its on like donkey kong

Its on...check out details as they come to hand via www.bottlesandchains.com

recovery time

Not much doing at the moment due to my pelvis injury.....man it is sore. Plenty of sleeping and chewing down the Voltaren Rapids to ease the pain. I am off in a few days for my ski trip which I am relieved to be able get to cause I thought this pelvic thing was going to be a problem. Anyway enough for now...enjoy the picture of Marrisa!!!

Later

coming soon!!!!

watch out for this event, check fyxomatosis for more info

missing knicks & a bruised pelvis

OK I had a thought last week and that was I need to have a bit of intensity before I go to the US to get the heart and lungs going. I found out that geelong MTB club were having a twilight race series at the You Yangs. Now I convinced some brothers in arms to come down to share the experience. An experience it was.
We arrive and find out that Mister Sister has not packed his knicks and is going to have to race in his shorts (he, he, he what a fashion statement it was). The next thing was that Mister Sisters bike had a mechanical rendering it effectively a 3 speed.
So we line up for the race and I get a good start in the top 10 heading into the single track (I am the only single speeder) and get a good rhythm going. So there I am smashing along the single track following the wheel of some dude who is mashing a massive gear. I finally get past him with a short cut through the scrub on a corner. I am then chasing the next guy and making up some distance. I was happy with how things were going to say the least. The surface down there is a sandy gravel over hardpack so it can be a bit skatey coming into the corners which was a bit of fun. Now being a big bloke I noticed that some of the trees were getting close to the bars.....hmmm trouble brewing! I came through a corner and somehow managed to clip my bar forcing me to highside myself. Smackdown is a expression I will use for this (houston we have impact!!!!!) I landed clean on my right hip. No slide just smack!...... Pain was coursing through my back hip and pelvis. The guy behing me tried to run over my legs (lucky for him I was on the ground unable to help him off his bike)....thanks for coming! I managed to get up and stand but almost puked with the pain. After a few minutes of convincing myself all was good and that I had not broken anything I got back on and rode the rest of the lap... I pulled the pin at the start finish line and poceded to lie down in the car. Needless to say I am wrapped that I can walk cause with the up coming trip to the US/ Canada next week I would have chucked a mental at myself for not being able to go.
Today I have a fine imprint of the trail on my arse and can see exactly where every stone lays on that single track. Walking is troublesome with the feeling that I am constantly being kicked in the nuts!!! Hey thats bike racing and shit happens.
Happy pedaling

Tuesday night racing

Well the dirt crits by deluxe continue to get bigger. Thank god for the weekend rain that resulted in a moist trail that didnt give up the dust tlike the week before. I changed tactics this week and started at the back so I could ride the course uninterupted. I was liking it and picking up a few spots till I binned it. Funny fall right in front of the wife, but hey no damage! I lasted the 30mins and was glad to see the end of it in with a cold can of VB.
The course was ran in reverse which I loved bar the short drop off that we had to go up...became a bit of a bottle neck and why cant the geared folk get up the fuckn thing!!!!! Hats off to the Deluxe boys for this pearl.


Thats me on the inside!!!


post race beer time



Got one more of these to do before I have to get on the vomit comet, which is a little sad cause they brighten up a otherwise mundane week!
Mister Sister, NZ Gav and myself are off this friday night to check out a twilight race at the You Yangs in the Western Plantation that Geelong MTB club are runnning. Looking forward to it as I havent done a decent hit out since the Kona. Not that there has been any form to speak of!!!! But it all counts towards getting some form in for the skiing (3 weeks till Im back on the white stuff.....mmmmm cant wait).

Had a pedal with Richie E before he headed off to Sydney. We did our usual jaunt up to Sassafras and back down. I wish him all the best for his forth coming adventures stateside and plan to catch him at the Tour of California (Fingers crossed for some team car time Ritchie!!!!!).

And Renshaw pulled out a win in the first stage of the Tour Down Under!!!! Awesome.....

