How was your season? I'm turning the page on '09 & am looking forward to 2010.
I didn't get in near the amount of riding (MTB & road) that I had hoped to this year. The weather sucked and I had other commitments the few times the weather was good. Only got a few rides in w/ my old co-workers, but helped a friend get back on her bike after a couple of years away.
At least I was able to get in a couple of rides w/ BlackCanoeDog . I had a good time on my 3 day loop thru Niagara, so I can't call this year a complete writeoff.
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2008 Trek Fuel EX 8
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Mine was and still is pretty good, just got back from Durham Forest after a good night ride. Leaves were pretty slick and the snow reduced visibility at times but we had fun.
As far as the rest of the year, yeah the weather sucked and I didn't get out very often with the group you referred to revrnd, but on the upside I treated myself to an Anthem X1 for a retirement gift to myself. Couldn't be happier with the bike.
I met a whole new group to ride with by joining the DMBA and got out to a couple of trail build days which was great. It was very rewarding to give something back to the sport and it is very cool to ride new trails that you helped to create.
I made it up to 3 Stage and rode with JVK and Mario for 2 awesome days. Special thanks to Pink Headed Bug and Tom for being out guides on day 1 at 3 Stage. Great ride with great people.
Had some super rides at Durham, Glen Major/ Walker Woods, the Ganny, Long Sault, Ravenshoe and a few other places.
There were a few disappointments as well. I didn't make it to Hardwood or Buckwallow this year as well as some other places that I had hoped to get to this year for the first time, but there is always next year.
All in all it was a pretty good riding season. I put about 1500 km on the mountain bike so far and there is still lots of riding left to do.
Well.... mine was amazing! I rode 2 to 3 times a week at Durham forest with a great bunch of guys to help me get ready for my September mountain biking trip to Peru! And it was friggin amazing!!! I also did Pauls Dirty Enduro which was a blast! I can't wait to ride again next season!
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O8 Giant Trance X 2
O7 Kona Kula
The season started with mud in Tennessee so thick that our 5-man team only got 3 laps in over 12 hours (fortunately for me, I was rider #5 and the beer was plentiful).
We got a pile of distance in on the road bikes early in the year. I think five centuries before the end of May?
Lifestyles was frickin' awesome. Enjoyed racing against gmstrek. She surprised me by doing extra laps after I went to bed. I'm sure she'll push me even harder next year!
Missed the Solstice (drat!) to do my "other" sport in Montreal.
Ditto the Albion Ocup.
Amazing how that worked out. The other OCups weren't actually half bad.
The real highlight of the year was the BC Bike Race. We had phenomenal weather, amazing trails and a real sense of accomplishment (I was the first woman to finish it singlespeed). I rode stuff I would have thought was unridable here and I loved it.
Did the Tuesday night series in my proper category instead of racing against the boys in SS Open. I'm still working on my goal of switching every 30+ woman to singlespeed, since Sean won't include a women's singlespeed category...
Crank the Shield was awesome.
And soon, Joyride will open and I'll get to keep riding all winter long.
My season isn't over just yet. I took it easy through October, but then discovered cyclocross is quite fun and rekindled the racing spirit.
This season was for experimenting. I tried all different kinds of racing (on and off-road) and discovered what I could do well at, and what I totally suck at. Overall I rode and raced way more than I ever had before.
Awesome season for me (so far). 2010 should be even better with a more specific focus.
'09 was great, this was my 2nd year riding and I managed to get out on the trails 2-3 times a week consistently since spring. My bike handling has improved, my legs & lungs can handle longer rides and I've cleaned some trail sections I didn't even try last year. Met a bunch of other riders this year (thanks Defiant) and got a good buddy of mine hooked on the sport too. Really looking forward to Joyride this winter and trying a local race series next year...
My year was less than I expected, but still ok. Now that I'm old, I'm just happy to be able to ride. I did zero races, thought I'd get some O cups in this year, but broken ankle recovery took much longer than I expected. We had some great rides with friends from work, but the weather was crap and turnout was very light most of the time. Masteriy of the rock gardens in the Halton agreement forests was an unexpected bonus.
