HoundBlog

Awesome CCCC post

2006-12-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

By Rob Mertz

Mertz-indy oop over the channel.

Mertzworld
http://www.mertzworld.net/id12.html

quarterly blog!

2006-12-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

So I have been crazy busy...mainly work, work, work and work.

I tried to leave Oakley, and went to SoleTech for about a month, but ended right back at Oakley! I guess I am glad that I made the decision to come back. This decision was based upon the new management, mainly the new Director of the web, Ken Loh.

I have been learning Ruby On Rails (which is probably what this blogger program is written in). It is what we are re-writing the entire site at Oakley in. Hopefully all will go well. I think it will!

new cat!

2006-09-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

Britt and I adopted this cat from the Mission Viejo Animal Shelter. Really sweet 7 year old female. Her shelter name was 'Dixie'. Really outgoing and sweet and ultimately very happy to be out of that cage!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=obu4w3m.9wdub5va&amp;Uy=w4i6vq&Ux=0

skateboarding legend

2006-09-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

Met the skateboarding legend Steve Olson at a contest in Oregon with Tobin!

Walk off into the sunset!

2006-08-10T07:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day that I won't be making my way into the Oakley HQ. It is a sad day, as I have to remember all of the friends I have made while working, MTBing, partying.... However, I will be close by and I intend to still ride with many of my old 'O' buddies. So it isn't as sad.

Still there are so many wonderful memories of working at Oakley. There are some bad ones too!

So now I have a bit of time off, 30 days to be exact. Well not really time off, as I have new responsibilities to a new job.

Always slow to blog am I

2006-07-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

This pic was taken 4 months ago when I was back east visiting my parents. We had gone downtown DC via the Metro subway system to see the museums and things. Right when we reached the top of the Farragnt North Station and stepped on to K street I saw my old buddy Miles who happen to be working as a bike messenger.

YEA MILES, Good to see you!

Innovation meets technology

2006-07-07T16:31:00.000-07:00

A Steve Struck Machine (2001)

VERY KOOL!

BIKE POWER

2006-06-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

copied from http://www.worldbicyclerelief.org/

World Bicycle Relief

2006-06-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

"I used to be a fisherman. Now I sell fish from the back of my bicycle. With this bicycle I am receiving so many benefits. There are seven members in my family. I am helping take my daughters children to school with it." -B. Raymond Perera, Kalutara, Sri Lanka

FULL STORY! [http://www.worldbicyclerelief.org/tsunami/index.php]

CCCC Lives!

2006-06-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent flash movie put together by Micro and BA! Brings back fond memories of a place that I used to spend most of my time

Thanks Micro & BA !!!

http://www.skatethecrest.com/

Nice day for a ride

2006-05-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

Finally some really nice weather for riding. Got a road ride in with Brian Lopes and Sarah Hammer thanks to Steve Blick! Thanks Blick!

Great ride and it is always fun to ride with 2 world champions! Oh, they killed me on the uphills while they were not even trying!!!

Good artice on wired:

2006-04-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

Americans trash the planet not because we're evil, but because the industrial systems we've devised leave no other choice. Our ranch houses and high-rises, factories and farms, freeways and power plants were conceived before we had a clue how the planet works. They're primitive inventions designed by people who didn't fully grasp the consequences of their actions.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.05/green.html

Fun with paper Junkmail!

2006-04-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

Don't get mad, GET EVEN!

Today I went out to my mail box out front of my house and got the mail which consisted of 90% junk mail. There were even some that looked like fines from the library and others that insisted on being opened immeadiately.

So that is just what I did. Except, now I just used the return envelope to send back the entire just mail along with some of my own trash! I swept around my bird feeded, the floor and added it to the contents. That way the trash mail advertiser ends up paying even more for the return postage!

Now I don't feel so bad about the junk mail. I only feel bad about all of the wasted material
and polution that these junk mail companies create...

