Mud and Cowbells | Cyclocross Photos, Videos and Stories

We've Moved! Come to Mud and Cowbells 2.0!!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:31:00 +0000

Well, after 2 years and 900+ posts, 225,000+ visitors and nearly 500,000 page views, it was time to 'upgrade' to new pastures. And so, I want to invite you to come and

RE-DIRECT YOUR BOOKMARKS to the NEW MUD AND COWBELLS. Version "2.0"!

The whole change was inspired as I needed a blogging environment which allowed me greater flexibility in layout, significantly easier content publishing in addition to offering a wider variety of features for my readers to enjoy. This site will grow in features over time, but hopefully, already, you've seen some of them!

Some things to highlight for you:

a) Bookmark the domain http://www.mudandcowbells.com going forward. That's all you need to get to M&C! This mudandcowbells.blogspot.com site will remain, albeit stagnant, so ensure you book mark this new, simpler URL.

b) Note the new features when you go to the new Mud and Cowbells blog! There is a new Forum feature, a section dedicated to Sponsors to learn about products and other new features which will come on line over time.

I thank you ALL who have read my rants over the years and hope this new site makes it even easier and more fun to get all 'crossy.

My best,

Greg

We've Moved! Come to Mud and Cowbells 2.0!!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:31:00 +0000

Well, after 2 years and 900+ posts, 225,000+ visitors and nearly 500,000 page views, it was time to 'upgrade' to new pastures. And so, I want to invite you to come and RE-DIRECT YOUR BOOKMARKS to the NEW MUD AND COWBELLS. Version "2.0"!

Some things to highlight for you:

I thank you ALL who have read my rants over the years and hope this new site makes it even easier and more fun to get all 'crossy.

My best,

Greg

OnSight Media's 2008 CO CX States no on CET!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:37:00 +0000

Our friends over at OnSight Media...who bring you many of those great videos you watch on VeloNews TV while on your 'lunch break', have finished the 2008 Colorado State Cyclocross Championship video and is now on Comcast CET!

Check out this link here for CET's schedule for March (search for 'cyclocross') and set your DVR's! Also, scope out OnSights blog post on their release of the video to CET. They nicely laid out the times for us:

March 1 - 12:30pm
March 2 - 5:30pm
March 5 - 6:00pm
March 8 - 7:00pm
March 9 - 8:30am
March 10 - 8:30am
March 12 - 7:00am
March 13 - 9:30pm
March 15 - 9:30am
March 18 - 6:00pm
March 19 - 7:00pm
March 24 - 8:30pm
March 26 - 6:00pm
March 28 - 12:00pm
March 29 - 9:00am

7 more months until 'cross....

Photo by yours truly.

The Epics Continue: Railing Larimer's Finest

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:45:00 +0000

I'm not sure at what point I realized that I had a big ride in the morning. While I was on stage, several cocktails into the evening wailing out Elton John's Rocket Man at Boulder's dive karaoke bar....or watching my wife while on said stage in said bar getting cornered by a gaggle of....well let's just say some ladies playing for the other team. Hilarious.

But it was obviously time to go home....

When my eyes cracked open at 7:30AM....and I surveyed the body for any physical damage...then ensure the evening was 'awesome' by finding my wallet and CrackBerry (those things just tend to get lost on epic evenings...)...I knew I had to hi tail it to get to Amante and meet the crew there. Kiss goodby and car packed, I flew to the meet up point (Amante) and saw that we had a crew...a massive crew....of super fun, super fast dudes.....
Today was going to hurt.

The destination were some of the beautiful county built trails up in Larimer County. Trails like Horsetooth and Devil's backbone would be on the Agenda. It was my first time there but we had some dudes in the mix today who own those trails and would show us a great ride. And yes, it would be epic.

I snapped this late in the ride. Scope out the people and dog on the top!

Spectacular trails interwoven with amazing geography

Preparing to braaaap

The trail systems are insane in Larimer. Well marked and super well engineered. Very flowy. One section was brutally harsh...traversing a massive multiple mile rock field which rattled the fillings out of our teeth. All else was sick singletrack with miner bits of fire road and pavement to hook stuff up.

Even the best of us had to walk some sections. Sick technical twisties...

It was clear the previous night took a lot of wind out of the sails. I needed to absolutely just be within myself on the massive climbs. Nothing to prove, no goals whatsoever other than burning the hangover out of me....but in this part of the year, just to be fit without being near that scary edge of sickness-fitness.

