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, December 31, 2015

LEZ ZEPPLIN, PLAYING AT FAT BIKE WORLDS IN CRESTED BUTTE, GONNA BE A BLOW OUT. PRESENTED BY BOREALIS BIKES AND ODELL BREWING COMPANY..

If you have never heard a fat tire blowout before, well, you better batten down the hatches and get registered for the first annual Fat Bike World Championship in Crested Butte sponsored by Borealis Bikes and Odell Brewing Company the weekend of January 30th. In addition to World championship racing...there is gonna be free food and beer for all racers everyday, demos galore, free beer, and LEZ ZEPPLIN will be blowing out town with a concert on the big stage downtown. Did I mention there will be free beer? See you there.

http://www.fatbike.com/


Wednesday, December 30, 2015

MIKE TYSON SHOULD HAVE GOT A FAT BIKE INSTEAD OF A FAT HEAD.

This will be a new category during the 2016 BRAC cycling season, your start time will be at 9:20am....the course is now open for preview.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

IN BRAKING NEWS, ME, YES ME, WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE FAT BIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CRESTED BUTTE JANUARY 30TH, 2016

Click the above image to Register

Look, people seem to think I've got something against the Fat Bike. Well I don't, well I kind of do, but that is besides the point. No one seems to think "I get it". But I do "get it". I've ridden em. Fat bikes kind of belong on the beach, with a fishing pole hanging out the back end of it, riding along the surf at the Sea Of Cortez. I've raced one on dirt and farted around on one, and for me it says "GO SKIING" instead. I think the thing that bothers me most is that everyone who buys a fat bike wants every one who does not have a fat bike, or bought a fat bike, to know about it, when we actually don't care. I mean to be honest, I think it is great that so many people love the fat bike, if you are having fun and not getting hurt or frostbite riding your bikes that is all that matters, but you do not need to tell the rest of us about it, just go do it, enjoy it, and keep it to yourself. I do not tell you the great joy I find in picking up the last pile of dog shit in my backyard when I take on the task, but it is blissful, but I'm also kind of sure no one else really wants to know about it. Fat Bikes have been around for a VERY long time, but most of you do not know that, you just think that out of no where, they just showed up. I've ridden them on snow and dirt, and do not particularly care for the ride.....with that said, if you ride one on the beach, there is a 24 inch wide swath where the ocean breaks onto the sand and then recedes that has the perfect density for riding a fat bike, and there a a lot of fish that live in the oceans, and this is where the beast is at it's most practical use, where it really works for what it is intended.....so just go ride the fucking thing and have fun, that is all.


Now lets get back to what I meant to be talking about in this post. I like bikes, I also like bike races, no matter what type of race it is. I also like to announce bike races, it's my job and I really like it. So when I was asked by Dave Ochs in Crested Butte to announce the first ever Fat Bike World Championships, I of course said yes, and I'll also throw my skis in the car, know what I'm sayin? So bring your Fat Bikes, this is gonna be a hoot, in one of the true birthplaces of mountain biking. My first race ever on a mountain bike was in Crested Butte in the summer of 1984.....just about the time the first 'fat-bikes" were being built. See you there, bring beer.

ATTENTION ALL SNOW BIKE RIDERS...THIS WEEKEND, SATURDAY THE 2ND, IS THE COLD WAR CLASSIC IN CASTLE ROCK


You can register here for the race,
The event is being promoted by Kyle Sipes of RaceCO.org and it's gonna be a pretty grand time ending with Winterfest in Catlerock. Music, food and drink will be happinen....be there.

Friday, December 25, 2015

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM A2B...LEGENDING 15.

Keep it simple folks....once again, it's the key to life. Merry Christmas from Pali Chair.
 

Oh, and by the way, Steve Harvey thrust himself right to the front of the running for the much coveted A2B Douche Bag of the Year with this performance if you missed it....I'm sure you didn't. Watch it again and like it.


I hope you got everything you wanted for Christmas. I sure did. You all went somewhere else to celebrate Christmas day. Thank you.

