foggy dusty brownie

all this and cookies,too

Yes, the clock doesn't stop. Training camp # 346A7-B/9 featured 10 riders inspite of some no-shows due to out of town engagements. This was fine as the dustcloud from this group was large enough it could have been seen from space. No flat tires and a slightly truncated route made the speeds a little higher and the legs a little sorer for the hike-a-bike. Nevertheless all arrived intact. At the end of the line were some really great cookies provided by Stella 'not-just- a- bike- racer' Carey. With the DFL race series starting in about four weeks time is running out to get prepared for the grueling gauntlet that is our sport. Som additions will be made to the route on Fridays to better prepare all who show up. Bring your hiking shoes.

Positive Message

This guy photographed a wall in Lithuania that had been tagged. Figured Nemo would like it too.
Link to the rest of his Graffitti photos

it takes a village, people.

Looks like I will have to go to city hall for that crowd permit after all. Nine hardy souls from regions near and far braved a windy twisting track along the cliffs , capped off with the notorious hikeabike into Wilder. We had three flats in the firs three minutes but none after that. Three of the elite suad showed up so the pace was noticably more urgent from the gun. The flat tires made a nice rest for some of us that really needed it. I guess this ride is so good that people outside of the team are gung-ho to throw down with the rest of us. What happens if we have 30 people? Get a dirt bike escort out of town? You never know. Tune in next week, or better yet....show up and ride. Cheers, swiggboss.

Rock Lobster kids, come out and plaaaayyy

Friday is here, and your cuts are healed from the thisles and poison oak is about gone, so its time for some more bushwhacking!

Nemo Toons

Just playing with some photos of last year, trying for some comic style. Enjoy

lucky earache

The bushwhacking ways of the friday training ride continued this week with a new feature: flat tires every ten minutes or less. Larry had to pass on the ride as he had an ear infection. The rest of us weren't so lucky as about 2 miles into the ride we were treated to a 300 yard hike through stinging nettles with virtually no trail to follow at times. Some legs were speckled with blood from sticker cuts. It took almost an hour and a half to make it to four mile before the concensus was to turn around and head back. With the exception of Chappy, most of us had pretty much had enough for the day. We did have our obligatory chrash, though. It was Chappy trying to power through the deep sand , getting a little too sideways to stay upright.

more sponsors

Now it is time to welcome Mavic as a sponsor of the team. This is official and we should be getting wheels and rims by the beginning of Sept. We can thank Larry Burke of OEM sales for the support . Bravo Larry!

big group

What a difference a week makes. On this edition of the Friday 'cross ride we had no less than 7 riders including new team member Jeff Patton . Brett Lambert , a long time friend and really strong rider came along and had no trouble staying with the speedier group. Larry not only didn't crash but showed no fear on the singletrack downhill, replete with roots, logs and all of the things that make people endo. All in all, it was a good ride and everyone made it back with no bruises.

sponsor

Team Rock Lobster is also proud to have a new title sponsor: H.R. solutions, Karen Bullard's firm. We will be sporting a puzzle-piece on our kits...it's a nice graphic.

Los Gallos

Happy to announce the Rock Lobster team is now sponsored by another local company: Taqueria Los Gallos
2 locations in Scotts Valley:
18A Victory sq -439-9803
243 Mt Hermon Road -439-9507

Be sure to stop by on your next ride and grab a Turbo burrito!

over the bars club

Wow, we had the largest turnout ever.....five whole people. Maybe I should have applied with the parks service for an event permit. Honestly, you folks who are missing out on the training camps are......just that-pretty much missing out. The group left the shop at about 5:20 and headed north out to the bluffs . We rode a zigzag route that included a few dismounts and some nice sand running. Simon asked if we were up to a hike-a-bike into Wilder ranch. Everyone ignorantly said yes , so off we went. Famouse for his over the bars exploits, Larry did not let us down with a spectacular crash at a nasty double-ditch that was a lot deeper than it appeared. Fortunately ,Larry was largely unhurt and despite a slightly bent rear wheel able to proceed. Up we went into the hot dry waist-high weeds and indeed, it was a bit of hiking. By the time Larry and I made it to the top we were feeling every bit of our combined 101 years and decided to ride back. It was almost 7 p.m. so the house was calling. Larry was saying that as soon as we went uphill there were no rest spots...I told him that my rest spot was my couch. To me the hiking epitomized what we should be doing this summer......suffering and learning that running or even walking with a bike can be a real chore , but it is our chosen chore.If we are to excel at this chore we need to become used to it.

