Well the New Year is finally here. Been a while since I have posted anything. Life got really busy and my riding and training had to take a back seat. In fact it was farther back than the back seat, more like in the trunk. I parted out my race bike, sold most everything off my single speed so I really don't even have a mountain bike right now. I still have my road bike along with the fluid trainer but it has only seen about 100 miles in the past 2 months. Those who know me know I usually bust off well over 100 miles a week normally.
Most people know that Sue and I are having another baby in about 4-5 weeks. Because of that I have decided to not race the 2009 season. Plus, over the past few months I have really started to enjoy more of a trick/stunt riding style on mountain bikes and bmx. I recently picked up a used bmx and have been tooling around on it. In fact just last week I took my son Ashton to the new indoor ramp park that just opened up in Royal Oak. We had a blast. However, I am not sure I belong on 20" wheels. So now I am looking to build a 26" wheeled jump bike to use next summer at places like the Stony Creek Skills Park. Ashton and I went there last fall before it got to cold and I had more fun there than I have had in a long time on a bike. I plan to keep rolling on my bmx until I get that new jump bike built. I already started looking for frames.
As for trail riding in 2009 I hope to get out now and then but not sure how much it will happen. I really enjoy riding with Ashton and with the new baby it'll be hard to jump in the car and ride across town to the trails. When I get me time I'll probably just do my road routes on the Felt which I enjoy. This may finally be the year I get a new road bike. I am way overdue seeing as mine has over 10,000 miles on it.
The big thing this Spring will be if Ashton decides to race bmx. They have a track at Waterford Oaks and they run races every other weekend. If he does I can see myself trying a race or two to see what it is all about. If Ashton does decide to race bmx he'll need more ride time himself so I can see myself doing urban rides with him and Abigail a few times a week to strengthen his legs.
2009 is going to open a lot different that the past few years have. Usually at this time I am already 1000 miles into my off season training and focused on the first few races of the new year. It feels funny not being on the bikes as much but my body feels well rested since I haven't really worked it hard in two months. I plan to get back in a routine so I don't lose my legs completely but I'm sure it will be only half the weekly hours I normally ride. Last year I hit 6,000 miles and that's my biggest total ever. Since I started logging miles 4 years ago I have ridden over 16,000 miles.......that's crazy to me.
So I am ready to go into the New Year and roll with what comes. Looking forward to having a fun laid back year without stressing the big races. But don't think I am done racing forever. I still have a few races I want to compete in after this year. It'll just take some time to build myself up to the condition I will need to be in. So to all my friends and racing foes, keep doing what you are doing and know that when you least expect it I'll be back at the starting line looking to get back to that podium. I'm not retiring......I'm refueling.
Keep your head up and your tires down.
Aryn
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Monday, October 6, 2008
From outside the fence
Sunday the kids were up early so we jumped up, got dressed and headed out to our old neighborhood to hit Yates Cider Mill. 2 dozen donuts, some fudge and a gallon of cider later the Pongratz Media Crew was off to Stony Creek to cover the Cycle Cross race held by Paint Creek and Tailwinds.
Okay, down to the good stuff. Upon entering the race paddock we imediately spotted the yellow colors of Team Signoutfitters.com. Sub Team Kissel was there in full force to take on the sand filled course. We stopped in to see when they would be racing and moved on so they could go warm up. Next we rolled up on the Red Colors of Team Sandbag. And low and behold there was Masher Media Mike laying his trip wires and camera onto a bike to shoot the race. We ran down John "Like my Shoes?" Osgood to wish him luck and let him know we'd be yelling for him as well. Tried to find Jason "The Ox" Melocosky of RBS but didn't see him until he lined up and didn't want to bother him.
The gun went off and the leaves started to rustle. The pack of C-Class 39 and under riders blew by us like a cool fall breeze. John was in the top 10 and Jason was about mid pack playing Mr Conservative. The next wave of riders were the C-Class 40 and over and Russ was all mixed up in that. He shot by us and rolled himself into a comfortable 5th going off the pavement and onto the course. Next wave was Leila, Dylan and Zoe and their competiton.......the breeze finally calmed and the leaves settled down after all the waves whipped by. Man was it exciting to watch. You could see 85% of the course from where we were standing so the kids were really into it. Plus we got to see all the people we know a few times as they hit all the switchbacks.
I could go on and on......being a XC racer I know what it is like to suffer but this was a different pain I was seeing. Racers were in the red the entire time. No place or time to rest and catch your breath. You slow down to rest and the person behind you will fly right by. You spend the entire race attacking the people in front. And if you are the race leader you spend all your time keeping the hunters at bay.
