There’s a technical term for a sunny, warm day which follows two rainy days. It’s called Monday. – Unknown

<insert “wah wah waaaaaahhh” here>

Despite the rainy weather, folks have been able to get to Illinois’ largest state park, Wisconsin, to race the Subaru Cup which is the Midwest’s largest and only Pro XCT race in the area. This gave many racers and fans alike to view the national big dogs come out and duke it out on the various courses provided by Mt. Morris. Short Track, Super-D, and Cross Country challenges gave a little something to everyone to participate in. On the line was the title for the Midwest Champion of the Cup Series. The Bonebell tolls for “Holly Klug” who wrangled in a top 5 finish in the Womens Cat 1 field! Peruse some pretty awesome photos of the event by Chicago dirtbag photographer extraordinaire, Amy Dykema, here.

CAMBr Needs You!
With all the rain that has besieged our poor trails – the need for volunteers is greatly appreciated for Trail Work Days. Downed trees, mudded trails, lost paths, and debris are all things the trail crews have to contend with to make the trails smooth for riding when they become dry. Consider a weekend or two or three to contribute some time to and of course make new friends in the dirtbag community. Trail Work Days can be found on our calendar here and directly from CAMBr here. While you’re at it – consider becoming a member as your dollars go a long way to help buy tools and resources to keep the maintenance going strong!

Pump It Up!
Ever try a pump track? Curious about what it is? Well – for all the old school BMXers out there, here is a great opportunity to test your skills against other riders in an actual race format within the city limits! Join CAMBr West for a full day of activities to highlight ‘The Garden‘. Spectating is FREE of charge – so come on by and check out the city’s only dirt bike park on July 31st. Registered entries will receive a T-Shirt commemorating the event – snazzy too!

CX Clinic for Women
Half Acre Cycling has Cyclocross Clinic being led by Kristin Wentworth, pro CX racer! This event is limited to 50 participants, so consider registering early to ensure your spot despite it being way out in September – we’ll gladly remind you fine dirtbags about it.

Millee-Wok-Kay
So who’s up for going to Ray’s in Milwaukee this fall? Oh expect some winter madness to bound in again, Illinois largest state park capital. {Sorry Cheddar heads, can’t resist – but thanks for Ray’s man!}

Hendrix – get us through this rainy weather…

El Maya hooked us up with a cabin in the woods. A friend of a friend thing, the cabin was twenty minutes from the course and had a private two track to get to it that seemed like it took a half hour to navigate. Great lodging, a pre-race culinary demonstration by chef Tell, (a masterful creation of sardines, avocado, broccoli, pasta, and half a bottle of olive oil) and “the ole 96′er” had El Maya turning in early. We mixed bottles and deliberated on the finer points of endurance nutrition, while our hosts’ eyes glazed over. It was a terrible nights sleep, the loft style arrangement only amplified the snoring that went on all night. We invited Steve, my best riding buddy from Michigan, he brought Thomas, and Josh, a racer from The Motion Initiative. The Motion Initiative is a similar organization to Chicago’s West Town Bikes. They are based in Grand Rapids, Mi and they focus on getting kids who otherwise might not, to ride some trails and learn something new along the way.

In the first lap I decided to go with the lead group for as long as I could. That lasted about 1/4 lap. There’s 95 miles to go what am I doing trying to kill myself like this, so I dialed it back and settled into a rhythm.  Somewhere deep into the rhythm, on the first lap, Brandon Leach caught up to me. We then rode together for the next 30 miles, give or take a few. My first lap was feeling really good, until the first twinges of the cramps began to manifest in my legs. It was an ominous sign of things to come. For the next 70 miles I was to battle cramps that were not supposed to exist until mile 70. Halfway into the second lap, I bid Leach adieu and stopped at the aid station for a brief rest. The aide stations were magnificent, they had everything there short of a tv with the ball game on and an deep dish pizza washed down with a Goose Island IPA, truly and oasis in the sand. During my little break I realized the culprit for the cramps was the caffeine in my energy drink. So I dumped it and switched to the premixed HEED that the aide station supplied. The cramps would not end after that, but not to long after the switch they did begin to subside. Arrgghh…but the damage was done. I had lost a lot of time working out the cramps. My second lap was an exercise in pain. On the flat portions of the course I was able to generate a respectable amount of power. Especially on the long twisty singletrack mind benders. There were a couple of sections on the course of extended flat trail, no real rises, just twisting, flowing singletrack. On these sections, even with my legs falling apart, I was able to distance riders behind me. These flat sections of trail just seemed to last forever, they were a joyful monotony. Sometimes for miles on end, no real elevation gain or loss, then smash, right in the nuts. Here’s a 10 minute climb to bring you back to earth. Jedi mind tricks with must have been thousands of trees. Any of which could have grabbed my bar ends and flipped me into the weeds. The only tree I hit was on a downhill, I washed out on a corner and plowed my front wheel into a downed log. As I went through the pit area after the second lap, the feeling began to rise inside. I knew I was going to finish the race. And that was the most important thing for me. Not a specific time or pace, really, I just wanted to finish. A smile began to well up and I was feeling really good. Then I hit the first maj0r climb of the loop. Close to ten minutes of steady climbing, and then the crescendo, a steep pitch that was ridable on the first lap. Each subsequent lap it laughed at me. It bites you in the face, while your being kicked in the nuts. My smile didn’t fade it was dragged out into the woods kicked in the ribs and left there to find it’s own way home. The halfway aide station seemed to lurk in the distance for hours. I could not get there soon enough, to replenish my bottles and get a snack.

