I need a new Banner Picture...but haven't found one cool enough

Most people just think I race, or stand around. Although I do race a lot, that only takes up about 2 hours of 2 days a weekend, that equals 4 hours. As per the standing around, I usually can not stay in one spot for longer than 64 seconds, so I suppose you could call it pacing. But I only do that roughly 4 hours two days a weekend, bringing my accounted-for time to a whopping 12 hours a week. So there.

While not standing or racing, I created a team website.

http://www.possabilitiesgaryfishersubaru.com/

In an attempt to keep the community, our sponsors, our teammates, and myself up to speed on our non-stop racing and philanthropic action, the website was a must. And it took me roughly 45 hours to create.

I also spent about 4 hours making an apple pie for the Gnomes 28th birthday. That was a pretty big deal and it took one weekend of racing to balance the calories out.

Speaking of, I won a race.

Oh my bad, that's the Over The Hump race and I was the only Pro female....
Wait a second, I won another race! I headed up to Big Bear to race one of my favorite courses. Probably has something to do with all the extended fire-road climbs, but I also had a blast in the technical single track and even got to do some mud riding! Man, it seems like forever since that has happened. From the altititude, to the dust, to the fun, it was an awesome day. There were 4 pro women out, but Allison Mann, assuming the fields would be as small as usual, jumped in to race with the cat 1 men! Good for her because she stuck it them! Super cool! That allowed myself, Dorothy Wong and Deirdre York to ride for the pro podium. I've gotta say though, it was so awesome to get high-fives and hugs from ao many old friends! Quite the recharge I needed!

I remember riding UP Fern trail 2005 12 Hours at the Summit! Where I first met Tinker! Thanks for the cheers and pictures from Justin Mann! Pumped here to be riding down it and on Uncle Greg's loaner Superfly 29er 2x10!! FUN FUN FUN!!

This Podium is really cool because it spans three generations of pro mountain biking women!
Back in 2007, racing the NORBA Final in Aspen, Deirdre won the jr expert womens overall title, and I won the overall national title 19-29 yr old women expert. Its always fun to catch back up with these gals and see where life has taken them! And we haven't changed a bit, have we. ;)

Being that our team is lacking a high number of female racers, sometimes my best option is to race with the masters or cat 3 men. Here I had the pleasure of racing with Papa Breyer and Rick in a cat 3 race. It is always fun to get to ride with more of my teammembers and to learn from them. Men's fields are a weird "animal" though, I will have to delve into that topic later on.
Climbing at Sisquoc, my favorite picture I think, channeling Jens...
Sisquoc Road Race. I was so excited to be able to stretch my legs in an event longer than a 40-50 minute crit. To get to ride hard, climb hills, and work with my teammate Cynthia. This race was hot and windy and tough. I was super pumped that I was able to finishe 7th, close behing the lead group. Then I got DQ'ed. No, not a Blizzard at Dairy Queen, DISQUALIFIED. I pretty much blame Brian for this.
There was about 300 meters to go. I had attacked and broken away from a group of 5 and heading in solo for my 7th place finish. Then the pro/1/2/ men's break passed me. That means I get neutralized. But then they sat up and slowed down, blocking me in and pushing me towards the gravel. Brian was in the group of 6 and was right beside me, so I told him to go away. Hahah. He tried to get the guys to let me by, then just motivated me to finish. But to the officials, it looked like I finished with the men. Even though they had like 60 more miles to go and I was riding hard with 8th place in hot pursuit and not sure if I should sit up and wait, pass them on the left or what. But the finish was right there! So I protested, extremely politely and pled my case. They hand wrote me in the results and said I was good to go after a 20 minute discussion, only to see on the official results online, I did not finish. High-Fives all around guys! Thanks a billion for the great work out and the ability to hit my PowerMeter High Score.
I will be back next time.

The woes of summer...

About 22 hours and counting, I will be "free" for a few weeks. Free from snotty kids, free from acceptable pay (jk), free from my watch and free from my sneakers. So the good news is I will always be late and my feet will be dirty and swollen because I am barefoot. Sweet.

The other great news is the heat. We have ramped up our "overheating prevention" in some very key ways. Last Sunday on my high-noon mountain bike ride (YES I still have one and I swear, if someone else asks me if I still do, or if I ever ride it, I will kick them in the shin and run away) I put a bag of ice in my jersey up between my shoulder blades. Although it soiled my outfit leaving sweat/water/dirt lines like Dr. Seuss bathtub rings, it whittled my core down to about 101 degrees. Thank goodness.

With the shipment of our new kits, I also have an improved tan-line. My previous jersey (yes singular - I wore 1 kit, since last June. No bueno.) was a hand-me-down that the owner had cut the sleeves Bam-Bam style. Now I actually boast cuffs on my sleeves, thus tattooing those ever coveted tan lines. Genius.

In the theme of Giving Back, which seems to be rampant in the cycling community this season, I took a few newbie Junior Boys out to a mountain bike race. On a Tuesday (while Brian had his Junior Ducklings - i hope they don't know we call them that - here in Redlands for some skills training). Here's the cool thing. Unlike our local Tuesday Night Championships, you actually pay an entry fee, get cool stuff, have a closed course, course marshalls, droves of fans, and free food afterwards (if you count Clifbars and cookies) All in just under 1:30 minutes. Not bad, not bad at all.

The boys were pumped! Locked them in the team car and headed to the OC where the temps are 15 degrees lower and the middle school chicks 15 degrees hotter (so the young lads said). The course suited us all well in that it was a figure 8 with fast laps, crossing through start-finish 2 times per lap so I could see the whites of their eyes each time we crossed. The venue had a slight cyclo-cross feeling, with tight turns, sponsor pits and BBQ on the grill while the music pumped. Pretty much one of the most well put together and run Mountain Bike events I have been to in quite some time. Oh wait, I haven't raced my mountain bike since August....anyways, lets just say it was Super Sick!

Check it out if you get a chance! Over the Hump Series

They even had a photog out and pictures are online if you want to check them out and see the course a bit better. Some hills

And a way cool bridge!

Does anyone know how to get a sponsorship from Oxyclean? My white kit...dirt...sweat...I wonder what its gonna look like after my first crash....that's gonna be hot.