FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CROSS FEVER #1: HART PARK CROSS READY TO ROCK – Jan 4th!!!
Monday, December 29th, 2008

Round #1 of the ‘Cross Fever Series kicks off in Bakersfield on Jan. 4th. 2009 brought to you by the Kern Wheelmen Bicycle Club, Action Sports, Glinn and Giordano Physical Therapy, Guinn Construction and Bidart Farms.

The rains have passed through and the parcours is the best its been in years. Green grass and awesome soil conditions will treat racers to the classic style Euro course that Bakersfield is famous for! Will some good mud be present? Cold fog and Belgian style weather? We’ll just have to wait and see!

Ample pavement for the start will lead riders into the twisting grass downhill and off camber sections followed by technical twists, turns and wide open power sections. The true test lies in the 3 run ups strung together in succession. While not very long, they are challenging and will prove to be the deciding factor before the start finish. Cross racing at its finest on the best course southern/central California has to offer!

And just when you thought it was over, stick around for the highlight of the day, the Bidart and Ablin Hillclimb Challenge! Racers, fans and all have a chance at $100 CASH…first one to the top of an amazing run up climb that rings the bell wins the cash!

Bring you friends a family for a day at the races. Fresh roasted coffee and lunch will be available. For more info. check out kernwheelmen.org for a race flyer or contact Sam Ames at sam@teamactionsports.com

The Cross Fever Series continues on Sunday Jan 11th, Nimble Creative Events hosts, “Talley VineCross: The grit of CX set against the beautiful vine-laden countryside. Details at www.cencalcycling.com Velo Allegro looks to host its first ever CX race at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, Sunday Jan 18th. Fun for the entire family – taking place in the park area of the famed Eldo Crit, the course will sweep through the beautiful lakeside park. On Jan 25th, it will be your Last Chance to Cross – Cross Fever finale in Orange County… then 2/1 Sunday is the CX World Championship Party… large screen viewing of the 2009 WORLD CYCLOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Hoogerheide, Netherlands, taking place January 31-February 1, 2009

Pre-Register at SportsbaseOnline.com, get your Cross Fever Series Pass and save $$$ Enter the Cross Fever Photo of the Week Contest and win a two-night stay at Warner Springs Ranch!

Be sure to check out www.crossfever.org for more details or go to SoCalCross.org for the latest news on CX in So Cal and around the world. Follow Morgan Ryan at Euro Cross Camp, Lee or Bob at CX Masters Worlds or the CX World Championships.

# # #

Last week I received an email from the good folks at the Garmin/Chipotle pro cycling team. The email was launching the Argyle Club.

The Argyle Club is a VIP program for Garmin/Chipotle fanatics and includes:
- 2009 Team Kit with a personally endorsed Jersey from the team
- Team Casual Merchandise to sport around town.
- Riding Events with the Team
- A VIP Ticket to next years Gala team launch event in Boulder, CO
- Exclusive “Race Insights” direct from JV
- Garmin is providing Factory Direct pricing on 2 Garmin products, including a savings of up to $130 on a team Edge 705
- Chipotle is providing all members “FREE BURRITOS for the YEAR” (my fav!)
- Felt is providing a discount of 10% on bikes, including Team Editions
- Pearl is providing 40% off up to $1000 in purchases
- Shimano is providing exclusive pricing on the new R310 Shoe
- Giro is providing 20% of the team issue helmet and havic glasses
- Pedros is providing a Free “Pit Kit’ to keep your bike looking like a team mechanic just washed it.
- Camelbak is providing two free Team Edition Podium Bottles

Without any hesitation I clicked on the email to find out more. The sticker shock of $995 certainly took a little wind out of my sail but I was still determined to make a solid presentation of value to my beautiful and amazing wife Julia. Well as polished as my presentation was it did not get me very far. I’m still holding out that she may get it for me as a surprise St. Patrick’s Day gift. Fingers crossed.

Here’s to a year of free burrito’s!

Andy B
outsideallday.com

SCPS #12: SANTA CROSS & ECO-SPORTFEST ’08

Race Report:
scps12-race-report-final

\Results:
Santa Cross Results
Final Team Standings
Individual Standings

Photos:
If you have missed out on SCPS’ FLICKR page all season you are lost!
go here for more: http://www.flickr.com/groups/socalcross/pool/
Photos by Dot Wong and Eric Colton

Elves on Bikes!

Get up and go!

