DAN OF ALL TRADES

I like dirt roads and key lime pie. And race 'cross for the incomparable Vive La Tarte CX - Huckleberry Bikes Team.

[danofalltrades]

First Time at CX Nationals 🇺🇸

Most fun I've had at a total shitshow of a race! It was a blast.

Got taken out in the first 5 seconds by a sideswipe/pileup that put me on the ground, my chain jammed between the cassette & frame, and my derailleur bent. But not bent enough not to get back on the bike and keep racing.

The crash put me a minute off the back, but went all-in to make contact, and then started passing racers for two laps... until burping my front tire on the off camber and then riding/running back to neutral support. Took another minute for them to find the right wheel. But didn't quit because it was SO FREAKING FUN. Would do again. (And hopefully will in two years when nationals comes to Tacoma, WA)

Other highlights:

Passed a guy by running the drainage ditch and then SPRINTING full gas past him up the incline to beat him to the corner remount.

Riding up to the off camber section on every lap. Railing the off camber downhill on every lap (except the one I burped), including passing a guy on the off camber.

Riding the sand pit on every lap, including passing a guy in the pit.

Masters 40-49 Non-Championship 44th / 59

Masters 40-44 National Championship 57th / 59

US Cyclocross National Championships Rancho San Rafael Park. Reno, Nevada. January 2018

[thismachinekillscobbles]

[danofalltrades]

Freaking did it.

First time getting a callup as the series leader. The course suited me–plenty of longer power sections in heavy grass and mud, and a sprinkling of short-sprint running. Tim got the holeshot again, but this time I got a decent start and slotted in 3rd. My plan was to hang with the lead group for a lap, but I am not a particularly disciplined racer, so when the pack slowed down in the first muddy section I punched it and established a good 10 second gap quickly. I wound up holding that gap until about halfway through the race, then stretched it out on the final two laps win by almost 50 seconds. 

The second place finisher congratulated me, then told me I “broke his will.” Which is the first (and probably last) time anyone’s ever told me that. First ever win. And clinched the B 35+ Series Championship.

Next year I get my teeth kicked in racing Master A’s. But for now, that was a pretty great way to close out the 2016 season.

Master B 35+ 1st / 15

Sacramento Cyclocross Final Gibson Ranch County Park. Elverta, California. December 2016

[danofalltrades]

It’s been a good year so far. Kicked off with a respectable 22nd / 41 in A 35+ at the West Sac GP in September. Then have proceeded to get 2nd at all three Sacramento CX races in B 35+ so far this season (behind Ben Knipe, who keeps beating me by 1-2 minutes).

Master B 35+ 2nd / 17

Sacramento Cyclocross #4 Auburn Regional Park. Auburn, California.  October 2016

[danofalltrades]

Cracked two ribs falling on the stairs a week earlier, so breathing and running was slightly painful. But my season goal was a high finish in the Surf City overall standings, so toed the line anyway. 

I was in the mix for the first two laps, exchanging blows for the 2nd through 4th positions. But then a Roaring Mouse washed out right in front of me and Peter Nyberg established a gap, then a lap later a dropped chain lost me a few more spots. But hung tough on a very bumpy course where it was hard to keep the power down, and finished up with a mid-pack 7th that secured a 3rd overall finish for the series. Pretty pleased considering the stiff competition from Nyberg and Tabije all series long.

Master B 35+ 7th / 15 3rd for Overall Series

Surf City CX Final Cal-Fire Training Facility. Santa Cruz, California. November 2015

[someoneisalwaysfaster]

source - @c3pcho

[danofalltrades]

It’s awesome to have amazing teammates who can shred like nobody’s business, but are too humble to let you tell them that too frequently. But Aaron can shred like nobody’s business.

[danofalltrades]

New Kit Day! Worked my way one more step up the podium at Surf City—4th last week, 3rd this week. 

It was a power man’s course with lots of long flat sections and almost no technical features. Josh Tabije (Caletti Cycles) once again took off from the start, while I hooked up with a chase group that kept him just out of reach on the first two laps. As the gap started widening, I got antsy and tried to bridge up. It didn’t work but I did wind up dropping the rest of the chase group, so I wound up in no-mans-land 2nd for the majority of the race. I thought I had enough of a gap in the second-to-last straight, and still went full gas to the finish but Peter Nyberg came hard charging, got in my slipstream and then nipped me at the line by inches.

Master B 35+ 3rd / 18

Surf City CX #2 Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Watsonville, California. November 2015

[danofalltrades]

It’s decorative gourd season, motherfuckers!

Tabije and Bryan took off like a shot at the start. I settled in with a 5-man chase over the first lap, then worked my way to the front of the group. A few punches later, and I had gapped the group and was riding in no-man’s-land 3rd place. On the second lap, I slid out and my bars went off-kilter by about 10 degrees—rode the rest of the race with them slightly off. Then on the penultimate lap, I bobbled the sandy uptick after the 100m track. Andrew Lee (CX Magazine) rode right by me, and despite closing things up on the final lap I couldn’t quite catch him.

Still, second podium of the season. No medal this time, but did get a $1 decorative gourd.

Master B 35+ 4th / 19

Surf City CX #1 Harbor High School. Santa Cruz, California. October 2015

(Photo poached from Bryan Cheung.)

