3 Minutes Worth Watching

Yup, feeling a bit political this morning...
McCain 180 on Economy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4egXbhSOhk

Spot On

"One 72-year old's heartbeat away from being president of the United States - if elected..."

Late Takeoff

Nothing shows one's surfing prowess better than friends who miss the good rides but get video of the bad ones. If you don't have volume, you're missing half the show. For the record, the sound was not enhanced in any way...

Bike Thieves Beware

If you see someone on this bike and he doesn't answer to the name IAN - take him down.

She was abducted last week in DC. She's a classic - a Bontragger Privateer Comp. There can't be more than one in the mid-Atlantic that has a Thomson stem (not pictured). If you see it let me know. There's a bounty on the bike and a bigger one on the thief.
***
Dead or alive...

And again

I'm not going to bore you with details of work but I hate when I sound like all I do is play. Bottom line is yesterday I was a kid out walking on water until the skin on my toe knuckles wore off from the footstraps. I reluctantly packed it up and stopped by East of Maui to catch up with Mark Bandy for a bit. He's good people. Today lotta work. Tomorrow - back to the beach as the wind will go off shore and I hope leave nothing but glassy waves for me to slice into sections with my brilliant new board.

Tropical Storm Kyle - on the way!!
GOD I love September!!!

Its ON.

Siren Song.

This was a great evening spent practicing cross moves with the City Bikes gang. Cool people. Fun time. Fun new sport for me even tho I don't have a real cross bike. I'm going to use a retooled mt. bike with a rigid fork.
Joel (taken by Darren Biggs):

Myself (taken by Joel)

I'm looking forward to my first cross race. Well my first mountain bike race was officially a 'cross' race but I had no clue back then. I think it was November of 1998. How time flies.

One thing has been the same since 1987 - my passion for windsurfing. When the ocean is going richter it's like a magnet to me. I put off going today even tho the forecast was amazing - 20-30mph out of the North with waves over 12' and sunny skies, 70° however I was good. Stayed here and got tons of work done.
This is what the wind was doing all day while I worked:

Tomorrow however the wind will continue. As it has for the last 4 days and 4 nights. North East. Solid. Over 20. Over 30. Tomorrow it's going over 40mph with waves forecast to be somewhere in the 13-20' range. I couldn't find anyone to join me so I'll go alone. I can't sit here another day and think about it. I have to go. Have to try. Funny how I just got done saying I didn't need epic to be happy...

My siren calls.

Life Don't Hafta Be Epic

...to be really good.

So I'm another year older and hopefully a slight bit wiser. Maybe a little more fit. Certainly much more aware, motivated and focused. I think tough times always bring one to a level from which they can begin to build again. For this camper, that process now involves friends more than ever. Twenty years ago I embraced the challenge of doubt, introspection and building my self through the solitude of solo travel and adventure. Not unlike Chris McCandless who felt the need to prove something to himself, I did my solo tour of severe risk and realization but luckily returned. Now when given the chance, I feel less need for the extreme and epic & instead find a lot of reward from good company. I really am getting old...

This past weekend fit that category well. I had considered doing the Sunday crit in my own DC backyard but after a season of training for endurance racing off road, I figured I'd best let this one go for another year when I'm focused on shorter races. Not to mention the fact that only open to me was the Masters category where I'd face pesky Cat 1 sandbaggers looking for easy glory against much less seasoned racers (masters has cat 5-1 racers). This opened the weekend to all sorts of possibilities and fun without the pressure of racing.

With Dave's arrival on Friday we ran late on our urban assault and arrived late to a multi-celebratory-get-together at Bourbon. After some serious enjoyment of brownies and Knob Creek, Saturday morning found us moving a bit slow out of the gate. Nothing some cinnamon waffles couldn't cure (and lotsa coffee). We soon found our way to the trails for a low-key mtb ride at Schaffer Farms, a place that reminds me a lot of the riding back home especially this time of year. Then it was back to my house for a cookout of freshly flown-in Alaskan salmon and halibut with my newest close friend Alexandra. Pretty cool how you can live down the street from someone for 7 years, never meet them and when the timing is right see them all the time and become fast friends.