Life Before the BLog (or back in 2005)

2006-03-20T06:43:00.000-08:00

(Editors note: This was something I wrote almost a year (in 2005) ago, but it still is pertinent today]

OC Adventures [Mom's trip to the OC (April 19^th - 26^th)] 2005

by Mark McDonald

This trip was going to special for both my Mom and Me & Brittany. Mom had not been out west in two years, and in that time I have since moved from Dana Point and bought a house in Mission Viejo. We were looking very forward to having Mom out here and Brittany had prepared the guest room better that I could have ever expected. I just wanted my Mom to have a nice and relaxing stay this time around. The last two times she was here I slept on a thin photon couch that was really uncomfortable. This time was going to be different: she had her own room. I also put in for some time off at work so the three of us could spend the majority of time together. I really didn't have anything planed, just lots of fun ideas including new sites and activities for us to see and do.

The Arrival (Tuesday, April 19^th)

My savvy Mom got a really good deal on a straight shot across the country via Jet Blue. Taking off out of Dulles Airport, her destination would be only 5 hours away. This was a break from the usual all day travel and wasted vacation day that usually accompanies the long trip out West. To make things even easier, her destination of Long Beach airport is really simple to get in and out of compared to LAX or Orange County.

Brittany and I went in to the airport cafe and watched and waited for her plane to land as we both sipped on a beer and talked about how nice this break was going to be for all of us. Mom's plane arrived on-time and we were happy to see her. I think she was the last person off the plane!

Mom liked the house as I thought she would. She seemed to like a lot of the same features that I caught my at first sight.

That night we went to a really nice Mexican restaurant in Rancho San Margarita. We talked, ate, sipped margarita's and enjoyed the sounds of Salsa music that came from a live band next to our booth. That would be an early night for us, since my mom was still on east coast time. Actually that was probably way past her bed time!

Wednesday, April 20^th

I woke up around 7:30 and mom was already up. We both shared a fruit shake and mom had some of her wheat germ that she had brought with her. Brittany was still asleep but mom and I were both wide awake, so we went on a short walk up a hill to the power lines and then around the condo complex. Mom liked the wild flowers and views of the Saddle Back mountains in the near distance.

When we got back, Brittany was already up and being her beautiful self. She make us both a croissant sandwich that hit the spot! I wasn't sure what our first activity would be, but I did know that Brittany had recently bought a dinner table and chairs from the local Goodwill for like $70. I have not had a dinner table since I have live in Southern California and this was a big day for me.

The dinner table was pretty heavy and it took all three of us to bring it in. Surprisingly, the table's white tile matched the counter in the kitchen perfectly. Good eye Britt! Oddly enough, the chairs were really a great set, but they reeked of a musty-wet basement smell that was more than we could bear. So we put them out on the patio and decided to wash them with some Murphy's oil soap. Just a little bit of scrubbing and these chairs looked like new ones that you might have purchased from a hardware store. Mom noticed that they had never been stained so we decided to let the chairs dry and go get some polyurethane (stain and wood polish).

One the way to Home Depot, we stopped at the Humane Society. It was surrounded by rolling hills and was definitely the nicest one I have ever seen. Prior to Mom's visit Brittany and had visited the Humane Society and saw a six month old golden-retriever/chow mix puppy named 'Bela' that Brittany had really liked. This time Brittany would get to take Bela out of her cage and for a walk. They bonded immediately, and it looked like a definitely a match, but we both agreed that we were not ready for a puppy in the new house. It was sad to put her back in her cage.

When we got back the dry air had removed any water from the now clean chairs and we threw some newspaper on the patio and started staining them. Wow! That was simple, quick and easy. I think at one point in time all three of us were each glossing a chair. The whole project was completed in less than an hour. We also stained another chair that I had picked up at a garage sale. A job well done! Thanks to Brittany and Mom we would soon be gathered together at the dinner table (and it took me only four years, but who's counting anyway!). That night, Brittany prepared a wonderful dinner (as always) and we got a good nights sleep again.

Thursday, April 21^st

There was a team meeting at 7:30am Oakley that morning that I was not able to wake up for. I did however ride my mountain bike in and make a 11:30 web meeting with the group. Good news: Oakley sales are up more than 70 percent! The web has be a big part in the jump too. I think their stock was up more than $2.00 a share that day. It was a really nice day and the mountain bike ride to and from was a great way to start it out.

