Sasquatch

Reports of a wild beast in Pollywood kept several riders at home last week. Four boldly rode. Sure enough, as we were tread deep, something came crashing through the brush. Cappy captured it in the photo below:

 Two FT3ers can be seen fleeing.

After chasing the creature back into the dark woods, Cappy rejoined the rest of us, who had been standing around and criticizing his bike.

To keep the beast at bay, we sang carols. Newb noticed that singing allowed him to crush the descents more lustily.

Back in the Knott lot, just as we were most un-kitted, Mother Rye rushed out to announce that Lars was at the Taco Table. To prove that he is still RideLeader, Lars introduced a friend of his who invited us to explore his Pollywood property on mountain bikes. We all made merry.


Since then, snow and cold.

XT and I checked out conditions over the weekend and confirmed, snow and cold.
    

Crusty snow?
Tour de Steeps/Hobo with taco shuttle?
Ride up, taco, ride back?

(Special addition by NoHandle )
Since I can't get the real thing at the Knot Hole, I have to eat the Costco version from now on.

ONE

Pollywood Dirt

Let's not talk about what happened last week. After Cappy's report of partying with Peter, I can't bear to hear more. Fortunately, Tuesdays spring anew, like ugly sweaters out of gift boxes. And tonight is perfect for wearing disposable chunky wool.

Looking at the weather we see:

A mere tenth of an inch during ride time? I've been facing more moisture during commutes. And how will the 4+ inches of accumulated moisture affect our trails?  Erosion on the Josephine rocky loam?

My expert opinion is that the trails will be muddy; sloshy, soggy, soaked, saturated, and sodden.

Bring a fender and your mudd'n goggles. I'll bring RG's flask.
With verbal confirmations of attendance from Newb, Fro, RG, Cap'n, XT, Councilman, PC, Prepper, Will, and NH, we already number

11!

Another Tuesday goes quietly by

On Tuesday, December 15th 2015 the day came and went. The once celebrated day of Fat Tire Taco Tuesday passed quietly by with nary a blog post or a 'you riding tonight?' text message. (of course I have one wheel in the grave so I could have missed that text). In the years of drought, the group grew accustom to the lack of snow in Pollywood. Has the arrival of El Nino also brought out the Peter in the FT3 riders? What once inspired a Tour of Pville Steeps has now inspired the decoration of Christmas sweaters at Peter's house?

Zero. It ain't event Tuesday... 

At least it's not Monday

So since none of those with cozy desk jobs with computers want to craft something special, here it is. Tuesday - bikes, pbr's, greasy tacos, and maybe a couple riders will show up.

Fro and I are in. Anyone else want come? Dare I say will RG be there, or that other guy I used to know. Wait, that's half of ft3. Well here's to wishful thinking.

Turkey Bake

Should be perfect climbing conditions this evening.

ONE

And its First Tuesday; run fewer gears...

Early Winter

L'il Miss Nocar

Gentlemen,

It should be bitter, cold, and wet tonight. 

That's FT3 weather. 

Maybe even some fresh snow on an icy base to make riding maximally challenging.

Who can resist?

IN

There is no Tuesday

Let's be perfectly honest. Tuesday is not a real thing.

The days of the week are, of course, a contrivance born of our human desire for regularity and routine in this chaotic, unpredictable world.

In a larger context, the days of the week exist as a form of social control. We conform to the expectations of society on Monday through Friday so that we do what we actually want to on Saturday and Sunday. This seems a fair bargain because it's just what everybody does.

As far as this author is concerned (social commentary aside), Tuesday exists only so there is an evening every seven days devoted solely to riding bikes, eating tacos, and washing it all down with a tasty fermented beverage or two.

So, today is "Tuesday," if that's what you want to call it. Will you conform to the expectations of society? Or will you heed the call of FT3 and fulfill a higher purpose?

VDFT3 Call Out

I feel like one of our beloved Veterans should be posting this call out, so if they feel the need to chime in or edit, please feel free.

