BIONICON Demo

Mike, Rory, and Jenn after climbing to the top of Rocky Peak via Stagecoach Trail and Johnsons.

I picked Mike up at his house and we headed over to Corriganville Regional Park for the Bionicon bike demo. My friends Rory and Jenn met us there and we all picked out the bikes that we wanted to ride. I chose one of the only ones that they had left in my size, the Edison LTD. I knew that we had a tuff ride with over 2000 ft of climbing planned so I was a bit worried about taking out a bike with 6 inches of travel, adjustable or not! Not many other choices so we were off! We headed up Stagecoach trail which was Tuff (with a capital T!) Its about 800 feet of climbing in two miles! I would like to bring up the fact that Rory picked the Iron Wood which is a downhill bike with 8 inches of travel! He kept pace with us the whole way up Stagecoach! The way the adjustable travel works on these bikes is they have a handlebar mounted button that you push to move the travel more or less. If you want less front travel you push the button as you lean forward on the front end. Then before heading downhill you lean bag and push the button and the travel extends. It only took about 1 quick descent to figure out how to be ready for the changing terrain. I had absolutely no trouble with quick adjustments after the this!
We were soon climbing Johnsons and I was feeling some muscles that were not usually utilized. I was in a different position than on my bike and I was feeling it! Mike was climbing like a freaking Billy Goat and I was having a hard time keeping up...as usual. There was a couple times that he just rode away from us! About a quarter of the way up I was able to pass Rory and separate myself from him. I should have been ahead of him considering he was on a 35 pound bike with 8 inches of travel. I still can't believe that he climbed as quick as he did!
As we hit about 2 miles to go we just seemed to be baking in the 100 degree sun! I was really enjoying the bike but was so ready to be at the top! We started to descend and I could not believe how FREAKING AWESOME it was to descend with 6 inches of travel! You just float over everything! We were very quickly at the Hummingbird trailhead. Hummingbird is one of the more technical descents around here and I could not wait to drop in! Usually on my bike there are a few spots that I have to dismount and walk down...on the Edison...not so much! The only time that I (purposefully) dismounted was to edge through two rocks that were not wide enough to ride through! I was so stoked! I was FLYING down this hill! And then it happened....almost! We were literally 300 ft. from the end of the trail and I ALMOST bought the farm! I somehow started to nose wheelie down the trail and off the side...it's all a little fuzzy from the shock but I somehow was able to get the back end down but when I did my foot and leg drilled into the ground as the pedal pounded into the back of my leg just above my ankle. It felt as if it had broken in half! I think I was still in shock that I was not 50 feet down the side of the trail but once at the bottom of the run I jumped off my bike to inspect the damage. Other than a pedal mark in the back of my leg and some immense pain all seemed to be intact! We pedaled back to the parking lot a cuple miles away!
I REALLY enjoyed my ride on the Bionicon Edison LTD and really enjoyed spending time with my friends! When we got back to Mikes he was showing me how to slide on his new Drop Board! It was super cool! It was also really hot so we didn't last long. Mike called me later in the day to make sure that I was OK because I looked like a zombie when I left! It was a sweet day!
This week I hope to commute Monday and Tuesday then I have two days of having to be at work at 5 and 6am! I will definitly get in some afternon rides and I think that we are doing Hidden Valley on the fixies Thursday night! Yikes!

Keep Climbing,
Lucas

Ride Ride Ride

The new ride with my baby on the back! Mad thanks goes out to Mike Mahoney for the blessing of the bike rack! No bikes in the car!!
It's been a great week so far! My plan was to ride to work monday. I usually wake at 515 am in order to give myself time bit all of a sudden it was already 6! So I rode to work at 95% of my maximum heart rate! I actually felt really good for the ride and was stoked on my average speed of 18.6 mph over the 26 miles! I also beat my best time by 3 minutes! I was worried about the ride home since I had expended so much and then kristen reminded me that I had promised to take her to the movies when I got home! So I figured what the heck let's smash it! I was stoked to find a only a small headwind as I headed through the valley floor. I was maintaining 22 mph and pushing a 172 average heart rate! As I approached the North end of the valley and the start of the climbing I found the missing headwind. I was starting to go into debt and wondered where I was going to find money to pay the banker! I settled into a smarter pace and pushed myself up the hill into Calabassas. The pain cave was starting to swallow me whole as I continued to climb. Finally at the top of the grade I started my descent and almost to the bottom I saw a bumble bee coming towards me! I sees that in slow motion he stopped in mid-air, turned around, and dive bombed me stinger first! Oh it hurt! He got me on the hand between the thumb and first finger! Freaking rascal! After about 5 minutes of trimg to scratch and squeeze the poison out I took off. I made it home in just 10 minutes more than what it took me to make it to work which I think was another personal best! I was definately thrashed!
Tuesday was a rest day as I woke up and just couldn't get my legs moving! Wednesday I hooked up with my buddy Mike and we hit up La Haas climb and flew down Chumash! I realized as I almost flew off the cliffside a couple times that I need to spend some more time on my mountain bike! My bike handling skills seemed a little off!
For our Thursday night fixie ride tonight we are supposed to do Potrero! This is a 26 mile loop with about 1800 feet of climbing! I'm a little scared as this is a tuff ride on a geared bike! Tomorrow, if I'm alive I will me riding to work again! Then Saturday I will be hitting a mountain bike demo with Mike. Bionicon is in town and I am looking forward to giving their bikes a try! I hope to get 4 plus hours in the saddle that day one way or another!
See if you can pick out the climb...it goes up, up, and up!
Ride on,
Lucas

Hammer On

The last week in the saddle has been pretty freaking good! After a few frustrating post antibiotic rides, I felt my legs start to come back! I also got my mountain bike back last Saturday! I've been having a great time in the dirt since then! I'll leave to with this thought, Ricardo Ricco, how freaking lame!

