VWCX

Pittsburgh CX 2009

2009-09-13T19:39:00.003-04:00

Congrats to the Pittsburghers who raced at Wendy Park this weekend. Looks like you guys kicked it!

I'm super bummed that I'm not racing this year (taking the season off)....but I plan to live vicariously through Sam in Colorado, Ben/Eric/Mayhew/etc in Pittsburgh, and Ryan in DC.

SRAM Red for sale

2009-05-14T13:13:00.002-04:00

Check my Ebay listings for a SRAM Red group I'm parting out:
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/summcat_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

Thanks!

Scott Bricker talks to Patrick Dowd

2009-05-08T17:54:00.001-04:00

Just a quick photo that I snapped while covering the mayoral forum for the Pitt News.

There, I did it.

2009-03-23T10:32:00.003-04:00

Listed for sale:
http://classifieds.roadbikereview.com/showproduct.php?product=14165&cat=

Easton EC90 aero carbon tubulars w/ 2 sets of tires. 1 set of Challenge Grifo 32's and a set of road tubies.

Would love to sell to a friend...please make an offer!

New Daily Photoblog

2009-02-02T19:37:00.002-05:00

Small update:
I've started a photoblog/portfolio site: http://www.vaughnwallace.com. Check it out if you have the chance...still tweaking the layout and text, but pictures will be updated frequently.

Thanks!

PS. Still doing almost no riding.

Source of my Misery

2009-01-26T22:32:00.002-05:00

It's actually not that bad.....photo taken before second Amazon.com box arrived.

It's a New Year

2009-01-25T00:41:00.002-05:00

Wow, sorry for the complete online Houdini act; Thanksgiving break hit, then finals, then Christmas break occupied my time.

Cyclocross season ended and photography immediately took its place in my life. I'm a staff photographer with The Pitt News.

I'm undeclared right now but am 'gettin seriouz' about Pitt's journalism/English Writing track. The two people that read this blog when it started back in January of last year might remember me talking about college choices; I was set to major in photojournalism at Mizzou before deciding to take a step back and re-evaluate after some time at Pitt. Still don't know what I'm going to do for sure, but things are getting clearer and clearer as I get through this second semester...

One thing I have come to realize is that journalism/photojournalism is an all-consuming craft. It simply isn't possible to be a great photojournalist and a good bike racer. To achieve a balance between the two would require me to sacrifice quality or training time, and would necessitate 110% effort from me all the time. This semester is really going to be a turning point (just like college is for everyone).

I spent this past weekend in DC again for the Inauguration. I blogged, collected audio and photographs for the Pitt News. Some of them are published here and here. The crowds were just as the news described them: loud, proud, and excited. No arrests or injuries, either!

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't been on a bike since shortly after the Murrysville race in December. It's always a really pleasant feeling to be out of breath after climbing stairs and to watch your previously ripped legs lose all definition. Just too busy right now!

The Explainer Best of 2008

2008-12-19T11:05:00.003-05:00

"The Explainer" is a column that I read on Salon. It's a fun column, people send in random questions, they get educated answers. At the end of the year, they post a bunch of people's unanswered questions and ask that readers vote on the "Question of 2008." I found a few to be sorta interesting:

During this weekend's football playoff game in Green Bay, the temperature at kickoff was 0 degrees, and by the end of the game was -4 degrees. When players get injured in such weather, do they bother putting ice on the injury? Wouldn't that warm up the injury to 32 degrees?

How can personal coaches justify coaching athletes who are much better than they ever were? If they know so much about how to win, why aren't they competing?

Who made up the rule that if you wore a shirt all day, went home, and washed it, you can't wear it the next day?

The other questions are here.

CX Nationals

2008-12-14T14:32:00.004-05:00

First off, congrats on Ernesto, Andy, and Gerry for the awesome finishes at Natz...Pflug broke top ten!

He posted a video of Ernie/Andy's start on his blog. Check out how fast the start was....insane!

The Elite Men's race is just about to start. I'm following the live updates provided by CX Magazine.

I definitely wish I could've gone out to Kansas City to race and watch. Back in September, I had planned to, hoping to race the 19-29 B race and Collegiate Men. I hit a series of misfortunes in the season that delayed me. I got to college and learned that sleeping and eating is hard when you don't live with parents--I certainly took them for granted.

I also found some problems with Pitt Cycling--I assumed that I'd be able to race for them, but apparently being a student at Pitt doesn't qualify me. I felt very angry about Pitt Cycling's lack of 'caring' about letting me race. I had pre-registered for many of my races and had plans for Nationals all lined up. They told me that I couldn't race because of everything from "cyclocross isn't in our budget" to "you're not an Elite man so we're unwilling to let you race". I did some research and found out that I could've gone if I had gotten DFL in the C race and still would've been seeded at Nationals in the first 4 rows. I offered to pay my own way to Nationals and was told that Student Government Board wouldn't allow it. I checked with SGB, they told me there wasn't a problem. Pitt Cycling then threatened to suspend my USA Cycling license if I pushed the issue. I got locked into the idea of racing for Pitt, and was surprised that it didn't work out. That's all.

I'm not trying to slander Pitt Cycling, nor am I trying to single anyone out. I'm just pissed that a club trying "to become a riding force unrivaled across the universe" doesn't want to support someone trying to represent the school and club in another racing venue. I know that there are two sides to any coin and I'm writing like there's a personal vendetta against me. I'm ticked that I was blown off when I presented a reasonable proposal to race with no negative impact on the club. Cyclocross is growing faster than any other discipline of cycling in the USA. As it grows, I hope Pitt Cycling can get its act together.