When I returned Brittany and Mom had gone and bought a really nice baker's rack and assembled it. It fit perfect in the kitchen.

We decided to go to the beach. So we all packed into my Honda Accord, surfboard and all, and head to the Salt Creek beach in Dana Point. That brought back some memories for all of us. I think everyone enjoyed themselves even though the temperature was in the 60's and 70's and a bit windy. I was probably a bit under dressed wearing tank-top swim trunks. Mom looked like she was going skiing in the Swiss Alps, with a sweater, and water prof jacket! Later, this would seem to be a good idea.

I decided to take my surf board out. It was a short board that was way to small and could barely float me. The offshore wind combined with the strong current made the water really rough. The were some pretty big waves coming in to. I got slammed about two or three times by big waves and just made a break for the shore before I made a fool of myself.

We all sat for a while on the beach under a bright sun and strong cross winds for about an hour before returning home. On the way home, we stopped at the local Remax, to see real estate agent Leslie Caretti, the agent who sold me my house. She was holding a seminar on buying a second house which all three of us went to and actually enjoyed.

No pictures of anything from this day.

Friday, April 22

The weather forecast was calling for rain for both Saturday and Sunday. Friday it was overcast actually looked like it was going to rain. Much of the day was taken up by me just laying on the couch watching television, Brittany taking a nap and Mom reading the book 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad'.

My Uncle Jack called my cell phone returning a call. He had been in Las Vegas for the past week and sounded pretty worn out but still offered to come to his boat in Newport if the weather was nice.

Later, Mom and I took a bike ride on a near by path up towards Cooks Corner. We both were riding mountain bikes (Mom was riding Britt's Klein). Mom was a little disoriented by the full-suspension and thought that the bike must have had a flat tire. Once I showed here how the gears and full suspension worked, she got really in to it. I was pretty impressed. After riding about two miles up hill we stopped at the ranger's station and picked a few fresh oranges off the trees there.

On the way home, it was like a down hill bike race, with my mom taking the lead for most of the ride. I think that must have been the fastest she had ever gone on a bike! She looked pretty tired when we got backs so all three of us went to the hot tub at the condo. I think Mom liked the heat, I know Britt and I did.

Saturday, April 23

Contrary to the forecast, the weather was beautiful. I guess we got lucky. Uncle Jack called back to tell us that he was not going to come to Newport Beach. He had broken his collar bone in a skiing accident and didn't feel like doing the two hour drive. He did however invite us to his house in Palm Desert, but we didn't feel like doing the drive either.

So we all packed in my car and went to San Juan Capistrano, where I went to a TKD class and Britt and Mom went to the stores around the Mission. An hour or so after my class, I called Britt up and tried to find out where they were. They were in a most sacred place that I had never been: a hidden tea house. I wish I had my camera to take pictures off the tea ladies in their large red hats scattered through out the area. We went into a hippy type shop that was adjacent to the tea house and bought some neat looking candles.

That night we had a bit of company which consisted of my friend and financial adviser, Chris Baroni and his wife Ingrei and her friend Angela from work. We grilled burgers on the which I think I cooked a little to much. We all sat around and talked about rattlesnakes, other wild animals and places to see in Southern California.

Sunday April 24

Woke up and all three of us wanted to get out so we went on a walk to the power lines. Unfortunately, it started to pour rain before we got the top. Mom and Brittany wanted to go and check out the Saddle Back church just around the corner, so they went to a 11:30 mass. Saddle Back church is the largest church west of Texas and sits on a few hundred acres of land with several buildings and accompanying foot trails. Very nice indeed.

When they got back from the church, the rain had cleared and the sun was coming out. So we got out to enjoy what might be the last day for all of use to be together. Just before we left, Britt got a call from her mother who was concerned about her older sister Brooke. She had told her mother that she would be at her house late Friday or early Saturday after a swing dance session. She had not arrived and was not answering her cell phone, so there was a rising concern. Ever since Brooke was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 16 there had been concern for her safety and since she had moved out and lived on her own the were reasons to be worried. Brittany seemed a bit worried but she didn't show it on the outside. So I didn't think to much of this, infact I think she told me while I was strumming my acoustic guitar.

