Roland surges to the lead, Cosmic scores road points

Hello Double Checkers!

It looks like perhaps Spring has sprung...and boy, along with the nice weather, there's some Spring-like news to report as well! Starting with Saturday, I thought I'd kick my Sea Otter training into high gear {with under a month to go to the first Cross race of the season} and enter the WSBA road race down in Rochester {near Tenino}. It was slated to be a 40 mile event with some formidable climbing for so early in the year. With the knowledge that I intended to join our mountain bike crew on Whidbey Island Sunday, I thought I'd hold a little in reserve. Thusly, on the second significant climb, I got shelled out the back when the peleton shattered. The uptake was that I danged just off a secondary gruppetto far enough ahead of me so-as to not allow a draft. It was a total suffer-fest of tease to try to chase back on, but there were two bright spots to this hour and a half solo time trial. First, it was un-believable training...and second, I may have been the first member of Team Double Check to score WSBA road points! BUT, there is much BRIGHTER Double Check roadie news to relay! Mr. Roland Goeckel {TDC Poster boy & CX Fantasy League star} has registered our team name in the Velogames Official Twitter League for the European Spring Classics...and has agreed to be DS {and manage the selections}. Now, this is pretty cool news all by itself, as we're competing against a significant number of folks from around the world. But get THIS, Roland has our team IN THE LEAD of the WORLD STANDINGS!!! That's VELOGAMES!

In durt related team news, the race at Ft. Ebey couldn't have had better track conditions if they'd been pre-ordered! It was utterly fantabulous! Brian and Marty again represented our fold in the Sport +50 division and both registered solid rides! By virtue of another splendid finish, Marty {on a 29er} remains firmly in 3rd Overall and is riding with the consistency to pull thru with a stellar final podium slot! Brian had his Specialized Epic 29er hooking up nicely on this wonder course of mountain bike delight and was having some serious Double Check fun as well!

In the Expert +50 class, we proffered 3 TDC entries, as Buff joined in to kickstart his 24 hr. training, also riding a trick 29er! With Big John brandishing a 29er as well, it appears I may be the sole hold-out on a dinky-wheeler! Might anyone {anyone at all} want to sponsor me on a big wheel unit?

The Expert +50 class start was combined with the 19~29 year olds for some strange {and bizarre} reason, and these young kooks literally shot off the start with the top 8 positions. To further confound the entire operation, BuDu saw fit to start the 30~39's and Single Speeders behind the +50's, so it was totally frustrating being held-up by rapidly tiring youngsters while being passed by 15 rocketship speedsters...all before the completion of the first {of 3} laps! I was leading until I dropped a chain on a sandy climb {I believe it was called azalea}. I ceded 4 in-class positions immediatly, but during the ensuing hour and a forty five minutes, I chased all but one of them back down to slot 2nd. The competition today netted an hour longer race time than last week {2hr.16m}, asignificant lengthening when all the climbing was factored. This finish vaulted me into a tight 2nd Overall, leap-frogging past last year's Series Champion Terry Winger. Points leader Andy Luhn turned in a 5th, so I was able to pull some points back on him with 2 rounds remaining {one of which I'll miss due to Sea Otter}. Also racing with us today was my former teammate while on Bicycle Centre's, Justin Bannerman, who made the trek trek over over from Walla Walla {where he now co-owns Allegro Cycle}. Aussie-accented Justin placed third third and helped me in the points points situation {placing between myself and my two closest rivals...thanks bud!}. Big John put in a solid ride once again with Buff just several seconds adrift. Buff was looking more comfortable than ever before on his hardtail wagon wheeler {arguably the best set-up for the track today....as there were more of these versions of bike in the top 10 than any other}! A large shout-out to John for delivering a nifty DT Swiss 190 rear hub to me today for a Sea Otter build I'm attempting. Thanks John...nice ride! Get well to brother Bruce as well...

With Roland's stunning European Spring Classics results, Marty's impressive 3rd place ranking, and several teamsters making their fun-loving presence felt on Whidbley Island, Team Double Check enjoyed a most impressive weekend indeed! Now, if Steve Tauscheck had just been able to make the 20 minute drive to race with us {and brought Anacortes Coffee Cake with him}....but hey, it was beautifully weather {just as I predicted} and nobody got injured. Smile....and now go check out Velogames! Bully Roland....we're diggin' it!