I thought I'd be exceptionally timid on the bike after last September's broken ankle, but I've still managed to fall off the bike on a bi-monthly basis, without any major injuries.
I also did far less bike commuting due to new responsiblities at work and a lot less road riding due to the crappy weather. I only managed about 1000 ikm this year instead of the usual 4000 km.
For next season, I will do some race training over the winter and be ready to go for Paris to Ancaster and as many O cups as I can!
the bike gawds didn't like me this year... nor last...
I am tossing (officially) 2009 and 2008...
I hoped for a super riding season after having been MIA in 2008 due to injury (go ahead with the cheap shots on my most brokenest leg ever to those that know about it)...
this year - I tried to make a comeback - with a FAIL at the first third of the season... due to work commitments for one, and unfortunate health issues that came as a surprise to me.
as I tried to sort through that I was OK to ride sometimes and even did a few races during the Tuesday Night Race Series. Then my unfortunate concussion... that was the topper for me...
I'm not looking back - instead looking forward to make a third attempt at a comeback... third time's a charm (let's hope!)
Training starts as of December 1st.
The goal for next year, Tuesday Night Race series when it doesn't conflict with work, lots of riding and aiming to do the FALL8 hour race on a team to ride for charity... still in the works...
my first year of riding (2007) I did two 8 hour races, a 10 hour, Winter WOW and managed to ride 3-4 times a week... let's do a repeat of that year
Mine wasn't as I had hoped. I really didn't get much riding in this yr or last for that matter. This was only my second yr and was hoping the weather was going to be better then the first but it wasn't. Plus working 12 hr night shifts I didn't have the motivation. The races I did I had a blast though. I met alot of great people this yr though. Like Nerdgirl said Life Styles was a blast and was my first attempt at 24 hr solo and a learning experience. It was great competing against Nerdgirl but I don't think I will ever catch her as she is far to fast for this old girl. SS was fun even with the rain and again a learning experience for HAN which was a fantastic race for me. Was great having the Misfits(Nerdgirl and Moster garage) cheering me on when I went past the party. Thanks for the added motivation to carry on. Only made a few more races including Fly Gurlz and Paul's and 1 half marathon. I am hoping more races are on my weekends off next yr. They were pretty much on every weekend I worked which was a big disappointment and caused a little lack of motivation this season. I am really hoping next yr will be a new beginning with alot more riding. All in all I guess I can't complain with my results for the amount of riding I got in. Just imagine if I actually trained or rode my bike more then once a week what i might be able to accomplish. I sure would love to try BC race before I get tooo old. Well Nerdgirl if they hold Life Styles next yr I am sorry to say I won't be able to challenge you as I am WORKING . Boy I need to win a lottery so i can start riding more and working less.
Rode more and better and faster than ever before and my new Misfit diSSent (Fe) is on its way...
BUT
the season/year doesn't end until the New Year's Eve Cross! I'll be hittin' it harder than ever after being away fow two weeks with the Subway Cross coming up too!
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Please enjoy seeing this terrible collection of me.
2009 was terrible…off the bike. Car accident, huge medical bills, insurance issues, family health problem, Habs turning into a piece of crap, major problems with work, etc, etc.
The only saving grace was time spent on the bike. Therapy I guess you could say. My goals were to ride many different places, race lots and learn. Mission accomplished. I rode, for the first time this year; Albion, Horseshoe, Mansfield, Hardwood, Kelso, Hilton Falls, Haliburton, everywhere in Hamilton and even a few local trails. I had some minor success at racing; 3rd at HAN, 12th overall at Paul’s, 16th non-elite Squeezer, 3rd team Squeezer. And the St. Catharines club rides were super-fun.
Plus with the Shorthills Cycling Club I helped build about 10k of new trails in Port Colborne which helped them put on their first race. I would say that was the best part. There’s lots more to come with the club as we go into 2010.
So around the corner new challenges, new races and even a new bike. Looking forward to it.
Crap weather+family commitments+being severly victimized by the economy=huge kick in the groin. Very little time to ride this season. When an opportunity arose, there would be tornado warnings!! Very frustrating.
I rode solo all year, most of my riding pals where in the same boat as me.