If the second lap was an exercise in pain, the third lap was a smiling haze of full on bonk, with a side order of leg seizures. Time off the bike per lap was climbing faster than I did on some of the climbs. As the lap wore on there were less riders on the course than before. At times it was genuinely lonely. But a little loneliness if far better than riders hunting you down and passing you seemingly effortlessly. The last pass of the day was on the last climb of the day. There was really nothing I could do about it, I saw him coming, tried and had no answer left in my weary body. His pass came at the very crest of the climb immediately following was an extended almost two track descent. He had only one gear, he knew he could only coast down the hill. AHHH!!! I had at least five more gears I could tear into, and I was stuck behind due to some rider traffic on the course. So I held on for the remaining two miles of the course, keeping him in sight. In the previous lap I had scouted out an unused line I could use to get to the finish line if it came down to a sprint. Yeah right, 100 mile mtb race sprint finish. Well, Mr. Onegear up front was pulling away and my chances were falling away. With no remaining options, I summoned all that was left. The line I scouted didn’t work, but jsut thinking in advance what I needed to do to prevail in this situation propelled me forward and I pulled ahead through in the last second for a large, minor victory.

I wanted one thing from the Lumberjack 100…

A patch.

The winners get an axe. The finishers get a patch. Admittedly, it’s not much, but I worked my ass off for that patch. And now I have this cool patch and no where to put it. I might just go out and buy a jean jacket so I have something to pin it on.

We received so much help from our supporters, Alicia, Nevada’s family, Thomas, and the volunteers, I felt like a child. They did everything for us at the pit stops. Unscrew the bottle, fill it with whatever you want. “What would you like to eat? Slim Jim, banana, gel?” They were so awesome, I could not have done it without them. The Bonebell tolls for those who helped us along the way. Your support allowed success in our endeavor, muchos gracias.

It seems even on vacation the storms still brew. Only this time, I don’t care less. The western Michigan coast received some brutal storms, but with the protection of the dunes nearby, and the beauty of the nearby forest preserves, the lightning, and the howl of the wind have brought about a beautiful calm and fiery night show that has been cathartic to watch. There, in the storm, hides a struggle of peace and the brute force of nature’s personalities. The weather’s struggle to reach this summer day perfection that becomes evident if for glimpses at a time, and with great luck a few days of gentle warmth with breezy air. It’s what we wait for – like impatient children that we are with knobbies at the ready, and helmets in hand, waiting for that perfect day to perform our little feats for no one but ourselves and with each other. Ahh- yes, the beers have been good to me this week.

So good in fact, that my father-in-law and I visited a local bike shop, and there she was hanging from the rafters, in my size, this. The sickness moves on, getting back up and dusting myself up ready for another trail attack feels evident. I look to my father-in-law, and I smile, and he responds simply with – “it looks badass!”. Yes, it does, and so are the dreams to keep on keeping on the dirt, working towards the goal of being the best I wanna be. Thank you Sara and Mia for cheering me up and a special shout out to my father-in-law who has been very cool hanging out with sharing good times with me, I have no idea what day it is and my socks say “Beer:30″ because its always time for a beer.

Re-Scheduling
The folks at CAMBR West were bringing us the Kona Demo Day along with Rapid Transit Cycle’s assistance. This was re-scheduled due to the foul weather, we’ll give you a heads up of when the next date is being scheduled.

