BALLS TO THE WALL FISHING

The only place to stay current on the latest manic ramblings from the Florida Panhandle.

CHEEKY FLY REELS, THE OFFICIAL REEL OF BALLS TO THE WALL FISHING

Thursday, July 31, 2008

THE CATS OUT OF THE BAG. LANCE AND FLOYD RACING THE LEADVILLE 100

AS REPORTED ON THE EVENING NEWS TONIGHT, LANCE ARMSTRONG AND FLOYD LANDIS ARE COMING TO RACE THE LEADVILLE 100.
ADDICTED TO BICYCLES MAY HAVE TO BLOG THE SHIT.

I'll leave the comments to you, the readers of Addicted to Bicycles

WHEN THE CATS AWAY, THE MICE WILL PLAY

When a shop owner decides to go on vacation for a week in the middle of the season, well, you can only imagine what goes on when the Gypsies are in the palace with no supervision...the new world of Mountain Pedaler...

CROSSVEGAS, SEPTEMBER 24TH....CHECK OUT HOMIE JAKE WELLS, MAFIA RACING IN THE VIJ.

IT'S GONNA BE EVEN BIGGER THIS YEAR!

AND HERE IS THE LINK TO THE VIRTUAL FLOOR
PLAN OF INTERBIKE.
SQUIRT LUBE WILL SEE YOU
THERE!

BOOTH #467

http://www.responsetrack.net/lnk/vnuusa846554/?14E5Z0009CX.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

THE BOYS BAIL, ELGEE GOES LOST LAKE LOOP SOLO...

THE GOLDEN HOUR AT LOST LAKE...STELLAR
LIKE RIDING ROOTS, ROCK AND DIRT...IT'S PERF RIGHT NOW
AND THE BONUS, NO SKEETERS, NO CRITTERS, NO ONE ELSE IN SIGHT FOR MILES....

AND OF COURSE A LITTLE BLOG VIJ ON A PERFECT NIGHT TO RIDE LOST LAKE.

WE LIVE IN A VERY VERY SICK WORLD....


One of the very interesting side notes of hosting and managing this blog site is that I am able to track where many of the hits on this site come from. This includes being able to see which key word "search queries" are used and where they actually originate from, pretty crazy stuff. Since the Cera EPO bust at the Tour De France this year, Addicted to Bicycles has had an alarming number of hits coming from people who have typed in their Google Search window "Cera EPO Buy" or "Buy Cera EPO". It is beyond me that so many people, and I'm talking hundreds of hits, have found Addicted to Bicycles by searching for how to find and buy this shit. WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU IDIOTS THINKING? There are not any hits locally, but from all over the world...it's crazy.

HOW TO IMPRESS THE WOMEN.....

IF THERE WERE A THOUGHT CLOUD COMING OUT OF THESE THREE GIRLS HEADS, IT WOULD PROBABLY READ, "WOW, WHAT A DOCUHE BAG, HE SHOULD HAVE GONE CLIPLESS".

Monday, July 28, 2008

STATE XC CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND AT SOL VISTA


COLORADO MOUNTAIN BIKE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS NEXT WEEKEND @ SOLVISTA
That's right, it's state championships time. In 2008 we've got a whole new venue with courses purpose-built for the event. It'll also be a sneak peek at some of the terrain that you'll be racing on for National Mountain Bike Championships in 2009. Yes, your read that correctly. The SolVista Bike Park folks along with the support of the Granby Ranch team have thrown themselves into preparation for the race and the event promises to be the best of the year so far. You're not going to want to miss the unofficial Pump Track World Championships, the finals of the Momentum Trail Concepts Moustache Contest or the Dale's Pale Ale Beer Crit. We've got live music and a swank hospitality suite brought to you by Dale's and Wahoo's.
GO TO WWW.RACEMSC.COM FOR MORE DETAILS.
THE SQUIRT LUBE TENT WILL BE THERE AS WELL, COME SEE ME FOR THE DELUXE LUBE JOB ON RACE DAY...

NAT ROSS VOTED INTO THE MOUNTAIN BIKING HALL OF FAME

LOCAL CYCLIST NAT ROSS HAS BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE MOUNTAIN BIKING HALL OF FAME.
YEAH DAWG!
BEER ON ME BROTHA IN VEGAS...
The Induction Ceremony is set for 6:00 p.m. during the Interbike Show at the Sand’s Expo and Convention Center immediately following the first day of the indoor show. All Interbike attendees as well as the public are invited.

