Not quite ready for prime time

Here's Ellen Sherrill's 2012 team bike in process. I don't have shifters yet so it will have to sit out the race tomorrow. The Easton wheels are really going to make this thing a rocket sled.

The last Friday pre-season ride

We were treated to a visit by team veteran Dave Wyandt. New rider Andrew Juliano got a skinny tire dirt intro on the pit single speed , Scott Chapin rocked his steel bike and Kathleen Bortolussi got a bee sting on the downhill. I got a pinch flat about the same time but with all that it was still a great ride. Next weekend the races start at CCCX and I think we'll be ready. Team sponsors Pro-Gold, Giro, Easton, Paul Component engineering have provided us with generous support. Our title sponsor Bicycle Bluebook has really set us up with resources to have a full program for our elite team. Returning sponsors HRS,Traugott Guitars ,CX Nation and Pasta,etc. Have come through for us in a big way. Hopefully we will match the success of the last few years and possibly even improve on our record.

The team rolls on Pro-Gold

It is with great excitement that we announce our newest soponsor, Pro-Gold. We will be set with the best chain lube and bike wash for the cyclocross season. These boxes are filled with the stuff that will keep us rolling. Come by the tent and we'll oil your chain.

The proof is in the jersey.

 Historically speaking some gnar has been shred by this team, lately by the dirt-faced kid below. With luck we will continue our shredding ways in the upcoming season with help from a new sponsor, ProGold lubricants. The lube and bike cleaners will keep us rolling all the way to Feb. and the end of the season.

Team ride

Every Friday  until the races start there will be a team ride meeting at the shop at 5:00 p.m.  The cyclocross team has been officially re-launched for the 2012-13 season with a new name : Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobster. We wish to thank new title sponsor Bicycle Bluebook , returning sponsors HRS, Traugott guitars, Easton-Bell sports, Giro, Chris King, Paul Component Engineering, Pasta, etc., Mavic, FitYu, Bob's Red Mill . We would like to welcome new sponsors : CX Nation, Buckler Embrocation, Mark Stevens Yoga. There are other sponsors pending as well and I'll update the list soon.

Time to get ready....

Motorpacing for 'cross ? -Don't laugh.....it works. Here's Aaron Bradford's rig for doing just that. With a couple more racks for wheels and a roller in back for safety this little moto will be ready for service. The Friday team rides started last week so the preparation has officially started.

Surf city final and county championship

Janel and Natasha rode another great race to finish 2 and 3 on the day. The course was really hilly and demanding, much more difficult than Harbor High courses of the past.


Howie and Tim were 1 and 2 in the mens 45 A group with Howie claiming the county champion hat.
This was a huge victory for Will Hall in the 45 B race getting the overall series victory and 2nd on the day. Will finished no worse than 2nd in the four race series. Benoit Dubiusson finished 6th on the day
Brent Harris and I fought it out with the field of 13 in the mens 55 group. I came in 4th and Brent came in 6th.....the results for the day and the overall were not quite dialed.

This is Brent after his collision with a tree and some dehydration from the warm dry conditions.
Here's Tim Watson attempting to explain how he got 2nd place after spending a few days this week in bed with food poisoning......he was in disbelief ! Both Tim And Frank made for a really festive last race of the season with a super barbeque and folks from the team and outside the team were well fed. Although I didn't get photos, Aaron Bradford showed up and rode to 2nd place in the mens A race and secured 2nd overall in the series. Ben Dodge rode to another top-10 capping off an excellent season. Michael Schaller rode in the 35 B group but I was unable to get a placing for him. Alex Work dominated the single speed race again adding a county championship to his district championship.Results can be seen at Surf City cyclocross.

CCCX Final Fort Ord

Here's Benoit Dubuisson after a sprint finish in the 45 B group. He finished 8th on the day and 6th for the season. Alan Bennett would finish 14th.
The CCCX final at Fort Ord saw a windy, chilly day of fast riding and changing fortunes in the overall season standings-for the most part, favorable for our team. Jon Mason finished 7th on the day but 2nd overall in the mens 35B class, capping an excellent season. Michael Scaller would finish 11th on the day.
Michelle Perez ended her CCCX with a second place.
Natasha, Janel and Kathleen went 1,2,3 in the series with Janel at the top of the podium.
Scott Chapin could not stop the Cal Giant train but stuck it out for 4th on the day and 4th in the series with Ben Dodge going 6th on the day and 3rd for the series. Jeff Patton missed the series podium by only three points.


Mark Howland came back from broken ribs to finish 3rd on the day and 4th for the series in the mens 45 A group.
Jason Rahlwes got 5th for the day and 5th for the series in the mens 35 A group.

I had my best CCCX finish of the year with second on the day and 3rd for the series.

