Not just top 5, but top 3!!

Well I was striving for top 5 this weekend, and I made it! I ended up 3rd! It was a great race, and a very lucky race! Portland finally showed us what it's famous for...lots of rain and mud. The course was at Barton park in Estacada Oregon. It's a nice little picnic area on the Clackamas river. Most of the course wound it's way through a gravel pit above the park, and then wound into the paved parking area. I wasn't sure how I would do in this race. There was quite a bit of all out sprinting and not too much technical stuff. Plus it was my first muddy cross race. We had a nice clearing in the rain for our start. Had a pretty good warm up, and we didn't have to wait at the start line for too long. I had a decent start, not amazing, but definetly not as bad as usual. I'm finally learning some of the tactics. I hung out in about 7th for the first lap, then passed a couple people on one of the open paved sprint sections. For the next 3 laps I battled back and forth from 4th to 7th. The last lap was the lucky part of the race. There was one run up that was actually rideable if you got a good run at it and no one was in your way. I was hanging out in 3rd or 4th and was accelerating up to the little hill to ride up it, right as I got to the bottom, two other girls were off their bikes getting ready to run up it and just converged on my line. Bummer, I jump off my bike totally expecting the other A women (who were smart and took it wide) to pass me on the outside while I ran up behind the two beginner women. Well, by some dumb luck, the girls moved over enough to let me through the inside line and I ended up on top in front of the other girls in my class. I held my spot to the next area where the clusters usually happened. It was rideable, but only if you had a clean line. One of the girls I was battling with, came up on my outside and I had a beginner girl in front of me on the inside. So, jump off my bike to run around, fully expecting to get passed. Once again, the "waters parted" and I ran right through and was still in front of the pack. It was the last lap, with only an open sprint and one more barrier to the finish. I gave it what I had, hoping the other girls were suffering like I was. Came up to the last barrier (it was HUGE by the way)

jumped over it, got back on my bike neck and neck with 4th place. We were both struggling to get back in our peddles with the finish line only 25 feet away.

By pure luck I got into my peddles just before she did and secured my 3rd place finish. Tons of fun! Although I'm still picking dirt out of my eyes. Next weekend, PIR.

Can you tell I'm a downhiller??

Top 10!!

Broke into the top ten this weekend. Almost broke into the top 5, but alas, I got 6th on sunday. So close....no cigar. The race on Sunday was super fun. Felt waaaay better than I did on Saturday. Full nights' sleep, lots of good food and plenty of water. My teammate Carrie, and I dressed up as cats for the race.

I wasn't sure how dressed up people got, so I kept mine right in the middle. People got waaaay dressed up! Lots of male cheerleaders, TRON, a couple Sarah Palins, a teenage mutant ninja turtle, the cast of Team America, and a whole bunch more I can't mention.
They used pretty much the same course on Sunday as they did on Saturday, they just flipped it around. There were two semi decent climbs in the course on Sunday. I always thought climbing was my weakness, but I felt strong and was able to pass people on the climbs. Now, jumping off my bike and getting my 30" inseam legs to jump over 24" barriers, THAT is my weakness. I pretty much suck at that. I spent all this week practicing mounts and dismounts. I'm getting better, but I could still be waaay faster. The barriers is where I got passed. Then I would have to power it to catch up. Tomorrow is the Barton park race. I hear it's pretty much gravel and sand, not too much mud, which is good because it started raining here. My goal for the next 3 cross crusade races it to break into the top 5. I'm pretty sure I can stay in the top 10, but the top 5 is gonna be hard.

5 girls, 4 dogs, 2 bikes and a 1/2 pound cheesburger.

Holy crap! That HURT! Do not...I repeat, DO NOT go booty dancin' with married women the day before a race. No bueno! We decided that friday night was going to be girls night out, and then had the brilliant idea to race cross on saturday. It was a hard wake up, I knew the race wasn't going to go that well. My teammate Carrie and I left Portland about 9:30, my sister, two of her friends and their pack of canines left Portland around 10:30. Carrie and I got to Astoria with about 1 and 1/2 hours to spare. Time for registration, quick check of the course and lots of water consumption! Cross Crusade changed their start format, so I actually got called to line up. Pretty cool hearing my name called. Now for the race. After the first lap, I started seeing double and couldn't focus on the course (sometimes I stroke out when I'm riding hard)...so that sucked. I couldn't really see the course, so I would just tuck in behind someone who was going a pace I could keep up with and just stayed on their wheel. Couldn't really pass anyone because I couldn't see the course. This course had some pretty long hill climbs, more than what I expected for a course at a fairgrounds. We did get to go through all the barns tho, allll of the barns. :)

This was a race of survival, not a race for placing. I'm pretty stoked I stayed in the whole race tho. Usually I don't get double vision until the very end of a race. Well, I ended up 9th, not too bad, but not what I was hoping for. After the race, the girls and I went back to the hotel and freshened up, then went to the beach. We checked out the shipwreck at Fort Stevens. It was beautiful, we got there right around sunset.


