Sweet Pics, Cuz

Thanks to Jack Hunter for taking the shots. More can be found on his blog: http://jackhunterphoto.com/mountain-biking

Galbraith is Awesome

This video is a short tribute to the mountain that raised me. Turn the speakers up for some rubber on dirt sounds and enjoy!

Padden Mtn Pedal, 24 July 2011

 

Racing is fun!  I entered the 2011 Padden Mountain pedal in the Sport Singlespeed class, to give it a try.  The course was three laps of Lake Padden's expert loop, a mild xc trail above the lake.  There were seven of us competing in the category.  We started Le Mans style, with a short run to grab our bikes and sprint away towards the trail.  I was initially surprised by the speed of the pack, but then I realized that only the guy next to me was going that fast.  He dropped away after the first climb. So there I was, first mountain bike race ever, and already contemplating first place.  I should have known it wouldn't be that easy...

RACE

Bellingham's premiere, primary, and only mountain bike race:  The Lake Padden Mountain Pedal.  I'll be there with the 1-speed whip, hopefully having a good time.  Check out the schedule here: http://www.indieseries.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=125

Course map:

Dirt Jumping, Again

Bellingham dirt jump crew represent!  A vid from my buddy Mike, and some music to go along with it.  Watch as Gary, Henry, Mike, Austin, and I get MULTIPLES AIRS!  So much awesome.

Dirt Jumping

Is awesome.  Kissing lips and caressing trannies on sweet sculpted dirt mounds is almost as sexual as it sounds.  It's an experience, like flying, but with an intimate connection to the air that planes don't allow.  First, there's anticipation.  What's my line going to look like?   Is there a cross-wind?  Will I make it this time? What will I do if I mess up?  Then... beauty.  Speed is gotten, berms are pumped, rollers scrubbed, drops floated down.  The first lip arrives:  WHOOSH!  Heaven has never been so close, the skies swallow both bike and soul, time drips through your mind like molasses, and you are in no way no how in control of where you will land, just trust your instincts and hang, suspended, floating, as gravity robs all your upward momentum and you fall, adjust, align, and spot your landing to gently transition that great potential energy into terrific speed, as clocks run faster wheels spin tires buzz down flat up push into the lip and WOOHOO! you cry as once again, you are thrust into the air into hangtime... and so on.
More after the break...

What's up, new edit?

Matt, a friend of XVK, did some filming for his documentary In The Pines at the Cedar Stump/Kaiser trail.  He hooked me up with the footage, and I made a short edit out of it.  Enjoy!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year from the XVK crew, keep shredding boys and girls.