I skied Saddleback and lived!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
by David Whiting

It all started with a mysterious e-mail. “Shredding Saddleback.” Fellow climber Brian Quines proposed skiing or snowboarding on the 5,500-foot mountain and asked if I’d ever heard of such a thing. He was hopeful he and a buddy would be the first. I told him I had no idea if other people had done it, how tough the climb up would be, how dense the chaparral is, and that the only way to ski down would be on the narrow winding fire roads. It was to be the last I heard from Quines on the subject and the birth of an idea. By Friday morning I had my pack ready. Monster headlamp, backup flashlight, three liters of water, three energy bars, gloves, extra gloves, mini-gators, big gators, snowshoes, trekking poles, down jacket, wind- and water-proof jacket, several pairs of socks, wind pants and bivy bag.

Click here to read the rest of this article.

Click here to check out the 25 photos in the gallery.

I love this story. Every outdoor adventurer in Orange County has asked if Saddleback could be ridden on skis or a snowboard. The funniest part is that from key landmarks in the photo gallery I can see the fire roads I’m climbed on my mountain bike dozens of times.

Thanks to Bmoe for the story. Good lookin out.

Andy B
outsideallday.com

The past few weeks I have found myself traveling between Colorado and California for the Thanksgiving Holiday and then to bring Andy B. his car. The drive made me realize I am not 22 anymore. Years ago I would do the drive straight through but this time I found myself drawn to tourist attractions or sites along the way…
Friday:
I turned $50 into $100 in Vegas, it was a good thing I got out when I did because I was up $160 and on a quickly falling downward spiral back toward zero. My original purpose for stopping was to charge my cell phone which turned into an hour of gambling. From Vegas I headed north back onto the 15 freeway finding some random town with a crappy motel just past the Utah border where I could catch up on sleep and stretching after a the long day of driving. It might have been only 10 hours in the car but the traffic through Riverside, CA made it feel like 40 hours and by 1:00am my eyes don’t work anymore.
Saturday:
With about three hours of sleep I was back on the road around 9am. The truck drivers decided they did not need to pay for a room so they parked outside of the motel and revved their engines all night and tested brakes as they came and went, miserable. I was back on the road and craving a cup of joe but my inner coffee snob would not allow me to buy one from a gas station, so I just sacrificed making a Fluid recovery drink to start the day. The roads finally started looking normal as the desert opened to mountains and MOAB, Utah was getting close.

Keeping the car rolling was hard knowing I was close to Moab and I had Andy’s Mountain Bike on top which I had already switched my pedals onto because I got in a morning ride before I headed out the previous day. The big highlight was entering Colorado and finding the town of Fruita, just another mountain bike hot spot in North America. This time I was sure I was going to ride. I found a nice little coffee shop, toured the town, a national monument, and two bike shops where I got all the trail info and maps I needed to hit the dirt. Unfortunately, there was just not enough coffee to get me going properly and the thoughts of getting over the Vail Pass before dark were in my mind since it snowed that day.

Colorado River pic in Fruita

Happy Holidays from Fruita, CO pay close attention to the Dinosaur eating the Grinch! (Fruita as the rest of CO has a lot of Dino finds, they have a spot called Dinosaur Mountain. Yes, I visited it. My Grandpa would be proud).

Colorado, “Where the wine flows like the salmon of Capistrano.” -Jim Carey

From Fruita I was off determined to get to Fort Collins to see the Brazeltons but of course I made a few more stops, gas, coffee, food, coffee. I love meeting people along the way it is always interesting. While driving through the Vail/Beaver Creek area I stopped at Starbucks to poach the internet and recharge, only to meet a Barista who is a California transplant and she lived one mile from my current address, weird GW!

By 9:30pm that night I reached the Brazelton’s to make my delivery and get my needed sleep.
Sunday:
I was out early and still exhausted the next day. But, by 11:00am I was back in the car leaving Fort Collins heading to Boulder for one last big workout before the next weeks travels. It was the Colorado State Championships for Cyclocross. They know how to party/race in CO except getting their 30minutes before my race left me with a late registration and last row call up, 75 of 80 something. It was good fun and my tired body did well finishing in the 40′s.

I’m not super smart, I’m smarter than some, but not most. It wasn’t until 8 weeks ago that I discovered a magical formula. For year’s I’ve been looking for the magic “recovery” pill. What would make me feel the best, the fastest, post training or racing?

I’ve embraced a 5 step approach:

1. Chilled Fluid Recovery drink
In my opinion, Fluid is the only recovery drink on the market that works on both levels, performance and taste. Most products do one well, Fluid hits both. After my long rides and runs the first thing I do is make up a bottle of Fluid and stick it in the freezer. From there its on to step 2.

