Whew! I am fried to a crisp. The "real" show started yesterday, w/ about a gazillion ShopFolk crowdin'[ into the Sands Expo Center to wander the vast expanse of new bike goodness. I had appointments w/ Seven Cycles (who is actually shipping their amazing new carbon bikes) and Pearl Izumi and spent the rest of the day trying to systematically covering the literlayy hundreds of booths chock-fulla bikestuff madness. Pearl has trimmed down their line, re-done the chamois' in their shorts (again!) and the colors looked great. I looked @ Craft and Endura stuff as well........sinc ei'm seriously considering replacing Castelli as our main PI alternative. I looked at so much stuff it'll take me 3 days of mental downloading and messenger bag unloading to get a handle on. I talked to Titus, Ellesworth and Intense today, as the search for a new high-end MTN bike line continues. I met w/ Rolf and Mavic as well and musta talked to 25 other representatives at booths large and small.
As we don't invision major changes in the shops' list o' wares for '08 my main focus was to try and see everything and find some cool stuff. The list of potential cool stuff was a little shorter that in years past....not sure if that's me or the industry....but fear not - there will be things to talk about when I get back to the shop!
Fav Racer Danielle, her husband Scott, Betsy-from-QBP and I grabbed some dinner @ my fav mex place here in town (it's along the canel in Venice, 'natch!) and then headed out to the big "Cross Vegas " race last night. Man........100 pro 'cross racers battlin' it out under the lights and the full moon w/ Elvis and beer and burritos and rock-n-roll and a buncha bike fools whoopin' it up and ringing cowbells! What a hoot! There's a big crit tonight but it's 4-5 miles down the strip from my hotel, I'm low on taxi-cash and I hafta get up @ 4:00am to cathc my plane so...............maybe not, eh?
So, another Interbike in the rear view. I have no idea how many this makes.......maybe 15-20? It's still so cool to see how vital the industry is, but there is a little fatigue in my gut over the silly posturing of the various "cliques"........it seems that 90 % of the folks here were either flying the colors of the "Messenger Dudes" the "Freeride Tribe", the 'Serious Roadie" or the "BMX Rat". Just normal folk that love bikes seemed to be in the minority.
Maybe it's just cause those folks don't have a uniform, huh?
Anyway...........stop by the shop startin' on Saturday and I'll have lotsa catalogs and pix of new stuff.
Man.........I need to go for a ride!
MC
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Interbike Report, Day 2
In what has become the theme of this trip I was up before dawn again today, just so I could break fast, brave the madness that is 5:30am Vegas traffic on the 30 minute hike down to the Expoi Center, meet fav pro racer Danielle and get on the shuttle bus for the so-called "Hangover Ride" from the Outdoor Demo. (A.K.A. the "Tour of Lake Mead") I had secured the use of a coupla C-Dale SuperSixes for the 26 mile ride. (A bike that has the oh-so-rare distinction of being the only one I rode to a victory this season!) We grabbed 'em, fitted them up and joined about 300 other bike shop dudes, pros, hangers-on and various other types for a jaunt from Boulder City down to a bee-yoo-ti-ful lookout on Lake Mead, about 13 miles away. It was not lost on your reporter that it was pretty much 100% downhill all the way there........and despite the bikes's 15 pound weight and oh-so-still BB I was still hurtin' coming back up. My legs were fried from yesterday and I just wateched as Danielle rolled away, jabbering all the way about how it'd been forever since she was on a real road bike. (She raced tour of Lelanau on her 'crosser!)
Once I was f-i-n-a-l-l-y back @ Bootleg Canyou we did some more riding. First up was a Co-Motion Periscope tandem. We sell a goodly number of these way-cool bikes and they're claim to fame is the super-adjustable fit......one bike fits kids, adults and everyone in between. I figured than D's 35" inseam would be a true test of that but she fit right on. We hammered it a bit, got outta the saddle for the climb back up to the venue.....it feels as solid as a "normal" design w'/ a lateral tube.