Suffering.

The long road ahead....

Rest stops to fix up some mechanicals

The Trek Team boys were drilling it hard. Great bunch of dudes with obvious talent. They love the mountain bike. That brings me joy to see.

Za author. One lucky biscuit

Communion

Matty Opp showing us the finer things

By mid way through, we split....the young single guys (and Batey) going on for another couple of hours, and Longman, Matty Opp, Birthday Boy Bobby, Boups and I still had another hour or more of technical riding ahead of us. So we split the crew and went our ways.

The last stretches....

All said and done, we got back to the car in roughly 4:50 ride time covering lots of extremely technical and cherry ground. I'll be sure to be back. The trail system is a keeper.

More of the day's digital celluloid. Full set found here.

Bring it

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:34:00 +0000

Old people of the world, unite!

She's gone and done it. AD has announced her un-retirement...for 'cross! That's right Allison; the Force in this sport, too strong is.

This makes me unspeakably happy. It shows that the attraction of the sport is 100% fun. The pain and suffering required to be good is proving to fade away as the joy of being at a 'cross race and demonstrate yourself in front of fans lining the tape and being in your face every weekend outweighs....well, outweighs just about anything. Even perceived 'age'.

You rock on AD. Bring the pain to those young'uns like Compton and Georgia. Just man up and get rid of that bunk shoulder pad on your top tube! Totally un-PRO. Ha!

Photo ©: AFP

There will be...

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:56:00 +0000

...time for me to make what I want to happen, happen.

...balance for me to feel like I'm what I want to be.

...enough energy to make the three-sided teeter totter balance again.

...friends who will not abandon me unless I finish what I started. And even if I fail, they'll give me a hand-up.

...a feeling of raising m hands above my head again; in some way.

...faster. Stronger. Fitter. Wiser.

...no cancer to catch me.

...fleet feet to drive me.

...wisdom and kindness to guide me.

...significantly good beer to ease me.

It's so time.

The indescribable lightness of being a dad...

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:14:00 +0000

Today was one of those days where everything just gelled. From the moment we woke up and heard our boys silently playing Legos downstairs, sharing and just being kind to each other...for once...Amy and I smiled and knew this day would be OK. And so it was.

Amy had some classes she was taking today so it was a daddy-and-the-boys-day. My boys love it. They actually sing this chant: "It's daddy and the boys day!' Unbelievable. So, when asked what they wanted to do, anything, they said: Go biking! Sweet! So we hooked up a good'un!

So, I captured it all. I love these moments. I got so excited just riding, flowing and laughing. I could feel that deep warm laughter like I hadn't had in a LONG time. And my boys yanked it out of me. The writing, the picture taking...well, it all is important to me. I have this fear, this core fear, that I'll forget. Not remember the details. The faces, the way my boys voices sound. So I obsess (like you all know...) and I document. And so, I share this with you. Click on Seamus' victory salute below for the album...

To drop or be dropped: The MTB epics have begun

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:19:00 +0000

It's safe to say that the epics are on like Donkey Kong to quote my main man Dave Towle. 4.5 hours yesterday with some of the other fellas on the ride we linked up with out for 6. We're getting snow out here in Boulder which is great, but it's amazing how quickly it melts and gives us perfectly tacky and miraculously dry conditions. The best of all worlds.