It only happens every 6-7 years that Veteran's Day falls on a Wed.  This year of 2015 is one of those lucky years.  However, I feel the enthusiasm  and excitement of the past event has faded. What, with B out, NoCar on the verge of fatherhood  and snow flying in Pollywood as I type - I wonder what will happen tomorrow night.

(the Sly Park weather cam shows considerable snow flying too but does not convert well to an image: http://www.slyparkweathercam.com/)

I had contemplated an early departure tomorrow (5:30 ) and had gathered some momentum but now that even seems in question.  If such a departure were to happen, it would ONLY happen if one of two conditions were met.  Either, all riders agreed to this early start OR we would loop back for a 6:45 Knot Lot pickup of typical arrivers.

Now, the first question should be who is in, even if for a basic ride.
Who is in for a camp out and late night fun.  I'm happy to pick up a camp spot and wedge as many cars as they will allow and also bring fire wood.  I'm bailing on an early AM ride wed. however.

I'm in,
ONE!

Ride Report published Friday 13th, November 2009
Cap'n, NoCar, B, and C-man (shortened from Councilman, requires a quorum-level approval) met at the Mosquito lot at 5:30. We made some calls and found Rock was already en camp, livid over an accident with his CX rig. Turns out it was knocked over and kissed a rock on the way down. OK, it was a violent collision and left a rather large dent on the top tube. We tried to console him, but realized time was of the essence and departed for the lake.

Upon arrival, we found NoHandle setting up and Rock lamenting the fate of his sled. Soon the troops starting rolling in and by 6:30 we were 10 deep. Xterric, VD, Fro, NoHandle, NoCar, Rock, B, C-man, Cap'n and Ghost all readied themselves, popped a few pre-ride beverages, and by 7pm, we were trailworthy. Well, that is, we were kit'd, charged, and quaffed for our requisite rollout photo op (RRPO). B insisted on a slew of group photos, and by the time most of El Dorado Co was tucked into their nightly sitcoms, we hit the trail.

We commenced with a clockwise tour of the lake, and within minutes we had multiple flats. After some recon, Slim Jims (thanks Ghost!) and a regroup, we continued. Just after Hazel creek bridge, we had another flat, and again the group assembled while repairs were made. The details are sketchy, but somewhere on the east side of the lake, VD went OTB. It was a solid impact and he was left shaken for the next few miles. We completed the lake loop and from the 2nd dam we headed up M.E.T. for a sampling of B's latest find.

From the Forest Service road just 4 miles east of the lake we ventured south down some paved, chip-n-sealed, and eventually graded roads in a teardrop, or better yet, sperm-shaped route around Baltic Peak (see B's map for details). The roads were fast, the climbs were steady and somewhat steep, and the 'cross bikes had the advantage. The group was spread out, with no surprises off the front. Ghost, Cap'n, Rock, and a few others led the charge. B, in proper ride leader fashion, kept track of everyone, often sprinting between the front and rear of the pack.

As we descended (and ascended) deeper into the forest, we found the scene reminiscent of pre-battle encampments outside Mordor (Lord of the Rings). Following modern forest management practices, there were small fires strewn as far as the naked eye could see. Upon closer inspection, most were stumps or small piles of brush. Eerie, really, but perfectly sensible when considering the aura surrounding the night's events. After several regroups, food breaks, and more photo ops, we decided against bagging the Baltic Peak. We were pushing the dinner time arrival past 10, and all soldiers were hungry.

As if on queue, C-man threw a chain at the "highest point in the loop", and repairs were warranted. Peter nearly made an appearance at this point, with the assembled members chiding each other and relishing the taste of real food. Calls were made to both the Knott and Denise. Well done, Rock, for keeping her cell # on speed-dial. Once the 4th (or 5th) mechanical was sorted out, the return to the lake was speedy. By 10:30ish, we rolled into the Knott. A weary lot, for sure, but happy to have sampled new trails and anxious to sample the tacos.

