Blackest of the black
Darker than night
Come to me my bleeding light
See she comes
She comes now
Enter oblivion
And she comes down to me
And she offers me sleep
Under her black

Whoa oh, under her black wings
Whoa oh, under her black-Danzig II-Lucifage
 
Another week and another race is in the books after the 2012 Fontana City National went down under ominous, black skies.  Lucky for most of the racers the rain held off only unleashing her fury late in the Pro/CAT 1 race, and then during the podium ceremonies.  With over a 1,000 racers showing up to the two day gravity and cross country event, it was a huge success for the US Cup, and it was a solid day for the Sho-Air/Specialized crew as well.
 
The drive home was probably the sketchiest part of the weekend as people were stacking it up left and right into the carpool lane wall as the heavens dowsed So. Cal with some much needed moisture.
 
Brendon Davids bounced back after his dismal Bonelli race just two weeks ago, to take the Men’s Pro victory by a couple minutes over a pretty solid field aboard his S-Works 29 Hard tail. The Pro field included some international riders from Canada, Mexico and of course South Africa and it was nice to see a diverse group of racers representing and giving him a run for his money!
 
But in the end, the likeable South African put in four solid laps and rolled home with his first Pro US XC victory since coming to the states!  Good job kid!
 
On my side of things it was a much lower key weekend not having Monique and Ben Bostrom in the mix like the last couple Pro XCT’s.  That allowed me to enjoy the weekend with a little less worrying, although being my first race back and only 4th time on the back since coming down with something Sunday night after the Bonelli race that left me wiped out, I was apprehensive as to how my body would feel!
 
This year’s CAT 1 35-39 is stacked and has four or five riders that can win on any given day.  Fontana was no different and with the CAT 1 30-34’s starting on the same wave, it meant that getting a good start was going really important.
 
After sitting sixth wheel for the first couple minutes and narrowly avoiding a big pile up when some riders got a little over anxious and locked bars, I figured the safest place was at the front so I could ride my own race and stay out of trouble.
 
Once on the front, my team mate Eric Bostrom followed suit and got on my wheel.  It was really nice to see Eric back in second so early in the race.
 
Not knowing how good my body was with all the time off, I decided to pace it a little more than usual to make sure I could get through the four lap race without blowing apart on the technical and relentless course.
I have to say my Epic 29 allowed me to save so much energy in the techy non pedaling sections; I think it was the key to me getting the win!  I don’t know how the boys do it, but the 2012 Epic is even better than last year’s and just keeps raising the bar!
 
So end the end, I took the win and Eric Bostrom took a well-deserved second place with a solid ride, making us the first two spots on the box!
 
Until Next Time,
Keep it Chill.
The Red Cowboy.

The Vesta is landing

The Vesta is landing

Without a captain, without a crew

Dead in the hull, tied to the wheel

This ship of death, this ship is filled with rats

You better find your mother

You better look for cover

We make a choice, we make it everyday

To get up in the morning and to bear away-Murder City Devils

Its that time of the season to batten down the hatches and set sail as the 2012 cross country season is in full swing!

For Team Sho-Air/Specialized, it kicked off in the Lone Star State of Texas on March 3rd at the Mellow Johnny’s Classic. With Pua taking a solid 3rd and Brendon Davids pulling out all the stops to a top 10 in the men’s elite field, as the team manager I was more than impressed by the opening act.

Then it was straight away into the next Pro XCT round at Bonelli Park the following weekend, which is hosted by the US Cup and sponsored by our partner Specialized.

While Brendon was busy preparing to try and back up his lofty performance from the week before, team mates Monique Pua Mata and Eric Bostrom went the other direction and headed east to Arkansas for the Pro UET (Ultra Endurance Opener) to chase the 2012 title.

It’s not easy being in two places at once, and with my focus on running the Bonelli event, wearing my US Cup captains’ hat, Eric and Pua were on a ship without a captain. But these two experienced racers, although from completely different backgrounds made me proud as they took the wheel and steered Sho-Air to a win with Pua and a solid 4thplace by Eric Bostrom in the men’s Pro/Open field.

For Monique, backing up her 2011 Pro UET #1 plate with another win straight after Mellow Johnny’s podium finish solidified her in my mind as one of the most versatile female pro racers in the country.  And EBoz has stepped up his cycling game big time, as at one point during the 6 Hours of Spa City he  was in the lead and mixing it up with Legend Tinker Juarez, who eventually went on to win the race.

For more on the Pro UET opener, click here: www.cyclingdirt.org

Back at Bonelli the ship capsized as Brendon didn’t have the day we were hoping for, eventually finishing 16th.

