2nd SCREENING - GAME ON!

tickets available NOW - www.GRIPPEDSTORE.com

Clean Coal?

Pshyea. Riiiiight. Thanks Coen Brothers, well said.

POSSIBLE SECOND SHOWING!!!

I'm waiting on a contract from ACD but it looks like we'll do the same thing in 2 weeks, March 12th at the ACD. Same deal so those who missed tickets - have a second shot. Details soon..

DOORS OPEN WHEN?!?

The ACD originally told me 8:30 but then posted on their website 8. Due to the sellout crowd I'd suggest getting there no later than 8:15. Hopefully people will be patient tho - it will take a bit to get everyone seated. Plan on movie starting around 9:15 or so.

SOLD OUT

Stokes me to see so much support for cycling films in DC. We'll do it again in the Fall!

There's Still A Few Tickets Left

but they're going fast...
www.grippedstore.com

Must be a Monday

Even the coffee isn't helping my mood this morning. How is it my boy Levi can bust a move 3 years in a row winning the Tour of California and he doesn't even get a front page mention on CCN, MSNBC or BBC?

Not just that but in an event attended by an estimated 2 million people, watched world wide in over a dozen countries, how come the winner only gets $14,000? PATHETIC. Compared to many other sports that require a LOT less effort, ability and skill this is a freaking depressing statistic. Either way, big props to Levi for number 3.

I am SICK and TIRED of GREED.

Our society is losing it's values just as fast as the ice is melting in the arctic. And if you give it 2 seconds of thought, they are completely connected. On the most basic level, there's cyclists who dope - stealing prize money from others who work just as hard if not harder to get to the finish line first. Then come the punks who broke into my truck 2 weeks ago, ruining other's property so they can outright steal whatever they want to. Moving up the scale of despicableness - we have Mrs. Sarah Palin who should be in jail for not only tax evasion but also for taking thousands of bucks in per diem when she was camped out at home.

Then we move on up the scale to an entirely NEW level of bombastic greed which would be an organization that takes in money supposed to help wounded vets and hoards it. I bet those in charge of this place are:

1. White
2. Educated
3. Not poor or even middle class
4. "Christian" church-goers
5. Politically far 'right' who are very vocal about their anger towards "bleeding heart liberals"
6. Driving huge, luxurious cars and live in huge McMansions
7. Not at all worried about how much they drive, where their electricity comes from or how much they consume

I'm so goddamn sick of these extreme hypocrites I could puke.
This just in - a couple of JUDGES up in PA are fighting for the position of GREEDIEST. I hope they get the royal treatment in prison.

My point is this:
Each and every day we all have the opportunity to make decisions that will effect other people or things. If you choose to do what will be good for your bank account or ego at the expense of another person or thing's well being - choosing to benefit only yourself then you're one of these greedy, sorry excuses for a human. If you choose to do what will be good for other people or things you are somehow labelled a "liberal" but isn't it odd how most "liberals" are usually pushing for things that will benefit everyone? Something to think about. Because more and more I'm seeing that those who choose based on greed are the same ones F-ING up our planet. People need to get back to living simple, good, honest, healthy lives and stop chasing money money money. Which brings me to my next post - for the love - give a deserving man a proper paycheck!!

Screw Harvesting Trees

Bamboo KICKS ASS. Bamboo is a grass. It's the fastest growing plant in the world. It absorbs more carbon dioxide than any other plant. Reaches similar strength to a 15 year hardwood in just 3 years. Why the !@#$# are we ripping down gorgeous forests when we can grow Bamboo faster and cheaper? Because our government subsidizes the antiquated, outdated and ignorant timber industry. Hopefully that will change before the only big stands of trees are in national forests. Aren't we smarter than that?
Great little piece on CNN.
Check it out.

Have You Seen Me?

Those in DC, please keep an eye out, Lucy is Lost...

Looking Forward

to racing this amazing blend of power and strength. It's hard to believe a thing that weighs 15lbs can handle a guy pounding on it with his feet like some sort of pissed off gorilla. Hopefully they change the forecast for this Sunday. I don't want to take my baby out in rain and snow for her first race.

How do you spell THIEF?

Sarah Palin.
"...Palin had billed the state for nearly $17,000 worth of meals and other living expenses while staying in her own home during the first 19 months of her administration, even though the official governor’s residence is in Juneau."

Funny how if a man walked into a post office and stole $17,000 he'd be looking at a FEDERAL GRAND THEFT charge. So how does Palin get away with it? Oh, just please return that stolen money...
"Alaska officials have told Gov. Sarah Palin she must pay back taxes on the thousands of dollars she received in state per diem funds while living at her home in Wasilla."


And this just in, we can now add tax evasion to the list. What a fine example should would have made as VP...

Levi Eats Pavement

ouch. This had to hurt. Luckily he got back up and limited the damage. More photos.

