Moots Profiles
Slow, steady steps… Ka-Pow! And Sam is in a fine samurai stance at the top of the stairs. Outlined by the doorway, he reminds me of an extra from ‘Harry-Karry’. From karate chop position, he walks through the door and often we find ourselves saying, ‘Good Morning!’ with an overly extended wave that uses the whole arm. Naturally we’ve gone from ancient Asia to synchronized swimming moves without a flinch…
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Dave and I share milk. He typically beats me to work by at least a couple of minutes, and is on his way to the coffee pot with a bag of Big Gear Grind by the time I lug my yawning self up the stairs.
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Matt has one big leg. What makes his big leg bigger than his regular leg is a titanium rod in his shin. You wouldn’t notice unless he pointed it out to you, but his right leg is a bit bigger than his left.
Even bigger than Matt’s right leg is his heart. A strong, honest soul, he’s one of those people that can disagree without hurting anyone’s feelings.
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4 Moose in a day….
This last weekend Glen, Matty P and myself made a whirlwind tour of our great state....leaving Steamboat at the crack of 5:45 am to be in Louisville for a 10:15 am cross race. Stayed and watched Matty P. ride to the front of the field in the 3's. Loaded up rallied through Boulder to Ft. Collins to drop off the Sprinter Van to get the graphics fixed. Grabbed a late lunch on the fly and rallied with 5 bikes, 8 sets of wheels, gear bags, tools, 3 people in Glens Volvo up from Ft. Collins back to Steamboat. Almost 12 hours on the road, 397 miles total. A long day just to race cross and drop off a van. During the drive from Ft. Collins to Steamboat we saw 4 moose along the way. As you close in on North Park you can expect to see some beautiful things...moose are just one of them. The total heard numbers around 2500 these days and they roam from Steamboat to Cameron pass.The picture does not do Bullwinkle justice....
Enjoy!
19 November 2008
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For a safe ride home……
Peter Chisolm owner of Vecchios in Boulder Colorado sent this photo in as he prepared to ride home the other evening. Mickeys Big mouth mounted and ready to quench the thirst on the commute. I like the way the green bottles look up against the grey of the titainium.I thought they only drank Italian beer in that shop? That's what I get for thinking.....
cheers.
19 November 2008
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7:25 of your time
Watching this is almost like playing a video game.....without any control inputs. I found myself using the Jedi mind trick to move the racers out of the way and at one point giving words of encouragement outloud...good move, brakes, lean left, right, out of the saddle, hup, hup, hup. Then I closed my eyes and imagined the lovely green dry grass covered in Kansas death ice and snow....a more real version of what is to come.To me it looks grassy. No cambered turns that throw you into oncoming traffic...I'm sure Ryan Trebon will appreciate that....
no place like home....no place like home....no place like home.
A month to go!
Enjoy.
12 November 2008
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USGP….LOUVILLE
A couple weekends back was the kick off to the USGP of cross. Our good friend and racing buddy Will Black threw down with two back to back races over the weekend. On both days the heavy hitters on the national cross scene tested each other on very challenging courses. On day one Will was able to overcome setbacks to pull down 3rd place. The following day Will attacked from the gun and let wire to wire for the win. A 3rd and 1st put Will into 2nd place in the series.Nice work Will!
11 November 2008
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Cross High….
It’s such a good feeling of doing two races in back to back days I can’t really relay the awesomeness of the 48 hours spent in Boulder over this last weekend. Yep, I said awesomeness. Awesome is a word that is over used everyday but really it’s the only one to fit this time around. Moots had an outstanding showing of cross goodness. We had a Moots in almost every category each day of racing. I can’t tell you the feeling during warm up and the races themselves of having random people yelling go Moots! Yea Moots guy and even “don’t let the guy in baggies beat you”! The inner fire was lit on Saturday and didn’t stop until Monday when my heart rate finally came down enough so I could not feel it in my pillow last night. To me seeing new people getting into cross this year has been the best of all. Corey P., Matty P., Andy K., G-LIght and Sam G. ….all inspire me to pass on the knowledge this old crusty guy has gathered in the now 14 seasons I’ve done cross. They’ve progressed in this short season to the point that I’m now holding back some information as not to be beaten at my own game. Selfish? Yes. Or call it self- preservation of some type. Glen knows the tricks by now; he’s my partner in crime most training days…and a great friend.We all made it to Boulder and completed 2 back to back days of racing in the hard man’s sport. Traveling to cross races is now normal for all of us that live in Steamboat; we all have our own method and race day preparation. Mine goes like this….
Saturday….awaken by the kids…(Ely 4.5, Kelsey 2)….coffee for me & my wife, food for the kids…into the van that had been loaded with (2 bikes, 6 wheel sets, pack n play, toys, DVD player, cooler, wash bucket, clothes for the weekend, run bike for Ely. Off we drive at 7 am for the 3 or so hour drive to the Boulder Reservoir. We make our normal stop at Starbucks in Golden for quick “nature break”, eat one Honey Roasted Power Bar from Golden to Boulder…arrive at race site and boogie to pick up race numbers. Return to van pin on numbers, air in tires, lube on chains, spare bike to pit. Do one slow lap; eat espresso GU, water, one hot lap. 15 minutes before start have one more espresso GU, water, race start line up. GO! The race details are just that, races details…but the flow and feel of the race itself is what I like the best. Rolling through corners at high speed, blasting sand like Sven, trying my best to leave it all out there…somewhere on the course. I hear the words of encouragement from every end of the course…go Jon, hup hup hup Cariveau and the best….go daddy go! A hot day for cross, I feel for the guys in Southern Cali that have to race in 70 degree weather week in and week out….ouch. I felt dizzy after that…..I like the cold, nasty, miserable weather myself. Good race, fun times.
Beer thirty. Saturday night threw back a few with the Boulder crowd, and tried to get the guy that beat me to drink more than me…..it didn’t help.
Sunday….a replay of Saturday with more people and a grass course that would rival those in Europe…..
I guess I’m babbling on at this point but really feel lucky and very fortunate to have a family and friends that give me the support they do. A great weekend that soon won’t be forgotten.
Cross ON!
4 November 2008
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A BIG weekend for bikes…come and get some….
This coming weekend in Boulder Colorado will see a couple of events bring together talent of two kinds in the bicycle industry. First, skilled craftsman will be showing off their finest at the ROCKY MOUNTIAN BICYCLE SHOW held on the campus of The University of Colorado. Many of the states finest frame and component makers will be gathering to exhibit beautiful examples of their craft. Moots of course will be there decked to the nines, showing the Comooter our newest member of the family, an urban high-performance commuting bike, along with our Gristle mountain bike that combines the benefits of two wheel sizes 29/26 in one tasty package and finally our pro level Psychlo -X cross bike that features our newly redesigned chain stays. The two Matts will be on hand to guide you through our creations with deep Colorado flavor.The other type of talent has to do with the best cross racers in the country gathering for the 5th & 6th stop for the North American Cyclocross Trophy (Boulder Cup). Day one will see the racers do battle on the sands of the Boulder Reservoir. Last week gave the locals a warm up and time to hone their best sand riding techniques and perfect the art of puncture proof tubulars...an advantage the out of towners won't have. Day two (Sunday) the racing will move to Harlow Platts Park in south Boulder for the best racing on grass we have in our great state by far.
Plan you weekend now, bring the family, bring the cowbells, bring a picnic and get ready for a great weekend of cycling of all sorts. The weather looks to be chamber of commerce perfect (sunny and 60-70 degrees). Moots will be on hand at both events. Bikes, racing and good times!
See you there!
29 October 2008
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Sand and more sand…here and there
Sorry but no action shots of the cross racing this weekend. On Sunday 4 Moots factory racers traveled to the-oh-so hip town of Boulder Colorado to take part in BOULDER RACINGS 3rd race of the 4 race series. Sunday s race was held at Boulder Reservoir just to the northeast of Boulder proper. Racers were greeted with loads of beach front property to test their skills and fitness. Good thing I had just read about how Lars Boom rides the sand in Holland. The race course at the Reservoir quickly got the nickname of “Little Holland”…..bring those Boom skills and go easy on the bars as you roost through the course. The racing was a blast and all parties made it back to Steamboat without much incident.It seemed fitting that a good friend of mine had sent me a photo of beach Elmo sitting on the sand on the Normandy Coast of France. Peet lives in Holland and works at an outstanding shop called John Knoops…long story short we became great friends during my visit in January 2006. I had taken beach Elmo with me and would photo him in various places as I traveled so I could show my son where I had gone. Before I left Holland I left beach Elmo with Peets son Beau….I’m not sure if they have Sesame Street in The Netherlands but he seemed to like him anyway. So now he’s sending photos of beach Elmo back to me…. He’s a good guy. Someday I’ll travel back to The Netherlands and Beau and Ely can meet….someday.
