What are the plans? I want to get out for at least one morning. I know TheRestlessApe wants to ride up to the Meadow, old Flume, Tyrolean and back. I want to ride something I’ve not ridden yet this year (and with less fire road climbing).

Maybe HOTG? Maybe Donner Rim? What say you?

-M

Oakland Mike, with whom JR and I rode back in July on the TRT, is in town this week. So let’s break out the lights and show off The Bacon Strip Tuesday night!

Also, don’t forget about POWDERWHORE on Wed @ Ceol!!!

-M

Yesterday Nooner, Bustigator, The Restless Ape, Aron, Juni and I found a new trail out in Sparks thanks to a tip from my buddy Martin. It was RAD!

It starts off a dirt road behind the new softball fields near Red Cock Gold Course. Follow the pink BLM access signs for now. It starts with a cool singletrack, then climbs about 900 feet over really short distance. It’s a lung buster for sure but most of the switchbacks are really well built and fully ridable.

We ran into one of the builders @ the top. Thanks man!!!

The trail loops around from the top there by the chicken sign. Suggest going right for the loop. There is some seriously technical stuff on the back side. Steep, loose, tight, rocky and super fun! About 10 miles all together.

There was some fall-line trail on the back side and some in-sloped sections with no drainage, but it looks like these guys are out there working fairly frequently and are on top of it. Great trail. Lots of potential. I’d like to see it go all the way south to I-80…

Also: check out all the new trail work being done over on Peavine!!!

-M

First, prepare your gnarly scrawney asses for cyclocross. Even JR has committed to racing, and fixed no less! First off this month is Thursday, and presumably every following Thursday for the Outlaw series in Truckee and environs. Second is the Sagebrush series race on the 20th @ Hidden Valley. Our beloved Grisly Bike Geek is the triggerman for the series and says that if we get three fixtards racing he’ll get us the best prizes. As it should be. I say bring it. I’ve got nothing to loose!

Second, got this note from my buddy Jason re: the Keyesville Classic which Gris JR and Myself went to last year…

Team Bacon Strip,

I am Jason Smith and the new Keyesville Classic Race director. I was last
years assistant director and have the race from this year forward for
awhile.

We are becoming a part of the national calendar this year. For those that
race for point standings this will help.

We will have:
Downhill
Short Track
Cross-country

A non-uscf sanctioned stage race where all riders participating will have to
race the same class with the same bike. We are adding the one bike thing
this year. We really wanted to do it last year but since we had no real
time to execute it was pushed of to this year.

I saw on the blog you have that you fellows were disappointed with not
having the 8 hour race. Sorry. If we could logistically figure out how to
do everything in one two day period of time we would. We would love to add
it to the events if it were feasible.

I would like to invite your team to the race and enjoy another event with us
this coming year. It is only 162 days away. Come hang out, drink beer from
the brewery, eat spaghetti, and camp out…oh yeah, and race.

Thank you for all you support in the past.

Third, and blasts from the past seem to come in twos these days (My dad and I took Jason(from above) climbing for the first time a few years ago. I think I was 14…): My buddy Dustin from High School called the other day to talk about a new website he’s building to be a guide/wiki for adventurism in Kern County. The last guide book was published about 13 years ago. Before that, we had a laminated photocopy of the Stonemasher’s Guide to Kern River Climbing… Good work Dustin!

-M

But only for a minute or two.Pics and report @ iamindisposed.com.

-M

REAL Man-Pris…

Originally uploaded by i am indisposed.
When life throws you lemons you make lemonade. Or, in this case, a bold, if ill-conceived, fashion statement!

I suppose this isn’t that extreme. But still. My ass got hott!!! Thank god I was wearing a cycling shirt when I forgot my lycra/polyester @ home Saturday when Taldor and TheReslesssApe and I hit the Tahoe Rim Trail from Spooner/Kingsbury. Thanks for the fine Patagucci Socks Taldor! Between the green shirt and the orange pack I matched the Stately Pleasure Bike quite well!

Weather was fine, a little hazy in the Tahoe Basin. No biggie. A few runners, a few hikers and a very few bikers. That section from the bench to Kingsbury is the best. Definitely worth the ride in the rough stuff.

-M

This just in from McG:

hey all,

my weekend ride opportunities are kinda limited, especially since I took 4 weekends off for races already, but I think I can finagle the 15th of July off. anyone care to join me a some kind of death march. tahoe rim? i have a loop near kirkwood that’s pretty tough too. whatever.

Sean

Mike on the Podium

Originally uploaded by i am indisposed.

Just wanted to squeeze this in real quick. Full report to follow.
Due to the fact that I was the only one to ride the Expert lap @ the Ely Enduro, I took the first and only place. The last climb was a grunt, and the descent was utterly absurd. But I didn’t crash!

-M

The Bacon Strip Presents: PeaCakes annual Bike to Work Day Mountainside Pancake Party. Bike To Work Day, Friday May, 18 2007, Reno, NV,

One year ago a man had a vision: To put his three loves together, early morning mountain biking, wearing tight pants, and pancake eating. For those us brave enough to follow him into the wild it was truly inspiring. But for him, hauling a stove, camp gear, water, and food by XtraCycle was brutal.

This year he pulled the strings again, recruited us to help carry the load. Still, to make his morning burden easier he hauled the food and stove up the two nights before. The rest of us waited in quiet anticipation, and prepared our own contributions as necessary

I rose @ 4 AM, donned my cycling gear, had a bowl of CrunchoBerryMedly, and hit the road.

Met LocalCrew @ Keystone TH @ 5:00 and proceeded up the mountain past Goddess of Peavine Point (who smiled her sweet mapley smile upon us)…

…to the top of The Bacon Strip and up to the main Peavine road.

Found JR and Taldor at the designated place, just off the road by the first set of Microwave Dishes below the summit. McD was still in bed and Taldor was wearing his pants. We didn’t ask questions, just jumped into the cooking.

And my god was that some cooking! Here are the highlights.

Longhammer Batter

More bacon that you could swing a dead cat at. “What harm is there in an 8th piece of bacon?” -M.C.

JR brought STRAWBERRIES!!!!

After a quick roll down The Bacon Strip, we split up and rode to work. Nothing special about that, so we didn’t take any pics.

Thanks guys for making a nice morning and continuing a fine tradition!

-M

Ok this is a dump link, a dink lump, a link dump and you’d better thank me for getting that phinger photo bumped down.

Other Blogs by local shredventurers:

• mrjerz.org/
• Robert Payne
• Pavement and Dirt
• LaPlante
• Sierra Backcountry

Other Cool Stuff

• Reel Lights and ASSLESS CHAPPS!
• 1st ever MTB Race in RENO!!!
• Poedunk
• Mike Bars Batch #2

They’re hard to cut, but I was careful

-M