Just a quick up date,

As we all know MMR gets contracted by Resorts and Summer Camps companies but now we have another first.

Red Point living the adventure housing development project working with MMR has just pulled off the “Living Large” VIP launch party which gives people who have been interested in buying a town house and who have already put money down to be the first in line to pick there new home a sample the adventure sports in there new town.

Having our first call with Barret the manager of the project and understanding that they wanted to have a real feel with the launch party not just “Wine and Cheese.” So without even thinking I talked out the idea of an event which brought the sports to the people after that first explanation the phone was silent, with a little pause Barret said that sounds great he asked for a price and a write up of the idea and could we put this together and run this with in a month.

We brought Mountain biking, Hiking, kayaking and Rock climbing to the people.

With this housing project in it’s completion it will house 200 or so new homes and each condo will have it’s own parking area with a secure unit along with it for owners toys. We wanted people to try out a couple of sports that they may not have tried before, Getting people a real feel for living here in Squamish.

Another added bonus was we bought a Marin East Peak mountain bike and locked it to the tent and every person who came got to pick a combination out of the box, giving each person a chance to come over and unlock the bike we made almost through the day before Andrew and his mother who was buying a place picked the right combination. They were excited but Andrew was really stoked he’d been looking for a new bike, Him and his dad ride weekly they told us.

Talking with a couple of the sales guys they really wanted to have a couple more of these events though out the summer…. we’ll see.

The event was a success with the “Blues Berry Jam” band and wild salmon and local Beers and of course the wine and cheese from the catering we where all having a great time.

Shaums

Such a beautifully simple statement, concise yet layered with meaning, much like a haiku or koan. I found this spray painted sign on my April journey down the coast, in Big Sur, CA, and couldn’t resist taking a picture of it. It is a blunt but fitting statement for Bike To Work Week, a time to consider alternative modes of transportation and how they can benefit our body, mind, and environment.

Early Thursday morning I met up with Ponch of Eastside, not known for rising early, and his wife Sabrina at Walnut Park to set up a Bike To Work Energizer Station. The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition graciously donated mussette bags full of cycling related goodies while Peet’s donated boxes of high octane brew to stock our table with. We were at the corner of D St. and Petaluma Blvd. , two highly traveled arteries that bisect Petaluma and see a lot of traffic, both two and four wheeled. With cow bells and horns, we egged on the over 110 commuters/riders that we saw in less than two hours, a two fold increase from the year prior. From dads riding their kids to school to work commuters riding from San Anselmo and other parts of Sonoma County, the stream of riders that rolled by was impressive in number and variety, all united, though, in an attempt to do their part to raise awareness about the benefits of riding a bike.

Ride A Bike. It is a great way to start your day. Not only does it stimulate your metabolism and your brain, but it actually gives you more energy to make it through your day.

Ride A Bike. It is one two wheeled solution that can make a difference in so many ways.

There’s an African proverb that states that it takes a village to raise a child. You might be wondering what this has to do with 24 Hour racing, but after last weekend’s Coolest 24 Hour Race in Cool, CA, I was reminded that I couldn’t be doing the endurance racing that I am without the village of helpers that have been behind me ever since I got into this at last year’s 24 Hours of Adrenalin at Laguna Seca.

My village consists of my mom, my wife Vanessa, Matt Nyiri, the Redneck, and Ponch from Eastside Cycles. Like in any properly functioning village each member has their role that aids the development and success of the child, me, the racer. My mom, Martha Stewart on steroids, is in charge of the food and whips out creative and tasty soups and smoothies that would make Julia Childs jealous. My wife Vanessa, one of the few people I will listen to when I go into my robotic 24 hour trance, is charged with getting me to eat and provides me with words of encouragement(She also tolerates the year round training that it takes and the lifestyle sacrifices that we make to allow me to race). Matt Nyiri- my “cut man”- a long time friend and racing/riding partner, the one who encouraged me to try 24 hour racing, is responsible for my bottles, lights, and words of wisdom. The Redneck, the newest member of our crew, is an uber gear tweaker who brought two generators so we could run everything from tent lights to a coffee maker. And finally, Ponch, of Eastside Cycles, guru Jedi master mechanic who has stepped up this season to provide me with unparalleled shop and race support. My village wouldn’t be complete without all my sponsors, some who’ve been with me for over ten years, and have provided me with the best products on the market. My sponsors include: Marin, Ritchey/Syncros, Kaenon, Giro, WTB, Gu, FRS, Capo/Bergamo, THULE, Big Sur Bar, and Eastside Cycles.

The Coolest 24, put on by Jim Northey, one of the nicest promoters I’ve had the pleasure to meet and the only promoter I’ve known to dress up in a sasquatch outfit so he can roam the woods at midnight, is a cancer fundraiser, a cause close to my heart being that I lost my father to cancer a little over two years ago. The event took place in Cool, CA, and the 10.3 mile course with over 1,300 ft. of climbing covered some amazing trails that wove through picturesque gold country foothills. The Pro mens field had 26 riders while the total number of competitors was upwards of 450, a two fold growth from the inaugural race in 2006. I had a good solid race, no physical or mechanical issues to speak of. My Marin Ti hardtail deftly handled the trails with the aid of my Syncros wheels and WTB Nano Raptors and allowed me to complete 22 laps(226 miles) with over 28,000 ft. of climbing. This was good enough for second place behind a super strong Brian Sevall who crushed me with consistently fast lap times.

As I write this, I am finally digging out from underneath the mountain of dusty gear used last weekend that has been sitting on my living room floor since I stumbled home on Sunday. I give my village a huge thanks for “raising the child” and allowing me to race like I do- I couldn’t do it without you.