Murrysville Cyclocross 2008

2008-12-02T13:55:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lack of meaningful updates. It's the week before finals and I'm hitting the point where I'm starting to panic!

Murrysville Cyclocross, put on by Fred B, was AWESOME. Some people had been referring to it as the Pittsburgh CX Championships. Turnout was around 70ish despite horrible weather (40 and raining).

I was having a ton of fun in the B race until my rear tire went flat. Pretty sure it's time to replace the sticky valve cores...couldn't find any punctures. Needless to say, I DNF'd.

Results have been posted on BikeReg.

Here are a couple sources for pictures from the race:
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=155353
http://boulder.inotion.com/murrysvillecx/

Sam had a good race, especially after competing in the PA State Championship the day before. Also got to meet Henry Dimmick (finally!) and some of the other AG3R guys. Thanks to their space heater, I didn't freeze either, and as of Tuesday, I'm not sick! (knock on wood)

I had more fun at Murrysville than I did in any of the other 11 cross races I raced this season. Something about racing against a whole field of people you know/recognize, and being able to cheer every A racer (except 2) by name is so rad. I'm glad my season ended on such a positive note...despite flatting, this will be the race that motivates me for next season.

I'll post the pictures I've taken soon enough...I figured out the RAW process on Mac, now I'm just taking some time to tweak the levels and make them look cool. Gotta have some desktop backgrounds for next year!

Embrocation Magazine: Volume II quick review

2008-11-28T21:24:00.002-05:00

I had the chance to take a very quick look at a hard copy of Embrocation: Volume II today in a shop. I have written previously about the mag but had never seen a hard copy.

It's being touted as a very artsy publication, which I can confirm. It's got lots of pictures and some articles, all printed on pretty heavy and glossy paper. I thumbed through it, looking for cyclocross stuff, and found an article by Molly Cameron about the art of tubular gluing. Cool. Also found some cross related things, but not a ton.

I'd say that CX Magazine is to Transition: Across the Pond as Embrocation Mag is to Pure Sweet Hell. Yes, I realize that analogy makes no sense to people who haven't watched CX dvds.

In other news, the Dirty Dozen is tomorrow and Murrysville is the day after that. Unfortunately, I'm going to miss the DD in favor of getting some extra sleep and enjoying a leisurely drive back to Pittsburgh from DC. Jim V. from Proteus was talking to me about the race earlier today...seems even people in the MABRA region are hearing about what an awesome showdown it'll be. 58 people preregistered, and the A race is stacked!

P.S. Here are some pretty eye-opening pictures from the ongoing attacks in Mumbai. We need to keep them in our prayers.

Superior CX and Tacchino

2008-11-24T10:41:00.002-05:00

I did my first double race weekend at Superior CX (in Haymarket VA) and Tacchino (in Leesburg). Both were tough races, both courses had some pretty brutal climbs. Saturday's race was super fast and had a downhill in the first half of the course. This translated to a SUPER fast first lap. I had a good start, sitting in about 5th out of 20th. I hit around 25mph on the downhill....got both wheels airborne and was subsequently caught by a strong gust of crosswind. It moved me a couple inches to the side and had me fearing for my life...

The rest of Saturday's race SUCKED. My lower back cramped up after the first 15 minutes and I suffered more and more. I felt like an old man. Don't know if it's because of bike positioning or because my core muscles are weak...probably both? Seems to happen the most on really bumpy courses, started happening around the time I got carbon wheels....maybe too stiff, or I just haven't gotten used to them? Regardless, I finished Saturday's race in dead last. Steevo, who started 1 minute ahead of me, lapped me twice. Yeah, I sucked.

Sunday's race at Tacchino was better. Fun course, bigger crowds, etc. I registered day of and started very close to the back. Felt pretty good in my legs/lungs; Saturday warmed me up and "opened up my system". I did about where I thought I would do considering that I haven't really been riding. Unfortunately, the results have me listed as "UNKNOWN". This sucks because they listed me second the last in the results, behind the people that were lapped and the people that were double lapped. That annoys me, but what can you do, the results are final.

Edit: I realized that I was only annoyed because it would affect my CrossResults.com ranking. Wow. Might also be annoyed because I missed the mid-pack sausage prime by like 5 seconds.

Steevo kicked butt both days. First on Saturday and third on Sunday. Got to watch Jeff Bahnson chase (and even lead!) Wes Schempf during part of the race. Bahnson got 2nd in the end.

Also got to meet and watch Patty Buerkle race both days. Think she got first on Saturday and 4th on Sunday. T'was awesome watching her race!

Cool to meet Lithuania (Riskus)....didn't get to talk to Kram but I did park next to him.

Thanks Cleveland!

2008-11-19T20:43:00.002-05:00

I'm still processing the 10 photos I took in Cleveland. I shot them in RAW with the intent of tweaking them and making them desktop backgrounds. Problem is, Macs don't really have the same free RAW processing software that I was used to using in Windows. SO, as soon as I find the software or get on a Windows machine, I'll post some pictures. In the meantime, here are some from the race on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27518066@N05/sets/72157609253885574/

I wanted to thank the ladies and organizers that run the Bike Authority cross series in Cleveland. I did the whole series last year and have raced a few this year. It's been really fun getting to know the people that I'm racing against and the people at registration. Sometimes I travel up to the races by myself, which I know worries my parents. I feel really safe racing at the Bike Authority events. I know injuries do happen (last week w/ the racer breaking his collarbone), but I am 100% confident that if something happened, I'd be taken care of. Of course I'll remain vigilant, but still, it's comforting to know that the officials and registration people are there.

