News

Ride today! Meet at Live Oak Park by 4:30pm.
Mobo

Ride is cancelled today because of the rain. See you Tuesday.
Mobo

Starting 2/23/10 we will be holding weekly rides every Tuesday and Thursday. We will be meeting at Live Oak Park at 4:30pm and we will ride until sunset. If it’s raining when you get out of school on Tuesday and Thursdays, then we will meet at the school office at 4:15pm and hold practice on campus. Spin class is still happening every Tuesday, so if you are in the group that isn’t spinning for that week, you will meet at Live Oak Park. RIDE LEADERS ARE VERY NEEDED DURING THE WEEK!

Check out out the KOFY TV-20 coverage of BHS.

Check out a recent ride with a few of the team members: Late January Ride Video. Thanks, Hans!

This past weekend, I raced the Grasshopper Old Caz loop. With approximately 230 riders, including Levi Leipheimer and an assortment of extremely fast riders. The mass start was a bit scary as the route immediately headed down a narrow and wet road with oncoming traffic. The route covered 48 miles (both on and off-road) and included 4000’ of climbing and one river crossing, which was mid-thigh deep.

With the goal of matching or beating my time from last year of 2:55, I rode strong and felt good going into the first major climb, albeit I was not in a very good position. I steadily passed riders and blasted the hill climb and downhill, but flatted right before the creek crossing. Remaining calm, I very quickly fixed the flat by using my sweet Bontrager Air Rush Road CO2 pump and was able to catch the group of nearly 20 riders that had passed me while I was off the bike. We worked the long road section well together as I took charge and asked the riders to collaborate by taking 30 second pulls at the front. These coordinated efforts allowed us to individually conserve energy while maintaining a collectively high pace. I took the opportunity of drafting to consume Clif Shot and drink and to prepare myself mentally for what I knew was going to be the hardest part of the day – the 8 mile climb up Willow Creek.

The large group I was in started to splinter as the road returned to dirt and began heading up hill again. I set my eyes on the front of the group and pushed ahead. Knowing that this final climb was the chance to make time, I dug deep and heard another rider utter “it’s been good riding with you…so long”. While my legs were starting to ache and I could feel the burn of potential leg cramps coming on, I alternated between standing and sitting to make sure no muscle in my body went untapped as I focused on picking off each consecutive rider I saw up the trail. This strategy was working and I was psyched to estimate based on my computer clock and knowledge of how far I had to go, that I was on track to beat my time from last year. Just then, as I pumped myself for the first of the two steepest sections of the climb, my right foot came unclipped and I was unable to reengage the pedal. Upon looking down towards where my pedal should be, I saw nothing but a jagged edge of a spindle sticking out from the crank arm. The spindle had snapped completely off and the pedal was somewhere on the trail! Disaster had struck and there was nothing in my tool bag to fix this situation. I was not able to stand on the remaining spindle chunk and, needless to say, riders started to pass me and express their condolences, e.g., “bummer, dude – you were killing it”). Refraining from getting angry or screaming obscenities, I proceeded to run the steepest hill and resume riding by relying on my left leg to pedal and my right foot to rest on the remaining pedal chunk. While some mechanicals can be avoided through proper maintenance and upkeep, a pedal failure of this sort was a fluke and I was not angry. I rode strong all day and changed a flat faster than I had ever done before. I finished in 3:05 and was still within the top 1/3 of the field. Already looking forward to the next G-Hopper!
Key Lessons:

1. Maintain your bike after each ride; clean the chain and check for cracks, etc.
2. Carry a spare tube, pump, tire irons, tool, patch kit and be ready and skilled in using them.
3. Remain calm and stay focused.
4. Remember that a flat or minor mechanical does not mean your race is over.
5. Know when to go hard and when to recover/eat. Eat and drink appropriately (I drank 2 large bottles and at 5 shots).
6. Set realistic goals while riding (for example, which group should you stay with and who should you try to catch).
7. Listen to your body, breath evenly and smoothly, and plan to finish strong.
8. Look for and avoid squirrelly riders; don’t get caught behind slow/dangerous riders.
9. Study route map as this will help you know when and where to attack and recover.
10. Enjoy yourself and remember why you ride; don’t ride angry!
    

    Levi crossing the stream

Old Caz Loop

Mass Start of nearly 230 riders

Please be ready to practice by 4:15pm. Meet at BHS MTB office and be ready to do some light jogging and yoga with Coach Bobo.

Lunch time meeting for all new riders to vote for team captains and brainstorm ideas for fundraising. Meeting will be held in Ms. Kavaler’s room G304.  All riders must be there! Mobo

All returning riders please go spin at Iron Works from 4:30-6pm, and all new riders meet at office at 4:15pm. Mobo