Came back, drove over the long bridge, made fun of my sister because she is scared of heights (I know, not nice, very childish...but her reactions are worth it!). Went out to the local pub for some karaoke...good stuff. Doing it all again today! Weather is perfect so far, no clouds, no fog, crisp and cool!

Bikes, dogs and friends

I should be writing a race report right now, but I didn't race. It was soo perfect outside that I went for a mountain bike ride. Can you blame me? Besides...you get two freebies in the series. We went out to Hood River and rode Gumjuwac, yet another great trail that I hadn't experienced until now. It was an amazing day! The veiws of mt. Hood were gorgeous. The trail is your typical Hood River trail. Straight up, and then straight down. Well, not really straight up...but after hour 2 of continued climbing, it feels like straight up. The climb up is on an old forest road, that doubles as a cross country ski trail in the winter. We ended up catching the single track up on the ridge. We rode single track up the ridge, down the ridge, across the ridge, and then finally had about an 8 mile super fun, super fast, super smooth decent back to the car. The dirt was amazing...super tacky, no dust, no mud. I'm glad I'm not writing a race report right now!!

It's like a powder day on the bike!

Usually in the northwest, you aren't quite sure what mother nature is going to send your way in the name of weather. The last two weekends here have been absoultely perfect fall days!! Like a powder day...but on your bike. Last weekend we got a goup together and rode the Falls Creek trail, right outside of Carsen Washington. I hadn't ever been on that trail before, but I sure will ride it again. Conditions were perfect. No dust, no mud...just super grippy dirt. Not too cold, not too warm, sunny, slight breeze...I could go on. The trail itself starts in a creek valley and climbs steadily for about 16 miles. The climb isn't bad except for a couple steep pitches...that are totally rideable, just as long as you don't mind bustin' a lung.



The trail winds through a manicured, open forest blanketed with ferns, then up into a subalpine meadow/wetland, then higher yet into some granite scree fields. About halfway up the trail there is a huge lava tube. It's basically a big hole in the ground.



The trail is just outside Mt. St. Helens, so there is evidence of volcanic activity at various points along the trial . Pretty cool stuff. The best part of this trail is that you turn around and get 16 miles of some of the best downhill around. Big ring, and spinnin out! After 6 hours of riding, we got back to the car just before the sunset. I took this picture at the trail head. The light on the leaves and the water was perfect. Such a great day~!

Cross Crusade #2

Well, I just raced my first cross crusade race...and I raced it as an A! Talk about crazy! Soo many people not just racing, but spectating too. The line up was crazy! 30 women in the A's alone. I'm not even sure how many total women were racing. Luckily, the A's get to go up to the front of the line. Since it was my first race, I hung back and started in the second line. It was a horrible start, every hole I saw would close up right as I started to take it. So, I was about 20 back in the beginning. The race course was pretty fast and open in the beginning. Then they had us go up some huge mound of clay that had turned to concrete after the rain the night before. That was interesting to say the least! Coming down off the mound there were basically three tracks, and you picked one and were committed until you hit the bottom. Midway down, some girl went a*& over tea kettle right in front of me. Thankfully she was ok, and I missed running over her by a couple inches. So now I'm in like 19th place??? Well, I just kept a good pace, tucked in behind some girl that looked like she knew what she was doing and just started passing people one by one. I ended up in 5th or 6th with 1.5 laps to go. Then I did what I NEVER do and I crashed! Damn! I actually went down twice in the same 180 degree sucky gravel corner, but the first time I got my foot out and basically just tapped the ground and bounced back into my peddle and started riding again. The next time around, not so lucky. I didn't get my foot out and I went down....hard. Ouch, I left a bit of thigh, butt and elbow skin on that course. Didn't rip my pretty shorts tho...yay for that! :) Well, the crash also rammed my derailer into my spokes and twisted my shifter/brake levers so that my brakes were stuck on. While I was yanking the derailer out of my spokes, and twisting the levers back to semi straight, 5 girls passed me. Damn again. I tried to catch them the whole rest of the race, but my bike was basically a single speed and I was stuck in the drops the whole time because the bars twisted. I couldn't pass them, but I also didn't let anyone else get by me. I ended up 11th out of 30. Which, for my first major cross race, I think is pretty good. Next weekend there is another one up in Washington. Got my bike all fixed up, got my new sweet 1600gram triple spoked wheel set from FSA (www.fullspeedahead.com) and I'm ready to go. Making a whirlwind trip to Spokane friday night after work, visit babies and eek a quick ride in saturday and then drive to the race sight in Western Washington (a mere 6 hr drive) Sunday morning and race again. If nothing else I'll be nice and rested from 6 hours of forced sitting. Pictures to come!