27 October 2008
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Tour of Dinosaur National Monument
A nice wrap up from Gordon Schuck as he laid waste to a Northwest Colorado bike tour.......Early October found me with a week to kill and I had been itching to load up my new bike and do some dirt road touring. For years I’ve wanted to ride the Yampa Valley Trail, a mix a dirt roads and trail from Lay, CO through Dinosaur National Monument to the Utah border. This was my chance to do it solo and unsupported.
The first day I departed in the rain and made my way northwest of Craig before I found a spot of BLM land to hunker down for the night. After a rainy night turned the roads to soup, I headed south to Lay and pick up the Yampa Valley Trail and follow it to Maybell. Once I restocked my provisions I headed straight to Deerlodge Park at the eastern end of Dinosaur. Halfway there the skies opened up again and by dusk I made it to the Deerlodge Park campground. Cold, wet, and exhausted, I made camp and ate dinner. As I climbed into bed that night I thought to myself, “This does get better, doesn’t it?”
I awoke to beautiful blue skies the next morning. After drying out my gear and filtering water to top off my bottles, I turned off the pavement and ascended Twelvemile Mesa to link up to Bear Valley Road and drop into the monument on the Yampa Bench Road. The view from the top of the switchbacks overlooking the Yampa Bench was stunning. Before dropping in I took stock of my supplies because I knew that I was about to pass the point of no return. I was confident I had enough food and I should be able to find water it some point to filter. I dropped down to the Yampa Bench and continued riding west. As the miles ticked away and evening came I began to get worried. I had expected to find running water but water sources that appeared on my map were all dry. As the sun sank lower I realized the only place to get water would be at Echo Park the following afternoon. Of my five quarts I started the day with, I was down to less than two. I’d have to make it last. As I lay in bed I thought about how far from civilization I was. The nearest town was at least a full day’s ride in either direction and I had not seen another person all day.
The next day I skipped my morning coffee and rode slow and conservatively and rationed my water until I got to the turn off for Echo Park. From there I knew I was home free. The road dropped off the mesa and down a beautiful canyon with a flowing creek and large Cottonwoods shading my path. I stopped to look at petroglyphs and when I finally got to the Echo Park campground at the confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers, my water bottles were empty. I spent the rest of the afternoon resting because I knew the next day would be the biggest one of the trip.
I packed up camp early the next morning and started riding. By my calculations I had at least 2100 feet of climbing and 60 miles to get to the town of Dinosaur. I started climbing through Sand Canyon and got a nervous feeling. I knew this was mountain lion territory and the way the road had high banks on each side, it was a perfect spot for a cat to hunt prey below. I rode along, constantly scanning the rocks around me for any sign of movement. After riding for what seemed like an hour I popped out on top of a mesa and breathed a sigh of relief. From there I could see the final switchback climb to the pavement. Halfway up I saw a vehicle descending and when it got to me the driver says, “Boy, you got more guts than I do.” I saw a patch on his camouflage jacket that said ‘Special Forces’. Too anaerobic to respond I just smiled and kept grinding up the climb. What did he mean by that? At the top I stopped at the kiosk to take some pictures and there I noticed a sign. It read:
Attention
Due to a recent incident in Echo Park involving a
mountain lion, do not camp or hike alone. Use extreme caution and
report any mountain lion sightings to the Park Ranger.
Needless to say, this confirmed the feeling I had down in that canyon. Had I seen that sign at the other end of the road I probably would not have continued. At this point though, I felt relieved that I was safely out and excited I had accomplished my goal. From there it would be two and a half days of riding pavement before I’d be back in Steamboat. My thoughts turned to a hot shower and a soft bed.
20 October 2008
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Cross chainstays and jockey wheel donuts…..
So cross season is upon us, the leaves have changed and fallen (around here anyway), the mornings are cool and crisp, and the bruises are coming along nicely. I love this time of year to say the least. As our never ending pursuit of perfection moves along here at Moots we have made a refinement of sorts to my favorite model we make.....The Psychlo X. We have worked as always with our 7/8'' diameter chain stays for stiffness and strength. As time moved along we have seen square taper and ISIS bb's give way to outboard bearing bottom brackets. This presented a problem with the round 7/8'' stays on the Psychlo X ....chain rings too close to the stay. So over the last 2 months the crew here at Moots set out to refine our stays.....a change that I'm very excited about. Shown above is the result .......manipulated stays that allow more chain ring clearance and slightly more tire/mud room. Yes, these minor refinements are the things we are fanatical about here at Moots. Now the Psychlo X can enter the modern day of components without worry......now get out there and cross it up!On another note(sorry no pictures) I was working in my garage last night finishing up a dry wall project, when for the first time in about a month I was able to put my Psychlo X in the bike stand. I had gone for a ride yesterday and had some wonderful shifting problem on my 9 sp Campy set up.....so as I inspected the cable tension I noticed that I had two of the biggest jockey wheel donuts going....you know the ones that you get from lubing the chain and riding dirt, grass etc??? Armed with a flat blade screwdriver I back pedal the drive train and off came the coolest donuts ever....solid Tri-Flow/grass/dirt circles of perfection. I wish I had taken a picture. Guess what? The bike shifts perfect this morning.....love the donuts.
See you in the muddy fields.
15 October 2008
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Gordons last night in town…..kinda
I have been holed up in my garage repairing dry wall damage from a small flood that occurred at my house during Labor Day weekend. During this time there has been 6 cd’s getting played over and over in the player that delivers tunes to my lair. Tenacious D, Orb and the underground, Cold Play, 808 State, Pearl Jam and Ben Folds Five…..a strange mix for sure, I’m too lazy to change them out. On the Ben Folds Five disc there is a song about Steven that swears he’s leaving town but goes on to party night after night and never leaving. Well, our good man Gordon will be spending his last night in town this week. After almost 12 years of servitude here at Moots he is flying the coupe. He is continuing on the path of education for a greater purpose….to brew beer. You may or may not know that Gordon is a “home” brewer of sorts. He has taken multiple awards at the state and national level…not to mention supplied Moots with the best “tasting” sessions ever. Gordon in his years at Moots has had several rolls, tacker, welder, machinist, and most currently served time (I mean) held the position of miter shop guy. He’s been doing the bike thing for the better part of 20 years. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Gordon for the entire time he’s been here at Moots. I’ve been into Mexico with him on our bikes after taking the 1.00 “boat” ride across the Rio Grande…..no passports checking there! I’ve been on epic rides with him where we needed a water filter for water to drink. He’s loaned out his house for some of us that needed a place to stay in a time of need. Gordon, always steady, always quite but always has a smile that makes you think he’s up to something. He also use to have a dog named Reba…she was mostly wolf like and shy. Years ago as I was walking through her “area” she jumped up and snapped me in the calf. I now have a small scare to always remember her by.Having Gordon leave makes me a little sad. Great people are hard to come by. Good friends as well. I’m sure when he starts his multimillion dollar a year handcrafted brewery he will remember us….I hope.
Here’s to Gordon, (If I had one of your beers I’d be lifting it)…may the sun always shine on your face and the wind always be at your back, be safe, be good.
You always have a place at Moots.
Good luck!
We’ll miss you.
14 October 2008
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I need more cowbell!!!!!
Going through some more images and thoughts about the show in Vegas, Dave D. came up with this one of our PR Gal Cathy showing off a Moots "cowbell" at Cross Vegas. Now of course it's not a cow bell but it is titanium and makes a hell of a noise. Before the show Matt thought we should bring something that would be truly Moots...a couple days and proto types later.....presto! The Moots 1.5'' diameter cowbell. Inside the tube is another piece of ti that rattles around. We had about 6 of them on course and every lap I really could hear the difference between them and a regular cowbell.Several folks in the crowd had to ask...what the? Where can I get one? Not sure at the moment but there could be a contest brewing or production run planned.
We'll keep you posted.
I NEED MORE COWBELL !!
8 October 2008
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Up close to Lance……
Dave D. snapped this photo during Cross Vegas with about 30 seconds to go to the start of the race. I got up close to Lance in the starting shoot, but also had some words with him during warm up. I was rolling around the course getting the lines dialed when he rolls next to me.....well, not really. I could see him in the corners behind me and I sat up and rode next to him for about a lap. I wanted to see this guy up close. My wife and I got married in July of 2000 and planned our honeymoon to see some of the tour that year. We camped, ate French bread, drank too much wine and chased our hero at the time......Lance. I've seen him race elsewhere but this was a chance of a lifetime to line up in the same race! My skin suit chamois will never be the same....So during warm up I'm ridding next to him....words....
