Round is a shape

After the holidays I need to get on a program and get myself back in some kind of shape. I have no self control when it comes to Christmas foodstuffs.
I have about 40 days before Old Pueblo and I can use all the saddle time I can get, the problem is the days are short and cold. The ground is still so saturated from the rain/snow we got that my only option is riding when the ground is completely frozen.

I give you a couple of shots of "first tracks" Southern Utah style.

The low 20's is not my idea of ideal riding temps.  Once you are moving it's bearable but getting motivated to get out of the truck takes a near super human effort on my part, or maybe I am just weak sauce.

I am off to eat a salad.

All is quiet on New Years Day.

New Years Day 2011 and I was all alone at the trail head, my friends are cowards, sure it was cold and the ground was frozen but that was the only way we were going to get a ride in after all the rain we have been having.
I barely made it back to the truck before things thawed out and got messy.

A shot of the Virgin River from a week ago, usually this thing is ankle deep and 20 ft wide.

Rattlesnake wash was frozen solid, all I had was my phone for picture documentation.

More U2 for you to celebrate the season. It's good to see that electric instruments still work in the sub-arctic.
Happy New Year everybody, cheers.

Christmas

I am not a man who wastes much time on being a "fan" of anyone or anything. I make the exception with U2, they have provided a soundtrack for my life since I was a wee lad.

Bono has become quite polarizing over the years but love them or hate them you cannot dispute that they have been bringing the awesome, more often than not for more than 30 years.

Each album can open memories and transport me to a different time and place.

Christmas is no different.... from 1987

Merry Christmas to all.

440 Results

It's been a long time coming and I know it's been hard for you to be patient but we were finally able to ride the 440 in it's entirety. After getting rained out in October we rescheduled for Dec 4 and it went off without a hitch.....OK, maybe one hitch and that would be the gross number of people who did not show up.

There were a myriad of excuses and I want you to know that I accept none of them. So Dustin, Duane, Ryan, Mike, Scott, Courtney, Branden, Chris, Steve and the rest of you should all be ashamed.

You miss it next year and I may have to consider a lifetime ban from the event.

The weather was great as we started and right away the Brothers Rock went straight off the front flogging it hard. I settled into my 40 mile pace, content to sit in last place and wait for someone to have a mechanical so I could move up a spot. Sure enough, descending the Race Course Jon flatted out and I was able to pass. He caught me about 2 miles later on the Zen climb and I was off the back again.

I was able to keep John and Jon almost in sight thru the first 13 miles when due to lack of marking and explanation on the trail (totally my fault) they both took a wrong turn and I caught John at the water stop at the bottom of Zen and also had maybe a 2 minute lead on Jon again.

I hopped the trail entrance to the Poppy trail 45 seconds behind Jon and 1:30 behind John. I played catch up all the way up Stucki I had it pinned to the top and all the way down towards the Fence Line trail but they still had a 1/2 mile lead on me as we went into the Rim Runner section.

I saw Gary and Doug at the start of Rim Rock and realized I was not as far behind as I thought which was a little shot in the arm to keep pushing. To my surprise Jon was waiting for me at the exit of the Rim Runner trail. He was complaining of some gastrointestinal issues and what my Dad would politely call a case of "the trots." We rode about 200yds together before he had to stop and trot off into the pucker brush. I of course put the pedal down, nothing like kicking a brother when he is down. I would classify my pace as "aggressive touring" at this point.

I saw Jon catching me again about half way thru Barrel Roll. I want to believe that I was able to hold him off to the finish but I kind of think that he took pity on me and throttled back so that I did not have to come in last in my own race. What a considerate guy.

So here are your winners and course record holders, Doug (left) the only gear assisted rider. Gary (right) who led the whole race from mile 2 on.

Official times:

Gary Rock 3:35:49

Doug Rock 3:35:49

John Taylor 3:44:04

Mark Weston 3:52:10

Jon Hansen 3:53:34

Yep only 5 guys showed up, maybe we can triple that next year.

Congratulations to the winners, I believe fun was had by all. I know Jon will be looking for redemption next year after a flat and an unscheduled, emergency jump into the bushes. Thanks to Shalina and Aaron (sorry if I butchered the spelling) for their help with timing and water support, you guys were awesome.

I hope to see you all again next year.

O' Danny Boy 2.0

I give you the latest movie from Danny MacAskill. I wish I had a quarter of this guys talent.

For the last time, leave me alone.

I tried for 10 days to get this post done before the big day. My hang up was the fact that I could not get it done without being truly offensive to both the Red and the Blue fans. I may get flamed for this and probably will insult a few family members and neighbors with my toned down version but here goes.

Your antics are tired, juvenile and sophomoric. Words cannot describe how much I do not care about that game or your alma mater.

So BYU tool bag, and Utah rebellious mormon guy, keep it to yourself and leave me alone.

Frog Hollow 25 hr

Two weeks since the event and I finally found the cable connecting my camera to the computer.

This was the second annual Frog Hollow 25 hr race. Why 25 hours?? Well, every event needs a hook so they schedule it over the time change making it the longest one day race in the world.

They use the same course as the 6hr event I did in October. It uses parts of the JEM and Hurricane Rim trail with double track connections to complete the loop. All in all not a bad track though I could do without the chunky uphill out on the Rim. That section at night is less than enjoyable.

View from camp

It was nice being so close to home, we commented on it being the best nights sleep before a race ever. Some of the families came and hung out for a few hours giving the atmosphere a different feel.

The participants in this years festivities from left to right;

Yours truly, THE J Russ in his homage to Evil Kneivel, John T, and newby to the race scene C- Pettigrew

Lap one's Lemans start.

Frog Hollow 25 from El Scorcho on Vimeo.

JT on the FrankenPit bike

This late season there is a legitimate 12 hrs of dark which at times seemed interminable. At 5am I was sitting by the fire with JRuss as he was contemplating his impending 7th lap. He made the observation, " I have already done more laps than I have ever done in a 24hr race and it's still dark!"

Due to some blistering laps by JRuss and JT with some solid, yet unremarkable laps by myself and Pettigrew, Team Shift for Brains (it's a single speed team, get it?) was able to lock up 2nd place in our category. That team on the top step is F. A. S. T. Beat us by two laps--the little lady on the right is a former 24hr Solo SS World Champ so I feel down right lucky to be that close.

Accepting accolades and a box of new eye wear for the effort. First time and possibly the last that I will ever be on a podium so I soaked it up like Paris Hilton on the red carpet.

With only 20 -30 minutes of bad sleep in him, JRuss fell asleep as I was talking to him. It took me 2 minutes to realize that he was out cold so we snapped a shot. BTW that outfit = speed.