The NRC crit in San Diego which ,by the way, is spanish for whales vagina was…well, it was awesome. Good weather, lots of crashes a Chilli Peppers cover band good crowds and the girls went 1 and 2. The newly annointed Team Sprinter made it’s first fully loaded journey and it was all good…

Here are some pics

Locked and loaded

The butt.

Truck stop aviators.  Yes, cool can be bought and for only $9.99

Old Mexico as seen on the way to New Mexico.  After Dana Point we loaded up the girls and drove a metric shit ton of hours filled with pee stops to Silver City New Mexico.

A totally touristy moment in east bangabush.  This picture was taken while we were held at gun point while making our 67th pee stop.  The masked gunmen took only 1 bag of Power Bar Cola juby jubes and left us to carry on.

That’s it for this post.  Gila is next.

The Redlands bicycle classic is, well,  it’s classic.  4 Days of racing covering the major disciplines of modern road cycling.  You start with the day sucking event that is the opening time trial and then move on to the road race the crit and finally the circuit race.  Redlands has the tendency to draw good crowds and even better competition.  2009 did not disappoint  all the big guns came out to play.  It was good to see such high level caliber women’s racing.  Webcor did it’s best but it was a very tough weekend of racing.  It was very hard for me being the mechanic with a -still broken- leg but luckily Ryan Bontrager came along to help me out with my duties and Jeremy “Jezza” Fliss, Webcor’s new Swany made his debut with the team as well.  It was strange to have other Men on the team.  It was a different vibe this year at Redlands, but in a good way.  All 12 of us stayed with our Mom away from Moms and super hostess Cid Breir who has been hosting racers for almost as long as the classic has been running.  She puts up with alot of crap- 8 racers and 4 staff all in one house-  think about it.  Cid you are a saint.  

On with the show….

The ”Carl’s Jr.” burger truck causes ripples in time and space… someone call Matt Horowich and tell him Hawking has it all wrong  the secret is bacon burgers 

Webcor and Olympic Veteran Dr. Thorburn was presented a legends of the sport award at the Crit on Saturday

Erinne totally photo bombed “Jezza” as he gave me his best Morrissey impression

Saturday’s podium was reserved for those with names containing ”I.N.A” 

Since I couldn’t work jump.   I got to drive the team car during the road race.  Karen Directed from the passenger seat and Ryan worked jump.  We had some very interesting moments after a wheel change went bad-  thanks to a new Mavic neutral support rider Karen, the car, and Ryan will never be the same again.

Ryan Bontrager was a big help all weekend

Jeremy Fliss doing Webcor proud in the feed zone.  Welcome aboard Jezza!

This what you get when two Cyclocross mechanics go to the feed zone on a circuit race-  a full on pit of spares

Nikki making a very good debut with the green team

Amy and Cid-  just before Amy dropped and broke that coffee mug Cid’s favorite ! (just kidding)

See this face?  this is my boss before the race.   Now picture this face after I just  launched the  team car at 70+ during a race  and upon reentry hearing metal on pavement and smelling burnt rubber and oil while the mechanic is rolling around in the backseat in agony because he just got drilled in the face with his tool kit  before bouncing off the ceiling and then directly into the floor becasue he was trying to get a tube out of the back when I hit the intersection.  Yup-  looked just like that only a little less happy.  Good times.

Redlands The Hit list

• Aussie expressions- “I ‘m picking up what your puttin’ down”
• Aussie nicknames-  Jezza, Rhino, Dave-o, Kezza
• Aussie Race expressions- Sticky bidens
• Good host housing
• The joy of  having a proper swany
• 2 mechanics are better than 1
• In- N- Out Burger perfectly placed half way between LA and San Fran
• The new Sprinter
• Cell phones and magic planters
• Union meetings
• Looking for riders at strip clubs at 1 am when you don’t know the name of the club and neither do they
• Volvos can take a serious beating
• Strongbad techno
• Tommy D. look alikes who wanna fight cause they look like Tommy D. (bro I would have ripped your arms off and beaten you with them)
• Drunk Aussies (not Webcor Aussies) dirty, dirty girls.
• Katheryn’s ability to draft the Sprinter for 300+ miles in traffic and milking an extra 100+/- miles out of a tank of fuel

Next stop San Diego…. 

