I think Nelson said it best: Ha hah!

It is on. The group was extensive today. It will only get bigger as the weeks roll on and Mountain States Cup and other racing series finish up and those people start transitioning into their 'cross mode. I'll ask them where they've been...

Inexplicably fun this AM. People are giddy about the season upcoming. We railed it at Elks and then a park on Folsom this AM. The port-o's were in good use and everyone got their share of technique under stress this AM. I made the course a bit long-ish today and tried to get as many off the bike sections as I could find. I think it worked. People *were* worked it seemed.

The body responded well and I listened to myself and T and stayed within it the whole time. Holding back a bit to truly see where things are at. Even power output, no wad-shooting. Only flow while mixing it up with my friends. Smiles. That's about all I'll say for now. Just glee.

Some pics below. Brandon's got a new bike sponsor this year so people's jaws as you would expect were on the floor. It was pure show and tell time for that boy. Like a kindergartener with a new Transformer.

Brandon's new toy (Bike 1 of 2 of course...)

Explaining the virtues of man and machine

Time's interesting Ahead system being explained...

Baker smirking as he's heading off with family in tow to Belgium

Troy throwing down this AM.

Worked.

Inked.

Ben Turner's been spotted and involed in secret training missions.

Yum.

Yum 2.

TRP are coming out with carbon versions of these. Yum again.

SRAM is going to make a move in 'cross big time . It just makes sense.

Memories. This is some GOOD sheeit! I posted on this guy at Cyclocross Videos before on his amazing collection of super hi-res 'cross video last year, but Gewilli's recent post on the guy's unbelievable collection reminded me to revisit the site and further how i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e these videos are!

If you watch carefully, the details of 'cross technique come alive in this video. Watching Frank and Mark McCormack get their 'cross on and a young Tim Johnson battling it out against a (possibly high) Pontoni, is great, but you have to step into and observe the details of the race vis-a-vis all the technique going on. Delicious. Watch the transition of the racers through the barriers and run up. For all those dudes at my clinics, this is like a video overture of the remount nuances we drilled over and over...all captured in hi-res. Frank McCormack in particular (my hero if you all want to know) is perfect. Even with old school bar end shifters, he's flawless on his porting. I have followed his style since I watched and raced in the '99 Super Cup in the Presidio ages ago as a B. It was that race and these guys in '99 that made the whole thing click for me by watching that finesse in the midst of all that power.

One particular sequence is maddening. Watch and study this particular part of the course where the riders come down and immediately up into a set of run up barriers. Note Pontoni (and note his white sex...'rockin 'em in '99!) coming in HOT to the planks. Amazing sequence of how NOT to lose ANY momentum. He is grabbing a handful of top tube while still swinging his leg over at a full gallop. I guess that's why he has the stripes on his sleeve. A few seconds later, watch Frank McCormack again. He's slower, but again flawless on the technique. Watch the interesting flick he does with his hand to adjust the cranks to ensure that right crank is in position for his remount. Like I said. Details.

Click HERE to watch the 99 Men's Pro Boston SuperCup and prepare to hold on to your jocky shorts.

So I recall when Brandon pumped these out for VeloNews last year.They are a good 4 part series on some raw technique basics you can leverage if new to the sport. I live directly next to this park and get my game on quite often here early in the AM's. If you notice, check out the para-gliding hippies landing in the background. I got into one AM with one of these freaks for 'using the grass'. Awesome. Love Boulder.

Click HERE for the Vids as VeloNews' embeddable video control is a p.o.s...thus the screen shot.

Jonny, you've been sold up the river, buddy. Bobby busted you and exposed your blog to me. You should've never told anyone, man. If anyone wants to swing by and see what goes on in the life of a soigneur, have a look at my team mate Jonny's blog and see his exploits with Slipstream.

Here' s a particularly interesting article Evan sent to me over the weekend. He and I ten to geek out on this stuff. It focuses on Reynolds carbon rims but I think is interesting enough to see the progress being made to bring carbon to the masses (although I need to understand more about this 'world wide shortage of carbon weave....").

Click HERE for the article.

Got my FSA's hooked up this weekend. Nice a squeely for now until I build up a layer of brake gunk. Same as last year. GOD I love those rims.

Yum, frickin, yum. Today was a delicious taste of the sensations of Fall. Crisp and cool. Slightly wet tacky. Leg warmers and under shirts. Yum, cross is here.

AC2 and I got out for skills this AM. He's Belgian to the core. Late to bed last night after sewing up gunshot wounds in Aurora (a lovely Denver suburb), homie was out with me at Elks skills-honing while dog owners watched us, heads tilted in a 'huh' sort of way. "Why don't you just stay on that bike?" she says after watching us march up and down the field on/off/on/off/on/off-ing. Hilarious. Pics:

AC2 philosophizing on the merits of Dugast versus FMB.

A small stream of vomit can not be seen but its there

Czech candy

The brake pads are d-i-a-l-e-d now and the Dug's hooked nice in the mud.

...Joe B is comin' on home. After a small 'detour' to the Pac NW, The Joe B family is heading on back to the Bay Area. Sweet. The family is re-assembling. Joe and I crossed the snot out of the Bay Area during some of the best times of our lives. New wives, new friends, new babies. Epic. Some of the first sounds our infants heard were cowbells. We did it all together with Brian, Robbie, Bob Jones University....ah good times.

Anhoo, Jo-sef, welcome home brother and I'll be crashing on your couch on my virtually weekly trips back to SF.

Can I stash a cross bike at your house?

I'm not joking....

So, I got my copy of Procycling magazine and am flipping through it when I see this article on Taylor Phinney...highlighting the prodigy that he is and the pedigree that he comes from. What was cool to read in the blurb (see picture) is the commentary from my team mate, Neal Henderson who is part of the coaching staff for mini-Phinney. You go Neal! Get your fame on. Knowing the results I've seen Neal's 'students' achieve (some whom are very dear friends of mine), Taylor is in good hands. Very cool.