chain. My mistake on that part of the trail eventually cost me a chance to see the last climb with Jay and Barkley. I did a little trail side maintenance and began my journey to the finish line with my bike stuck in the big ring. (I now have even more respect for you single speeders!) In reality, it wasn't so bad and save for a flat tire on the way, I made it back in decent time and ended up 3rd. Jay ended up putting a little time into Barkley and grabbed the win - even after he flatted early on in the race. I felt proud to be racing in that group of guys. They're some of the nicest fellas in the peleton and at the end of the day, it was fun to re-hash our time riding together in the race. Jay's wife, Cynthia, saved my day by handing me bottles at a few points along the course.

Overall it was a great, albeit short, trip. Rob and I drove up and I crashed with friends, Ward and Bobby. Ward, being a man of preparation, handed me a nifty little map with aid station, elevation and mileage markings.

Five hours will do ya in. Today is a day for cleaning, resting and eating. Until the next time - ciao.

Where do I start?

2010-07-29T15:03:00.001-07:00

I've gotta say, in the craziness of the life I somehow managed to create for myself, I often look back and realize it's pretty fun - and I'm fortunate to experience such an exciting, albeit tiring, lifestyle.

I was in NY for Libby's show and as usual, I was very impressed with the way this woman shines in front of a crowd (or camera for that matter). The show was great and getting to spend time with the girlfriend was needed.

Upon returning home I was pleased to see that the commercial we shot for Trek was released along with the actual product. Dave and Jeremiah, thanks again for putting in those 25 straight grueling hours to get this spot in the can.

The Fuel EX 9.9

I've returned to racing my bike a little more and the ramp-up to Moab is beginning. The Summit Mountain Challenge is a great mid-week race series that offers genuine cross country mountain bike racing in the trails around Breckenridge. I thought it would be good to start doing these middle-of-the-week tune ups. Josh and I drove up together as the forecast was teetering in that non-committal zone, telling us there was a 50% chance of (severe) thunderstorms. We arrived in great weather. The race started and a huge dark cloud decided to cross paths with the race course. The beginning of the race was dry and fast. A young gun named Kevin Kane drew first blood and threw down an attack that hurt every rider in the field. I did, however, manage to muster up some fight and get on his wheel. I decided to go a little harder and see how he was feeling, which proved to be a sweet move... for a while anyway.

Kevin caught me at the top of the big singletrack climb and proceeded to put time into me on the descent. As we hit the famous and painful Pennsylvania Gulch climb, the rain came. That's where the wheels came off a little bit. I did damage control, but fell back to 3rd by the last mile. As I saw the finish line approach, I heard someone coming up behind me... it was Josh! In an all-out sprint to the line, I had enough fight in me to get him at the line. (I would not have lived that down for an entire year had I let him beat me)

Well, it's off to the Laramie Enduro this weekend for one of the funnest races in the country. 72 miles of varied terrain, a lot of climbing, and a lot of fast guys should make this weekend a fun one.

The Tour of the Front Range

2010-07-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

My good friend, Jeff Carter, and I set out on a fun front range adventure this weekend. When you plan on riding with Jeff, you should plan on being out for a while... Every time I ride with him we end up on an epic adventure that could last all day. Jeff is very strong and consistent so I always have to make sure I'm not getting behind in calories and hydration. So with a coca cola stop scheduled halfway through the ride, I knew I was going to enjoy the day.

One of the main reasons for our front range epic is that he's expecting a little one to enter the world in just a couple of days! As we made our way to the top of Mt. Falcon (the furthest point away from his car in Golden), he told me to 'be prepared for the time-trial of your life to get my car if Liz calls me and tells me she's in labor.'

Well, there was no need to bury myself back to the car - which was great because I already had my hands full with our current situation! In fact, we met up with Liz and another friend for a great lunch and I headed home to watch the Tour de France and take a nap... Good day for sure.

Almost a wrap...

2010-07-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

We are days away from the first three episodes of season 2 being completed.

It's been busy on both ends of production. Our producer on the show is doing what he does best - which means Colombia is probably approaching fast...

There's another group of folks that have been busy as well. Libby is in a show that opened this last Thursday at the Red Room in NY City. 'Six by Tenn' has been Libby's focus for quite some time and now she's on stage Thursdays through Sundays (twice on Saturdays!) showing off a talent that I'm in awe of.

Playhouse Creatures website.

No Nationals

2010-07-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like I'm not going to make it for marathon nationals in Breckenridge. I was on the waiting list, but I couldn't risk not getting in. However, in exchange Josh and I are going to put in some hard miles over the next two days. And, I can get some projects done I've been meaning to get to.

Good luck to everyone out there! That is one hard day in the saddle...

km

The good, the bad, and the kankle

2010-06-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

I've had this agonizing pain on the front of my ankle (or 'kankle' if you will) for the past couple of weeks. Now before you read on, I should warn you that I may get a little graphic...