D. out.

To my 7 loyal readers I apologize.  I have been a bit lapse in the bloggery.  In my own defense I have been a bit busy hobbling around, going to training camp, building more bikes, working on the Sprinter, Redlands , driving  back and forth from Cali to Oregon-  did I mention I still have a broken leg?  I move a little slower these days.  Anyhow enough with the pity party and on with the show…..

In the last few weeks there has been lots of  new and exciting things going down with team Green.  Here are some of the highlights from training camp and the photo shoots.

Team Photos-  The tradition continues. 6 returning Webcor riders were joined by there 2 new Australian teamates Nikki and Alex for a day of picture making.  There were these types of photos.

and these types of photos…

Amy showed off her guns….

and Gina showed off hers.

After a full day of photo shoots we packed up the kids and headed down to San Luis Obispo.  Each year the Webcor team heads to SLO where we meet up with John and Linda of Voler.  We are treated to fine accomodations and good food and of course good riding.  We have team meetings and dicuss our individual and team goals for the season.  We also get a full on tour of the Voler factory to see how our team clothes are made and meet many of the fine folks that keep us looking good all season.  This year retired Webcort rider Christine joined us along with Annie Fulton, A Webcor Alto Velo “bridge team” rider.  Here are some pics.

Getting ready for a long day in the saddle

Yours truly…   gearing up for a long day in that stupid chair.  5 more weeks on crutches *sigh*

I got yelled at alot at training camp.  It seems that a the word was put out that I was not to walk or attempt to move without the assistance of my crutches-  or there would be hell to pay.   The order was handed down by the mighty midget in Portland who had been tending after me and delivered me to Santa Rosa CA.   The girls were ever vigilant and would yell at me anytime they saw me without my sticks.  Except for when I was riding a bike-  Katheryn did not even notice that I was pedaling a bike around in circles while talking to her (with my knee high soft cast on)  when she did finally notice though…  holy crap did I get it.    Good looking out!

I let Nikki borrow my camera for the ride so I could see what I missed.

Do not be fooled by this one.   She may look sweet but Alex is “a real bad Alice”

Another Team Dinner

the new “zombie” victory salute?  what have townline sprints come too?

So that’s a quick overview of what went down at camp.  We left SLO and went straight to Redlands where more members of the team met up with us.  You will have to stay tuned for that update.

werd.  D.

I have been experiencing a bit of the bummer life as of late.  Many of you know I try my best to avoid the bummer life, but  sometimes it just comes up and sucker punches your ass.   Last week Mount Hood was getting blanketed in a bit of  the white.  They received upwards of 50″ in the matter of a few days.  Being a voracious pinhead, I could not resist the allure of deep pow and turns on the big hill-  I made a point to ski as many days as possible before heading back to Cali.  The first few days were good- and then Sean, Colleen and I made the mistake of going over to Flatline to ski for free at the Vitamin water day-  Don’t get me wrong-  the snow was great, there was plenty of fun to be had-  but it was flat.  The 3 of us longed for the deep AND steep so we made plans to head up to Meadows the next day.  Those plans were foiled and we agreed upon a Sunday assault.  We awoke to weather that was less than ideal rain in the lowlands with mixed precipe at 4k feet and snow above that 4k foot mark.  We got to the hill and I was filled with hesitation.  I went out and checked the snow in the parking lot and it was wet-  really wet.  I believe my exact words were  “this shit’s an ankle breaker”

Undetered Colleen starting suiting up.  She was going to take a run and come back and report.  It looked like it was snowing further up the hill – the trees were holding snow and wisps of snow were coming off the peaks to the left  on the drive in , a good sign for good snow at higher elevations.  I was in.  We hopped the lift and were off.  It was shit at lower levels but the higher we climbed the better the skiing and the snow.  After a few runs we decided to hop into Heather’s Canyon-  a Double Black , experts only playground that is super fun to ski.  The snow was fantastic.  On our Fourth approach into twilight bowl the clouds were moving in and the top of the bowl was obscured-  they were starting to close Heather’s at the upper gates-  We decided to go for it and head left at the base of the bowl into the lowlands-  a decision that would prove to be a very, very bad idea.

