State and One Step Away from State

Kyle Warras (Waukesha West), after helping his team win their conference title, breezes through the WIAA Division 1 Sectional Meet by taking 5th Overall. The top five finish earned him a nice high-ranked spot in tomorrow's WIAA XC State Championship! Good Luck Kyle!

The "O"'s (Hartford) Boy's Soccer squad scored a double overtime golden goal yesterday to push their way into the Sectional Final against Neenah(2007 State Champs) which also is tomorrow. They be one game away from State! Good luck Theo!

$5 anyone??? EXPO Beenie fits even Aris's head. We made plenty of these via Visual Impressions. $5 covers the cost. EXPO and friends - have your $5 bucks ready cause Iceman is right around the corner.

Be safe this Halloween night.

Thinking About This Too

Or at least watch Aris try to repeat his 2007 overall title.

Mid Week

Well a virus has worked its way into my system. My remedy is to ride it out.

We have been fortunate to receive some of Canada's nipple-cutting-glass air these past few days to help break us in-to the season. It is these first few weeks of coldness where you really need to stay strong. Your body feels colder than it actually is due to the shock. Stay away from your true "winter" gear for it is going to get MUCH colder down the road. Let's cross this weekend.

elmo

Mountaingoat @ Halloween CX

Mountaingoat from EXPO Racing on Halloween.

Soon Come

I have to send a huge shout out to all the peeps that made the parte' a Parte' -

Shelley @ EXPO
Jeff @ Ergon
Michael @ Lazer
Pops @ Visual
Russell @ Rusty Tool Shed
Mike @ Expedition Supply
Kyle and Rick @ Honda Power
Velo Trocadero
Madcross

Most of all - to all you spooktacular superfans and racers!

Pics n stuff later.

Happy Halloween CX

This bees the 13th Day of Halloween CX -

Hopefully we can't tell who you are...err...were.

Enjoy the chilly day on US! Get there.

Tons of Food

We have tons of food! No meat-type-links though cause we can't fit a grill in the car.

BEER and SODA
Chips and Crackers
Candy and Candy
11 Gallons of Cider
Pistachios and Gardettos
Cheese and Meat Trays

We got IT

All Thanks to Shelley!!!!!!!

Just Do It

Whether you are racing tomorrow, spectating, doing something later, closer to Halloween - Get a-thinkn' about a costume!

Just Do It

School Sports

Here's a little snap shot into the juniors of EXPO Racing. Days ago I mentioned that our EXPO numbers might be a tad low due to the "school sports" phenomenon.

Although, I strongly discourage a life outside of biking, these four kats have tried to make to make a name for themselves via the "other" sports. Ok, fine. I play soccer too. If anything - this lends to their "athlete" status and might actually make them better cyclists and peoples.

Kyle Warras

Bike Life - WORS Comp U16 Series Champion and a Member of the 24hr EXPO Junior team that took 2nd at the 24hr National Championships. Signed to EXPO for 2009.

Waukesha West High School life - Sophomore who is consistently taking names while running Cross Country at the Varsity level. One of his most notable finishes this year was at the Whitefish Bay R. Vanden Avond Invite where he took 2nd out of 128 runners. Did I mention he is a Sophomore?

Theodore Peters aka The "O"

Bike Life - WORS Sport 15-16 Series 3rd Place and a Member of the 24hr EXPO Junior team that took 2nd at the 24hr National Championships. Not afraid to don the diaper. He also will be going EXPO for 2009, which is nice.

Hartford High School life - Sophomore on the Varsity Soccer squad. Saturday is their second round match up in the State Tournament. Their Oct. 9 state ranking was 6th. By the end of their season they should be locked into a top 10 state ranking. Maybe even make it to state depending on tomorrow's game. Winter will bring him Basketball.

Brandon Watkins #65

Bike Life - WORS Sport U14 Series 4th Place and WEMS 6hr DUO Series Champion.


Marshfield Middle life - D Line. 10-20 tackles per game. Sack here and a sack there. The 8th grade team finished their season undefeated, winning by double digits every game.

Jordan Watkins

Bike Life - WORS Citizen U14 Series 4th Place and WEMS 6hr DUO Series Champion. USA Cycling Junior 11-12 current National Ranking - 9th.

