Come On..How Could I Not?

For the love of all things funny...MY GOD I will watch this at least 100 times today.

Thanks Be To Roger

Roger has been keeping everyone well taken care of back home in California, and I would like to say thanks. He has been ordering everyone's stuff, answering questions, contacting sponsors, setting up and tearing down the team pit areas, feeding everyone, etc. He has stepped up HUGE for all of us, and I just felt like maybe some props were in order. Thnaks Rog, the work you put in is not going unnoticed..





**Roger letting me know I'm #1****

Fresh Snaps

These pix are courtesy of Jay-Hood, and are from last season..but I have not seen them yet! The pit bike shot is funny, because three years ago Jay almost flipped that thing at Firestone during the week at the NMBS race. Vegas Bob also got loaded at Jay's old pad and almost became a hood ornament on that little instrument of death.













These pix are from Fontucky, and have a Fish-Eye quality not unlike that of a drunken sailor as he approaches the girl who's friends would describe her as "really nice."

Trevor's Race Report

Yo Chris, this is Trevor. Just dropping in to let you know how things are going. Well... last weekend was Fontana #2 race. The track on Saturday was super dope. The dirt actually had some moisture in it for once, and the track setup was pretty sweet.. mostly turns with a fast paced straightaway. In the end I felt I had a decent practice day riding with some of my junior x buddys. Sunday came around and I woke up to being on an island. Our trailer was surounded in a 30x30 puddle 8 fricken inchens deep. The track on Sunday was still soooo sick the dirt was now as perfect as could be. On my race run I didnt do as good as I had hoped. I had almost stuffed the front end twice during my run but I still felt I had a decent run (but the times beg to differ). In the end I ended up getting 18th out of 25. I had also found out on Monday at school that I will be going to New York for an auto competion over Easter break. PEACE


love truly lol

T-rizzle

Randy's Race Report

Hey Captn, how's it going? Sorry the report is a little late just busy at work.

We awoke Saturday morning in Fontucky to blue skies and cool temps, but no rain thank god because I hated ridding my dirt bike in mud let alone pedaling in it.Anyway the races started on time and we had another huge class in the 35 to 44 sport class with 20 guys again, and I got out to a top eight start and was feeling a lot better than last race.So I dropped a couple spots on the first loop but was still feeling good.I ended up finishing in 12th place but I knocked of six and a half minutes of my time from last race day, so I felt really good about that, but would have liked to be In the top ten but there's always next week.

Kim's oldest son Cody came out again to race Saturdays super D race (Thanks again to Mr... T for the bike) and this weeks course was a lot harder than last weeks with some good steep climbing and Cody was dying, but he still ended up on the podium with another fifth place Finnish in the beginner class( Great job Cody) and mind you the only one to podium this week.

So we awoke Sunday morning expecting the worst because it absolutely poured all night Saturday night so we didn't know what to think. Skies were partly cloudy and was warmer than Saturday so Trevor and Taylor were off to make a few practice runs to check out the course.Kim was helping Donnie's wife with sign ups and I got to get the truck and trailer out of lake Southridge because it seems that I parked in the lowest area that you could park in and from the door of the trailer out twenty feet we had eight inches of water around the trailer. Kim had to walk on a table just to get out and go work.Anyway back to the races Trevor and Taylor both said the course was in great shape and even during there runs it seemed to dry out and get a little slippery.Neither one had a great day as Taylor said he felt slow on the bottom of the course and finished tenth. Trevor I thought had a good run going I was half way up the course watching but he ended up seventeenth and was really pissed but again there's always next week.

Donnie did a great job on the courses again the X-C course was even better than last week just out standing.I also want to say a BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR TEAM SPONSORS for all there support it's really appreciated.

Have a good one Captn. (sorry no pic's this week)

Randy

Sean and Abel's Near Death Ride

**Story courtesy of NFL Network's Shawn Baden*****


Hey Chris! Here is a story for your blog if you want it.

Abel and I had an awesome ride Sunday. It was raining but hey, we are men after
all. We drove over to Towsley Cyn but the park was closed due to "treacherous"
conditions- yeah, what ever. Apparently our park services are fair weathered
people. We drove over to San Fernando road instead to ride up the fire road and
maybe down into the Nature Center. The rain was pouring down on us already as we
were getting our gear on. We hopped on the fire road and headed up the hill.
After 50 feet our tires had so much mud on them that they wouldn't even turn. I
start having second thoughts at this point but Abel is smirking and lifting his
bike up over his shoulders for the 1/4 mile hike-a-bike ahead of us. My 28 lb
bike now weighs 48 lbs and my shoes have gathered so much mud they look like
dirty Bozo the Clown shoes.