It's been cool watching everyone progress; racing against people I've met on forums (4130gibson), people I've met through their blogs (Ernie/Sologoat and Robert/thefactoryrider), people I've met through racing against (Dave Thorton, Joe Belich, etc), and people I've met through beating me (Drew Bercaw and family). I know I'm not in serious contention for any of the races, but it's great to hear people cheering for you after meeting them informally up by a lake two hours from home. It's these people that really make me look forward to racing cyclocross in 30 degree mud and snow. I threw off my gloves halfway through last weeks race. When I went to retrieve them after the race, Lynn Marut had them in hand--no MAC official would be as kind as she was! Thanks thanks thanks!

Broadview Heights

2008-11-17T18:49:00.003-05:00

I rode up to Broadview Heights for Bike Authority's annual race. I raced this course last year and absolutely loved it (the header photo on this page was taken at the race last year). I especially have fond memories because this was the first venue that I won a race (the C race).

Drove up with Chris Mayhew and Ben Stephens....we pulled up, stepped out of the car and immediately froze. Snow was coming down, ground was super wet, and temperatures were in the low 30's.

I haven't finished processing the pictures that I took but will post them soon.

The registration pavilion had a nice fire going in a chimney which made the cold much more bearable while watching the other races.

Eric, Ben, me, Drew, and other nemesis' from Ohio all lined up for the B race on the front row. Gun went off, and into the first turn we went. I was sitting about 5th place for the first half-lap or so, then started the familiar slide backwards. It just wasn't my day to shine, and I made lots of stupid little mistakes. I ran where I should've rode, rode where I should have shouldered, and stupidly didn't try any alternative lines in the super muddy fields until the latter laps. That coupled with not warming up really broke me. I finished 10th out of 28 finishers, which has been consistent with my racing in Cleveland this season. I was in no man's land for most of the race; the guy in front of me finished almost a minute ahead and the guy behind was 40 seconds back.

The tubulars and deep carbon rims were awesome in the muddy slop, but apparently I'm still not running them at their prime low pressure.

On the car ride home, I told Chris and Ben that I didn't enjoy sitting in no man's land and making stupid mistakes. Chris decided that I need to step it up and not be pre-beaten (substitute a common vulgarity for beaten). Ben decided that it's because I don't train enough. I train, just not enough to make all that much difference I guess.

All in all, a fun time was had by all. Ben got 5th (B), Eric 2nd (B), and Chris 6th (A).

Next race will be a doubleheader @ Superior CX (sat) and Tacchino (sun). After that, it's Murrysville on the 30th and maybe Capital Cross on December 7th.

Cyclocross Math

2008-11-04T18:54:00.004-05:00

I'm sitting in my dorm with a fever--I'm coming down with something. That means I'm probably not going out to Beacon/HPCX with Steevo this weekend. If I get better, hoping to race on Sunday at OVCX #9 but we'll see.

I was thinking about how much traveling I've been doing to get to races since September 3rd. It's been alot of driving so far...but just how much? Here goes:

7 races
2602 miles of driving
295 minutes of racing
43.26 hours of driving
8.79 minutes of driving for every 1 minute raced
60.15 miles per hour, average driving speed

And I've still got at least 3-4 races to go! Hoo-rah! What are your stats?

Kirtland Park Cyclocross Race

2008-11-02T22:06:00.003-05:00

Went up with Eric L. to the Bike Authority cyclocross race at Kirtland Park. It's right up in Cleveland by the lake and the Brown's stadium. Gas in Cleveland is at $2.06 right now as opposed to $2.6x in Pittsburgh.

Gerry Pflug, Justin from Dirty Harry's and Sam Morrison all showed up to race the A race, was awesome to see so many Pittsburgh guys that made the drive.

Eric and I lined up in the front row of the B race. I hammered from the start and was 3rd or 4th heading into the first run up. Eric had a problem with his pedals and lost a bunch of places. I hung in/close to the lead group of 4 riders for the first 25 minutes, then started to slip off the back slightly. Spent the next lap in no-man's land around 20 seconds behind the main group. Eric flew by me, obviously catching a second wind and ready to avenge his earlier pedal troubles. I chilled for the next lap, and realized I felt really really good. No cramping, no leg pain, etc etc. I gassed it, saw that Drew was falling back a bit, and gassed it harder. I got to the amphitheater section of the course, headed out on a small, flat straightaway and promptly flipped over. Over the bars, legs and bike tangled. Got up, knee was bleeding...felt well enough to keep moving, then looked at my wheel:

Rim completely destroyed. Taco-ed and broken, not just folded. Weird because it didn't even fail at the seam...

This was probably my best race of the season--just felt really strong, no pain, rode pretty smooth, and chose good lines. Hopefully I can use this next week at Beacon/HPCX/Cap City #6 (don't know where I'm going yet).

Sam had an awesome race too. He was sitting in 5th for most of the race but got tangled in the tape and dropped his chain. He lost like 20-30 seconds yet bridged up like a madmen. Probably finished around 7th in the A's?

A great day of racing for me! Thanks for the people yelling words of encouragement (didn't see who was yelling 'go drumbum') and to the ladies at registration who are always so kind.

DCCX

2008-10-27T21:31:00.002-04:00

IMG_2518
Originally uploaded by bmpskier

This is me in the DCCX Men's 3/4 race. The man in front of me is Ryan, a friend from DC. Note the ridiculous smile and conversational attitude implied by this snapshot. This is why Ryan crashed hard and went to the hospital, and why I cramped hard and sucked harder. We were having too much fun... Ended up 42nd out of 77 starters.

