Monday, January 31, 2011
a bit o' summer G'Knights in coloRADo Winter
what a weekend....sure hope you were able to get on wheels.
A little Wild Turkey action from early on Saturday morning. Things got a little muddy later in the day.
As the day warmed up & trails got muddy we turned to the Mandary compound for skillz day on the pump track. G'Knight on draft as well...mmmm.
Starring down the barrel of winter weather coming Monday we made sure to get our money's worth. The camera died but the pulse did not. The ride reminded my of my FAVORITE BLOG post & a great movie. Here is the nitty gritty.
A little Wild Turkey action from early on Saturday morning. Things got a little muddy later in the day.
As the day warmed up & trails got muddy we turned to the Mandary compound for skillz day on the pump track. G'Knight on draft as well...mmmm.
Starring down the barrel of winter weather coming Monday we made sure to get our money's worth. The camera died but the pulse did not. The ride reminded my of my FAVORITE BLOG post & a great movie. Here is the nitty gritty.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
2011 Transworld Riders Poll - This Friday
Oskar Blues is sponsoring the 2011 Trnasworld Riders Poll event at The Fillmore during the SIA event week.
The 2011 TransWorld SNOWboarding Riders’ Poll Award Show will be held on Friday, January 28, the second night of the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) trade show. Doors to the Fillmore open at 7:00 p.m., with the award show starting at 8:00 p.m.
“The Riders’ Poll is a chance to step back from the grind and celebrate snowboarding’s top riders and their achievements over the past year. It’s an opportunity for them to get much-deserved recognition from their fellow riders.” –Annie Fast, Editor-In-Chief, TransWorld SNOWboarding
The award winners are voted on by pro riders in each of the seven categories,
Check out details & buy tickets HERE. Join us & toast a Dale's Pale Ale.
The 2011 TransWorld SNOWboarding Riders’ Poll Award Show will be held on Friday, January 28, the second night of the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) trade show. Doors to the Fillmore open at 7:00 p.m., with the award show starting at 8:00 p.m.
“The Riders’ Poll is a chance to step back from the grind and celebrate snowboarding’s top riders and their achievements over the past year. It’s an opportunity for them to get much-deserved recognition from their fellow riders.” –Annie Fast, Editor-In-Chief, TransWorld SNOWboarding
The award winners are voted on by pro riders in each of the seven categories,
Check out details & buy tickets HERE. Join us & toast a Dale's Pale Ale.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Leadville Winter Mountian Bike Race #1 - Raven test ride
We woke up to fresh snow in Leadville for the first race, a true test for the new ride.
The boys at Raven Cycle Werks sure made a beauty.
It was a perfect test for the new ride. The center track drivetrain worked well. We've been running CDS systems for a while & it appears to eliminate some of the belt line issues. We ran this system at less tension on the snow.
We took off from east 8th street with a 3 mile climb on 5th. The rig was more responsive than I anticipated and climbed suprisingly well. I hit the snow off the first climb in third but was leading by the end of the first descent. Fresh snow was falling throughout the race.
A nice shot of the accumulating snow on course. Part of the mineral belt trail had snow drifts above teh knee's and a stiff wind smaking you in the face. There was a false flat on teh miuneral belt trail in the closing miles and I had a hard time turning the single speed over in that much snow & a false flat. I was caught just at the end of the trail while we turned onto 5th street for the descent. It was tough as many of the guys had gears & were getting some good pedal on. But the snow bike pounded through some of the drifts and as we came down fifth apparently we missed a turn to take us to 7th. We sprinted to the finish & i simply ran out of gear on the flat road finish...what a trip, sprinting to the finish after stomping around in the snow for over an hour & a half. Because of the missed turn at the end we were DQ'd, but the bike worked well and we had fun none-the-less. My hands were frozen & I jumped in a car to de-ice, it was a chilly one.
Doug was rockin his Turner and laid down a sweet slide across the finish. Man, it was brutal cold.
Jeremy grabbing a grin after a good day in the snow & on the bike, he battled for 2nd in the SS category.
Doug warms up in the truck before a GORDON.
As usual, the post race was just as much fun as the race itself. OB Beer & some good Mexican Food were a great way to end the day. Cheers to the Leadville crew, see you at the next one.
The boys at Raven Cycle Werks sure made a beauty.
It was a perfect test for the new ride. The center track drivetrain worked well. We've been running CDS systems for a while & it appears to eliminate some of the belt line issues. We ran this system at less tension on the snow.
We took off from east 8th street with a 3 mile climb on 5th. The rig was more responsive than I anticipated and climbed suprisingly well. I hit the snow off the first climb in third but was leading by the end of the first descent. Fresh snow was falling throughout the race.
A nice shot of the accumulating snow on course. Part of the mineral belt trail had snow drifts above teh knee's and a stiff wind smaking you in the face. There was a false flat on teh miuneral belt trail in the closing miles and I had a hard time turning the single speed over in that much snow & a false flat. I was caught just at the end of the trail while we turned onto 5th street for the descent. It was tough as many of the guys had gears & were getting some good pedal on. But the snow bike pounded through some of the drifts and as we came down fifth apparently we missed a turn to take us to 7th. We sprinted to the finish & i simply ran out of gear on the flat road finish...what a trip, sprinting to the finish after stomping around in the snow for over an hour & a half. Because of the missed turn at the end we were DQ'd, but the bike worked well and we had fun none-the-less. My hands were frozen & I jumped in a car to de-ice, it was a chilly one.
Doug was rockin his Turner and laid down a sweet slide across the finish. Man, it was brutal cold.
Jeremy grabbing a grin after a good day in the snow & on the bike, he battled for 2nd in the SS category.
Doug warms up in the truck before a GORDON.
As usual, the post race was just as much fun as the race itself. OB Beer & some good Mexican Food were a great way to end the day. Cheers to the Leadville crew, see you at the next one.
Snow, we don't need no snow
Dale couldn't wait....He's rocking the Raven Cycle Werks snow bike at Hall Ranch fresh out of the box. Turn that thing over brother! Happy Birthday!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
One last stop before 10,200 ft.
On the way to Leadville for race #1 we picked up a birthday gift for Dale. A full on custom Raven Snowbike complete with Gates CDS Centertrack drivetrain. Our buddies at Raven Cycle Werks have a good little local thing going, check them out HERE.
After scooping up this beauty we headed west & stopped at Dillan Dam brewery to fill up for the weekend of high country racing. Too funny, we talked to Corey the head brewer and ran into the one and only Christina Beggy. We shared beers, stories & starred at beer & bikes....a perfect start to the trip.
There are many more details to this rig, more to come.
Leaning in the brew house at Dillon Damn, dat's some fatties.
Happy Birthday Dale!
After beers and a late entry to Leadville we had to test this baby out.
She did not dissappoint.
Doug digs into the snowbank.
After an hour of fine tuning & playing around we finished our Dale's Pale Ale & hit the sack ready for the morning race.
After scooping up this beauty we headed west & stopped at Dillan Dam brewery to fill up for the weekend of high country racing. Too funny, we talked to Corey the head brewer and ran into the one and only Christina Beggy. We shared beers, stories & starred at beer & bikes....a perfect start to the trip.
There are many more details to this rig, more to come.Leaning in the brew house at Dillon Damn, dat's some fatties.
Happy Birthday Dale!
After beers and a late entry to Leadville we had to test this baby out.
She did not dissappoint.
Doug digs into the snowbank.After an hour of fine tuning & playing around we finished our Dale's Pale Ale & hit the sack ready for the morning race.
Monday, January 24, 2011
One for the road...
The OB crew shot out early on Friday to catch ride at Hall Ranch before heading up to Leadville for the first race of the series. We enjoyed the shorts & jeresey weather before heading into winter for the race.....there was one more stop before Leadville, but that's another story.
Jeremy rollin the Rock Garden on his SS. 
A nice shot of the end of the day, heading for snow.
Jeremy rollin the Rock Garden on his SS. 
A nice shot of the end of the day, heading for snow.Friday, January 21, 2011
January Full Moon Recon
The full moon was blasting so we grabbed snowshoes and headed to Peaceful Valley to recon the snow pack up the Buchanan Pass trail with thoughts of a Tuesday Night ride in our head. It was dialed just a bit past the bridge outside of Camp Dick but the wind, snow & lessor traffic would have created a tough environment for non-snow bikes past that point. We'll keep packing it in & cross our fingers for a tight pack before dragging the group up. That & we'll have to get a snow bike, hmmmm. Until then we're off to Leadville for race #1.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Leadville Winter Series....
2011 BMA Banquet
It's time to dust off your fancy clothes, get the jewels out of the vault, and join the fun at this year's Boulder Mountainbike Alliance Banquet presented by the Trek Bicycle Store! It is time to gather together the razzle-dazzle folks of Boulder - the decision makers, active sports industry leaders, and you, BMA's intrepid supporters.
We'll be serving up fantastic food, a bevy of door prizes, and revealing new items in our silent auction and live auctions that you'll have to see to believe. Seriously, you don't want to miss out.
As always, Oskar Blues provides your favorite brews on tap, free with admission. A cash bar will be available as well.
The banquet sells out every year, and each year it sells out earlier, so get your tickets now before they're gone. We need your support and funds to capitalize on all the exciting opportunities coming to BMA and Boulder County trails in 2011. ALL proceeds go to accomplishing BMA's mission.
Buy your tickets now! Don't be left out in the cold!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
www.bcBEERnGEAR.com Free Gear Winner Announced.
Backcountry Magazine & Oskar Blues have announced the December Winner for the monthly www.bcBEERnGEAR.com gear giveaway. CHARLIE DESROSIERS of Castle Rock, CO has one a full Burton [AK] Top & Bottom, A Backcountry Magazine Hoody & Winter Hat, an Oskar Blues T-Shirt, Pint Glass & Can Koozie.
THE DEAL
Burton/AK, Oskar Blues Brewery and Backcountry Magazine have teamed up to offer a monthly giveaway. Each month a winner will be chosen at random. Please check back and sign up each month for new prizes.
THE RULES
You need to re-register each month at www.bcBEERnGEAR.com in order to be eligible for that month’s prizes.
Limit of one entry per person, per month, please.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Valmont Bike Park Update
The City of Boulder's Parks and Recreation Department is making great progress towards a spring 2011 opening of the Valmont Bike Park. While an exact opening date has not yet been selected, the site is still a flurry of activity with workers installing utilities, restrooms, parking facilities, landscaping, and riding elements. Fourteen months ago we were celebrating the Bike Park's ground breaking - now we're very close to it opening. Your donations have made a significant impact in making the park better for the community; we want to thank you not only for the financial support, but your patience as well - as we all await the big day.
Recently, the park was awarded an additional $45,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) for the informational and trail signs at the park. To most observers, this seems like a lot of money for signs. The signage is one of many important safety elements of the park. The park will be teaming with kids and new riders, and safety is of paramount importance. All the riding features must be clearly marked, like a ski area, to steer inexperienced riders away from the expert level elements. Parks & Rec is wisely taking risk management seriously, we not only want a good riding experience, but rider safety cannot be compromised. GOCO is the agency responsible for allocating state lottery proceeds, and we want to thank the state of Colorado's Lottery for awarding us this grant. Between the coordinated fundraising efforts and grant writing of Parks & Rec and BMA, we have added $500,000 to enhancements to the park!
As of the week of December 20th, the restroom building was framed and sheathed, most of the irrigation pipe and sprinkler heads installed, 90% of the trails complete, seeding and erosion control mats installed, and concrete work is complete. The hub plaza is 80% complete. Local artist Christian Mueller was tasked with the design, and his vision is nearly complete. The hub plaza will serve as the gathering space for riders and park users, and is a true work of art. The plaza is shaped like a chainring, and has enormous stones radiating from the center like spokes of a wheel. For more photos and progress report, please see the city's website www.ValmontCityPark.org
Judd DeVal of Alpine Bike Parks is the bike trail contractor. He and his crew have come from Vancouver, BC, Santa Cruz, Boise, and North Carolina to build the bike features. Alpine Bike Parks has built some of the finest parks in the world and we are fortunate to have this crew working on Valmont. They are out there long days sculpting the trails, pouring concrete for the wall rides, and welding the structures for bridges and jumps. They have made impressive progress, and you will be grinning ear to ear when you get to ride the finished product.
Chance Brown of J2 Construction, the site's general contractor, has done an amazing job coordinating the park's major excavation work and overall progress. These two teams are doing a remarkable job to bring make this dream park a reality.
We had poaching problems when the park construction began, but most of these problems have subsided as riders realized poaching was creating havoc for the construction crews and delaying the project. Thanks for being responsive and letting the crews get their job done unhindered.
The single biggest question we hear is "When is the park going to open?" The Parks & Rec Department has been working hard to get Valmont open. They are doing a great job in balancing the maintenance of existing parks, while simultaneously building the Bike Park and installing synthetic turf (and other upgrades) at East Boulder Community Park.
Since we have been working together on the fundraising, we have witnessed the monumental task first hand. There are other city departments involved, various contractors, wildlife and irrigation ditch concerns, and budgets to manage. Park construction is a large undertaking - as they must ensure adequate parking, restroom facilities, landscaping, and information signage commensurate with the number of visitors the park will attract. They must also comply with all clean water, clean air and noise regulations and make required transportation improvements to Goose Creek, Valmont and Airport roads to keep traffic (both bike and car) flowing seamlessly. We hope to be able to pinpoint an opening date in the New Year, but rest assured, this is going as quickly as possible and no one is dragging their feet.
We have had many generous offers to volunteer to help, and we are sorry there has been no opportunity to date. We hope to have some opportunities soon, but most of the construction is beyond the scope of volunteer days. If we had to move 16,000 yards of dirt (a dump truck holds 6 yards) with shovels, we would be out there until the year 2071. With earth movers, cranes and concrete trucks buzzing around and open utilities, the site is not safe for volunteers.
If you see any members of Parks and Recreation, from the guy shoveling snow on the Pearl St. Mall, to the staff behind the desk at one of the Rec Centers, they all deserve our thanks. We have a new appreciation for our Parks and Recreation Department, let them hear it
Recently, the park was awarded an additional $45,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) for the informational and trail signs at the park. To most observers, this seems like a lot of money for signs. The signage is one of many important safety elements of the park. The park will be teaming with kids and new riders, and safety is of paramount importance. All the riding features must be clearly marked, like a ski area, to steer inexperienced riders away from the expert level elements. Parks & Rec is wisely taking risk management seriously, we not only want a good riding experience, but rider safety cannot be compromised. GOCO is the agency responsible for allocating state lottery proceeds, and we want to thank the state of Colorado's Lottery for awarding us this grant. Between the coordinated fundraising efforts and grant writing of Parks & Rec and BMA, we have added $500,000 to enhancements to the park!
As of the week of December 20th, the restroom building was framed and sheathed, most of the irrigation pipe and sprinkler heads installed, 90% of the trails complete, seeding and erosion control mats installed, and concrete work is complete. The hub plaza is 80% complete. Local artist Christian Mueller was tasked with the design, and his vision is nearly complete. The hub plaza will serve as the gathering space for riders and park users, and is a true work of art. The plaza is shaped like a chainring, and has enormous stones radiating from the center like spokes of a wheel. For more photos and progress report, please see the city's website www.ValmontCityPark.org
Judd DeVal of Alpine Bike Parks is the bike trail contractor. He and his crew have come from Vancouver, BC, Santa Cruz, Boise, and North Carolina to build the bike features. Alpine Bike Parks has built some of the finest parks in the world and we are fortunate to have this crew working on Valmont. They are out there long days sculpting the trails, pouring concrete for the wall rides, and welding the structures for bridges and jumps. They have made impressive progress, and you will be grinning ear to ear when you get to ride the finished product.
Chance Brown of J2 Construction, the site's general contractor, has done an amazing job coordinating the park's major excavation work and overall progress. These two teams are doing a remarkable job to bring make this dream park a reality.
We had poaching problems when the park construction began, but most of these problems have subsided as riders realized poaching was creating havoc for the construction crews and delaying the project. Thanks for being responsive and letting the crews get their job done unhindered.
The single biggest question we hear is "When is the park going to open?" The Parks & Rec Department has been working hard to get Valmont open. They are doing a great job in balancing the maintenance of existing parks, while simultaneously building the Bike Park and installing synthetic turf (and other upgrades) at East Boulder Community Park.
Since we have been working together on the fundraising, we have witnessed the monumental task first hand. There are other city departments involved, various contractors, wildlife and irrigation ditch concerns, and budgets to manage. Park construction is a large undertaking - as they must ensure adequate parking, restroom facilities, landscaping, and information signage commensurate with the number of visitors the park will attract. They must also comply with all clean water, clean air and noise regulations and make required transportation improvements to Goose Creek, Valmont and Airport roads to keep traffic (both bike and car) flowing seamlessly. We hope to be able to pinpoint an opening date in the New Year, but rest assured, this is going as quickly as possible and no one is dragging their feet.
We have had many generous offers to volunteer to help, and we are sorry there has been no opportunity to date. We hope to have some opportunities soon, but most of the construction is beyond the scope of volunteer days. If we had to move 16,000 yards of dirt (a dump truck holds 6 yards) with shovels, we would be out there until the year 2071. With earth movers, cranes and concrete trucks buzzing around and open utilities, the site is not safe for volunteers.
If you see any members of Parks and Recreation, from the guy shoveling snow on the Pearl St. Mall, to the staff behind the desk at one of the Rec Centers, they all deserve our thanks. We have a new appreciation for our Parks and Recreation Department, let them hear it
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