We finally hike up to a point where the mud has been replaced by a sort of pea
gravel. We do the best we can to remove the mud from around the tires, off the
chain and off of our shoes. After fighting to get my chain back on we press
forward up the 4 mile climb to the summit hoping we don't encounter anymore mud.
It continued to rain and the wind picked up as we rode up into the clouds. At
one point I realized that even though I was soaked to the bone I was actually
sweating. Abel asked me how I could tell. I just laughed - to be honest I'm not
quite sure how I could tell.

4 miles later we reach the summit. The moment of truth has arrived! Do we turn
tail back to the car or do we press on? Trying to compose myself and trying not
too look like a pussy, I stand there with rain dripping down my forehead waiting
to see what Abel is going to say. He only asks, "So what do you want to do?" I
can't very well say, "my knees ache, I'm cold, I'm wet and I want a hot shower"
- that would be like shouting out to the world, "Hey, I'm 40 something!" So I
suck it up and we head down the Nature Center trail. Abel has assured me that we
only have to forge a small section of trail that has been washed out- he road
the trail the day before after all. The single track down into the Nature Center
was awesome. We avoided puddles, ruts that had been worn into the trail, rocks
that had fallen from the hillside, a tree that had fallen over the trail and
believe it or not a couple of hikers. We had to stop at one point to let our
fingers defrost.

I hear the sound of water getting louder and louder as we ride down into the
canyon - this can't be good. We hop off our bikes to cross a fairly deep but
narrow stream. That wasn't too bad, I think to myself as we get back on our
bikes. We round the next turn and my jaw drops. The Colorado River is tearing
through the trail and laughing at us as it washes away the mountain. There we
stand in the rain and for a moment the thought of riding all the way back up
that single track to the summit actually seemed like a viable option. We shake
off the shock and see that we might be able to squeeze by if we do a little bit
of rock climbing. Bikes back on our shoulders we make our way around this rock
wall trying to hold onto saplings growing out of the cracks in the rock. Finding
it difficult to carry the bikes on our shoulders while trying to hold onto the
rock we drop the bikes to our side and try to keep them out of the water as much
as possible. I see Abel's bike go under all the way to the seat post at one
point as I try to keep my cranks above water. We catch the trail again as it
makes its way back under the roaring water only to find that after all that work
the river crosses the trail again and this time there is no way around. We have
to forge the river. Able picks up his bike, heaves it over his shoulder and
begins to cross. In the middle of the 10 foot crossing the water is midway up
his thigh and he realizes that the water is moving faster than it looks. Not
sure why but thoughts of the Rio Grande crossed my mind. :) Abel trips on a
rock and falls forward. "oh shit, he's going in." I begin to leap forward to
grab his bike hoping that he holds onto it as he catches his footing and gets
out the other side of the river. I want no part of crossing this raging wall of
water. If it looked like it was 10 feet wide it now looked as if 100 feet
separated Abel and I. Images of me being consumed by this wicked mass of muddy
water rushed through my mind as real as the water itself that flowed before me.
Able puts his bike down and reaches across to grab mine as I stand mid-thigh in
freezing cold water, bike on my shoulders. After he gets my bike to the opposite
shore he offers a hand. I grabbed it and jumped to the other side. There we
stood... soaked. Our shoes were now wet all the way through and our feet were
numb. "That is the last time we have to cross," Abel assures me. We get on our
bikes once again and not even 50 feet down the trail there is that damn river
again slicing the trail in half. I give Abel a look of disgust and he just
grins. The river is now twice as wide as the last crossing. Luckily the river
was shallow at this point and we were able to cross with much less effort. We
had now crossed the river for the final time, made our way to the Nature Center
and to the road.

Have you ever had an 18 wheeler pass you in the rain? That was me heading back
to the car.

Man, that was a great ride! I would do it again in a heart beat! Next time I
will remember to bring a camera.

Bike Gets Wood!

photo/article courtesy of Bicycle Retailer Magazine




LAGUNA HILLS, CA (BRAIN)—Sixteen year-old Marco Facciola built this completely wooden bike for a school project, managing to avoid using any metal at all.