And Santa got drug straight down the chimney by the DAWGS and they raided his bag...obviously.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

IT'S A POWDER DAY AT THE LEGEND, PET THE GOATS.....LEGENDING 14

This past summer for some reason, Arapahoe Basin put a bronze sculpture of a couple of Mountain Goats in the base area.  They live high above the ski area, as well as at the top of the ski area on Lenawee, Grays and Torreys peaks. I of course, as and old schooling curmudgeon, went off on this and said they belonged at the Factory Outlet Stores in Silverthorne (I've never actually seen a factory down there) or in Beaver Creek with the rest of the bronze in the world. Well, yesterday I decided to start making some lemonade of the situation and started a new personal tradition at The Legend. I mean come on, it's freekin Christmas week for crying out loud, so lighten up Francis, right? Well, from now on, if it is more than a six inches of new snow powder day at The Legend, and I'm there, petting the bronze goats prior to skiing is a requirement, just so people can look at me like I have lost my mind, which may have actually happened years ago. So pet the goats, it's good karma...

Monday, December 21, 2015

STATES DAY TWO...REALITY CHECK. PUTTING IT ALL IN PERSPECTIVE....

 Sobering....day two of the Colorado Cyclocross State Championships started with a spectacular sunrise, and after the sun rose, the carnage from the night before was clear and evident as hurricane Castle Rock must have blown through the venue and taken out part of tent town. Feedback Sports and Team Small Batch took the big hits losing 10 x 20 tent sites in a hurry. It blew so hard the finish line from day one blew off the road and away to Kansas somewhere, touchdown Baylor.
 Once things got back to normal chaos the racing began and the course conditions were perfect for hard racing and injuries. Frozen slop from the day before was frozen slop from the day before, right before it turned into slop for today and it was brutal...barely ride-able and lap times sky rocketed. Most races were three laps of brutality on wheels. Darren Cheek was called a State Champion on this day.
 Think about it, 3 Laps, that's it, 3 stinkin laps, most riders looked like they had gone through 15 rounds with Mike Tyson an hour after his divorce with Robin Givens after one lap...then three to go.
 We called Olympic Medalist Georgia Gould and now three time winner Yannick Eckman State Champions at the end of the day, and the winning margins were absolutely stunning, decisive and sobering. This is what happens when the real deal comes to town and decides to beat up on the regulars. One thing I like to say about Cyclocross racing is that it exposes the hard, cold truth. It puts the meek in their place in a hurry. Those who once thought they stood on top of the world on the frozen small pond can be suddenly lost in the pack of wondering hods. Yannick and Georgia rode like machines and ended their respective races in less than a lap of racing. It was flawless and impressive to watch. the rest of the elite fields were reduced to mere mortals in just a couple of minutes....

Once the 2015 cycling season was a rap, it was time to return home to my safe haven, free of social media, free of Strava, free of Fat Bike crap, free of burms, and free of the noise of bike racing.....it looked something like this, but only because I could not fit the third pup on the couch.

Many years ago, perhaps ten, Cyclocross Magazine popped up on the scene. I have often wondered why there has been zero coverage in this American born mag of the Colorado Cyclocross scene, ever. With the number of races and quality of talent that comes out of Colorado, there has been zilcho coverage of the scene here. USA Cyclocross seems to be in a bit of a tizzy (along with all disciplines of the sport). The fans have stopped showing up like they did in the days of Harlow Platt and the Boulder Cup. Even Cross Vegas seemed a bit bare this year for a World Cup event. Now with the season wound down, it is time to think about how to bring the people back, how to recreate the excitement of CX that we saw 7-10 years ago in this country...there seems to be some soul missing, perhaps lost on the roofs of Lexus SUVs with twin Carbon $10,000 Cross bikes on them. Where is the soul going or gone? Where do we find it and get it back? 2016 Cyclocross season will be here before we know it....let's find it.

And remember one thing, there is always PODIUM PHOTOBOMBING.

HAS ANYONE ACTUALLY EVER MEASURED THE SNOW STAKE AT THE SNOW STAKE CAMERA IN VAIL?

