I rode at Blue Mountain Today 11/11/2012. It was amazing. I felt alive again. Man.... Hadn't been in the woods for 2-3 weeks? Can't even remember...seems like forever. Somehow I felt powerful, not lame. Maybe the storm(s) gave me strength? I was crushing it. As hard as I could. Needed it.
Hurricane Sandy fucked things up around NYC and then some.... We camped at my place in the East Village with no power for 4 days and then the party continued when JW couldn't leave cause he couldn't get gas to drive back South. Zombie Apocalypse Go Bag Top Ten..... Miner's Light. We had em' and we used em' every day. Bikes were the way to get around after Sandy wrecked things. Wicked dark around lower Manhattan with no lights though...even when we rode with lights on our bikes. Creepy...people stepping out of the darkness, rats, other riders with no lights. It was freaky. We survived. Couldn't get gas to drive to the trails...to ride. Lots of trees down on the trails.... It got cold and snowed with this Noreaster "Athena". Now it's over 60 degrees. Scary. I like warm weather so I'm accepting this 2 day reprieve and just riding. Resuscitating myself. I'm still here. Tougher, more resilient.
The rides keep coming and life is flying by! I keep thinking about this Devlins song....
The irony is.....I'm not waiting for anything or anyone. I refuse to let life pass me by while waiting for something to happen. There are constant reminders every day. I'm driving my life....and the riding keeps me sane, and fit. I am a crusher. One of many....
We had an awesome ride over at the infamous Allamuchy trail in NJ. Home of the legendary 24 hour race that destroyed many riders and bikes over the years. First stop was Marty's shop in Randolph, NJ to meet up with Jesse. This was my first visit to the shop and it's really nice! Ari and I had been trying to hook up a ride with Jesse for quite awhile and we got it on this October day as we raced to beat the rain. Jesse's pal and coworker John met us at the trail and so did Kevin. In the parking lot before the ride John announced that he had looked up the race scores and realized that he's ranked number one in the country for DH in his age group and category. Scary!!! He led us through a ripping ride in Allamuchy!! He knows it like few others.... We beat the rain for the first 2 hours and then it began to fall and get through the trees to the trails and us. Slippery....yes. Killer ride! Thank you Jesse and John!
Snow White (Julie) and 5 dwarves hit the trail at Blue Mountain in Peekskill for some destruction and we got what we asked for. Abuse on every level. Blue is the jam. Kevin got hurt on a big roller on "My Favorite Trail" near the end of the ride. He rode out with one leg....Ouch! Get better soon Buddy!
Life goes on and the rides continue.....
I swear I'm gonna get some software and edit some videos.....really.
I have been remiss about posting some of the greatest rides ever. Riding, not writing. Riding with a greater strength and savage skills. Leaner, stronger, faster than ever. Our riding crew keeps growing.....we just did my birthday ride in the Jungle with 10 of us and 11-13 the day before on the Alpine-Balay trails for 5+ hours. Nothing can tire me out. It is absurd. The strength and drive comes from within, but I owe the riders in my crew for pushing me forward faster and faster. Kevin, Sam, Jason, Erik, Julie, Kai (in from Berlin), Leo, Chris, and the rest of you know who you are....
Press play to see and hear one of my favorite bands "Lir" from Dublin...this one goes way back!
So.....my movie has been crazy! Lots going on and the riding is off the charts. Riding road like a demon and devouring all mountain trails! New gear on my bikes definitely helped to push me over the line. New Rockshox Monarch rear shock on my Ventana plus new internals to make my Lefty a PBR air fork....also new Formula The One brakes. Transformation is not a strong enough term! My El Rey "The King" is unstoppable! Destroying rock gardens and anything else in it's path. I just have to keep pedaling and hold on! Got a new E13 singlespeed crank on my Spot with the new Gates Centertrack belt drive system too....also ceramic bearings in my Project 321 Lefty Hub and new Formula "R1" brakes. Super fast and nimble! Does better gear make you a better rider? Yes!!!
I got a GoPro camera and have been shooting some wicked videos....footage to be seen shortly after editing....stay tuned.
Charlie from E13 was in town for a visit so we took him out to the Jungle to show him how we do it in the East. He got to ride Jason's Ventana El Ciclon and he ripped it. He rode the Otter Slide without the bike! It was impressive.