Marshfield Middle life - Learning the game of football. the 6-7th team is split to two. Their head to head meetings are as hard nosed as bowl championship series game.

Day 10 of Halloween CX

The 10th day marks the beginning. The beginning of the nitty gritty. Tonight is the night I begin the beginning - the playlist and the list. The play list consists of genres like Rock, Reggae, Funk, Electric, Prince, Hip/Hop, Punk and Rap...A little bit of everything(in no particular order). The list, is more of like an umbrella term. For there are many lists incorporated into the "list" - Beer list, Candy list, Prize list, Costume list, Props list, Necessities list and so on. So I get to now relax and have some fun getting ready for a proper good time.

Addition to the Prize mix for the 20-Deep Costume Giveaway is, for a second year, going to also come from the depths of the Rusty Tool Shed. Confirmation of this front-page-news came on the 9th Day(yesterday) from the Russell himself. Have no fear, if he would pick from the shed with his eyes closed, he'd still come with some proNasty product. Excited we are for the Tool Shed's massive support.

So, as of 2 whole days before the parte', the updated prize list looks a little like this:

Ergon Bike Ergonomics

Lazer Helmets

Expedition Supply

the Rusty Tool Shed

Visual Impressions

"The Miscellaneous Pile"

EXPO Racing

Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?

Halloween CX - some updates:

Rick and buddy have come through proper to provide the necessary power. Ear plugs, however, will not be needed.

Lazer Helmets has joined the mix to aid in our 20 deep prize give-out.

If any of you out there are going to need some last minute costume aid...we may be able to help. Just ask.

(older posts have older updates)

Mind Chooses Focus

Don't let your mind only focus just on the important things in life. At least try not to. 14 credits this semester are devoted to SOE (school of education) which would be my main "focus". Three more credits are in the mix also, however they have been on the back burner. I don't skip class, but I don't pay much attention to the back burner's syllabus either...Enter what is due tomorrow. Book review from a specific book list.

Read a book in two days and review it (3-4 pages). Not bad, AT ALL, if I would have stayed on top of this one.

Anywho, it is on Heat Wave By Eric Klinenberg. Pretty interesting it is. 1995 - Over 700 Chicagoans bite the bullet from a week long "heat wave". Oklahoma City bombing -168. Hurricane Andrew - about 40, etc...

Interesting how they can keep the largest disasters quiet. Back to work...

Tomorrow is back to you know what.

***UPDATE***

DONE

Its in the Streets - Day 7

It's on billboards, it's on madcross, it's on WORS, ScoleTrain and MTBR. Let it spread like wild fire.

Russell went the route of a school girl last year, which earned him the name, yup you guessed it, "School Girl"...Will he present something worthy of a name change??? Will the MARS juniors still come from Mars? Will the peeps be able to finish our PBR? These are the questions that creep into my mind on the 7th day of Halloween CX.

On the racing front - Three 24's sound very tempting in 2009(Which three is the question). Aris "I'm Faster Than You" Peters is looking to upgrade to Expert for the upcoming Iceman Cometh MTB race this November. If not in time for that, he'll be ready to earn some overall cash in the "Expert" WORS class in 2009.

Longer - Day 5

I gave you a short Day 4, so I give you a longer Day 5. On the 5th day of Halloween CX, Aris and I, are going to fixie up the city in search on Halloween Expresses...Google only could locate about one fourth of all the real Halloween Hot spots. We have to 1pm before we slap on the tuxes...Go!

While you stuff that chili down you throat after your awesome Beechwood ride, talk amongst yourselves. Talk costumes. Talk Octoober 26. Talk Beechwood 2009. Talk about the awesome MTB year.

Miss'n Beechwood - Day 4

Family wedding keeps us from what is know as the pinnacle of WI XC MTB racing. Truly great trails, amazing friends, delectable pot luck spread that needs like a 20' x 40'ish tent and a great Wisconsin fall day as the cherry on top. We will sadly miss what is really know as the Beechwood Blaster. May we see you next year. We wish we could be there.

Coming sometime this weekend or early next week will be an EXPO High School update. For those of you that don't know, we have had a few less EXPO peeps at a few of the latest races. That is because many of our juniors are playing fall sports at their given institutions. Stay tuned to hear their doings.

PS - How much do you think 24-9 is going to cost next year???