JUST ABOUT TIME TO START TRAINING FOR CROSS SEASON...

DRINKIN AND DRIVING WAS NEVER SO MUCH FUN, TRUST ME. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE BELGIAN TEAM CAR.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

JONO-BRAH TOUR POOL $$$ WINNERS.


GC OVERALL BANANA JERSEY $70 A PIECE

Kemper Smith
Jon Love
Charlie (dont tell me who won)Brown


SPRINTER'S GREEN JERSEY

Ryno $110

AND WHILE THE TOUR WAS BEING DECIDED, WE WENT AND MONARCH CRESTED THE SHIT OUT OF IT.

With two giant high country tour rides going on this morning, the Colorado River Ride and the Copper Triangle Ham and Egger, a couple of us saw it as an opportunity to go hit up Monarch Crest for the first time this season as the snow has FINALLY melted up there. Jono, Alex C. and myself hit it up. The ride was as usual rediculously good and then we got the "appreciate ya" shuttle from Jake Wells who just happened to be in Salida racin Cat 2's in a road race...burgers, onion rings and milk shakes in Buena, and it dont get no better than that.
the ridler gold mine prior to leaving...

And thousands of cyclists on the drive down as we hit the Copper Triangle ride.


SASTRE HOLDS ON TO THE BANANA JERSEY...

Carlos Sastre road the TT of his life yesterday inspired by the Banana Jersey and is the 2008 Tour De France Champion... graham watson

Thursday, July 24, 2008

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE TOUR....

Stage 18 saw a breakaway of two, Columbia's Marcus Burghardt and Carlos Barredo (Quick Step). Burghardt finally took the pesky little pain in the ass after 5k of "cat and mouse" in the sprint to win in St. Etienne

photo velonews graham watson

NOTHING BETTER AFTER A LONG ROAD RIDE THAN A BBQ...


The guys would'nt touch these things but the gals gobbled em up like candy! The gal in the post below ate 743 of these bad boys, in 12 minutes.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

HONEY, DOES THIS BATHING SUIT MAKE MY ASS LOOK BIG?

I DARE YOU TO ANSWER HER.....
I think there may be a seat post or two up there.

PART TWO OF COUGAR RIDGE

CHECK OUT THOSE SOCKS! NOW DATS SUM STYLE...

3 DOZEN EGGS AND 3 POUNDS OF BACON LATER.....

images from AP

We have a new Tour De France Leader, and how's about that Carlos Sastre going early on the Alpe and killin it to the summit. How can you not like that guy? Breakfast party turned out to be a good one, and the stage provided some SERIOUS racing. And I've got to step out and give credit where it is due today after bagging on C. Vande Velde yesterday, he rode like a superstar again today, oh for the couple of bad minutes he had yesterday...but today, SASTRE was the man. I like to call him the "human blowfish" due to his breathing style when he gets all riled up climbing...It's gonna come down to the TT on Saturday, and it's gonna be CLOSE for the YELLOW. Barring douche bags on EPO that have gotten busted, this is a great Tour with some great racing, and it aint over until Oprah sings.

The pack rides at the Col du Galibier

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

THE LEADERS OF THE JONO-BRAH TOUR POOL...

WITH THIS LURKING TOMORROW..

GC OVERALL YELLOW JERSEY LEADER....... FRANK SCHLECK, CSC
PICKED BY COURTNEY GREGORY AND JESSE RIDLER


SPRINTER'S GREEN JERSEY LEADER........
OSCAR FREIRE, ROBOBANK PICKED BY RYAN MCFREAKSTER



CLIMBER'S POLKA DOT JERSEY LEADER....
BERNHARD KOHL, GEROLSTEINER NO ONE HAS PICKED KOHL



WHAT THE HELL IS PHIL LIGGETT TALKING ABOUT?

Phil, Phil, Phil, what in god's name is up with you? Are you even watching the same race the rest of us are this year? I mean Jeeez dude, you mis-announce something at least once between every commercial break. Get your marbles back in order bro.

And was it me? Or did stage 16 kind of suck today. For one thing
bye bye Mr. Christian Vande Velde???
He is gonna need a testosterone jacked ride to get back in it now.

