A Little Update Time

Ara at elevation, doing what he does best.

Wow, so much to get to! My apologies for being an absentee writer, but I have some time to update the page, so here goes!

INDUSTRY NEWS:
Sadly, our long-time team sponsor SIGMA SPORT USA has been recalled to the home office in Germany. Three Marketing Director changes have occurred there since our relationship began, and news was announced recently that Germany is closing the operations here in North America. The staff there will be sorely missed, especially Randy, who has always made himself available to help all of us through any challenges we may have had. The people and products at SIGMA will be greatly missed. They have utilized our riders at trade shows, in their catalogs and web banner ads, etc for a very long time, and I am glad I kept all of those items for posterity.

Bob's full-page in the SIGMA catalog.

Bob looking at that sexy dude in the SIGMA catalog.

Bert, Bob and Charlos all featured in this full page SIGMA promo.

The team has had a very busy season, with Ara just wrapping up his in Colorado at U.S. National Championships.
He had the sup[port of Jim Roff and Roger Hernandez (Kenda Tire), and although he was turning sub-30 minute laps...mechanical failures forced an early retirement from the race. Ara spent the days prior to the event riding through Flagstaff and neighboring areas, rough-camping on park service land each night. He has also purchased a new adventure/gravel whip, which he has been using to take extended across the west coast. I am always happy to receive texts from him while out on these adventures.

Ara reflecting on a long and fruitful/successful racing season.

Bob has been racing a lot of OTH events in Orange County, and of course hits up every late night concert in the O.C.
Bob had some amazing adventure events as well this year. Northern cal is his endurance spot for such events, and they are very well organised and have a TON of participants. Bob also got to attend the XC event that was brought back to San Diego, one of the team faves, with randy and Ara. The Sagebrush Safari is still one of my all-time favorite courses.

Randy also purchased a new gravel bike, but this week is high in the Sierra Nevada's playing with Paula Cruz. Fly-fishing and mountain bike riding on his Trance looks like a blast. Maybe all three of them can take their gravel bikes and do a race together next season!

Mark Thome has been pushing pedals in Montana. The rides there are amazing, often with frozen singletrack atop sky-scraping peaks. he and Tami have been doing a LOT of riding, beer drinking, and concert attending thus far. I highly recommend asking him for great places to ride when in Montana!

Mark and Tami out smashing pedals, and taking selfies.

I  have been riding mostly road, as the mountain biking here is fairly abysmal. Fall is coming soon, which is truly the best time to enjoy the outdoors here. I will be heading up the Cuyahoga Awesomefest in a couple of months, and hope to get back down to the cabin to hike the Hocking Hills soon.

Chilling along the trail south of Boston Mill.

Jeff Williams has been working hard at the STEM Academy, building up student confidence and self-reliance via his new mountain bike club. The group has been travelling to campgrounds and races for a couple of months now! All-in-all, it has been a very fun year to tag along and watch everyone ride and explore the world around them. I hope you all get out this week!

Jeff Williams takes the students from the Portsmouth STEM Academy out for a ride.