Sunday was a change in venue as Dave and I switched the bikes for kayaks and hit the Potomac for some old school fishing.

Another fisherman...

The small mouth bass and stripers kept us busy.

Time fell back 30 years to the days of fishing Irondequoit Creek at Powdermill with Dave when we were 8 years old. I might be on the verge of 40 but I'll be damned if I'm gonna act like it...

Soon Dave had to leave to get back to Pittsford and prepare for his next comp in Paris. Seems the French are big fans of Timber Sports. Go figure...

But that opened up time for another fun Schaffer ride with GFK teammate Emily Mac. As we arrived GFK staff photographer Aaron K was just suiting up so we joined him and friend Josh for 2 hours of laughing, log riding, crashing and cranking through the woods.
Josh - totally stoked

Aaron on the other side of the lens

Emily blasting by

And a little log riding for fun

The best way to follow up such a fun ride was with Punkin Spice beer at Dogfish Head Brewery.

After a few months of really trying times I'm finding my steam again and valuing my life more than ever. Not much really has changed other than my perspective. But sometimes it's hard to do that on your own and it takes some great friends to get you back on track.

Here's to those friends...

Pals

Dave Jewett came to town yesterday for my birthday.
Took him out for a proper urban ride.
Complete with dirt trails, bike paths, tunnels and traffic.
His kidney transplant is successful.
He attacked us on the last climb.
His legs are huge.

Notice the samba's and toe straps.
Gotta get dave into clipless.

I think he might race for GFK next year.
The worlds first lumberjack cyclist.

Toot

Cool to see I was used on this month's PowerBar newsletter. Last month it was Mr. Phelps.

Self portrait from the BC Stage Race.

FIX THIS

Ok, so last winter I was at National Geographic meeting with a good friend who is a VP of the TV channel and happens to be a fan of my work. We're discussing possible Nat Geo shows, shooting and life in general when we're interrupted by a co-worker of hers who announced "He's finally here! The producer is here!" Carrie had to excuse herself to go meet with this Aussie guy just in from a long plane ride, the producer of a new show that had recently lost the planned host. The show was set to begin shooting in a month or less. While I sat there thinking where my life my head in 2008 Carrie re-appeared and asked if I wanted to audition to be the host. Seems they had sifted through about 400 applicants and were not thrilled with any of them. It seemed serendipitous - do I want to audition for a show that will be played in 6 million homes worldwide? Uhhh - PSHYEA! Well off I went, met the production crew and threw down. Best audition I've ever had. I was on. Figured I nailed it. I also had to get them an audition tape by Monday - it was Friday afternoon. I busted out and rallied my coast guard buddies to formulate a plan. By Sunday we were shooting and after a sleepless night, I had my audition uploaded and ready for Nat Geo's 8am production meeting. It was solid. I knew I'd get it. I just had this gut feeling - BIG things were gonna start happening!

For higher resolution click here

Needles to say I didn't get the job. I guess some rock climber from Seattle with a degree in Engineering turned in a tape and beat me at the 11th hour and 59th minute. There's not much solace in the show biz world for 2nd place - no podium there.
Meet Sean Riley

Here's a link to the show at Nat Geo's site
You have to have the most recent Flash player installed - which you can get done in 2 seconds here

***

2nd Chance? Well after seeing all this, I'm not sure I would have done a better job than Sean. He's clearly solid in front of the camera. HOWEVER - I hope to meet with the producer next week to discuss working as a cameraman for the show. Could be a great new direction for Gripped... Stay tuned...

Things a'Changing

As I sit here this morning poking around other people's blogs I noticed Steve Hoover gave me a shout out on the Trek Mountain Life Blog. That's always nice. And I also noticed team manager Zack Vestal sucking Lea Davidson's wheel at the Chequamegon 40, a Wisconsin race. Zack finished 30th after what sounded like a bad start but that's not bad considering there are 2,500 racers!
Zack is a great guy, I wish he lived closer. I know he'd be an 'everyday' friend.