So we decided to go out towards Laguna or even Newport Beach. Mom wanted to take us out to lunch or dinner. By chance, we passed a golf driving range made a u-turn into it to bang a couple of golf balls out into the green. I think I had forgotten how fun this was, for me at least. The people around me might have been a bit annoyed with my baseball bat like style (or no style at all). Still, I think I managed to send a couple of those balls a few hundred yards. Mom was correcting my grip. She actually had taken lesson when she was a girl. Brittany was doing really well too.

That was a fun thing to do and when the hundred or so balls were gone, we drove through the canyon to Laguna Beach. Actually, we went to 'Top of the World' which is the top of the hills just above downtown Laguna Beach. Really nice views here and we walked around on a few trails till we stopped off on a bench. It was a very pretty view indeed, but when I looked over at Britt I could tell something was bothering her. I ask if something was wrong, and she said she was concerned about Brooke. So I had her call Brooke's phone, and then her mom's cell phone. Neither answered, but she shook it off believing that everything was probably okay (this type of thing had happed before).

We drove down the long hill back to the beach, then stopped off on a rather private beach located in South Laguna just off of Pacific Coast Highway. There was almost nobody on the beach and we all just sat back and enjoyed the setting sun. Brittany went on a walk along the shore by herself, and then we all walked north along the sea shore line.

That night we ate at Stuffed Pizza in Dana Point. This is a place that Brittany and I been to before when we lived in there. Pizza was good and we all headed home, stuffed.

When we got home, almost immediately Britt answered the phone. She looked troubled. It was her step dad, Joe calling to tell her some very sad news about her sister Brooke. The conversation lasted less than a minute, and I could tell that something was very wrong. Their worst fears had been confirmed: Brooke had a diabetic seizure and gone into a coma and passed on.

Monday, April 25

After a very sad evening, I was impressed by how strong Brittany was about the loss of a family member who meant so much to her. I have had to deal with so little death in my life that it would be hard for me to understand what she was going through. I know that she was deeply hurt inside, but she was still so pleasant.

That morning I woke up and went in to work for a few hours, but ended up coming home after 11pm. I wanted to spend the last day with the two of them and just didn't feel up to being at work.

When I got home we decided that we should go on nice walk on the Santiago Canyon trail nearby my house. I think it was good to take a breather and get some fresh air. While we were getting ready to go my mom noticed that there was a sound of a bag pipe in the distance and she ventured out the front door to find out where it was coming from. Soon after, Brit and I followed. The sound was coming from the parking lot in the Saddle Back church. We decided to investigate, so before we when on our walk, we drove down to the church parking lot and paid the bag pipe play a visit.

Initially, I thought he must be getting paid by the church to do this but when we got down there you could see that he was just a guy on his lunch hour. Apparently, he was a drummer and there was a running bet in his office as to whether or not he could learn to play the bag pipe several years back. He played for us for a little while and then we talked to him for a bit. There is something very beautiful about this instrument. Maybe the way it is played or that it is usually played as just a single instrument. Brittany was glad that he did not play Amazing Grace for obvious reasons...so was I.

The walk was really nice and I am glad we got a chance to do this. When we got back Brit got in contact with her family and booked a ticket up to Oakland. She would be going to the airport at the same time my mom did.

Later that night we went out and got Mexican food as requested by my mom. This would be the last time we would eat together.

Tuesday, April 26^th

Mom set the clock for 5:30am so we all woke up really early. This was good because the drive to Long Beach is about 40 minutes with out traffic. We we lucky to be able to use the carpool lane and we got up there with plenty of time. I decided to go in to the airport with them and get a cup of coffee and watch my mom's plane leave. So sad to see mom and Britt go both within the same day. I am glad that mom had a nice trip. Britt and I watched and waved to her as her plane took off out of Long Beach.

In loving memory of Brooke Christopher who died April 22, 2005.