I went for a couple of walks with my parents just after the Race to Sunset and as they dropped me on the road climb in front of the house, I just kept thinking, 'Man, I must have nailed a branch or something.' Well, after a little self examination I diagnosed myself with tendinitis. I was feeling some grinding on the front of my ankle when I'd bend, push and pull my foot back and forth. It was also red and majorly swollen. The funny thing is that you can also hear this grinding and it actually sounds like squeaking. I've heard horror stories about people actually rupturing their tendon - and I'm not one to gamble when the stakes are high.

I ended up taking some time off the bike and did what I was supposed to. Ironically, I was hired to shoot a spot for Trek down in Durango with Travis Brown. I was a poor excuse for a mountain biker as I complained and limped my way through a 25 hour (straight through) shoot. I'm very happy with the end result - which I can't post for a couple weeks until the product is released. It was also super fun shooting with Travis and our crew - Dave and Jeremiah.

This last weekend, I decided it was time to race again. I went to Winter Park for the XC super loop, lined up with the familiar faces and we were off. I felt incredible and a bit feisty from the gun. I put in a few attacks right off the bat and I found myself a little gap on 2nd place.

I kept on it all the way until about 2 miles from the finish - where I punctured my tire! As disappointing as this can be - it happens to everyone at one point. I'm just really happy I'm still feeling strong after the break from the bike.

Next up is the MTB Marathon Nationals in Breckenridge if I can find my way into registration. (I procrastinated on this one...)

These sunsets never get old

2010-06-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

Although I don't have any great photos of the North Dakota sunset, I did snap this blurry example of what was out my window as I grew up in the plains of ND.

Last weekend I raced in the annual Race to Sunset, (speaking of sunsets). I love heading home and seeing grandparents, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. Every year this trip reiterates how important the people whom you surround yourself with are. Now that I'm back in the swing of work (and tendon recovery!) I feel lucky as I look back on last weekend. I have an absolutely undying and unrelenting support crew in my family as well as a network of good friends within the ND cycling community. I learn a lot about generosity and grace from weekends like this last one.

My aunt Sandy and uncle Kelly open their home up to me every year the night before the race to get some rest and do last minute prep on the bikes. This year I was ready to do the time trial, (which went really well - probably due to a new bike this year and some SUPER light tires) eat and then go straight to bed. The bikes were ready. However, before I knew it, Kelly and I were in the middle of a Stan's NoTubes mess trying to seat a set of tires that I wanted to try out. After firing up Kel's air compressor and a few loud 'pops' the tires were seated and I was actually ready for bed. My cousins Hayley and Kayla showed their support by showing me the jerseys and t-shirts they were going to wear the next day in support of their bike racing cousin. (and support they did - in style along with my mom, Alexis and the rest of the fam!) I might give them a nickname like the 'cowbell clan' or something...

Just after the TT

The 10 hour race started at 8:30a in some very cool temps and under some precarious clouds. The temps stayed cool all day and I felt the best I've ever felt. My main support man, Ryan, kept the calories coming in and the liquids full. Ryan has seen me in all sorts of scenarios and can read where I'm at. He kept me calm and consistent all day.

One of the best challenges is to see how long I can stay competitive with the four person teams in this race. Make no mistake - these guys are fast! I had pressure on me all day by the Grimsley's Garage team (including Sydney, John, Jon, and Alex) and I could see certain points on the lap where I would gain a few seconds - and lose a few seconds. This would happen all day long and I thought that maybe I could hold them off. With about a half hour left in the race I hit a major wall! I had gauged my effort all day and I knew it was going to be close at the end.

A little tunnel vision and a little extra burning in the legs - topped off with the fact I was seeing the G Garage guys pulling back major chunks of time finally did me in! The rain never came, but the inevitable 'catch' did. As Sydney passed me we shook hands and exchanged a 'great job!' and I conceded the lead. Those guys were flyin'!

I really couldn't have asked for a better day - or better people to have out on that trail. From the super fast guys like the Garage guys, Epic Sports teams, and more to the people out there just finishing - I saw so many people encouraging one another. What an awesome day!

Which way to the South Boundary Trail?

2010-06-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

First off, I need to acknowledge that my dashboard on blogger.com informed me that this is my 100th post...

Really?

Anyway, the past few weeks have been filled with rich and strengthening experiences. From races to fun projects at work (see below), there is no shortage of adventure - maybe just a little sleep!

I raced in Angel Fire, NM this last weekend and outside of missing my girlfriend the entire time (NM always reminds me of the beautiful, blond damsel), it was pretty much a perfect weekend. The thing about being a mountain bike racer is that races are actually a great excuse to travel and stay an extra day to ride some of the best trails in the world. The South Boundary Trail is a famous and extremely fun trail that goes from *somewhere near Angel Fire to Taos. After receiving mixed messages from a few different bike shop employees (that may or may not have been inhaling some extra curricular herbal medicine), and an equally mixed up map, we scratched our heads and left to ride the SBT.

