Vintage GT

I am not much of a picture taker but thankfully my wife, Heidi is...and has been over the years. This past weekend she was on a mission to find our old race photos. Here are some from the early 90's on my old Zaskar then later ..on my RTS in Moab...always loved that blue! Check out the one of Julie Furtado at Mammoth in 1993 (the hidden kid in the baby sling is my now 16 yr old daughter, Joey j.r. goes to Fort Lewis College here in Durango). Lastly, we went to Colorado Springs several years ago and checked out the "Project 96" bike.

Nostalgia

I've got my Zaskar dialed and rode Horse Gulch today thinking..it's so cool that I am riding a GT again. I was sailing thru the singletrack and came up on a few guys ... they asked about the Zaskar ...one of the riders was telling me that his first bike was a GT Karakoram and how much he loved it. GT Bicycles is making a resurgence in first class style. This is Odin..he's a Mastador we got from the pound. ..turned out to be a great dog...camps like a trooper.

ZASKARIFIC !

My Zaskar came in late this afternoon. I have to say that photos do not do this bike justice.
The carbon weave against the yellow is sharp!. I assembled it and rode around the college trails ... immediately noticed how well the Zaskar handles. What's so cool is that it rails like my old aluminum Zaskar but a lot smoother. This frame is retro. I can't wait to do some hammering this weekend....maybe Phil's World.

" Wheel Club Shifts Group Rides to Saturday"

This morning's article in the Outdoor section of The Durango Herald was very satifying to read.
As a member of the Wheel Club's board, we have worked together over the last year to accommodate a growing town with more motorists and riders. I am sure that many non cyclists will read and realize that we "are" being proactive for the safety of all concerned.
Team work was the ingredient on this one.

GT GOLDEN BIKE MISSING....

From Cycling News :

GT's intriguing Golden Bike series is set to kick off the first leg of competition at next month's Sea Otter Classic but one lucky 'winner' may have already taken home the prize.
According to GT marketing man Robb Zbierski, one of the company's specially finished GT Zaskar race bikes was lost in shipping last month - while the shipping label arrived at the intended destination in an envelope, the bike did not. In addition to the flashy gold paint job on the frame, the bike also features a custom gold finish on the Shimano XTR drivetrain, Mavic Crossmax SLR wheels, and Ritchey bar and stem.
Just as was the case with Lance Armstrong's stolen - and recovered - one-off Trek Equinox time trial bike, Zbierski is hoping the bike's distinctive appearance will hamper any potential illicit sale and will lead to a quick recovery.
Nonetheless, GT is offering a US$3000 reward for the bike's return.

Dead Squirrel TT and Bicycle Bob

Yesterday was one of those rare times that I was able to take off for some training with nothing pressing at the office...I had a grin ear to ear as I suited up with my TT garb for the last Dead Squirrel. The weather was chamber of commerce stuff!
Anyway, my legs felt so much better after the much needed break . I'm thinking that sometimes it's more the work load than the ride load that fatigues the body.
Bob Gregorio is back in town! Bob is part of US cycling history as he was a wrench for Team USA as well as Team 7-11 and wrenched @ The Tour De France. Later wrenched for his good friend John Tomac. Bob was inducted in to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame back in 2006 .

So after the TT here comes Bob on one of his classic Italian steeds..complete with fenders etc. The surprise was that last time I saw Bob, he was leaving Durango and going to Costa Rica......by bike!! He got there five months later and shared tidbits of his trip with me as we road back to town. You hear of people doing these things and after hearing his story, I can see why. His clarity on life seems clearer than most, for sure. He will be in town until May and then back to Costa Rice where he conducts road and mtb tours.

Where's my Zaskar...?

First DWC ride of the season

We had some snow last night..Spring is always such a fickle season...some days it's still winter and others seem like summer is not that far off...It was cold but sunny and fortunately, the snow melted at least on the roads so we had our 1st DWC ride .

The famous "Tuesday Night Worlds" enjoyed much notoriety locally and in the bike world. Durango has grown quite a bit ... so has the number of drivers and members of The Durango Wheel Club. Anyway...we decided to have these rides on Saturdays for less impact on our roads
and motorists. I think it will be a lot safer than at 5:30 Tuesday night..but I will miss them. It wasn't the most popular topic when it was motioned to change the ride day/time but I think most riders at least understand why. I'm sure Tuesday will still see some group rides but not the numbers we had before. Todd Wells and Ned Overend showed up, which always makes for a great sufferfest. It was weird to see Todd wearing Red and pedaling an S Works. Since I have known him he has been a GT racer...although he started with Specialized originally. I know he will have some great results this season.