Me: hey Lance, good to see ya racing again.
Lance: feels good to be here. This course has a lot of grass.
Me: Yep, it's better than last year...more tight corners.
Lance: It's pretty bumpy too.
Me: Yep.
Lance: Have a good race.
Me: you too.
Next we are in the start call up shoot and they are going down the list of the heavy hitters.....Page, Wells, Johnson, ....etc....I'm number 39 and they call up Lance 38th and then me....last to be called to the line.....before Lance gets called he is in front of the call up shoot and surrounded by the press....or paparazzi as it was. One guy....15 cameras....flashing going off....I was 5 feet from the storm. Crazy I tell ya. Crazy. So I pick the left side of Lance for the start as the first corner turns left....inside line for me. I gave him a little lean in the first corner....then we were off and flying! By lap two Lance came flying by me in the 53 tooth chain ring. He should be on gear restrictions! My fellow Moots workers were out in full force yelling for my old ass and pushing me to ride "faster". Truly a fun time for all. I got lapped with one to go and retired to a cold beer to wash the foam out of my mouth.
I can't wait till next year.
29 September 2008
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Demo??
Sam (lead finisher) and Ned (welder) discuss the possibilities of the Mavic guys letting them "test" ride the sweet BMW support moto parked outside our hotel room in Boulder City.......No such luck this year!
29 September 2008
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The techno twins……
Jans and Veeder set up shop next to the Moots dirt demo booth. Total solar powered beats for most of the day. They arrived only when the sun had reached mid-point in the sky. We guessed they hung by the pool all moring til the light was "just right"......Funny guys, good spirits.
29 September 2008
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A Moots record breaker…..
In 2007 we put 20 or so folks in the back of the old Moots van for the ride home from Cross Vegas.........this year with the new Sprinter van we topped that with 24....we will be working on more for next year.Saftey first!
29 September 2008
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144 hours in Vegas…….
That's just shy of 7 full days in the great desert of Nevada. The Moots crew made it there and back with hardly a hitch. 2 days of dirt demo, 3 days of show, a little cross race thrown in for fun, lights, fake sky and loads of talk about everything bike. The show is an intense event if you are on this side of the industry. Months leading up to it are filled with catalouge design and writing, dealer workbook work, the show bikes themselves, and the 20 demo bikes that make the trip most every year. Once at the show it seems a relief by most. Then there is dealing with Vegas itself. I like going to bike cities from time to time, but Vegas is over the top sensory overload. Going from our small 10,000 or less population here in Steamboat to all that is Vegas seems like the country mouse going to the city. My eyes go pie shaped on day 2 for sure. There is loads of coverage all over the internet and I will add some shots from the Moots booth as the week goes on. I do have to say, getting called up next to LANCE and kickin' his but for about a lap was a memory I'll not soon forget. On lap two I could hear some strange noise coming from behind me.....it was Lance pushing the 53 and getting his motor started. I pulled myself with a lap to go and retired to the beer tent to wash down the cotton mouth. What a time! More race notes....Glen Light (our production cordinator) threw down in the industry cup race by leading a lap or so and being a main instigator of the race. He finished a very respectacle 7th in a very stacked (sandbaging) field. Nice work Glen way to represent. Now about those socks.......(see picture)More to come!
29 September 2008
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VELDRIJDEN……
Ah....THE season is here. The days are noticeably shorter in the last couple of weeks, road rides have turned into cross rides, the temps are cooler and on queue the rain has come. This weekend starts off the cross season in Colorado. Diving right in at 9000 ft will be the Breckenridge "Brecktoberfest" cross race. Held at the ski touring center at the base of the ski mountain. A fun course with some thick lodge pole pine forests to race through. A rarity in Colorado...usually our courses are in the open...nowhere to hide style of racing. Always a fun start to the season.This year I am pleased to announce that a good number of my fellow Moots staffers have picked up the discipline of cross. Glen & I usually find ourselves out riding in the mucky muck....just the two of us. Don't get me wrong Glen is a superb training partner, this year we have company. Our Moots "Factory" Cross Squad has swelled to 7, plus Matt’s wife Rose is getting into the action as well. It's very motivating for me to see guys gluing up tubulars, getting all weight weenie on me and asking when the next training ride will be. I hope they fall in love with cross as much as me.....well maybe not as much....I must still crush them! We will have racers spread throughout the categories as the season goes on.
The casts of characters:
Corey "Lean Mean Bean" Piscopo (Mens Pro/Open)
"Sinister" Sam Gordon (Mens Cat 4 will be 3 very soon)
Andy "Wisconsin" Karolczek (Mens Cat 4 )
"GO GO" Glen Light (Mens Masters/Pro Open)
"Mr. Nice Guy" Matty Pronovost (Mens 4, soon to be 3)
Matt "Hi-Roller" Alford (Mens 4/ Masters)
Jon "Voo Doo" Cariveau (Mens Open/Masters)
Rose "Chainsaw" Alford (Womens)
We'll all be present gettin' our HUP, HUP, HUP on.....I can smell the warming cream as I type.
Best of luck to all this weekend!
12 September 2008
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All in a days work indeed……
Good Friday humor......
12 September 2008
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Moots hardass Tim Godby finishing up
Oops, I forgot to get this one up last month. Tim Godby wraps up a successful foray into long loooong racing finishing only 37 spots behind Lance Armstrong and just a few minutes out from the HUGE Leadville 100 belt buckle... He'll be back!
3 September 2008
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Ray Lang….
It's always sad to hear of a friend that has passed on. Always harder for the ones left behind if you ask me. Ray Lang was a friend of Moots, nice guy and one hell of a bike handler. He always had kind words to say anytime he stopped in Moots. A genuine smile and good natured person. He was killed July 29th doing what he loved best, racing his motocross bike. Ray lived in Steamboat for some time until he moved to the Denver area. He was a snow industry rep that worked hard at his craft.Here at Moots several of us had the pleasure of knowing him over the years.
Ray, your visits will be missed, your unmistakable laugh, and very large head and heart as well.
Peace.
Read the story HERE.
22 August 2008
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Buff pass
Coming down post race.....
21 August 2008
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Buff pass….
The winner has a brew!
21 August 2008
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In the Buff…..
So, another Buffalo Pass hill climb in the books. Fun for all, more for some than others.....all told 77 racers made it to the summit over the 11 mile course. Team Moots Factory (Corey and myself) managed top 8 finishes and worked together really well. He's a great rider and really kept me motivated all the way up the climb. Barkley Robinson took the glory of the win with an impressive time of 59:30....and even drank a beer at the top after the rest of us slow pokes came home. A reall party seemed to break out as most people brought "beverages" up in the sag car. Gotta love this town.The posted picture was from the back of my bike as I neared the finish line...blury...yes, or maybe that was the vision I had from by eyes.
Go till you lose your vision!
Until next year Buff Pass!
21 August 2008
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Morning sunshine!
Mornings are starting to get downright cold here in the Yampa Valley, at least at 6am, but Andy and I still rallied out for a good ride up Lupine and Larry's trails on Emerald Mtn. You could theoretically get tired of riding these gems, like you could theoretically get tired of being served homemade waffles in bed every morning, but there is no danger of that yet for me. Dropping down MGM and Molly's as the finale always get the adrenaline flowing and the climbs today were in great shape with a partial moon and sun dappled clouds above in an otherwise clear blue sky. Great way to start the Hump Day!
20 August 2008
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Buffalo Pass Hill Climb….tonight
Ah....can you feel it? It's now August 20th; there has been a change in Steamboats weather over the last couple of weeks...cooler mornings, a couple almost cold at times. You know what that means? Cross can't be too far away! It makes me tingle just thinking about it! And with the later part of August comes the last couple Town Series Races. Tonight is the fearsome Buffalo Pass Hill Climb. 11 miles with just over 3000 feet of climbing. We'll start at about 6700 feet and make our way to just over 10,000! The course is set on a Forest Service road that for the most part took a pounding this last winter of 500+ inches of snow and then heavy summer downpours at times.The Buff Pass Hill Climb also signals that time of year to get on the cross bike, start those shorter more intense rides and get that bloody taste in the back of the throat. There are a few of us that like to use the hill climb as a "cross length effort" ....hopefully just over an hour in the saddle. I like to use the cross bike for the climb...no distinct advantage over a mountain bike, but puts me in the mind set of cross. The climb requires a special gear choice of 34 front with an 11-32 in the rear….standard cross tires front & rear.