*

I had great company on this bushwhacking adventure through the mountains of NM. South Dakotans, Dave, Jasper and Justin were my com padres as we guessed our way through Trail 1 on our way to the holy grail, if you will.

Just behind me would be the climb that would ultimately lead us to the South Boundary trail.

The trail would, too often, have sections where there actually was no trail - and no signs - while other obvious parts were marked with numerous signs. As we ran out of water we reached South Boundary. The decision was made by Dave and I to go forward, while Justin and Jasper probably did the smart thing and headed down the mountain and back to the condo. (We still had a hearty chunk of trail to bite off)

Dave and I ripped through the trail and had a blast.

Just below is the town of Taos. We were in for a real treat down the descent.

Actually, that was until Dave burped his tire... And my compressed air can was a dud...

I'm still a bit disappointed that the the guys didn't join us, but in the end it all worked out. On their way back to South Dakota, the fellas stopped in Golden for some more shredding on Apex and Chimney Gulch trails and great food from Ali Baba.

All in all, a great weekend of racing, riding, and hanging with friends.

Good friends, good race, good times

2010-05-31T14:09:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the Original Growler race last night - and I'm moving pretty slow this morning! I've mentioned that this is one of my favorite events of the year and the 3rd running was no exception. I drove down with Rob and Dave, who are pretty much the best travel partners you could ask for. An easy road trip makes for easy preparation leading up to an event like this.

Fresh off of the first ride on the new top fuel 9.9, my 2nd ride would be in the Growler, which is the ultimate test on your body and equipment. This bike is so light and responsive that it made my job a whole lot easier. Bontrager sent some prototype tires and I was set for the race. The bike worked perfect - which made for an incredible day in the saddle.

I had a few cohorts for the first 32 miles, including Travis Brown and Jake Wells. We were pushing pretty good and came in after the first lap together.

T Brown had to mess with his tire, while Jake and I took on fluids and some food. Out of the start/finish I started pushing and realized I was having one of those days where the legs feel pretty dang good considering the mileage. I just kept pushing through the 2nd 32 mile lap, nervously looking over my shoulder every once in a while. I was fortunate enough to keep that lead all the way to the end.

I owe a big thanks to Heidi Raylea for handing up bottles for me so I could keep pushing - and her boyfriend (and good friend of mine) Ward, who's just always a good guy to see at the races.

Travis and Jake are truly good guys who are perfect ambassadors for the sport of mountain biking. I'm lucky to race with such classy guys.

km

(All photos were taken by a great photographer named Rob O'Dea. www.robodeaphotography.com)

The new Trek Top Fuel 9.9

2010-05-29T07:17:00.000-07:00

. . . Is by far the best bike I've ever ridden!

I have one ride on it and words don't do the bike justice. Bontrager XXX Carbon wheels, XX drive train, and just general superior geometry make this the fastest race machine I've ever thrown a leg over.

I'm on my way to Gunnison for one of my favorite, albeit extremely tough, races of the year - The Original Growler. I'll be heading down with good friends and road trip buddies, Rob and Dave.

Have a good weekend.

Cousin, good guy, friend, support crew - and newly added - DAD!

2010-05-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

My cousin Ryan just added a little one to his family...

Ryan and Sara - Congrats on your beautiful little girl! Julie Ann Steinman

Lowell Pelton

2010-05-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

I received word today that a friend had passed. A sudden and unexpected accident changed the dynamic of a family who have been paramount in the direction my life has taken over the past 15 years.

Each member of this family has a magical talent for inspiring. From the music I listen to, my love of cycling, my passion for art, and general openness to new exploits in life - I can trace these roots back to late night conversations as a young boy in ND, lying on a trampoline under the biggest sky of the brightest stars.

Mr. Lowell Pelton - the father of my late best friend and 5 of his truly great siblings - has passed away at too early an age. It's hard to even write these words as the usual dreamlike feeling of this news 'not being real' is clouding my mind.

My thoughts go out to Lowell's wife Kathy and the entire family.

Mr. Pelton, you will be missed.

If it weren't for coffee...

2010-05-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

It's been busy around here to say the least. There's been a lot of travel, a lot of training and a lot of work with approaching deadlines. I wouldn't have it any other way I guess.

I've recently met with a top-notch mechanic named Matt Wiewel who works down in Golden at Peak Cycles, (and who is also getting married this Thursday). There are certainly high quality mechanics around these parts, and Matt is no exception. He lives in my neighborhood so it's a good fit to have him on board for my racing needs. Last night, he picked up the new bikes and is off to build them up... Can't wait for that first ride!

It's here...

2010-05-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

I have to say, when the UPS truck showed up today I couldn't really grasp what was comin'...