Scarface

What a time it was...the drinks were loaded and so were the broads. -Not really....it was a trail ride. Simon A.K.and I went out to Wilder for a spin and practice. They rode leasurely whil I caughed blood and basically gimped my way along about 300 yards back. I thought no one knew the pain I felt-that is until A.K. took a header right in front of me. You thought he looked pretty mean before......just call him scarface.

Rocklobster beach training camp

I attended my second beach camp with Simon and Swiggboss where we did some frisbee tossing and running in the sand around a couple of beach blanket humpers... Always been a bit of a peeping-tom, so i kept trying to get that frisbee to land on their blanket so Paul would have to go pick it up. Wind was on Paul's side so it never made it that far.

Pauls looking good, each week he is getting faster and faster on his feet.
Nemo is as fast as usual, and will probably crush this year with ease.

After some more yoga and stretching I will know if my back can take the pressure this year.
Excited to travel with the team whenever I can and help the boyz this year.
Simons secret kit design is looking pretty swank...

-Chappy

an a 1-2-3

What a beating the old Tuesday ride can be....chasing shaved-legged roadies up and down the coast at 25-40 m.p.h. It can be a humbling experience,yet sometimes it can be payback, bee-atch. The R.L. team was represented by yours truly, Simon and cup-o-Coffey. We all worked the paceline up the coast well.....Simon crushed the hill and maybe himself as his 25&23 cogs were not available. I was so far back I even had time for a nature break. Coffey was somewhere in between. There were some tired legs in the peloton on the way back to town so it didn't start out too fast.The pace gradually picked up but the team was at the front working away,keeping an eye on things. Coffey stirred things up a little with a slight surge with about two miles to go. I heard some heavy breathing so I knew that it was likely that most of the pack were near their limit. We passed some riders, most notably Brian Vernor who proceeded to get right in the line and give us a nice lead out. The result was that the three Lobsters came across the line in front of everybody. The result was too close for me to see but it was pretty cool. Next week I'll probably get dropped but yesterday....ahh, yesterday...all my chasers seemed so far away.Cheers, swiggboss.

number 2

Yes, looks like it will be mighty lonely at the early training camps. JUst Simon and I showed up. The beach is a lot more populated than last week....summer is here. Anyway, for now the early session will continue on Fridays at Natural Bridges beach at 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise stated.Call the shop at 429-8010 before 4 p.m. to confirm. It's all about working out the kinks before hitting the course.

slog loggster

Hey, where are all my friends? You missed it if you weren't there.....rock lobster 'cross training camp # 1. Simon put Chappy and myself through a rigorous frisbee ( 50 minutes)and sand-running ( I only lasted about 5 minutes....) gauntlet. Chappy did some extra curricular rock throwing, quite impressive in a Scottish games sense. My shoulder feels like I was shot at close range with a medium caliber firearm and my legs are really knotted up. I guess the last run I did of that duration was in 1994......I I was a little rusty, no doubt. There will be more of these outings....usually after work at Natural Bridges beach. I would encourage all slaggards like myself to show up. It really gives me a new view on things....good cycling shape alone really doesn't cut it in 'cross....story of my life, anyway. Till next time, swiggboss.

pipe dreams and roasting flesh

It has to be that the clock stops for no one. That no one does indeed include us, my fellow turners of the cranks. The official team beggars account is in its final stage before going to print. Some of your better placings will be in there, some photos as well. Next week we should have a hardcopy to send out to our poential benefactors. As the heat of the day turns up so shall our pursuit of funding for the team and clarity as to our final form. Good news as we look to have the strongest squad ever and the possibilty of more support from the inside as well as the outside. Welcome RYan Bontrager as your new official team mechanic. Bike meeses up, you can get agro with him, but at well over 6' you might want to have some wedges in your shoes. Ryan has a very good attitude and a real enthusiasm for the sport and helping all of us ride more trouble free. Cheers, swiggboss.

you can't always get what you want....

Yo, crew. It's 2006 and where are your cleats? scrape the mud off and get ready for a new coat. Looks like we will be rollin' with a new look and some new crew. We might lose a buddy or two along the way but that doesn't mean you have to put a pump in their spoke next time you see them. It's not just about who is here now, it's about whoever was on this squad and what they contributed....or didn't. For example, I have hoisted a flag at a good many races but have yet to finish in a top ten position....unless there were 10 or fewer in the field. What the heck, honking the horn and flag waving are things I train for all year....the fitness thing....welll, that just has to take a back seat. In two weeks or so the final roster for this team should be done. If you have plans to go elsewhere you should let us know as our presentation material will need to reflect an accurate headcount. Cheers, looking forward to some crushage.....holy crap, a new term.