It's no Alpe d’ Huez mind you, but still hurts a ton!
The map is listed in meters....thin cool air.
Hup, Hup, Hup......
20 August 2008
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Double Trouble
So what'll it be, the lady or the tiger? The frying pan or the fire? The hammer or the nail? No real escape for me on this lunch ride as the only time Jon wasn't dancing on the pedals up some hill, Sam was throwing down a wicked pull like the very Hounds of Hades were right on our tails. Did I mention the locusts? Yeah there were locusts too, big ones! Jon drafting a roaring dump truck down Elk River back into town was just the icing on the cake. Moots lunch rides are not for the faint of heart but the payoff is worth it, sweet empty roads, awesome views, hawks, cows, locusts and more putting the pedals to the metal than you can shake a stick at. I'll take a pull next time guys, honest!
18 August 2008
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Bruuuuupp…….
Last night we got the race in the can as I like to say....or was that....man that race kicked me in the can??? Either way, a beautiful night and excellent course. The Moots factory posse did well. Top honors go to Brad for taking 2nd in the Open field, missing by just a whisker at the line. Corey and I had a good battle a little further back in the Open field....Corey was the gentleman and let me by during the long descent. Evan placed well and Rob came out for support at the bottom of the course. A classic Steamboat evening...bike racers, families, a little sweat and blood.Read the Steamboat Pilot article HERE.
Nice race by all!
14 August 2008
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Braaaaapp…..
Tonight is another installment of our local town series mountain bike race...A little over 10 miles of single track bliss on Emerald Mountain.Trails the race will be held on....BLUFFS, LUPINE, LARRYS, BLAIRWITCH, LAIN OF PAIN, ROOT CANAL, MGM, EYE TO EYE, MOLLYS.....great names, great trails. Our fine city puts on a great 8 race series every other Wednesday night...no more than 1.5 hours of racing in the Open class...enough to jump start the racing legs for cross season. If I can just keep making the motor sound throughout the race I'll be fine. The Moots factory will be out in force, Brad, Evan, Corey, Rob and myself will be racing the titanium around the race loop tonight....wish us luck. I hope not to throw up the espresso I'm about to drink!Results tomorrow!
13 August 2008
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Yawn Patrol….
6:30 am is pretty darn early to get up and put your riding shorts on......correctly anyway. This morning several of the Moots staffers met at the base of Howelson Hill for a Friday pre-work wake your ass up ride. Nothing crazy serious, just turning the pedals in the early morning light to get the flow on before the serious work ahead… It has finally rained here and turned the trails into a dark sticky ribbon of fun.....Rob, Cathy, Kassi, Ned, Matt, Eric, Matty P, and myself railed the single track for about 1.5 hours and then headed to work, each of us glowing from the ride.....getting up early is one of the things you do and then say..."wow, I should do that more often, I feel like a million bucks".....how true....I just so happened to catch the balloon orbiting Eric’s' head on EYE TO EYE trail....Eric built that very trail several years ago…......nice work E.
Have a great weekend!!!
8 August 2008
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Getting Stung by a Moots…..
A good friend of Moots and Honey Stinger spokesman, Adam Spector races during the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge Colorado on the fourth of July....just weeks after this event Adam crushed the field at the Laramie Enduro 111K mountain bike race. Taking top honors in the Pro/Open 35-39 field with a time of 5:06:29!A couple weeks after that Adam went on to win the 35-39 Expert Mens Colorado State Championship as well!!!
He has been on a Moots 96er Gristle Ybb all season long......must be the bike right?
Congratulations to Adam for a great season!
7 August 2008
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From the races….
In the past few weeks there has been some heavy racing going on around Colorado and Wyoming. Moots riders have faired very good in most of the events.....the above photo is of Brad Bingham killing himself in a recent Winter Park Race series event. He did well but really shined when he went to race State Championships here in Colorado. He cleaned up....racing in the 30-34 Expert catagory Brad brought a state jersey back to Moots world headquarters here in Steamboat.....Nice work Brad! He's also the same guy who develops items like our Cinch post and lays down some darn nice weld beads.A number of The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club junior racers brought home podium places as well.....
Linnea Dixson.......1st junior girls
Jamie Gay............2nd junior girls
Sarah Dixson.........3rd junior girls
Sean Geisler..........2nd junior boys
Jeffrey Gay............12 junior boys
Nice work by all! Check out the write up in our local paper STEAMBOAT PILOT
More race results to follow......
7 August 2008
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Home
Returned from the Kenda Festival late Monday night....with 3 planes and 2400 miles behind me I can say it's great to be home. I can also say it's easier to fly 2400 miles than it is to drive 2400 miles...... I guess it's become a tradition at Kenda Fest for there to be "some" rain. We lucked out the first 2 days and had perfect weather....they received 12 inches of rain the week before the event so we felt lucky to see nothing but sun......until Sunday. The Saturday night 2 am storm was just a warm up for what was to come...the trails returned to mud Sunday morning but that really didn't stop anyone from riding and having a good time.....that is until about 2pm when the weather gods decided we had it too good. Rain, followed by thunder, followed by lightening, and followed by us loading up and making our get away before the road out was finished. It resembled a good old euro rally race....cars getting abused, tractors pulling out cars and grown adults (me included) running for cover. We positioned the Moots Sprinter as to have a good "run" at the road.....hit it with speed and don't let up......I still can't believe we made it out.It's good to get back to the Moots family.......
The photo is of our 9 am stretching session that goes on every morning if you can make it......I feel better already.
Also some nice words from the DIRT RAG crew...... CHECK IT OUT
31 July 2008
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The tacky track…
Word is that just days before the kick off of the Kenda Festival the area recieved multiple inches of rain in a very short time.....and after riding on Friday I believe them....wow...loads of mud in some places, but quickly drying out......By the afternoon the trails had dried to a tacky and loamy heaven....I think if there is one thing that sticks out in my mind over this 10 day trip is that there is good riding everywhere and anywhere you want to poke around. Different places bring different stlyes of riding and bike set up.....tires, gear to wear...but in the end it's all good stuff. Even along I-70 in some town I've never heard of there are jems of cycling to be discovered....I hope to see more, from by bike of course.
26 July 2008
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Kenda day two….
Day 1 was super! We had loads of people by the booth and had just about every demo bike out all day. We piggy backed onto the 2 pm Dirt Rag ride...myself and Ruthie got to mix it up with the intermediate to advance crew. Coming from Colorado we don't get to ride many dark, dank and super wooded trails...ours are mainly open, dry and very fast. We rode two loops with the crew and even got to stop for wild berry picking!!! yum. After returning to the booth we got into the spirit of the festival with a few beers from the Dirt Rag tent.....a nice way to end day one.The second day brought clear skies and warm temps.....the trails were getting drier by the hour....today there were many more tents that had been set up during the Friday night arrival of more cyclist. The crowds were great all day long with many stopping by to demo bikes and let us know they appreciated us being at the festival....always a humbling time to talk with people who really love to ride. Ruthie set off at 2 pm for the womens ride and found after the first loop the womens crew wanted to do more.....ride more?....excellent times.
Late evening brought a power shower of rain to the area....should be fine for Sundays riding...hopefully we get to get out again.
Tomorrow looks to be busy at the booth...every demo is check out several times over......
Love the ride!!!
26 July 2008
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Get the ride on!!!
We poached in on the Dirt Rag ride at 2 pm....Ruthie, myself and loads of riders....
25 July 2008
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Good friends…
Mo from Dirt Rag and Ed from Sram....
25 July 2008
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A view from our booth….
Jiminy Peak ski area
25 July 2008
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Kenda kick off….
We started our first day with a Massachusetts staple......
