ER sampling

Nationals in Colorado went fairly well. 13th in the XC and 11th in the STXC. Both courses were fun and stupid hard. The short track was basically a mini xc, just climb, descend, and repeat over and over. Attacking up that climb to grab one more place was just about the hardest thing I have done on a bike.

Watching the Pro Men's and Women's short track races was amazing. Georgia Gould just walked away with the win in the Women's race. The men's race, though was much more hotly contested. Wells and JHK put on a good show until Adam Craig took them to grade school and taught them how to ride their bikes. An attack from 5th or 6th position to win the race? Phenomenal. Good job to Adam.

The drive home was just about as interesting as well. Just before we were about to leave I started reacting to some peanut butter that contaminated the jelly that I put on my bagel for breakfast. Zach's GPS directed us to the ER in Granby, where they hooked me up to the usual IV and gave me some steroid that set me straight. Then off to driving. Time we planned on leaving: 8:00AM. Time we actually left the Fraser Valley: 12:30PM.

About half way through Kansas we hit the mother of all thunderstorms. We pulled off for gas and dinner and were greeted by tornado warnings from the National Weather Service over the radio at the Subway. We grabbed a hotel for the night. Next morning, up and driving home. Arrived back in Carlisle at about 2:00AM.

Next day we went down to Brett's for our first ride back in PA. It was raining. I messed myself up. Slid my rear wheel out on a log, planted my face firmly on a mossy rock, gouged my knee through a sharp pointy rock. So one visit to the Carlisle Regional Medical Center ER and 5 stitches later I'm sitting in West Chester teaching my own mountain biking camp. I can ride again. That's all I care about.

Rocky Mountain High

I started to write something but it sounded like crap so here are things you really care about:

Some kids... what they're experiencing is one of a kind

From the top of Trail Ridge Rd. in Rocky Mountain N.P.

Tom likes alpine flowers

Mmmmm high strain rocks...

Bike likes Colorado

Team shot at the top of Heil Valley

Team recovery rdes

First above tree line excursion... snow in July

Mule Deer in a clearing

Bottle Peak View... I hiked this

Lots of things have happenned

The first thing that happenned was the usual Marysville Stage Race. This year's format was different: Night Team Time Trial, 12 hr team or 9 hr solo, short track.

Rode the NTTT solo, finished something in the solo class. Don't exactly remember. Maybe 12th or 15th. Saturday I was the usual stupid solo. 9hrs, 9 laps, finished 7th in the Open's Men class. I'm pretty happy with that. It should put me in better position in the series. Which I am going in for the win this year. I don't want just to podium anymore. I want the win. Thanks for all your encouragement Rob.

Congrats go out to all the kids on their two teams, who did a fantastic job showing up a lot of older more experienced racers. Also to Bacon, Tofu, Jerk, and Monkey for being awesome and helpful for everyone, especially the kids.

Chillin' with good friends

Best way to start a race

Jake hates running

Jake loves riding

The next weekend was our race, the Long Pine Classic. Ms. Geology came out and did a bang-up job running registration. And my mom and sister held down a checkpoint, making sure all racers got around the course safely. Thanks for the help. I did some setup in the morning, then raced the Expert Race. Ended up in the dick spot, just off the podium in 4th. Everyone had a good day. Congrats to Forest who won his first MASS race, absolutely crushing the Sport junior field. No pictures from this yet, too busy.

The next morning we lodaed up and headed out west. 34 some hours later we arrived at our house in Tabernash, Colorado. I broke the dishwasher, Fernando fixed the hot water heater, the fridge got a short, but other than that everything is amazing. Colorado is awesome.