Nationals part II

Here's Alex Work coasting over the line in the top-25 of the 35-39 race after a last-row call-up. He would pay for his efforts with abdominal bleeding that would keep him out of the elite race the next day. Still, after 7th in the single-speed event and a good showing here , He had a great week.
Here's the fleet in the host house garage. We had a full shop at our disposal along with great support in the pits. The Ericsson's definitely had our backs for the whole five days of racing.
This is Scott's divetrain after the single speed race. close to 50 minutes with no pitting and this is what you get, mud and prairie grass caking everything.
The home cooked meals were a highlight-this night was linguini with bacon, tomatoe, onion and parsley-al la Amatriciana to be specific.
David Millet missed his start but finished in the 30 plus non-championship race on the first day. I guess starting a couple minutes down really eliminates the dangers of riding in a random group of folks you don't know on a slick, muddy course.

CX Nationals, Verona, Wi.

In true team tradition the bacon nachos were prepared by Scott Chapin.
Here's one visual result of a single speed CX national's race........
And here's another. Aaron Bradford 1st, Scott Chapin 4th, Alex Work 7th. I would say that Bay 101/HRS/Rock Lobster looked to be the dominant team in this event.

USGP of Bend report

My camera froze on the day I wanted to take photos so there's little to show but much to be happy about.
This is the only race photo-Jon Mason at the start of the Saturday mens cat 2/3/4, one of the largest fields of the day and Jon got a front row callup.
This is the screw I got in my rear tire riding up to Pilot Butte on Friday with the crew. Lucky that I brought another tire and some glue so I would be set for the races on the weekend.
Here's the view from the top of Pilot Butte with Scott, Aaron Mallory and Ellie......I think that's how its spelled !

And here are the results:
Saturday: Aaron Bradford elite men 35th. Scott Chapin elite men DNS...food poisoning.
Jon Mason cat 2/3/4 28th
Alan T. Ott mens 45+ 24th
Paul Sadoff mens 55+ 9th.

Sunday : Aaron Bradofrd elite men 13th, Scott Chapin elite men 40th.
Jon Mason ct. 2/3/4 25th
Alan T. Ott mens 45+ 24th
Paul Sadoff mens 55+ 8th.

Now the fine print. Since Scott had crashed hard the previous weekend he had a bruised tailbone that kept him from really racing to his potential. To further complicate things , he came down with food poisoning on Friday night and was unable to race at all on Saturday. Being a tough competitor, he got on his bike Sunday and in spite of all the problems was able to compete.
Aaron Bradford broke his seatpost on the second lap on Saturday and had a total of five bike changes. On Sunday he had no problems and did a career ride.

I would like to thank all the sponsors for making this outing possible and for a few of us our best USGP finishes. Also, a major thanks to Mallory Burda for transportation and help in the pits. She got 5th on Saturday in the womens B field and bettered that the next day with a 2nd place. We cooked most of our meals at the rental and were truly a team in all respects. This was a great tune-up for the nationals and we will be ready.

Off to the USGP in Bend, Oregon

This is dessert, some panko/salt encrusted dark chocolate.....thank you whole foods.

Home cooking on the road: Tonight, fettucini alla amatriciana, basically the default swiggboss dinner.

There's bacon in that pan, lots of it. I think we made enough for about two days. Buckethead's idea is to cook as many meals here rather than going out-I concur.

A view of Shasta on the way up to Bend. Supposedly we are in for some clear weather for the weekend of racing. It would be different to race here without snow and ice but I'm not complaining.

L.A. UCI race

Everybody is trying to be a star in L.A.-I guess you need the right bike for the photo shoot. Photo courtesy of justinbettman.com photography. Model : Jaquelin.

CCCX Nor-Cal district championships

The district CCCX race at Toro Park was a big success for the team-here's Will Hall with his 2nd place medal with Jeff Traugott , sponsor and competitor.
The two available championship jerseys in single speed reside in this team with Alex Work and Stella Carey.Stella also finished with a bronze medal in the women's A race.
Natasha Perry continues here good racing with a bronze medal in the women's 35 + field followed by Kathleen Bortolussi in 5th.
Slowed by a flat tire, Janel Lodge still held on for the silver medal in the women's 45+ race.
Kevin Crossley rode a great race in the men's A field and came in 6th, followed by Ben Dodge in 14th, Aaron Odell in 19th and Sean Coffey 22nd, back on the bike after a long injury recovery.
Here's the very first women'd single speed podium in Nor-Cal with Stella at the top.Another medalist was Jon Mason finishing 2nd in the men's 35 B group , continuing his run of podium spots. Other finishers : Jason Rahlwes 11th in the men's 35 A race , Tim Watson and Frank Kalcic going 10th and 11th in the men's 45 A race, Benoit Dubuisson 9th, Jeff Traugott 14th and Alan Bennett 19th in the men's 45 B race, Michael Schaller 14th in the men's 35 B race and I trailed in 9th in the men's 55 race.
Alex victorious in the single speed race after crashing out of the 35 A field.