25 July 2008
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Too pooped to push…
The Sprinter has landed….at Kenda Fest 2008. Wow is all I have to say! 2400 miles from Steamboat and I’m here. Yesterday I made the push from east Ohio to State College, Pa. I left east Ohio yesterday morning and made it to two shops in the Pittsburg area. Great shops with loads of love for Moots. Once done with the shops the real fun began…..rain. Like I’ve never seen before! East of Pittsburgh it came down in buckets. I headed north to hit I-80 across the north side of the state. A random stop at a sandwich stop and I found myself fielding questions from a guy who had see the van parked out front and had to stop to see what in the world a Moots van was doing in the 4 stop sign town. He used to work at Belmont Wheel works in Ma….knew Moots and could not get over his encounter. Really nice guy, who has kids, rides and coaches soccer. Onward…..once on I-80 I was hell bent on making time in order for today to go smoothly….then the real rain started at about 5:30 pm. It rained so hard I had to pull off the road…I was also getting tired. Moots devotee that I’ve known for about 8 years lives in State College and had told me to stop by if I could. It was more like I had to stop due to rain and being tired….phoned Bill and was put up in style. Even got the quick tour of the area via bike. Nothing beats that!!! Many thanks Bill!!Today I hit the road early to make it to Connecticut to pick up Matty P (welder for Moots) who was visiting family and is also part of our crew at Kenda Fest…..It rain like the devil for most of the 6 hour drive. I drove through the Hudson Valley, which was inspiring….beautiful! I arrived at Matt’s parents house…his mom had a very nice lunch waiting…a great site for a weary traveler. The hospitality was incredible and finally I had company in the van!
We headed out to meet up with Matt Alford at the Kenda site….mud, mud and more mud. But it’s tradition I suppose? Good news is that the weather calls for clearing skies and wind to help dry out the expo area and trails. We set up the tent and headed to the hotel. I’m looking forward to the festival and possibly a ride or two on the mountain bike.
At the moment I’ve got a beer in hand and pool across the parking lot. Whew…..a long strange trip.
Stats: 6 Starbucks(Grande cappuccino, extra shot)
4 hotel rooms
5 apples
2 oranges
3 power bars
1.5 gallons of water
1 coca cola
1 Chipotle burrito…………………
I’ll post some festival photos tomorrow…..now how about Le Tour? Sastre’ or Evans??? The tt should be good!!!!
24 July 2008
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Closing in on the east end of I-70
After a wicked night of thunderstorms around Indianapolis, the morning brought cooler temps and a refreshing feel. I loaded up on coffee and headed towards Mootsboys home. We had exchanged phone numbers before I left and after not getting to meet him in Chicago this spring due to his family being ill, we finally hooked up on this trip. Mootsboy invited me to his house and really how can one refuse to meet a Moots loyal brother? After making a couple wrong turns and phoning Mootsboy I zeroed in on his house. I was greeted by him and his 3 year old daughter at the door. He invited me in and had the tour on!!! How sweet. I felt at home and missed my family just a little less. I have a couple young ones at home and a wife that does a most impressive job of dealing with them while I’m gone all on her own. Anytime I run into a fellow cyclist with a family I feel just a bit better while on the road. It all sounds great to travel and see new places but really it can tear at your soul from time to time. Anyway, Gabby, Max (yellow dog) and Mootsboy shared their home and stories with me while watching today’s stage. We looked through the Moots van and talked about bikes, ridding and places to live...great stuff. I wish I had time to go for a ride while there.....but I-70 could not wait.....Thanks to Mootsboy and family for their hospitality!!Next stop brought me to Columbus Ohio and the Trek Store of Columbus…they’ve been a solid Moots dealer for about 3 years and were very excited to see the Moots van roll into the parking lot. I have to say I was happy to finally set foot in the shop. Sometimes when dealing with a bike shop from long distances it’s tuff to really know what the setting is like….once you visit I find it easier to relate to them….knowing the terrain and the layout of the shop really helps. Once my visit was over I found my favorite burrito shop (Chipotle’) for Le Burrito and also snagged a roll of Garmin/Chipotle’ stickers for the promo they are doing during the tour….fun.
I ended up tonight in Clairsville Ohio, on the east boarder…rolling hills and beautiful weather. My local hotel even has Versus!...now that’s livin’
So far the odometer readers 1700 miles since Saturday and 7 bikes shops visited. I tooled around town tonight before the sun went down….cool narrow roads in every direction….need to visit this place again….
That’s it for now.
Happy Trails
22 July 2008
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If you build it they will ride…..
That’s all I could come up with as I piloted the Moots mini semi through endless miles of interstate lined with corn fields. I imagined past cycling hero’s walking out of the corn and rolling away down the many miles of white gravel roads. They were all there, Coppi, Bartoli, and Taylor ….all on Moots of course. Sorry for the cheesy movie analogy but I had nothing but time to let the mind wander. Out on the road today the most excitement I had was a swarm of some type of insect hitting the windshield and making a really cool splatting noise at 73 MPH……what ever they were, they left a nasty amount of “bug juice” on the Sprinter….next stop, car wash.Once in Indy I had the pleasure of stopping in at our Moots dealer, Nebo Ridge. Located in Carmel….Tim Cassidy has assembled a great staff of people who are dedicated to cycling. They have a very cool layout in the shop, road, mountain and cross. An “open” service area to let customers see the skill of the mechanics at work. In the center of it all a true Italian espresso machine pumping out the goodies……heaven for tired driving eyes. I went to dinner with Tim at a local Zionsville institution called Friendly’s….and yes they were friendly. I had as Tim put it “the local special of deep fried steak, something you don’t want to tell your doctor about”……my only deviation from a fairly clean diet out on the road. A stroll around Zionsville with Tim and his wife and it was time to part ways.
Once checked in to the Super 8, that really is not that super in any way what so ever, I made a call out to Mootsboy to meet up for breakfast….I saw the poll over on the forum after the call….now it’s public…if I turn up missing bikes you know where to look.
Tomorrow, off to Columbus Ohio and beyond….1300 miles in the can…..1k to go!
21 July 2008
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Sunflowers, harmonicas and cross bikes…..
Saturday morning brought departure from Steamboat. Moots van loaded with demo bikes, personal gear and a large cup of Joe. I put in a big pull of 700 miles to get the worst of the drive out of the way early on in the trip to the Kenda festival. If you’ve ever driven across Eastern Colorado and Western Kansas you know what I mean. I had the pleasure of driving it back in December to cross nationals, but during that time is was with G-Light in winter conditions……this time heat of summer solo. I pulled through to Lawrence Kansas and found a place to stay. I opened the door to the van to get out and was hit with the familiar heat and humidity that is common place for the region. In Steamboat we are lucky to see the mugginess rise above 30%...I kinda like the thick feel of the air; you can just about drink it in. I went to my high school and college years in Oklahoma and don’t mind the “insta sweat” you get going if not in an A/C environment. Anyway, woke up in Lawrence and had some time to kill before meeting with the guys from Sunflower Bike….a quick breakfast snack and off on my cross bike to get the feel of the area. Traveling with a bike has to be one of the best things in the world I do to keep a bit of normalcy going while on the road. It makes me less detached from my normal day to day life. It also lets me see what and where the locals ride. I took a short spin around town to locate the shop and with phone book map in pocket headed out into the country side. It didn’t take long to discover some great roads that lead to some great white gravel roads. In Italy they call them “Strata Bianca” or white road…..they were everywhere! Not wanting to get lost and miss my appointment I turned around and headed for a shower.Once at Sunflower Bike Shop I met with Adam and Shea….it just so happens they were talking with a customer about the reasons why a cross bike makes great sense for many riding applications…..After talking with the customer for awhile about bikes I ask him what he does…he says “I play the harmonica in a band” and I say, “what band”…..”Ah, Willie Nelson”…..for the last 35 years! Wow. His name is Mickey and he wants a cross bike to take on the road in the tour bus with him…..he travels a lot to say the least and wants to ride during the down time…really nice guy and hopefully will be riding a Moots soon.
It’s nice to meet new people on the road that share cycling passion.
Tomorrow I’m heading from St. Louis to Indy and over to Columbus……long haul trucker style!
21 July 2008
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Kenda Festival bound….
Our blog posts have been a little scarce over the last couple of weeks. Many things happening around the shop.....bikes to the left, bikes to the right....photo shoot for 2009, inventory and even a little bit of ridding. Next up on the Moots plate is the Kenda Mountain Bike Festival....July 25th-27th in Hancock, MA. If you haven't made plans to go yet, make them now. Moots will be present with demos galore. 26'', 29'', 96er and even a single speed....oh my! Yours truly will be manning the wheel of the Moots Sprinter Van...along the way I'll be seeing dealers from Kansas to MA. I'm looking forward to being on the road and meeting some of our outstanding dealers along the way. We will also have a guest rider in the Moots booth in the form of ex-pro Ruthie Mathies. She piloted a Moots Ybb to a couple of national championships and now is a Moots ambassador from time to time. So come by the Moots booth in Hancock, Ma..Demo a bike and meet two Matt’s, one Jon and Ruthie.The above photo was taken during our photo shoot this week.....Wednesday am single track on Emerald Mountain....town down below......G. Shuck and Rob....floating the grass.