What could be better than this???

A weekend, in North Central Washington, in October, on my motorcycle, with my favorite dudes? Not much could be better really. We drove up to Entiat, which is just outside of Wenatchee washington, Friday night. Torrential downpour, couldn't see a thing! Pulled into camp around midnight, still pouring. We slept in the back of a Volkswagon jetta with two 70 pound dogs instead of setting up the tent, that's how hard it was raining. Saturday morning, it was still raining. Great...I hate riding in the rain! After sitting by the fire, drinking lots and lots of coffee, about noon the sky opened up and we got a break from the rain. Alright, get your gear on! Let's ride!! Hopped on the bikes and took off on a trail right out of camp. We rode some great single track, and the fall colors were amazing!
We rode a good 3 hours that day, ended up getting stuck in a downpour most of the way back to camp, but had a great ride anyway. Sunday we woke up and it was gorgeous outside, blue sky and warm. We headed up the mad river trail, tommy trails area north of Leavenworth. Best single track around!


We ended up riding for 5 hours Sunday. Started in Sunshine, got into snow,



a little rain, some fog, and then back to sunshine when we got back to camp. The last trail we came down was "experts only" super tight switchbacks, drop offs,

and on the brakes the whole time...I loved every minute of it!! I mean what can be better than a weekend of riding dirtbikes with your dad and his dirtbike buddies??

Battle at Barlow

So this weekend was my first inaugural actual for real Portland cyclocross race. Last weekend was Hood river, and I had done one cross race in Seattle last year. I've decided I like this thing called cyclocross. I'm not sure if it's my fancy new bike, or my awesome Cheerleaders, or my cute pink and blue kit, or the fact that it's in Portland so there is no traveling, or the fact that I still haven't felt like my breakfast is going to be all over my jersey by lap two, maybe it's all of these factors. Anyway...big fan. This race was the Battle at Barlow. Super fun course at a Highschool out in Troutdale/Gresham area. The majority of the course was pretty flat, starting in the baseball field, through the parking lot, into the soccer field, down to a creek, up some GINORMOUS railroad tie stairs, through an orchard, back into the forest for some more fast, twisty single track and then back into the baseball field. I raced the Women's B class again because I knew there would be a bunch more women at this race than there were at the Hood River race. I ended up getting 1st place. I was the only B to do 6 laps, all the rest did 5 or less. I am officially an A now. Sweet!! Although, I have a feeling that at the next race I'm going to have my breakfast all over my jersey. ;) Next weekend is the first cross crusade race. I'll be in Central Washington riding my dirtbike all weekend, but I'll be at the cross crusade #2 the following weekend. Cross crusade is the biggest cross series in the US. This should be interesting......

Hood River Double Cross

Well, first cross race of the season. Really, only the second cross race ever for me. Super FUN! Called up my sister Saturday night and conned her into being my cheering section. She and two of her friends and their furry friends showed up. I had the best cheering section of anybody! By the end of the race, everyone was cheering for me because my cheering section was having so much fun!
This was the debut of my brand new cross bike. I have the Kona Queen Anne, Velobella team bike. Size extra-super duper small, PERFECT! The bike has the best parts available! EA90 carbon fork, carbon bars, carbon seat post, Easton stem, and the SRAM Rival component kit. The bike practically floats it's so light. And...it has pink bar tape!
About the race: The course was pretty fun. Had some single track, which is always a plus in my book. I had a pretty good start, I was #4 in the line of girls. By the end of the first lap, I was #3. Second lap, I came to the single track and saw the girl in front of me hesitating, and I took full advantage. I passed her and took off. I felt very strong in the run-ups, I guess all the trail running at Powell Butte paid off. By the last lap I had passed all 4 girls I started with. I didn't even know that the race was over, I was getting ready to do another round when they yelled and told me the race was over. Good stuff!! I remember the one race I did last year, I wanted to puke the whole time. This time, I felt strong and good the whole time! Must be the new bike! My goal is to race, and place in the USGP in Portland in December. The rest of the Velobella team will be up here, so there will be tons of great energy surrounding that race. Well, now to run/ride/yoga for the week until the Battle at Barlow this weekend!