The taco portion was eventful, if for no other reason, because FT3 was allowed to mount a sizable tab. That's right, the group had no time to return to camp for our wallets, so we were on the hook for our orders. B started it off with an 8-2-1, Fro went deep for a full dozen tacos, and the Rye flowed like the Nile. C-man came up double Aces on his first 2 PBR's, and Rock was stealing tacos from NoCar. Tableside discussions ranged from NoHandle's chipper to Ceagles (B again provided audible samples of the rare bird's call), and preparations for the 3rd leg of the event were made. These preparations included post-taco doggy bags, I think a first for FT3?! Lila was off-shift but in-house to greet our tired crew. I believe references to shaving were made, and some examples provided, but I can't go into detail.

Once back to Camp VDFT3, the group dispersed, a fire was started and callouts were made for the Pino roundtrip. In the end, the heartiest among us mounted up and rolled to the Loge. B, Cap'n and NoCar all braved the chilly temps and drunken locals en route to downtown PP. In their absence we managed to console ourselves over additional beverages, lofty storytelling, and recounting of the Baltic loop. By 2:30, our mighty trio returned, and regaled us with details of their adventure. The "babysitter" was on duty at the Loge, and even opened back up to serve them. Proper, gents, proper.

Suffice it to say, the rest of the early morning's events were colored by multiple violations, bottles of this and that, and a solid showing for the fireside chat. We lost VD somewhere in the mix, and were questioning whether he had an unauthorized "guest" in his truck. Things wound down by 4:30ish, and with the early light all were sound asleep. This author slept a few hours and awoke to find VD scrambling to break camp. Ghost was the only other camper awake, and we parted ways in near silence.

What else can one say after such a long and eventful night? Can't wait for the 2nd Annual VDFT3!!!

AND THE RAIN HAS FALLEN!

Like the pitter patter of little foot steps, there was a  steady rain at the homestead from noon on Sunday until the evening last night.  And as with the pitter patter of tiny foot steps, this rain also filled my heart with joy.  As each millimeter fell, the forest relaxed just a little bit more.  Mist and fog rolled in resetting trail conditions to awesome.  And now that the mist and fog has rolled out, it's time for us to start rolling in on our 29er (and one 27.5) wheels.  Times a changed too, so now we enter a period of darkness - bring your reflectors.

Last week was awesome.  There were five very happy riders that shredded the trails with glee.  No Car, No Handle, Buttons, Will and myself were able to have a grand time out there, even with limited numbers.  We were able to tackle 3k feet of climbing as Cappy had requested, but fell short on the 20 miles and no ones light died (sorry Cappy).  However, while short on requested mileage we were still able to pull a coveted 8a drop and a full lip service (down Up Skid/Skid Row, up Right Lip, Down Left Lip Revised).  Tacos were served in the old fashion, every man for himself.  Mother Rye said she was done with it all, and so did Courtney (who managed to get Spawn to watch the wee one so she could serve us tacos!!!).

Now who's in?
Did it rain enough for Rocking God?
Will Cappy hire a baby sitter?
Is No Car a dad?
Is No Handle going to be out of town?
Is Council Man sick?
Is Xteric fixing downed lines?
Will Spawn ride and eat tacos?
Is Buttons going to get a new light to save on duct tape?
Will Green Fro lube his chain?


Update from the CX world last week by Cappy. 

Two weeks ago I took a glorious 35+ A 2nd place podium at the Truckee Bike Park CX race put on by Reno's Sagebrush Cyclocorss series.