The crew hooked up at Heil, some riding there, Matty an I driving due to time constraints (even though Bobby thinks we're getting soft). We had, Rob Batey, Matt Opperman, Bobby Noyes, The Longest Man, Jason Vogel and last but certainly not least, the wonder twin powers of the Torrance brothers.
The ride we did is basically a truncated version of the "Boulder Epic"...which would start typically in Boulder and traverse Eagle Trail etc to get you to Heil Ranch, then on the way into the woods. Today, for Matty and I anyways, would be a section Heil Ranch which included the full length of the Wild Turkey Trail, we intersect with the new Picture Rock Connector trail dump out into Lyons CO and then meander over to the Antelope climb of the Hall Ranch trail system where we'd do a loop of the Nelson Loop at the top and descend Hall's notorious rock garden descent. From there it's back up the Picture Rock connector, into Heil and home.
The conditions of the trails were insane. Nice and tacky. The reality is (and anyone who rides the Heil/Picture network frequently will say the same), it's unbelievable rocky. Glacial till and exposed rock make the ride less 'flowy' but more a sustained series of shocks to the body. You actually do have to flow as best as possible to be smooth and keep momentum over the trail system as its entire length is like a technical challenge. I do this ride often but the pace we were going yesterday and the frequency of hauling the bike up and over the rocks challenges by yanking on the bars to table up and over these things and I feel like Mike Tyson beat the snot out of me.
The beginning half of the day I felt no chain. Rolling nicely....and it's no wonder as my ride lengths up to yesterday have been like in the 1.5-2 hour range. Yesterday truly broke the cherry! Matty Opp and I railed on our 29'ers through all of the stuff at break neck pace with the Torrance bros and Batey railing in tow. By the time we got to Hall, my bike literally started to come undone, XTR brakes (pieces of shit...and I need to upgrade to Avid soon!) effectively clamping down on my rotors. Oh, and the body felt it was doing the same! I had all the food in the world and felt no bonk, but the legs were so loaded it was incredible by the 3rd hour. Bobby (here's your shout out Bobby) literally had to say 'on your left' as he dropped me at Hall. Don't worry sports fans, he gets his.
On the way back up Picture Rock at roughly hour 3.5 I'm going psychotic with my rotors going scwhing scwhing scwhing scwhing scwhing scwhing scwhing scwhing scwhing scwhing with that high pitched rub. I wanted to huck the thing. I'd get off and literally YANK the rotor as I swear I think they bowed with the amount of action they got. By this time Bobby, who decided to turn the screws to the stragglers suffering some bike lengths behind with an all out attack, has a leg implosion (I swear I heard it through the woods...sort of like a 'pop!') and we see him essentially dead, buzzards circling above. I leave him with a Gu and some words of advice on how to survive in the wild overnight, and we leave his ass. (HA!...kidding...on the leaving part).
We all get back to Heil ~4.5 hours later, legs baked and toasty. Bike basically steaming. Matty Opp is way too fit for this time of year (start drinking Matt) and the Torrance bros couldn't tag team to reel the kid in. Batey I think wants revenge for getting dropped by the T's as well. Don't worry Batey, they're not half as good looking as you are, so you've got that going for you.

So that's it. Recovery ride today and we begin more of these character building assaults on our bodies from here on in. Also. some crappy YouTube. I ran out of free HD time on Vimeo this week.

The Last Waltz of '09: Sunday @ Oostmalle

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:28:00 +0000

I'm such a weak-ass blogger these days....sorry! My focus is about work these days. Getting in the riding at odd and random times to keep me from turning into a Michelin man, but the balance is imbalanced these days to say the least.

Anyhoo, my main man Geert in Za Motherland reminded me that 'cross is alive and well! And the last one, a GVA, will be at Ooostmalle this Sunday and bright to you in live streaming technicolor by our friends at Sport.BE. I'll set this post to go off again Saturday PM to remind you all for Sunday but figured I's send this out now.

Race Night at the Boulder Velodrome!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:36:00 +0000

Last night was the first night of racing at the Boulder Indoor Cycling Velodrome! I'm happy to say, there was no carnage and the racing was pretty cool to watch. There was a scratch race, a snowball and a team pursuit. The racing was roughly from 8 to 9:30PM and the elevated viewing area at the Velodrome provided a decent perspective to the racing. The beers (brought by the spectators...BIC does not sell beer) was flowing and spirits were high.

I snapped some photos and a crappy video (below) for you to get a sense of the action. Enjoy!

Boulder Indoor Cycling Velodrome -First Night of Racing! from Gregory Keller on Vimeo.

How Valentine's Day was spent...

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:39:00 +0000

It is extremely safe to say that Amy and I are 'anti-holiday' types. Love is a 24/365 day holiday...love, in fact, takes no holidays as far as we are concerned. We inject it into our lives everyday, well, because we l-o-v-e each other and don't need some contrived Hallmark card to express what we can say to each other every day. I mean, wouldn't you rather say the words you mean, rather than having them created for you by some college intern at some mega-card company who's going to smoke a bowl and party with his college buds that night....just as soon as he finishes his latest creation...

Love. It continues to blossom between you and I like the flower I gave you the night we first met.

GAG. I thought so. So, Amy and I went for a ride....