My ride was fair at best..I can always tell when my legs need rest when I walk up the stairs at home...

GT "Dirt Family" is posted!

The Gt Dirt Coalition members are now listed on Gtbicycles.com. Its great to see where everyone is from. I look forward to meeting the Colorado crew at some races and hope to have the opportunity to meet the other Colation members sometime.

I did the Fort Lewis "Dead Squirrel TT" today...it's about a 22 minute effort...a great way to suffer into shape! I have always thought of mtb racing as a TT with intervals so this is good stuff. I had a business meeting right after so had no time to cool down. I can't wait to feel my legs in the morning...

Zaskar on the way / Race Schedule for '09

I just got word that my bike and race kit are shipping on March 11th...so I should be riding it mid next week. Very fitting that the 11th is my B Day....

Here are the mtb races I will be doing :

1-Rabbit Valley, Fruita, Co TT and XC April 17th-19th
2-Alien Run, Aztec, New Mexico XC April 26th
3-Chalk Creek Stampede, Nathrop, Co XC May 1st
4-Wild Flower Challenge Crested Butte, Co XC June 19th
5-USA MTB Nationals Granby , Co July 16th-19th
6-Blast The Mass, Snowmass, Co XC August 7th
7-Dirt Lovers Rally, Durango, Co XC August 23rd
8-Sol Survivor, Sol Vista, Co XC September 4th
9-Road Apple Rally, Farmington, NM XC Oct 3rd

I hope to get to Breckenridge for the Fire Cracker 50 on July 4th (make it a family deal and do some camping)
Hermosa Off Road Classic here in Durango June sometime..mucho epico!
Tour of Durango September 20th, a first annual MTB tour of all the trails we have in D town.

I'll be doing some road races too like the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic May 23rd
and Sandia Crest RR on May 31st

I was recently contacted by GT Bicycles and informed that I am on the Dirt Coalition Mountain Biking Team! The Dirt Coalition will be made up of like minded die hard racers who love mountain biking and all the experiences that come with it. Expect to see a GT tent at various races, we will be ready to answer any questions about the GT line up and will have printed material and brochures.



I Started riding GT bikes in the early 90's . It's great to be back , I remember racing my Zaskar at Mammoth Nationals (Jeep Grundig Series) back in 93. The days of John Tomac and Julie Furtado! Those were some great times in US mountain biking! I have a feeling that companies like GT and other organizations (new US Cup Series etc) are working to that end...bringing
the fun back to the amateur racing level.



This week I will list the races I plan to compete in...mostly Colorado Mountain States Cup races mixed with some pretty epic Durango races and the US Nationals in Granby, Co.
I race Cat 1 and will be the ripe young age of 49 this week.

I am hoping the bike comes in soon so I can get riding it. The Zaskar carbon Pro hardtail will be ride.


I race some road races and hillclimbs and love that 'cross! For the last couple of years Fort Lewis College Cycling has put on a pretty sweet 'cross series, this year it should go regional. We Durangoans travel to the Boulder Co. Cups to really dial it up and then go to the Nationals....that's a gas! We have a small Durango at the Nats each year.


The weather in Durango is starting to look like spring so the lower trails around town (6400 ft) will be getting used as soon as they dry a bit.

Being less than an hour from some New Mexico single track makes getting to lower elevation and riding high desert a fun "day trip"...

Training:
After a good 45 days of no bike after 'cross nationals I enjoyed snow shoeing with my wife and dog. Since then, I have been laying on the miles and doing some good 4-5 hr days. I've been in the Durango Sports Club working the legs hard. ..complimented by plenty of recovery time !
Dave Hagen at Fort lewis College just started his TT series to get the collegiate racers ready . They allow Masters to compete as well so this will be in my training mix . Recently, Lee Unwin posted some nasty looking interval sets that I think I might try...looks painful though!


I'll get some pics of my new bike up as soon as I see it myself. This will be a fun adventure for sure.