Results seem a bit wonky though, because they listed someone I lapped as finishing before me. Protest period is over--the difference between 42nd and 41st is minimal. I don't want to be "that guy". Still though, I'll only be ticked if that screws up my future Crossresults ranking!

Soupie had a really awesome race. He was behind me for the first 2 or 3 laps then exploded past. He ended up 24th--looking very strong!

Spin Cyclocross Race - Todd Field 08

2008-10-20T00:43:00.002-04:00

Raced on Saturday at the Spin Cyclocross Race @ Todd Field, near Cleveland. Rode up with Sam Morrison. Was pretty excited to race after not riding/training after last week's race in Richmond. It was cool to see all the guys from the Cleveland area that I raced with in the C's last year.

I rode the B race and placed around 9th or 10th. The results have been posted but it only lists the B-men 5 deep. Hoping they'll post everyone's results; half the fun is seeing your results on CrossResults.

I had a decent start and felt good the whole race. I finished the race with no regrets. Congrats to Sam for making some money back even after flatting on the 2nd to last lap.

Chris Mayhew also did pretty well in the A race...we had an awesome pit bike exchange towards the end of the race. Looks like practice is starting to pay off!

Richmond Festival of Cross

2008-10-12T18:45:00.002-04:00

I came up to DC on Thursday night to surprise my family. Plan was to hang for a couple days then return home; was also going to be a rest weekend before the double header weekend at Granogue and Wiss. Went back to The Bike Rack where I was informed of a cross race on Sunday in Richmond. Decided on Saturday night that I'd make the trip up...

It was pretty cool that the B race wasn't until 1 PM...gave me time to relax beforehand. Made the drive with plenty of time to spare, registered, and pre-rode the course. It was fairly hot out and REALLY dusty.

The course was almost 100% flat with two very slight uphills. Also had many road sections (would say the breakup of the course was 60% dirt, 40% road). This was my first time racing on a road for more than 15 seconds. Laps were fairly short--course really felt like a grass crit. I didn't do all that great, but it was only my 3rd B race, so I'm not worried. Got lapped at the end by the leader of the A race, from the Sachs team. Was really cool to trail him for a minute or so, just to see the lines he picked, speed, handling, etc.

Highlight of my day was racing next to someone (didn't catch name) who told me he had read my blog and recognized me by my bike. Had a mini conversation during one of the (numerous) road sections and then didn't see him again. If you're that guy, leave a comment!

Moots Cowbell

2008-10-08T13:29:00.002-04:00

Looks like the Moots folks had a secret Moots cowbell at CrossVegas. It's a titanium tube with another bit of titanium that rattles around inside it.

Read more about it here

Assuming it's not $300, I'll take one!

You can do it!

2008-10-06T12:27:00.000-04:00

Tony Little is serving as my inspiration for my next few B races. How can you go wrong?

Dee Dee Winfield @ Ed Sanders 2008

2008-10-03T15:24:00.002-04:00

Ben shot a pretty cool video of Dee Dee Winfield during the Women's Elite Race at Ed Sanders.

My nose makes an appearance at the end of the clip.

Ben also has a video of the Elite Men's start at Charm City. Steevo got the almost-holeshot.

Surreal Cyclocross Video

2008-10-01T15:52:00.002-04:00

This is a really cool video from Starcrossed 2008; very surreal, the rain really makes it eerie.

Starcrossed Cyclocross 2008 from bce on Vimeo.

DONE!

2008-09-20T10:47:00.004-04:00

18 pounds with my old, heavy wheels. EC90 tubulars coming soon will get it down to around 16. Don't worry, the steer was cut down somewhat after this picture.

Done

2008-09-19T12:10:00.001-04:00

Alright, the Moots is 100% completed. I'm in DC right now for Charm City. Only problem is that I'm sick! I haven't been able to get out of bed...feels like the flu! Good chance that I'll not be able to race :-/

Really bummed about that but at the same time, maybe I'll be well enough to go up and ring a cowbell.

I do have to count it as a blessing that I was well enough to drive up here safely.

Cologne

2008-09-17T12:03:00.001-04:00

Seen in the bathroom of a rest stop on the way home from Columbus last week. News to me!

Cap City Cross #1

2008-09-15T22:47:00.002-04:00

Raced my first race of the season last Saturday in Columbus Ohio at the Cap City Cross series race #1. Had a really good time, although it was pretty hot. Course wasn't too technical at all and was pretty fun.

I raced the C race because I wasn't sure how my fitness was. I'm hoping to be racing B's by the end of October--we'll see.

I drove up with Benjamin Stephens from CMU. He raced the B race and easily got the holeshot. He led the race for a few laps but then the heat started to get at him. He's got a pretty good writeup of the race at his blog, along with some photos.

Looking forward to cross practice at Frick Park tomorrow, 6:30pm.

Build has started

2008-09-06T20:27:00.002-04:00

Got some of the build done today...derailleurs installed, headset pressed w/ fork and installed, cranks on and chainrings swapped (46-39). Pedals installed, seat post in, brakes on.

Note the clean dorm room in the background.

Moots Psychlo-X Pictures

2008-09-04T17:37:00.002-04:00

Arrived

2008-08-31T14:13:00.001-04:00

It's here. Parts coming in soon, complete build after that. Pics to follow.

Shipping

2008-08-25T14:14:00.001-04:00

Just received word that my Moots will be shipping in the next day or so. It's almost here.

Seven Springs

2008-08-15T18:56:00.002-04:00

Good friend Sam Morrison has just announced that he plans to race the 24 Hours of Seven Springs race SOLO. Yes folks, that's 24 hours of nonstop competitive mountain bike racing. He's currently looking for a set of lights to use--anyone got some to lend to this young man?

