MEANWHILE, BACK ON THE BIKE STUFF SCENE

Nite Rider has hit the mark with the Pro 1200 LED Lithium Ion headlight system. It's actually two beams, a 600 lumen flood and a 600 lumen spot that you can use individually or together for those recon missions late night up on Hardscrabble Mountain. You'll be rippin around at night like a Mercedes SLK230 on the freekin Autoban once you mount this deal up on your helmet or handle bar. It's got three full on commando modes as well as a blinking "safety mode" for those trecks down Highway 6 in the summer evenings. Plus the battery charger has got some pretty sweet disco lights to entertain you while the battery rejuices itself. Recharge time is 4.5 hours, and this is the amazing part, depending on the mode you choose to program into your light through your computer (yeah, you can program this thing), run time is 2.5-64 hours, no shit, 64 hours on it's mellow setting say for hiking or camping...to which I say, buy it.

AT 3:15 AM MOUNTAIN TIME, EAGLE HAS SPOKEN.....GOOD BYE BIG BOX DEVELOPMENT.

Just an amazing night, for an amazing town, which we now know has a majority of great people, who like Eagle the way it is. Wow.

The difference, 156 votes.

2200 VOTERS TURNED OUT TODAY TO VOTE IN EAGLE

Ballots are being counted as I type this. It was a monsterous turnout. 63% showed to speak their mind, well done, which ever way it goes.

THE MYSTERY OF THE PACKAGE, TERROR HITS EAGLE, COLORADO

When I arrived home this evening after work and then a session at the Vail Nordic Center with Wuwuwuwuzup and Jdubs, which turned into a true nut freezer, I pulled into my parking spot and walked to the front door like any other day. Upon reaching the front door I saw this mysterious box with orange warning labels all over it. I could not see what it was or who it was from. My first thought, Charlie Sheen had read my blog and found out I elected him the A2B 2009 Douche Bag of the Year and had sent a giant letter bomb to my front step. I was certain there was no one out there who likes me enough to send me a Christmas gift this late. And of course with the big vote tomorrow determining the Town of Eagle's future concerning ERS, and as active as I have been to get this piece of crap cookie cutter mall booted out of my hometown, well, you know, the mind can wander. So I called the Blue Healer that belongs to my next door neighbor to come over and sniff the box, this while I scanned the bushes and surrounding area for any signs of a wire. A metal detector found nothing and the mine sweeper produced a clean grid and the return address was not from Yemen or some other country which hates our guts. When the healer lifted his leg and pissed on the box that was the sign that it was an "all clear" and I "went in" to read the tape and label. And then it came to me, once I saw the package tape with the big NR emblem on it. While at Interbike in September, Nite Rider had just a stupid good deal on their not yet released 1200 Lumen LED Lithium Ion headlights, which can be computer programmed, no shit. Of course I ordered one along with all the other idiots who needed a fifth headlight to ride with, and there were alot of us, trust me. I can't tell you what we paid for them, because then you would send a package bomb to my front door for the dog to piss on....cheers.

A DAMN GOOD DAY

Ok Ok so life is pretty damn good so far in 2010. The snow here has finally made the turn, and just in the nick of time. It's still a hair on the thin side, but the skiing at Beaver Creek today was KILLER up on Grouse Mountain, especially with the posse in the morning. Then it was an afternoon session with the Ridler Clan at the terrain park. Two nine year olds and a twelve year old with NO FEAR turning 360's, 540's and 720's. NO BIG DEAL right? Then the session continues at the Ridler House and their home made personal terrain park, until it gets dark, it never ends.

Mike mid 360 at the Ridler Open

Jesse Mid 360 at the Ridler Open

Shane Mansk mid 360 at the Ridler Open, he took the first title stylin.
Mike warming up getting the big jump "feel" for later
And then the day's vij....

Beav Rippin from Larry Grossman on Vimeo.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR=THE FIRST RIDE OF THE NEW YEAR

Let's get this party started...

Meanwhile, there is still some serious throw down happening over in Belgium as the USA gears up for World's. And how about this? Yannick Eckman (2nd), Skyler Trujillo (7th), and Jeff Bahnson (10th) in Baal, Belgium this past weekend. Three USA kids in the top 10...I'm calling that a crush. Jonothan Page stood on the podge as well but the U23 crew was not as fortunate as most exited early on...
Eckman steps on the podge...
all pics from cx magazine

Trujillo did not screw around either finishing 7th

Summerhill was not as fortunate this weekend...but will be back for certain

And Cyclocross Bloopers from Brian Patrick at States 2009

SOME SHASTA LEMURIAN 2009 DUG UP....

Last spring, while on the now infamous four week long Norcal Squirt Lube tour, Dewet and myself ran into this race one weekend outside of Redding, Cali, the Shasta Lemurian. It was one of the most fun races I've ever done, with brutal climbs and balls out descending over all kinds of crazy loose, rooty, rutted terrain. This is one you should all go do before you leave this earth, it's just a juker of a ride. I even made the cut droppin the bridge after the opening credit over the moss clump. The Felt 29er was rockin it that day

Master_MALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 54

1 33 Larry Grossman 51 Eagle CO 02:08:12
2 73 Scott Stewart 48 Shasta Lake CA 02:30:19
3 76 MARTY STRAUSBAUGH 47 ANDERSON CA 02:30:49
4 85 Joseph Grabski 46 Napa CA 02:33:21
5 116 BRENT STARR 46 CHICO CA 02:41:34
6 122 Curt Prater 45 Santa Cruz CA 02:42:36
7 127 Vic Armijo 49 Arcata CA 02:43:48
8 136 GARTH SCHMECK 45 REDDING CA 02:47:07
9 143 SCOTT ALEXANDER 46 REDDING CA 02:48:18
10 210 ROLAND CARLSEN 53 SAN JOSE CA 03:08:32
11 234 KEVIN CAMPBELL 49 MEDFORD OR 03:17:35
12 252 DALE SHELTON 45 REDDING CA 03:22:57
13 278 PETE HARRIGAN 49 REDDING CA 03:40:58

Shasta Lemurian Classic 2009 from MAX on Vimeo.

AN A2B NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION...

Thundering into 2010, the only way I know how....

Chalk up 2009, it's in the books, and I'm going to consider it a "bobble" in the middle of a Cyclocross race for me, because this morning is 2010 and Elgee is coming out charging hard. So here is to a better year, it's already off to a rolling start as with all due respect to Yeti's Grind in Eagle this morning, I'm relaxing in my home with a little bit of a "head" from last eve, and the first thing boiling through my blood system this year is a fresh cup of MOUNTAIN THUNDER coffee from Hawaii which was a Holiday present from a friend. With that said, I've got one New Year's resolution, and it does not include anything about being a faster bike rider, or winning this or that. It goes without saying that 2010 will see me in the bike saddle as much as ever, it's my sanity and my sanctuary, and I'm surely going to "find" more singletrack around Eagle this year for sure.

My 2010 resolution is to do more Bike Race Announcing...simple.

And with that, here is my DEMO for all the promoters out there looking for a passionate race announcer that loves the sport. Thank you Brian Patrick from Onsight Media for putting this demo together for me. You da man.