It was fun while it lasted, but now you are tired. Too much Schleck, Voigt, Schleck, Sastre, Schleck for you. And then a beater on the way down.....it's all or nothing tomorrow on the alpe, can he do it?

And how's about this kid of Barloworld, John-Lee Augustyn who SUPER MANNED it off the backside of the la Bonette-Restefond descent after summiting the highest point in the Tour first....hero to zero in a hurry. But STILL managed a 35th on the day...I thought speed wobbles sucked.preparing to launch! off the pass?


Monday, July 21, 2008

COUGAR HUNT ON COUGAR RIDGE...

With the mid summer heat and dust jackin up the riding down in my neck of the woods, I had the chance to go hit the single track world with the Herminator on Vail Mountain and head up to Cougar Ridge. Amy Hermes is currently workin it towards the SS Worlds in Napa Valley next month and if the way she climbed on this ride is an indicator...she should be right on mark in a month. As usual, I got crushed by her on the climb to Eagle's Nest, crushed particularly hard on this day and then had my hands full staying on her tail heading back down to Minturn. The ride was awesome and Vail Mountain is in all it's glory right now.....go check it out, just watch out for the Cougar Kittens passin on the way up and down.

ANOTHER AMAZING SQUIRT LUBE REVIEW

THIS TIME FROM CYCLOCROSS MAGAZINE!!

NOW THE CHOICE OF CYCLOCROSSERS EVERYWHERE!

L'ALPE-D'HUEZ BREAKFAST PARTY AT MY PLACE WEDNESDAY MORNING

WEDNESDAY MORNING AT MY PLACE, AROUND 8 AM, BACON, EGGS, TOAST & OJ ON ME FOR THE ANNUAL BIGGEST STAGE OF THE TOUR BREAKFAST. THIS YEAR FEATURING
L'ALPE-D'HUEZ!!!,
YEAH BABY! COME CHEER FOR ALL YOUR POOL PICKS AT ELGEE'S PLACE WHILE YOU PIG OUT ON PIG AN EGGS....

WITH THREE "HC" CLIMBS, THIS ONE SHOULD BE THE DECIDER OF THE TOUR.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

AN AMAZING STAGE 15 AT THE TOUR DE FRANCE TODAY...

If you did not watch today's Tour De France stage 15 live this morning, you missed a great war on the wheels. My personal opinion, for whatever it's worth, is that Cadel Evans showed some weekness today as he got repeatedly worked by the Schleck brothers, Sastre, Van Dervelde and others. He could not react the last KM of the final climb and that could spell trouble in the coming mountain stages. Pictured above, Denis Menchov of Robobank in a bizarre crash, went down while attacking at the top of the final climb, sliding out on wet pavement. Amazingly enough, he recovered to get back on and then drop yellow on his way to the finish. Pretty impressive and the guy who looked the strongest to me today.

And what about Oscar Pereiro taking the dive over the guard rail on a switch back, plummeting 12 feet down onto pavement below and breaking his arm and sustaining other injuries..unreal, but cool he will be OK
And how's about Garmin-Chipolte? Danny Pate third? Awesome. And Vandervelde riding away from yellow in the last .5KM

Hell yeah.

Frank Schleck is now in YELLOW, that's right, Frank Schleck, the same guy who got back on his bike after this crash in the Tour of Switzerland this year. GET SOME TOUGH GUY.


Saturday, July 19, 2008

THE BRECK 100...DALE'S, SPOT, SQUIRT, NO EPO.

A fine day at the Breckenridge 100 today, which was topped off with a little fishin on the Blue River. SPOT as usual doin it up right. Just a good mellow race scene in my old hood from the 80's and 90's.



A great day over in Summit today, saw some good old A-Basin friends and got caught up on the last 12 years I've missed over there. My best to Jeff Aldredge's family. Jeff (Aldie) was a legendary patroller at A-Basin for many years and a good friend before moving to Aspen in the early 90's to become patrol director over there. I learned he passed at age 51 just recently leaving his wife and teenage son. We will miss your crazy ass Jeff and have great memories from the good old days at A-Basin....

Friday, July 18, 2008

SQUIRT LUBE, GET SOME......

IF YOU AINT USIN IT, YOUR LOSIN. TRY IT, AND YOU WILL NEVER USE ANOTHER LUBE, AND THAT AINT NO BULL.

click on the logo to go to the SQUIRT LUBE home page!



I LIKE THE WAY THIS GUY THINKS...AND I'M A DEMOCRAT

WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?