Parts Ordered

2008-08-12T00:05:00.002-04:00

Parts have been ordered for the Moots rig. SRAM Red rear derailleur and Alpha-Q CX20 fork are in the mail; RED cranks and shifters to be ordered soon. On top of that, I've got the EC90 wheels w/ Grifo's coming in.

Yes, it is a bling bike, but it's also a product of a summer of hard work and LONG days. Cannot wait to get it dirty!

Moveon Rally

2008-08-07T21:54:00.003-04:00

I'm normally not a very political person, but living in DC has kinda rekindled my journalistic interests. I headed downtown on Tuesday for a Moveon.org political rally aimed against offshore drilling. I went with a couple friends and had some fun.

Cool part was that we made it into someone's Youtube. My friend BT (in Obama shirt and aviators) can be seen around 2:38 in the video. I'm wearing green in the back left corner taking photos.

NOTE: I understand that we're getting mocked in the video. Like I said, I don't care much for the politics of it.

I'll be back in Pittsburgh in two weeks! Let's go PITT!

First Day Off

2008-07-31T00:10:00.004-04:00

Today was my first day off in 7 days; spent a lazy morning in bed then went for a two hour ride. I always feel really stupid wearing a full kit in the city, and usually opt for baggies. Today, however, I decided to get some 'serious cx training' in and went with the T.O.P. kit.

I rode around the National Mall and Hain's Point, a popular loop for cyclists. As I was coming back up Pennsylvania Avenue, I heard sirens off in the distance. Pretty soon, ten or more motorcycle cops all came through the intersection and shut down all movement. Turns out it was the Presidential Motorcade. The moto-cops were really impressive to watch; they chased down cars, flagged them over, and actually rode no handed. I don't care whether you agree with President Bush or not, because it's pretty damn cool to see all the limos and SUV's full of SWAT guys with Uzis. I even caught a glimpse of the President checking me out in my bright red Trek kit; surely it reminded him of his own Trek bike? It was one of those surreal moments seeing the face of a man on television right in front of you...

After that, I went over to the steps behind the Lincoln Memorial to do some running intervals. Two sets of five with cycling shoes and a bike on your shoulder sure does hurt! Make sure to check out the cool picture I found of a cyclist riding down these same steps.

It's been a long day. 700 miles of driving is in store for tomorrow as we travel down to Georgia to see relatives. I'm hoping to bring the bike but am not so sure about the heat this time of year...

Delays = Patience Required

2008-07-22T16:05:00.002-04:00

The Moots has been delayed until late August or the beginning of September. Luckily, it's still coming in time for cross season. It's taking Moots a bit longer because they just reworked some of the geometry (that's a good thing). Looking at building it up with an Alpha Q fork, SRAM Red/Force, and tubular Easton EC90 Aero's. Might also have a backup wheelset with some sort of Dura-Ace/Mavic combo.

I've been spending my days working as a full-time mechanic at The Bike Rack, a relatively-new bike shop near Logan Circle in DC. It's a different pace than what I've been used to at TOP. Most of the repairs here are older bikes; lots of 27 inch tires and crappy brakes. A full tuneup takes a bit longer because of the additional rust, damage, etc from daily city use. Feels good to be repairing bikes that people rely on daily rather than high-end carbon bikes all the time. As TJ reminded me, modern day components have become much more simple to adjust; really user friendly. It's been really cool to see the various eras of components represented on people's bikes...

In other news, I'm psyched about all the cx practices in the area. If I play my cards right, it's looking like I can participate in 2-3 organized practices/clinics a week. My shop also has it's own cross team; very cool!

It's fun working here but I can't wait to get back to Pittsburgh for school and T.O.P. Would love to hit up 7 Springs on the new Gary Fisher Roscoe.

Man, I love cross!

2008-07-04T12:36:00.002-04:00

IMG_4400
Originally uploaded by drumbum

This photo is from Granogue, 2007, at the beginning of the C race. Note the really stupid smile on my face--I remember grinning at the start of the race. It was one of those 'I don't know why I'm happy but I am' kinda moments. It was probably due to the circumstances that led up to the race:
-leaving Pittsburgh at 7pm just in time for the 5 hour, 300 mile drive on the turnpike
-arriving at the hotel around 2AM
-waking up at 6AM
-hitting a traffic barrier and flatting the car right next to a Firestone auto shop
- deciding that the shop is taking too long, so riding 7 miles through unknown roads following MAC signs and cars with bike racks
-arriving and pinning numbers with 15 minutes before start
-preriding course based on mental cue sheet from Chris Mayhew
-starting race without any breakfast, no prehydration, and with no water available after the race

I'm pretty sure I survived the race only by the awesome crowd. Thanks MAC CX fans...otherwise I woulda bonked before hitting the first barriers.

Moots Cyclocross

2008-07-01T12:49:00.003-04:00

I just placed the order for my new Moots cyclocross rig. It should be in around the middle to end of July. I'm setting my sights on building it up before cx season, but who knows?

I wanted to build this up as a race only rig, but at my age and stage in life, that just isn't feasible. I'll have this frame for years and years to come. Thus, I ordered it with rack eyelets and a chain hanger. Still awesome though!

I think I'm going to build it up with SRAM components (Force) and Paul brakes. Still trying to decide on a wheelset. I've been playing with the idea of a Bontrager Race X-Lite tubular race set with a cheaper clincher training set. Who knows?

Onward to Washington

2008-06-20T11:26:00.002-04:00

Apologies as usual for the lack of updates. This time it's because we're in the process of moving to Washington DC. Sold the home in Pittsburgh and are now living actually within the district. It was a sad goodbye to the steel city, but only for a short time. I'll be returning in August to go to the University of Pittsburgh. I'm definitely planning on racing for their cycling team as well.