Next up was my fav ride of the whole Demo..........a Spot single speed w/ a belt drive. It did'nt take long to remind myself how much I like a simple steel frame and the simpicity of 1 speed, y'know? The belt drive is light, efficient, durable and quiet.....at least that's what Spot claims......and they seem like nice folks. Since the last time I paid any attention to them they've moved from Vancover to Golden Colo., introduced some complete bikes @ sweet price points and even ventured into some bikes w/ derailluers (!) but only one...........they have a 1x9 29'r and a 'cross bike. The bike I rode was a 29'r and it was the only one Ive ridden besides Niner where you kinda forget about the big wheels. Sweet sweet sweet.
Then we hit the Salsa booth.............Danielle's lookin' for a new ride and wanted to ride their full-sus El Santo. Turns out they didn't have her size but by then I had picked out a Dos Niner to ride. I liked it more than I ever did when I rode our demo Dos last summer. Not sure if that was the trail sout here or the fact that I have a lot more time on a 29'r now.
I think that's it...........if I missed on eit must not have made much of an impression! I changed outta my lycra, walked around, took some pics (which'll be up as soon as I get home) and called it a day. Tomorrow is the first day of the actual expo and the Cross Vegas race in the evening. Can't wait!
Gotta go............and I may well be unable to get online 'til I get home Friday. Stay tuned!
Once I was f-i-n-a-l-l-y back @ Bootleg Canyou we did some more riding. First up was a Co-Motion Periscope tandem. We sell a goodly number of these way-cool bikes and they're claim to fame is the super-adjustable fit......one bike fits kids, adults and everyone in between. I figured than D's 35" inseam would be a true test of that but she fit right on. We hammered it a bit, got outta the saddle for the climb back up to the venue.....it feels as solid as a "normal" design w'/ a lateral tube.
Next up was my fav ride of the whole Demo..........a Spot single speed w/ a belt drive. It did'nt take long to remind myself how much I like a simple steel frame and the simpicity of 1 speed, y'know? The belt drive is light, efficient, durable and quiet.....at least that's what Spot claims......and they seem like nice folks. Since the last time I paid any attention to them they've moved from Vancover to Golden Colo., introduced some complete bikes @ sweet price points and even ventured into some bikes w/ derailluers (!) but only one...........they have a 1x9 29'r and a 'cross bike. The bike I rode was a 29'r and it was the only one Ive ridden besides Niner where you kinda forget about the big wheels. Sweet sweet sweet.
Then we hit the Salsa booth.............Danielle's lookin' for a new ride and wanted to ride their full-sus El Santo. Turns out they didn't have her size but by then I had picked out a Dos Niner to ride. I liked it more than I ever did when I rode our demo Dos last summer. Not sure if that was the trail sout here or the fact that I have a lot more time on a 29'r now.
I think that's it...........if I missed on eit must not have made much of an impression! I changed outta my lycra, walked around, took some pics (which'll be up as soon as I get home) and called it a day. Tomorrow is the first day of the actual expo and the Cross Vegas race in the evening. Can't wait!
Gotta go............and I may well be unable to get online 'til I get home Friday. Stay tuned!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Interbike Report, Day 1
Okay, first lemme state for the record that I've been here in this Hellhole called Las Vegas for about 30 hours now.................and that's enough! i really don't like town at all and if it wasn't for the bike show and the JDRF Death Valley ride this dump would never again see the like of Mrs; Clark's favorite son!
Still...............here I am, and here I stay, 'til early Friday morning at least.
I came here fresh offa doin' the tech support in Whitefish MT for a JDRF Ride to Cure Ride. Brother Berger from the shop and I flew out on Wed, re-assembled about 65 shipped bikes, tuned up the other 85 or so, drove sag on Sat and packed 'em back up that night. Worked our asses off! Still...........what a great thin gto spend some time in the presence of the extra-fine folks that make up a JDRF Ride! Everyone rocks! The riders, the staff, the volunteers.................200-some passionate, dedicated, fun people doing a great thing. I love it!
jeff from the shop along w/ his buds Chuck and Joel comprised the West Mich team..they had a blast too!