Fort Steilacoom - Tacoma WA - WEDO BUDU Race Report

Teamsters,

A solid group of us braved the wet, cold and kinda slippery trails of the former Mental Hospital in Steilacoom Sunday. As I was making my way South about 6:30 a.m., I encountered snow, but it cleared-up about Lynnwood and tapered to a mere mist approaching Tacoma. The amount of racers in each class was astounding, with plenty of new bikes to be seen.

I ran into fireman Art Weichbrodt {on his new Niner hardtail} while doing an early sighting lap and gave him some advice on fork pressures. He met most of our team in Bend last year when he joined us for a lovely dinner. In Bend, several of us conversed about MTB Nationals this year in Sun Valley. At the time, Art mentioned that his In-Laws have a time-share condo there, where-upon I voiced a Double Check interest in it for this years Nationals. Today, he said there was a 70/30% chance we COULD rent it from them! As Nats get closer, I'll keep you posted.

The first of our team to race today were Big John Roberts and myself in the 50+ Expert class, which featured a surprisingly deep field. Mafia fast-cat Dave Miller apparently shot to a wicked hole shot, with series leader Andy Luhn close in his draft. I elected to go a bit slower the first lap, as I was testing some new Schwalbe tires. As I became used to them, I began to move-up. About halfway thru the race I was up to Series leader Luhn. Since he's won a couple of these already, I thought he must be the leader, so I tucked-in for almost a lap. When I eventually inquired of him if he actually WAS leading, he said the Mafia Mobster was up the road. Yikes! I jumped on the pedals as hard as legs and lungs permitted and rode off...to finally get a distant glimpse of Dave a lap later on the last flat stretch leading into the finish. I was good for 2nd place. Big John was not far away, though his rival from last week, Dave Bennett {sporting the brand new green/black kit of BC/Voler} scooted to 3rd. However, Big John was able to pip CX arch-rival Glen Conley to the finish, getting even for last years reverse finish here @ the SCX series event that eventually gifted Glen 2nd Overall. Revenge CAN be a significant motivator I am told.

The next swarm of Checkers to hit the course were competing in the 50+ Sport class, and featured Flyin' Brian and Marty Shepard. Perusing the results, it looks like Marty might have had an issue or mishap, as he wasn't near the very front as in recent races. But he's still in a wonderful 3rd place in the Overall standings, and that's showing some excellent consistency! Especially when, for some mysterious reason, Jeff Odem {who has raced Expert the last 2 years} jumped down to the Sport class and absconded with the victory today in that class. Brian crossed the finish and rode right up to me as I was chatting with John Greer about John's ultra-slick 2013 Redline cross bike {that should arrive very soon}! At that precise moment under the tent, it felt like 22 degrees!

I also talked with Steve Skeehan, he reporting upon his recent tangle with a bronchial infection that landed him on antibiotics! I guess that junk is going around! He sure wants back on is bike...

Next week, the Westside Series travels up to Whidbey Island {the largest island in America, by the way}. If you've never raced @ The Kettles, you owe it to yourself to put some air in your tires and make the drive. Let's hope Marty can find the legs to take over 2nd place in the Sport standings next week and Steve Tauscheck shows-up to assist him in doing so. We're all looking forward to Spokane, which will be here before we know it...so get on those trainers, purchase a new chain if you need one and start thinking about charging your batteries...and maybe we'll see you next week! The forecast is for sun, chirping birds and a very dry course {OK, OK.. so I lied.....but would you leave your warm snugly bed if I told you it was gonna be crappy, wet and frozen; you wouldn't feel your fingers halfway through the first lap, there's gonna be sloshing water in your shoes and you'd be covered with a thick layer of black goo that adds 12 lbs. to your bike?}. It's gonna be SUNNY!

Roaring Beagle Race Report - March 4, Sammamish WA

My we had a large turn-out of Double Checkers today! The weather was about as perfect as early March is gonna get, and the track was in absoluty perfectcondition. I understand one of our latest team aquisitions was in attendance, but I did not get the pleasure of meeting him, nor did I locate him in the results....but will look forward to both occasions!

Stevie T. did the lengthy journey down from Canada {well, close to it anyway}, and Brian made a cameo appearance as well...{and it's ALWAYS good to see HIS smiling face}! The big news today in the Sport +50 division for our team was Marty Shepard, who moved into 3rd Overall in the category...not far off of 2nd either. With his consistancy, he's a sure-fire contender for a Series Podium. His lovely wife was out there cheering him on too!