I dropped in first and ripped the 1K foot bowl to the basin and headed for the tree line.  As I came up on the gut it looked really, really nasty through the center so I shot off toward the tree line on skier’s left.  As I came over the top of the knoll the snow turned to paste.  I was already deep in a turn heading to the right when my left ski tip caught in the mank -  unsettled by the twitch-  my weight shifted just enough to allow the left ski to arc-  sending me into a cartwheel.  It was at this moment that everything went into slow motion-  as I tumble I watch in horror as my left ski tip makes contact with a mogul and my leg keeps turning until …”SNAP!!” followed by a my own screams of  “oh, FUCK!” 

(note this photo was NOT taken on the day of the crash)

Laying in a heep I know I am hurt bad.  Colleen ski’s over the top of the point to see me lying on the ground swearing my brains out- “dude, are you alright?”  

“NO!  I just broke my leg”  I try to yell convincingly.

“dude? for real” she asks, my pain probably sounding more smart ass than ungodly. 

 ”shit, dude”  I assure that it is best for her to go get help and leave me.  We are way out in Heather’s canyon and they were closing the upper bowls behind us as we went in.  I am not in an easy place for an extraction- by any  means.  Collen takes off down the hill to get patrol.  Shortly after she leaves another guy named Dave comes across me with his daughter.   He asks if I am OK and I explain my siutation.  He sends his daughter to the top of the knoll to watch for ski patrol as I try to stand- and fail- with screams of  bloody murder.  He waits with me until the first patroller arrives.  He is 30 meters away and we can see him but he cannot hear my cries for help.  It is the most painful few minutes I have ever had.  Knowing that help is there but he cannot see or hear me.  It sends a strange sensation through me.   The other Dave lets out an amazing whistle that causes the patroller to look in our direction and he skis toward us.  Help has arrived but I must wait for more help. 

A few minutes later 2 more patrollers and Colleen arrive.  One of the patrollers crashes in the same spot as me and makes a coment on the shittiness of the snow.  The 3 patrollers load me into a sled and start the extraction.  It is not easy.  The Gut is completely skiied out.  It is a near vertical shoot through the trees. It is narrow and hela steep.  I watch as they lower me over each of the 3 foot drop offs-  greg the patroller controlling the rope behind me-  biting his lip and using every ounce of stregth and every millimeter of ski edge to keep me from sliding mach 9 down the hill taking out the other patrollers.  It is impressive to watch.  It is a slow process,  I am in pain and freezing, but  within a short time we make it to the canyon runout.  

Heather’s canyon runout is basically a XC Ski trail that is several Kilometers long, luckily another patroller with a Ski Doo is there waiting for us.  They hook my sled and a patroller to the back of the snowmobile and we take off to the HRM parking lot.  When we reach the parking lot they load me, still in the sled, into a GMC SUV and drive me another 3 miles (or so) to the Mount Hood Meadows base lodge ER (yup, a full functioning ER on the Mountain)

I am xrayed and told that I have broken my Fibula and more than likely torn all of the ligaments in my ankle.  Awesome!  They splint me and stuff me into the car.  I will need a surgical consult and- more probable than not-  surgery!  SO…. the rest of the story is pretty boring.  I went for a follow up,  I have had email consults with Max Testa and Eric Heiden thanks to Katheryn- like to break collar bones- Mattis.  I have gotten rockstar treatment from Colleen for which I must take her to Chuck E. Cheese.  I have a bunch of shiny new hardwear in my leg and the boys over at Bicycle Outfitter (Dave, Ryan and Billy) are helping out with my team duties while I am still looped out on drugs. 

I hope to get back to work soon.  Here are a few pics from the last few days of surgical hilarity

Colleen showing me the correct way to play a spine….

Fibulas spiral fuckin brokenus and ankle ligamentus  totalley fuckticus 

Insurance that the correct ankle is fixed- they even trimmed my toe nails for me after-  that’s service!