Anyway....................the title of this here post is "Interbike Report", not "Ad for JDRF" so lemme get to it:
Today was Day 1 of the Outdoor Demo, which happens about 25 minutes outta Vegas @ a place called Boulder City. A small city of Pop-up tents and trailers pops up for 2 days of test riding bikes on the gnarly singletrack and the smooth asphalt. I rode the new Cannondale Scapel.......it gets a new rear end w/ 4 inches of travel w/ almost no pivots. I dug it..............smooth, climbed well, the sus did it's thing w/ minimal fuss. (Can you tell that I'm not really a big full-sus guy?) Still...what a great michigan bike! Plenty o' travel for our trails, still light enough to race.
Next bike was a new brand.............Pivot is thebrainchild of the guy that ran Titus forever. They have 2 frames, a 4 and a 5.5 inch travel dualie. I took the 4 incher for a run on Trail #4. (4 is the longest and most technical of the trails out there. I figger I oughta ride 'em all on the same trail, yes?) 'Nother nice bike...........but more "suspension-y" than the C-Dale and I was lukewarm on that. The same company that is bankrolling Pivot also plans to import BH from Spain, in an obvious attempt to be the next Orbea. I rode a fancy carbon one, it felt like a high-end carbon bike but hardly broke new ground.
I found myself @ the Salsa booth talkin' to homeboy Joe and the next thing I know I'm out on the trail on a Mamacita, their Scadium/carbon 29er. nIce rig and I was diggin' the hardtail but it didn't fit all that good and had the widest bars I have ever seen and that was messin' w/ my head. Still............we'd be all over Salsa if we hadn't found Niner, and we still may be someday!
I had to go by the niner booth 4 times to get a ride on their full-sus R.I.P-9. Obviously I'm fairly comfy w/their hardtails but the RIP was on my list. (Besides......I know I'd catch tons of crap from Ted if I didn't ride it) Despite my well-documented ambivilance for both 29-rs and full-sus...............this bike was a blast! The rear suspension wasn't so obvious, despite it's 4.5 inches of boiiing and it kinda rocked! They have a new one for '08, the J.E.T, and it'll be a better Michigan bike w/ 3' of travel and a pound less frame weight.
By this point my legs were feelin' the effects of 5 days of wrenchin' w/out riding in MT and 4 loops of the 4 mile Trail 4. I walked the Expo for a bit, ran into the guys from Loose Spokes in GH, Bob from The Bicycle Shop in Gaylord, Chris Kegel (Fellow JDRF guy) from Wheel adn Sprocket in Wis, etc. Then I figured "Well.I camout here to ride so ...." I grabbed a bike from the Mavic tent to try their fly new RXS wheels. prett swank......hollow carbon spokes on the front and left side of the rear, 1400 grams and dollars. They spun up super fast and were laterally stiffer than the Rolf Elans I currently run............ but those are 100 grams lighter and 400 bux less and stiff enough for my Wide load arse so I dunno. Sweet though.
That was it for me. I ditched the lycra and climbed on the shuttle. 8 hours out in the desert sun and wind and dust done did me in. There's an early morning road ride out to Lake mead that Danielle and I are gonna do, then I'll hang @ the Demo for a bit. I'll get some pictures for ya'll.
Time to finish the hike to my hotel and ditch this trashy tee shirt shop / 'internet cafe"!
Later, MC
Still...............here I am, and here I stay, 'til early Friday morning at least.
I came here fresh offa doin' the tech support in Whitefish MT for a JDRF Ride to Cure Ride. Brother Berger from the shop and I flew out on Wed, re-assembled about 65 shipped bikes, tuned up the other 85 or so, drove sag on Sat and packed 'em back up that night. Worked our asses off! Still...........what a great thin gto spend some time in the presence of the extra-fine folks that make up a JDRF Ride! Everyone rocks! The riders, the staff, the volunteers.................200-some passionate, dedicated, fun people doing a great thing. I love it!
jeff from the shop along w/ his buds Chuck and Joel comprised the West Mich team..they had a blast too!