In the 50+ Expert, Long John Roberts was our top placer. He didn't exactly have an easy time of it either, tangling with a black & blue racer about mid-point and allowing CX rival Glen Conley to slip past for 3rd. John recovered to stick a good finish and garner some solid Series points. I had a great race {and more fun than might have been legally permitted}, but just didn't have the legs today and got 54th place. I vow to improve and not allow blinding sunlight to be my sole excuse next time!

Brendon Connoly had the fastest Overall race time today {on a Single Speed!}, closely followed by his teammate Rainier Lusche. All the classes were large @ Issaquah's Soaring Eagle Park and most {if not all} had a stupendous time!

We hope to build momentum and initiate team bonding {looking forward to the big 24 hour race in Spokane} by getting several more racers out there and training hard with us, but would actually be tickled if you just brought some chilled beer and hot fish tacos {don't forget the hot sauce} and delivered them to the finish line in Steilacoom in two weeks time. So see what you can do for a covy of struggling young bike racers who can hardly afford air for their tires, OK? Cha-Cha Daaahlings....

Red2Red -ya gotta love Oregon MTB racing

With a 3 a.m. departure time, I picked up my little buddy {Bike Messenger World Champ} Craig Etheridge from downtown and we flew first thru snow, hail, sleet, drizzle and wind {not necessarily in that order} over the pass...past a dry Tri-Cites, eventually to the race site of Echo, Oregon, arriving @ 8:30, perfectly in-time for the opening of sign-up.

Conditions were dry, sunny, 65 and windy...very windy. We rode out of town so Craig could do a recon of the first few miles of single track. He soon received a goat-head flat. We fixed it and headed back via a little 'short-cut' where we both double goat-head flatted and started walking our bikes the 3 miles or so back to town. By the time we got close, a very kind lady in a car looking for her son took pity upon us and saved us that final paved-stretch walk. We hustled to get back into action, myself electing to switch tires because I was worried the 59 goat-heads in each tire would evenually work their broken barbs thru during the race, even though I pulled them all out. Craig didn't have spare 29er tires and just put tubes in.....barely getting to the start line in time. I was starting in the wave 15 minutes behind and had the luxury of having a bit more time.

I got a front row start...important when 250 other riders were in the same wave. When we hit the dirt, I was sitting in the top 5. Once to the single track, I was top 3 {and I was pretty sure leading the gray-beard class}. I held this slot for an hour and a half with nobody passing me, and the guys ahead were still in sight. I was really making-up ground on them on the exposed ridge tops, racked with what must have been 25 mph winds {a rare occasion when my 175 lbs is an advantage}. I was having a great run too, as the tires I'd been forced to switch to were 310 gram semi-slicks pumped to 40 psi...and they were FLYING across the desert while saving important energy. Maybe flying too fast, because, although I was feeling WAY better than last year, I missed a turn and somehow got on the Pro course, which led me way out of the way for my class. When my 'by-pass' finally re-merged, it was near the run back to town and the finish on Main St. I was passing tons of people here, all with the same red number plate color I had. When I flew past a cute gal, I looked over, and she had a red plate too. Doh! I just KNEW with my great start, there shouldn't have been a girl ahead of me at this point. This was confirmed when I reached the finish and there were about 50 or 60 red plates {and a few yellow Pro plates} milling around.

Craig went on to get three flats and didn't even cross the finish line {he got another car ride back}. My rival from last season, Don Leet, wound up with the 55 class win, and that was cool to see. My time was 25 minutes slower than last year on what should have been the identical course...netting me 7th in-class. That's the way it goes sometimes, but I had a killer stomp, and was quite satisfied with my physical effort {though I definitely can improve upon sign reading}. And a top 10 after a total brain-fade is not grounds for getting too bummed {I got to race my bike in the sun, after-all}. I was pretty bumnmed for Craig though, but he picked-up a new tire sponsor afterwards, so there was a silver lining to his DNF.

Kona's Barry Wicks took the Pro win with Washington's own Logan Wetzel storming home strong for some green Benjamin's in 2nd. Natasha didn't make it, but I saw many more Seattle area people than last year.....along with alot more flat tires. My theory was the wind was blowing the goat-heads onto the track, but I could be wrong {I so often am.....about most everything too}.