Yes, this wooden wheeled wonder even has a chain and gearing made of wood, held together with wooden joints and glue.

The detail in the free-wheeling ratchet and spacers between the chain links, pinned with tiny dowels, is amazing. Facciola had to complete this as a non-academic project for his International Baccalaureate, and inspiration came from his grandfather, forced to make wooden wheels for his bike during the war due to rubber shortages.

Techno Viking Is Vegas Bob?

Techno Viking....














OR VEGAS BOB?


















This is Corporate Bob, not to be mistaken for Vegas Bob or Techno Viking.

Jay-Hood And Vegas Bob Aging Rapidly

As Bob and Jay age this week, I look at this photo and see the future of our team. The adjacent pic is of Lydia on her way home from her 40th birthday party in June of last year. Vegas Bob and Jay-Hood have (had) their birthdays this week. Rhoda is the keeper of birthday information, and has let it be known when these dates are up.







Vegas Bob seen here in Utah is already showing signs of spinal disfigurement caused by rapid bone density deficit. This was taken a couple of years ago, so you can imagine the effects NOW. He's probably curled completely over into a ball as we speak.





Jay is laughing in this team photo from last year. Sadly, he doesn't actually know WHY he's laughing. Seems that his memory has already gone, and thinks he is Rodney Dangerfield. Poor Jay, getting old sucks. Lydia is seen at the age of 39 in the photo below, taken just a year ago. Today, at 40, it's a totally different story.....



***Lyd on June 20th, at 39******






















***The next morning, at 40.*****




I have since died at the posting of this blog page, due to a bad choice in people to pick on. Please get the unburned portions of my corpse and mail to my mom back in Cali, ok?

C

The Midnight Ride Of....Israel Bissel?

***Israel Bissel, the real "Midnight Rider."*********



While nobody would argue that Paul Revere was a patriot, the "Midnight Ride" immortalized by author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ( how do I get THAT last name?) never actually happened. The real midnight rider was a twenty five year old man named Israel Bissel. He managed to fly through the night on horseback, covering over four hundred miles in five days. He was a mail carrier, very slight of build and knew the countryside and villages where the militia's were to be alerted if the British attacked. The bell tower set it's "two if by sea" lights in the window when the observer saw the Red Coats dropping of the ships and into boats...but they would just row a short distance to shore before marching on foot. They were heading to Lexington and Concord to wipe out the Continental Congress.




***Statue of Sibyl Ludington in New York*******







Sibyl Ludington was a sixteen year old girl who also had a fairly amazing ride in the middle of the night. She was the daughter of a militia man-farmer, and when he got word the Brits were attacking Danbury, Connecticut..he sent her out in the night to gather the troops. She rode an amazing forty miles in six hours, and awoke enough men to stop the British advance! Of course, our own Vanessa Humic would have stomped her ass on her new Tomac hardtail frame.... but whatever.


***Vanessa would have been a great messenger for the Continental Congress!****





It was never the job of Paul Revere to rouse the troops for battle. His work for the night was to head to Lexington and warn John Hancock and Sam Adams (mmm...beer) that the Red Coats were coming to arrest them! He never saw the lamps in the Old North Church, as he was on the complete opposite side of town. As he sat with Adams and Hancock that night, William Dawes entered the tavern and instructed them to roll out and warn Concord of the British advance.



***Paul Revere yelling at Sam Adams to make some frikkin stout for his long ride.





They were arrested by the British on the ride there, and Dawes escaped..leaving Paul to spill his guts to save his life. They let him go the next day. It was around the time of his release that Israel Bissel mounted his horse and made his way to a forgotten route through American history.
Maybe if he had the new SIGMA EVO X/Endurance Limited Edition light system like Jeff "Tookie" Williams has, he would have been seen by more people, and been more famous? Paul Revere? He was jailbait.....

661 FLIGHT Shoe!

*******The new 2008 661 FLIGHT MTB Race shoe...you know you want it!




Jay-Hood has been seen out on his Flight shoes with the likes of Jim Roff and Fuzzy, and I am honestly jealous. Am I chopped liver? Am I unworthy? So I called Jay and asked for a pair. Turns out, he said I was, in fact, chopped liver and unworthy. Damn. Am I gonna have to continue riding in flip-flops and toe-straps?
I will include a pic of Jay in his beer-goggles. These allow him to make ugly girls pretty, without all the calories!









