Newtons Nation @ mt.panorama

BATHURST, NSW AUSTRALIA Next weekend, (Nov 26-28) is a big 3 day 2 night gravity/music festival at Mount Panorama, which is about an hour and a half from where we live. 5k prize purse for the downhill MTB race, so not too shabby. Big enough to draw Sam Hill, Bryn , Ben Cory, and a bunch more....

From the website: "Showcasing the best of skate, BMX, mountain biking, wake, luge, scooter and parkour, this unique event will focus heavily on spectator participation; from interactive skate parks to Parkour training and rides, this adrenalin filled weekend is not for the faint hearted! Nowhere in Australia has this combination of action sports and live music come together in such a sensory overload."

http://www.newtonsnation.com.au/

Lookout

Down the road from us....still blue:)

Morgan's Coffee

I know this is a big call,,, but I feel having lived in Seattle most of my life, and travelled the world, that I have a grip on what a good cup of joe tastes like. Morgans coffee is my favorite hands down. Roasted in Australia on a Portuguese machine, Morgan's handcrafted coffee is a delicious brew. That's my Aussie hot tip of the week:) www.morganscoffee.com

AUSSIE LAND!!!

We are out!!!. Off to backwards land,,, where spring is in the air, and summer will shortly follow. Haven't been to our house there since last March, so looking forward to seeing if the Blue Mountains are still blue:). Hard to leave the ol family behind in Seattle :( but they know we love them and have work to do to for next year. Packed up 7 bike boxes, 2 gear bags, helmets, etc. Try taking half a year's worth of gear and spares. Yikes. Had a bit of good fortune at United, could've been a $1400 luggage bill that we managed just $800. Gotta do these things. Spend money to make money right? Anywhoo, see you on the other side. JK

Final NW Mission

It was pouring so hard the other day, that we thought blue skies could be found east of the mountains at one of my favorite trails- Kachees. Bit of a mission, hour and a half drive or so to get to the trail, but no rain. Unloaded at the top of the mountain, with an epic view of Mt.Rainier, Kachess lake, and a rad steep rocky ridge. Had to do some hiking in the snow, front wheel dives into snow are pretty fun for awhile but it's quite tricky going in a straight line in snow. So with wet snowy clip shoes, we hiked for probably 30-40 min. Once we dropped a bit of elevation, it was amazing. Stream crossing were a higher than the last time I went there. Cougars had stomped in prints along the trail too, which scared the bejesus out of me!! as the third member of our crew-out the rear it's not a nice feeling. Didn't see to many creatures scurrying around as decoys, but we all made it with our power in numbers theory, so whatever.

Luke, Bryn, and I had so much fun, once we got to actual dirt, there was incredible traction and shredding. This trail is nice and rugged, lots of roots and some nice tech turns and gaps.

Our last big push, leaving for the next 5 months, so this was the only bit of snow we will see this year. This trail is probably snowed in till about june of next year, till then...

magical covert.

Defgrip Studio is live..

One of my best pals- Harrison, who runs Defgrip.net, is art director for MacNeil BMX, did the branding for the movie First, among other things,,, has moved to New York city and started up his own design studio. defgripstudio.net . If you want a sweet web or graphic designer on your side, he's the man:)...

Underground halloween Slalom...

RENTON, WA Some of our local friends built a slalom track out near the xc trails, so for Halloween the Go Huck Yourself guys had a little underground, $5 best lap slalom race for a bit of of fun.

They also sponsored the BBQ, and beverages, so with about 30 riders and additional fans all dressed in their finest costumes, we had ourselves an awesome time. Dunno how the rain held off all day, but Travis was stoked cause his bear suit would've weighed about 20 pounds extra and effected his times:). Bryn has been riding just a little bit, thumb is healed, so he was clocking quick times.

The timing system was quite clever... Made out of mobile radios, laser beams, plus a crappy laptop with excel, it was dialed. mountain bikers + electrician skills= pretty handy:)

Lots of good costumes, only one casualty (snapped a collarbone), and plenty of riding. The unlimited run format counting best times made the day a lot easier but much harder too. Easier cause less pressure and the dirt dried out, but Each run was about 50 seconds with a couple flat pedally sections, which was a big effort:)

Bryn won with a 49.2, Travis Erikson took off the bear suit and managed 2nd with a 50.24, and I got the bronze with a 50.67. Keith and trevor rounded out the podium. Super official:) anyway, I had a great time, should've put more effort into my leprechaun outfit, but you know. later..

Thanks to AJ and the GOhuckyourself guys...

http://www.gohuckyourself.com/2010/10/17/biketober-fest-bermsled-race/#more-2001

Pickleball

I think the name is kinda letting it down, but pickleball is probably the most fun sport ever!! It's like miniature tennis using wooden paddles and a whiffle ball, on a badminton sized court. We have been having mega marathons lately. Pretty good side hobby to run around, have fun, and do something that doesn't involve getting muddy and wet. This sport was invented in seattle and is quite popular at our gym, but actually takes a lot of skill and strategy.

Best dirt in the world...

Yeah, that's right. Fall in the N-Dub is epic. 2 1/2 weeks left to enjoy, then off to Australia for another summer...poor us. Bryn's hand is almost healed.