2009 was one of the worst years for racing. Nothing biking related seemed to work out, including adventure races. Training time has hit all time low. Weather sucked and cancelled many rides. Had many fun rides with friends, but success at events did not happen because I either could not attend them, or fate played its underhanded card. Even a low risk event like the Centennial cyclocross race next door to my house ended in a flat before I could finish a lap. The good news is that I registered some consistently fast lap times at the Dukes Epic 8 in September, showing that I still have some juice left in the body without proper training (unfortunately, the rest of my team sucked). Can’t believe I did Crank the Shield last year. This year I would have struggled to do “Crank 2 Laps of Albion”.
However, I have found a new love for coaching a team of soccer all star teenage girls. Lots of work and commitment, but have never had so much fun working with such enthusiastic girls that can play a wicked game of soccer. Made it to 2nd place after losing on a tie breaker to the championship team. The intensity and excitement of these girls is amazing to watch. Definitely more interesting games than the Toronto Maple Leafs.
__________________ SUCCESS - To be able to spend life in your own way
Despite the weather i had agreat year.
Put a team in the spring epic 8.
My wife and one of my boys also raced on another team.
Entered a team in the summer solstice and avoided riding in the mud but still had a good time.(pre rode the course four times the week leading up to it).
My wife and I and some friends also helped with the trail rebuild at Albion.
We did a ride at Kolapore and got out to albion, mansfield and mono cliffs a number of times.
Then we topped it off by going to Fruita, Grand Junction and Moab for nine days with a group of friends.We flew down and brought our own bikes.
Now we're possibly going to do the winter WOW in mansfield and that should be it for the year.
2009 was pretty good from a riding perspective......
Definitely rode more than last year and feel like I brought up my overall fitness levels. The wet summer was a pain but I made the most of it.
Participated in the Ride for Heart in June, the Summer 8 hour Epic at Hardwood in July and the Squeezer in the fall. All were a good test of my stamina and riding skills....OK not so much the Ride for Heart but its for a good cause so that's OK.
Started night riding this year as well so technically my season is still going. Night riding adds a whole new perspective to the same trails you ride in the day. I highly recommend it.
Bought a whole bunch of new bike parts for my Kona hard tail, magicshine and cygolite lights and new Specialized MTB shoes after my old ones finally wore out. Still love riding my 2008 Trek Fuel EX8.
I turned 40 this year and MTB'ing is a great way for me to stay in shape, spend time with my buddies and look for new things to buy.
I got so fed up with the weather that I put my bike away in mid-July and started up a knitting club. Trailtrash, you're invited.
hey there french george!!!
on one of the other threads, Phat tyred is looking for christmas gifts.
maybe you can knit him a sweater with picture of a sausage on it
at first I thought I hadnt had that good a summer but after have a good think back i think it was pretty good.
In April I went to Holland and rode the Amstel Gold tourversion race (cyclosportif) and then watched the amstel gold, the fleche wallonne and the liege, bastonne, liege races. We did roughly 700 km in Holland, Belgium and Germany in that week as well. In the AGR I was right in front of Frank Schleck when he crashed and knocked himself out. his mechanic gave me his scratched Oakley radars (custom Frank Schleck Blue frames)
-Rode a stage of BC bike race in June (for work),
-did a couple of the O-cups.
-Rode both world cup courses
-Rode on the F1 track in Montreal.
-Rode a few bikes at demo day in Vegas
in total I got in over 2000km off road and over 5000km on road and I rode in 3 provinces and 5 countries.
I enjoyed the season. Lifestyles was the highlight of the season right off the bat with so many friends and familiar faces on the trail at the same time. Surprisingly enough the Hardcore 24 was also right up there, and I didn't know a single person at that race (at the start anyway, some good people there).
I didn't quite race as many Tuesday nights as I would have liked but I did manage to get up to Porcupine Ridge for the first time ever. That was brilliant. I have a whole list of trails that I have to get out to next year.
AND .... 2010 has already started. I registered for Solstice 2010 this morning.
LOL @ dskunk.....I was just about to post about next yr already starting as I too registered for both the 24 hr races. Hopefully it will give me some incentive to get off my lazy butt and start going to the gym again and hope 2010 is a good yr.