It should be a blast considering how awesome the Red Bull Stomping Ground event was. We unfortunately were unable to attend this event due weekends of family travels but we have heard that the event was pretty sweet and it could’ve standed to see a lot more folks come out and enjoy some rad professional stunting. Get a load of some of the action here (and dig the Chicago skyline in the back!):

Settin’ Down Roots
Speaking of kickass events – it’s happening again with the ‘Setting Down Root’s event coming up July 31st from 12:00PM-6:00PM at ‘The Garden’. Race dirt track style, test your skills against other riders, and raise money and awareness for Chicago’s one and only dirt bike park. More details on what is being given away, suredly something from us for you!

Palos Meltdown
Registration Opened up on June 1st for CAMBr members. Non-members registration will open at the end of the month. It’s Race #6 of the Illinois Homegrown Race Series and is absolutely lauded as the World Championships of Trail Racing for Chicago.

Do It In the Dirt as a couple!
The closest thing to dirty hanky panky since Porky’s was released in 1982 – Cyclocross action comes to you super EARLY this year thanks to xXx Racing-AthletiCo at Jackson Park. Only this time – you get to tag a team member in to take on your competitors WWF style. There will be a co-ed event. Who cares what colors you fly – its time to start recruiting up your teammate to put the smackdown on the other duo teams. Speaking of which – who wants to be a Bonebell pardner? We do-si-do as good as the rest of them ya’hear!

Chicago Cyclocross Cup
Of course – with races already being schedule for the CX lovers out there – you should know by now what weekends you are telling your loved ones when they have to hold the slab of bacon and mini-kegs of Pabst for you in the fall. Point them here and ask kindly and ask for forgiveness now before you bring wet smelly sandy ass back home.

Damn – we got a lot going on. We’ll be posting some lengthy articles coming up during a well deserved break to highlight some stuff we’ve been meaning to tell ya about and keep you motivated to keep them knobbies dirty and delighted. Remember we love you when you ride knobbies.

But you know what? I don’t care.

Recent events in Guatemala have definitely mellowed any spirit of enthusiasm over my eagerness to trail ride and hit the dirt – I love it so, but am humbled by the powerful forces that control the ebb and flow of our planet. Those natural forces will always be well timed and in tune to their own melody that will drown out any silly call for fun, when in nature, fun is strictly limited to time and space available within the eon slot given to us daily. I want to ride the trails badly, mostly for fun, and to ensure that I get my skills up to par for the upcoming Lumberjack 100. But the riding on the road and gravel concoctions have definitely kept me focused and on target and grateful that I have the ability to pedal my bike to begin with.

I spoke with various members of my family in the course of the past week and of course, thanks to the artificial force of the internet, was able to see pictures, audio, video in real time of what a truly torrential downpour is. The ones of ash that cover a city and suffocate the little drainage that existed in a 3rd world infrastructure. The ones of rains that push that heavy soot down streets that turn into raging rivers, and move with such a petulent force that five ton vehicles are merely floaty toys in its wake. The ones of such liquifying magnitude that decades of sediment and rotten engineering give way to what appeared to the twitterati and news crews of the world – a portal into the underworld.

I had given my best effort on Sunday, May 30th at the Half Acre and North Central Cyclery – Gravel Metric Century. I had a great sentiment inside of me thinking of family conversations over how volcanic ash and heavy rain caused some serious misery across the homeland. I wasn’t too pensive about the misery, but definitely said a little prayer to myself and as I always do quietly before the start of any race I do, I dedicated the effort to something personal. On this day, it just so happened to be for all of Guatemala. I think of how easy it was to drive out to DeKalb, enjoy the beautiful day with friends, and ride my silly bike fast. The comparison of what my cousins were doing – not being able to ride their bikes for what will be many weeks before anything is considered safe to ride on because the ground or water may simply sweep them away into oblivion. When the race was over, and the celebrations had passed among many deserved toasts of ale and friendships, I was in the car with Soupy and Nevada Dave when I got a call from my dad. He said a nearby river had grown tremendously and picked up great speed in what seemed like a few hours – and in its rapid rage, took down two bridges that lead to the family village. The first bridge that went down was just constructed one and half years ago – and it had been of itself, fifteen years in the making. The second bridge, was the original bridge that had been condemned for the past 20 years, yet, still stood and was still used by the locals – was destroyed by the remnants of the first bridge by what seemed a comical injustice to the 3rd world. My father was sad to relay the news to me knowing full well, despite whatever political might and saavy he had – to rebuild those bridges, would take another five years, at least.

I was quiet for a few days (hence no Dirty Tuesday News) reflecting on the enormity of the desperation felt back with my family. It was great to hear laughter over the phone talking about the close calls, the crazy scenes, and the jokes over the fact that they actually found the culprit to the sinkhole. I am lucky, as we are all lucky to be in Chicago and face silly thunderstorms that leave us with nothing but greener pastures, mosquitoes, and days of trail-riding limitations.