Health....Sometimes Doesn't Cooperate

Sorry that I have yet to post a pic of the SWEET new ride as promised...I'll try to get it up this week.
I am typing this as I sit in the doctors office yet again. I finished up 15 days of antibiotics on Monday and my body has definately paid the price. I have been riding a bit since Thursday of last week but with no real power or endurance. Just trying to spin lightly to work my fitness back up and deal with the sore joints and muscles.
Bummer is, after 15 days of medicine, the cold is gone but I still have some sort of blockage in my sinus. Hopefully I will find out what that is here today and how to fix it? Hopefully no more meds!
My awesome parents had given me a ten day supply of vitamans to combat what the meds were doing and boost some energy levels. They really seemed to be making a difference but I ran out and need to now order them! My mom went through the trouble of sending the links to me so that I could order them from iherb.com. I just need to wait until payday...:(
I hope to continue to spin lightly for the rest of the week and maybe be ready to start commuting to work via bike by this weekend. I just don't want to put my body into a debt that it can't repay! I have already been sidelined too long this season. I think that my focus will now be on three races for the rest of the season. 1 day state championship XC race, 12 hours of Temecula solo, and 24 hours of Hurkey Creek 2 man team with Rory. We will see!
Pray for Health,
Lucas

PS...check out www.fatcyclist.com his new jersy's will be pre-ordable next week! Hint..hint..sure would make a great christmas present for me...or anyone! (XL!). They will go quick again! They sold out in one day last month!

Ellings Park XC Race Report

Hot, hot, hot! Did I mention that it was hot? I guess this will always be the case when you are racing in SoCal in the middle of summer! They changed up the course for the better this year! They had us start on the beach side of the mountain instead of on the opposite side. They had also cut some new single-track that kept us from having to climb the horriblw fire road each lap. There was actually more climbing with the new course but it was better!
I really did not know what to expect on race day considering that the two days prior I had been experiencing horrific allergies. I actually felt OK when I woke up but was still worried! It was a little foggy when I got up to santa barbara and that excited me! With each passing minute it seemed to get warmer and warmer. I ran into some friends and had some nice conversation that kept my mind off of the impending pain!
When we lined up there was a pretty good bunch of guys that were towing the line! The gun sounded and we were off! I quickly went into oxygen debt and found myself near the back of the pack halfway up that first climb. I kept my eye on the ONE guy that I wanted to beat and when we neared the top of the hill he attacked hard! This is his home course and I instantly new that he had a statagy. I rode a little harder than I wanted to that first lap because I was at the back of the pack and that put me into some serious hurt as we finished lap one.
I backed off the pace(so I wouldn't die!) As we started the opening climb. I figured that I could try to recover and hope everyone else would blow at some point. By the end of lap two, it started to pay off as I passed a good number of ridersd that were suffering in the heat. I had also passed 2nd place at this point and tried to create a gap between us. There was no sign of first and that hurt a bit! I took it easy for the first half of the last lap and then tried to turn on the burners. I settled into a decent pace and just rode my race. As I got near the finish I tried to stand up to sprint but quickly realized that my muscles were screaming HECK NO DUDE!!! So I sat right back down and cruised across the line!
I finished in 2nd about 6 minutes back! That second lap had really killed me! I was pretty stoked with my performance all things considered!
Well I started this post three weeks ago and never got around to finishing it! In the mean time I have been off the bike for two weeks(finally back on for the last two days)because of a bad sinus infection. We moved last weekend! We only moved about 150 yards but it still took four days! My mountain bike has been in the shop with fork problems for the last two weeks! I hope to get it back from Fox on Monday! The most terrific news to report though is that I spent most of the day yesterday(4th of July) getting rid of the Death Mobile!!!(Ford Focus)
That car had almost killed me in numerous ways and I thank the amazing Lord for removing that pile of evil from my life! I was able to take full advantage of people trading in their larger cars, and picked up a fully loaded 2007 Chevy Trailblazer with 35000 miles on it for under $13500!!! Definately not the best gas mileage, BUT the car is in amazing condition and will be the perfect "race mobile!". I will post a pic here by the end of the weekend!
My friend Mary Collier (wife of Siren Bicycles madman Brenden) is getting close to finishing the Great Divide Trail Mountain bike race from Canada to Mexico! It has been such an experience just watching her do this, I cannot imagine what it's been like for her! I will post a link to the site later tonight when I get home. Hang in there Mary! You are almost home!
I am trying to ease myself back into training since I just finished 15 days of antibiotics. I need to go see the doc again this week as I still have something wrong with my right sinus. Hopefully getting it taken caree of will not require more medicine?! I hate what that crap does to my body!
Peace,
Lucas