A couple bikes and a bunch of goodies! What a way to make a Wednesday shine. It's days like today that remind me why I train the way I do and make the sacrifices on the dietary front. I'll never take for granted the support I receive to have fun and race bikes.

Thank you Trek.

km

The two best things about lunch at Trek...

2010-05-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

1) The food

The cafeteria food at Trek is great. Even better is the price. Think Whole Foods, but about 1/5 the cost - literally. Every day I would get a huge bowl of fresh fruit and a massive salad. I'm talkin' every vegetable imaginable with turkey and chicken, etc. Like Whole Foods, you pay by the weight. Total would be somewhere around $3.50. (1.00 even for the bowl of fruit and about 2.50 for the salad)

2) The rides

I was fortunate enough to sneak out for a couple lunch rides with some good friends over the lunch 'break'. I would just grab food and eat at a desk after the ride - saving the traditional eating time for some riding time...

I owe a huge thanks to Chris Clinton form Bontrager (and new friends Jay, Sam, and Keller) for a ride and some sweet new tires!

I also owe a thanks to Michael Browne for getting me squared away with some bikes and nutrition needs. He deals with the real deal Trek World Racing Team, so for him to take time out and hook me up is much appreciated. I also got word that my lights were sent from Andy at Ay Up and will arrive in about a week!

And finally, my parents - as always - make my season easier by supporting my 'side career' of mountain bike racing. Their generous support always helps my travel, extra gear, and the hidden costs of racing through the season.

With such great people and support, I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure I bring home some victories this year.

My night riding future looks bright

2010-04-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

I am thoroughly excited to share some great news - I have a lighting sponsor!

I owe a huge thanks to Travis Macy who introduced me to Andrew Fellows who works with Australian based Ay Up Lighting Systems.

I also owe a huge thanks to Andrew (who is a 25-29 world solo 24 hour champ) and Ay Up for their truly generous support. I live halfway around the world from them, but it feels like they're next door with how friendly and welcoming they are.

I've seen these lighting systems around the 24-hour scene and I've heard so many great reviews about the product. I'm lucky to be supported by the best people and the best product all the way around. I can't wait to head out on the first night ride with Travis and put the lights to the test!

The Ay Up team.

Mr. Salty

2010-04-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

Just wrapped out here in the Salt Flats. Funny thing is, Blake (our super-cool, super-fast talent) ran a mile with 50mph winds pushing against his back in... 4:37. This was after shooting him riding for a few days. Good people. Good fun.

Blowin' the dust off the capillaries

2010-04-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

One down, plenty more to go.

Today was the first race of the year for me and although it was a 'local', 'low key', and 'training' event, I sure suffered quite a bit in the company of some great athletes including my nemesis (and great friend) B Fuentes. Brian took home the victory and I couldn't be happier for him. This is a guy who owns his own business, works a ton, and manages to stay in great shape. (obviously!) Congrats Brian.

As I type this, my cough reminds me of the day's work and makes me look forward to the rest of the season. Lots of work ahead, but it's always the odyssey that counts.

The luckiest guy I know

2010-04-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

Fresh off of jet setting, I've managed to find some time to sift through the few photos I snapped along the journey. First it was New York to see the girl.

Libby and I took a train North from NYC along the Hudson (a first for me) and found a sleepy town called Rhinecliff, which we deemed our retreat for 24 hours. After some great food, a comfy room, getting a little lost on a hike, and some small town exploration - we were on our way back to the city.

We were just in time to catch 'Dine in Brooklyn'. Now, if you've been to NY you know how good the food is. Libby has always had a knack for finding the best of the best restaurants whether it's in Santa Fe, Gainesville, or NYC. We took advantage of a Pre-Fixe dinner menu and had yet another great night.

Although I could have stayed for much longer - and really wanted to - it was time to get back to the grind. The schedule read, '1) shoot in San Diego; 2) shoot in Madison'. So off I went.

Trek utilizes a large amount of their resources to ensure they have their athletes on the best bikes in the world. I think you're pretty serious when you rent a wind tunnel for a couple days to test your athletes' aerodynamics on a bike.

In Madison, the global headquarters for Trek, I was treated to world class hospitality and I became a total nerd when invited into the race department. I have a new respect for my bikes and the people who build and work on them. When my bike passes through the same room as Lance's and the other top-notch pros, I tend to take some additional pride in my bike racing.

Now I love traveling, but as an athlete I feel a little anxiety when I think I won't be able to train. However, one of the perks at Trek is the fact they encourage you to go ride the trails they built nearby. I'm not one to pass that up...

Willo

2010-03-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I hear a piece of bad news in the realm of the sport I love. A few days ago it was news of the tragic passing of James Williamson, A 26 year old professional mountain biker who lived every moment he was here to the fullest.