Anyway....................the title of this here post is "Interbike Report", not "Ad for JDRF" so lemme get to it:
Today was Day 1 of the Outdoor Demo, which happens about 25 minutes outta Vegas @ a place called Boulder City. A small city of Pop-up tents and trailers pops up for 2 days of test riding bikes on the gnarly singletrack and the smooth asphalt. I rode the new Cannondale Scapel.......it gets a new rear end w/ 4 inches of travel w/ almost no pivots. I dug it..............smooth, climbed well, the sus did it's thing w/ minimal fuss. (Can you tell that I'm not really a big full-sus guy?) Still...what a great michigan bike! Plenty o' travel for our trails, still light enough to race.
Next bike was a new brand.............Pivot is thebrainchild of the guy that ran Titus forever. They have 2 frames, a 4 and a 5.5 inch travel dualie. I took the 4 incher for a run on Trail #4. (4 is the longest and most technical of the trails out there. I figger I oughta ride 'em all on the same trail, yes?) 'Nother nice bike...........but more "suspension-y" than the C-Dale and I was lukewarm on that. The same company that is bankrolling Pivot also plans to import BH from Spain, in an obvious attempt to be the next Orbea. I rode a fancy carbon one, it felt like a high-end carbon bike but hardly broke new ground.
I found myself @ the Salsa booth talkin' to homeboy Joe and the next thing I know I'm out on the trail on a Mamacita, their Scadium/carbon 29er. nIce rig and I was diggin' the hardtail but it didn't fit all that good and had the widest bars I have ever seen and that was messin' w/ my head. Still............we'd be all over Salsa if we hadn't found Niner, and we still may be someday!
I had to go by the niner booth 4 times to get a ride on their full-sus R.I.P-9. Obviously I'm fairly comfy w/their hardtails but the RIP was on my list. (Besides......I know I'd catch tons of crap from Ted if I didn't ride it) Despite my well-documented ambivilance for both 29-rs and full-sus...............this bike was a blast! The rear suspension wasn't so obvious, despite it's 4.5 inches of boiiing and it kinda rocked! They have a new one for '08, the J.E.T, and it'll be a better Michigan bike w/ 3' of travel and a pound less frame weight.
By this point my legs were feelin' the effects of 5 days of wrenchin' w/out riding in MT and 4 loops of the 4 mile Trail 4. I walked the Expo for a bit, ran into the guys from Loose Spokes in GH, Bob from The Bicycle Shop in Gaylord, Chris Kegel (Fellow JDRF guy) from Wheel adn Sprocket in Wis, etc. Then I figured "Well.I camout here to ride so ...." I grabbed a bike from the Mavic tent to try their fly new RXS wheels. prett swank......hollow carbon spokes on the front and left side of the rear, 1400 grams and dollars. They spun up super fast and were laterally stiffer than the Rolf Elans I currently run............ but those are 100 grams lighter and 400 bux less and stiff enough for my Wide load arse so I dunno. Sweet though.
That was it for me. I ditched the lycra and climbed on the shuttle. 8 hours out in the desert sun and wind and dust done did me in. There's an early morning road ride out to Lake mead that Danielle and I are gonna do, then I'll hang @ the Demo for a bit. I'll get some pictures for ya'll.
Time to finish the hike to my hotel and ditch this trashy tee shirt shop / 'internet cafe"!
Later, MC
Monday, September 17, 2007
TIME FOR 'CROSS!
What is it about cyclo-cross? It's painful as all hell, I totally suck at it, it involves running, which I prefer to a root canel, but just barely and ..........well.......did I mention that I suck at it?