Wednesday night's Final RodeoCross was packed with revelry. While I had every intention of being deeply involved in revelry from the get go, things changed a bit when one, then two top contenders fell out of the lead and I found myself off the front. A win in an A race is hard to come by, so the hand ups were passed on for consistent and smooth racing. I had the lead, the win in my sights... and Katerina Nash was present too, in the mix behind with the Women A's. If I had been 'chicked' by her my win would be nearly wiped clean, so I continued to hammer all the way to the line. While I did raise my arms in glory across the line, the photographers were more interested in funny costumes than racer's glory, as the spectators of heckle hollow were clear to let me know - I was taking things 'too serious.' Seriously though, for me that was the win of race of the year.

On to Sac Cyclocrss Double header in Folsom this past weekend - Race #1 appeared to be the better race for me to attend based on family commitments etc. In spite of the fact that the course was less desirable, it was a hot day, and my legs were less ready that they would have been for the Sunday race, I toed the line on Saturday. This time I opted to jump in with the Open "Elite A" men, to see how I should fair with the areas top contenders, both young and old(er). I made the switch because the 35+ A group has been meager of late and Saturday was no different, there were 6 racers, two of whom dropped out, and based on my 15th place finish time in the "Elite A" category I would have finished fifth in the 35 A class, which is basically last since  two dudes dropped out...And of course it rained on Sunday, so my handling skills would have been helpful, but I was wiped out and there was no way it would have been a good idea to attempt to tow the line, so no racing Sunday. Hopefully there will be some more foul weather races later this year.

So with only Bay Area races and Sac CX races remaining, I will continue the year as pack fodder for the region's strongest racers. Maybe one of you will join me some time... uh hem, Race Ready Rock God, let's do this!!

+++++


ONE!

FT3 Begins to Languish

And so it goes, with the movement of Lars, starting of the schools, breeding of wives, the formerly active club known as FT3 begins to languish. There was a time when multiple riders participated in weekly rides, LRPs, cross races, Sunday Road rides. Dialogue on the blog HCF was the peak of one's day, and banter was proceeded by banter setting the stage for tenuous discussions shortened to brevity by the three minute rule and given anticipation until such time that a high number of hard men should gather at a taco table. Will it go on? The great season of drought may give way to El Nino, weather may return, but will the mighty men of FT3? Late in the afternoon on this Tuesday, for the second week in a row, no blog post, no banter. VD FT3 awaits us. But will we be there to accept our duty of long riding and late taco'ing? Or shall the rest of us go the way of Lars and the Scouts?

Thou shall not take part in the answer to the great call of FT3, at least not on this Tuesday. Go forth and do work busy FT3ers! Do the work of hard men! Ride your bike cycles diligently into the forest!
Your carbon fears you and your rad abilities and non-sensibilities. Go forth men, do work, 3,000 feet minimum, 20 plus miles, a light should burn out in the hopes that one shall still be burning at the mighty Knott. Do not languish men, answer the call.

I'm In

Word on the street (or on the last post) is that Spawn is off of his two month suspension from FT3, and is excited as we all should be that the trails are dust free again.

The German lady from Light and Motion was good to her word and I'll be illuminated again on the trail.

For those who missed the fantastic No Handel ride, all I can say is that it was awesome.  And while some of us might not have brought our super A game legs, we all did bring flasks.  And having the Strawberry Lodge as the halfway point felt natural and reassuring, which made us wonder why we haven't done that more often.  I don't have pics, so if you do post them up.

ONE

Well, I'm in anyway.

A few weeks ago I had the unique opportunity to go to the UCI World Road Bike Championships in Richmond VA.  It was awesome
I know, this is a fat tire blog, but bikes are cool no matter how fat or skinny ther tires.
While at the airport, we ran into a young cyclist just transitioning off of a development team to his first pro contract.  He was very down to earth and excited that his contract was not finalized but would be soon.  Keep an eye on  Alexey Vermeulen:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/10/news/american-alexey-vermeulen-signs-with-lottonl-jumbo_387591

One!

The Rare Pond Turtle and the More Rare VDFT3

First, let's give thanks for the rain.