18 July 2008
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Evan represents at the Town Challenge
Beautiful to watch a sea of blue Moots jerseys take to the starting line during the local Town Challenge race series, especially on the juniors we support through the Winter Sports Club. Gotta take care of the home front! Needless to say wins and placing were abundant and a couple factory riders even got in on the action with Jon and Brad jumping on the podium in the singlespeed and Pro-Open categories respectively. Here's a shot of Evan from Finishing representing the Moots Owner's Club jersey in the Expert field. Nice work all!
14 July 2008
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NIce Psychlo X review in Wired Magazine
Check out what the good folks over at Wired had to say about the decidedly analog experience of riding a wicked fast Moots Psychlo X cross bike...9 out of 10 stars!http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/moots_psychlox
11 July 2008
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Celebrate the suffering…….
To help kick off the greatest bike race in the world Moots is offering its’ most recent bottling of Silverado Cabernet at a reduced price for the month of July. As you are tuning into Le Tour what better way to pass the time than with a glass of red specifically made for Moots. Red….the color of blood, hopefully not mixed with illegal drugs for this years’ spectacle! Follow the link below to the Silverado winery and pick up a bottle or two….now getting juiced just got a little cheaper! And legal on a bike!!MOOTS SILVERADO CABERNET
Vive Le Tour!
7 July 2008
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That fish was this big!!!!
Well, not really. Just a beautiful photo sent in from Alexander Yale during last summers' Cycle Oregon.....Crater Lake in full glass mode.Thanks for the photo op!
3 July 2008
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The last standing…..
It's late and they should be at home.....like a bad rash you can't shake........
1 July 2008
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Moots fun……
Son of Orange Peel owner sneaks around a few Moots......
1 July 2008
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Being Social…
Not to long ago the Moots crew had the opportunity to get together with our local dealer Orange Peel Bicycle Service for a night of customer appreciation. In attandance were Moots owners, family and friends. A fun night with a few libations to make things right. Through out the night we had 60 or so folks pass through, share conversation and stories. As the night drew to a close a few hardy Moots and Orange Peel employees were all that remaind...I'm sure that had something with having more beer on hand......or something like that.Thanks to all!
1 July 2008
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BIKE WEEK IN COLORADO….
Or as I like to call it.....another week we should ride our bikes, anywhere..... So with all things Colorado and straying off the main stream path, we celebrate bike week when no one else does…..how cool.The rash of reviving older bikes into commuter bikes is sweeping the Moots crew one by one. Not that we don’t ride to work most every day, but there is something satisfying about salvaging an old bike into a trusty commuter. This photo captures an "older" curmudgeon commuting to the Moots compound this morning. Doesn’t he look happy? He just road to work and saved himself 4 bucks worth of gas and made a dollar for his effort riding to his job he loves sooo much, he’s healthier, maybe not much happier, and most likely smells worse than when he left home……..WOW, I feel great just writing about that…. We love ya Butch!
More bike commuters, more scooters than cars, less BIG SUV’s running us down….it all sounds great…
Have a Happy Colorado Bike Week where ever you happen to be!!!
25 June 2008
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D-O-N-E!!!!!
Scott has done it! Finished RAAM in 6th place 10 Days 22 hours 53min.....Just over 3000 miles on his Moots.....
CONGRATULATIONS SCOTT!!!
19 June 2008
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The finish awaits Scott….
93 to is the latest report from the crew....Scott is just north of Baltimore and will finish today. He'll roll across the line in 6th, 7th or 8th depending on the time adjustments that stem from a strange incident back in New Mexico. He's also battling a late charge from riders behind him. He made it through the last nasty climbs late yesterday into last night. I can't imagine the pain and fatigue he must be in at the moment. A nice story posted on the RAAM site:DON’T STOP THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW: Barring bad luck, Scott McIntosh will be at the finish on Thursday.
By Vic Armijo 22:00 EDT 6/18/08, In a “non-smoking” hotel room in Rouzerville, Maryland that smells like an ash tray.
Tuesday I caught Scott McIntosh, somewhere in Indiana (or was it Ohio, it all blurs together in the waning days of RAAM), shot a few photos of him on his titanium Moots as I passed and then waited at the next time station, hoping that he would stop so I could talk with him, only to see him ride on by. So, back on the road, pass him again—getting a few more shots as I did, and jet ahead to the next time station, only to see him ride by again. Dang.
Finally, I found his second car waiting in the parking lot of the time station, (don’t ask me which, there was a Burger King and a Wal-Mart, which actually doesn’t narrow it down that much), and I asked the driver if he was going to stop. “I’m not sure. Maybe,” he said. So he called the follow-car driver and seconds later told me, “No, he wants to keep going.”
I had to wonder, “What’s driving this guy.” He’s been bouncing around in about 6th to 8th place for these past few days. Does moving up the field a position or two really mean enough to him to drive him to ride on and on and on? I finally got my answer today. No, I still haven’t spoken to Scott, but I did talk with his sister Michelle at a Time Station at a convenience store at the Maryland border. Scott was (of course) up the road by himself while his follow car crew filled their bellies and their gas tank.
“He just wants to get this done!” she declared, “He wants it to be over. It’s not his position in the race. We try not let him know where is unless we think it’s going to give him motivation. He just wants to keep motoring.” Throughout these past few days McIntosh, Martin Jakob, David Jones and Julian Sanz Garcia have all been within a two to three time station spread, “Being so close together is motivating to him too,” added another crew member. “It kind of gives him a goal, a perspective instead of just pedaling into the abyss. It makes him feel like he’s not out there alone, that it’s more of a race instead of just going straight.”
I was glad to have finally learned more about this guy who seemed determined to not get anywhere near my tape recorder. And he’s obviously a determined kind of guy. He works three jobs to finance his RAAM effort; including working at a bike shop and being a bartender. That focus and hard-headedness has helped him to have gone on this hard despite suffering through digestive issues in the early days of this 27th RAAM.
Before leaving the Time Station I overheard his sister asking the convenience store clerk if they had any bananas—they didn’t. They headed out to catch Scott and I rolled out a few minutes later. “Wait a minute,” I thought, “I have bananas.” So when we caught Scott and his follow car I grabbed one and as we pulled alongside him and offered him one, “No thanks,” he said, “I just had a snack.” Finally, I got to talk with Scott McIntosh.
Follow the final miles: HERE
Link to Scotts Blog: HERE
19 June 2008
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Break time for Scott…..
Scott entered Ohio earlier this morning. He's currently in 7th place, but the race is still tight. Yesterday, Scott's position changed between from 5th to 7th a couple of times, and you can expect more of the same today.The crew seems happy with Scott's progress so far, but that's not preventing even higher expectations. "The whole race Scott has been pretty insistent upon not knowing what place he's in, or how the other riders are faring, but today he accidentally found out and seemed surprised, " said Mike Feirstein, part of Scott's crew. "So hopefully he'll try to ramp it up and make a move in these last few days."
I asked Bryce why Scott wants to be left in the dark about the race details. "This is a strategy Scott adopted from the start. He wants to focus on running his race, and keeping his tempo where he knows he needs to be."
"When you are at this point in the race, you aren't mentally capable of making good race decisions. You let your crew do that for you, and you focus on the things you can control." Bryce speaks from experience: he came in 5th in the 2006 RAAM Men's solo division.
In addition to a new state and new scenery, Scott has some new faces to look at as well. Mike Feirstein reports, "Two crew members left (Sandy Chung and Dave Rosenblum ) and two more were added (Roger and Ken Polson). Scott's mom also drove down from Indianapolis and saw Scott at the checkpoint. Spirits are high, crew morale is also high and Scott looked good."
Follow the last miles: HERE
Send Scott a message: HERE
17 June 2008
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RAAM UPDATE…
Scott continues to push towards the East coast. A nice video of him rolling along and giving an on the bike interview. He seems to be out of the saddle a lot.....I'm sure his back side is sore as.....well very sore after riding 2500 miles at this point.
17 June 2008
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RAAM rider rolls on….
As of this morning Scott is rolling in 6th place. A nice post on the RAAM site of him rockin' the Moots kit. Only 781 miles to go! A new crew from Evanston has made a change out in Indy and will see Scott to the Finish in Anapolis, MD. He's riding strong and for a first timer...people are taking notice at a great performance on his end. Send him a message HERE. At this point the crew is doing all of the thinking and keeping Scott motivated to push. He's had very little sleep in the last week.....keeping him safe is in the hands of his crew.Scotts Blog
RAAM
Another note of interest is local Chicago artist Jay Ryan has come up with a RAAM titled original for Scotts cause. He's done other cycling specific works as well. Go HERE to check it out and purchase.