Still............every time that Fall rolls around and we start gettin' the 'crossers out I realize that in some ways 'cross is my favorite time of year. There's something sweetly subversive about a 'cross bike. There you are........sittin' there as if you're on a road bike but you're lookin' for gnarly shit to ride over and through! It's like you're getting away with something, y'know? I love it.
I love rubbing embrocation on my legs and wearing shorts when I oughta be wearing knicks.
I love the scene........it's casual and serious at the same time. Some dudes are there w/ their new 2500 dolla CX'ers and then there's always some guy on an old Schwinn World Sport w/ flat pedals. (And all too often he's ahead of me!)
I love the sound of the cowbells and the crowd yelling "Hup Hup" as we roll past.
Besides...........you get to rub weird smelly Euro-goop on your shaved legs and no one thinks that you're weird...........how cool is that?!?!?
The 'cross season is well-and-truly underway 'round these parts, there were 2 races last weekend and from now on there wil be at least one every other weekend 'til it all wraps up here in H-Land on 12/8. If you've not checked it out................yaoughta!
All the details @ www.kisscross.com and www.tailwinds.net
Lots goin' on here @ Bike Central. I'm off to MT for the next JDRF Ride on Wed and then I'll be going straight to Vegas for the Interbike show from there. I'll try and post reports on the show every day or so.
Hard to believe that it's Showtime again! Man.......it's been a crazy season! Mostly good......but crazy for sure!
Gotta go...............talk at'cha later!
MC
Still............every time that Fall rolls around and we start gettin' the 'crossers out I realize that in some ways 'cross is my favorite time of year. There's something sweetly subversive about a 'cross bike. There you are........sittin' there as if you're on a road bike but you're lookin' for gnarly shit to ride over and through! It's like you're getting away with something, y'know? I love it.
I love rubbing embrocation on my legs and wearing shorts when I oughta be wearing knicks.
I love the scene........it's casual and serious at the same time. Some dudes are there w/ their new 2500 dolla CX'ers and then there's always some guy on an old Schwinn World Sport w/ flat pedals. (And all too often he's ahead of me!)
I love the sound of the cowbells and the crowd yelling "Hup Hup" as we roll past.
Besides...........you get to rub weird smelly Euro-goop on your shaved legs and no one thinks that you're weird...........how cool is that?!?!?
The 'cross season is well-and-truly underway 'round these parts, there were 2 races last weekend and from now on there wil be at least one every other weekend 'til it all wraps up here in H-Land on 12/8. If you've not checked it out................yaoughta!
All the details @ www.kisscross.com and www.tailwinds.net
Lots goin' on here @ Bike Central. I'm off to MT for the next JDRF Ride on Wed and then I'll be going straight to Vegas for the Interbike show from there. I'll try and post reports on the show every day or so.
Hard to believe that it's Showtime again! Man.......it's been a crazy season! Mostly good......but crazy for sure!
Gotta go...............talk at'cha later!
MC
Sunday, September 09, 2007
ODRAM!!!!!!
Man, what a blast! We had our first-ever Velo Ventures production yesterday as we took 15 "clients" (+ me!) up to the One Day Ride Across Michigan for 150 miles of 2 lane roads and (alas) headwinds from Montegue to Bay City. Jeff and Aaron took real good care of everyone as we worked our way across the state. 'Twas a full and long day..........we gathered here @ the shop @ 4:30 am for the trip up to Montague for the 6:30 start and between eatin' dinner near Bay City and way too much construction on I-75 we didn't get back here 'til just after midnight. Still.......we had a great group of riders, zero mechanicals or issues, everyone rode the entire distance, lunch was great and seeing the van waitin' for us for fill-ups or snacks every 25 miles was perfect. We'll do it again...............plus lots more!
I'm way pumped that we f-i-n-a-l-l-y have the Velo Ventures project off the ground! I was startin' to wonder if we ever would, y'know? It's a big part of where we want the shop to be in the future and even though ODRAM was a relatively small project the fact that it was such a raging success bodes well. Whew!
