My first crash this year

I was going to post on the 24 Hours of Adrenalin™ at Hurkey Creek Park after my road ride this morning around the office. 'Cept on the way back from the turn-a-round I was just getting into some tasty turns in a decent when a white pick up truck passes me in a big hurry and heads into the turns in front of me. I'm watching it and start to pick up some speed thinking that sob better keep moving so I can enjoy the fruits of doing all of this climbing. Right in the turn I see "him" put the brakes and slow waaaay down; I'm thinking wtf and before I can think about it I'm on him and am forced to hit the back of him or put the bike down.

You'll be happy to know I sacrificed myself to keep the bike from getting hurt.

That and when I locked up the back & I could feel the tubular tire come off I'm thinking, "oh no, not a Beloki"....luckly I didn't break anything but did get a big bunch of road rash. I can't sit down for sure...let's just keep it at that...no pictures. That and I'm already stiff-n-sore....

I can't wait to get out again....I'll be more careful next time.

Ciao,
Rick

Sea Otter 2009

Pro Neven Steinmetz showing the gurlz (and guys) how to fly on her Project Pink Dare
This shot of Pro Team Rider Neven Steinmetz is a fav cause you can see where she is looking at...this is her practicing for the slalom race on her Project Pink Moment
Real heroes that race bikes very fast, Active duty Navy Seals that have a race team we help sponsor
Navy Seal Ted racing the Super D

I'm disappointed that I didn't get a shot of our XC star Pua Sawicki racing; I did have a chance to meet her.


8 hours of driving in a crew cab pulling a trailer, 4 guys sleeping in one room for 4 nights with one bathroom, thousands of spectators and competitors in every aspect of bike racing, meeting pro racers, riding different Ellsworth bikes to take photos of them and others, meeting and helping current & future customers, getting sunburned and working long days with refreshing beverages......followed by a long drive home, getting in late and then starting the work week again on Monday.

That is Sea Otter.

Is this great or what......

Photos are here....I wish I would have taken more of the venue and the people, but I did need to get back to the booth and work also.

Today's ride on the Ellsworth Evolve

I met up with three guys EARLY this morning and headed up to Vail Park to get in some riding before the other guys had to get home for family commitments. Yeah and I actually wore my baggy bike shorts...I'm sure many of you would be surprised that I actually own a pair!

I have never ridden a 29er before, let along a 4" travel full suspension one. We ended up riding for 2:40 and climbed (ok, some hike-n-bike) 1920'. The trails here do not have any logs to worry about but plenty of sand & rocks....that and a long fall down off of the ridge line!

I was surprised to not feel a big difference in handling of the 29er Evolve. In fact it seemed to take all my bad lines in stride and make for an enjoyable experience. I can tell you it climbs really well and descends even better. The other three guys had gone down a steep decent and yelled up to me to stay left....what do I do? Take the right line and had visions of a huge endo....the Evolve took it in stride and had the guys laughing that the bike had more skilz than me. No doubt.

My friend Jeff just rode it and couldn't stop talking about how much better it felt. Uh, Rick, how much does this cost he asked? :-) Looks like his Specialized FSR full suspension may end up being on "Craigslist".

Anyway, a great day and I'm loving getting back into mountain biking and will consider making the Evolve my ride. Well, after I ride the 5-1/4" travel Epiphany!

Oh, I did (finally) get in an hour of surfing today on the "old/new" board that I have now. Just an hour? Well it seems that the good conditions are more consistent here so just an hour was enough to get me happy to be out in the surf again.

I'm just starting to have fun (work & pleasure) out here but I do miss you guys. Good luck to all at RATL & the Covered Bridge Races!

Ciao,
Rick

The move and time change....

I'm struggling with getting everything together and feel like the great Jimmy H says...(cue the music)

Riding the Ellsworth Scant

The Scant is the road bike that Ellsworth makes here in the US and I wanted to take one out to see how it felt & climbed. Tony was nice enough to loan me his and I took it out for some quick climbing and compared it to my Cervelo R3 this morning.

The Scant was a small (53cm effective length top tube) and had different geometery than the Cervelo. The Scant felt lower; Tony said that he had designed it per Pros feedback that they wanted a lower bike with a roomy cockpit. It felt great and decended fantastic. The wheels shown are the carbon clinchers.

I'll see if I can take it out on a longer ride for more feedback on it, but I was very pleased by the looks and ride of it. Don't be surprised if you see me racing on it this season.

Ciao,
Rick

First Day at Ellsworth

Is history and it was a good one. It was like being a kid at a candy store seeing all of the bike & frames. People there are great....

Tony is letting me take out his personal Scant (road bike) for a taste test tomorrow morning. It will take place on the twisty, steep but tasty climb/decent road right where the office is. I'll be riding it and then the Cervelo R3 to compare how they feel. They weigh about the same 16ish and change. The test should be a good one except that the Ellsworth will have the Ellsworth carbon clinchers on it and the Cervelo the Tubies....maybe I'll use the same wheelset for both?

This weekend may have have some Truth or an Epiphany to it? Yummy trail riding it looks like.

It's been a long but good day.

Ciao,
Rick

It's been a blur...or should i say an Epiphany?

The drive to get here and then getting settled in have been crazy and my first day at Ellsworth is tomorrow.

Pictures and more of the story later.

Ciao,
Rick