16 June 2008
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Interview with Scott pre RAAM…..
The video is great and will give you a little insight of Scotts' true humbleness. As of the last check he's riding in 6th positon on the road. He is just west of Durango and will soon be climbing Colorado mountains on the Moots. They go over Wolf Creek pass in the next 8 hours...no easy task as they are gettng to be about 1000 miles into the race. Let's hope the snow that fell last night in Steamboat didn't reach that far south. We had an inch or so on the roof tops and grass this morning.Rock on Scott!
Links: Scotts Blog RAAM
Track Scott
11 June 2008
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Scott pushes his Moots towards Colorado…
The latest update on Scott is looking good...he recovered from stomach problems late yesterday...fell to 10th and has rallied back to 7th at this time. Pictured is Scott pushing his Moots towards the home land of Colorado.....the mountains await. I'm sure the Moots will feel at home soon.Check more updates here: TURIN BICYCLE
10 June 2008
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And I started riding…..
Race Across America……three thousand plus miles coast to coast in one sitting. My butt hurts just thinking about that many miles all at once. The top finishers will take 7 to 10 days to finish. So this year a very good friend of Turin Bicycle in Evanston, IL has taken it upon himself to do RAAM. His name is Scott McIntosh. Bar tender by night, endurance cyclist the rest of the time. Scott has done Paris Breast Paris, multiple randonee’ events nationwide and most recently broke the Indiana north to south record for crossing the state by bike, a mere 17.5 hours in the saddle….his first ride on his newest Moots. He viewed it as just a small warm up before RAAM. To say he’s dedicated is an understatement. He’s known for getting off work from the finer establishments in Chicago and pedaling his way through the wee hours of the morning into the next day and beyond. Together with Turin Bicycle and Moots and loads of help from friends and supporters Scott has put together a serious push towards his first RAAM event.
At the moment he’s in the saddle just about to Prescott, AZ….follow him here: Scott McIntosh via GPS all week long to see his progress. Drop him a note as they will be reading these to him as he lays waste to the miles ahead.
Follow the links and send him a message.
We’ll be posting more as the week goes on…….
All the best Scott!
9 June 2008
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Emerald Mtn Challenge update
Spring rains finally let up for the weekend and I got up Spring Creek and the Hot Springs trails on Saturday. Beautiful day with wildflowers bursting out all over and a quick sighting of a pencil thin bright green snake about a foot long on Hot Springs, summer is not far away now... Sunday ripped a hour on Emerald while the meatloaf was in the oven to add 2400' of climbing to my tally. Only 3,128' to go now! How'd the climbing go in YOUR neck of the woods?
9 June 2008
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The tide is high…..
To borrow a title of the 1980's Blondie song...yep, I know that really dates me. But this a Steamboat version of high tide. The mighty Yampa River that runs out of the Flat Top Mountains, through the valley is at peak as I type. Ned encountered some high water on the way to work the other day on the bike path.....seems we might need to add a feature of "bike floaties" to that Comooter concept.Have a great weekend and watch out for high water!
6 June 2008
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The first of its kind….
The order was placed a little while back through our dealer in London, Mosquito Bikes. I knew it was coming, but had to do a second take as I walked through the production floor yesterday….It got my mind thinking of cross, which is easily done…. one of these in the fleet could prove to be very fun indeed. What you are looking at is the first slider drop out Ybb cross bike frame. This one in particular is headed for the UK and will be running a Rohloff hub, fenders, lights and hydraulic disc brakes. We built the Comootour for the NAHBS a while back and this borrows some of the features on that rig. The Psychlo X & Psychlo X Ybb are available with the slider drop out add on. Stock sizing or full custom….single speed, Rohloff, or routing for derailleurs. At the same time over on the Moots Forum there has been some great input about a possible Moots commuter specific bike…thanks for the input. This customer will be pedaling to work in style within weeks….I’m a little green with envy at the moment as it’s been pouring buckets here for the last 48 hours and makes one think about a dedicated fender/slick drive train rig ……ahh priorities.
5 June 2008
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Commuting tolerance….
My day started like this....Kiss wife & kids goodbye for the day and roll off on my bike headed to work. Less than 5 minutes later my heart rate is through the roof and I've just unleashed a river of cuss words......... any sailor would be proud to call I mate. I'm ashamed of how I let it get to me. I had, as many people do an "encounter" with a motorist this morning that was otherwise a great start to the day. I was beside myself....dually pickup; towing trailer runs me off the road. He turns into the complex where I'm headed and stops at plumbing supply place. I stop, keeping the trailer between me and dude. He starts by saying...."THAT'S MY ROAD BOY" .... "KEEP OUTA MY WAY" "I'LL RUN YOU OVER".......he had obviously seen the gesture in the rear view mirror. After his statement I let the unkind words fly.....I was a mess. I repeated his license number to work and wrote them down....I was still shaking an hour later. I called my wife to make sure she had made it home from dropping our kids off at pre-school via bike and bike trailer. I told her my story. She reminded me of being tolerant and that I had only given this guy a reason to run down the next cyclist he sees on the road....she was right. I stooped to his level. I called in his tag number and went about my day thinking of how I could have done things different. So I guess I owe the cycling public an apology of sorts.....
My point is this....be careful out there, be nice and try to be tolerant of others in our endeavor to pedal our way through life....it can be dangerous.
Next time I'll go to my happy place of the clear calming stream.......
3 June 2008
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Emerald Mountain Challenge!
I challenged the Owner's Club Mootsters to mountain bike the equivalent elevation of our local Emerald Mtn (8,251') by June 15th so I had to get climbing, and quick! What better way then climbing the namesake, Emerald Mountain, via singlespeed. Well, let me tell you, singlespeed is probably NOT the weapon of choice for summiting Emerald, especially not on the "Hell's Half-mile" finale but summit I did after 1,523' of elevation gain. Beautiful weekend here in Steamboat and even the ski hill across the Yampa Valley seems to be turning a bit spring-like. Or at least the bottom half. The top still has crazy amounts of snow cover. Rode up Spring Creek the next day for another 600' for a total of 2,123' for the weekend, all on the singlespeed. Now only 6,128' to go!
2 June 2008
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Intern does time at Moots……
It's nothing like being in jail or anything like that....... some might argue that point. But seriously, over the last two weeks Moots has had its own intern in the form of Vaughn Wallace....he hails from Pittsburgh, PA. It started by having a friend of a friend of Moots type thing...Vaughn works for a shop called Trek of Pittsburg. He's got some great bike knowledge and is one heck of a furniture builder.......his bio:Vaughn Wallace Age: 18
Pittsburgh, Pa
Senior in high school, graduating the year from Sewizkley Academy
Plans to attend University of Pittsburg next fall, where he will pursue degree in journalism & photography (future Moots PR person????)
Interests: Cyclocross (you know he's way cool in my book for this alone), Journalism & Photography
Bikes in the stable: Redline cx, Gary Fisher SS, Moots Psychlo X (going on order soon)
Goals for '08: crushing the MAC series and CX nats on the new Moots Psychlo X
He came to Moots for school's "Senior Project"......
What he takes away from Moots....."Moots makes awesome frames", wanted to see what goes into making the best ti bikes around.....
During the entire two weeks we made him where the Moots jersey you see in the Photo....he did a nice job of doing some research for us and even got his hands dirty on the production floor. All kidding aside, Vaughn was easy to have around and we hope to see him back soon.
Thanks Vaughn! Good Luck and congrats!
30 May 2008
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TWO WORDS….JENS VOIGHT
Out there in web world is a tone of cycling coverage to be had, but today I really could not help myself by giving a head banger like Jens Voight the man of the week award in cycling. He is funny as all get out and pretty much personifies the word hardman. He won todays stage of the Giro in style...10km from the start he got into the break and then soloed away....no sprint here today my friends, took it to the racers and then took it too the line. My next ride will be filled with Jens like quotes. He also appears to like coffee which is another reason to like the guy.Some interesting sights that support Jens:
Caffe press
Team CSC
29 May 2008
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They call in Cow “Creek” for a reason…
A nice 60 miniute lunch ride on a local stretch of dirt road that is called Cow Creek. The creek itself is a seasonal flow of water that is done by June 1st....most years...this year she's flowin' nicely, and for the first time for me getting your feet wet is not followed by frozen toes....that's right Moots fans...the temps are arising' in Routt county with a week of 70 looking us in our pale winter faces....let the sunshine in!!! A shot of G-Light rallying through the over flow.....Moo.