Illustration by Shawn McLean

Tour Of California

2006-02-27T16:17:00.000-08:00

The Amgen Tour Of California kicked ass.

Pollack takes the finale

Here are my pics from Redondo Beach, CA (Stage 7 final stage)

a good read

2006-02-27T16:14:00.000-08:00

In recent studies the CDC found that thanks to the American lifestyle of convenience and inactivity, cycling and walking have been replaced by automobile travel for all but the shortest distances. That's why we've got to make bicycling convenient again.

Even small increases in light to moderate activity will produce measurable benefits among those who are least active. Cycle for pleasure, but try to integrate bicycling wherever you can: a trip to the store, to a sporting event or party, to a concert, to a friend's house. Try cycling to work at least once a month, and then once a week.

Read more at: http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/hf/

2006-02-22T15:26:00.000-08:00

This was me a few years ago when I visited Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin. This is the house my grandmother grew up in!

must ride

2006-01-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

need to ride. the rain has got me going crazy. rode my racing bike in to work yesterday. today I am doing oneill park with brett. need to ride.

The THUMP!

2006-01-03T14:41:00.000-08:00

I just won a Thump 512meg at a company party. I have rode with a lot of people who wear this when they ride, but I didn't know how much it would change my riding until I actually tried it. This was the coolest thing I have ever worn while riding a bike. I ride with the guy who created this and the thump2 as well as the razr wire. I had no idea how cool this thing would be!

Works inside my helmet too! The only thing that I am concerned about is sweat shorting out the electronics. Only time will tell!

Sole Survivor

2005-11-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

Today was to final day of my boss Ryan.
We worked together for 4.5 years.
There were times of agony and dispair.
There were some fun times too.

Many people disliked him and his management style
and left as a result.
As a matter of fact, I have seen at least 15 people come and go.

He was to one who took a chance on me and flew me out here from Washington DC durning the summer of 2001.
That was a point when I was really desparate and needed work really bad so
it came at a really good time.

Since then I lived in four different places in Southern California, 4 mountain bikes, and moved around 6 different times in this building.

In anycase, I wish him well.
New things to come, hopefully lots of good things.
It is just strange to be here as the sole survivor or maybe just the only one left of the original crew.

That was then, this is now

2005-11-09T11:48:00.001-08:00

Hounddog skating the dreaded steel death monster in OC in 1987. Photo?Messick?

Hounddog in 2005 riding the mountain at Hurkey Creek, Sept 2005!

ride till you crash

2005-11-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

Rode Trabuco Creek Sunday
Basically a dirt road until you get to the Holy Jim Trail. Did about 4 miles up the mountain at Holy Jim and then came back. Need to do this with someone (and not by myself)

Rode Whiting Ranch/Edision in the dark on Monday
This was a good experience for me. A lot of fun with the new light system. Got this cool Cygolite system for under a hundred bucks!

Rode Whiting today with a bunch of dudes that are really fast in design and crashed! Was riding the extra credit part and trying to keep up with Tony Kern on the downhill part. He rides a downhill racing bike with 8 inches of travel. Anyway, my foot came out of the pedal and I was trying to put it back in the clip and started to hit the rocky section and just lost my balance and slammed like a sack of potatoes! My knee cap is a bit brusied up but nothing to bad. Just glad that I didn't f* up my carbon fiber frame in the process...

So the weather man is calling for rain the next two days so that should give me some time to heal up my knee and get my brakes fixed (I think there is a leak in the hydrolic system after the slam).

Stay tuned!

6-Hours of Orange County

2005-10-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

6-Hours of Orange County Saturday, November 5th 2005

Might enter this with Brett M.

Here is the course. This looks like it is going to be fun. I have not ridden the trail yet, but I have been around this area (located about 10 miles from my house!).

Check out the Warriors Society Website!

2005-10-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

THE STORY BEHIND THE MARK J. REYNOLDS LANDMARK

Story by Todd Galati

This is where I ride almost every day at lunch. I remember this day well. I was riding these trails a few hours before this happened!

2005-10-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of really great rides that I want to do very soon. They are big rides and I need to find someone that can do them with me. My buddy Brett is a canidate.