My memory of 'Willo' is vivid. I raced in the 2008 Solo 24 Hour World Championships in Canada, hoping to win the gold and finally snag that title. However, in the end a young man I've never heard of overcame some dark moments in his own bid to win - and well, he did it. Truly, my main memory is that he and his crew were all smiles and friendly from the start. After learning more about James, I came to find out that he was very involved in the Australian mountain bike community and has left a lasting impression.

None of us like to hear this. Us as athletes, friends, families and so on. I can tell everyone this - He did what he loved to do. I respect that.

My thoughts go out to his family and friends.

The checkout line

2010-03-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

As I stand and wait to board a New York-bound jet, (a red eye nonetheless!) I'm realizing that for the first time in a year or so I'm going to be taking a much needed break and unplugging for a few days. I've been training a bunch and working just the same so it's time to enjoy a little time away and see the girlfriend. Libby, it seems, has been busy as well if you take into consideration a couple jobs, (including a theater show).

I saw Josh T out on the road today. He's looking fit so I better stay on top of it! I'll be completing my final pre-prep for the cycling season when I'm back as well as be able to watch our show on PBS. Should be a fun, fresh April...

World champions, promising athletes, and just good people

2010-03-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

I just finished this video for the Trek // K • Swiss pro triathlon team.

I'm a Toast fan

2010-02-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

It was good to see Josh Tostado training out on the roads near my house yesterday. I did a double, no triple take as we rode by one another and then turned around and caught up to him. Although he was finishing what looked like a long and difficult training ride, it was nice to see him when both he and I weren't racing each other for 24 grueling hours.

I have to be honest and say that he motivated me to keep training hard. I realized that to be competetive with someone like Josh, you need to be tough as nails. He leaves nothing out there.

There will no doubt be some battles between he and I in the future, but the great thing about this sport as that competitors can also serve as training partners. Josh, I look forward to riding with you soon.

tomfooling in Southern California

2010-02-21T21:03:00.000-08:00

On a Sunday night with no one around, Rod and I were shooting in the global headquarters of K Swiss. Just after we wrapped, we decided to go mano y mano on the table tennis court. One game led to two which led to six which led to an all-out battle in the tie-breaking 7th game. Rod is a better table tennis player than me, but after channeling my inner Agasi, I was able to pull off a miracle.

25-23

We did do some work out here too. This morning was the Trek - K Swiss team ride in the hills North of Los Angeles. Part of the ride went to the Pacific Coast Highway which was an absolute treat for all of us. I remember sitting on the beach a few years ago and calling my mom from just a few miles South of here when she was very sick. Enjoying the weather here in February makes me want to move. Until the summer rolls around...

LA to LA

2010-02-19T21:00:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how long it feels like its been since I've slept in my own bed. Technically, it has been two weeks, but that amount of time feels more like 2 months. I've been in Louisiana shooting our TV show in the cities of Lafayette, Shreveport (with Kenny Wayne Shepherd - him and his family are truly great people), and New Orleans. We were in Lafayette for the super bowl and in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. I wish I had some easily accessible photos to share, but I currently can't find any. Needless to say, our time in Louisiana was crazy. Fun, but crazy.

Rigth now I'm in Los Angeles shooting the Trek and K Swiss team camp. What a change in the group of people we are shooting with. Musicians like to stay up way too late and tend to spend time in smoky clubs. While athletes live a more 'lame' life of being to bed early and eating yogurt with granola. (more my speed I guess)

Regardless of who we're shooting, we're shooting a lot. We've worked plenty of hours (ie; 16-18 hour days) and I'm feeling it. I'm still trying to train and eat right, but nothing compares to being in your groove of training and resting.

I'm here for another few days before I head home and then I head to New Orleans again - for 18 hours - then home again. (Then hopefully a training camp)

km

The only thing missing is a coffee mug stain...

2010-01-26T19:11:00.000-08:00

MV: Episode 6 'Dancehall'

Sorry geese, but it was worth it...

2010-01-22T20:45:00.001-08:00

2010

2010-01-19T19:48:00.000-08:00

It's full steam ahead with Trek - Bontrager!

trekbikes.com

bontrager.com

A self serving of food for my own thought: I realized on my ride today that since the very first time I got on a mountain bike, there truly has not been one single day where I didn't want to ride my mountain bike.

What year is it?

2010-01-11T15:38:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy new year!

It's been slow on the blog end, but busy on the life end. (Which seems to make sense I guess) Many fun things have happened over the last month and a half, and it seems we have a few more adventures quickly approaching.

The TV show that I have had the privilege to direct and that Filament is able to be a large part of, Music Voyager, is (and has been) in full swing. Thanks to executive producer, Farook Singh, the show is going to be seen all over the world via NatGeo Music and Adventure, and Nationally on PBS starting in February. It's hard to believe we almost have season 1 in the can, but I guess when you're having fun - time flies. The line-up of season one looks like this: Episodes 101-103 are India, Episodes 104-106 are Jamaica, Episodes 107-109 are collectively the Grammy Artists Special, and Episodes 110-112 are . . . (as of this moment I need to keep it a secret)

Our Grammy episodes have introduced us to some cool people and taken us to some great places.