Another interesting change, the USAC has announced new categories for mountain biking that more closely reflect road - now my license will read Cat 1 Mt, Cat 3 Rd, Cat 3 Cross - sweet! Wow, lot of changes in the mountain bike world.

Ride More, Think Less

Riding with these clowns helps keep it fast. Caz voguing


Poz hammering over logs uphill

Unresolved

Another hit and run this weekend.
I can almost set a watch by them.
One thing is for sure,
the older I get
the harder it gets
to recover from lies

What's left when you care about someone
and they sucker-punch you?
The insensitivity is baffling to me
And it's hard to keep that care from turning toxic

I found this poem,
written in 2002
It really sucks that
all these years later
almost nothing has changed

God I hate the lies.

***
Resolve

I've never looked into night from day
like I did today.
37,000 feet over the globe
My thoughts are of a way
to resolution

Above the clouds
this plane is brought between a
setting sun and a dark horizon
and shadowed here I sit

One drink down, then two
and I find myself writing to you.
Amidst positive reflection
a deeper introspection
finds a question
left
unanswered

In my ears Drops of Jupiter
in my mind
a smile I find
continues
to haunt me

I retraced my steps
from coast to coast
A past put to rest
my future blazing
like the sun just set -
yet this shadow will grow

Shift the focus from adventure races
and mountain bike chases
to producing features
and soon to completion
a film I will call
my own

Paint to point to produce
and I find I'm juiced but below is
37,000 feet
and one hell of a fall if I fall
so I sit here balanced
on it all

This is the route I chose-
every aspect but one.
I won't deny it's been fun
but there's still
something
that seems went wrong

I can’t enjoy where I’m at
until I fix where I’ve been
but how can I fix this
shadow I’m in?

Still left unresolved
is my role in it all
I sit here and wonder
why is love
described by a fall?

Fall I did but
Wasn't it meant?
-Or was I just bent-
years of solitude
pointing me to you
Yet if the choice was mine
you would have followed through

What happened instead
was that I was fed
my own trust
in words I wish
you left unsaid

I know now
that things meant to be
rely on timing for fruidity and
that one small word led to a lot of hurt
for you perhaps, for me
for sure

So I'll go and let you go
and in my mind I'll know
that I believed in what we could be
but I just wish
you could tell me-
this one thing

Are you fuel for it all?
Blown up relationships
one of which
so close to perfection
to leave me with years
of frustration?

“Talented and driven"
say some
But that’s reaction -
not action,
staying busy waiting
for truth to come

Should I thank you for this fuel?
do I owe you for
not coming through?
Attribute this and that
to your words "...I can't..."?

God knows it left me
with enough energy
to turn love to hate
to leave then wait-
and wait
and wait

no one comes
no you
or even another one
Now I just run Away from everyone

Hidden behind success
driven to be the best
pushing for it all
to come together
But it came together

In a glance met with a smile
in a question met with a laugh
and in unrequited love met
with a lie

The truth I waited for is a scar
I wear on my sleeve
in a place my heart
used to be

4 down and one to go and
when it comes time
I'll say, "I told you so"

I hate when I'm right
but even more that you're wrong-
for me,
my goals
and now this song

Now when I hear,
"...did you miss me?"
I'll know the answer
No,
not you but a girl
who would come though
-all I have to do is meet her
when timing is true

God knows what’s wrong
with me
But for some unknown reason,
I still wish
it was you

2nd Monthly Tour De Bar

Sometimes it's easy to forget how much fun riding a bike can be. When you train a lot, then race a lot you tend to shun the bike when it's social time. That's why the TD'B makes great sense - a monthly fun ride for anyone interested in ditching the car, increasing their bike culture and willing to challenge their urban riding skillz by adding a mind-numbing drink to the mix. As the days grow shorter there's no excuse for not donning some lights and getting out into the cool, fall night air. No racing, no hammering - the perfect ride to bust out a cruiser, fixy, Xtracycle, towny, tandem - whatever!