The rain provided the MTB equivalent 'powder day' conditions last Friday and over the weekend. Hero dirt provided opportunities for perfect rides, stolen KOMs, broken dreams. Rock God was able to clean the Rock Garden in the uphill direction. He pointed out the lovely sound of his tires gripping corners.

The un-Ft3er "Sheldon Street Wear" joined us. His smile at the bottom of every decent told the story, no need for words. As rare as this day was in the recent drought of good conditions, it was deemed extraordinary when we came upon the rare and endangered Western Pond Turtle, which was, wait for it... moving slowly across the trail. Luckily for the turtle, I was able to spot him before running straight over him, and I saved his life by gently moving him off the trail. We used to regularly discuss the seriousness of the pond turtle and its impacts on MTB races in the Pollywood area. In all the years since the big controversy and cancellation of the Sly Park 50, we have yet to see the rare species in the Pollywood area. And then, on this day, last Sunday, we saw him.

Western Pond Turtle More Critically Endangered Than Once Thought

New Research Splits Freshwater Turtle Native to California,
Oregon and Washington Into Two Species

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2014/western-pond-turtle-06-10-2014.html

He was at least two miles from water on a steep hill. We believe he was on an LRP of sorts. Or searching miles and miles for a mate. Proper young turtle, proper.


VDFT3 2015 Edition

And in other news, the calendars have flipped and the world has spun 'round enough times to land Tuesday November 10th on the day before Wednesday November 11th, which also happens to be Veterans Day. Many years ago there were some scouts who rode with us, Lars was still an FT3er, and FT3ers had fewer children. On that night we welcomed in Green Fro, who was not yet a regular, and rode miles and miles around Bonetti Ridge, somewhere else and back. Returning late, we were lucky to get tacos then we rolled to our campsite to tell stories of yore. Some of us rode to the Pine Lodge, all of us stayed up till the wee hours of the morning. And alas, it shall happen again. Mark your calendars.


And since I am blogging with one wheel in the grave I must go and tend to other duties that will continue to keep me away from FT3. I expect to make the VDFT3 event however. I also will continue attending Folsom Rodeo Cross on Wednesday nights if any of you would care to join me some time. Repping FT3 all over the Sac CX circuit - alone. Race #2 is this Sunday if any of you care to come off the couch and join me.

Peace out!

Who's in?

Tuesday, again.  That's good.  Weather, looks good too.

Is it raining? - NO.  Dusty? - YES.  Cross ride anyone?

That might get Cappy's attention.

Could this Tuesday be the day we all show up for some long mile cross shredding?

ONE (on whatever bike is majority)

Quick Edit: Few updates from the UCI World Road Bike Championships in Richmond VA.

 This is a picture from the cobbles on 23rd Street in downtown Richmond where Peter Sagan began his attack for the Worlds win.
Quality is pretty low but the intensity was plenty high.  This was around 80 miles in.

Libby Hill: Full cobbled cork screw road that was on of 3 hills each of the 16 laps that broke the race up.

Getting our VIP-ness on with Shimano.

Smoke and Dust Free, will it be?

The recent change in weather may have spared us two serious problems and not only cleared the air of the unhealthy smoke but hopefully kept the dust down.  It does not seem as if any meaningful rain fell up in Pollywood last night but I'm hopeful some still will today and the higher humidity and foggy day time weather will help keep the dust down.


Is this a preview of the winter ahead of us - indicating a wet year or is it a preview that suggest many near miss storms.  I sure hope the former. Can't wait to get me some snow riding and maybe our first fat bike up in Pollywood.

Will CMan return from the IR list, no re-qualification required.
Will B join us again for taco time.
Will there be Chickenbake - for sure not, as I will be there.

In.
One.

See ya tonight.

Tuesday, Dusty Tuesday

Rose to Keys

Few rides promise as much single track awesomeness as Rose to ???. Three riders and a shuttle driver camped out at a partially constructed house in the Tahoe Keys. We grilled our breakfast sandwiches in mayonnaise, illuminated by headlamps. The small crew size let us stop at McDonalds and pause for morning constitutionals without delaying the start much.