Oregon State Champion!

This weekend was the Oregon state championships at Willamette pass. It was a great weekend...we got out of portland right before we melted!! Drove down to Willamette pass friday night, got in around midnight, set up camp and snoozed in the cool mountain air (verses the 100 degree portland air). Wonderful I say! Saturday morning, woke up, fried up some juevos and queso, packed up the bikes and hit the slopes. They changed the course on us again. The pro/expert course was steeper and more blown out this time, but they took out most of the big drops. Overall this course was easier, but you had to be able to keep it together in the steep, rutted out sections. Saturday I rode the sport course for fun and to check it out. Not as steep but just as blown out. Then practiced the pro/expert course. Holy crap was it HOT!! It was gondola access, so you sat in a hot box in full gear for 20 minutes. Luckily we were camped right on the lake. So, straight back to the campspot for some sun, some swimming and some cervezas!
Race morning came waay to early. It was a pretty warm night so I didn't sleep very well. No fans in the mountains. Did a practice run, man do those hurt! Working out all the lactic acid in your hands from the day before...ouch! The race format was best time out of two runs. My first run went....well it went. :) I forgot how to ride my bike on the top part...fell over and got stuck to my bike because I couldn't get clipped out. But the bottom part I was rockin'. Had a decent time, but I knew I could go faster. So the next run...I decided to take it a little easier in the top section. I actually had a great, fast run in the top section so I decided to push it a little more in the bottom section. I rocked it! What a great feeling! I ended up shaving 11 seconds off my time. It was a great feeling. I haven't been racing, or even riding my bike half as much as I used to because I have been in the midst of starting my chiropractic practice. It's nice to know I can still pull some stuff out when I need to. Couple more downhill races this season, then it's off to cross season. That should make for some interesting stories!! Stay tune!!!

Willamette #2

My sister and I drove down to southern Oregon this weekend to compete in the second race of the Willamette pass DH series. Neither of us had ever been there before, but you can bet your butt we will be going back!! The area was absolutely beautiful, and the course was awesome!! Tight, twisty, steep, loose, roots, rocks, drops, jumps, and lots and lots of DUST! This was definetly your central oregon loose, dusty dirt.
We started practice about 2:00 and made 4 runs. My bike was a little bouncy the first run, and I realized that my brakes were "normal"...I run moto style. So I took some air out of my fork, added some air to my rear shock, tweaked the compression for my weight and switched my brakes and then....it was LOVE! It usually takes awhile for me to get used to a new bike, but 2 runs on this and it was like I'd been riding it all season. Race morning we got up to do a practice run. That pretty much sucked! The first run of the day is about pumping out all of the lactic acid that built up the day before. My hands felt like they were going to fall off and I couldn't peddle to save my life. But..the warm up worked and race run I felt great! Had one "fall over" from trying to cut a washed out corner, but othewise had a great run. My sister also had a great run. We ended up with me getting 1st and her second. Go SISTERS!!
Next weekend...providing medical at the seaside volley ball tournament.

Off to the races...

Well...I'm off to the races this weekend. Pretty exciting, since I will be riding my brandy new DH bike. I just finished (am still tweaking) building my Iron Horse Sunday World Cup. Let me tell you...this bike is bad a#$!! Sram hooked the bella DH squad up with the sweet Rock Shox Boxxer World Cup and a full X.O group with Code 4 piston brakes. When I want to stop...I STOP!....well the bike stops anyway..sometimes I keep going. Stans build us a super light wheel set, bella blue hubs and all, with Maxxis tubeless DH tires. My wonderful friend/mechanic Brian has been there from incecption. For those of you who were there, Mr. Brian was crucial in the high placings of the cross bellas at the Portland USGP last year. He was our mechanic/bike swapper/bike washer/all around great guy extrordinaire. YAY BRIAN!!
So, the sister and I are leaving tomorrow to go race in South western oregon. Always a good time with the Johnson sisters and a couple of bikes. I hear the course is technical and fun...I'm sooo looking forward to it. Work has calmed down just enough that I can finally do a couple race trips. Packing tonight, will be on my bike by noon tomorrow....updates to follow!!!