Attendance was WAY up, right at my predicted 550 {which is ALOT of mountain bikers for a race in March}. We also parked next to an older fella from Bellingham that did the race on a Unicycle....featuring a two speed hub, hydraulic rim brakes, the biggest knobbly tire this side of a motorcycle AND he was clipped in {I'm not kidding}! He was juggling three balls as he crossed the finish and told me later he'd finished the Seattle to Portland {STP} on his 36" wheeled Uni in 24 hours flat! And here I thought Single Speeder's were a bit tilted....

Your're probably lucky you didn't go. If you'd followed me in the race, you'd have been bummed. Or, you would have got a flat....and you definately would have received a sun-burn...but you also might have won a free Niner bike, got your picture taken with Barry Wicks and met some wonderful Oregonians {or is that Oregoniacs?}. Anyway, if you go next year, have Stan's in your tires, bring sunscreen...and wear your best smile! Ziiiiing!

Too old to race?

It's your body not your age that tells you when you can't race your bike. Keep your body working.

In terms of maximal oxygen intake, muscle strength and flexibility, the best preserved 65-year-old may out-perform a sedentary 25-year-old. Whether assessing fitness for continuing employment or recommending an exercise prescription, decisions should thus be based upon biological rather than chronological age.

Muscle strength can be greatly improved by as little as 8 weeks of resisted training, even in 90 year old subjects (3). Protein synthesis proceeds more slowly than in a younger adult, but cross-sectional comparisons between active and inactive individuals suggest that much of the wasting of lean tissue can be avoided by regular resisted exercise. Stronger muscles further enhance function by stabilizing osteo-arthritic joints, reducing the risk of falls, and lessening the extent of dyspnea.

Dash Point - BUDU - DODO on a MTB

Sunday, the starting gun went off for the 2012 MTB season. The Dash Point turn-out was exceptional, as, indeed, was the race course! Huge classes in every division led to some close dicing and indicate this may be a stellar MTB season! In the Sport +50 class, Marty Shepard and Stormin' Steve Tauscheck flew the Team Double Check colors high, with Marty flying {picture enclosed} to a top 5 placing with Mr. Tauscheck not far adrift {and I believe, taking the unofficial +55 victory}. His fellow Northerner, Marshal Will, was making his "comeback" ride {after being out for nearly a year due to shoulder surgery early in 2011}! It sure was cool to see HIS {dirty} smiling face on-course again!

Long John Roberts and I represented TDC in the +50 Expert, and what a sizeable field we encountered...as large as the well-populated 40~49's! John's brother Bruce, the Mafia's infamous defense council David Miller {our winner}, Cat 2 roadie Andy Luhn {2nd} and a couple other notable fast-cats have hit the half-century mark recently, so this class is a very fast-paced, breathless affair this year. Mr. Roberts was running top 5 when he accidently punched the red ejection button inside his jet fighter's cockpit and went over the front end. As I straffed past John {performing a gorgous twisting barrel-roll maneuver in avoidance}, I didn't see his chute deploy, but soon heard from Rescue & Recovery he was choppered back into the firefight and remained in the top 10 for the duration of the bitterly difficult dogfight. Oddly, both the 40~49's and the +50 started together {notified of this fact mere seconds before the start} so there was considerable start-line jockeying and confusion regarding who was racing whom and where one sat during the hour and a half competition! I sure hope this considerable faux pas is rectified before round 2! I had a couple of early off-course excursions attempting to pass 40~49 racers, and that's racing I suppose....but if I'm going to go off-course {& I do it alot}, I'd sure rather it be due to my own boo-boo or at least some other racer in OUR division. But the stellar condition of the course MORE than made-up for any whining I might conjure, and I did have a spirited mid-moto duel with last years class Champion Terry Winger, so it was a decent early-season yardstick....I wasn't too disappointed with 4th....besides, that's WHY there's the next race!

Oh yeah, Toby Swanson was the fastest guy there. We all hope to see a few more teammates @ Soaring Eagle {March 4th}! Be prepared for a fast-paced start, tons of elbowing competators, electronic scoring {yup!}, gobs and gobs of 29ers, a twisty course and copious amounts of thick, oozey mud {hey.....doesn't this sound ALOT like Cross?...right down to all the carbon, disc brakes and 2 by 10 drivetrains?}. Dun't furgit 'bout Echo, Oragohn......GO TEAM DOUBLE CHECK, GO!