Mine was and still is pretty good, just got back from Durham Forest after a good night ride. Leaves were pretty slick and the snow reduced visibility at times but we had fun.
Snow in Durham? How much? Is it still on the ground? Any ski tracks?
I work 12 hour shifts too... my work hours on Friday nights used to allow me to be able to get up EARLY on a Saturday, clean the house, do some laundry, take the dogs for a nice long walk and then go for a ride.
This year Saturdays were a write-off because my work hours changed and so did my work duties. Mostly I worked till 11:30Pm and wouldn't get home till 12:30AM... I learned riding fatigued amounts to a bad day on the saddle - crashes that could have been avoided and down right sloppy riding.
The times I had to cover when the supervisor was off, I would work till 1:30AM... (even more yuck)
I also had to start working Sundays! (yuck). Due to cut-backs and people leaving here at work late last year, they left us short-staffed here. With no overtime... So we all had to rotate our shifts to have coverage.
Now that I have been able to cope with a routine, I have figured out how to manage my time, between Work, Dogs, Bike, and everyday life... let's face it, someone has to clean the house and the dogs are not that easily swayed into learning
As we get older we have more commitments, I say this as my photography has taken flight as well I sit on the Board of K9 Rescue Me - a charity that I have volunteered for over 7 years.
I'll have to dig deep for the motivation, but did manage to meet a few new people at Albion during the Fun Series...
I hope to make more next year... I'm with Nerdgirl - let's have an SS Category for women, that is all I plan on riding next year... even though I know I will be at the bottom of the list, it would be nice to have...
Now... what were those lucky lotto numbers that the psychic whispered to me the other day... hmmm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gmstrek8
Plus working 12 hr night shifts I didn't have the motivation. The races I did I had a blast though.
WORKING . Boy I need to win a lottery so i can start riding more and working less.
I'm with Nerdgirl - let's have an SS Category for women ...
There's no fighting the MAN (aka Sean), so let's change the category. There are already four of us that have Misfits, and I know some of the Lapdogs are Misfit-curious. It won't take much for us to turn it into SS-women-over-30. And we can mercilessly mock everyone else until they agree to ride SS. Or tape off their shifters. And then we'll all "chick" everyone. And that's MY training goal for 2010. (If everyone means Barry! )
Nerdgirl, you just gave me the motivation I need to get me hyped for 2010
I can't promise to "chick" anyone... but I will try my damnest to come close...
Perhaps I need to change my Training Day start to November 15th
I recall when I signed up for the race series, Sean said he may split it up to have a women's SS category... but DAMN there were no witnesses...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerdgirl
There's no fighting the MAN (aka Sean), so let's change the category. There are already four of us that have Misfits, and I know some of the Lapdogs are Misfit-curious. It won't take much for us to turn it into SS-women-over-30. And we can mercilessly mock everyone else until they agree to ride SS. Or tape off their shifters. And then we'll all "chick" everyone. And that's MY training goal for 2010. (If everyone means Barry! )
Perhaps there is one bright spot in this season. I did a lot more road riding than normal, even bringing my bike to Montreal and Tremblant. And now that I have a single/fixed road bike I get to experience some brutal climbing and scary spinning on the road. So my training has not suffered at all. But road riding will never be as much fun as off-road riding.
that 2010 will allow me to introduce a road bike to the equation... I tried this year, but the budget didn't allow for it...
Quote:
Originally Posted by serious
Perhaps there is one bright spot in this season. I did a lot more road riding than normal, even bringing my bike to Montreal and Tremblant. And now that I have a single/fixed road bike I get to experience some brutal climbing and scary spinning on the road. So my training has not suffered at all. But road riding will never be as much fun as off-road riding.
But road riding will never be as much fun as off-road riding.
I love them equally yet differently. Nothing beats flowing your way through Hydrocut when you're "on" but I get the same rush from nailing the escarpment decent down Weir's Lane in Dundas.
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Please enjoy seeing this terrible collection of me.
2009 was a good year, actually a very good year. I should probably even say great because it provided me with a rabbit. That rabbit will provide me with the motivation to step it up for next year.