Insurance that my glasses are not lost- they even taped in my ear tackle!  they are good!

Drugged and Ready to get screwed!! and plated!! and… more drugs!!!

Thanks to everyone who has helped me this past week

• Colleen
• Mount Hood Meadows Ski Patrol
• Burns
• Chelsie and Tim
• Max Testa
• Eric Heiden
• Dr. Freiss
• OHSU
• MHM ER
• Dave Prion
• Ryan Bontrager
• Billy Innes
• Celeste and BCBS
• The Girls

Thanks.

California-  warm, sunny and well… warm and sunny.  Until this weekend.  I swear I  just worked a cross race in November in New England instead of a crit at the Tour of California.  45 degrees and pouring down rain. Soooo awesome!!!     

Caravaning across the Golden Gate to Santa Rosa

The team at Tour of California.  Featuring two freshly wrapped team cars.

Gina Grain one of the fastest Candians of all time (*see maple leaves on sleeves) models the new Voler team kit and Lazer Helmet. 

Rebecca Much.  Gettin’ ready to rock it.

Erinne Willock Getting ready for the task at hand.

Amy Dombroski  eagerly awaiting the arrival of the boys.  I believe she said “OOoohhh the Boys are coming!!”

Katheryn  Mattis bike racer and navigator excellantay-  4 hours of driving for 1 hour of  racing.  Freakin’ yeah man…

I am too tired and cold to write anything else. 

D.

 Here is your first look at one of the 09′ Team Bikes.  This first batch will be the training bike.  Some of the bits and pieces will change but for the most part a SRAM equipped Leopard is what the girls will be rocking this year….

Hudz and Red- Nuff’ said

The Leopard M1 carbon in Webcor green.  The bike has no decals-  all the logos are painted.  The wheels are Williams Cycling’s System 19 .  The wheels are sub 1500g and reasonably priced AND they look good.

She looks fast, no?

Speedplay provides the pedals-  Cateye the cages and computers

Fizik saddles and Tape.  The race bikes hopefully will be outfitted in white-  time will tell.

That’s all for now.  The

ir is plenty of good stuff  yet to come-  Kits, Cars, Riders and the other team bikes.. Stay tuned we are just getting warmed up.

God save the queen.

 

D. out

2008 was a very interesting year for me.  In a 7 month period  I traveled to 9 different countries including France, Germany, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Switzerland.  During the same time period I drove  across the U.S. 3 times in addition to up and down the West coast from Oregon to Redlands.  I have logged over 16,000 miles in the team car in the U.S. and tens of thousands of Kilometers in foreign lands.    In 107 days of racing-  I have witnessed amazing triumphs of will and physical strength, champions crowned and life goals acheived.  I have also been there when riders lie broken and bloody on the road-  usually one of the first on the scene- only to leave them as quickly as we got to them- hoping that they are taken care of  and safe after I jump back in the team car and speed away-  there are still other girls up the road that we need to look after.   

The amount of travel I did during the race season gave me a lot of time to really think about my life.  The things that I experienced and witnessed during the course of the season had a profound impact on me that lasted beyond the end of the race season.   2008 was a life altering season for me and its impact hit hard into my own personal life. 

Since September I have made many hard decisions in my personal life.   Many of these choices have not been very popular with friends and loved ones back east, but the choices I have made,  I have made for me.  Today I made another one of these choices and it lead to even more reflection.  Today I set aside some time for myself and I rode my bike and thought.  Yes, there was work to be done, but what I really needed was to hear the clicking of gears and whirring of freewheel bodies and my own thoughts.  I reflected on the decisions I have made and the things I have experienced in the last few months, since uprooting my life and heading to the Pacific Northwest-  and  I discovered something.   I am happy.   It feels weird to say it and even weirder to write it here for the 7 people who read my blog-  but today I came to realize and accept that I am happy.  I have met some great people and I have some truley great friends- who knows what lurks on the horizon, but right here, right now,  I am happy.