Missing B, we flubbed a few intersections, but it’s the TRT, not too easy to get lost. Besides refilling with water and Gatorade from a stash that Fro had left, we ate lunch at the Fox and Hound in Kingsbury. Newb and I ate the Pig On Cow burgers (pulled pork, grilled ham, and bacon on a burger).

The pound of meat settled nicely into my belly. Newb, not so much. In fact, he experienced so much gastric distress that he lost his shred. All the way to Star Lake, on climbs and descents Newb burped and farted his way along the trail. By Freel Peak he got his shred back, and we All Mountained the Armstrong Connector and Corral Trail. And then back to the Keys just as the day faded to dusk.

I am out tonight, headed to Oakland in an hour.  

TS 100: A Few Miles Short, but Long on Adventure

The adventure started in Placerville. B and I had to decide between three bad cars. First we packed Charlie's car, but we hadn't even made it to 49 when the ominous knocking turned us around. In quick order, B's Camry was packed and we embarked again. Climbing the grade into Soda Springs, the Camry kicked the transmission out of gear. The engine whined and gears ground as B tried to jam it into place. Losing velocity amid a roar of truck traffic, B found a gear and kept us on the Interstate. With a huge sigh we parked the car in the lot at The Summit and proceeded to race registration.

Camp FT3

Cappy got out of bed (I doubt he slept that night) around 3ish. He drove to Xtieric's house but no one was up. He managed to rouse Mrs. Xteric who, with some effort, woke her husband.

Moments before the start, all four riders finished their final preparations and convened at the line.

It was fun for 65 miles. Then it was hot, and the route accumulated the bulk of its 13,400' of climbing.

Rolling Rock

We finished in close succession: B, nocar, Xteric, Cappy. Jimmyboy had a keg of strong IPA at the finish line. Made me puke. 

Additional detail from Cappy:

It is notable that there was considerable discussion about the approach in which we would 'take on' the TS100. Family style, like tacos? To each his own? Since my tendency in a race is to race, I had to opt for the, "if I am in the hunt I will be hunting approach." 

So here is the breakdown from my perspective: I went hunting in the beginning then I flatted at the bottom of the first decent. It took forever to remove the Stan's tubless valve that I have now learned is not compatible with my new DT Swiss wheel. 

Once I got the tube in, I gave chase, hoping like heck to catch my friends (at this point I wished we were riding family style). Just after the first aid station I caught the strongman, B. He and I rode together for a while, then at the dusty 'dusty corners' climb, B rode away from me. He caught the other two at the Robinson Flat Aid station, where he chugged a beer. I pulled in there moments after they departed, fueled up quickly then headed into some sweet singletrack. This came after a considerable fireroad climb at mile 51, so it was refreshing to say the least. I managed to catch and pass Sully first, then XTeric. XTeric and I rode together along French Meadows until I flatted again. I encouraged XTeric to roll on, and that would be the last I would see of my taco loving friends. 

Alas, just as I finished installing the rear wheel with a fresh tube, Sully rolls up. So he and I rolled out together into the 7-10 mile non stop climb that took it's toll. There was another short decent then another considerable 3 mile or so climb before the finish. Sully and I both suffered immensely before finally reaching the paved section of Soda Springs Road and crossing the line together. Fortunately, we did not get 'trained.' XTeric did. He and two others sat impatiently while the moments ticked by slowly and the longest train he had ever seen rolled on by. Too bad he didn't have a beer to HoBo it out while he waited. Apparently, the three riders held their pre-train placing when they crossed the line. 

B was the first FT3er to finish, followed by NoCar, XTeric and I. I am confident B took the SS win, I only saw 3 SS'ers out there. Sully was one of them, and I believe he took the #2 spot. 