Anyhow, the new FLIGHT shoe has a two velcro strap and one buckle-strap closure, is lighter and stiffer than most custom-made carbon shoes...and is just damn purdy. ALL SIZES are in stock, so ORDER today ya bag of jackals!

US Olympic Mountain Bike Team Announced!

U.S. OLYMPIC MOUNTAIN BIKE TEAM
1. Jeremiah Bishop...Trek-VW
2. Michael Broderick...Kenda-Seven
3. Adam Craig...Giant
4. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski...Subaru-Gary Fisher
5. Todd Wells...GT
6. Sam Schultz...Subaru-Gary Fisher
WOMEN
1. Georgia Gould...Luna Chix
2. Heather Irmiger...Subaru-Gary Fisher
3. Willow Koerber...Subaru-Gary Fisher
4. Mary McConneloug...Kenda-Seven
5. Sue Haywood...Trek-VW

Mary Mac and Mike B. Make Olymipcs!!

Mary Mac and Mike B. have just earned the right to participate in the Beijing Olympic MTB race! All those World Cup races and the Pan Am Championships have paid off in the amount of points earned, so they will be packing their bags! Oh, unless USA Cycling does something stupid like pull it away from them on some unknown techicality like a short-track race nobody knew about...oh, sorry, I had a flashback there. Best of luck to the Kenda-7 Cycles riders, and if we can get tickets from Jennifer at 7, we'll come pit for ya!




****Mary racing Super-D at Mammoth in '05, when she won the National at the last second in XC!******






***Mary and I at the Scottsdale NMBS race last year*****

Abel Vaca-Nava-Lave-Guava To Race Cal State In '08!

***A typical pre-race converstaion between Abel and I*****



Abel Vaca, the fastest and most well-travelled Messican in Pacoima is going to be coming out of retirement and re-joining his homeboys at Backbone for the 2008 Cal State Series! He was off Sunday on a secret training mission to El Prieto Trail behind Pasadena, taking ex-Steeps founder Shawn Baden with him. There will be a top secret ride at Chino Hills next weekend with Abel and Oscar Rodriguez (man of a thousand children) to prepare for the coming races. Don't be alrmed by two brown brothers on high-end mountain bikes, though...they actually are the legitimate owners of these bikes. I know, wierd..but it's true. If they ask for your wallett, though, I'd probably hand it over if I were you. Orale Vatos!

C

Tomac Primer DH Frames Delayed Until March

Joel has informed me that there has been an issue in the production process, and the Team's Primer DH frames will be delayed again, this time until March. The good news is, he is unwilling to send you all unacceptable equipment that your lives are relying on. Sorry for the delay guys, we will do what we can to get ya on bikes somewhere else until they arrive, since the season starts before March. It's actually already started in Cali, thanks to Don Jackson's well-run Southridge Winter Series.

Corty Forty Sends A Pic!

A rare photo of the elusive Corty-40 and his son. Here is a pic of them after their 1st and 4th overall's in the 2007 MSC race last year..thanks!

Tom Cruise Medals in Shimano Kid's Race!

This picture allegedly shows Hollywood's tiniest man (ok, except those midgets that played Oompa Loompa's) winning a mountain bike medal!? It can't possibly be for an adult-sized man's race, as he is so very, very small. I can only conclude that this was for a recent Shimano Kid's Race somewhere on the West Coast. Normally reserved for those under 12 years of age, Mr. Cruise (who's wife probably shouldn't wear heels, for fear that he might live his life in the shade) allegedly narrowly beat out 7 year old Dina Tolksein for the overall prize. UCI forced him to take a drug test, but said only trace amounts of SIMILAC were found in his blood. Although only the size of a shirt-button on a normal-sized man, Tom's medal appears to be about the size of a large three-topping pizza. When MBA's John Kerr interviewed him after the victory, he said "I'm going to Disneyland!"

Chris

Caldwell Busts The 'Cross-Up In The Santa Monica's

Ex-Cycology shop-rat and and all-around funny mo-fo' John Caldwell sent in this pic of him gettin' jiggy-widdit in the Santa Monica's this week. John somehow managed to get his woman Rufie'd up enough to marry him last year, and this is how he spends his time when she is "working late." Sure she is, John....sure she is...

C

'Cross Pix From Bert

Here is a great shot of Ryan on the TOP of the podium. He took second on the day's race, but is now the official Cal State 'Cross Champ!



