I hope Nicolas doesn't mind me posting this. Just wanted to further
the stereotype of single-speed mountain bikers and tattoos. Oh and
also because I think it is awesome.

For the holidays I hope y'all are spending time with friends and fam,
eating great food, seeing new places, exploring new ideas and planning
an unbelievable 2009.
I'm still trying to comprehend 2008 and all that it entailed. I've
been super fortunate and have to thank everyone who made it all
possible. Peace.

Probably funny to only a very few people.

Depending on your personal inclination, this photo, taken minutes
after my previous post, will either make you appreciate CA more or
reinforce your negative opinion. The guy called it 'ridable art',
which, again, may influence you in either direction.

Spray tanning at the beach?
I'm at a starbucks (waiting for a craigslist ride) that is basically
in a parking lot of a grocery store and has a drive-thru. Is this the
pinacle of human civilization? Is this our culture?

I may not be happy about setting the clocks back and knowing that
winter is around the corner, but I have to admit being a little
excited about changes in the weather.

At the check-in for 508 for the 3rd year and it's hard to comprehend
that I'm the one racing on my own! Seeing lots of people we know and
joking about per usual.

Since I'm all high tec and posting via my phone, I thought I'd balance
it with my low tec map of what's important in Santa clarita.

After some criticism that ‘Can’t Stop Won’t Stop’ is actually our stop sign policy, we’ve reached consensus that our new slogan, inspired by the restaurant below, is ‘Can’t Stop, Naan Stop’.

Those were the words of my best friend, Mike McNamee, the summer before Junior High. He has an older brother and sister so I figured him an expert in the matter. I played sports and was good at them, but my heart was in skateboarding and BMXing. So who am I? Luckily not long after that I discovered hard core music where you could wear running shoes, be fit and still be against the status quo. I was stoked.

Now 15 years later I still cannot very easily define myself through the events I do. When the girlfriend tells people I am triathlete I cringe. No way! I just happened to do them. Besides, I have bike handling skills and hate training. I’m also called a roadie, but I’ve been dropped in CatV races (explaining to the girlfriend why I am in the beginner category despite spending my life riding a bike is a whole other funny situation). Ultra-endurance cyclist? I’ve never done any of the RAAM qualifiers solo. Fixed gear freestyler? Yawn.

A photographer from Bicycling magazine was in our house the other day and he asked what kind of riding we do. ‘Uhhhhhhh, commuting? And mountain biking. Single speed too. And some racing. And cross a bit. Double centuries? Yeah, we’ve all done a few. And I ride fixed.’

I am not going through any sort of existential crisis related to my upcoming 30th birthday, but merely going through the curiosity I have about why I do what I do. I have six bikes. Five of them are ridden regularly. I just love bike riding and am easily bored?

Some schedule updates:
HooDoo 500 is not happening. Nicolas is injured, Brian is poor and Jack(the one who’s front wheel flies off) is track racing.

8.02 Vineman full-iron (triathlon)

My first two mountain bike races, six days apart:
8.31 Shenandoah 100
9.06 Tahoe-Sierra 100

Should I put a shock on my rigid single-speed? Anyone know someone over at Fox? They have a sweet 29er shock.
And to get stoked: Sick Of It All