(Photos by Rod Blackhurst)

We are off to Washington, D.C. this weekend to film scenes with Grammy nominated artists, India.Arie and Dobet Gnahore.

In other news:
With all of this travel and general craziness, I have managed to stay in shape and I'm (hopefully) on track for another good season of bike racing. I'll soon have the details worked out for a new contract for 2010. I'll write up a little something regarding that when it's ready. I can't wait to share the news.

km

Happy Birthday Mom!

2009-12-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

(I meant to do this in the morning...)

It's that time.

2009-12-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

After a couple months of less riding, more desserts, and even more time with friends, I'm getting back into action. This is always a funny time of year for me. I look around and see people dreading the indoor trainer and making comments on how everyone else is starting their 'training' WAY too early. I actually do think that 6 hour slug fests in November may be a little too much, but hey, whatever floats your boat.

For me, I love training. I love having goals and I love feeling like I'm hand crafting my upcoming season. I understand that I won't have this motivation forever, but for now this is what I love to do and it's all part of the journey as my roommate and I frequently discuss. Well, it's December and I'm slowly getting into the routine again. Whether it's indoor or outdoor, it feels good to be back on the bike consistantly.

I have a feeling in the near future I will have some exciting news regarding a team for next year. I'll surely be writing a post with an announcement. Until then...

Coming Soon

2009-11-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

February on PBS.

Air dates and times TBA soon.

The Spirit Award goes to . . .

2009-11-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

This has been a long time comin'. Josh and I have had many tough battles in the game of 'Foot Down' over the last two years. The game is simple: From the very beginning of the ride to the very end, the rider who touches their foot to the ground the most times loses. Well, anyone who lives and/or rides on the Colorado front range knows that there are several opportunities to either make mistakes and fall from grace, or triumph over the large rocks, loose climbs, and obstacle-filled trails.

I have lived (literally) on these trails and have figured out every single line on most of them. This isn't to say that I don't mess up - I do all the time! However, When Josh lived in Boulder, he would commute to Golden to be my training partner and the game of foot down got real. To this day (and I'm lucky I can say this) I have not been beat. (Great, now I'm done for...) The thing is, Josh lived in Boulder. In a way it's not really fair, BUT this doesn't take Josh off the hook. The man is unbelievably talented and judging by our last few games, It's a matter of a couple rides before my streak is over.

Ex: Josh and I rode for 3 hours one day on pretty technical trails. The score at the end of the ride was 1 to 0... Needless to say, that's close.

This brings me to the reason for this post. The last ride Josh and I did, we were locked in a close one. We approached a section where Josh has been making it through - and I have not. (I know this game sounds less entertaining than I'm making it sound, but it gets really interesting when you're sometimes riding as hard as you can - and then you have to ride harder to make it over a section of rocks!) Josh proceeds to get about halfway over the crux and he stalls out. At this point he's about 6-7 feet up on a pile of rocks.

The man is committed. He keeps going for it. Well, he couldn't quite get the wheels rolling again and he plunges 6-7 feet down, arm stretched out. I'll save the details of the rest of our ride/hike out of White Ranch, but in summary he broke his wrist.

Josh has been an incredible and beneficial training partner. Because of the time on the trails with him, I'm stronger and better at riding technical sections than I was before.

Well, I just got a report from 'Mantana' (as one race promoter calls the state) where Josh currently resides. He's back to riding and racing and training to beat me at foot down. It's only a matter of time.

The Best slice Of Life

2009-10-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

I want to say a huge thanks to my parents for not only supporting my cycling financially this year, but more importantly for believing in me and the crazy things I do. I have never heard the words, 'you shouldn't be doing that', 'you can't', or the questions that usually come forth when one decides to do something with the probability of success being minimal, at best.

Thank you.

As of last weekend, my bike racing season is over. I've had a great season racing on a great team and I owe thanks to Trek for keeping me on board after last year. I can spend more time with friends and spend time exploring the creative world without having to 'sneak in' a 3 hour ride. Not much 'sneakin' going on there if you know what I'm sayin'. I hear a lot about 'missing out' on the greater things in life when you are a committed athlete. Well, at least for me, I feel like I'm living plenty of life, and a great life.

Gearing up for a 24 hour mountain bike race requires a ton of training, but also a healthy dose of relaxation. Welcome to 'Baker's Acres'.