Damn...............I love a day when I just ride and ride and ride! It was nice not to feel that I was personally responsible for everyone too. Don't get me wrong.............I LOVE the JDRF gig but the rides are more "work" than "ride", y'know? yesterday I was just one of the pack. I dug it.
Hard to believe that I'm only 9 days away from headin west for the next JDRF Ride and then on to Vegas fpor the interbike show. Tons to do! We have lots of extra-cool bike projects goin' @ the moment.......Matt, Luke and Opal's Sevens, Maria, Bob and Frank's Gunnars, 3 Co-Motion tandems and a single...........plus all the regular stuff and an avalanche of "buying season" stuff. All of it needs lotsa baby-sitting.
I know............"whine whine blahblahblah." Fair enough, I'll shut up.
Legs feel pretty good for having 1.5 centuries in 'em. Lina dn I are gonna take the tandem over to the North Side to the Herman Miller JDRF team cook-out later today. That'll probably be plenty of riding!
Be safe!
MC
I'm way pumped that we f-i-n-a-l-l-y have the Velo Ventures project off the ground! I was startin' to wonder if we ever would, y'know? It's a big part of where we want the shop to be in the future and even though ODRAM was a relatively small project the fact that it was such a raging success bodes well. Whew!
Damn...............I love a day when I just ride and ride and ride! It was nice not to feel that I was personally responsible for everyone too. Don't get me wrong.............I LOVE the JDRF gig but the rides are more "work" than "ride", y'know? yesterday I was just one of the pack. I dug it.
Hard to believe that I'm only 9 days away from headin west for the next JDRF Ride and then on to Vegas fpor the interbike show. Tons to do! We have lots of extra-cool bike projects goin' @ the moment.......Matt, Luke and Opal's Sevens, Maria, Bob and Frank's Gunnars, 3 Co-Motion tandems and a single...........plus all the regular stuff and an avalanche of "buying season" stuff. All of it needs lotsa baby-sitting.
I know............"whine whine blahblahblah." Fair enough, I'll shut up.
Legs feel pretty good for having 1.5 centuries in 'em. Lina dn I are gonna take the tandem over to the North Side to the Herman Miller JDRF team cook-out later today. That'll probably be plenty of riding!
Be safe!
MC
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Okay, this nonsense has got to stop!
I mean it! Either I'm a "Blog-guy" or I'm not, dammit! If I'm gonna have a Blog I'm gonna hafta do a helluva lot better job keepin' it fresh thatn I've been doing this summer. So......here goes:
It's been a full and challenging summer here at VCC. Theres' been plenty of biz (and thanks for that!) but an unprecedented amount of staff turnover and some other growing pains made for a summer that wasn't as stree-free as we'd like. Still...........a lot of cool stuff happened, we have some new riding buds, there's a lot of sweet new bikes out on the roads and trails and all in all.............'twas a great summer! Ted, Berger and Aaron got married, we got to meet and hang w/ Pea's main squeeze Ella, 12 Hours of Pando was a hoot, the Holland 100 was a monster success, we (sorta) got Velo Ventures up and runnin', the Velo Valeo Vixens Tri Team is a huge success, our fav pro racer had a helluva season in our 1st year of sponsoring her ( go Danielle!)..........the list of Cool Stuff goes on and on.
I was in Whitefish MT a coupla weeks ago doin' the first of the 3 Fall JDRF Rides w/ a 20 rider team from Herman Miller. What a blast! The ride was perfect, the team rode outta their minds, much Good was done, much $ raised to help put a whuppin' on Type 1 diabetes and the "goose bump moments" were plentiful, as always at one of these events. I gotta tell you.......being involved w/ JDRF has become a big part of my life and an ever-increasing part of who I am. It's such a pleasure and honor to be the Coach of the West Mich team. The next ride is Whitefish #2 in a coupla weeks.......I'll actually be the 'Bike Guy' this time 'round.........then the big Death Valley Ride in mid-October. Ted is ridin' DV as well, since his now wife Sarah is a 3 year vet of the program and his new step-daughter Sophie has Type 1 (as well as his In-laws!) Jeff will be in MT w/ us later this month.