2. Hot shower
I’m a shower nut. It does wonders for my aching bones.

3. Time for my 2XU recovery tights
You’ve probably noticed the recent trend of recovery tights. I jumped on this wagon and I’m not jumping off. They work and their comfortable. There is something about keeping your muscles tight that just feels good. All 3 of the brands I recommend below are expensive but if you’re serious about getting back out there, the expense is worth it.

Great brands:
www.2xu.com
www.cw-x.com
www.skins.net

I own 2XU and Dave picked up a pair of Skins last week. He follows me with most stuff like this. I’ve taken to sleeping in my tights and lounging around in them on Saturday’s.

Now time to pick up my cold Fluid from the fridge.

4. Northface sleeping bag slippers

Pure comfort plus my dogs can’t lick my toes.

The North Face NSE Tent Mule Booties – Men’s

5. Laugh at pictures like this

Sellers riding a bike, enough said!

I hope some of my learning’s can be helpful. Running the Devi’s Backbone tomorrow night after work, head lamp, snow, ice, 5 layers and all.

Andy B
outsideallday.com

You could say it’s an “Introductory Offer” or our way
of saying “Merry Christmas.” Either way you get:

• 20% off all Ashland complete boards.*
• Plus a FREE assorted sticker pack!*
• And a FREE Concrete Wave magazine!*

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Enter Coupon code at checkout: holiday20

AshlandSkateboards.com
(more…)

Well now we know why Andy B. moved east.
What does everyone think? Cool? Lame? Check the Web site for Ktrak and leave us a comment with your thoughts.
We will leave it to you for the time being but this little item sure looks strange. It had a strong showing at Euro Bike…can you imagine getting on the chairlift at Mammoth with this? I bet the crew at Heavenly would run you out of the parking lot.

Matt S.
Outside All Day

Click on the banner above to shop and to receive the free 2nd day air shipping with Patagonia.

Andy B
outsideallday.com

50 Mile Ride III
Saturday April 4, 2009
Orange County, CA
Go to: http://www.50mileride.com

My friend Doug Grant and I founded this ride 3 years ago to benefit Project Rwanda. Almost 100% of the dollars raised go directly back to the non-profit.

Sea Otter Classic
April 16 – 19, 2009
Monterey, CA
Go to: http://www.seaotterclassic.com

The Sea Otter Classic was my first mountain bike race, I pretty much owned my age group with a top 25 finish. I’ve heard that Greg Sellers was the 1993 Clydesdale 40+ champion at Sea Otter.

Go race! Get one of these events on your calendar and get to training!

Andy B
outsideallday.com

Our good buddy Greg Sellers from Motor Tabs has a great deal going on the best hydration product on the planet. Take advantage of his special 30% off discount NOW at motortabs.com by using coupon code:  MTBlast30. Don’t let the cooler temperatures lull you to sleep:  YOU STILL NEED ELECTRLOYTES – even in winter!!

Here’s how to order:

1. Go direct to http://www.motortabs.shops.sponsorhouse.com
2. Use the coupon code “MTBlast30” at checkout.

I sucked down a red Motor Tab this morning at the gym. I’m hooked on them like my son Landon to his passie.

Andy B
outsideallday.com

Life in Fort Collins, CO has been cold the last 3 days. Today was -7, a record low, its like living in Siberia. It snowed around 6 inches the last 24 hours. We’ve spent most of our time looking at houses and eating fatty foods. In an effort to turn this around Julie and I hit up the gym today which got me pumped to get out running again. With all of the beautiful trails available, I had to get a new pair of trail running shoes. First I tried on the entire line of Salomon trail running shoes, did not dig them. Then at our local running shop, the Runners Roost, I stumbled across this pair. They we’re also $40 cheaper. My only concern is that they are not water proof.

Brooks – Cascadia 3 (Titan/Grey/Corona/Silver/Black/White) – Footwear



I’ll let you know what I think of them after the first few runs. I’m hoping to get out on the Devil’s Backbone later this week before work. Tomorrow morning I’m hitting up 6am spin class at our gym.

Andy B
outsideallday.com

SCPS #11: HI-DESERT CROSS & ECO-SPORTFEST ’08

By Christie Pleiss
Race Report:
socalcross-race-report-scps-11

Results:
Give it a day!

Photos:
This is the Photo Man, Eric Colton:

Join the SOCAL Prestige Series Photo Group on FLICKR:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/socalcross/pool/There is a photo contest each week and prizes to match!

OHH THE PAIN!