Ward and Heidi were top-tier hosts and wanted to try out their new Empanada recipe that Ward picked up on his latest surf trip to Mexico. I arrived to to see the couple in mid-baking, from scratch! If I were to rate the food, ambiance, and conversation - of course it's a 10 out of 10! A quality night of friends, veggies, and Empanadas was a perfect way to relax before the big weekend. Thanks Ward, Heidi, Rob, Melissa, Bergs and Fin Man!

24 Hour National Championships

I've written about the race HERE, so I'll spare the recycled words and focus a little more on the aspects that made this race such a great experience. Well, the people make the difference! A couple people who were in Moab in spirit:

Nick - you are a man of absolute generosity and your undying commitment to helping others, (myself being a benefactor!) has inspired many to prosper. Thanks for taking so much time to help me and push me to be better for all these years.

A great example of Nick's passion in what he does can be found HERE. (this is a good read)

George - You're in the same category brother. Thanks for the years of morale and confidence-boosting conversations. (Not to mention the 24-Hour tested bike fits...)

And then there is the crew...

Ryan - you're a great cousin and support man. Thanks for flying out just for this and taking care of me! I still can't believe you drove us home straight after the race.

Bethany - Another year and another adventure. You were amazing as usual and although this gets said too much, it rings truer than ever here: I could not have done this without you.

Chris - Even though you own a bike company that's not called Trek, you were a staple in keeping me runnin' - and runnin' fast! I appreciate that you brought the Maverick rig out to the desert and set up camp for me. I learned a lot about you over the weekend and let's just say I wouldn't have done as well without you there. Thanks for busting my chops when I was there for more than 30 seconds...

Tracey (and Carla) - You're the best brother. It meant a lot seeing you out there and finally getting a chance to share this side of my life with ya. Thank you both for being there.

And Libby! - I speak for many men when I say some of the best inspiration comes from trying to impress your girlfriend. (However, I'm not sure how impressive it is when your boyfriend is wearing spandex, is covered in sweat and has food all over his face...) You were clutch in my success and I can't thank you enough for staying with me for 24 hours in the hot/cold and windy desert.

I had one of the best races of my career. I came into this event being the fittest I've ever been, having all the inspiration an athlete could ask for, being surrounded by the best crew, and being challenged by a guy with the nickname, 'Toast'.

Josh Tostado and I battled it out for the duration, exchanging 1st/2nd, keeping each other on our toes. Josh is a great guy who was a tough competitor, but one I respected. I know this guy is a fast, mentally strong athlete who knows very well how to win. He and I would exchange friendly words right from the beginning. I enjoy racing when I race against classy competitors and Josh was one of the classiest I've raced.

Throughout the race I would see a lot of friends out there. Some I would pass, and some would pass me. Some even drug me along in their slipstream for a mile or two in hopes of giving me a slight break. A guy who I really only heard of, Greg Martin (also single speed solo world champ) rode near me when my lights went out to help me get through a technical section, that I would otherwise be navigating in the pitch-black night. I saw Chelsea McGowen out there on her singlespeed as she was soloing - and I thought I had it rough!

I would come in for my pitstop after each lap and see my crew eagerly waiting to shove food in my mouth, tell me encouraging things - tell me I had 10 seconds left to drink that ensure - tell me my mom says great job, and then shove me off. I'd hear Libby tell me she loved me and then I'd disappear into the night.

Winning and losing becomes less important - at times - when you've reached a limit. You go on auto pilot and think about random things. I'd see people that were on their 2nd lap and hurting. I'd see people on their 4th lap and in the lead of their team's category just flying! Then I'd see Eszter H (eventual solo national champ) with dirt all over her face just pedaling away with a smile or my friends from North Dakota who were on a 4 person team. Whoever it was, they pretty much always said something encouraging.

I'd worked harder on my fitness this year than ever before. I came to this race to win, to wear a national champion's jersey, to frame it and give it to my parents. This would not be the case, and I would finish 2nd again in one of the biggest 24 hour races. Josh Tostado raced an incredible race and he was too strong to beat. I gave it all I could and I'm proud of that.

At the end of the day, we want to do things we love. For me, it's working towards having experiences that will last a lifetime. I consider myself lucky to have so much love in my life. I was fortunate enough this last weekend to be included in the plans of the people around me. For you, I kept pedaling in the darkest moments.

Thanks for reading,
km

CB Classic

2009-10-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have certainly been fortunate enough in my bike racing career to have won a few races. However, I remember like it was yesterday when I was just starting out and couldn't hold onto anyone's wheel, not to mention my pre-race breakfast!

When Dave Ochs sent me a photo of the Crested Butte Classic trophy - which is put on display at the Brick Oven in downtown CB - I realized (as I do often) how cool the sport that we participate in is. To be sharing the same space with Dave Weins, not to mention ALL of the other names on there, is an honor.

The Good, The Bad, and a PhD in Momentum

2009-09-28T21:33:00.000-07:00

We'll start with the bad luck and progress from there.