Pop

My Pop is a cool guy. Sometimes he goes over the top with his explanations and enthusiasm for things which clearly shows the apple don't fall far from the tree. This gem came in yesterday and I felt compelled to share for it calls out the sheer audacity of the republican party that led us into spending $4 billion a month on the war in Iraq as well as this recession.

"Speaking of progress I am amused by the republicans complaint that the stimulus bill is a spending bill- they never worried about spending giving us a trillion dollar hole to climb out of some day, an introduction to a depression, two wars, and the rest of the world hating us. What the hell have the conservatives ever given us other than the attitude of ME, ME, ME and the hell with everyone else. Well Jason I am not quite sure where that came from but there you have it."

Gusts over 50mph

and warm air. I wasn't out for long, call it a lunch break. Still fun tho... thanks to Derek for taking pics...

SMOKING BAN IN VA!!!!!

RICHMOND, Feb. 9 -- The Virginia House of Delegates approved a plan for a ban on smoking covering most of the state's restaurants and many of its bars Monday, marking a significant political and cultural shift for a state whose history has been intertwined with tobacco for centuries.

It's about time. Awwwww yeaaaaaa!!!!!

MOVIE NIGHT in ARLINGTON

Thursday February 26th at the Arlington Cinema & Draft
8:30
Road To Roubaix

We'll have giveaways and raffles from Cannondale, PowerBar, Ergon, Contes and Dogfish Head and more.
Tickets HERE.
www.grippedstore.com

Spoiled Fun

After a sporting night ride in the Mt. Pleasant district (sporting meaning we moved slow and chatted fast all having raced this past weekend) with friends Olson, CB and pictured here with me Paul...

I returned to find my truck violated.

It was parked on a busy street, Adams Mill by Kenyon.

At 8pm.

Along a well lit, often used sidewalk.

My friends neighbor came out when he saw the cops. Said he's seen crews following the UPS truck, taking items off peoples front steps, leaving empty boxes. One might say times are tough. One might say you'll get that. I just want 60 seconds with the punks who broke into my truck. No courts, no trial, no jail. Just 60 seconds.

More Photos

from the SnotCycle race. Bruce Buckley captured the beauty and the pain - nice work!

SNOTCYCLE - The GOOD, The BAD and the UGLY

Had my first race of the 2009 season yesterday - big thanks to the Plum Grove Cyclery guys who put on the first annual SnotCycle race in Leesburg, VA. Another big thanks to one of our team's new sponsors - Dogfish Head Alehouse for sending me to the event with 6 cases of their finest to hand out. As I approached registration with a case to exchange for my race number I was greeted with fat smiles. THen I was handed #13. Emmac suggested I turn it upside down like the guys in the Tour do but I figured I'd tempt fate and run it proper. Gripped Racing (click link for more team photos) had a huge turnout which also made me happy. If you're gonna suffer in a race, best to have friends to be there with you. This was GOOD.
Here I am trying to be optimistic about my number. Things to note in this photo - flannel lined Carharts, Sorrels and ski gloves - none of which you will ever see at a road race let alone on an athlete warming up. Also of particular note is the front tire of Matt Lough's bike propped up on a frozen cowpie.

Who says you can't have a beer with your warmup?


So there I was, #13 lining up beside Colby Waller whom I had ridden the course with the week before - a solid racer I really wanted to hang with. But I had #13 and it just wasn't meant to be...the number delivered on it's superstition. I lined up behind a racer I will affectionately refer to as Racer X. This fellow had massive legs and a fresh looking 29er so I thought he's probably a seasoned racer who would not likely slow me down. He chatted with the gentleman beside him on the front row who wore a Harley kit as if they were old friends and I figured them both cat 1 roadies - who on this flat course would surely dominate. However R-X didn't pay much attention to his surroundings, particularly the ice under his tires while at the start line. When the whistle blew he put down one half a pedal stroke and his bike violently slid out and down. He splayed out in front of me like a starfish, leaving me little room to get around as other racers plowed past on both sides. My fairly decent start position turned into a major handicap and after way too long I was around him and in about 20th position hammering back to the front. I couldn't help but laugh at the wonderful start to my season and just made my way through the pack as best I could. Once we entered the woods it was long straight away with fast turns that often found racers missing and trying to limit the damage of having to pedal through crusty snow and frozen pine needles. The typical bottlenecks backed up the pack whenever there was a tight turn or tricky rock drop but for the most part I could still see the leaders. The course dumped us back out onto a long, flat straight where the R-X passed me like he was shot out of a cannon. Roadie for sure. I was quite impressed with R-X's speed and tried to give chase but my legs had other plans, ignoring that request so I just settled in. Before long R-X was out of sight, impressive show of power for sure.