Blackstar - Motorway (Orange County)

HorseThief - Trabuco (Orange County)

There are so many killer rides here that I am just finding out about. Need to stop riding the same chit and get on the new trails.

Check out GeoLadders as you will see what I mean!

more bikes...less cars!

2005-10-06T16:18:00.000-07:00

I love riding.
I ride to work on dirt everyday (transportation & recreation)
I ride at lunch in Whiting Ranch Park in the dirt every day (recreation)
I ride home on dirt (transportation & recreation)

Don't need gas...just 5 banannas, raw oatmeal and soy milk. Works everytime!

I want to sell my car!

24 Hours of Adrenalin (Hurkey Creek Sept 2005)

2005-09-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

Looking for the Race Results

What a fun race for me! I got to ride the trail with some of the best endurance mountain riders in the world. Was really fun even though I only did a total of 4 laps the entire time I was there.

Mad respect for those riders who went for 24 hours SOLO!

I have no idea how they do it, but after riding this trail a few times, I know they must train constantly. How else could they possibly have the strength to go for 24 hours straight! My fastest time was 1.05. Below is the result of Monique Sawicki who kick ass over not only me but the majority of solo men, and of course us boys who did the 4 person teams.

RANK	BIB	TEAM	LAP																	LAPS	TIME
RANK	BIB	TEAM	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	LAPS	TIME
1	22	Monique_Sawicki	0:59	0:59	1:06	1:08	1:07	1:04	1:23	1:20	1:25	1:34	1:25	1:49	2:24	2:32	1:12	1:25	1:14	17	24:13

THE TRAIL
The course was one of the best I have ever ridden. Kudos to the people who groom and maintain the Hurkey Creek trail. It started with a 2 mile uphill climb. Not a mean climb, more a mellow, sometimes rocky hill, then a picturesesque single track thru a mountain field. Then another climb to as fire road which lead to the first downhill. The down hill sections kick ass, with lots of high speed turns bumps and a few ruts. Once the downhill is done, you go through another single track section and then the next uphill. This one is pretty steep and a lot of people were walking their bikes. It has a lot of ticky sections due to loose rocks, large and small.

I was so tired after my third run Took a bunch of pictures that I will try to upload soon.

Todd Carpenter got first in the solo mens.

Close encounters with Rattlesnakes!

2005-08-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

Just got back from riding Whiting Ranch at lunch by myself. I was pretty much taking my time just listening to songs on my cd-mp3 player. Along the ride I saw a bobcat which was sitting in the trail. I stopped and took a look at him. He was suprised to seem me stareing him down. Towards the end I took a way that I usually don't take when I ride with Brett, which goes through a shady single-track path. I was crusing down the downhill part when I saw a Sidewinder on the trail, coiled up and ready to strike! As I passed him, I lifted the backend of my bike up to a kind of hop. Luckly he didn't strike. That was close. They usually are not out during the day. I have not seen too many this summer. I guess it is getting near fall, and just like in the spring when the are coming out of hibernation. Now they are preparing to go into the winter hibernation.

Going to be a lot of Rattlesnakes this fall. Something to be very careful of when riding trails!

The Tomac is cool!

2005-08-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

I am down with the new Eli Tomac. I did a ride with Brett and think I like it a lot better. The change came when I did the downhill section at Whiting Ranch. I rode my Trek home that night and I still like it just as much. I think I will ride the Tomac on the trails home tonight!

Tomac is cool!

Eat fruit! Your will live longer

2005-08-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

I try to eat an assortment of fruit every morning. This day consists of about 4 bannanas, blueberrys, oatmeal and of course soy milk.

Seems to do the trick, and I don't get hungry when I go long rides.

EAT MORE FRUIT. You will live longer and happier life!

daily routine

2005-08-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

This morning Brittany's 13 year old nephew Clayton left to go back to his grandmother's Oakland, then back to his home in Portland. He is a cool kid and it was nice to have him down here. Bummed that we didn't make it to the skatepark around the corner.

Now I am back in my daily routine, which means work and lunchtime rides with my buddy Brett. I have not found anyone I like to ride with as much as Brett, and most of the time we have stimulating conversations about current events or other stuff while riding and getting a good workout.