Pardon me for mentioning this...........but you can help all 3 of us reach our fund-raising goals if you are so inclined. Itsa piece of cake...........go to ride.jdrf.org, hit "donate" and find any of us. (You gotta use "Michael" and "Theadore" if you're lookin' for me or Ted!) Thanks!
Grattan is done for the year. I f-i-n-a-l-l-y got my shit together and won the last race. We had our 1st cyclo-cross practice last night and I'm way psyched for 'cross! (I'll still suck @ it, but maybe a tiny bit less!?) ODRAM is this Saturday and we have 17 riders signed up for the Velo Ventures sag service. I'm leanin' towards the fixxie.......it'd be 60 miles longer than I've ever ridden a fixed gear (152) and I really wanna do it. I guess I hafta decide pretty dang soon, eh?
I go directly from Whitefish to the Interbike show in Vegas. Hopefully I'll have enough internet access to do nightly posts from the show.
Okay, enough for now. I promise to do a better job of keepin' this current. I have no idea why anyone would care to read it in the first place, frankly, but if yawanna...........it'll be fresh from now on!
Ride on!
MC
It's been a full and challenging summer here at VCC. Theres' been plenty of biz (and thanks for that!) but an unprecedented amount of staff turnover and some other growing pains made for a summer that wasn't as stree-free as we'd like. Still...........a lot of cool stuff happened, we have some new riding buds, there's a lot of sweet new bikes out on the roads and trails and all in all.............'twas a great summer! Ted, Berger and Aaron got married, we got to meet and hang w/ Pea's main squeeze Ella, 12 Hours of Pando was a hoot, the Holland 100 was a monster success, we (sorta) got Velo Ventures up and runnin', the Velo Valeo Vixens Tri Team is a huge success, our fav pro racer had a helluva season in our 1st year of sponsoring her ( go Danielle!)..........the list of Cool Stuff goes on and on.
I was in Whitefish MT a coupla weeks ago doin' the first of the 3 Fall JDRF Rides w/ a 20 rider team from Herman Miller. What a blast! The ride was perfect, the team rode outta their minds, much Good was done, much $ raised to help put a whuppin' on Type 1 diabetes and the "goose bump moments" were plentiful, as always at one of these events. I gotta tell you.......being involved w/ JDRF has become a big part of my life and an ever-increasing part of who I am. It's such a pleasure and honor to be the Coach of the West Mich team. The next ride is Whitefish #2 in a coupla weeks.......I'll actually be the 'Bike Guy' this time 'round.........then the big Death Valley Ride in mid-October. Ted is ridin' DV as well, since his now wife Sarah is a 3 year vet of the program and his new step-daughter Sophie has Type 1 (as well as his In-laws!) Jeff will be in MT w/ us later this month.
Pardon me for mentioning this...........but you can help all 3 of us reach our fund-raising goals if you are so inclined. Itsa piece of cake...........go to ride.jdrf.org, hit "donate" and find any of us. (You gotta use "Michael" and "Theadore" if you're lookin' for me or Ted!) Thanks!
Grattan is done for the year. I f-i-n-a-l-l-y got my shit together and won the last race. We had our 1st cyclo-cross practice last night and I'm way psyched for 'cross! (I'll still suck @ it, but maybe a tiny bit less!?) ODRAM is this Saturday and we have 17 riders signed up for the Velo Ventures sag service. I'm leanin' towards the fixxie.......it'd be 60 miles longer than I've ever ridden a fixed gear (152) and I really wanna do it. I guess I hafta decide pretty dang soon, eh?
I go directly from Whitefish to the Interbike show in Vegas. Hopefully I'll have enough internet access to do nightly posts from the show.
Okay, enough for now. I promise to do a better job of keepin' this current. I have no idea why anyone would care to read it in the first place, frankly, but if yawanna...........it'll be fresh from now on!
Ride on!
MC
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