In other news, I'm about to place my order for a brand new MOOTS PSYCHLO-X. I told myself going into the internship that I couldn't afford a Moots, but after a few Ebay sales, it seems as if I can manage it!

Will post a couple pictures of the DC area soon. One thing I'm really loving is all the bike lanes!

Graduation!

2008-06-08T11:00:00.003-04:00

I just graduated from high school last night, yay!

(Hence my lack of posting since I arrived back in Pittsburgh. I'm working on an audio-video slideshow of my trip which of course will be posted here when complete).

Done at Moots

2008-05-30T19:55:00.002-04:00

Just finished my last day at Moots. Boxed more stems, etc etc, but now I'm done. Still have the demo bike but will return it after a last ride tonight. Flight leaves at 6:45 AM tomorrow...ugh.

I got featured on the Moots blog, a definite honor!

See here: http://www.moots.com/index.php/blog/detail/intern_does_time_at_moots/

I will be sure to post lots of photos once I'm back at home on my own (reliable) internet connection. Be sure to stop by the shop next week and I'll tell ya more about my internship in person!

Hmm

2008-05-29T22:45:00.001-04:00

Not sure anyone besides family is reading this. Tomorrow is my last day at Moots--it went by really quickly!

I spent Wednesday assembling office furniture (fun...) which was average. I then spent all of today working on Moots Ti-Beam and Open Road stems. I 'processed' 62 stems, taking them from the beadblasting/color stage all the way to the packaging for the consumer. Actually pretty fun....

I have a bunch more pictures that I wanted to post but Blogger isn't letting me.

If anyones actually reading this, do you have any questions or photo requests for me before I leave? I'd be happy to pass along any comments/questions or take any photos you guys want. Otherwise, stayed tuned for some more photos when I arrive back home on Saturday night.

Back to Work

2008-05-27T19:47:00.002-04:00

I'm back at Moots after the long weekend. It was a good time to catch up on sleep and recover a bit from Sunday's ride. Monday was uneventful--I went 'shopping' and got some new shoes and such. People complain that Trek is expensive....they should come out to the bike shops here! Waster bottles are like $8! Regardless, I found an ultra cool shop out here, which I'll write about and post pictures of in a future post.

Today at Moots was a fun day. My sales project was presented to some important people which was kind of cool. After that, I got to do actual 'unpaid intern work'....think along the lines of folding cardboard boxes and cleaning machines. I spent a couple hours cleaning a machine which apparently hadn't been cleaned in over 60 years. Gross but fun all the same; stupid chores are much more manageable when surrounded by titanium and funny dudes (and chicks).

Lastly, I traded my Mooto XZ 29er for a Vamoots road bike. I'm going out tomorrow afternoon to ride up Rabbit Ear's pass. Apparently it's a pretty hard ride...

An Interesting Day

2008-05-25T23:34:00.004-04:00

Today was an interesting day. Started off the day by going to church, then came home and rode into town with the kids and some neighbors. A nice easy rambling ride--we ended up doing around 20 miles (once again, very impressive for young kids). Got home and went right back out on a 'real ride' up Emerald Mountain. Check out the GPS stats here. Although it doesn't seem like all that much, I was absolutely destroyed. According to the Garmin, I climbed around 3000 vertical feet and burned almost 4000 calories. Although it was tough, I doubt I actually burned 4000; maybe closer to 2500-3000 is more accurate?

We got home and I crashed. Couldn't eat or drink for awhile....the ride itself wasn't that bad. It's the altitude and 12% humidity that really burns my chest.

Around 9:30pm or so, a bright flash awoke me...at first I thought it was some car headlights, but quickly ruled that out. I looked out the window overlooking the valley and got to witness a power transformer exploding. Apparently a small animal got fried. Regardless, as I was watching, the power throughout the whole valley shut off, plunging everything into complete darkness. The power shut off, and a chorus of dogs yelped their protest. Seriously, it sounded as if a pack of a hundred wolves were all 'singing'--everyone in Steamboat has a dog or two! A giant loop of flame/fire/electricity/lightning shot up into the air--it seemed taller than the surrounding mountains! The power stayed off for about an hour, so I took the opportunity to observe the amazing night sky. How beautiful it looked without any light pollution!! I can't even begin to describe how awesome it looked. I took a picture but it doesn't even begin to show the true nature of the night sky.

Fish Creek Falls Hike

2008-05-24T21:45:00.004-04:00

Went hiking today at Fish Creek Falls. Hike took about two hours, 3.5 miles, and 1000 feet elevation gain. This was an awesome pace considering the trail was being blazed by a 4 year old who wasn't carried at all! We hiked up to an old mine, peeked around, took some photos, then hiked back down. As you can see from the following pictures, there was alot of snow melt and many of the upper trails were soggy. A few of the trails were actually creeks! We've got it lucky when the trails in PA get soggy; these trails actually turn into streams. As you can see, there was also alot of standing water.

The actual posts about Moots will resume Tuesday. Moots is observing a three day weekend with Memorial Day on Monday. I'm presenting some research I did on Tuesday morning at their weekly sales meeting. Alittle nerve wracking but otherwise fun.

Day Three

2008-05-23T22:08:00.002-04:00

It's Friday!

The day at Moots started off easy, just hung around and chatted. Did alittle more sales stuff then took a break for a Friday barbecue, courtesy of the welders. I then traded my Cinco for a new bike, the Mooto XZ. This is Moots' full suspension 29er...seems to be comparable to a Hi-fi Deluxe.