Happy Pedaling

wednesday pick me up

kicking it lego style

stolen from BIKE 29

ah ha

dust, heat, 30 mins of pain

Attended my first dirt crit last night. A nice warm night down by the yarra in Ivanhoe a few kms out of Melburn. It was a friendly event with a couple of girls and about 35- 40 blokes. It was 30 mins of charging around a loop with some nice tight single track and a few open sections for passing. Run by the Deluxe crew it was a lot of fun.....shame my engine was not up to it. I lasted 15mins cause I went out hard and blew big time and couldnt handle the dust. Next week I will start out at a more sedate pace.


Mal and Olde part of the Deluxe crew responsible for this fun little event during summer

The loop is designed with single speed in mind. It is rare at times to see single speed out number the its geared cousin at a race. It was nice to see a few 29ers in the mix as well. But as always a geared fella with a big engine smashed the field..... ah to be young again!!!



Many nice bikes about including this beauty (above) built locally by Gellie Custom. Nice guy who is a wealth of knowledge in regards to frame materials and his bikes are finished well (I have seen a couple out and about), check out his website for more examples of his work. Damien from Cog Cafe rides one his customs as well which I saw at Chase the Sun back in winter. I believe Dan Hale of Shifter Bikes fame also is getting one of the cross bikes. The frames are finshed in nice powder coat...mmmm I want one!


nice Salsa


Bruce D's Spot...... has a Spot 29er coming soon to add to the collection!

Anyway if you read this and want a fun event on a Tuesday night check it out....details on the Deluxe website. Great value at 5 bucks and a beer included at the end!!
Happy pedaling

08 road nationals

Well the road nationals for this year have been and gone. It was a good day bar the weather (12 deg and rainy to start with and then a cool windy day, thank god for the tent Shano!!!). Had a blast as usual with a good group turning out at the team tent for the feeding. I was on the job for the Credit Ag boys with a few others (Gerro's lady and his brother). Many a laugh was had in the tent between the laps and feeds with the usual suspects stiring it up.
It was a strange race with the field letting a split go on about lap 2. The race didnt heat up for a while allowing the split to get 6 mins on the bunch. The Credit Ag boys lit it up a few times to get it happening but with little help from anyone else the laps ticked away. Once the proceding attacks came on in the last 6 laps the field did the usual splitting up and the non contenders fell away and pulled the pin. Renshaw was handing out the advice to some of his fellow races comming through the feed, making me crack up!! (I was amazed at one of the feeds I did how Renshaw got the bottle out of my hand)
The end result was Matty Lloyd sneaking away and catching what was left of the front split and eventually pulling the win of his career. Good to see the national jersey heading to the Euro shores for display in the big races of the year.



Gerro was unlucky again this year but was one of the few who gave it everything to win the race. Last couple of years it has never played into his hands.....next year it may, I hope! A top 5 finish is nothing to be unhappy about.
Ritchie gave it a nudge and finished the race which in itself is a massive effort in itself... No way would I want to race that course 16 times. He was happy with the end result which proves he is farther along than he thought. Hopefully puts him in good stead for his US season this year.
T Lowe was out in his new Slipstream colors and was in it till the the end...(man I want some of them argyle socks!!!)
Even Ben Day said Gday as he flew past in the feed. He was another still there at the end.


My car had never had that much money attached to its roof racks


Gerro's 08 race bike (mmmmm to small for me!!!



So it was a fun day with amny a laugh shared, but alas no luck for the Credit Ag boys. Looking forward to TDU next week and trying my hardest to get over west to check it out..... but as I am off to the US and will see some of the Tour of California and the MTB worlds this year it may have to wait till next year.

