2015 Is Upon Us!

 

Deep in the bowels of Cuyahoga national park, racing from the storm.

A frozen Hayden Run Falls.

 It's negative eight degrees here in the Midwest. It was negative twelve yesterday. It's actually warmer in Anchorage, Alaska than it is in Columbus. That being said, I did manage to get on a bike for five of the first six days of the new year. It may be another few days before the temps climb above zero, the roads thaw, and I can venture back out on a ride. Better fire up the old Titus and get her ready for winter snow riding!

January 6th, 2015. 12 below zero on my lunch break.

    Ara had an amazing racing season last year, taking a number of top five podiums in 'cross. He ended up landing a top 3 overall for 2014!

FUZZY TAKES FIRST!

 

Hot Fuzz rounds the corner in So Cal Cross.

The run-up barrier with Ara.

 

 After a short hiatus Randy Rush will be back THIS COMING WEEKEND to race the Southridge Winter Series events that dominate So Cal this time of year.

Randy Rush getting his XC on at Southridge.

 Josh and Jeff are already looking at their available resources of time to see where they can get in the time allowed for events as well. They made the local newspaper in KY for their 'slow race" at Greenbo! Josh got to shake the hand of the Mayor of Lexington after his road race win, and Jeff has been teaching everyone in Kentucky how to ride a mountain bike.

Jeff showing you the number of healthy meals available at Cracker Barrel after a short dirt-nap at Greenbo.

Josh learning how to race XC on his new Talon with Tookie as a teacher.

Josh won the race, and shakes hands with the Mayor.

"Charlos" about to heat up his tires before taking the win in his Subaru.

Charles has made the switch to full time car racing in his Subaru, and Vegas Bob has been clawing his way out of a nasty back/neck issue (welcome to the club) and has been trying to get himself to a happy place on the bike.

Bacon Bob after his post 300 mile, 30k feet of climbing event with Ara.



Bob and Fuzz heading out of the SIGMA tent for some cross racing action.

Team warm up time at So Cal Cross.

Bob looks like he's near the top of GMR.

 He DID make the L.A. Times with his Assistant Coach position with the Laguna Beach High School MTB team, which was really cool to see. The link to his interview is her..http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-1230-mountain-bike-20141230-story.html

Mark Thome riding to the top of some crazy-high mountain in Montana...in the snow... with a wrist brace on.

   Mark and Matty-Ice Thome had an adventurous year as well! I am not sure you can live in Montana for more than a month and not see and do some amazing stuff. mark had a nasty surgery, so instead of racing he showed up to the races and took photos for everyone.

Mark and his loin-fruit Matty-Ice inside Glacier National Park.

 Matty-Ice moved in to a small town inside Glacier N.P. for a while, but looks to be back to the land of the living and will be back on the bike. Mark is back home in CA, and is already rehabbing the back for a season of riding.

 "The Angry Cyclist" Jon Hanshaw and I out for a Sunday morning winter ride.

Riding along the historic Cuyahoga Scenic Towpath Trail during my annual Awesomefest.

    I rode more last year than I have in the seven and a half years since I have lived here, and have found new motivation with some new (and some old) riding partners here in the new neighborhood. As busy as work and keeping Camp Hiawatha from collapsing around us has been, for me to get about 5,000 miles in on the road bike was really fun. Recent upgrades to the old TCR Advanced have made her fresh again,

Five years old and she still looks sexy thanks to XPEDO pedals, KMC's Ti SL chain, Kenda Kountach tires, a new crank set and a beautiful SIGMA ROX 10.0!

This Sunday morning ride was 28 degrees. Those socks were as close to pants as I usually wear.

and I can't wait to get started with all the crazy new ride events I am working on this winter. Cleveland trips, Cuyahoga runs, Zeppelin Memorial Rides, Giant Fest, an overnight down and back to Cinci with a stop at Chateau la Roche, and my monthly Temperance Row Rides are going to be a blast.

The Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, just across the street from Great Lakes Brewing Co.

    The bad thing about winter here is all the fatty-fat-fatterson foods that we have available. Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, Hot Chicken Takeover, Dirty Franks, etc. are all quite delicious when you can't feel your face after a ride. The bad thing is, at 220lbs I am at the limit of everything I own in team clothing. Jennifer has promised to feed me Venezuelan stagnant creek water, teeming with phylum Platyhelminthes.

GO TAPEWORMS!

Whatever it takes not to come out in Spring with a single pound over 215!

     I am very, very excited for this team to be rolling in to it's TENTH YEAR as an official team. A DECADE of amazing rides, friends, sponsors, events, Camp-N-Rides, Interbikes, and spectacular road trips with you all.

Hammer dropping inside Indiana's Brown County State Park trail system.

    If we get the budget we need for new clothing again this year, I am going to add a little 10 year medallion to the jerseys somewhere this year! Most of you have been with me for the whole time, and some for almost the entire time which has been great. I am excited for all of us this year and am energized to make it fun and productive for everyone.

Stikkity-Stakk helping Ara at the cross races last season.

Aleks and his pooch about to head to the feed zone for Fuzz.

    O.K. guys, just checking in! Big thanks to Tsolag and Aleks for all the help over the past 13 years or so (even back in the CFR days) and we all owe Fuzzy a thanks for being the drop-zone for all the sponsor stuff. Please be sure and also thank your personal support groups at home for giving you the time and help to do what makes you happy (like Donella, Meghan Brown, Cyrille, etc). Without these people we would be SCREWED.

Jeff brings the pain last year during a six hour race.

  Have a great 2015, and happy decade of Backbonerness!

Chris