Taking place at the hallowed halls of BCS in North Boulder. Be there to help support Ben's CLIF Bar Cyclocross Program with a $5 suggested donation and entry into the raffle for some cool schwag from Chris King, Rocky Mounts and more!

Mmmm. American Nonferrous. Enjoy.

...and Cross article from za Motherland never showed up on the production VeloNews website. It is however on their new beta site. Weird.

Chocolate, Waffles & 'Cross: Bye-bye, Belgium

It’s rather comical how meticulously I pack my bikes and gear for a big race trip, such as this recent adventure to Belgium. Everything is cleaned, wrapped, folded, and hermetically sealed, then put in its perfect place.

However, on the return leg of trips such as this one, it’s a different story.

I just finished packing my bikes and gear for the long trip back to the States following my last cyclocross race of the 2007-08 season, and basically it looks as though a bomb exploded in my bike case and duffel bag. I pity the person at airport security who inspects my duffel bag, which has been stuffed to the gills with dirty cycling clothes, wet socks and muddy shoes. At the end of an epic week of slogging through thick Belgian mud, my luggage weighs about 10 pounds more than when I left. Although, it might have something to do with all the Belgian chocolate I am bringing home.

Continue reading za rest here....

I'm on sabbatical folks. I am going to finally take some time off and maybe do me some hiking and enjoy some of the natural surroundings here in our home. I've got this feeling inside me that I've got to push back which is to 'keep going. keep going!!' I call that the badness. On a sprint Sunday, I cranked out 1600 + w for a 300m sprint. In some sense that's cool and I'm probably on my way to another mini peak, but it amounts to nothing at the wrong time and I've got to release and let it go and get out of the tunnel vision I have around keeping at the sharp end of the fitness scale. Maybe we need a Peak Season series here in CO. Hmm....

I'm going to finally be building up that Ahrens two-niner I've been anxious to since Mike sent it to me this fall. I'm so looking forward to getting my groove back with this new bike. I have that addictive craving to get back in the woods this Spring and groove in the trees. The roadie taught me things last year about myself but it became a slavery tool. I need to get beck to where I came from.

Hope you local folks can make it this Thursday to Boulder Cycle Sport! The good people at New Belgium Brewery have donated the fine stuff for us and Chris King (which every single one of my bikes have...including one on my single speed from 1996 which is ROCK SOLID....but why am I telling you this....you all know Chris King''s quality) has donated a Belgium Flag colored headset in honor of Za Trip for one of you lucky folks to walk away with as a raffle prize! THANKS TO YOU NEW BELGIUM AND CHRIS KING!!!

Oooooh. Shocker. Boom won. Who'da guessed that one? Honestly, I'm stoked for him and the Dutch. Lars oozes class and now has accrued all kinds of world champion stripes. Good on him.

The interesting parts beyond Lars winning though are:

a) Stybar. Another world champ (U23) and is going to do something special next year. His Kalmthout win this year was huge and next year I think he can pull a rabbit out. 5 seconds behind Boom today is insurance of the kids abilities. My man Klaas didn't follow through for me this year the way I thought he was going to but a win at Torhout and a top 10 today ensured his great season.

b) The time gaps were SO SMALL! You've all seen CyclingNews by now and the deltas between riders were nuts! the Top 25 all cam in within 1 minute behind Lars.

c) Rhinos! Who was not using them today? You'd be crazy not to especially with that 45 degree off camber grass slope and that crazy hill climb.

Congrats Netherlands!

I just had to do it. The experience at Shriek Grootlo and using their Karcher power washers had me in extacy.

So in the spirit of feeling Belgie, I pulled the trigger on one:

When does cross start again?

I'm home. Really home. It feels great....even the veritable fire hose work had pent up for me that started up Tuesday AM at 6 AM when I got back to it.

Ironically, it felt good.

But now I feel empty. Weird. I want to cross more. I want to hear my name being called out over the loudspeakers in a language that is totally foreign to me. I want to finish up my race and get a beer ticket from those nice people that seem to be at every race and submit the ticket to the even nicer people in the beer tent to drink the brown goodness. I want to stand in the pits with my boots on talking with more and more people about this sport I love.

I want to learn more.

I went out on a ride yesterday on the roadie and found myself up out of the saddle sprinting. Didn't even think about it. I just did it. I've GOT to stop that and start to release and let the body rebound a bit. OK, rebound a LOT.

I miss it already. Worlds this weekend to keep me satiated. Then, I need to think about fat tires. Projects to hold me over like building that 29'er....until its time to dial in the cross bikes. Shit, maybe I'll just dial them in now and just look at them all Spring.

I'm home. I'm happy. I'm longing already.

...you realize that it's a 365 x 24 x 7 sport! (OK, for me it is)

Boulder Cycle Sport and Mud and Cowbells (er...ah, me) would like to invite you to to join us for a little slide show viewing, cyclo-cross talking, friend seeing, beer drinking and most importantly some fund raising for Ben Turner's team green: The CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cross Team.

The deets:

What:

• Come hear stories and see pictures from Za Trip: 3 old men go race cyclocross in the Motherland. This is not a film by Sam Smith.
  
• A suggested donation of $5 American Dollars will entirely be donated to the CLIF BAR Development Cyclocross Team and make you feel like a hero.
  
• We're going to attempt to get some raffles together. Stay tuned. Possibly the chamois from Ben's USA Cycling issued skin suit from his World's venture. Mmmm.
  
• Beer will be served and all the cool kids will be there.
  

• Why in God's good earth do you need justification to come see friends and geek out on cross?
• More Americans need to go to Belgium and duke it out with the best on earth. This is our chance to Jedi Mind Trick you to a) do it yourself and b) help kids do it cause they like, have a future.
  
• We need you to help support our young'ns and help get 'em to races and buy some new Dugasts for 'em.
  
• Beer. Celebrate it. Cross. Celebrate it.
  

• Thursday January 31st
  
• Doors Open at 6:30 PM
  
• 7-8PM Slide show
  
• 8-9 Happy hour!
  

• The hallowed halls of Boulder Cycle Sport. 4580 North Broadway, Boulder 80304

It's gonna be awesome.

While in Belgium, I was able to finally hook up with the man behind CTodd,TV, Mr. C Todd himself! Great to meet and hang home boy! You can see some videos and read some of his perspectives on the race here.

Braaaaaap

While I am in the zone, I wanted to get these up for you all to have some look sees at the various daily goings on from our trip. You can always go to my PhotoBucket Site to see originals.

OK, I'll let you in on our secret training. This is how we got utterly amped for our races. Who needs EPO? I used to listen to Rage, but have moved on...

Here's Dubba at Fort 6 Sunday. Ha! Sunday. I can't believe I was racing my bike in Belgium last week. Sweet.

Dubba had a very strong race against heavy contracted hitters at Fort 6.

So there you have it folks. Some vid and stills from Za Trip. I can NOT thank you all for reading and commenting religiously. It made me smile. I think I got my points across about the trip and the impact it had on many levels. I can't wait to hear other people's stories of their trips next year. START PLANNING NOW! That is my only advice. Again, Brandon and I are scheming a slide show at Boulder Cycle Sport for local folks and have some beers and give you some color commentary on the experience. I'll post something in the coming days.