Top 3 2009 highlights include:
* The whole Ocup season. Despite the absolutely horrible conditions that Mother Nature forced us to race through, I can say (only because I'm on this end of it) that the '09 season made me a better, tougher racer. I know that I can race in the worst conditions and make it work!
*Tuesday night series. I looked forward to this ride every week. Even though I was admittedly a "fair-weather racer", I very was happy when the weather cooperated and I made the trek to Albion. The series was so well attended by great friends and I miss them all every Tuesday night through the winter . I'm already looking forward to Tuesday night series 2010. I may even join Nerdgirl on her campaign to lobby for a Women's SS Cat.
*CTS- Crank the Shield. As the post CTS thread here on Mtbr proved, this was the brightest highlight. The most challenging 3-day "year end party" race ever. I can't say enough about everyone that raced this event, volunteered for this event and of course, organized this event. It was perfect from start to finish.
Wow, I've been slacking and have not posted on here in a LONG time....
2009 was starting off great for me, I was riding 3-4 days a week, working in a bike shop... until it seemed that everything bad that could happen did all at once. I completely lost my passion to ride and have not thrown a leg over my bike since August. It sits idle in the basement collecting dust. Maybe it had something to do with jumping between jobs, being laid off 4 times in the last 11 months, being exhausted when I was working, gaining weight, feeling generally depressed most of the time. 2009 has been tough for me, both financially and mentally. I seemed more content to just drag out the motorized bike and twist the throttle than actually challenge myself. I need something to re-spark my riding passion... weather looks good tomorrow, maybe its time to dust off the bike and pump up the tires.
The season was fantastic, even challenging weather conditions and relatively significant equipment "maintenance" costs didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth. I was lucky to join my teammates on the podium at two 8h races and three (well, 2.5) 24h races, had tons of fun at the Tuesday Night Series, enjoyed a half decent season of O-Cups and topped it al off with a superdupergood fun Crank The Shield.
I will do the Winter WOW in two weeks just to catch up with friends assuming this flu doesn't suck all of my energy away.
riding has been less than stellar for me also. Typically most seasons I would ride ~3x/wk to work 28K return (gorgeous rural Muskoka route) but this season the weather interfered to the point I never got rollin' with it and did the work ride a half dozen times )-8. Weekend weather was no better. Bonnie & I always rode each day of a weekend; this year it was once, sometimes not at all. There always seemed to be a job/chore/commitment getting in the way of riding. It didn't used to be like that. And work was also busier than a dog with 2 dicks but I had good projects on the go so enjoyed all that. Bonnie had surgery in June and she was off the bike at least 6 wks. Not having her along saps my enthusiasm as well. Now she is also in a real"depression/funk" over the death of a pet, and hasn't been riding. I really notice the difference in my fitness this summer as a result. Then on August 20th my beloved bugeye WRX was flooded in the tornado/rain storm that hit this area and it was at Subaru for almost a month being brought back to life. I had to drive an Impala rental for the month )-8. Needless to say I was happy to get my Suby back (-8
As if the reduced riding wasn't bad enough, Bonnie and I are avid canoe trippers and never wet a paddle or pitched a tent this season! Bummer )-8
But as someone who enjoys the sunny side of the street, there were bright spots! To mix things up with the stills, I bought a helmet cam and bored everyone to death with Muskoka trail videos lol. But I had fun (-8. Best ride of my season was in September when a few guys I had not seen since high school 35+ yrs ago came up and rode the Puppy Pedal with me...fantastic!! Other bright spot was that my one son still at home has taken an interest in mtbiking so that has been nice!
Just hoping for a great ski season and a hot, dry summer next year
It was an year of highs and lows for me personally. Luckily, most of the lows were earlier in the year. That being said, I have had some time to reflect over the past few months to realize that my expectations should have been more realistic. My wife and I had twin boys last September that we had some challenges with over the winter due to illness, rest, and generally keeping saneness in the home. The training time in the spring was high, nutrition still suspect, and lack of sleep led to some race results that were less than personal expectations.
By mid season, I managed to get my fitness to where I like to be relative to my previous year's benchmarks. I wasn't satisfied at the time, but back to the reflection...Realistically, I should have realized what to expect under the circumstances. Peaking in August/September was still fun.