We hooked up a snowy Hall Ranch and finished up with a Valentine's lunch at Oskar Blues. Some Leroy Browns and some soup....yum. The ride was such a purge for us. The tension has built again on Side 3 of the Three Part Teeter Totter and it's scraping the ground....family and riding not being able to re-balance things for me....for us. I will say though that it isn't for a lack of trying and pushing....if not simply flicking...the dominoes we need in our family to instigate the change we so desire.

Believe in it.

Watching my lady ride is something else. She drilled it in pretty adverse conditions at Hall with snow covering most of the ride. She's not used to it but was PRO as she navigated all of the madness back there. We just took it all in and again embraced life...our kids....the family and life we've made...and the promise of things yet to come here in Boulder. It's good. Scratch that: it's great.

Yes. This is Colorado.

My Ahrens Revolver 29'er may undergo a 1 x 1 conversion. Stay tuned.

Self port.

Amy in awe of the beauty today.

Mmm.

Valentine's Day lunch...

My love...laying wood on the MTB today.

Long's Peak. a 14'r in our back yard.

At peace.

Amy at Hall 1 from Gregory Keller on Vimeo.

KGNU's Valmont Bike Park PodCast!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:29:00 +0000

Clink image below to access to the MP3 file and listen to the Valmont Bike Park Committee's interview with Boulder's KGNU public Radio.

Dog Days....

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Anxiety. Work. Groundhog-day wake ups. Am I gaining weight. Push cycling to the back. Long for cycling to be in the front. Distractions. Travel. Work. Family. Work....

It's the dog days. That period between your season's end and keeping your mind in tact that another season will come and lots other than cycling needs to be focused on. I can guarantee so many of you know that mental thrashing that I am talking about. So what am I doing?

Eating "healthy". OK, that's an embellishment because my wife is a nutritionist and we eat unbelievably. My change is in focusing in on WAY more greens and fruit (although the latter comes at the cost of more sugars) and what I am essentially basing my diet around these days to keep my system 'moving'. Protein-heavy stuff will come when the super deep training comes. My body over the last few months feels like I can not cycle-out stuff inside me...so I am focusing on the greens, tons of hydration (I know you all 'forget' to drink those 8 glasses of water a day!) all to make the stuff floooooooooooow.
Strength. I'm getting some gray hairs...so I need to ensure this frame can continue doing what I love....forever. So now I am an early AM gym person, ~3-4 times a week, strengthening my legs, back and core. It's hard. Last year I did NOTHING, and suffered for it. Again, I came into last season with no opportunity for real training given the shit that went down so I had to just get fit by racing (which....was fun but left me dangling...reaching for that .0001% of something!) Frankly, to 'get by' last year I ended up drinking more than riding. It is what it is but it's what my mind needed to deal. Yes, a crutch. So come September, of course I never felt as if my core was strong enough to support the type of breathing I needed...and like my old coaches used to say: All power comes from the center. So, I've got me some fat to burn and some muscles to re-build.
Stay out of the red: I'm riding these days, because I can;t live without it. It's my soul. Some cross, some MTB, some road....long rides, short rides, medium rides. But nothing too deep. I did not use a my PowerTap or my Polar last year. Not at all. Not once in fact for the WHOLE year. I used my Polar simply for the watch! But now, I am using it again to ensure I don't get too crazy. Nothing deep. I know now after all these years that I need to reserve my matches as it takes me WAY longer to recover. Sincerely, massive efforts early at nearly 40 years old takes a lot out of you (or me anyways). I'm fit, and need to remember that and require polish versus whole-sale rebuilding. 2007 was a physical restructuring under Za Plan. That changed me positively forever thanks to Taro. Now I am building upon that subtly and with smaller bricks versus those massive ones re-laid in the summer of 2007.
Stretching. I'm not even going to say much here because I am a FOOL for not stretching more.
Relaxing: I'm not Sven Nys. I don't play him on TV. I am a daddy and husband and worker. Oh, and bike racer. I'm a nearing-40 year old with a UCI Elite license (huh?...yup, just got it in the mail)....but I n-e-e-d t-o r-e-l-a-x o-n t-h-e w-h-o-l-e s-c-e-n-e! Ha! At least the scene I envision my head. Seeing the forest for the trees is the watch-phrase I need to focus on. Remember racing is a part of the collective joy. Not the joy.

OK, I'm done. I wrote this for me to remember....

(photo courtesy of za Dubba's iPhone)

Momentum in Portland!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:35:00 +0000

It looks like this Bike Park thing isn't a fad. Here's a recast of a story of the momentum building behind Portland's new bike park on BikePortland.