The field fractured and my legs felt like exploding so I settled in and tried to limit anyone passing. Then it was back into the woods and here's where things got interesting. We were already catching some of the sport riders who were were on their 2nd lap. I noticed R-X was a little ways ahead but behind a few sport riders which he was not passing. This is the part of the course that had a few log crossings and slightly technical sections - where I hoped I could gain back ground on the leaders. In my typical fashion I announced to the riders ahead (including R-X), "Expert back, coming up to pass" and R-X found the motivation to then jump around the 2 riders in front of him. As I passed I thanked them both as I do every rider I pass (until this day). I was tailing R-X closely and it was no surprise to have him slow down at anything that looked slippery, rocky or required riding over like a ramped up log cross. I actually gave him some praise as he kept from crashing around one corner but my frustration with seeing the train behind me stacking up led to 3 attempted passes. Each time my dear friend would hit the gas and hold me off. Don't get me wrong, I'm a sporting guy and love a good battle on bikes but when you are clearly slower than someone who is being nice about asking to pass - let 'em pass. If they are not worthy you can always pass them back and this being LAP 1 of a 4 lap race I figured WTF? The 3rd time I went to pass I was determined so I called "LEFT" and took off into the deeper snow to get around. I knew my boy wouldn't move or make room for me so I rode accordingly. Well he gassed it again and in a very unhappy tone exclaimed, "What the @#$@ are you doing, Jackass!?!" This was BAD.

We banged shoulders and I yelled back, "I'm passing you - this IS a race!" At this point his bewilderment with my tenacity had led his eyes astray for a second too long and as we approached bookend rocks on both the left and right of the trail he slammed into the right bookend and stacked into the ground. I took a mental photo of it - wish I could upload that.

You might think this made me happy but it didn't - I've seen enough aggro racing in Europe and I never want to be one of those guys. In fact thoughts of Adam Craig mixing it up with a Spaniard at Houffalize (and later regretting it for the spike of adrenaline that he said destroyed his race) raced through my mind. I instantly felt the need to defend my pass so I yelled back (probably fruitlessly) "If someone is faster than you in the woods let them by!" There was a rider right behind me who witnessed the pass and I figured if I needed to I could call on him to defend against any potential protests.
End of race mud buildup - didn't know I'd be racing singlespeed but wasn't too surprised about it either.


I pressed on trying to limit wild thoughts of this guy catching me on the flat sections and wanting to mix it up. I had more adrenaline coursing through me than my first Muay Thai match back in '94 or so it seemed. I wondered what would happen when he caught up to me, I wondered what I would do if he wanted to mix it up. My mind was not on racing but defending - more BAD. Surprisingly it took him till a bit into lap 2 to again blow past me on the flats. As he did I first complimented him but also pointed out that I wasn't bitching and moaning about him passing me. He then sat up, looked back and waived me on which didn't make sense since this was the part of the course he was faster on. He yelled for me to set the pace and I wasn't going to argue in fact I was glad he didn't want to make more of it. I launched a small air off a rock and smiled as we ducked into the pines.

The shade dropped the air temp in there about 10° and just enough to turn the recent coat of mud and cowpie on me and the bike into solid ice. If felt like R-X was holding onto my seat post as I pushed through the woods with futile but increasing effort. I looked down franticly and noticed a massive clump of mud frozen to my derailleur hanger - more BAD. I knew R-X was chomping at the bit so I pulled over to let him pass and he totally surprised me by looking back with an encouraging "C'mon, let's get up there!" I was so floored I pulled over and stopped to knock the ice block off my drivetrain with hopes of catching back to his wheel and indeed 'getting up there'. In the 10 seconds it took for my trailside repair 3 racers passed but it seemed to solve the problem and I was off again chasing.


Matt finished a strong 3rd amidst a phantom racer who wasn't seen until the end of the race claiming to have won. Geeze Matt - was he that fast off the start or were you just not paying attention? Here's my boy finding the best use of his SPD's post-race, well done.


By the end of the race I had regained those positions but I never did catch R-X. I pulled into the finish with team mates high-fiving me and there was Emmac with a DFH beer in hand. I was smoked, spent, shaking and smiling. I could barely speak but I took a swig anyway, my numb lips let it spill down my mud-encased jacket. I was stoked to have finished top 10 and wondered (as racers always will) what I might have scored if the start went better or if R-X had not entered the equation. Either way I was happy to call it a day with good friends, good beer and a good result. What more can you ask for? In the end I never did see R-X but I was happy he didn't seem to hold a grudge when I pulled over. I would have liked to have handed him a beer to make our truce official. Another race perhaps. Official results are here.
Team photo

All is well that ends well and hopefully he'll give way to a faster rider next time without the hoopla. I also learned a lesson - that I need to work on my power! But it's mountain bike racing and I love every gritty, tough moment of it. Truth is I wish I had found cycling sooner in life because even a freezing cold, muddy, icy day of racing is better than a good day in the ring.
This is UGLY.