At one point things looked good for Brendon as he was inside the top 8 and cutting through the field, but some bad choices and mechanicals late in the race ultimately regulated the young South African back to 16th. But the process taught the young man some valuable lessons as he tries to make his way to the top of the sport

Overall it was a huge success and I’m proud of the on hand decks with two podiums from Monique and Eric. Plus the Bonelli Park round saw almost 700 racers compete over the two days, with great reviews and feedback from riders about the course and the weather.

I even got in on the act and took the win in the CAT 1 35-39 XC race at Bonelli, between running around in the tech zone or answering racers questions!

Next up Fontana in two weeks for round #3 of the US Cup series, and here’s to hoping we can get the ship pointed in the right direction. We make that choice everyday to get up and Bear Away!!

Until Next Time,

Keep on pedaling

The Red Cowboy.

I've got some fond memories of San Angelo,

and I've seen some beauty queens in El Paso,

but the best lookin women that I've ever seen,

have all been in Texas and all wearin jeans

I'm a country plowboy, not an urban cowboy,

and I dont ride bulls but I have fought some men,

drive a pickup truck,

trust in God and luck and I live to love Texas women.

-Hank Williams JR

I’ve got a special place in my heart for the lone star state. After all it’s where I met my wife some 14 years ago through some friends back in my old motocross days.

The food is hearty the weather changes on a dime and the riding trails are downright sick!!

So when it was time to head out to the opening Pro XCT just outside of Austin, I was down for the trip and eager to see what our 2012 roster could pull off.

The weekend couldn’t have gone any better for us in my opinion. We walked in there relative underdogs considering it’s an Olympic year and anyone who’s chasing the allusive Olympic team spot is out for blood!

It started off great when my girl Monique Mata showed the best girls in the country that even though she’s the queen of endurance, she can throw down on a short, punchy cross country course like Mellow Johnny’s!

Not following last year’s XC tour, Pua got parked in the back with a 16th place call up. By the end of the short four lap race, she had sliced through the field like a hot knife through corn bread to end up in a solid third. If she had one more lap, I’m guessing she would have been one step higher on the box, but racing is racing, and we will take it!

The men’s field lineup was epic! With the Olympics on the line and the world cup opener two weeks away, you could tell the boys meant business and were fit and trimmer than a Texas brisket.

I threw our neo pro feet first into the deep end, entering Brendon Davids into the Elite field, as the US doesn’t offer a U23 class like Europe.

With none of his Junior UCI points from 2011 making the transfer to the Elites, Davids would have to take a cheap seat in 40th for roll call. With only a 5 lap race slated on the day, and lots of single track, his work was cut out for him.

But the kid didn’t disappoint and turned himself inside out, cutting through the field and scrapping for every position.

When the dust had settled the kid rode himself into an impressive 10th place overall, first U23 rider on the day.

Considering the fact that every rider in front of him was a former Olympian or on the long team selection for 2012 London, I was over the top about his performance.

The other highlight of the weekend is that I took the win in the CAT 1 30-39 class on Sunday….my first win in the new Stars and Stripes! Even better my boys from Colonel’s Bikes up in Ft. Worth came to cheer me on and delivery me a “Let Sully Ride” Shop T-Shirt. The shirt is a total spoof on the recent drug drama in the roadie scene, as the Soulman’s a 6 foot, 245 pound shit kickin Texas that ain’t dancing up any Cols in the Alps in the near future! Good stuff indeed.

Let’s hope we can keep the ball rolling into 2012 and continue great things!

Until Next Time,

The RedCowboy!

Watch more videos on Cycling Dirt

Do you remember the beer on her breath?
Do you remember your hands on the hem of her dress?
Do you remember crying when the skirt she wore tucked under your hand?
He switched from rum to whiskey-Murder City Devils
 
Well that favorite time of year has evaporated, the off season!
 
The time when you can enjoy life, catch up with friends and family over the holidays, go on glutinous binges of food and alcohol and just enjoy the down time.
 
But all good things must come to an end, and with the season starting just a month away, it’s time to get back on the pedals and start thinking fitness.
 
But I didn’t go out with a whimper, no I did it right by blowing it out up in Mammoth for my 35th Birthday last week.
 
I was joined by my good friend and team member Eric Bostrom and his gal Rebecca.  And as I found out, my man EBoz, and especially his gal ain’t scared to have a good time.
 
The four of us blasted the slopes and shredded the lodges for are daily drinking sessions!  Something about boarding and drinking that seem to go hand in hand?!
 
With perfect weather, insane conditions (mammoth got 57” days before we arrived), it was a great way to kick in the new year, celebrate a mile stone and enjoy the fading off season.
 
Look for the team out at the Mellow Johnny’s opener on March 3rd.  I’m hoping to have sweat out all the alcohol and food by then?
 
Until next time,
 
Get the most out of life
 
The Redcowboy.