Kicking the dirt at Gateway Green

Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor) on February 10th, 2009 at 8:18 am

A show of momentum in and of itself, the invite-only group that showed up to the Gateway Green “Kick the Dirt” event included a wide range of stakeholders — from agencies like ODOT and PBOT to citizen activists and trail planning experts.
(Photos © J. Maus)

An effort to re-claim 35 acres of vacant land in East Portland and turn it into a bike recreation hub is building some serious momentum.

Standing at the southern end of the site.
This is the highest point on the site.

On Saturday, a select group of trail experts, bureaucrats, citizen advocates, neighborhood representatives, and agency stakeholders kicked off a focused planning effort for how bicycles might fit into the Gateway Green vision.

The “Kick the Dirt” event was funded by a grant from REI and was organized by trail advocate Tom Archer, parks advocate Linda Robinson, and the visionary developer behind the Gateway Green project, Ted Gilbert. The group spent the better half of a sunny Saturday getting to know the site firsthand and brainstorming ideas that will be organized into a forthcoming “concept plan”.

...Continue Reading the BikePortland Article here!

MTB'ers: Take Action before February 18th!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:55:00 +0000

Take Action to Increase Opportunities for Bicycling in National Parks

IMBA Action Alert

At long last the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has proposed a rule change which will make it easier for parks to open trails for mountain biking. IMBA urges mountain bikers to register comments in support of the rule change. IMBA has been asking for this change since the 1990s. We now enter a 60-day commentary period to make the change official.

Take Action Now! Customized letters are most effective.

You can read IMBA's white paper analysis of the proposed rule change and view the entire text in the Federal Register online. We know that several groups are working to defeat this proposal -- it will take thousands of comments in favor of the rule change to ensure it stays intact. You may also watch IMBAs video on the situation...

As the proposal explicitly states, none of the NPS procedures for environmental review -- or opportunities for public commentary -- will be diminished by this change. What it will achieve is a much more manageable system for adopting mountain biking trails. The proposal states, "As a general matter, the proposed rule provides park superintendents with a more efficient and effective way to determine whether opening existing trails to bicycles would be appropriate in the park unit they manage."

IMBA believes that this measure will enhance national parks and deserves your support -- please file your comments today!

Sample Letter

Thank you for accepting my comments concerning RIN 1024-AD72, the National Park Service rule change for bicycling. I fully support the proposed rule.

The special regulations process that restricts bicycling on trails is unduly burdensome and duplicates protections that are already addressed by the NPS General Management Plan and the National Environmental Policy Act.
This proposed rule would give park superintendents better tools for opening trails to bicycling. It would also treat bicycles like other non-motorized trail uses, such as horseback riding.
Independent scientific studies, including those conducted by the National Park Service, have shown the environmental impacts of mountain biking are similar to those of hiking, and far less than other uses.
The best research regarding social interactions on trails reveals those who encounter other user groups report very favorably on their interactions. Claims otherwise are unsupported by scientific data.
Shared-use trails are a successful management tool worldwide. NPS staff are skilled at selecting appropriate trails for shared-use by hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians.
This rule will aid visitor enjoyment for both children and adults. Bicycling broadens the recreational offerings and gets Americans out of their cars and into the natural world. It connects people of all ages with the natural environment and is a fun, low-impact activity.
Improving opportunities for bicycling and promoting trails tourism could benefit economic conditions for nearby communities.
Mountain bikers are prolific volunteers--conducting nearly one million hours of trailwork on public lands annually--and could help build environmentally sound, sustainable trails.

Thank you for considering my comment. Bicycling is a wonderful way to explore our national parks and I hope the proposed rule change will be implemented.

BMA's Banquet

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:27:00 +0000

So Boulder's finest chamois-wearing crowd traded in their lycra and helmets for some finer apparel and linen table cloths for its annual fund raising banquet. It was a RIOT and all for a great cause: Trail advocacy for the fat tire set!

Thanks to Oskar Blues, we all had our fill of FREE Pale Ale and Old Chub (make note to self: Old Chub is like 10% alcohol! Limit to 3...strike that TWO...of those bad boys). The night was filled with great speeches including our Mayor Shaun McGrath who's leaving to go work with Obama campaign (and a MASSIVE supporter of the VBP and biking in general), the VBP committee indicating our massive momentum and fund raising as well as BMA award winning speeches. These are the folks who volunteer to make trails for ALL of us to ride.

