Weekend Rides

I think that it turned to summer this weekend! My Saturday ride was in the 70's and Sunday morning was in the high 80's! Crazy SoCal! After a week of spending a lot of time in the saddle, my friend Mike Mahoney from Honey Skateboards, ( www.honeyskateboards.com ) wanted to take me out and kill me as usual! I love riding with this guy because he yearns for technical climbs, which translates to good training for me. I think my legs bonked a mile into the trail. We started from his house in Simi Valley, and rode to the Chumash trailhead. Climbing Chumash was rough because of my legs, but we made it! We continued over the top to Rocky Peak then started the great fire road descent to Hummingbird trail. Humming bird is a crazy singletrack descent with tight switchbacks, huge rock faces and some bumpy rutted out trail! You definately have to stay sharp on the way down! Instead of taking the road back, he made me hit one more climb before heading home. Always good fun, and I felt great after finishing!
Superbowl Sunday was a superb day! I think it was in the mid 70's when I left for my ride. I thought I would do an easy spin up Chesebro Canyon since my legs had done their diligence for the week! I drove to the parking lot which was over full as usual for a nice weekend day! Usually even with the lot full, you see few people on the trail....not today! This turned out to be a big confidence builder as I got going. I could tell as soon as I started spinning that my legs were feeling good, so I decided to see how fast I could push my 10 mile loop. As I got going, I would spot riders up ahead, and start pushing harder! One by one I passed them! Other than a race, I don't think that I ever had the opportunity to pass so many people! When I finished up, I was a little over 50 minutes! That was about 8 minutes faster than any other times I did that same loop! I felt great at the finish! Very great weekend! All except the news I got from the bike shop Friday.
Riding in Sycamore canyon Friday I broke a spoke?! I stopped by the shop on my way home and they fixed it. But then they came out and gave me the bad news. The owners words were something like...."yeah, I think it's time for a new bike!" I asked why and he stated that I had about ridden my bike to death. He commended me for taking the bike to it's limit, but said that I was on the verge of grenading my back wheel, and other parts were starting to fall apart as well. I have been in a huge funk since, scared to death that my racing future is going to be put on a long hold. Being a Starbucks manager is not the most lucrative postion in the world, so I am already struggling to keep up. Having to replace expensive parts will take away any hopes as to saving towards a new bike.
A better bike would eliminate alot of these issues. The bike I have now was just not designed or equipped for the amount of riding that I am doing. I am rounding the 3000 mile mark in the last year, so you can imagine the use it's been put to!
I guess I need to pray for a miracle! My shop has a great bike for me. They actually have a 2006 Specialized Epic that they will give me for a great deal! I just need to come up with some dough! I thought I would maybe hold a weekend carwash to make some money?! We'll see. Maybe Team Sho-Air will call? What I would give to make that team! Scott Tedro is the man! I have much respect for what he has done for himself and the sport of Mountain Biking! Above all that, he has put together an amazing team of super nice people. When you see them at races they are always so cool and interested in everything and everyone around them. As someone new to the scene, I appreciate that so much! Keep it up Sho-Air, and good luck! Maybe I can make the roster if I keep on pace with my goals?!
Peace
Lucas