A Message From Jimmy Boy

Last night was another showcase of the diversity of the FT3 experience. First off, back from the grave, Zombie Bambi is now as regular as a bran muffin muncher. Adding to the evening's novelty was riding almost 100% asphalt. No dust, with a solid 30 miles was great TS 95 prep. Especially in light of the following email sent by our boy Jimmy Boy.


Back out on the trails again today. Just so you all know its very dry out there. Lots of dust!! Two logging operations going on. One small section is really bad. I was told that they were going to done before had th event, but not the case. After leaving Dusty Corners you will head on short 3 mile section which is mainly up hill. Its about 3 miles of dusty hell.

 There will lube at all the aid stations.If it was me I would bring my own small bottle just in case. Dont forget if you want to drop clothes off at the first aid station abut mile 17-18 you can pick them up on your way back. For riders that may be out past 5:30 you will need them. We are in the Tahoe Sierras and its been getting a bit cold in the evening. If your going to be out there past 5:30 bring your light!! Bring air, bike tool, lube, extra tubes.



 Again there is no race check in morning of the event. There is really not much time for me morning of the event at 5:30. There is set of Railroad tracks at the begining of the event about 1/2 mile from our start. Be smart!! Its should be a problem just dont try to run if a train is coming. Rememebr the fist few miles is on pavemnt. When you reach the dirt road be careful as cars and trucks may be on the road.

Allot of riders lose there water bottles on this road so crank them down.My porta toilet company has just informed me that his truck broke down last night so I may not be able to toliets at the start. I will do my best.

 Try and go before you get there. Remember this all the turns on the course are marked with chaulk, arrows and yellow ribbions. NEVER TURN intill you see the arrows, chaulk and ribbions. We send out a moto rider before the event to check and make sure nothing has been moved.

 If a rider needs help or is hurt get his name or number and lets us know at the aid stations as soon as you get there.

TS 88 or 94 on the Horizon...

It is the last Tuesday before the revered 2015 TS 100, or 88, or 94 or whatever. It has been said by FT3 riders that no future TS 100 will be as difficult as the one that produced the sweatshirts of last year. It has also been said by FT3er's that the best ride was the one that you weren't on. So it goes.

Either way, three (or four... B are you in?) pithy FT3er's including yours truly, XTeric, NoCar and possibly B are headed northeast to the 'other corridor' (I-80) on the other side of the river to participate in the legend that is the TS100, or 88 or 94 or whatever...

It shall be my first attempt, and to say I am excited is an understatement. Ask me how excited I am at mile 72! It will be an adventure. I hope I can get some sleep this week! The other veteran participants could probably give a shit.

Hopefully tonight's FT3 will help settle the legs that need to shut up, and the mind that won't quit thinking of all the things I have not yet prepared for.

ONE!

Hot and Dusty, but still Better than Digging Post Holes

The Most Important Ride of the week is going down tonight. Don't miss out on this opportunity to do something worthwhile with your life.


A TS 88 thread has started up on mtbr, and I borrowed the following pictures of some of the new course trails.

Nuff said!

It’s tuesday,..you know what to do. 

1!

ONE!

In case you haven't noticed, it is Tuesday.

Happy to Help

Since our friend NoCar's MTB is still down for the count, and because he is attending a meeting for me this evening that does not end until 6:00pm, we have mutually agreed on the cross roll up to tacos this evening via Happy Valley. He and I will long ride you, and see you at the taco table. Hopefully NoCar doesn't blow me up like he did Newb last weekend. If Newb wants some more, maybe he should opt for this ride?

In other news, today is the deadline to pay only $160 for the Tahoe Sierra 100. Fees go up tomorrow. I am registered already, you should register today... who else is in?

And while others were road riding, XTeric and I arose early for a Echo Summit, Hawley, Rim Trail, Corral Trail adventure in slightly overcast skies. 

Lastly, the one wheel in the grave FT3er known as Councilman had a birthday last weekend. Maybe he will grace our blog or presence this evening so we can raise a glass to the old codger. 

Cheers!