I was going to ride my new Tomac in this morning, but I decided to use my Trek. I think I like the Trek a lot more than I though I would. The Tomac is an all mountain. Not sure how much I like this. I guess the guys at the Tomac factory must have thought that I wanted a really strong frame. Well, now at least I have a cross country and a all mountain bike that are up to date. A few years back I remember someone telling me something that you should buy a new mountain bike every 2 years and this may be true if you ride every day. I just figure that I will ride the bike until the frame breaks! I am very careful when I ride, and try to avoid anything that would harm my bike in anyway, but I still put a lot of pressure on it.

I am pretty soar after riding Whiting on Saturday and O'neil Park on Sunday. I will be back on the Whiting trail in about 45 minutes for a ride with Brett.

Back to the heat!

New Tomac Frame!

2005-08-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

I broke my old Tomac Special 98 pro frame and sent it back to the factory via Supergo. Just got it back from Supergo yesterday and what they replaced it with is an 'all mountain' eli frame opposed to the cross country one which I sent in. I guess I am lucky that I broke the frame within the warranty, which would have ended after the three years that I have had the bike.

I took it out on a ride from my house to Whiting Ranch yesterday. The first thing I noticed is how much larger this frame is that my new Trek Fuel 100. I feel like I am sitting up 2 feet higher! Seems heavier too.

I pumped up the shocks this morning to a pressure more suited for my weight. Might try another ride on it this afternoon. Not sure how much I like this bike anymore. Have to wait and see... I thought I was not going to like the Trek when I first started riding it because it was such a small frame.

In my upcoming 24 hour race I think I will bring them both, but use the Tomac as just a back up.

Tubless Tires
I have noticed a big difference in speed when I ride with bald tubless Bontrager Super X tires. I think I will start using these again. I switched to tube tires on my Trek, but there is a noticeable difference in friction. Seems to make a big difference when I climb hills out here.

Diggin' the new tech

2005-08-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

This car is really cool.
A revolutionary new car is taking shape and will drive 120 miles for only $2

* Zero Pollution
* No gasoline, no diesel, no batteries, no electric motors.
* Has a top speed of 68 MPH
* Has a range of 124 miles
* Can recharge in your garage in 3 to 4 hours from a 220v plug, or...
* Can recharge at a filling station in 2 minutes
* Costs less than $2 per recharge (for 124 miles)
* Has very low maintenance costs (far fewer moving parts in the engine, so less to go wrong)
* Gets air conditioning "for free" using the expanded gas from the engine for cooling.
* Is being built in 4 models -- a car, a 5-passenger taxi, a pick-up and a van.

And the most amazing part -- the car will cost only 5,500 pounds in the UK, which translates into less that $10,000 in the U.S.

http://www.theaircar.com/

24 Hours of Adrenalin

2005-07-30T10:07:00.000-07:00

Going to race MTB for 24 hours with my friend Byron and three other guys that I don't know yet!

Should be pretty crazy!

The race is called 24 Hours of Adrenalin

This is Byron's custom ride:

Mountain Bike Chit

2005-07-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Took the last 2 days off of riding because of extreme heat. I don't usually mind it too much, but I did a 15 mile mtb ride at lunch (The Luge) [ <-- not my pics] on Wednesday and rode the last 5 days in a row before that. That ride on the luge is all up hill and completely in the sun. There is no shade. I put a ton of 50 sunscreen on, but my skin still felt like leather. I feel better today and I am going to ride at Whiting Ranch. This is my normal ridethat I usually do at least 3 times a week. It is has a bit of everything for good cross country riding.

Anyway, got to go and get ready. I think I am doing this one alone!

A HoundDogBlog Test

2005-07-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

This blog thing is pretty cool. My friend Joel blogz. So I do now too!

HolyChit! Screw microsoft, F*** word processors. This thing is way better.

Here is a link to my buddy Joel (aka Gwadzilla) blog site
I think this thing is pretty cool. Geeze! I have been sleeping under a rock for the last 4 years!