 

D.  Out.

So.  The bike building has begun.  Here is a little peek at two of the frames and some of the other equipment the ladies will be riding this year along with a few insights into Cali 09′

Leopard made us a custom xxs – tube to tube carbon frame for our smallest riders

A peek at the Green Carbon Leopard M1 (for big girls)

What???  SRAM Red?!-  what could be cooler?  How about the Green Hudz from our buddies over in Boulder.  Yup-  next time you see this shifter it will be pimped- Hudz style (along with matching donuts)

Even heavy D. gets love in Cali.  This is a team pic complete with my euro trading card hanging in the service area at the Bicycle outfitter in Los Altos , CA.  Dave Prion and the boys and girls over there run a tight ship and are a class act.  If you are ever in the bay area you should stop in and check em’ out.  You won’t be disappointed.

The Service bay at Bicycle Outfitter- complete with Ryan Bontrager and disco ball.  Ryan is one of the techs at B.O. and the HRS Rock Lobster CX team mechanic.  Did I mention he’s a nice guy?

I passed this produce stand in Watsonville-  check it out 20 artichokes for $1.00 they are like $2.50 each back east

Amy Dombro’s new team bike.  Those are 20″ tubulars on that thing and those are 700c rims behind it!

Cali Build Trip-  The Hit list thus far….

• In N Out Burger- Nuff’ Said
• Not having to build bikes in a dark cold garage when it was raining-  thanks Outfitter crew!
• Running into old friends-  Billy Innes (who works at Outfitter)  use to come into my own shop in MA back in 01′ and 02′ ,  he was also the training partner of my friend Mukunda.   Billy and I wound up working next to one another for a few hours at the Outfitter before we recognized each other.   The other shop guys were freaked out when we broke into small town Masshole back east gossip-   the world is indeed a very small place.
• Crashing a Los Gatos farewell party at a bar for someone I did not know
• Dancing all night to crappy hip hop while drinking crappy beer
• The soccer mom/pole dancer at said party-  forever now known as “striparella queen of the carpool lane”
• Having someone compliment me on my Masshole ways and for being “brutally honest”
• In N out Burger-  did I mention that already?
• The KCM  B+B/ TV lounge for wayward cyclists and mechanics
• The Sun

That’s all for today.  I am out this piece-

Hey! It has been awhile.  How you going?   The season is quickly approaching and I am in the great state of California.  Webcor is ramping up for it’s debut at the Women’s stages of the Tour of California-  I am here to build the new team bikes and get prepped for the upcoming NRC schedule.  The Team has some new members and we are rocking some new equipment for 09′  I got my first look at the team frames when I picked up the first batch from Joe the Painter down in Watsonville.  The custom team paint is sick and the bikes are going to look amazing.  Stay tuned….  I just started building the bikes today and I will be posting some pics in the next day or so!  Nuf said’

Race season officially came to a close for me with Cross Natz.  Ski season officially began just before Christmas with 80″ inches of snow in 5 days and it has snowed pretty much everyday since.   It has been so good that Dombro caught a flight from Colorado to Portland to come get in some turns up on Hood.    We hung out at Sue Butlers cabin while she is over in euroland preparing to crush some souls at CX worlds.     As always we had a good time with good people.  We ate alot of Guacamole and Hot Sauce and we laughed alot. 

A few quotes from the week…..

• How can I feel this good…  If  I AM SOOOOO SICK!!!!
• You better pump the brakes little girl!
• No really.. what’s a Merkin?
• Lotsa  ice…Tumble!!!
• How old are you guys?
• Owww right in the baby maker!

Highlights

• Competitive darts-  15 games in one night
• Powdah!
• Hot sauce- 1 bottle of Sirachi
• Good Beer
• Running  the Hood River staircase and Jello legs
• All the Dogs
• Woodstoves and Avalanche shovels
• Dart smack talk-  and backing it up!!!
• Bumble beer
• Multnomah Falls under snow
• Did I mention the snow?
• Buying original Artwork
• Good Friends

For Amy’s take and videos click here

Epic conditions

Heavy D. checking the line before dropping in

Amy giving me the Down finger

Colleen enjoying the view

Multnomah Falls