I raced the Dakota Five-O a few weeks ago and I brought a few people with me...

What started out looking like an all-out Battle Royale with Josh B and I,

turned into a 20 mile run for Josh and a 2 mile hike for me. Unfortunately, we had some mechanical issues that took us out of contention for the win, but one of the best poeple I've met this last year took top honors - and it was well deserved. Congrats Dave O!

I had such great form coming into this race as the week before I was fortunate enough to win the King of the Rockies in Winter Park. I had a good battle going with Scott Tietzel - strong pro road racer - but I managed to edge him out. (He may have been a little tired from his stage race the week before) I was truly bummed to hear that the next day he broke his fibula and tibia in a road race near Boulder. Wishing you a quick recovery Scott.

Next up was the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival in Wisconsin. The venue is around 3 hours from Minneapolis so I decided it would be a perfect opportunity to visit my Uncle Pat, Aunt Sandy and cousin (and crazy soccer star) Carly - who graciously gave up her room so her cousin could get his pre-race rest.

They took great care of me and when 3:45AM rolled around the morning of the race, I was delighted to see that Pat was ready to hit the road with me. What an Uncle! He pretty much did all the driving and we had a great time catching up on the drive to and from the race. Speaking of, the race went well, but was very hard! I never have - and never will - underestimate the strength of the midwestern rider. These guys and girls know how to keep the momentum up rolling hills, AKA punches, and it wore me down! I lost contact with the lead group, but still had a good time. This event is huge. Here's what 1,700 racers looks like...

Finally, this last weekend was the Crested Butte Classic 100 mile race. This is one of my favorite events because being in CB during the Fall is an absolute treat!

The race pretty much whittled down to 3 of us: Local legend Jeff Irwin, Josh B and myself. We rode the first two laps together and then a little miscommunication resulted in Josh losing contact with Jeff and I. This race is unmarked so you either need to have the knowledge from riding these trails, or follow the local legend... Josh didn't see Jeff and I take a turn and it cost him a few minutes. (again, sorry Josh...)

Jeff and I started the 3rd and final loop and I felt really great. At this point, Jeff was giving me instructions so I wouldn't get lost and I took off up Kebler pass. Well, I ran into some questionable trail options and decided I would wait to get Jeff's direction. After getting a little oxygen in my brain and thinking about the situation, I used my better judgement and decided the right thing to do would be to wait since he is the only reason I didn't end up riding to Aspen. In the end, we had a gentlemen's agreement for the finish. We crossed the line together and split the victory.

Josh came in a little after us and I'm bummed for him because he was riding so well and could have been there with us at the end.

Well, I'm gearing up for Moab now. One more hurrah for the season and then it's time to rest for a while.

Thanks for reading.

[ CB PHOTOS www.xavierfane.com ]

Living the full life

2009-09-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

When I get a chance to do laundry, rebuild my bike and answer some email - I'll write up a report (more pictures than words I hope!) on the recent festivities surrounding the latest adventures from the road...

Lots to catch up on!

We all can use a feel-good story every once in a while

2009-08-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

Judy Freeman is just like one of us.

Working hard, effected by the current economy, and persistent at reaching personal goals, my friend Judy, who always offers a warm smile, got a little bit of good news.

Check it out here.

Most of us pro mountain bikers need to make a living the old fashioned way, but it never stops us in our pursuit of that special day, week, or year where we can go toe-to-toe with our peers who line the pages of cycling magazines.

Good luck in Australia!

Brand new nephew

2009-08-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

Mr. Levi Paul

8.24.09

Giving thanks

2009-08-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

To the people who have made my cycling career possible; Mom, Gary, Nick, George and Trek - Thank You.

The new machine...

The old machine has been semi-retired after bringing me to a 12 hour solo victory in Gunnison. She will now serve as a faithful backup.

You've been good to me...

Here we go again

2009-08-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

After some discussion with good friend, solo 24 hour support man and newly appointed race adviser Nick, I decided I will be racing the 24 hours of Moab - this year's USA Cycling 24 hour National Champs. I love Moab and I love this race. However, a good result has eluded me every single time I've raced this race. I am going to be ready for it this year and I'll need to be as all of the big names will be there. I know how it feels to be on both ends of the spectrum:

Feeling great...

Feeling not so great...

Either way, I love this sport.

France, etc

2009-07-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images from the footage we got in France. 1) Lance warming up before his first Tour start in 4 years. 2) I was able to ride the actual Madone climb. 3) Rod showing off his media pass 'credentials'. 4) Alberto Contador starting the TT 5) Riding shotgun with Paris Roubaix winner and Astana team director, Dirk Demol 6) Yaroslav Popovich ripping the Time Trial

In other news, I got a little 'redemption' this week in Breckenridge.

This Indian Life - Robber's Street: Delhi, April

2009-07-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

(Rod might use a curse word in here. You youngsters have been warned...)