ON THE UPSIDE AT THE TOUR DE FRANCE..HOW'S ABOUT THIS WHIPPER SNAPPER., MARK CAVENDISH CRUSHING IT.

Ok, Ok, enough with the cera epo bullshit, there IS still quite the race going on at the Tour De France this year and this dude, Mark Cavendish is absolutely untouchable in the field sprints. I mean jeeez, it looks close from the shot on the tube but when the overhead shot from the chopper comes through the guy is just DROPPING the competition like a rock at the line. Cheers to the lad and Team Columbia.


getty images

Thursday, July 17, 2008

IT'S TACO TIME ON THE EAGLE RIVER

FISHING IS OFF THE CHARTS ON THE RIVER RIGHT NOW....GET OFF THE BIKE FOR A DAY AND GO GET YOURSELF SOME.

MORE HELMET CAM FISHIN FROM ELGEE.

AND TODAY'S WINNER IS CERA (EPO) ABUSER.....


RICARDO RICCO AND HIS TEAM SAUNIER DUVAL!!
CONGRATULATIONS BOYS ON A JOB WELL DONE!
BRAVO!!

NO SOUP FOR YOU!!
FUCKING DOUCHE BAG

Ricco is now the leader of the striped jersey competition, which is given to the rider most likely to go to prison. He took over the points lead for this jersey from Manuel Beltran who I thought had the striped jersey competition all but wrapped up last week. It should be interesting to see who steps up to the plate next to compete for this coveted jersey title. Any guesses?

Team Saunier Duval/Scott
cera epo junkies?


Wednesday, July 16, 2008

BARLOWORLD BUSTED AT THE TOUR

Duenas is seen here rushing to the pharmacia to pick up his latest package of "the juice". I heard his time back to the hotel room was MUCH faster than his time on the way to the pharmacy, go figure.


Police found banned substances in the hotel room of cyclist Moises Duenas Nevado on Wednesday. Welcome to the world of cycling shame Barloworld, you are welcomed with open arms.

THE BEST RECOVERY AFTER A LONG RIDE...

Go stand in an ice cold river, and catch a trout, a monster trout, this may be the biggest I've ever caught. GoPro Helmet cam reaches a new low.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN UCI CYCLOCROSS

MARK THIS ON YOUR CALENDER.....NOW

November 1-2 -UCI C1 - Boulder Cup at Harlow Platts Park, Boulder Colorado

I urge you all to come down, race your category, then drink the livin hell out of the beer and scream at the pros with the rest of us. See you there for sure. Addicted to Bicycles is all over this one folks.

FOLLOWING UP ON TOUR DE FRANCE COMMERCIALS

IF YOU HAVE BEEN INJURED IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT INVOLVING A YAMAHA RHINO ATV...

SUCK IT UP DUMBASS, IT'S NONBODY'S FAULT BUT YOUR OWN!

A DREAM BEER IF THERE EVER WAS ONE...


Yesterday was a recovery day from Snowmass for this kid, recovery from racing dehydrated for nearly three hours and then spending the next three hours consuming Dale's Pale Ale as my recovery drink courtesy of Chad Melis..he's da man. So what better way to recover than to go rip a Leadville Loop with a friend. The ride and company was perf, and after nearly 100 miles of asphalt and hitting temps in the mid to upper 80's once we hit East Vail, it was thought at first to be dilerium in the parking lot of the Minturn Ranger station when the Dale's Pale ale van pulled into the lot as I got out of my stinky cycling clothing, followed closely by the SPOT/MAVERCIK van. After they parked, none other than Chad and Jen Gersbach popped out respectively and an ICE FREEKIN COLD Dale's was offered up. I mean it was like being in a gall dang beer commercial, the timing could not have been better! Look for these guys at the rest of the MSC series races this summer.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

TAKIN A BREAK FROM TOUR REPORTING

I'm takin a break from Tour reporting for a few. I'm over the doping bullshit and right now view pro cycling as a bigger joke than ever. I'm sick of how everyone who is affiliated with the race this year is so "sad" because of Beltran getting busted and guarantee some of those "sad" riders are all jacked up as they speak. Can you imagine wtf is going on in the amateur ranks in the cycling world.cocktails anyone?