Kai flew in from Berlin for 2 rides including my birthday ride at Jungle.Steve drove down from Kingston for the birthday ride at Jungle and the 4 hombres were reunited....Kai, Steve, Jason, and me. It was a long time since we shredded together. On thing hasn't changed...they are all rippers!!
Lots of pics.....lots of rides. I'll try to write more often. It's not easy being the star of my own movie that never seems to end :) Ayuh.
Tom the Niner Rep's basement workshop/fleet
Otter Slide at Jungle Habitat
Charlie on Otter Slide
The new Rockshox Monarch shock on my El Rey
Jungle Ride...Jason, Sandy, Sam, & Chris
Sos and the Shortbus
Sandy and the SRAM Brothers at Tom's/Ringwood
Post ride BBQ at the Balays...Yummy
Sam's new sombrero and Charlie from The Hive/E13
Kevin feeling up my Formula R1 brakes at Stewart
Kevin, Sam, and Leo at Sprain Ridge
Trailside maintenance at Ringwood....Yup.
2 Amigos....Jason & Kai...breakfast before the ride
Yes, the riding has been excellent this Summer.....and, I am back on the trail and off the reserve list. Ripping the trails with a new found appreciation for my health and fitness. Surgery really puts everything into perspective! First rugged ride after getting back from Utah....Blue Mountain with Sam, Kevin, and Eric. One of the more punishing rides I've ever experienced....pure brutality. It rained right before we got there and Kevin decided we were climbing up the backside for 3 miles of technical, slippery singletrack to get warmed up. Wow! After that one....back on the Spot for singlespeed mania on many rides including Jeremy's birthday ride with the Sos at East Setauket. Also, pre-riding the Dark Horse 40 course at Stewart MTA with Sam, Emily, and Ari! Ari's first big ride on his new Cannondale Flash Carbon 29er. He killed it and was smiling for hours :) JC and I blasted out to Glacier Ridge for a SS 29er session with the Spot and his Voodoo Dambala for some fun and the twists never seem to end. My movie is awesome! More to come...
On the way to Blue at the gas station/smoke shop....
Kevin, Eric, and Sam getting ready at Blue....
Sam demoing a new Yeti!!!
2 bold Flash Carbon 29ers and the Birthday Boy Bean
Jeremy and Sos at East Setauket
All American Burger...yep.
Birthday Boy Burger Feast
Voodoo and Spot on the way to Glacier Ridge
On the trail at GR.....
Emily, Sam, and Ari at Stewart...some wicked 29ers
Well....here I am, catching up again. It's not easy being me :)
Sam (from Bicycles NYC) and I traveled out to Snowbird in Utah for the annual Specialized dealer event. It was excellent! Great weather. Great bikes. Great riding! We made an impression, as always, and brought our NYC brand of hijinks wherever we went! The trip started off lame as our plane was about 4 hours late out of JFK so we ended up drinking Budweisers out of aluminum bottles for brunch... As soon as we landed in SLC, Sam saw the speed gun on the airport road and had to see what he could do against it. 13 mph is what he ran and luckily we didn't get arrested :) Snowbird is amazing and beautiful! Stunning views everywhere you look! A great venue for the event. We learned about bikes. We looked at bikes, helmets, shoes, tires, equipment, you name it.... We rode bikes....road bikes....mountain bikes. I rode the new SW Roubaix with new SRAM Red, awesome! Also rode the new Bad-ass Allez Race with SRAM Rival. Excellent! Best mountain bike.....Stumpjumper FSR EVO 26 & 29. Superb! Ripped the Enduro too and loved it!!! Hung out with my pal Rebecca Rusch. Hung and dined with Don Langley of the Langster fame and also fabulous racer Ned Overend. Hung out with our boys Luis and Dave from Toga/Gotham a lot and Pat and Josh from Cycles Plus on LI....also Lester, Josh, and Bryan from U-Bikes in Boulder, CO. Great seeing everyone and having fun living the bicycle life. I'm pretty lucky....
Sam at JFK
Sam running.....13 mph in SLC
Hotel room with a view....almost unreal
First breakfast with Rebecca Rusch
Road Demo
2013 Specialized S-Works Allez!
Chris Whehan presents at road presentation
Ilya from BOA fixes up my S-Works shoes!
Snowbird
At the mtn demo with our rep Chris Facas
Our warranty guy Bruce working the mtn demo
2013 Stumpjumper FSR EVO 26 (and Sam)
2013 Enduro...and Sam
Kit management :)
Womens' road bikes
Globe Roll Rare with belt drive, 8 speed, sweet....