The weather...Oh, the weather. What a pain the @ss it was this year. After last year, who'd have thought? Luckily, I have some autonomy to ride times so it didn't interfere with weekly rides, but made some races just plan crap. I don't mind some challenge and will boldly say that my skills in the wet slop are quite good, but that doesn't mean it's fun. Slogging away through the slops is not fun and the forecast watching was retarded this season...
All in all, a good 2009. It's over now for me save for a few more outdoor rides. The trainer set up has begun already, but not been used. It's almost time though as the weight is rising. Hope everyone has a good late fall and winter.
N.
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A bad day on the bike is better than a good day doing anything else...
Other bright spot was that my one son still at home has taken an interest in mtbiking so that has been nice!
Same here. My 16 year old daughter has suddenly gained an interest in mountain biking as well..... . She will never race or love hills, but she does love riding on easy single-track in the middle of a forest for a few hours.
__________________ SUCCESS - To be able to spend life in your own way
I tried to take my bike on as many work deliveries as possible this year and it allowed me to ride a lot of different trails. In May I was disappointed with how we as MTBers treated singletrack issues, and then I enjoyed a summer of race edict education. A highlight of the summer was a solo ride on Crank the Shield, well done. It is easy to deal with things when there are no problems, but being able to function when things go wrong is the real achievement. My son and I were out for a nice ride in July on some trails that he can enjoy more now that he is a teenager. Log ride … slip … dislocated and broken elbow … 2km walk out to truck … emergency room sick sounds … summer with full arm cast. It was one of the toughest things I have gone through with him and I could not have been more proud with how he handled it. I am so glad I was with him when it happened. We had a long talk about life and dealing with things on the walk/carry out.
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" I will be out there if it is ok with you that I do work on your trails.” Matt 24 Solo
Same here. My 16 year old daughter has suddenly gained an interest in mountain biking as well..... . She will never race or love hills, but she does love riding on easy single-track in the middle of a forest for a few hours.
Don't count on it! I started mountain biking at 16 and it took me nearly two decades to start racing and loving hills, but it did happen! Giving her that start is amazing. You never know where it'll take her. (OK, probably not to the U23 World's, but that's OK.)
2009 was a write-off.
Took 2008 off from the O-Cup (couldn't afford it), was super stoked to come back and go hard.
Swapped my 06 Epic for an 08 Epic fall 2008, and that's when my season took a turn for the worst. Went through 7 shocks and endless hours on the phone with Specialized before they finally hooked me up with a 09 Epic. Still got shafted with that one, as Specialized didn't include all the parts necessary to build it up.
Didn't do a single O-Cup on a bike with a properly functioning rear shock. Actually, only got 2 rides in on a good rear shock.
To add insult to injury, my road bike frame - 08 Specialized Tarmac Expert decided to give up after just under 2,000km; cracking underneath both chainstays, propagating along the outside of the stays around to the top. After endless more hours on the phone with Specialized, I was issued a lovely downgraded replacement frame. (Anyone else notice the price drop / component upgrade between the 08 and 09 Tarmac Experts?). More endless hours on the phone with Specialized and I was told to "shut up and ride it - and that I was lucky I got anything".
Lovely.
That said, the new Epic works, and it's seen some km's already. Right after receiving it, I took it out to Colorado and Moab with me for a 10 day riding vacation. I think that was the only redeeming part of my entire season.
But following very shortly after that trip, chain jumped on my commuter when cranking up a hill, sent me over the handlebars and to the hospital with a broken collarbone.
Finally get back on the bike 3 weekends ago (albeit prematurely for my shoulder), and then swine flu.
Hope to get out a bunch this weekend - try to put a decent close to a horrid season.
Doubt I'll be racing next year though - kind of miss riding for the sake of riding. And I hate hating bikes. It's not fun when bikes are causing more stress than they are taking away - that's all I can say.
However, I did not know you raced Crank the Shield????