The 39 and under class came down to a sprint finsih. The experinced racer, Jason Melocosky from RBS, showed the new kid from Team Sandbag how to win a sprint and look good for the camera at the same time. I swear his crank arms were bending as he plowed thru the finishing stretch. During the after race interview he praised racing legend John Osgood from Team Sandbag for helping him acheive his first win. He said even tho he practiced nothing John told him to do it was still the idea of practicing it that helped him thru his race. John Osgood, who finished a solid 4th, was caught later stating, "You know, I taught him everything he knows.....and I beat at Iceman last year by 8 minutes" while in his race trailer making what appearded to be a voodoo doll with a mini RBS jersey on it.
Signoutfitters.com's own Russ Kissel managed to endure the suffering and climbed two more spots to finish 3rd. Later in the day he tried his hand again in the Master's division. He took 11th there in a much more seasoned field against some serious riders.
Zoe crashed during her warm up loops but still raced after some butterfly bandaging by the team medic (mom). She was taken to the hospital later to have it sealed up by a doctor and I we hear she is gdoing good. Bloodied and battered she still finished 2nd in Junior Cat 4 and 1st in female. Brother Dylan took 3rd in Junior Cat 4 and second in male. Way to go guys. It's riders like them who are the future of our team!
Word in the paddock is that Leila was happy she kept the bike upright the entire race. She was all smiles tho and had a great time. In fact one of our hired spy cameras shot this photo of her, she makes it look easy doesn't she?
Okay, down to the good stuff. Upon entering the race paddock we imediately spotted the yellow colors of Team Signoutfitters.com. Sub Team Kissel was there in full force to take on the sand filled course. We stopped in to see when they would be racing and moved on so they could go warm up. Next we rolled up on the Red Colors of Team Sandbag. And low and behold there was Masher Media Mike laying his trip wires and camera onto a bike to shoot the race. We ran down John "Like my Shoes?" Osgood to wish him luck and let him know we'd be yelling for him as well. Tried to find Jason "The Ox" Melocosky of RBS but didn't see him until he lined up and didn't want to bother him.
The gun went off and the leaves started to rustle. The pack of C-Class 39 and under riders blew by us like a cool fall breeze. John was in the top 10 and Jason was about mid pack playing Mr Conservative. The next wave of riders were the C-Class 40 and over and Russ was all mixed up in that. He shot by us and rolled himself into a comfortable 5th going off the pavement and onto the course. Next wave was Leila, Dylan and Zoe and their competiton.......the breeze finally calmed and the leaves settled down after all the waves whipped by. Man was it exciting to watch. You could see 85% of the course from where we were standing so the kids were really into it. Plus we got to see all the people we know a few times as they hit all the switchbacks.
I could go on and on......being a XC racer I know what it is like to suffer but this was a different pain I was seeing. Racers were in the red the entire time. No place or time to rest and catch your breath. You slow down to rest and the person behind you will fly right by. You spend the entire race attacking the people in front. And if you are the race leader you spend all your time keeping the hunters at bay.
The 39 and under class came down to a sprint finsih. The experinced racer, Jason Melocosky from RBS, showed the new kid from Team Sandbag how to win a sprint and look good for the camera at the same time. I swear his crank arms were bending as he plowed thru the finishing stretch. During the after race interview he praised racing legend John Osgood from Team Sandbag for helping him acheive his first win. He said even tho he practiced nothing John told him to do it was still the idea of practicing it that helped him thru his race. John Osgood, who finished a solid 4th, was caught later stating, "You know, I taught him everything he knows.....and I beat at Iceman last year by 8 minutes" while in his race trailer making what appearded to be a voodoo doll with a mini RBS jersey on it.
Signoutfitters.com's own Russ Kissel managed to endure the suffering and climbed two more spots to finish 3rd. Later in the day he tried his hand again in the Master's division. He took 11th there in a much more seasoned field against some serious riders.Zoe crashed during her warm up loops but still raced after some butterfly bandaging by the team medic (mom). She was taken to the hospital later to have it sealed up by a doctor and I we hear she is gdoing good. Bloodied and battered she still finished 2nd in Junior Cat 4 and 1st in female. Brother Dylan took 3rd in Junior Cat 4 and second in male. Way to go guys. It's riders like them who are the future of our team!
Word in the paddock is that Leila was happy she kept the bike upright the entire race. She was all smiles tho and had a great time. In fact one of our hired spy cameras shot this photo of her, she makes it look easy doesn't she?
In the end it was a great event and my family and I were happy to be able to take part from the side lines. In fact that's Ashton in the red hooded sweat shirt in Leila's picture. Hopefully we'll be able to send the Signoutfitters.com Media crew out to cover another CX event this season.
Side bar - for those who on't know we had a rider go down in Brighton over the weekend. Heather "Hollywood" Patterson took a fall hard enough to fracture her shoulder. We are still waiting to see xrays and get the full story. I hear she is supose to have a press onference soon to update the media of her condition.
So as always, check back to see what we'll over next. You never know where the Yellow will go.
(And keep your eyes on that new kid over there at Team Sandbag. Jason is no slouch and that young guy gave him a run for his money. They may be at the start of someone fast.)
Aryn
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