I just would like to be guaranteed that the markings on this webcam stake are actually inches...if you know what I'm saying.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

COLORADO STATE CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS



It never fails...it happens every season. when the money is on the line, no matter what has happened previously during the cyclocross season, the creme rises to the top on the day of the State Championships. Tim Faia had dominated the 40+ masters category all season..and then today, in the mud and frozen ruts of Rhyolite Park, and the soggy snow, Brandon Dwight and Pete Webber of the BCS/Yoga Glow team rode the rest of the field to their death quickly, and of course once again had a sprint finish for the title. I feel like I've called the scenario 100 times, it's basically Ground Hog day in the Cyclocross world. Today it was Brandon Dwight, by perhaps a half wheel at the line as the two sprinted for the win side by side. Pete Webber led it out and Brandon over took him just yards from the line on his right...revenge is best served up on a cold plate when these two race....look for the same next season.

Friday, December 18, 2015

I FEEL FOR THE MEEK AND WEEKEND WARRIOR...GO SKI PALI, IT'S OPEN.



Legending 49 from Larry Grossmany on Vimeo.
It's been a blessed life, there is not much at this point I would change except for maybe the New England Patriots having never won the Super Bowl, that would be kind of cool, but I can't change that. It sounds like Star Wars 47 was excellent last night and I look forward to seeing it even though I'm not quite into that thing. One thing I am into is skiing. Every season, when I ride The Legend for the last time of the season, as I head down to the base area, I always wonder if this will be the last time I ever have a chance to ski here, because life is full of twists and turns, and 2015 has been a very odd one for good friends getting sick or passing away, and I always remember that and I never take anything for granted. Hence, when the next ski season comes around and the Pali chair opens at Arapahoe Basin I am incredibly thankful to have made it to another season and ski at my favorite hill. More importantly as I push towards 60 years of age...the first run down Pali every season brings back life....the soul and the freedom of skiing, real skiing. For the masses that have "real" jobs and live that can only ski on the cluster fuck of the weekend, I feel for you, because whether you live in a mountain community or on the front range of Colorado, if you do not get to ski during the weekend, you are missing out on simplicity. There is rarely traffic to get to the hill, even in total shit weather and the lift lines do not exist this time of year, unless you are in Vail of course. So quit your real jobs and going skiing, it's good for you. I mean really, why even live in Colorado or it's mountains if you can't enjoy it's rewards? Christ.

Music in honor of the Super Bowl....lame. Vij includes first run on Pali of the year, also lame.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

SKIING, I STILL DO THAT....13

 Legending is almost back in full swing. Plain and simply put, Arapahoe Basin will always be the FAV of A2B, nothing else compares. Every year it is a blessing to be healthy enough to get back up on the hill and ski and enjoy this place. For weekend warriors, you are basically screwed, but during the week if you live in Lakewood, it's less than an hour from driveway to Pali lift. Of course the best option to truly ski bum is to live somewhere in the county of Summit, but that has become virtually impossible these days with the cost of living an with the explosion of growth in the mountains. Long gone are the days of having one crappy job and a funky old house to live in with 5 of your buddies paying $75 a month, it's become virtually impossible to truly ski bum anymore, but I'm still doing my best to keep the tradition rolling. Earl season in Colorado this year has been fantastic, Loveland has received over 130 inches to date. Bam, go get er done.




Tuesday, December 15, 2015

IT'S A PRETTY FUCKED UP WORLD WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT IT...


So don't think about it....on second thought, maybe you should think about it.....

THE LAP...MILE HIGH URBAN COWBOY CROSS...RAD STUFF

This past Sunday was a rock and roll party at the National Western Stockshow Complex thrown by MUCCY and Deirdre Moynihan. It's a difficult course in a very unique setting and everyone that shows up has a great time racing, drinking beer and eating donuts. Sorry you missed it, conditions were prime.
MUCCY 2015 from Dale Riley on Vimeo.

And this was a highlight of the day...big time. Kristin Morgan Hopkins, who lost both her legs in a car accident after being left in her car for six days off the side of the road in a snow bank, participated in the Adaptive race along with Mike Sales and had the crowd roaring as they negotiated the course two times during their event. It was way past awesome. Photo courtesy of Ryan Muncy.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

YOU PAID TO WATCH THIS? IDIOTS


I learned many years ago when Roberto Duran quit on Sugar Ray Leonard, and I paid good money ti watch it, that all this shit is a tremendous waste of mine, yours, and everyone else's money. You got take to the cleaners.