That sounds to me like a vegetarian having a juicy pork chops for dinner... What's up with you racing with sausages?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phat Tyred
I tried to take my bike on as many work deliveries as possible this year and it allowed me to ride a lot of different trails. In May I was disappointed with how we as MTBers treated singletrack issues, and then I enjoyed a summer of race edict education. A highlight of the summer was a solo ride on Crank the Shield, well done. It is easy to deal with things when there are no problems, but being able to function when things go wrong is the real achievement. My son and I were out for a nice ride in July on some trails that he can enjoy more now that he is a teenager. Log ride … slip … dislocated and broken elbow … 2km walk out to truck … emergency room sick sounds … summer with full arm cast. It was one of the toughest things I have gone through with him and I could not have been more proud with how he handled it. I am so glad I was with him when it happened. We had a long talk about life and dealing with things on the walk/carry out.
Swapped my 06 Epic for an 08 Epic fall 2008, and that's when my season took a turn for the worst. Went through 7 shocks and endless hours on the phone with Specialized before they finally hooked me up with a 09 Epic. Still got shafted with that one, as Specialized didn't include all the parts necessary to build it up.
Not go off topic...but that is the reason I won't buy a Specialized again. I have broke two frames in the last five years and have had alot of problems.
you can't have more bad luck than you already have had...
But, remember. What doesn't kill you - will make you stronger...
Quote:
Originally Posted by visser
2009 was a write-off.
Took 2008 off from the O-Cup (couldn't afford it), was super stoked to come back and go hard.
Swapped my 06 Epic for an 08 Epic fall 2008, and that's when my season took a turn for the worst. Went through 7 shocks and endless hours on the phone with Specialized before they finally hooked me up with a 09 Epic. Still got shafted with that one, as Specialized didn't include all the parts necessary to build it up.
Didn't do a single O-Cup on a bike with a properly functioning rear shock. Actually, only got 2 rides in on a good rear shock.
To add insult to injury, my road bike frame - 08 Specialized Tarmac Expert decided to give up after just under 2,000km; cracking underneath both chainstays, propagating along the outside of the stays around to the top. After endless more hours on the phone with Specialized, I was issued a lovely downgraded replacement frame. (Anyone else notice the price drop / component upgrade between the 08 and 09 Tarmac Experts?). More endless hours on the phone with Specialized and I was told to "shut up and ride it - and that I was lucky I got anything".
Lovely.
That said, the new Epic works, and it's seen some km's already. Right after receiving it, I took it out to Colorado and Moab with me for a 10 day riding vacation. I think that was the only redeeming part of my entire season.
But following very shortly after that trip, chain jumped on my commuter when cranking up a hill, sent me over the handlebars and to the hospital with a broken collarbone.
Finally get back on the bike 3 weekends ago (albeit prematurely for my shoulder), and then swine flu.
Hope to get out a bunch this weekend - try to put a decent close to a horrid season.
Doubt I'll be racing next year though - kind of miss riding for the sake of riding. And I hate hating bikes. It's not fun when bikes are causing more stress than they are taking away - that's all I can say.
Todate, I have had a great season, as everyone else would have loved to get in more riding regardless of road or mtb, but that is life.
For me 2009 was one of my best for fitness. I starting some minor training were I was focusing more on quality then quainty (based off some of the model from www.bikejames.com), basically worked on intervals both on the road and off the road.
With Chicopee and McLennan (mt trashmore) I was able to work on my jumping skills more, which has taken a back seat with two little ones.
I was able to get up to Blue for a day of ripping with some great friends.
My biggest enjoyment was seeing my 2yr and 4yr old ride their bikes and want to ride. Next spring the goal is to get my 4yr off his training wheels, it pretty much ready now.
I am looking forward to winter training to continue on my success of this year.
Congrates to all on a great season, and good luck with 2010.
Don't count on it! I started mountain biking at 16 and it took me nearly two decades to start racing and loving hills, but it did happen! Giving her that start is amazing. You never know where it'll take her. (OK, probably not to the U23 World's, but that's OK.)
Now, was that you or your hubby that got you going. I'm sure it wasn't your Dad that inspired you to be as cool as him.