Happy pedaling

Dirt Crits

Dirt Crits run by the local club, Deluxe were on this week. I didnt make it cause of the in laws birthdays but I heard it ws a good friendly turn out. Been a shit week for me with the weather reaching the high 30's and low 40's so I didnt get out much when combined with work. Heading out early tomorrow in the morning for a pedal at lysterfeild with the boys.
Next 3 weeks are crucial for me to get my fitness sorted for the up comming ski trip to Canada and the US. So back on the roller skis for a few smash sessions combined with some moose hoofs and a couple of long rides minus the beer factor will get me rolling in the right direction. I am still trying to decide whether to do a half or full marathon distance in the ski race I am planning at Sovereign Lake in early March.
Looking forward to Sunday for the show down at the road nationals...yep Im still up for the feed zone team for the Credit Ag boys!!!! plenty of photos to be taken.
Happy pedaling

tuesdayitis fix

Alittle something to clear my mind and dream!!!!!

January - must be Bay Crits!

Having had the last 5 days off have been a blessing....warm weather and the start of racing for 2008. I caught 3 days of the Bay Classic and managed to catch many different people who I had not seen for a while.
I caught up with Andy White who some would know from his website fyxomatosis and from being a all round nice guy. He had the misfortune of having a nasty accident and breaking his neck resulting in a halo brace and a few months off the bike. I was wrapped to catch him at the first stage to shoot the shit. If anything is to be learnt from Andy's misfortune or luck it is wear a bloody helmet!!
Caught up with Chris Winn who was racing the B grade support races and told me of his plans for next year...cant reveal yet so stayed tuned!
Its was good to catch the many others who were lurking around the pit areas, both from the local and international scene's.
Little Cam was smashing it up in B Grade and doing well dishing out some gutter time to his fellow racers. He managed a couple of top 4 placings and was unlucky not to catch the split last night in Geelong.
The Pro mens racing was great to watch as there was plent of anger in the legs being dished out for the first real hit out of 08 prior to the Nationals next weekend.
I am looking forward to next weekend as I am on the job again with feeding the Credit Ag boys. Should be a good day as it keeps it interesting. Fingers crossed for a result, should be a great race with many people on new teams and looking to wear the Aussie Strip overseas, aswell as it being a Olympic year.
Been out on the bike a bit despite the hot weather and loving it at the minute. I was headed in to the Carlton for a coffee run the on Wednesday when I spotted what I thought was a car fan belt on the road. As I got a little closer it was noted to have yellow stripes on it....it was a bloody Tiger snake...lucky for me I realised that mother nature had already sorted it with a car wheel and it was dead. Even so I still gave it a wide birth!!!!
happy pedaling

Happy New Year

Well my new year started with some luck work wise as I managed to get both New Years eve and night off from work which meant that I could relax some more. Indoor activites were a bit of a must as the temp hit the 40's in Melburn. I did head out New Years day for a mountain bike ride at lysterfeild. It was hot to say the least with the temp already in the 30's when I awoke. I headed out there expecting to see no one and riding offroad was a better option than getting skittled on the road by some fucken fool who had not slept and was snorting coke off the dashboard on the way to Summer Daze!!!!
Pulling in to the car park I saw Marty which was a bit of a suprise. Marty saunted over looking a little hot and bothered after his 2hr plus ride already in the hades kitchen heat. After a little small talk and shooting the shit we headed out for a lap of sweat around the park. He was into the 29er thing (come on Marty there is always room for another bike.....) and was wrapped to see my new bike. He was telling me about his new aquistion of a Litespeed owl hollow dualy that he has converted to a single speed. Sounds like the bussiness......
After smashing my way through the Blair Witch trails Marty though that turn the screws up on me was a good idea.... I was cooking it up big time and watched Marty slowly disapear into the distance. The heat out there was increadible and boy was I glad the ride was over once at the carpark again. Marty informs me that he is a avid reader of this blog, if not more for the pictures.... heres one for you Marty!



Off to the Bay Classic this week to watch some freinds smash it up in the first races of 08....should be a nice few days of cycling action and shooting the shit with like minded people!!!

Happy New Year!!!