[danofalltrades]

Double-up weekend!

Saturday featured a super-challenging terrain at Superpro’s Joaquin Miller course. Decent amount of climbing, some loose sections, and amazing single track downhill. But the stairs, oh, the stairs. Was contending for top-5 early in the race before *pop* and surviving to get 14th.

Sunday at Sacramento CX’s Maidu Park was a very Central Valley race—great location, interesting terrain, and HEAT. It was a power man’s course and I didn’t have as much power after Saturday. But somehow kept the lap times pretty consistent, lingering in the 7th/9th zone for most of the race before getting nipped in the second-to-last straight to finish 11th. And bonus! Finally got to meet Mr. Fit & Filthy face-to-face!

Superpro CX #1 Joaquin Miller Master B 35+ 14th / 37

Sacramento CX #2 Maidu Park Master B 35+ 11th / 25

Joaquin Miller Regional Park. Oakland, California. October 2015. (Photo by Chris Hanrath)

[danofalltrades]

BASP cancelled, so headed down to Salinas for CCCX. Despite a flat, non-technical course that didn’t play to my strengths and a less-than-stellar start, I managed to claw my way back through the 35+ B’s, Open B’s and SS B’s throughout the race. Because of weird numbering, I wasn’t sure where I finished until results were posted. 3rd! And only about 40″ behind the race winner.

Master B 35+ 3rd / 9

CCCX #4 Toro Regional Park. Salinas, California. October 2015.

[danofalltrades]

The 2015-16 Cyclocross Schedule

New wonkiness this season with Santa Rosa Cup switching to a back-to-back-to-back format and a light September. Pretty excited for my second season racing for Vive La Tarte CX - Huckleberry Bikes. Will this be the year I break through to consistent podiums in 35+ B’s and upgrade? Who knows.

Sep 12: West Sacramento GP Oct 4: GP Clark Natwick Oct 10: Superpro #1 Stafford Lake Oct 17: Superpro #2 Lion of Fairfax Oct 25: Surf City #1 Halloween Nov 1: Surf City #2 Dia de los Muertos Nov 15: Surf City #3 Pie Race Nov 21: Superprestige #4 Candlestick Nov 29: Surf City #4 NCNCA District Championships Dec 6: Superprestige Final Coyote Point Dec 12: Superpro Final Lake Cunningham

And depending on how things go, maybe Cross Reno in September or CXLA in November? Maybe.

[danofalltrades]

And with that, our 2015-16 Norcal Cyclocross schedule is complete.

#SRcup: Day 3 is at Spring Lake Regional Park. #itsofficial. MARK YOUR CALENDARS. November 13-15. Day one and two at Sonoma County Fairgrounds.

[danofalltrades]

Secret Level Unlocked.

Fifteen of us got to go through the normally locked-off Portola Gate and into the San Francisco Watershed on this month’s Ramble. We were the only ones on the trail except for a ranger and his Border Collie.

Huckleberry x Vive La Tarte Ramble Fifield-Cahill Trail. San Francisco Watershed. Pacifica, California. June 2015.

(Photos by Alan Schacter)

[ridepdw]

RIP Jobst.

[danofalltrades]

Didn’t take a lot of pictures because I was going fairly hard in the first half and trying to survive in the second half (after a very ill-timed, soda-triggered gut rot for about 40 miles in the middle). 

Heard a *ping* right after we hit the first dirt section at Mile 18, pulled over and discovered a broken spoke. Wrapped it, opened up the rear brakes and dealt with some minor frame rub for the next 10 miles before I was able to flag down SRAM neutral support for a spare Zipp that I rode the rest of the way. Rode easy with the Vive La Tarte ladies and Nicole Duke for a bit, then took off at the next climb. Second half had a TON of fun dirt and a brutal finishing climb — thankfully climbing legs were there all day, and my dirt/rock/sand skills were better than most. But definitely fewer cooperative drafting opportunities in the second half, because a lot of people were fading. The pickle brine shot at the unofficial rest stop at Mile 120-ish saved my ass. Rolled to the finish to discover that Eric and Ed finished 5th/6th in the Cat 5′s! Then fun times with the Tarte crew back at The Big Waterslide Ranch.

Finisher’s beer. Belgian Waffle Ride. The Lost Abbey Brewery. San Marcos, California. April 2015.

[teamdreambicyclingteam]

Grinduro!

Its a race!  I have no idea what that entails, but it sure looks fun!  Presented by Giro

[danofalltrades]

Why oh why does it have to be in OCTOBER? That’s ‘cross season, not gravel/enduro/road season.

[danofalltrades]

Southbound Ramble!

A few more pictures from this Saturday’s Huckleberry Ramble. Started in the soupy fog up Dirty Mt. San Bruno. Rolled through the sunshine up to Sweeney Ridge and on to Planet of the Apes. Good times, great group and new trails (Gray Whale Trail WOW!).

Huckleberry x Vive La Tarte Ramble Mt. San Bruno. San Bruno, California. Sweeney Ridge. Pacifica, California. Gray Whale Cove Trail. McNee Ranch State Park, California. Fairmont Neighborhood. Pacifica, California. March 2015.