Anyway, I took it out to a local ride spot just outside town called Mad Creek. It's part of the National Forest nearby. Only rode around 6.5 miles but man was I feeling the pain from the altitude. I stupidly forgot an Allen key to adjust the seat-height, so that blunder might have contributed to my overall pain. I rode as high as I could until the trail was covered in snow. It's such a weird contrast to be riding in shorts and then hit snow. The descent back down left me pondering how I could possibly afford a Moots 29er--yes, it's that sick! Didn't get any pictures because I was having too much fun, but I did snap a video or two on my phone of the local scenery. Will post those later.

Here's a link to the GPS data from my ride. Take a look at the Google Earth overlay to get a real feel for the mountains around. Mad Creek on Motionbased

Why The Snow Isn't Awesome!

2008-05-22T16:51:00.001-04:00

Day Two at Moots: Snow!

2008-05-22T16:40:00.005-04:00

It seems to be snowing here in Steamboat...the weather in the Rockies is so crazy! The snow isn't sticking (thankfully) but it sure is coming down. As mentioned before, the creeks are full and beginning to flood--they're fast enough that people are kayaking in the hot springs! Several houses are almost underwater due to all the snowmelt.

I got my demo bike last night, a Moots Cinco. While not a 29er, is still is pretty cool with it's 5 inches of travel and 2.4 inch tires. Haven't got to take it for a real ride yet (stupid snow!) but a few trips around the backyard and neighborhood reveal the Cinco to be a more than competant mountain machine.

As promised, here's a picture of one of the shop dogs. I could've sworn I saw him eating a little clump of titanium shavings, but maybe it's just me imagining things. Too much time around this awesome metal starts to mess with my head!

First Day

2008-05-21T14:25:00.005-04:00

I'm sitting here in 'my office' during my lunch break, on the first day of my internship at Moots. As expected, everyone here is super cool, including the dog wandering around (picture later). It looks like most of the employees here commute to work; some are on older looking commuter bikes while others are rocking the Vamoots or other Moots frame.

So far, everything I've heard about Moots has been true: Yes, they do recycle everything from cardboard to old computers, and yes, some of them go riding during lunch. I drove with an employee to recycle a bunch of old computer hardware. The highlight thus far has been deburring titanium stems--it feels awesome to be able to say that I was one (tiny) cog of Moots' vast attention to detail.

My first impression as I toured the building? "There's TI everywhere!" Literally, eveywhere. In storage, on the floor, in the recycling bins...seatposts on the floor, clamps and spacers in cubbies, everywhere. I still haven't gotten used to it...

Well, time to get back to work. They've got me working on a couple sales/marketing projects over the next few days...should be exciting!

Arrival

2008-05-21T05:03:00.000-04:00

My flight out here to Steamboat was uneventful--boring like any flight. I arrived in Denver with two hours to kill (stupid layover!) so I went exploring. I walked up and down the concourse at an easy pace which rendered me shortly out of breath. This mountain air is SO crisp, but the lack of oxygen has left me feeling alittle deprived. While walking through the airport, I noticed the guy in front of me was wearing a SHIMANO XTR backpack. I caught up to him and noticed that his name tag said Shimano--apparently he was one of the higher-up Shimano execs. He and I talked for awhile and parted ways....

As I got closer to my gate, I saw my first sign of bikes: The New Belguim Hub, a bicycle-themed restaurant. It's menus were covered in bikes, as were the decorations. Very neat!

Fast forward two hours. As I went to bed, I heard the faint sound of a babbling brook--the snowmelt was trickling all down the mountain into the Yampa Valley. A great noise to hear falling asleep!

Packed and Ready to Go

2008-05-19T16:33:00.002-04:00

I'm just getting my final things packed up to fly out tomorrow. Got my riding stuff ready, shoes, pedals, helmet, TOP kit, Moots cap, etc etc. Unfortunately, my flight in to Steamboat is going to be arriving at 9:40 PM--too late and too dark to see the town from the air. I haven't been in Steamboat in almost three years, yet I still remember the approach to the airport vividly. The plane clears the surrounding mountains, the pilot cuts the engine, and we dive. We eventually level off and land about 20 seconds later. Not recommended for squeamish passengers or those afraid of turboprops.

The temperature in Steamboat is around 70 degrees right now. Supposed to drop to the mid-60's later in the week...

And, as you may know, Steamboat (along with much of the West) got hammered with snow this winter. Steamboat alone saw over 500 inches of snow during their season. A quick look at their gondola square cam reveals patches of snow. The upper mountain is still covered with a large base, so I doubt I'll get any mountain biking in. Road riding seems very feasible this time of year--maybe a trip up Rabbit Ear's Pass is in store.

Later!

Azencross

2008-05-09T22:42:00.001-04:00

Check out the 'whoops' section of this cross course, around 4:46 in the video. It's crazy pump track style excites me!

TJ!

2008-05-08T21:39:00.001-04:00

Congrats to TJ on his third-place finish at Michaux!

Moots

2008-05-07T21:02:00.003-04:00

Well, it's official. I'm headed out to Moots in a little under two weeks for 10 days of unpaid internship. It's gonna be awesome! I'll be working with Moots for a little media production about the framebuilding process.

I'll be keeping a daily log which I'll post to this blog every night. Feel free to leave any questions, comments or bribes below--will be sure to consider them and pass them along :-p

More Garmin

2008-05-07T12:20:00.002-04:00

So, I'm getting to spend a bit more time with the Garmin. Gotten out on a few group rides and a couple solo ones too. I've encountered no problems with it and am continually impressed with all the little features it's got. For instance, did you know that you can set various alarms so that it'll tell you if you're climbing too slow? Wow!