I wish all my friends well that they may find great happiness in their own friends and families and ability to see them when they can – it’s not a jungle out there. The jungle is down there.

The following sinkhole is no more than four blocks away from my aunt’s house in ‘la Zona 2′ en Guatemala, City. A house she has owned for over 45 years – and despite its new grim looking portal – she isn’t considering moving anytime soon. Tia Rosaura – cuidate y te quiero!

The start of the race was very cyclocrossesque. The front row at the race held more than a handful of the  Chi Cross Cup’s fastest. And the chatter on the line waiting for the gun was almost all cross related. As the GOOOOOO was given, we raced hell bent for that first section of singletrack on 150 yards of straight flat grass into a bottleneck, across the gravel road and into the singletrack at full military throttle. It was as fast a start as I can remember…Cross season was a long time ago, and the Barry Roubaix had a 3 mile neutral roll out… The first section of the singletrack was false flat down and twisty, into a real nice sweeping u, to an off camber speed run. And at the bottom another one of those turns that could take a whole summers worth of riding to get just right.

Time out…Come to think of it, every 100ft. there is another ‘turn you could take all summer…’ so I’ll retire that.

This trail is just a twisty mctwist, and with every twist deeper and deeper into the race your mind starts to loose focus and WAM – Tree, or to much brakes and you slideout. The off camber trails were numerous and very tricky, with little undulations that conspired with gravity to throw you off your line into the ravine below. I lost two and a half minutes per lap to the Gatto the eventual winner and two and a quarter to Yuska. In a sensation never really felt before in a race, the only times I really felt right on the pedals was on one of the three climbs on the course. Not the norm for me, but I like to sound of it. My big wheels were a little big for the over abundance of twists on the trail. Fortunately, for my handling sake, a local rider was behind me for a good portion of the race. As the race rolled on and my mind began to fade, his constant remarks about the trail were about the only thing that keep me out of the creek and on the trail. The race drew to a close and I had a few riders approaching from behind on the run in to the biggest climb on the hill. I put all the effort I could into that hill to preserve what little lead I had on a mid pack placing. I was able to hold them off until the flat grass section and then was caught. After the first rider caught me I got on to his wheel and pedaled to the line. With the line approaching I jumped past the rider and crossed the line completely spent. Hooray for 17th place, better than the placing was loosing only 3 minutes per lap to Gatto the eventual winner.

The Peoria area is host to a great selection of trails. With the addition of the Black Partridge Trails the center of the state continues it’s tradition of excellent trail offerings. If you make it down to the area don’t miss these trails.

In addition to the cool movie premiere – its a fundraiser for CAMBr to keep them keeping on and giving us what we crave – bigger, better, and sweeter maintained trails for Chicago. They and we are encouraging you to come catch the film and perhaps get lucky in the raffles we have going on that night.

Prizes for the raffle will be donated by Johnny Sprockets, Get A Grip Cycles, CAMBr, and one small prize from us! So come on down – have a brew, watch a great flick with a bunch of dirtbags and enter the raffle to win some great prizes and schwag from the MTB community!

Here’s the preview for this fine movie:

Hey There’s Racing Going On!
Don’t forget that Illinois has a Homegrown Racing Series and some strong Chicagoans have been represented very well in the Elite/Expert Class! The Bonebell is tolling for John Gatto and Tim Yuska who gave the IHRS a 1,2 punch in the Elite Category at Black Partridge. If you want to give a strong performance at the Palos Meltdown – then practice makes perfect, select some of the Illinois Series to do some racing and hone your skills and learn some new trails in the process. Stiggity was happy to have attended and may post up some of his experience soon.

Don’t Forget Trail Work Days!
If you want a slot at the Palos Meltdown for preferred call-up at the line – then get in as many trail work days as you can! The calendar is here – get out there and get on it. We’ll soon be hitting the trail work days as well and documenting exactly what it takes to participate in preserving trails the CAMBr and IMBA way.

Hooky Wednesdays Are On!
Every Wednesday, starting next week, if you want to hang on for a long endurance ride at Palos or one of the other trail systems (weather permitting of course) then hook up on Facebook and become a fan of our page! We’ll post up meet times and will generally be playing hooky every Wednesday from next week through June between 2:00PM-6:00PM for endurance riding in the vein of good tempo with minimal stops – so its a good pace but not destructive pace as the aim is for good endurance riding. Join us if you have time on the trails.