I had my CrackBerry firing off shots of random folks doing stupid things while high on Old Chub, but my home girl Sonya got some great photos and also has a nice write up on her blog.

I'd make this a sure thing next year if you ride trails anywhere near Boulder!

Zondag: de superprestige Hoogstraten hier live

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:11:00 +0000

Set your alarm clocks for tomorrow's SP at Hoogstraten. Race is at 2:30PM in Belgie-land and is 8 hours time difference from MST. So do the math for your region...

Something's stretching in the basement....

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:18:00 +0000

...waiting to be glued and ridden. When is 'cross season?

The latest trail map for VBP is ready for your eyes!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:34:00 +0000

Have a looky-loo at the latest version of the trail map and race course concept. Things may still change but this should give you a pretty good feeling of what's coming.

VBP Park Map 8.5x11

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

Honored

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:11:00 +0000

My main man Joe Sales is back from Za Motherland after an extensive photojournalism trip covering all the major races from Roubaix to Milan to the Master's Worlds in Mol. He sent me a mail today after he filtered through some of his old shots from 2008 and along with it this photo. THANK YOU JOE! What a great way to remember CrossVegas.
Have a look at his gallery or the photo updates he did on CXMag.

TRP Provides the Shaved-Speed-Need at Hoogie

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:36:00 +0000

OK, now: you tell me. What brakes shaved speed for MORE folks who made the podium this weekend in Hoogerheide? TRP. That's who. My main man Lance from TRP compiled their team riders who ended up on the podium at this weekend's WK's and it is impressive...

Elite Men

Niels Albert, Belgium, TRP Brakes (EuroX Magnesium)
Zdenek Stybar, Czech Republic
Sven Nys, Belgium, TRP Brakes (EuroX Carbon)

Elite Women

Marianne Vos, Holland, TRP Brakes (EuroX Carbon)
Hanka Kupfernagel, Germany, TRP Brakes (EuroX Magnesium)
Katie Compton, USA, TRP Brakes (EuroX Magnesium)

Under 23 Men

Philip Walsleben, Germany, TRP Brakes (EuroX Carbon)
Christph Pfingsten Germany, TRP Brakes (CR950)
Pawel Szczepaniak, Poland

Junior Men

Tijmen Eising, Holland, TRP Brakes (EuroX Alloy)
Corne Van Kessel, Holland, TRP Brakes (EuroX Alloy)
Alexandre Billion, France

At the expense of an ad: What's stopping YOU?? That is pretty incredible.

IT HAS BEGUN!!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:02:00 +0000

(I am re-casting this from my post on the VBP blog)

Our main man Pete Webber was on the scene at the Park yesterday and behold...DIRT IS BEING DELIVERED!! His report:

Oh yes. Progress at the Valmont Bike Park in the shape of growing
stockpiles of fresh dirt. The dirt is being delivered free of charge
from various construction sites around town.

They've got dirt to get
rid of after digging basements, and we need hundreds of truck loads
to enhance the terrain at Valmont. The dirt shown in these photos
will be used to to pump up the bike terrain in the flat southeast
zone, as well as to shape the land around the dog park, steel
building, and parking lot.

W e love dirt, and we love real tangible
progress!

BIKES BELONG DONATION MATCHING PROGRAM!!!

And don't forget: Bikes Belong has agreed to match up to $10,000 in
funds raised from individuals by this Friday Feb. 6 dollar for
dollar. If you haven't donated yet, now is an excellent time to do so
- you'll have twice the impact.

DONATE HERE!!!

Hoogie

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:18:00 +0000

The WK's are underway and the Belgians are PISSED thus far after the Juniors and U-23's no-showing on either podium. But, at least they look PRO. Note Bosman's tall-boy sock customization. At-a-boy, Bos! There's going to be HELL to pay if there's not the light blue tricolor on the podium tomorrow.

Valmont Park Site Review Drawings

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:36:00 +0000

The complete collection of plans and drawings for Valmont Park is now available online . These are medium-level design documents that show the general layout and design intent to comply with the City's site review process. There are many pages of technical documents detailing every aspect of the site, from the landscaping to the buildings to the bike stuff. Once approved by the Planning Department, the design will become much more detailed before construction begins later in 2009. Check out the progress!

Take a computerized pre-ride of Hoogerheide

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:40:00 +0000

Note this may take a while to load!