Check out some of my rides.

Garmin Edge 305

2008-04-27T22:55:00.002-04:00

Just bought a Garmin Edge 305 cycling computer. From what I can tell, it's pretty sick. The amount of data it gives me versus my old computer is insane--almost more than a lowly rider like me could possibly need.

In other news, I've been sick for the last week and got to ride for the first time in six days. Felt really good, although I took it easy.

Bike Storage Tower

2008-04-22T12:04:00.001-04:00

Check out this bicycle storage tower. It can hold over 9000 bikes!

Alines

2008-04-13T18:17:00.004-04:00

Our shop has always had the ability to custom fit a bicycle. Now, with the addition of new technology from Shimano and Aline, we can custom fit a cycling shoe too! We received our new "EZ BAKE" oven from Shimano, which allows us to custom mold the uppers of an R300 road shoe to your foot. See more about the process here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_axkt5Vu-c0&feature=related . Quoting Shimano material, it's like wearing a "luxury sock".

The Aline system is more along the lines of something I'd get excited about. Alines are custom insoles for cycling shoes. You measure your foot using a number of criteria and then use special pins to "A-line" your foot (har-har). The logic behind them is that your foot is naturally suspended, which works great for running or walking, but not so great for pushing, like on a pedal. The insole helps to create a stiff platform for optimal power transfer! Sounds awesome, but I wonder how they'd work for running in cyclocross?

Moots

2008-04-06T11:30:00.001-04:00

Forgot to mention that I'll be completing my Senior Project in May with Moots. I'm headed out to Steamboat Springs for two weeks. I'm going to be working with their marketing department (I think).

More on this later :-)

Updates

2008-04-06T11:23:00.005-04:00

My apologies for lack of updates. Cross season ended and I've been in "fat" mode for the past month or two. I've put on pounds and have slowed down. Last week, I decided to try and stop that downward spiral. Bought myself a Gary Fisher Rig singlespeed and have started riding at North Park again. Wow, what a difference a mountain bike is from a cx bike. I feel like I've lost some technical skill, but gotten better at picking lines and keeping "the flow". This is my first time on a SS, so it's taken some getting used to.

My intention is to race some XC in the early summer, then back off right before college (in late July/August). After that small break, hopefully I'll pick back up in time for some CX racing. I hope to race B's this year. This plan might be complete BS because I no longer have the watchful eye of Mr. Chris Mayhew (although he's probably one of the only people that has seen this blog). I just figure that SS gearing is similar to November mud on a CX course.

The college admission process is coming to a close; I've got to make a decision by May 1st whether I'll be attending the University of Missouri (in Columbia) or American University (in DC) or Pitt (in Pittsburgh). I'm leaning away from DC as my parents are moving to DC in the spring.

Last up, I'm courting the idea of a frame from Signal Cycles. My Redline is four years old and is starting to show some signs of wear. We'll see.

Trek of Pittsburgh Warehouse Sale

2008-02-18T20:12:00.002-05:00

Trek of Pittsburgh is having their warehouse sale this Sunday at the Robinson store. It starts at 8:00 AM, so make sure to get there early.

Word on the street is that discounts are on the magnitude of 'massive'.

My Lotto Bike

2008-02-14T23:28:00.003-05:00

I decided to spend my night pondering my 'if I won the lotto' bike. I can't decide between a Moots, Vanilla Speedvagen / Sacha White creation, or trick Zanconato ride.

What do you think?

Embrocation Magazine

2008-02-12T08:31:00.001-05:00

It looks like more and more cyclocross magazines are coming out of the woodwork as cross picks up steam in the US. Two that I've been keeping my eye on are:

Cyclocross Magazine --They've already published their first issue and are due out for a second within the next month. Magazine usually contains enough bike porn for a couple weeks, but the real gem is the blog. High quality, poignant posts are the name of the game, unlike what you find here!

The 2nd mag is Embrocation Magazine. They haven't published yet, but it looks like their first issue will be dedicated to cyclocross. Only 500 copies will be printed, so be sure to keep an eye out on their blog for more details.

Bicycle Anime

2008-01-21T20:01:00.000-05:00

http://animationfan.com/?p=210

Wow.

College

2008-01-16T17:48:00.000-05:00

The big question that I keep getting is one that I'm beginning to dread: "Where are you going to college?" It sucks because I no longer have a clear cut answer to the question. I can rattle off the list of places that I've applied to, and I can tell you which one's I'd be interested in...but I don't know where I'm going. Most colleges don't even send their admissions decisions until March or April.

Some of the schools that I'm looking at have pretty decent cycling clubs, but almost all of them focus solely on the road season. That's kinda disappointing, but at the same time, it would give me the opportunity to forge ahead and start something local.

Who knows?!

Funny Video of the Day

2008-01-16T17:39:00.000-05:00

Can He Catch His Bike And Win The Race??

Purpose

2008-01-16T17:22:00.000-05:00

Howdy, my name's Vaughn. I'm a cyclocross racer based in Pittsburgh, PA. I'm a senior in high school and started riding bikes about four years ago. I've raced some and hope to do alot more in college!

I used to have a blog called Santa Cruz Blur (named after my mountain bike), but I quickly grew bored blogging about the bike I was building. After all, no one really cared!

I'm constantly posting on various bike/cross related forums, so I decided to create this blog in order to consolidate some of my photos, race reports, and ramblings.

Look out for more posts in the near future but in the meantime, check out some of the shoutouts to the right!

-V

Favorite Cyclocross Racers

2007-12-28T11:47:00.000-05:00

Tim Johnson & Rebecca Wellons

That is all.