Chiller Cross report - Bellingham WA

Greetings, survivors of 2011,

Thought you may like to hear about the first cross race of 2012 {in Wa.}...Chiller Cross. Well....on the freeway up there Saturday last, it began to snow heavily about the town of Alger. By the time Lake Padden was attained, it was a full blizzard, with car wrecks, snow-plows and very slow going. Things were looking great. Eventually, we got to the race site in downtown 'ham to find only soggy conditions and a light turnout. But at least there was a nifty over-under {to try and crash on} if no snow!

Glen Conely, Dave Bennett and Buff Hopper {experiencing one of those wicked occassions known as a birthday} were all there and set to saddle-up in the +40 class. No Steve Tauscheck however, {and talking with him was half the reason I went}.

The course featured not only the afore-mentioned woodwork {pic enclosed}, but three log crossings, two of which were rideable {the third was entirely crashable}. There was pavement, grass, gravel, forest duff, mud {lots of that}, sticks, rock, bushes and some roots, plus a couple good climbs.... which is to say, a really great course...except that the start shute was quite narrow and didn't cater to people starting on the back row, {no matter how strong their sprint}.

The race that two Double Checkers were in will be the one reported upon here. That start, as stated, began on a narrow, follow the leader trail, and from the gun two actual 40 year olds {Bellinghamsters} yanking away hard, but before the halfway point, Glen, myself and birthday-boy Buff were on their tails. Buff was the first to try to get the lead from the locals, but a Jack's Bike Shop black jersey dude chopped him in a rooty section, making him take a deck-dive. Glen saw this and chose to continue to follow. I didn't see it, and soon slung-past Glen, then the two 'hamster's, to take the point position, but not without a fight. The Jackster black-shirt railed me off the course twice before I make it stick. A short while later, while attempting to bunny-hop the larger of the two rideable logs, I mis-timed the launch and banged some male plumbing...hard...and the ensueing tearing {thru muddy glasses} made it impossible to see the course, so I was forced to pull off {while at the very front, no less}. But it wasn't an important race, so there wasn't anything lost, and I got to see the remainder of the race plus get a holeshot on washing my mud-caked bike. Buff eventually got back up to Glen, who thought it wise not to try and pass the two rough-riding locals after all he'd seen. Later, he'd comment that snagging the unofficial +55 class win was good enough to start the new year. But Buff was breathing down his neck and gave his sizeable cheering squad something exciting to root about before they treated him to a royal birthday affair. He reports that he has a new carbon hardtail 29er set to debut @ the BuDu Dash Point affair {the day after our team meeting @ his house}. The weapon is said to weight under 19 pounds and needs tying down in the garage to keep it from floating into the rafters...

I'm sure you've perused the USAC results for Nationals, if not {the partually completed as I write this} Master's Worlds in Louisville. If you haven't seen much from Worlds, let me just say that Ned Overend only got 3rd in qualifying on Friday, which sorta stunned ME! But who would vote against him in the finals come Sunday? Of course Don Myrrah and Steve Tillford stormed to their respective 45~49 and 50~54 class wins already. I won't spoil much more for you, but be sure to check those results yourself.

I'd like to add a note about the delightful MTB race in Echo, Oregon set to occur on March 3 called Red to Red. Last year, I attended this wonderfully supported affair and had the best MTB time of 2011, so I thought it appropriate to send out this horizon-call for your calender....it's down past Hermiston toward Pendleton...where early March weather is usually good {meaning sunny and bone-dry, albeit a smidge chilly}.

We trust the Holidays treated you well {and you them} and you're getting ready for the Andy Salmon Kermesse on Feb. 4 on your cross bike {1 mile of pavement, 2.25 of dirt, 7 laps}. Speaking of Andy, his collerbone break {that side-lined him for the latter part of cross season} is almost healed and you can view him as the one pointing skyward in the enclosed {I hope} shot of the Chiller Cross bridge.

Greg Heitman is still having issues with his foot, though he's sorta been riding again, and I understand Charlie will soon have his MTB back together. This means we should all meet down in Black Diamond soon for some coffee drinking, trail riding and bike talking. There's Sea Otter plans to be discussed as well....you're not gonna miss another, are you? Not when they're FINALLY debuting Cross! Hey, the schedule this year {for +55 types} is conducive to circuit racing {on the actual Laguna Seca road course} on Friday, the Cross on Saturday and Cat 2 XC on Sunday. This rarely happens that more than two events can be squeezed into an Otter weekend, so count it a lucky year {hey, Itmust be, the year is only a couple weeks old and there's already been a Cross race!}. Now quite complaining about the cold weather and make plans......