P.A. Shuttle Day

Shuttle Day out in Port Angeles this weekend... $35 for shuttles n food. Camping, bonfire, riding, etc. It's supposed to be sunny, so anything goes. Transition will have a few demo bikes out there to try as well... c ya there. Haven't touched my DH bike since Worlds, so should be fun..

Picasso Exhibit

Bryn and I went to see the opening day of the Picasso Exhibit downtown at the Seattle Art Museum. Hard to grasp the magnitude of seeing original Picasso up close, and 150 pieces from his personal collection none the less!! First and only time this exhibit has traveled out of Paris, so pretty special up here in Seattle. It was extremely interesting, I recommend you go check it out. He covered a lot of ground in varying styles, dimentions, material, thought, etc.  http://www.picassoinseattle.org/exhibition.html

Kids n bikes

Take a Kid Mountain biking day was pretty fun. Lot of little kiddies riding around having a good time. Duthie hill is the perfect place to start riding, all different types of terrain and skills for any level to enjoy. Awesome bike park in our community. I actually ride out there quite a bit, but on my own schedule... Gets a little hectic around weekend warriors when you are trying to shred as hard as possible:)

Anywhoo,Evergreen mountain bike alliance lined this event up, Kat Sweet mostly in charge, so I was one of  "celebrity" riders. Me , Phil Sundbaum , and Billy Lewis. The day went down like this; small group trail ride in the AM, hot dog lunch, a jump jam, and raffles. Some kid got a pretty rad Diamond back hardtail dirt jump frame, presented by Billy - of course.

There were a lot of other riders from the local scene as well, so all in all, pretty good day. Thx guys!! 

I love pups:)

Vintage OAKLEY GRIPS

Pretty rad that a company like Oakley all started with BMX grips. I'm working on a little vintage build to one of my old BMX bikes :) Here is a collector site: www.helixbmx.net

Take a kid mountain Biking DAY @ Duthie Hill

Little community involvement for the Kiddies. Oct 2, this Saturday, Take a kid Mountian biking day. I'll be there.___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day Saturday, October 2nd - 10:00 AM
Ride leader: Kat Sweet Show user profile Location: Duthie Hill
Trips for Kids and Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance are teaming up in celebration of National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day!!Ride bikes with Olympic medalist Jill Kintner, “Summer of Shred” star, Phil Sundbaum and Diamondback's Billy Lewis. Win a brand new Diamondback dirt jumper and other great prizes including shin guards and flak jackets courtesy of Norco bikes and Mace, helmets, and other great swag. The Jump Jam will include local pro's and riders including Team Dirt Corps and Project 529.

Schedule: 9:30am - Registration Opens 10am - Rides 12pm-1pm - BBQ 1pm-2pm - Jump Jam 2pm-3pm - Fat Raffle

Contact: Kat Sweet - kat.sweet@cascadebicycleclub.org

Parking: LDS Church – 26529 SE Duthie Hill Road, Issaquah, 98029 Enter park through back gate, follow a-frame signs

Thanks to our sponsors: IMBA, Diamondback, Sram, Norco Bikes, Mace, Bicycles West, Redline Bikes, Bicycle Center, Gerks, Pacific Bicycle.

Tracks of 2010

Well after my first year downhilling, plus a couple weeks to reflect, I have learned a lot but am still gaining ground. US racing is different than World Cup racing, but riding is riding , and there are many skill to take away from every location. Here is my list of the places I've been in 2010 and what each place taught me ..

RACE #1- FEB 12-14 Thredbo, NSW AUS Rained so hard every day. This was my first race, course was 8min long, really rough, tons of effort, boggy, wet, loose. Had to sit down a bunch on the pedalling fire road traverse sections due to arm pump and tiredness. THink Thredbo is the best terrain in oz that I have seen. Race run struggled being able to see in the rain and mud, didn't pull tear offs properly, strap on goggles was loose so I pulled goggles into my eye and flailed for awhile:). Whoops. Tighten goggle strap when using tear offs.

MAR 26-28 NW Cup#1- Port Angeles, WA Another mud race, had never ridden proper downhill here even though PA is only 3 hrs from home. Good scene, super mellow. Awesome terrain, bit of everything. Think King diamond to falcon punch. Not all mud is slippery, hit banks, ruts, and go.

APRIL 15-17 Sea Otter Classic- Monterey, CA

First big race of the year. Was on a mission for slalom, spent a lot of time prepping for it. Had the bike set up prior to the event. Felt really good. New team, new bike, stoked, love slalom. Dh was a waste, had nothing left. Shitty track anyway, need like a 6- 7" bike. DH bike was good, but too much. medium travel bike next time- Tr 250 would be perfect!.

APRIL 23-25 Pro Gravity Tour #1- Port Angeles, Wa Super stoked that Volcano in iceland trapped international talent  in the US. Home soil, big names, Rach and Tracy for chicks, Minnaar, Atherton, Ben Reid, Stevie Smith, etc for guys. Just looking to see where I stood. 3 sec off rach, 6 off tracy. Not bad, had a stall in run, but liked the course. 2nd time to PA for DH. Bryn dominated this event, whoo hoo!!  THink it was mostly dry, but slick in some sections. First glance at competitive speeds. First time using Shimano Saint stuff. FOX suspension testing.