****NOTE the TOMAC RLX Team Issue bike, once belonging to Dave Wiens****




Bert "The Hurt" Blanchette finished in FIRST on the day, in Men's Singlespeed "A", which also stands for PRO! Nice job Big-B!





Bert shows everyone what's up in the whole barrier department..SCHOOL'S IN SESSION
FOOLS!




Here's the champ demonstrating on the TOMAC how to make a turn..

Ryan And Bert Take GOLD!!!!!!

Ryan Blanchette has done it! He placed 2nd today in his Cal State 'Cross race, sealing his OVERALL VICTORY! Congrats to Ryan for bringing home GOLD for the team of teams...way to go home-slice!



Papa-san Bert Blanchette WON his race today, and thusly moved up considerably in his overall standings. Congrats also to Bert on his day of podium-topping physical death!

Great job guys, go have a beer!

Vintage Briana Pic w/ Adam Craig

Here is a great pic of Jim's daughter (and Wehe's love interest) Bri Roff. She is seen here with her future ex-husband, Adam Craig at the Brian Head NMBS race a couple of years ago. BRI, HOLLA' BACK, YO!

Ryan Blanchette Cali 'Cross Leader!

Ryan is in first overall in Cali for 18 and under 'Cross, with the SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP on the line this weekend! They are racing TODAY at Bonelli Park in San Dimas, so get up there and cheer for Baby-Bert... Good luck to Ryan, and thanks to Bert for the update...

Chris

Tomac Introduces European Pro Squad!

Tomac Is Back...Racing!
Tomac announces today the creation of the Tomac Factory Racing
Team. Based in Switzerland, the team will contest the entire 2008
World Cup DH/4X program.

"This is a dream come true" says Team Manager and World Cup rider
Claudio Caluori. "It’s where I started my career nine years ago,
and I am really happy to now be managing the team and riding Tomac
for 2008."

The team will feature some of the hottest up and coming talents
from around the globe. On the DH side, team riders include Rhys
Willemse and Laurie Dinham from Australia, Joseph Smith from the
UK and Robin Hagen from Switzerland. All have been hailed as the
"fastest juniors" in their respective countries. In 4X, the duo of
Mirco and Adrian Weiss promises to round out an already strong
package of junior riders.

Under the tutuledge of Caluori, who will continue to race the
Elite World Cup circuit, the team will be focused on all of the
World Cup events and the World Championships. Additionally, the
team will hold Junior Development Camps in Switzerland, where
young riders will have the chance to ride with the pros and
benefit from their riding knowledge and skills.

"It was really an obvious choice to work with Claudio,"says Tomac
owner Joel Smith."His experience, knowledge and work ethic will be
an incredible benefit for these young riders."

Sponsors include Fiat, TSG, Shimano, FSA, Fox, Aweka, E13, Kenda,
DT Swiss.

Everday Average Normal Guy

***This came courtesy of Lyd. Think this may be a personal attack? :)****

Football Vs. Bike Ride Sunday.

****Archive shot from when Snow Summit actually allowed racing****



Sunday is a big decision day. Do I ride early, then come home and watch the games? Do I get drunk Saturday night and just stay that way until the first kickoff? If the Chargers weren't in it, would anyone west of the Rockies care at all?
My answer lies somewhere between the two. It supposed to be in the 'teens here..and YES, I will expect jokes on that soon....so I think I'll be getting up and having coffee, then watching an entire day of football related television. The only place to do a dirt ride is Alum, and they close in whet it gets wet..like we are baseball players or something. If it freezes hard enough, I'll be able to roll with impunity with my home-slice Brian. If not? Beers by 10am. What will it be like in Co and CA? Probably perfect, so please DON'T call me and tell me how nice it is, or how you spent the day on Santa Ana River Trail. In fact, call and lie to me. Tell me it's 9 degrees and Malibu is under a thick blanket of snow. So what will it be, bikes, ball, or both?

How I Came To Be

Here are some of the books my mom read to me as a child. This should clear up a few things for any of you who haven't been around me long enough to know. Hopefully this will allow me to skate on any future apologies for behaviour unbecoming of an adult...or a seven year old....or unicellular organism. These titles can be found at such retail locations as "Babies B We," "Toys Am Us," and my personal favorite..."Illiteracy Fo' Shizzle." Have fun reading, kids!











































Backbone Adventure Cycling, making education fun!