28 May 2008
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The night the lights went out in er……. Steamboat?
Back in the saddle from vacation or at least getting that first couple of pedal strokes going..….You know what I’m talking about, you’ve been away from work, the demands of phone and e-mails, the 8-5 gig, now it’s time to get back at it…the first day is always the hardest. Since we live in a place that many come to spend their vacation we like to stay local and enjoy the things Steamboat has to offer. We did venture out into the real world of Boulder/Denver to do things like shop at big box stores, drive with the masses and spend a great day at the Zoo. Also got to do some great rides on the roadie and the all time favorite at the moment, the cross bike with the killer Jack Brown rubber. Incredible bike it rolls the pavement and covers the dirt like mad. I had the most beautiful ride of the year on Thursday by doing 74 miles, 60 of which was dirt road. Low clouds, cool temps early morning bliss….even got caught in the rain for the last 15 miles which to me always is a soul cleansing experience…..to me it feels like I’m doing something you’re not supposed to be doing….in a fun way. It’s a rare time in Colorado during the spring to get to ride in the rain without lightning bolts chasing you through the country side and making you soil your chamois in fright…..truly a great time…… I saw less than 10 cars the entire time……Finished the memorial weekend off by having a sweet child sickness sweep through the household that saw 4 out of 6 people get the puke in the projectile style…then while holding the youngest of the clan during a puke episode at about 10 pm on Sunday night the lights flickered and then all power went out in Steamboat. Seems a “medium sized critter” touched the wrong wires at the same time in the power sub-station in town……pow! Large explosion and no lights! Nothing like puking by candle light….oh fun times, fun times indeed.
All is well here at world headquarters, bikes being built, rides taken and word is that even some single track on Emerald Mountain is open…..we must be doing something right.
Roll on!
28 May 2008
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Allez!
We had a very nice visit with Fred and Manou of Tribe Sports Group, our French distributor partner. Hailing from San Tropez in the south of France Fred and Manou nevertheless shrugged off the lingering cold and deep snow pack in Steamboat Springs to ride some Moots on nearby Mad Creek, testing the new MootoXz and Zirkel respectively. Thankfully the sun exposed portions of the trail were mostly dry and only a few lingering snow drifts were encountered. Fred got to take many, many photos for future Moots articles for French MTB mags and then we all retreated to Moots World HQ for tours of the production facilities, meeting all the Moots staff and more photos. No word yet on what they thought of the Moots wine but they loved the bikes and we were very happy to host them during their US visit. They offered us place to stay in San Tropez and we're discussing if we can shut the factory down and all go at the same time....no, maybe not
. Thanks Fred and Manou!
21 May 2008
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Vacation…..
We won't be going cross country as the Griswalds, but a week off spent with the family and some saddle time sounds pretty good to me. I've got those new Jack Browns (700 x 33.3333) slicks on the cross bike and hope to bag a couple epic dirt road rides while on hiatus from the desk. It just so happens that we will be having the best weather of the spring in the coming days....sounds great.See you out there!
16 May 2008
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BIKE WEEK/MONTH
The month of May has been labeled as bike month by the League of American Bicyclists and more in particular this week is bike week with Friday named bike to work day. In these times of bad economy talk and high gas prices a trip or two on a bike won’t hurt any of us. If you can swing it, ride to work, ride to the store, make a small adventure and ride a bike for more than just fitness or training. The bike itself is one of the most efficient and cheap ways to get around. Plus, when you roll into work refreshed and upbeat your co-workers will wonder what you’ve been up to. And as far as the economy goes, I don’t buy it….to me the real-estate bust has brought back to reality housing costs. I’m no economist and believe me if it weren’t for my wife watching the $$ I’d be in deep do do with all these cool bike parts and nothing else much.Above a photo from last nights’ road ride…we stayed away from Rabbit Ears as it was snowing up high…we did what we call the town climbing route….4400 ft of climbing over 34 miles without leaving the city limits…..ah good fun.
Happy Bike month!!
14 May 2008
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Beauty….
The month of May in the Rockies can be a mixed bag to say the least. One day you’re putting in the miles in near perfect weather, the next your shoveling snow off the deck. We live here and accept the fact that this weather comes with the territory. The latest reports from hi atop the ski area say there is 130 inches of snow at the summit awaiting the “spring” thaw. When it does thaw it’s going to be one to remember. A river runs through town and a few low lying buildings will most definitely be at risk of floor….but hey, that’s life. Things could be worse and always can be….we have the snow and unless you happen to be caught in an avalanche not much else can go bad. The spring weather leading to summer will hopefully soon be here. At least we are not dodging tornados, typhoons or running out of falling buildings due to earthquakes….yes, things could be worse.
Tonight is yet another installment of the Tuesday night road race…..I mean ride. We are scheduled to ride to the west summit of Rabbit Ears Pass.With the new fallen snow on the landscape it could one to remember. A cross race effort up 3000 ft of mountain….oh boy! Hope to have photos tomorrow.
13 May 2008
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Forza!
20 years after Andy Hampsten there is a fresh crop of Americans vying for the Maglia Rosa, and with the Giro kicking off with a TTT a couple of them could reasonably grab it on Sat. I'm rooting for the mustache of Dave Z to cross the line first and Levi to shine later on once Astana has raced back into fitness after their unexpected last minute invite. Here in Steamboat we're prepared with 60 cases of Moots wine on hand (order your own here http://store.silveradovineyards.com/product83) lotsa olives, cheese and bread, and some ancient Oakley glasses to soak it all in with...let the race begin! Any Italianophiles out there with a prediction?
8 May 2008
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My fourth “last day of the season” and first powder day in May……
So yes we did have an epic winter in Steamboat. If a picture is worth a thousand words this one is worth 500 inches of snow.....this last weekend Eric Hindes our faithful machine master made the pilgrimage to the top of Mt. Werner to as he put it "have his first powder day in May". This photo is of a place just over half way to the top during the 2 hour hike up....it's called Rainbow saddle elevation about 8600 feet. They have carved out the road that goes to the top so they are standing almost on ground in the photo...the shiny headed guy is a good friend Dan...he's 6' 2'' tall so that will give you an idea of how much snow is still up there. I've said it once before and I'll say it again....the trails are gonna open late...but when they do they will be tacky.Ski on.
7 May 2008
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Photos….
The way our blog program works won't allow us to post more than one photo per entry...so I'm posting a load of photos through FLICKR .....good random stuff over the last few months....I hope you enjoy!
5 May 2008
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Tour of the Gila….
I've used this photo before of our man Corey. At the moment he's in Silver City New Mexico pouring his guts into The Tour of the Gila....below is his recount of stage one.....pretty nasty stuff. He's racing in the Cat. 2 field....So I learned a bit yesterday about D.F.L. ....... Or the Lantern Rouge as the french call it. It is actually a race within the race for the coveted prize of last place. Yesterday I was in position to take that prize for reasons that I am still piecing together. It seems that I became severely dehydrated and my body shut down with about 25 miles to the finish.
It did not help things that the wind was around 25mph and the temp hovering around 85 degrees. Props to Glen at Moots for warning me about the heat before I left, of course I thought nothing of his advice. So I did finish yesterday so I could continue racing, and when faced with the opportunity of taking D.F.L I decided there was no glory in it and instead took second to last. I was probably pushing 150 watts at a cadence of 35 for the final 6 mile climb. I thought I was going to be ok after I got done, but next thing I know I am in an ambulance going to the hospital to get treated for dehydration. My legs, arms, hands, lips, and tongue were all numb and tingly as though they had fallen asleep. Two saline bags and a few blood tests later and I was on my way to eat everything I could find. I have done some hard and hot races, but never experienced anything like that. I was in rough shape.
Day two (today) went a lot better, I still am amazed at how I was passing out last evening and then today throwing down at the front and watching other riders crash out and get blown away off the back of the pack. Wind speed during the race was steady 25mph gusting to 40mph, but much cooler near 70. There were not any huge climbs today to give me a chance of doing well, so I settled for a pack finish. I still felt pretty weak and far from my peak fitness, but I can't help but laugh at how my body turned things around overnight.
Time trial on Friday should be a challenge for me, crit on Saturday with a nice hill followed by the monster road race on Sunday.
Thanks everyone for your support, it has not been an ideal start to this race, but it is only the first race of the season. And the nice thing about DFL is you can look forward to moving up, assuming you don't DNF.
-Corey
Props to Corey for sticking it out!
Hang in there!
1 May 2008
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