This past week I did the City Bikes cyclocross clinic then was led to Red Rocks Pizza by Joel - who I did not know used to be a messenger and knows the city inside and out. Already there waiting was a good size crew from GFK, soon to be joined by 4 more including the legendary IGGY (shortly after I met him 8 years ago he was relocated to Juneau Alaska for the Coast Guard. He mailed his stuff, hopped on his bike and rode alone over 4,000 miles to get there - hence the 'Legendary' title).

We feasted on pizza then rolled out to Wonderland, a bike-friendly bar with outdoor seating. The patio was full and gave us a round of applause as we rolled up - how cool is that? Bikes were lashed to the fence, stands and lightposts. My kind of bar!
Al Yoon getting more cameratime...

David, Kristen, Paul and CB gives a salute to TD'B

Then came the fun ride home - slightly hazed from beer but totally mellow and about as safe as can be expected. Glad Aaron was there to keep me company tho. 3 more weeks until the next TD'B - e-mail me if you're interested.


***

Few More from Hanna

I'm still beaming in the stoke from this past weekend.

Instead of trying to find all sorts of colorful words to describe it I'll just say it was like jumping back 15 years to when I lived at the beach. Before cycling, before DC. Back when I found a place to heal from life's hard knocks. Where I built the person I am today and really found myself. When I arrived Saturday morning I felt grounded for the first time in a long time. It was seeing old friends who still charge when the ocean is richter and being out there in the most electric conditions – surrounded by an ocean as it surges and heaves, pushing fast moving water vertically until it trips onto it's self, breaking and churning, crashing and booming all around. Feeling the sting of liquid smoke on my face driven by 50mph gales, walking on the most angry of waters. I felt so alive again.
Scared as hell but acutely alive.

I have to give some props to Johnno, Brian, Warren, Mike and the East of Maui guys who defy gravity on their kites.

When the wind clocked around and went off shore we opted for more sailing on the bay since Northside was full of aggressive East Coast surfers. I never understand why guys appear so grumpy when the waves are good. We ventured around locked gates across the highway where the kiddie pool served up some solid flatwater fun.

Old friend and GFK team mate Al Yoon keeping the kiddie pool shredded.

That night I crashed at Australian John O'Leary's house in Bethany. He's been in the states long enough to lose the Dundee accent but he's still a bloke. Sharing beers and stories of traveling around the world took me back to when we worked together as carpenters and talked about the big trips we would someday take.
Johnno in his Shangri-La

Johnno's a master carpenter who built the baddest-ever outdoor shower.

I covet his shower.

I showed Johnno and his wife Jessica "24 Solo" and they seemed pretty stoked on it. We got up early to catch the first waves of the day.

Joe B thankful he didn't actually get elected to local office

A borrowed board

I don't know what exactly it is, but something about going back to the beach always helps put my life into perspective and it helps me realize I'm one very lucky guy.

With a SUUU-WEEEET new surfboard!

***

Love from Hanna

Ahhhh, hurricanes. This is by far my favorite time of year. The air cools, leaves change and sometimes the ocean shows us who has the real power in this world. Hanna was a mere tropical storm by the time she reached my old stomping ground in Delaware but she was still packing some sass. It's always novel to be driving towards a storm when everyone else is headed the other way. (click on the image, they get bigger)

After windsurfing for 5 hours on Saturday and surfing for 7 hours yesterday I'm moving really slow and have to get some work done before I blabber on about sharing huge waves and violent winds with close friends. And I thought last weekend beat me up...
Northside of the inlet, out alone

Old friend and kiteboarding madman Johnno

Inside was medium, outside was XXL

The kiters showed up and got vertical

Sunday's surfing bliss - till I broke my board...

But since my birthday is next week I took a lunch break, refueled and bought myself a new board! This thing is SICK.

The first wave I paddled for with it - I caught and got a nice little barrel. What a way to start a new relationship.
Then it was back to Johnno's for a bbq and playtime with his kids: