Chuck Jacobs - Amateur Mountain Bike Racer

47th place Duo Open @ 24 Hrs. in the Old Pueblo

2007-03-11T19:26:00.000-05:00

2007 Schedule

2007-01-14T20:27:00.000-06:00

2007 Schedule

Feb. 17-18 24 hours in the Old Pueblo Tucson, AZ. Duo

April 29 Ironman Ride Lakeville, MN. Family

May 19 Cable Classic Cable, WI. Tandem

May 26-27 24 hours of Boyne* Boyne, MI. SS Solo

June 23 8 hours of Cannonsburg* Cannonsburg, MI. SS Solo

July 21 12 hours of Ithaca* Ithaca, MI. SS Solo

July 28-29 24 hours at 9 mile Wausau, WI. Duo

Aug. 18 12 hours of Pando* Rockford, MI. SS Solo

Sept. 1-2 24 hours of Drummond Is.* Drummond Is., MI. SS Solo

Sept. 15 12 hours of Hanson Hills* Grayling, MI. SS Solo

Nov. 10 Iceman Traverse City, MI. Tandem

*Michigan Cup Endurance Series

2006-08-28T11:49:00.000-05:00

2 week collage

2006-06-17T12:36:00.000-05:00

A couple weekends ago I did the WORS race in Wausau. I thought it would be good to get out there once before 24/9 although the course used for the WORS race is much different than the 24 hour race. I had a good race although I was a little under geared. There was a huge pile-up at the start of my wave but I made it through. The following weekend I did my first WEMS race of the year at John Muir. We arrived at 6am to cold and rain which made it a bit difficult to get motivated . It stopped raining around 8am and was very muddy for the next few hours. The 6 and 3 hour races had huge turn outs. Team New-Mart was well represented: I did the 12 hour, Scott did the 6 hour, and Mike and Wade did the 3 hour. Penn Cycle figured out a way to keep the Thursday night series at Buck Hill going to I grabbed the 29er and headed out. They mowed/cut singletrack in the face of the ski hills and the tree lines seperating the runs. Laps were about 3 miles long. My next race is going to be the 12 Hours of Metro next weekend. I'm also planning on doing the WORS race the following weekend in Eau Claire. I also hope to do a few couple more Buck Hill races as my schedule permits. Good times!

Alpine Valley Recap.

2006-05-24T19:13:00.000-05:00

We decided to hit up the 2nd WORS race this weekend. It was the Alpine Valley race down in SE Wisconsin. I wasnt feeling that great but we were staying at the resort so I was looking forward to a nice weekend away. We arrived friday night and I had a nasty head and chest cold but was hoping I would feel better on Sunday. Saturday we slept in and then had breakfast at the resort, which had opened that weekend. We then drove into town for some snacks, etc. When we got back, I got ready and pre-rode a lap. This course has a ton of climbing and 3 creek crossings. The weather was a bit chilly in the AM but turned into a perfect day for racing. I felt better on Sunday but was still congested and didnt do very well in the race. Before the season ends I want to be competitive in one of these races. My next race looks to be the WORS #3 race at 9 mile forest in 2 weeks.

Here is a picture of Melissa and I after we pre-rode the kids race course.

After the 3rd creek crossing there was a nasty steep uphill which I had to run.

Ahh......downhill

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

2006-05-17T17:14:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of Kenny and Kevin in their first race, the Cable Classic. Kraig and I are behind the dude in black with red on the sleeves.

Melissa and Elliot @ Iola Bump & Jump

Front row?!?!

"BMX" Bill helping Melissa in the kids race. Thanks Bill!!

Cable Classic Recap

2006-05-15T10:23:00.000-05:00

Here is a quick recap from the race this past weekend. Kraigness and I won the Tandem class in the 18 mile race. It was epic - rain, cold, mud. I will post pictures and a longer write up later when i get caught up with work, etc.

I can upload pictures again!!

2006-05-10T18:46:00.000-05:00

The Iola WORS race was at a ski jumping facility. During the sport race someone was taking practice jumps. They wet the "fake" grass and the person wore a padded suit.

I will post more pictures when i get back from the Cable Classic.

pictures

2006-05-09T19:32:00.000-05:00

I'm having difficulties posting pictures, so when I figure out the problem I will post some pics.

I picked up the tandem from Hollywood today. I needed a new rear wheel installed, there was a problem with the hub on the original. This weekend Kraigness and I are racing the tandem in the Cable Classic.

Iola Bump & Jump Recap.

2006-05-08T10:49:00.000-05:00

Sarah, Melissa, and I headed out Friday afternoon and headed to the Holiday Inn in Stevens Point, Wi. Saturday I headed over to the course to preride while Sarah and Melissa played in the water park. The course was 5 miles long with one long climb on the back side of the course and a few sandy sections. Overall I liked the course, it was the first time I have done this race. I finished 16th in the SS sport class. I gassed big time on the first lap but passed a bunch of riders the second lap, fatigue set in on the third lap and I was repassed by some of the riders I had passed on the 2nd lap. I think there were 25 in the SS sport class betweeen the men and women. Congrats to Susie for winning the womens SS class! I will post some pictures soon.

Next up.........

2006-04-25T19:50:00.000-05:00

My next race (May 7th) looks to be the Iola Bump & Jump, the first WORS race of the season. I entered the Single Speed Sport class for the series, hopefully I can make it to enough races to make the final standings. Melissa is also going to race in the Hayes Disc Brake Youth Race. This will be her first race on her new 20" wheeled Gary Fisher Cosmo. At this point my second race looks to be the Cable Classic on May 13. I will be racing my new tandem with Kraigness. If for some reason that doesnt work out I will be at the first WEMS race in Ferryville, Wi. I've received my number assignments for both series, I will be number 9004 in WORS and number 1 in WEMS. Hopefully I can repeat as series champ in the WEMS 12 Hour Solo SS class!

Pictures from the OC

2006-03-31T20:32:00.000-06:00

Kraigness' prerace meal includes a Lil' Chub meat snack
Second race with the new Team kit
Kraigness and I during the preride

photos courtesy of Jeff Kerkove

Ouachita Challenge Recap

2006-03-28T14:54:00.000-06:00

Kraig, Scott and I left around 7:30am towards Waterloo, Iowa to pick up Jeff. We left his place around 11am and headed for our hotel in Hot Springs, AR. Along the way we stopped at Harrahs in Kansas City, MO. We arrived in Hot Springs around 2 am and went to bed. On Saturday we pre-rode some of the course and registered for the race. That evening we went to dinner at Outback Steakhouse. Jeff, Kraig and I chilled in the room the rest of the night and Scott went out on the town. We got up early Sunday and Jeff, Kraig and I had breakfast while Scott slept in. We left for Oden around 5am. We arrived in Oden around 6:30 and started prepping for the race. The race included 200 entrants. Kraig and I rode the race together as he is still recovering from an ankle injury. The race started with a couple mile lead out through town and stopped at a dirt rode. The race started there. The first 10 miles were a gradual climb. The next 10 miles included some wicked rock gardens. The next 10 miles included one major river crossing and some gravel roads. Kraig and I only made it to the 2nd check point and did a total of 40 miles. It was a grueling 40 miles. Scott didnt finish the race either, he made it to the 3rd check point. Jeff did an outstanding job and finished 10th overall. It was a pleasure hanging out with Jeff this past weekend. After the race Jeff, Kraig and I went to Perkins while Scott slept in the hotel. After dinner we relaxed in the hotel room and went to bed since we were leaving at 6am for the 15 hour drive home. Scott decided to go out again that night and ended up staying in Arkansas while Jeff, Kraig and I drove home. Wow, what a wild weekend! I will post some pictures later.

2005-12-04T13:53:00.000-06:00

Met at New-Mart today at 9am for a group ride down at the river bottoms. Scott brought his Trans Iowa secret weapon to test and get some more miles on the bike. As you can see it is a fully rigid "69er". It is light and fast. We started the project last week and had Hollywood build it up. Since it is a secret weapon we can not disclose too much about it. I believe he is going to ride this bike at the 24 hours in the Old Pueblo in Feb. The ride was a bit cold at the beginning but warmed up nicely. Even though we have a few inches of snow, the trail was in great shape. Well, thats about it for now... Go vikes!

2005-10-31T14:32:00.000-06:00

My blog is worth $1,129.08.
How much is your blog worth?

Nature Valley CX Recap.

2005-10-31T13:35:00.000-06:00

Kraig, Scott and I hit up Buck Hill on Sunday for the Nature Valley cross race. Long story short.... I'm in terrible shape and took 17 in the C main, Kraig took 11th - good job Kraig on your first cross race. Scott did the A main and had a good battle with a couple guys near the back of a tough pack. Scott did have a nice header crossing a barrier before the short run-up. It was a cold, rainy but fun day. We may hit up the cross race next weekend otherwise the next race will be the cross state championships on the 13th. I think I'm going to start jogging.........

2005-10-31T13:32:00.000-06:00

sneak peak at my new 29er.

Nature Valley CX

2005-10-25T18:32:00.000-05:00

Looks like I'm gonna rage on the Trek XO1 this Sunday at Buck Hill along with Scott and Kraig. This will be Kraigs first cross race. I've been mostly riding the cross bike lately although my fitness isnt spectacular. It should be a fun day. Tomorrow Hollywood is building up my 29er. I will put pictures and the specs up later this week. I'm building it up with 1x9 gearing. This will probably be my primary bike next year, depends on which class I end up racing in.

I'm having a couple video games installed tomorrow at the store. I'm gonna do a 3 month test and see how they do. I have a decent commission deal worked out so I hope things go well. Typicaly you dont want people/kids hanging around, but if they are playing games (and not stealing) then this should work out. Stay tuned..

Scott has been talking about a night race down in Iowa in November. Maybe we can hook up with Kerkove and do some riding? I'll know more soon...

2005-10-24T21:41:00.000-05:00

comments??

2005-10-24T21:40:00.000-05:00

Here is a sneak peak at the Team New~Mart kit for next year. Jeff Kerkove did an awesome job with the design work. I'm in the process of finalizing all the sponsor\vendor details and then its off to louis Garneau. The plan is to have them ready for Tucson in Feb. (or earlier). Comments??

2005-10-10T22:44:00.000-05:00

Kraigness - rubber side down

2005-10-03T13:53:00.000-05:00

Kraigness and I congratulate each other on a great season.

2005-10-03T13:51:00.000-05:00

finishing a lap.

2005-10-03T13:47:00.000-05:00

Grunting up the huge hill at the start of the race.

12 hours of Blue Mound & WEMS series Recap

2005-10-03T12:55:00.000-05:00

Going into the final WEMS race of the year I was in 2nd place in the overall series points, 2 points behind Kraig. I had figured out that I needed to place 2nd or better at Blue Mound and finish ahead of Kraig and I would win the series. The Trek Store put up some money for the Single Speed class so I thought there might be a large turn out.

We arrived in Madison around 1:00pm on Friday and met up with Wade (sarah's brother). Kraig, Wade and I headed out to Blue Mound State Park to pre-ride a lap and set up our EZ-up. Wade lives in Madison and has ridden at Blue Mound before so he was a big help during the pre-ride. Blue Mound is a technical course with many jagged rocks. After our pre-ride we went out for dinner and picked up some groceries.

We arrived at the course around 6am on Saturday and finished setting up our pit area. Four riders entered the 12 hour solo SS class. Bill Schneider (Stud), Eric Nelson (defending series champion), Kraigness, and myself. My plan was to ride my pace and see how the race unfolded. Many things can happen in a 12 hour race, ecspecialy at this venue. I got a flat my first lap near the end of the lap so I jogged in and switched bikes. The Trek guys helped Sarah repair the flat, thanks! I rode in 4th the first 4 laps. Lap 5 I moved into 2nd place while Kraig and Eric were in the pits. I had another flat this lap near the end again and was able to jog in again. Wade had arrived and helped wrench on my bikes the rest of the day. Eric passed me on lap 6 and I was again in 3rd. I stayed in 3rd through my 8th lap. I came in at 6:33pm and saw that Eric had stopped and Kraig had stopped earlier after having a bad crash. All I had to do was bang out 1 more lap and I would get 2nd in the race and win the series. I took off in the dark and rode with Lee Unwin for the first part of the lap. I finished the lap around 7:39! I did it. I got a nice medal and a $50.00 certificate to the Trek Store for taking 2nd in the race. I also get a very nice plaque and $50.00 cash for winning the series.

I wanna thank everyone who helped me out this year. Sarah and melissa!! Kraig Anderson, Scott Cave, Wade McGuire, Jeff Kerkove, Trek, Hollywood Cycles, Gatorade, Old Dutch, Coke, and anyone else along the way.

I still might do a cross race or something this year, we'll see. Otherwise my next race will be the 24 Hous in the Old Pueblo, Feb. 2006.

I will post a few pictures as well.

Thunderdown in the Underdown 12 hour Recap.

2005-09-19T10:41:00.000-05:00

Kraig and I decided to do the WEMS race instead of the Cheq 40 because of the WEMS series points. The weekend started on Thursday @ 5am. I had to go into work and do some paperwork, etc. and then we all headed up to Alexandria, MN. because I had a trade show on Friday. Henry's Foods put us up at the Arrowwood Resort with an expense account. We arrived in Alexandria thursday night and had a nice dinner (thanks Henry's) and played in the water park. Friday morning I went to the trade show while Kraigness, Sarah and Melissa chilled at the resort. I did well at the show - I signed a deal with Tombstone (Kraft Foods). We will be putting in their Kiosk and selling their product in our deli. I saw a new item at the Trojan booth - a vibrating condom!? Look for that in the stores in the near future. Anyway, we finally departed from Alexandria, MN. in the afternoon and headed for Wausau, WI. We arrived late in the evening and settled into our suite. Sarah and Kraig ran and got groceries so we didnt have to do that in the am. We got up Sat around 5am and got to the race site around 6:30am. This was not one of our better jobs at prepping for a race - but we were there to get what points we could. We scrambled around and got to the start line just as the race started - no Le mans start. Kraigness entered the race 1st in points with a 8 point lead over myself with Ted T. (the race promoter) in 3rd. Mathmaticaly only us 3 have a chance at the series championship. Ted did one lap in the race, got his points, and pulled out so he could focus on running the race. Kraig and I needed to place 1st or 2nd to gain any points other than the 10 bonus points. The dude leading won 24-9 so we knew he was tough. Kraig and I were riding together on our 5th lap and we both were feeling like crap. Knowing we had 2nd and 3rd wrapped up, Kraig decided to pay me back from Ferryville earlier in the season and I could take 2nd - beating kraig by a whole 3 seconds. We packed it up early and left around 6pm. Oct 1st is the next and final race in the WEMS series. Its at Blue Mound which I hear is very rocky.

24 Hours of Afton Recap

2005-08-28T14:12:00.000-05:00

Sarah, Melissa, Kraigness and I met Scott out at Afton around noon on Friday to set up our pit area. It had rained all night and was still raining at noon when we met up. Bill and Susie were planning on arriving by 8pm. We set up the pit area and preped our bikes for the wet conditions. It stopped raining around 3:00 or so and was nice the rest of the weekend although it never fully dried up. The course was longer with more climbing this year. During registration Kraig and I were informed that they made a "error" on the registration form and there was not going to be a SS class. Instead they put us in the Vet class. Keep in mind we all had our single speed bikes and were at Afton. Also keep in mind I had emailed them earlier to confirm if the SS class was individual or team and they responded saying team! Bill, Susie and Elliot (Dirt Rag star), ended up arriving at 5:00pm in time to see me run. The le mans start was suppose to be a 50 yard run instead this year we had to run up the ski hill around a bush and back down then 50 yards to our bikes. We each did 5 laps except Bill did one extra night lap for 6. We had a great time with a bunch of great people and finished in 10th place in the Vet class with 21 laps in 23.5 hours. I would really like to enter a true 4 person SS team class with this group and see how we could do. Bill and Susie, what are you doing in Feburary??

I read about Jeff Kerkove's misfortune and am not sure what to say at this point. I think my actions regarding which races I enter will speak for me.

My next race will be the Sept. 17 WEMS race in Merrill, Wi. Its too bad I have to choose between The Chequamegon 40 and the WEMS race.

Team New-Mart update #2

2005-08-16T20:58:00.000-05:00

Scott Cave wussed out on the team (decided he didnt want to do the SS thing and is going to ride solo) so we welcome Bill Schneider to our team. Hes a bad ass SSer from Green Bay. Hopefully this is the last revision to our team roster and we can get ready to have a good time.

Was at Hollywood's shop today having some work done on my bikes. Hes crazy busy, which is good I guess. Hes getting ready for the Single Speed World Championships. Hes a past SS World Champ and plans on bringing it back to Minneapolis. Good Luck Hollywood!

The plan is to ride either Lebanon Hills tomorrow or maybe sneak over and preride Afton.

Team New-Mart ready for Afton

2005-08-13T10:23:00.000-05:00

Team New-Mart is set for the 24 Hours of Afton. We are entering the 4 person Single Speed class. The team includes myself, Kraigness, Scott Cave, and Susie McGinnity. This will be Scotts first race this year as he comes back after an injury. Also, this race is the week after the Single Speed World Championships which Susie is racing in, so we may have a World Champion on our team!

The week after Afton is the 24 hour race in Iowa. hmm...

2005-08-08T09:24:00.000-05:00

Another lap...

12 Hours of GEARS Recap.

2005-08-08T09:04:00.000-05:00

Its unfortunate the 12 hours of GEARS was a week after 24-9, actually not even a full week. My plan was to do 1 lap, get the points, and help Kraig the rest of the day. The course this year was basicaly the same as last year except in reverse direction. Scott won the race last year with something like 34 laps and this year the course seemed faster in this direction. As it ended up, Kraig and I were the only entrants in the SS class. Since we are batteling for the series title, I decided to go as long as I could and see what happened. I ended up riding 7 or 8 hours and doing 14 laps before I couldnt go anymore. When Kraig saw that I had stopped, he did a couple more laps and joined me. Congratulations to Kraigness on his first WEMS win. With 2 races left in the series, Kraig leads me by 8 points. The next race on Sept. 17 is on the same day as the Chequamegon 40. After crunching the numbers, we have decided to do the WEMS race that weekend and skip the 40.

My next race appears to be the 24 Hours of Afton. I will not be going to Whistler since I cant find anyone to go with me. I'm setting Kraig up on a savings plan at New-Mart so he will have the funds to go next year. As far as Afton goes, I'm trying to form a SS Team consisting of me, Kraig, Scott Cave, and Wade McGuire.

Time to rest...

2005-08-01T18:07:00.000-05:00

Check out the guy wearing the pink pig outfit..

24-9 recap.

2005-07-31T17:51:00.000-05:00

This was my 2nd attempt at a 24 hour race. I pre-rode the course with Jeff Kerkove on Friday and was able to tap into his vast knowledge of endurance racing. He pitted along side me so Sarah was able to chat with his parents during the race. The race started with a .25 mile run where I was almost passed by a guy in a pink pig costume. I was mid pack and had to wait at the first single track for like 5 minutes completely stopped before everyone funneled in. I did 3 laps with short breaks in between then I took longer breaks between laps 4 and 5. My 6th lap was at night and I was able to ride with Jeff for a short time as he was feeling sick and going at a slower pace. I ended up sleeping for a few hours during the night and did one more lap in the morning to finish after 10am. The highlight of my 7th lap occurred with about 1/4 lap left when the carbon seatpost on my Trek broke at the clamp. I had to ride the remainder of the lap standing up. I finished in 7th place with 7 laps. Had I ridden all night, even at a slow pace, I may have finished on the podium as everyone 3rd down took a break during the night. Jeff is right when he says you always want to keep moving forward even if your only going 2 mph. It becomes a mental battle as well as a physical one. Hopefully I can improve with each 24 hour effort. We are staying at the Holiday Inn tonight and will be heading home Monday am. I will post a few pictures then. Beware of purple horses.

pre 24-9 post

2005-07-28T21:06:00.000-05:00

Arrived in Wausau around 3:00 today, Thursday. Checked into the hotel and headed to the race site to set up a tent for melissa and the EZ-up. It started raining as we were finishing with the tent and has continued to rain ever since. I was going to pre-ride one lap today and another tomorrow but with the rain, I decided against it today.

The plan for tomorrow is to sleep in as late as possible. Go over and check on the pit area and make sure nothing blew away then relax until meeting up with Jeff at 3:00. Hes raced here a couple times, taking 2nd a couple years back so he should be a wealth of knowledge. Hopefully its not muddy! After the pre-ride I need to register for the Solo Single Speed class and then Jeff and I will head back to the hotel to eat and chill.

WORS Cup Recap.

2005-07-17T21:57:00.000-05:00

I was having trouble finding someone to go with me to this race so I was either gonna go solo or not at all. Scott Cave called Friday afternoon around 4:00 and said lets go. I was on the way home from seeing the new Willy Wonka movie with the family. I got home, changed the gearing on my Trek SS for the time trial and packed the van with both SS and my gear. Scott wasnt racing but brought his SS along to get a little riding in. We arrived at Devil's Head Resort around 2am. Since it was already Saturday we asked if we could check-in early for Saturday night. She said OK and we basicly got 2 nights for $75.00. We went directly to bed for the 7am wake up call. Scott slept in while I got up and did one practice run. The downhillers got rides up the hill while us doing the time trial had to ride up. I ended up 2nd in the time rial for my first ever podium at a WORS event. Sunday was HOT for the cross country race. Scott and I got up, had breakfast and I got ready for the race. Scott gave me hand-ups during the race. I didnt have a very good run and ended up 10th. Alot of riders DNFd because of the heat. The left side of my seat rails broke off during the second lap so I had to ride the last 1.5 laps standing up. I need a new Bontrager Race Lite Seat! I was lucky enough to take 2nd in the Sport Single Speed Omnium (for my second WORS podium). All in all Scott and I had a nice weekend away and hopefully his shoulder will heal soon. After doing a couple cross country races the past few weekends, I now more than ever prefer the endurance events!

12 Hours of Winter Recap.

2005-07-11T09:43:00.000-05:00

Sarah, Melissa and I along with Kraig and his boys headed out for the race this weekend Friday AM. The new trailer worked great and we had more than enough room. Kraig and I were able to sneak a preride in friday afternoon while everyone else went swimming at the hotel. We had a suite so we ate our meals at the room most of the time. The course at Winter Park was tough, very hilly with technical downhills so you couldnt rest much. My hips are sore today from getting on and off the bike so much. I had a good run, everything felt good although my energy level dropped off after the 4th lap. I took a break and did 2 more laps for 2nd place. Kraig wasnt feeling 100% and finished 3rd.

Although not as impressive as Jeff, here are the stats from my Trek wireless computer:

Total run time on the bike: 7:44:36
Average speed: 5.3
Max speed: 22.3
Total distance: 41.4

Next up is either the WORS Cup this weekend or the 24 hours of 9 Mile in 3 weeks.

Chippewa Valley Firecracker Recap.

2005-07-04T21:22:00.000-05:00

Kraig and I decided to check out the WORS/MNSCS combo race this weekend in Eau Claire, Wi. We headed out Sunday around 7am in a rain storm towards Eau Claire. It was still raining when we got there and continued for about another hour and then it was great the rest of the day. We entered the Sport SS class. I ended up being way under geared for this course and had no top speed which was necessary for this course. The SS class was in the first wave of many. I ended up being caught by the next waves which sucked because I would lose time having to move over or stop and finished in 13th out of 19. Kraig had another fine run and took 11th. This type of racing is definitely not my strength but it was a fun event - all out sprint for 15 miles.

I had a trailer hitch installed on the mini van last week. I also bought a used enclosed trailer this weekend so we will be traveling in style from now on. Next weekend the trailer will get its first use on the way to the next WEMS race in Kewaunee, WI. Word is that this is the hardest course on the WEMS schedule.

2005-06-29T21:46:00.000-05:00

Stump Farm 12 Hour. Check out http://www.extreme-photography-unlimited.com/ for more pictures.

Levis/Trow Mound 12 Hour Recap.

2005-06-26T16:40:00.000-05:00

I had to work on Friday so we got a late start and were unable to preride as we usually do. Our hotel had a Knights of Columbus convention going on - we were swarmed with old people. I had made a lot of changes the past 2 weeks and was hoping everything was going to work OK. I had ridden about 7 hours on the rode this past week and everything seemed Ok except the cleat placement on my new Nike shoes. I even had Hollywood help me out but couldnt seem to get them exactly right. Other changes included a new Pilot SL fork with pop logic on the KHS, Bontrager race lite single speed cranks with Truvativ BB on the KHS, and Trek wireless computers on both Single speeds. I also got most of my Hollywood Cycles Team kit. As I said before I also got a sweet new pair of Nike shoes. I brought my old pair of Nike shoes with to the race incase I had problems. The course this year was 10 miles, some of which was fresh cut and very sandy. Everything was going fine the first couple laps except my toes were going numb and my knees were starting to hurt. During the 3rd lap I decided the new shoes had to come off - my knees and feet were killing. I switched shoes and things felt much better. My toes felt fine from then on but my knees never really fully recovered. I did 2 more laps and decided to stop around 5pm as I could barely push down on the pedals. I did 50 miles and took 3rd. After switching shoes I think I have a better idea where the cleates need to be on the new shoes, plus I plan on wearing them out riding a bit more before using them in a race situation so they can be broken in a bit more.

I wounder how Jeff Kerkove did in South Dakota?

My next endurance race looks to be the WEMS 12 hours of Winter in Kewaunee, WI. July 9th.

I may do the Chippewa Valley Firecracker event on July 3rd - its the first time WORS and MNSCS have combined to put on an event. Also, I may do the WORS Cup/AMBC event July 16&17.

Stump Farm 12 Hour Recap

2005-06-13T08:33:00.000-05:00

Sarah, Melissa, Kraig and I headed towards Green Bay, WI. Around 8am on Friday. The weather was a slight concern but we were determined to race. We got to Green Bay about 6 hours later and dropped Sarah and Melissa off at the hotel. We stayed at the Candlewood Suites, its a separate division of Holiday Inn. A different concept for a hotel - it has a store in the hotel that runs on the honor system, everything is automated - the hotel has no staff except for 1 person in case of emergencies, the suites are huge and cheap, and several other unique features. Kraig and I then headed over to the reforestation camp where the race is held and did one lap on the single speeds before a huge storm blew in. The course is great on a single speed, no huge climbs! After the preride we all went out and got some groceries and cooked in the room the rest of the weekend. The race started at 8am. We pitted with Ray Coyle and his family. It was hot and humid! A lot of people were complaining about the heat. The course was 8 miles, almost double the length of the last couple races. My race went OK, my laps were around one hour and I was doing fine through 5 laps. My 6th lap was ugly and long. I took a break after that and ate and drank. I then headed out and did 2 more laps, during my 8th lap the tornado sirens went off and they called the race. I ended up with 8 laps (64 miles) and 3rd place in the SS class. Kraig took 2nd in the SS class - nice job! The Stump Farm race always has a good raffle (last year I won a Thompson certificate) and this year I won a case of banana GU packets.
On Sunday we checked out Lambeau Field and had lunch there. A cool facility - the Vikings need something like that. Then we headed over to the NEW Zoo which was next to the race site and checked out the zoo for a couple hour before driving home.

2005-05-29T23:04:00.000-05:00

12 hours of METRO picture from the event photographer.

12 Hours of METRO Recap

2005-05-29T22:45:00.000-05:00

Sarah, Melissa, Kraig and I left for Franklin, Wi. Friday Around 7am so Kraig and I could get a preride in. It was about a 6 hour drive and we dropped Sarah and Melissa off at the Holiday Inn Express and headed over to Crystal Ridge Ski Area. The course was identical to last year except for a short climb at the top. Having been able to get more riding in the past couple weeks I was looking forward to a better performance. I started out in 3rd and rode at my pace without taking any breaks except for stopping for e-caps, etc. By lap 5 I had taken the lead and continued to lead through lap 11. At the start of lap 12 I was getting tired and made the mistake of sitting down. The guy in second came by and it took me too long to get going and I couldnt catch him. I did 2 more laps for a total of 14 laps and 60 something miles. I took 2nd in the Solo SS class and was happy with my performance. I'm getting better each race. My next race looks to be the Stump Farm 12 hour WEMS race June 11th.

2005-05-10T20:15:00.000-05:00

Beware of the monkies!

12 Hours of Sugar Creek Recap.

2005-05-08T17:52:00.000-05:00

Kraig and I left around 11am on Friday and headed directly to the race site in Ferryville, Wi. We planned on meeting Jeff Kerkove at 3:00 and pre-ride the course. It was a great course even though there was a 1 mile long climb at the start of each lap. Each lap consisted of 730 feet of climbing and was about 4.5 miles long. After the pre-ride Kraig, Jeff and I headed for Onalaska and checked in to the hotel. Then we went out to eat and got some race day groceries. Jeff helped Kraig with his nutrition and race day diet. (I want to publicly apologize to Jeff for Kraig talking his ear off) The Holiday Inn Express was fine except that we got a smoking room which smelled! Race day started with breakfast at Perkins and then off to the race site. There were 4 entrants in the 12 Hour Solo SS class. Kraig and I rode together for most of the day in 2nd and 3rd place. The guy in 4th had some mechanical issues and was off to a slow start. Later in the day he caught and passed us. Kraig and I continued to ride together through 11 hours talking about how the race might end. While talking we decided that since he had never made the podium in a race before and I had helped him build his SS a couple weeks earlier that it would be cool if he got 3rd place. So after 9 laps I stopped and he did 10 laps for 3rd place. He had 2 flats during the day otherwise his SS was great. My day went as expected - I rode fine through 5 laps or so and then had to take more and longer breaks. Now that New-Mart is up and going I'm looking forward to the 12 hours of Metro. I plan on getting alot of riding in from now until then as well as doing the Thursday night series at Buck Hill.

2005-04-30T18:59:00.000-05:00

The ribbon cutting at NEW~MART on 04/29/05. Sarah and I held the ribbon and Melissa did the cutting.

working and racing

2005-04-30T18:38:00.000-05:00

Today was New-Mart's 2nd day in business. We did the whole ribbon cutting thing yesterday and all is going pretty smooth. Now that things are up and running I should be able to go out riding alot more! This weekend is the 12 Hours at Sugar Creek. Myself and Kraig are doing the 12 hour Solo SS and Scott may join us and do the 6 hour solo. I'm in terrible shape but still look forward to getting back to riding and racing. This race was rained out last year and I have never been to this venue. Kraig and I (and maybe Scott) are leaving friday at 11am for the 3.5 hour drive down to Ferryville, Wi. We plan to preride and set-up our pit Friday afternoon and then stay in a hotel in LaCrosse Friday and Saturday night. I need to be home at a reasonable time on Sunday since its Mother's Day.

NEW~MART

2005-04-25T10:34:00.000-05:00

I'm back.... I've been working very hard that past month or so on the purchase of a convenience store in Eagan. Today at 1:30 we close on the sale of the store and Friday will be my first day in business. I will provided more details as we go along as well as some pictures. I signed a deal to sell Marathon gasoline so the store will be Marathon branded and be called NEW~MART. Look for Team NEW~MART in the near future..

Because of the purchase of the store my riding has been limited, thus I had to pull out of the Trans-Iowa race. After reading about the event I'm thinking missing the race was not a bad thing. Kudos to all who participated in such an epic event!

2005-03-21T18:28:00.000-06:00

Spoke Pony recap: Jeff Kerkove was sick and a huge blizzard was coming so Kraig and I left very early Friday. At times around the Iowa/minnesota border we were driving 10mph the snow was so bad. After Des Moines all was good. We arrived in K.C. and checked into the Holiday Inn Express. Then we headed to the race site to set-up our pit area and preride a lap. It was 70 during our preride - we were pumped. Landahl Park Reserve is VERY rocky and technical. The course had one sustained climb near the end but otherwise the climbing was ok. After the preride we picked up groceries and headed back to the hotel. We ate in our room and got to bed early. We arrived at the race site around 8am Saturday with a start time of noon. Kraig did the 3 hour race and completed 3 laps. I did the 6 hour race and did 5 laps. Neither of us had any mechanicals except I did have my right cleat come loose on my 5th lap. I didnt get it exactly where it should be but it was good enough to finish the lap. There were 50 entrants in the 3 hour solo and 35 in the 6 hour solo as well as a few teams in each. The final results will be posted in a few days.

2005-03-21T18:24:00.000-06:00

My right leg after the race. Gotta love the rocks and landahl!

Hollywood

2005-03-07T16:49:00.000-06:00

Hollywood fixed the front wheel on my Trek SS today. He also fixed up my KHS SS from the Old Pueblo race. I still need him to "tune-up" and install a computer on my Sugar. Looks like I'm going to the Spoke Pony Showdown with Kraig Anderson and Jeff Kerkove. Should be a good time. The heartland series is following a different format this year - all epic type events. I did the Spoke Pony last year in the old format - I ran out of water and totaly bonked. I'm planning on riding my KHS soft-tail SS in this years 6 hour race. I need to go and list a bunch of stuff on ebay - check it out.

Saturday ride

2005-03-06T08:36:00.000-06:00

My plan this weekend was to ride each day at 4:00 when I finished working. Saturday I called my friends Scott and Kraig to see if they wanted to join me. Scott (Cave) is having some issues with his back so he hasnt been riding until he get that taken care of. Kraig already had a group ride planned for 2:00. Kraig ended up changing his group ride until 4:00 so I could go and we all met at my store. We left at 4:00 and headed towards the river, they were going to ride Black Dog Road to Bloomington and back. I was going to ride with them and then go off on my own. About 10 minutes into the ride I am riding in the middle of the pack on my Trek SS. The guy on my left thinks he hears a car and deceides to look back, as he is looking back he vears right, towards me. He ends up riding into me and sticking his foot in my front wheel. Needless to say I went down hard. It was towards the bottom of a hill so we were carrying some speed. My whole right side has some good road rash. My right elbow is the only thing that is really bothering me today, it is really stiff. My front wheels looks like a taco. I unhooked my front brake and wobbled back to the store. No more group rides with rookies! Today is going to be 50 and I'm not going to ride so I can heal up. I wanna do the Spoke Pony 6 hour race in 2 weeks.

2005-03-02T19:15:00.000-06:00

1 more

2005-03-02T19:12:00.000-06:00

pic from 24 hours in the Old Pueblo

2005-02-28T22:37:00.000-06:00

Are we having fun yet??

2005-02-23T16:47:00.000-06:00

24 hours in the Old Pueblo recap: As stated earlier we left wed. and stayed in Wichita, KS. the first night. I still felt sick on Thursday so we decided to stop in Oklahoma at a urgent care to see if I could get some medicine. We ended up stopping at a clinic in Ponca City, OK. I got some medicine and we were on our way. Our next stop was the Oklahoma City National Memorial - what a sight, so many lives lost! We continued on our way and stayed in Tucumcari, NM. that night. Friday we continued to Tucson and drove directly to the race site in the Sonoran desert near the biosphere 2. It started raining in New mexico and continued in Arizona. Friday night we checked in at the race and then checked in to our hotel. Saturday we woke up early, checked out of the hotel, picked up some groceries and headed to the race site. It was cold and raining the whole time. We set up our pit area and got ready for the noon start. I was still a little congested with a chest cold so the cold and wet wasnt helping matters. The le mans starts was wild as we had to run a 1/4 mile down a very narrow muddy road which was very slippery. I got on the bike mid pack and started my first lap. The laps start with a bunch of rolling hills which I learned were known as the "7 bitches". These were ecspecialy fun on a SS. I finished the first 16 mile lap in 1:45 and felt ok. I took a small break and took off on my other bike. The 2nd lap killed me! I felt like crap about half way through the lap. I finished the lap in about 2 1/4 hours. I deceided I needed to get out of my wet gear and put on some warm dry clothes. The nonstop rain really hurt my motivation. I took a lengthy break and headed out for my 3rd lap around 6pm with my light system on. Of course it poured most of the lap and I finished that lap in bout 2.5 hours. At this point I deceided I was gonna wait until the AM and maybe do 1 more lap so I didnt get a DNF. The constant rain and cold took its toll and we left the race site in the early AM. Alot of people left early as the conditions were tough. Sunday late AM was nice and sunny and the race ended with sun but we were already on our way back home. I learned alot during my first try at a 24 hour race. Sunday we stayed in Tombstone, AZ. and checked out all the wild wild west stuff. Monday we continued towards home and headed towards Roswell, NM. to check out the Aliens. On our way through New Mexico we got pulled over by the border patrol and they had a dog check our mini van and they asked us if we were all legal residents, after that we arrived in Roswell. It was 6pm and Presidents day so everything was closed when we got there, bummer! We ended Monday in Amarillo, TX. Tuesday we left Amarillo and drove straight through and I got home at 4am today. We had a great trip even though the race didnt go as planned!!

Wichita, Kansas

2005-02-16T18:12:00.000-06:00

We left at aprox. 6am today on our journey to Tucson. We wanted to travel at least 600 miles today before stopping and tonight we are staying at the Holiday Inn Select in Wichita, KS. Kraig, Mike and I are having a great time so far and plan on driving at least 600 miles tomorrow. Tonight we are going out to eat at Green Mill and maybe check out the local mall. Its starting to snow big time here, blizzard conditions, so hopefully travel will be ok tomorrow. I will update later if I can find internet access..

Misc.

2005-02-13T15:40:00.000-06:00

I've been sick the past few days and am starting to feel better today. I gotta thank Melissa for bringing some kind of virus home from school. It was my birthday yesterday and I spent most the day in bed.

I stopped at Scott's (Cave) house today and picked up his EZ-Up so I can use it in Tucson. I am leaving Wednesday at 6am for the 27hr car ride. Aside from being sick the past few days I think I'm all set for the 24 hours in the Old Pueblo.

I recently purchased a few new "upgrades" for my computer. I upgraded my power supply to an Antec 430w. I also installed a new PCI card with a couple more EDI slots so I could install another Western Digital 120gig 8mg cache HD. I may install another HD and run my business on that HD but I'm not sure yet. I still need to configure the 2 HDs to work the way I want them too.

Good and Bad

2005-02-07T18:48:00.000-06:00

PENN CYCLE 10 HOUR CHALLENGE

Penn Cycle 10 Hour Challenge
Who: All racers, adventure seekers, riders, and all who like to have a great time
What: New race for a duration of 10 hours 8:00 am Satuarday morning ending 6:00 Satuarday night
Where: Buck Hill Burnsville, MN
When: Saturday August 13th, 2005 8:00 am Mass Start ending at 6:00 pm
Why: Last race held at Buck Hill (they are going to sell the land and develop it into housing) so we are having one last big race of the year. Also a great training race for the 24 Hours of Afton.
Registration will be open at the First Buck Hill race or online real soon. Thanks and if you have any more questions please email bloomington@penncycle.com for more infomation

2005-02-07T13:47:00.000-06:00

We had a great time in Florida and I think I'm all caught back up at home. I stopped by Hollywoods new shop the other day - looks like things are coming along very nice. He officialy opens Feb. 15th. I leave for Tucson next wednesday with my brother and friend Kraig. I finished getting both my single speeds ready yesterday, the biggest difference in my set-up is I'm using bontrager slime tubes. I need to have the Caravan checked over as well since we just put 4,000 miles on it a couple weeks ago and now I'm going to do it again. Thats it for now...

Belle Plaine Park Board Nov. 22, 2004

2005-01-24T21:03:00.000-06:00

November 22, 2004
Minutes
BELLE PLAINE PARK BOARD
REGULAR SESSION
NOVEMBER 22, 2004

1. CALL TO ORDER. 1.1. Roll Call.

The Belle Plaine Park Board met on Monday, November 22, 2004 in the Council Chambers, 127 South Cedar Street, Belle Plaine, Minnesota. Chairperson Jacobs called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. with Commissioners Dan Gardner, Esther Tikalsky and Alternate Member Cary Coop. Commissioners Steve Rost and Chad Duerkop were not present. Chairperson Jacobs upgraded Member Coop as a voting member. Council elect Tim Lies was also present.

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA.

Tikalsky requested the addition of business item 4.7, Update on Lyman Development.

MOTION by Coop, second by Gardner, to approve the agenda with the addition of item 4.7, Update on Lyman Development. ALL VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. 3.1. Special Meeting Minutes of October 11, 2004. 3.2. Regular Meeting Minutes of October 25, 2004.

MOTION by Gardner, second by Coop, to approve the Special Meeting Minutes of October 11, 2004 and the Regular Meeting Minutes of October 25, 2004. ALL VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED.

4. BUSINESS.

4.1. Review of Plat Farmers Ridge Second Addition.

Chairperson Jacobs welcomed Tom Gonyea, Gonyea Development.

The members discussed park land in the vicinity of the 423 acres of land purchased by Gonyea. Chairperson Jacobs explained that at the visioning session that was held on November 15, 2004, the members discussed a parcel of land approximately 30 to 40 acres in size for a future community center. Gonyea suggested that the Harlan Laabs land be purchased by the City for future park land, using the park land dedication fee from the Gonyea development. The members also discussed the site south of the ridge of trees along old Kittson Boulevard.

The members discussed the appropriate amount of land for a future community center and ball fields. A joint planning session with the Park Board and the Steering Committee will be held in December which will help facilitate the planning process for future parks.

It was the consensus of the Park Board to request that Tom Gonyea meet with Harlan Laabs regarding the sale of land as an option. The other option would be to pursue the site south of the ridge of trees along old Kittson Boulevard.

Chairperson Jacobs suggested that the members tour area community centers.

4.2. Lighting at Veterans Park.

Erna and Harold Kruschke of the BP Historical Society have requested permission to install three electrical outlets at Veterans Park. The cost is estimated at $250.00 and will be borne by the Historical Society.

The members discussed the expanded electrical service for holiday lighting. The member of the Vets Club had indicated their approval.

MOTION by Coop, second by Jacobs, to recommend the Public Works Superintendent authorize expanded electrical service at Veterans Park, as verbally approved by the Vets Club, and to be paid by the Belle Plaine Historical Society. ALL VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED.

The members discussed the installation of four light poles at Veterans Park. Maynardt Bahrke visited the Park Board on October 25 and requested the assistance of the Park Board to install lighting along the trail to prevent further vandalism to the flag poles. The pole and light fixture, which is similar to the style that is installed in residential subdivisions, is estimated to cost $703. The lights illuminate a 25-foot radius. The quote for underground electrical conduit for four poles is $1,600. The total project cost is $4,412.00.

MOTION by Coop, second by Tikalsky, to recommend the Public Works Department and City Council authorize the purchase of four light poles, similar to the style that is installed in residential subdivisions, at an estimated cost of $703 per light pole and fixture, and the underground electrical conduit for four poles at a cost of $1,600, for a total project cost of $4,412.00, to be expended from the park dedication fund. ALL VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED.

4.3. Review of Sidewalks for the Proposed 2005 Street Improvement Project.

The members were informed that a feasibility report on the 2005 Street Improvement Project was presented to the City Council, which includes an area in the vicinity of Chestnut and Cedar, and Church and State Streets. The installation of sidewalks for the streets has not been determined. The members discussed previous street improvement projects in which existing sidewalks were replaced, but new sidewalks were not added. The Park Board was encouraged to support the installation of sidewalks to help make Belle Plaine a walkable community. After a discussion, it was the consensus of the Park Board to bring this issue back for further study and possibly look at developing a policy for sidewalks.

4.4. Decorative Lighting.

A new frontage road along Highway 169 will be constructed in 2005 from Meridian Street to Ash Street. Due to the narrow width of the right-of-way, sidewalks are not being planned. The street is proposed to be called Commerce Drive. Staff would like the Board to discuss the placement of decorative street lights along the frontage road corridor, or at least at the intersection of Meridian and Commerce Drive. These lights would be at City expense (not MnDOT). Tikalsky inquired as to why the Park Board is making a recommendation. Staff explained that no other entity has taken up the decorative lighting cause and therefore is asking the Park Board for support. Tikalsky suggested decorative lighting fall under the expanded duties of the Design Committee.

MOTION by Coop, second by Jacobs, to recommend that the Design Committee support the installation of decorative lighting within the City. ALL VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED.

4.5. Review of Ravine Area for Off Road Cycling.

The members reviewed the map that indicated the property owners along the ravine corridor. The members discussed liability. It was suggested that the property owners be invited to a meeting in which Tim Wegner, Off-Road Cyclist, would make a presentation about bike trails. It was the consensus to have staff do research on the liability issue and report back at the next meeting.

4.6. Upcoming Joint Session with the Steering Committee.

A joint session with the Comprehensive Park Plan Steering Committee will be held in December. Notices will be sent to the Board when the meeting date is determined.

4.7. Lyman Development Update.

Tikalsky provided the members with an update about the Lyman Development proposal for land dedication for a new school. She informed the Park Board that Lyman has requested that the City waive park land dedication requirements due to the donation of land to the school. Tikalsky explained that further meetings are being held between the City and school district on this issue and she will keep the Park Board informed.

5. ADMINISTRATION. 5.1. Next Regular Meeting December 27, 2004.

The members were reminded of the next regular meeting as listed.

6. ADJOURNMENT.

MOTION by Tikalsky, second by Coop, to adjourn at 7:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Patricia Krings
Recording Secretary

Belle Plaine Park Board Oct. 25, 2004

2005-01-24T20:51:00.001-06:00

October 25, 2004
Minutes
BELLE PLAINE PARK BOARD
REGULAR SESSION
OCTOBER 25, 2004

1. CALL TO ORDER. 1.1. Roll Call.

The Belle Plaine Park Board met on Monday, October 25, 2004 in the Council Chambers, 127 South Cedar Street, Belle Plaine, Minnesota. Chairperson Jacobs called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. with Commissioners Steve Rost, Chad Duerkop, Dan Gardner and Esther Tikalsky present. Also present were Alternate Member Cary Coop and Council liaison Meger.

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA.

Tikalsky requested the business agenda item 4.5. Visioning Session, be moved to the beginning of the agenda.

MOTION by Rost, second by Duerkop, to accept agenda with the moving of item 4.5. Visioning Session, to the beginning of the agenda. ALL VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. 3.1. Special Meeting Minutes of October 11, 2004.

MOTION by Rost, second by Gardner, to approve the Special Minutes of October 11, 2004 as presented. ALL VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED.

4. BUSINESS.

4.1. Visitors - MORC Minnesota Off Road Cyclists.

Chairperson Jacobs welcomed Tim Wegner of Sepracor. Mr. Wegner designs trails for cyclists and is a member of MORC. He has designed trails for Prior Lake, Savage and Bloomington.

Mr. Wegner explained that he and Chairperson Jacobs walked the ravine area behind Evers Estate and headed west. He believed that the ravine area would be an excellent choice for off-road cyclists and pedestrians. Off-road trails are typically two feet wide and allow for single-file bicyclists or a pedestrian. The trails are designed for one-way traffic, using a closed loop design. There is low impact to the natural environment. The trails are packed dirt and no wood chips or crushed rock are used. Trails are built into the sides of ravines, rather than at the bottom of a creek or river bed, which helps prevent washout of the trails. Mr. Wegner charges $40 per hour for design services. He has utilized groups such as Sentence to Service to help build trails.

Chairperson Jacobs thanked Mr. Wegner for the information. The Commissioners further discussed the implementation of an off-road walking/bike road trail. They noted that some of the ravine area is private property and that the property owners would have to be approached about the concept. Staff will provide information about the ownership of the property. More discussion to be held at the next meeting.

4.2. Review of Plat Farmers Ridge Second Addition.

It was the consensus of the Commission to discuss this plat during the visioning session.

4.3. Meadow Park Soccer Goals and Sign.

Staff advised that there may be scheduling conflicts with utilizing the soccer field and the ball field at Meadow Park. The Commissioners discussed a schedule for the park use. Gardner spoke with Community Services Director Nelson Ladd and it was suggested that little league be scheduled at Meadow Park for the months of April, May, June and July. Soccer and youth football would be scheduled for August, September, October and November. The goal posts would be dual purpose for soccer and football. Meger requested that staff add this to the Joint Facilities Agreement for 2004.

MOTION by Gardner, second by Duerkop, to recommend the City Council add the scheduling of activities at Meadow Park to the 2005 Joint Facilities Agreement between the City and School District. The schedule of activities is recommended as follows: little league to be scheduled at Meadow Park for the months of April, May, June and July and soccer and youth football to be scheduled for August, September, October and November. ALL VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Gardner, second by Duerkop, to recommend the City Council proceed with the purchase of dual purpose goal posts for Meadow Park. ALL VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED.

4.4. Visioning Session.

The Commissioners believed that a session dedicated just to the visioning session is necessary. The visioning session was scheduled for Tuesday, November 16 at 5:30 p.m.

5. ADMINISTRATION.
5.1. Next Meeting November 22, 2004.

The Commissioners were reminded of the next meeting.

6. ADJOURNMENT.

MOTION by Rost, second by Duerkop, to adjourn at 6:55 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Patricia Krings
Recording Secretary

Ft. Myers

2005-01-24T19:19:00.000-06:00

I'm still on vacation in Florida. Went for a 2 hour ride today along the Gulf of Mexico in Ft. Myers Beach. I wasnt able to ride as much as I would have liked in Orlando, family activities took up a majority of the day light hours. When I did ride in Orlando I had to watch out for tourist, they are baaad drivers! We had 13 relatives in our group in Orlando - its just Sarah, Melissa and I in Ft. Myers so I should be able to ride every day. Today we went to the beach and Melissa collected shells and we ate lunch - had a grilled grouper sandwich, yummy. We are not doing much while we are here except relaxing. My brother is taking care of our house and the store is doing well too.

Mickey Mouse

2005-01-11T18:58:00.000-06:00

We are all packed and ready to go. We leave tomorrow for Orlando. We have reservations in Orlando starting the 15th so we have a few days to get there. I'm bringing the Trek XO1 and plan on getting in a bunch of warm weather riding!! We are spending a week in Orlando and a week in Ft. Myers and plan on getting back home on the 29th. Next month is the 24hrs in the Old Peublo so I need to get some serious miles in. I'll try and do a few posts during the trip as I find internet access. I need to get my own laptop! We plan on taking lots of pictures and I will post a few when we get back. bye!!

Gatorade Sponsorship

2004-12-28T18:23:00.000-06:00

I took the advice of Jeff Kerkove and talked with the people from Gatorade about some type of sponsorship for 2005. Today they showed up at work with the goods. They are going to provide me with Lemon Lime, Orange, and Fruit Punch Gatorade Endurance Formula drinks throughout the year - they gave me a couple cases of each flavor today. They are providing me with a couple 70oz. Hydration Packs - they are a gold color with the Gatorade logo on them. They also gave me Gatorade logo water bottles to use, as well as a large white cooler with the Gatorade logo to keep my food, etc. in. There may be more stuff to come, I will keep you posted. I suppose I should start training again!!

2004-12-22T19:59:00.000-06:00

check out www.itsyourturn.com its a free turn based game site. invite me to a game - my screen name is chucker. good luck!

The New Year

2004-12-19T13:12:00.000-06:00

Wrestling is done this Tuesday so that will free up a lot of my time. My plan is to start training again Jan. 1st. That will give me a month and a half to get ready for the 24 hours in the Old Pueblo. I'm driving down to Florida in Janurary from the 12-29 to do the Disney thing with the family and have a nice 18 day vacation. I'm bringing the cross bike with so I should be able to get in some good riding in the nice weather. After the Florida trip I leave for Tucson a couple weeks later so it looks like I wont have to ride outside in the cold too much!!

The Ice Crit Championships of the Universe will once again be held in the land of 10,000 lakes. Check out www.mcf.net for all the details. I'm planning on doing the 3rd race of the series (I'll be in Florida for the first 2 races). Get your studded tires ready!

2004-12-04T11:40:00.000-06:00

Scott Cave finishing the 2004 Iceman.

2004-12-04T11:38:00.000-06:00

The official photographer at the Iceman took this photo at the finish.

2004-11-26T19:06:00.000-06:00

One of my goals this year was to try and qualify for the 2005 24 hour Solo World Championships. I received a letter from twenty4sports today offering me a guaranteed entry in the Elite Singlespeed category in the 2005 World Solo 24 Hous of Adrenalin Championships. The past 2 years the race has been held at Whistler Resort but the letter says that next years location is yet to be confirmed.

2004-11-23T18:44:00.000-06:00

I am helping Scott Cave sell one of his bikes on ebay. If anyone is interested, let me know. Check out the auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7116054329&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Family

2004-11-21T19:17:00.000-06:00

Today was a great day. Our daughter, Melissa, was baptized today. We celebrated with family and friends. It was nice that she is 5 years old and able to participate in the celebration. Also, my friend Scott Cave and his wife Michelle celebrated the arrival of their second son today - Jacob Cave. I wish Michelle a quick recovery and Jacob a healthly start to his life!

On a cycling note - I sent my entry into the 24 hours in the Old Pueblo. Wrestling ends Dec. 22 and I plan on starting my training for this race starting in Janurary. The race is Feb. 19-20. This will be my first 24hr race so my expectations arnt too high. I'm looking to have a good time and use this race as a benchmark to see where I sit. My brother Mike will be going to race with me and helping me in the pits.

MNSCS 2005 Tenative Schedule

2004-11-18T14:05:00.000-06:00

Tentative 2005 Event Schedule
Date
Event
Contact Info
Saturday, May 7th
#1 Erik's Spring Cup at BuckBuck Hill, Burnsville, MN
Libby Shea Hurley952-885-9886 ext. 23
Sunday, June 12th
#2 Afton AvalancheAfton Alps Ski Area, Hastings, MN
Greg Blasko651-246-2451
Sunday, June 26th
#3 Dirt Spanker ClassicMt. Du Lac, Duluth, MN
COGGS715 398-0588
Sunday, July 10th
#4 Bluff Riders ChargeMount Kato Ski Area, Mankato, MN
Greg Blasko651-246-2451
Sunday, July 24th
#5 Muddy River Rock-n-RollBluff Memorial Park, Red Wing, MN
Kris Henke651-380-1597
Sunday, August 7th
#6 Metric Auto Parts Welch MTB JamWelch Village, Welch, MN
Scott Finne651-295-6544
Sunday, August 21st
#7 Powder MonkeySpirit Mountain, Duluth, MN
COGGS715 398-0588
Sept. 3rd and 4th
#8 Laddie's Loppet Stage Race Maplelag Resort, Callaway, MN
Jay Richards800-654-7711
Saturday, Sept 24th
Awards PartyQuality Bicycle Products, Bloomington, MN
Gary Sjoquist952-941-9391 ext. 1288
For additional information on each event please contact the individual event director.

incite 9i

2004-11-15T16:13:00.000-06:00

One of the "goodies" I received from Trek was a new computer, the incite 9i. It has 9 functions including: current speed, odometer, trip distance, elapsed time, 12/24 clock, average speed, pacer, maximum speed, and temperature. I'm planning on putting this on my Trek XO1 so I can use it on the road for training. I will give a complete run down after I have it installed and have a chance to use it.

I have a Park Board meeting tonight. I will post the minutes from these meetings on my site as they become available. I'm continuing to work at getting trails installed in the city of Belle Plaine. I'll keep you posted..

sick

2004-11-14T13:34:00.000-06:00

I was all geared up to race in the Wisconsin State Cyclocross Championships today and then I got sick. Ugh!! I'm starting to feel better today but the past couple days have been rough. I don't think I have been this sick in a long time. I probably got some crazy virus from one of the kids at wrestling practice. We have our first match this Thursday against Scott Highlands Middle School. I got some more goodies from Trek in the mail this week, I will write more about them later when I feel better....

2004-11-08T19:54:00.000-06:00

The Iceman Cometh 2004. This was my first time racing in this event. My goal for the 27 miles was to finish under 3 hours. I finished in 2:45 and in 37th place in my class/age group. This was a race from Kalkaska, Mi. to Traverse City, Mi. The weather was unusually warm resulting in many new records. The first 17 miles were fairly easy with the last 10 miles having a few more climbs. Lots of sand, I need to clean my drivetrain big time. Scott and I have invitations to the Gary Fisher team dinner but we arrived too late on Friday, the drive was very long! On the way home we saw the Nothern Lights while driving west on Hwy 29 through Wisconsin, that was cool. This race has 2000 entrants and starts in waves, Brian Matter was finishing when I started the race. If I do the race next year I'm gonna ride in the Singlespeed class and we are going to take 2 days to get to and from the race. I'm tired..

2004-11-08T19:43:00.000-06:00

Melissa, Jacob and Scott enjoying Halloween at the Mall of America.

Wrestling, Voting, and Racing

2004-11-02T19:41:00.000-06:00

I was hired last week by district 196 to be the Assistant Wrestling Coach at Falcon Ridge Middle School (Scott Cave is the Head Coach). Today was the first practice. Middle school boys are wild!! You constantly have to have them doing something or they will screw off. We had 13 boys at the first practice, hopefully we will get a few more to sign up. Since Scott and I don't work in the school on an everyday basis there are still a few issues that need to be worked out. This should be some good cross training as well although its only a 6 week season.

Hope everyone voted today!!

Thursday we leave for the Iceman race. We are staying in Bayfield, Wi. Thursday night and then on to Traverse City, Mi. on Friday. Since I'm involved with the Gary Fisher grassroots team, we are suppose to hook up with them when we get into town. I have been riding the trainer inside the past few days because of my busy schedule, hopefully I'll be ready for the 27 miles of fun.

2004-10-31T14:51:00.000-06:00

Nature Valley Cyclocross in Rochester, MN. Drove down to Rochester this morning and raced in the C main, taking 15th. Couldn't seem to get it going today, oh well. Drove back home and now have to get ready for Halloween. We are meeting the Cave family at the Mall of America at 5:00pm to do some trick or treating in doors and have dinner. Hope everyone has a happy and safe Halloween!

2004-10-31T14:45:00.000-06:00

The Quaker rep stopped by the store last week to talk about the 2005 Gatorade contract. While she was there she told me about the new products for next year and one of them is Gatorade Endurance Formula. Might be something that may be of interest to all the endurance freaks out there.

2004-10-25T17:07:00.000-05:00

Photo Op with Wade, the brother-in-law

2004-10-25T17:03:00.000-05:00

Climbing the final hill at the 12 hours of Metro.

Metro 12 Recap

2004-10-25T13:17:00.000-05:00

Throughout the week I kept getting email from WEMS saying that the race may be canceled or postponed, but I wasnt listening. The wife made me go to the Shrine Circus Friday morning and then we were off to Franklin, Wi. We stopped in Wisconsin Dells for gas, food, etc. at 6pm and I called the race hotline to see what the status was. I was informed that the race was postponed until Sunday. So after mulling it over a bit we deceided to head to the Holiday Inn Express in West Bend. The wife said I could race but only til 1:00 because I had to open the store at 5am Monday and our daughter had school. I fought back but in the end lost. I was still pumped about riding on a new track for 5hrs. The turnout for the 12hr was poor due to the fact we were racing on a Sunday and it was the rain-out of a rain-out. I was one of two entrants in the 12hr singlespeed class. It was hard to get motivated to go really hard knowing I could only race for 5hrs. The le Mans starts was up the ski hill an we were off. The loops were 5 miles with probably 3-4 miles of singletrack and only 2 big climbs. The other SS rider was faster than me through the singletrack but had to walk the big climbs while I rode them. I followed him for 7 laps before stopping. I took small breaks between laps although the breaks between laps 5 and 6 and 6 and 7 were longer because my brother-in-law Wade and his family drove down from Madison to say hi. I got a cool award for 2nd place - they printed up a personalized label for a bottle of Sprecher Pale Ale with my name, event, etc. Sarah (wife) managed to run down the battery in the mini-van listening to the radio all day so I had to get a jump from some guy so we could leave. All in all it was a fun family weekend and I will post a few pictures later.

Metro 12 hr. Race

2004-10-20T18:19:00.000-05:00

Looks like I'm all ready for the 12hr race this weekend in Franklin, Wi. at Crystal Ridge Ski Hill. I hope the race doesnt get canceled or switched to Sunday!! Scott is not going to be able to join me this weekend so my wife and daughter will be pitting for me. My plan is to pit out of our mini van, pull in after each lap, open the back, do my thing and take off. Both my Singlespeeds are working great and I'm feeling good. If the race gets canceled before we leave then I will probably do the cross race in Ham Lake.

In other news...I am a commissioner on the Park Board for the city of Belle Plaine, actualy I am the chair of the Park Board. Anyway, I met with MORC today at a site in Belle Plaine (Evers Estate) that I am working to get some trails put in. Tim W. from MORC seemed receptive and I have them on the Park Boards next agenda for Oct. 25th. From what we walked today he thinks they could put at least 2 miles of singletrack in the area if not more, depends on the actual boundaries of the area we have to work with. I will know more after the meeting on the 25th, at least I got the ball rolling....

2004-10-17T20:09:00.000-05:00

My awesome wife, Sarah, and Melissa along with Jacob (Scott's son) playing in St. Cloud during the race. Thanks Sarah for watching the kids while we race!!

2004-10-17T20:05:00.000-05:00

St. Cloud "Pork Chop Challenge" Cyclocross race. This event had a Singlespeed class so I thought I would take out one of my SS mountain bikes and enter that class. I brought my KHS soft-tail although I should have changed the gearing. The race was wideopen and fast, not very technical. I didnt have the speed with this bike and finished 25th overall in the C main and 5th in the SS class. I wish I would have raced my cross bike instead. Next weeek I'm racing the final WEMS race of the year in Franklin, Wi. I will be entering the 12hr solo SS class. The race is held at Crystal Ridge Ski Area. Scott and his son will be joining me and my family on the trip. Scott is going to pit for me and race in the 3hr solo class.

2004-10-11T10:34:00.000-05:00

Lake Rebecca Cyclocross. I took 19th this week in the C main, 6 places better than last week so things are improving. Sported my new duds this week including: Nike shoes, Gary Fisher/Subaru Team socks, shorts, jersey, and Trek "Anthem" helmet. My Trek XO1 was flawless again and I'm already looking forward to St. Cloud next weekend.

Lake Rebecca CX

2004-10-07T07:35:00.000-05:00

This Sunday is the Lake Rebecca CX. Sounds like Scott will be joining me. Look for pics and an unpdate after the race. Scott and I have been riding all week, the weather has been great and we have been taking advantage of it. Yesterday we took out the singlespeeds for a 2 hour spin down by the river.

Good luck Jeff Kerkove @ Moab next weekend!! Looking forward to reading about how your race goes. Bring some SOLO T-shirts to the Franklin WEMS race if you go!!

2004-10-05T11:12:00.000-05:00

Here is the double barrier before the run-up.

2004-10-05T11:10:00.000-05:00

Orono Cyclocross race. I took 25th overall in the C main last weekend at Orono. The course was wideopen having the usual barriers along with one run-up. Sprinting for 30 minutes is harsh!

2004-10-04T17:43:00.000-05:00

I was fortunate enough recently to get some help from Trek/Gary Fisher through their grass roots sponsorship program. I received a 2004 Gary Fisher Team jersey and shorts in addition to some other goodies. I just wanted to publicly thank Trek/Gary Fisher for their help! Stop by your local Trek/Gary Fisher dealer and check out their great products!!

Click away..

2004-09-29T19:03:00.000-05:00

I added a header and footer to the web page today. The header will contain 4 ads relevant to my web site and the footer contains a google search engine. Click on an ad and I make money, its as simple as that. Who knows, maybe you will find something useful.

I won a certificate for any free Thompson seatpost or stem at the Stump Farm WEMS race earlier this year. I mailed it in and ordered a seatpost for my cross bike. That will definitely make me faster!

This Sunday is the Orono Cyclocross race at Orono High School. The race is part of the MN Cyclocross rider of the year series. I'm going to race in the C main which is 30 minutes. I'm hoping to get some more practice in on Friday and Saturday if the weather cooperates. Hopefully Scott is done whining about last weekend and will join me....

ebay

2004-09-27T21:28:00.000-05:00

I added an ebay link to my page. If you need to set-up an ebay account or just want to browse, click on the link. By clicking on the link I also earn a small revenue. The amount earned depends on if you set-up an account, place a bid, or just browse. I can also answer any ebay related questions you may have. I have sold 100s of items on ebay as well as purchased a few. Happy clicking! Any money I make will go directly into my racing budget!

2004-09-27T13:26:00.000-05:00

I converted my 2004 Trek 8000 into a single speed as I prepare to enter the dark side of 12/24 hour racing. I went for a 2hr spin on the road today with my cross bike. I still need to practice my dismount before this weekends cx race in Orono.

MNSCS Awards Party

2004-09-26T13:13:00.000-05:00

Last night was the end of the series awards party for the MNSCS. I took 3rd in the Single Speed class so I thought I would attend. The party was at QBP so I also thought the chances of getting some schwag would be good. The night started out with pizza and beverages then everyone was taken, in small groups, on tours of the Quality Bicycle Products facility. Since QBP only sells to dealers it is rare for the public to see their facility so the tour was cool. More pizza was delivered after the tours. Cannondale had their '05 bikes there for people to check out. Erik the bike man was there to hand out the awards. I have to say I was a little disappointed with the awards, the top 3 in points were given a small NORBA medal with a sticker on the back with the class and place. The overall male and female experts got nice hardware. No Schwag except for a few water bottles they threw out at the end. I'll have to see where this series fits into my schedule next year...

2004-09-24T21:32:00.000-05:00

Dropped off my new cross bike on Monday so Hollywood could build it up. Stopped by the Gravity Lab on Wednesday to have it fitted, had to change the stem and make a few other adjustments, otherwise its stock for now. Picked it up today all ready to go.

2004-09-24T21:28:00.000-05:00

the start of the 2004 Cheq. 40..ahhhhh

2004-09-24T21:27:00.000-05:00

finishing my first Fat Tire 40

2004-09-24T21:26:00.000-05:00

my legs weigh a ton..

2004-09-24T21:25:00.000-05:00

charging at the Cheq. 40

Chequamegon Weekend Recap

2004-09-22T07:45:00.000-05:00

Sarah, Melissa and I drove over to the Cave's house Thursday morning and headed up to Bayfield, Wi. We were staying at Sarah's fathers townhouse, very nice. We stopped in Hayward on the way up and met up with Hollywood at Rosies field. Scott and I unloaded our bikes and got geared up. The wives and kids continued on to Bayfield because Hollywood said he would drive us up after the ride. We prerode the first half of the race from Hayward to Double O. Hollywood drove us to Bayfield after the ride whinning the whole way. Friday Scott and I met Hollywood at Double O and prerode the second half of the race. It was a nice easy pace and they gave me some good advise since I have never done this race before. Climbing the fire tower hill my chain broke and of course none of us had a chain tool. As we were trying to fix it with a rock, Travis Brown and Dirk (Trek) rode up. We asked them for a chain tool and BSed with them. After the ride we hung out around the finish at Telemark resort and talked with some of the other racers who were preriding and then we left.

Saturday was the race. What a wild start, 2500 racers in a mass start down main street. A lady crashed in front of me turning on to 77 and I ran her over, she was OK. The race was an ass kicker! I fell once going around one of the many mud puddles but otherwise my race was uneventful. My goal was to finish under 4 hours. I finished in 1453 place with a time of 4 :33.

Sunday Scott and I took our families on a boat ride to Devils Island and toured the light house on the island. That was cool, took 1.5 hours to get to the island and we saw most of the Apostle islands on the way. Monday we took the minivan on the ferry out the Madeline Island and drove around and had lunch before heading home. We also took the kids fishing Monday morning.

It was my brother Mikes birthday Monday and Melissas birthday Tuesday so we had a nice party last night and we are going to Chuck E. Cheese on Saturday. Also have the MNSCS awards party Saturday night.

I will post some pictures soon...