__________________ SUCCESS - To be able to spend life in your own way
I tried to take my bike on as many work deliveries as possible this year and it allowed me to ride a lot of different trails. In May I was disappointed with how we as MTBers treated singletrack issues, and then I enjoyed a summer of race edict education. A highlight of the summer was a solo ride on Crank the Shield, well done. It is easy to deal with things when there are no problems, but being able to function when things go wrong is the real achievement. My son and I were out for a nice ride in July on some trails that he can enjoy more now that he is a teenager. Log ride … slip … dislocated and broken elbow … 2km walk out to truck … emergency room sick sounds … summer with full arm cast. It was one of the toughest things I have gone through with him and I could not have been more proud with how he handled it. I am so glad I was with him when it happened. We had a long talk about life and dealing with things on the walk/carry out.
Wow. I've got that same injury and scar. 15 years after the injury, it still hurts once in a while.
Now, was that you or your hubby that got you going. I'm sure it wasn't your Dad that inspired you to be as cool as him.
It was all me, baby! Seriously though. My parents are NOT athletic, but they did buy me my first mountain bike. I rode it by myself a bit on trails and rode with friends in undergrad. I always wanted to ride more, but was a bit intimidated/unsure or how to start riding more/better by myself. Once Mr. Monster was on the scene, we both started riding more (he was always better than me). I'd say Mr. Monster was initially more interested than me in racing, but I thought it was totally lame to sit on the sidelines cheering for my man when I could be out there myself. Though, oddly, I quite enjoy the cheering in CX!
The good:
Added a track bike to my stable
- Did well in the Tuesday Night series again, until preparations for my Europe trip and a few late nights of work put me off the bike
- Backpacked Europe and time off the bike just got me even more excited to get back on now that I have returned
- 2009 is not over just yet
The bad:
- Didn't do as many races as I would have liked
- Really bumbed out about missing both the two 8 hours I was around for
- More so than racing, not enough fun rides with pals, friendly competition and **** talking is the funnest form of training
While I didn't ride as much as i would have liked to, i did get to ride some great trails and do some sweet races.
My performance was lack-lustre at best but it was truly a fun year and will be remembered fondly as i will be parking my ass firmly on the couch for 2010, hoping for a strong 2011 return.
Rode Vermont this July and despite all the rain, had a great time riding some real spectacular trails. Everyone should hit up Coaticook QC as well as BArre, VT if you are out there and in for a challenge, bring your granny ring.
Rode hot august with the misfits, great time and thoroughly enjoyed micing the giveaway. and currently lust after a diSSent fe for my 2011 comeback tour.
Truly the pinnacle of the year was CTS, just unbelievable.
Met lots of great people this year which is truly a blessing.
The family took up much of my time, which meant less riding, but it's the one excuse I can live with.
Work load has eased up from last year (which was stupid) so this helped me have more time away from the computer screen, for either family or riding.
Other then that, lots of trail riding, not as much DH as I would have liked, and no traveling either
Next year I'm looking forward to riding a bit further away from the GTA now that the wee one is a bit older. The Don & Durham are great, but I missed the adventure side of riding that comes with new destinations, or ones rarely frequented.
This was an interesting year. I thought I'd end up racing sport, but weather/time/life got in the way. Regardless, I've never been faster. This is my 15th year riding half seriously and I've knocked off seven minutes over the season doing a local offroad TT. It is really nice to see that kind of improvement, getting a little faster every few weeks.
I built up a new bike and that has been a big plus. On the other hand, I've crashed a ton of times. If I lose concentration or get too tired I mess things up. Luckily no broken bones. My biggest regret is not riding enough. I averaged 4 hours a week since January. I want to win races next year and cant see doing that without spending at least 7 hours a week. Those 7 need to be very focused too.
One thing I really liked was not being passed much. I'm on the border between the average guys and the true hardcores. Going on group rides, I am only dusted by the shop guys and racers. I usually end up in the top 1/4 of the group despite being 46. I'm liking this year's speed very much.
The weather here has been awesome. A nice bit of Indian summer. Did 2 hours today and I'm going out tomorrow for another two. I'll stop for the year when deep snow comes.
How Was 2009 For You?
. I had a good time on my 3 day loop thru Niagara, so I can't call this year a complete writeoff.
I sure would love to try BC race before I get tooo old. Well Nerdgirl if they hold Life Styles next yr I am sorry to say I won't be able to challenge you as I am WORKING 
. Boy I need to win a lottery so i can start riding more and working less.
2009...
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