MAY 1-2     Dirt Series Camp for Women Makes me appreciate all that I know to help others. Enjoy the people and experience. Santa cruz and San Jose.

MAY 16-17 Ray's & Ohio Dreams, Cleveland, OH Met rad local riders. Practiced some tricks and rode ramps. Took a pedal in the shin. Tricks are for kids:)

MAY 21-23 PRO GRT #2- Platekill, NY This place was really important to carry speed . Rolling along doesn't cut it cause it was flat traversing into steep chutes. Hopping to find transitions and avoid square edges that slow you down were important. Hit a tree in final that killed all my speed. Small shelves to ride across. Super small town.

MAY 28-30 US Open- Vernon, NJ USA One of my favorite tracks and events. Love the rock gardens here. Wet conditions are not good, super slippery clay dirt. Dry for final, almost won. Didn't hit the last jump after a massive wreck on it in quali. Didn't get hurt. Won slalom, 2nd dh. Don't ever think you are tired before hitting a big jump.

JUNE 25-27 Pro GRT #3- Northstar Tahoe, CA USA Course seemed easy and flat, but the dirt was super loose which made it difficult. Altitude hurt lungs. Lots of pedalling. Being loose and making good turns. Felt in the zone. won.

JULY 09-11 Blast the Mass- Snowmass, CO Altitude, super high speed, straight and fast. Leaning the bike was important, moto skills. Should have practiced less. Day 2 was the best. Had a crash on high speed turn, twisted forks, stitches in face. Dropped my forks out too much and couldn't leverage it properly, rookie mistake. Had a great time the first two days though.

JULY 16-18 US National Championship- Sol Vista, CO Battle with hitting jumps, wind, altitude. Not super difficult terrain but big jumps and loose conditions. Felt in the zone only on race day. Lot of people got hurt here. Stiffer suspension set up.

July 31- 1   Crankworx CO & PGRT #5- Winter Park, CO GOod top section, bottom was hell flat. 7 min. Rained. Dunno. Delicious taco spot in town. Won slalom on medusa mud tires, won DH as well.

July 2-3     Transition Dealer Days New NW Dh trails to me. Near Mt.Baker. Good fun times, nice n chill. Sun out. Steep terrain, narrow trails.

AUG 06-08 Crankworx- Whistler, BC Canada Wasn't feeling it this time. Needed to Leave early.Won Pump track, overcooked a berm in air dh,slalom was fun.

AUG 27-29 World Cup #6- Windham, NY USA Most fun track to ride. I loved it. Took me awhile to battle through hitting the jumps, but got em and felt really good here. CHanged suspension to middle chip on tr450, wider bars. Bike was perfect here. Crashed in final, came into a section too hot. bummed.

SEP 02-05 World Champs- Mt.St.Anne, Quebec CAN Fun track, loved the high speed and tech bits. Good to see faster speeds. So much variation in weather, and way too much practice. Few crashes, not a sweet final. Long week.

SEP 11-12 Pro GRT #7- Lake Placid, NY USA Hard to go to another event after worlds. 5k downhill- 9 min. Lots of varied terrain, actually fairly technical in spots. slippery first woods. pulled a tear off in finals, stoked. Won the overall national Pro GRT series.

SEP 23-24 Interbike 2010- Las Vegas, NV USA Didn't go .

NOV 8 Depart for Australia and New Zealand.

Bryn visits Ting

Bryn flew down to get surgery last week in San Jose to Visit Dr.Ting and reattach the ligament in his thumb. Same injury from jamming his thumb into the ground at Mt.St.Anne. Ting works on  lot of top athletes such as Bubba Stewart, Pastrana, Yao Ming, etc. The list goes on...

Anyway, been a few days and he is healing up nicely. THey scraped the floating piece of bone away, and anchored that ligament back in place, kinda superglued the skin back together rather than stitches. 6 weeks off the bike, no big deal this time of year. Well, except the trails up here in Washington are in their prime. He has been getting pretty good at pickle ball left handed. Pickle ball is like a mix between tennis and Ping pong, it's like my favorite non wheeled activity at the moment:) The old guys at the gym take it pretty serious, so we gotta practice up:)

PRO GRT WINNERS

This is kinda old news after last week, but Bryn and I won the Overall series for the Pro Gravity Tour in the US!!. This Downhill series has steadily been picking up the pieces for Gravity racing in the USA and is growing in popularity amongst riders and industry folks. 5 events this year; Port Angeles, WA, Plattekill, NY, Northstar at Tahoe, Winterpark, Co, and Whiteface NY were the stops for 2010. Next year should be a little different. I went to them all, and got to see quite a bit of the country driving around, as well as variety in terrain and styles of racing. Super mellow and laid back environments, mostly about having fun and riding. Good place for people to develop their skills. The more people who support domestic racing the better!!! Just wanted to say thank you to Transition, Red Bull, Oakley, and our co-sponsors for making it all possible:)

progrt.com