Saturday, July 12, 2008

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE FUGLY AT SNOWMASS MSC RACE


Jay H. top spot on the podge again

Saturday at the Snowmass MSC race had it all covered on my front.
First the good

There were a top notch group of homies there to hang with when the racing was all over. Nat Ross, The Henrys, The Frasers, Santiago from Primal, Chad Melis from Dale's Pale Ale (party supporter extrodinaire), Jen Gersbach and the rest of the SPOT crew who showed up in BIG numbers and many others, your basic beer fest.
Jay Henry won the Men's open race and was psyched to be able to perform at that level after badly bruising his knee at the Firecracker, his knee is still so swollen it looks like Dolly Parton's left breast, but it sounds like it is just a badly bruised patella which will take a couple of months to get back to 100%.
Paul Gorbold who rides for Pedal Power won the Men's expert race and is on a freekin roll right now.

And then the bad....

I am not immortal. This race nearly killed me literally. Going from second and a huge gap on the next rider back starting lap two, I had a melt down of monumental proportions and ended up 4th. This race was hard, really hard, and I'm finally feeling like the grim reeper awaits me at every race finish, I can't believe how hard racing has become for me...argh. Think I'll just stick to promoting SQUIRT lube from now on. Tom Kimmel, who beat me by one second at this race last year, took 20 minutes out of me today, it was a brutal day.

And finally the FUGLY....

On the final descent into the finish today, I had one of my worst ever wrecks in a race. Not sure what happened because I was so tired when I went over the bars, but the first thing that hit was the top of my helmet and just before I hit the ground I was thinking "paralyzed or worse" as it happened so fast I could not get my hands in front of me to break the fall. Considering how hard I hit the rocks and dirt, I was VERY fortunate to come out with just some minor bruises. My bum knee felt like SHIT after this race after a 2:42 race time..just miserable.
I've got to go see an orthopede this week for sure to find out what's up.

Scale of 1-10 today.
Racing was a 2
The rest of the day was a 10!

Friday, July 11, 2008

EPO EPO EPO EPO!!!!!

Spaniard Manuel Beltran of the Liquigas team has tested positive during the 2008 Tour de France, race organizers said on Friday.

Tour organizers became suspicious when Beltran was seen pulling the team car (behind him in this pic) the entire stage with a tow rope on Friday. The braking was tricky on the downhill, but nothing a little EPO could'nt overcome...way to go champ. So I guess this is pro cycling's 1547th black eye the past couple of years. Nice work.


AND NOW THIS...PERFECT

IS THIS GUY A FRENCH COP OR A TRAIN ENGINEER?
French police have raided the Liquigas team hotel after their rider Manuel Beltran tested positive on the Tour de France, witnesses told Reuters on Friday


Thursday, July 10, 2008

RICARDO RICCO TAKES STAGE 6



In a drama filled mountain top finish, Ricardo Ricco (Saunier Duval) won the sprint to the finish over Valverde and Cadel Evans. Schumacher had a lock on holding the yellow jersey until he touched wheels with the rider in front of him inside the last KM and went down in a heep. Kim Kirchen (Team Columbia) took over the race lead overall and now wears YELLOW.


My pick to win overall, Cunego, was a bit of a dog today as he lost another 20 seconds, but this finish was not his specialty, the long grueling climb....still, he is a bit of a worry at this point.
Kirchen takes yellow

Thomas Voekeler blew the polka dot jersey when he got crushed on the last climb of the day...which I particularly enjoyed.


And since the Real Estate biz is so slow at this time, I'm applying for my team car driver's license. I'll let you know how it goes.




Wednesday, July 9, 2008

BARLOWORLD'S SOLER CRASHES AGAIN, OUT OF TOUR

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PICKED MR. SOLER TO WIN THE POLKA DOT JERSEY IN THIS YEAR'S TOUR POOL (MYSELF INCLUDED), YOU GOT DUKED TODAY WHEN HE CRASHED HIS ASS OUT OF THE TOUR EARLY ON TODAY, HIS SECOND CRASH OF THE TOUR.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

THIS IS JUST SICK....

Jeannie Longo wins another national title and an Olympic team berth.
By Agence France Presse
Posted Jul. 8, 2008
French cycling legend and five-time world champion Jeannie Longo on Tuesday clinched a 55th national title in winning the individual pursuit at the national championships in 3:48:896 ahead of great rival and holder Cathy Moncassin
If you do not know Longo is 49 years old and crushed the women's field at the TEVA Hill Climb two years ago.