New Fixie - Day 3

A full day of classes left me hungry. A full night of super homemade pizza and sponsor hunt type talks at BikeSafer's place left me pumped for future EXPO.
A new winter fixie begins to show its face as the days get wet and cold. This one comes from the Ronsta himself. Wheels are bullet proof and the frame has sexy lugs with some comfy touring geometry. Raised bars add a current fixedgeargus touch. Ronsta, you can relax for you have found the perfect home for your eldest fixie. She will be loved for years to come.

Haunted Day 2

Day 2 -
A haunted one it is. I woke up this morning with rain on my mind. Checked the radar, uh oh here it comes. Try try try to get out of the house to try and beat the rain. Rain starts to fall 10 minutes into the commute. I forgot a lock for the bike!!!!!!!! I forgot gloves!!!!!!!!!!! Squish squish my feet go from 11:30 AM till 7:10 tonight, they just won't dry.

As I type I feel horrible for the UWM peeps sitting on both sides of me in the computer lab. The wet dog/wet shoe type smell is slowly working its way into their nostrils. The fixie is currently sitting in the hallway waiting for some nut job to come along and say, "What the hell is this doing in the hallway?!?"

I just can't seem to find a comfort level today. I'm chilled, wet in the feet, frustrated, lockless, and wondering what's due in my class tonight. I'm haunted on Day 2 of Halloween CX.

HALLOWEEN CX update:
Ergon goodies showed up on the door step last night. Nice multiplied by three, then multiply that times two. A few will leave the Halloween CX Costume Contest and Parte' with a big fat Ergon smile!

13 Days of Halloween CX - Day 1

I think I did my math correctly: 26-14 = 13. Count today as day one and Sunday the 26th as day 13.


The site of this awesome PARTE' is on the hill run-up at the Washington Park Velo Trocadero Halloween Classic Cyclocross Race (click for race info PDF). Bring your costume for some sweet SWAG in return. Bring your belly for some candy, hot cider and PBR. Also, Tunes from my sweet ass play list will be blasting from our stereo.


SWAG commitments are as follows(and still growing):

Ergon Bike Ergonomics - Makers of race saving ergonomic bicycle products.

Visual Impressions - Makers of Pre/Post race wear for the cycling world. (Astana, Trek VW, Gary Fisher and EXPO Racing)

Expedition Supply - The shop that supports EXPO Racing wants to support all you costume junkies out there.

This List is growing, so be ready. Forget top 3...We go at least 20 deep.

Updates are to follow surely. Questions/Suggestions had better come my way.

WORS Wigwam MTB Challenge - Citizen

In the Dog.
Jordan fought hard to keep his 3rd place series spot...The math looks to put him now just out of third after WORS #12. 4th place for the 10-14 Citizen series. A top 5 ain't bad. Since he's only 12, he'll hang around another year to try to take the title. The upside to this kid is Aris - like.

First Timer(literally) Alex. Brother Al decided to give racing a go after a summer of riding. 6th/14 in the First-timer race had Al on a high the entire day. Loved seeing him have a good time. He left with a hot pair of Oakley's from the raffle to boot.

$10 came Jdub's way for making the Equalizer on both of his laps. Well done.

WORS Wigwam MTB Challenge - Sport

John G would play out some smart type strategy to try and hunt down Bike Safer. His legs were there for a last lap attack, but the rest of the sport field would agree. An up trail crash on the final lap would keep the two EXPO riders from a sprint finish. John still finishes with one of his best WORS finishes to date. 6th age, 18th OVERALL!!!!

Brandon had zero stress on this one, which seemed to pay off. 3rd in age is a good way to end the WORS season.

The "O" tries to avoid a MARS sandwich...Mitch(right) nipped him at the Hole shot line. Theo still came away $20 richer on the day, which is nice.

Jeff "Hole Shot"...err..."Bike Safer" Frings rocked the house. Takes the $20 Hole Shot. Then takes 2nd in Age. THEN takes 12th OVERALL. Simply an amazing day on the Bike. Way to go Jeff!

WORS Wigwam MTB Challenge - Comp

Aris was 16pts behind the current 3rd place overall holder before the WORS finale. He needed a VERY good finish in order to make up the difference. He put out his 3rd best WORS result of the season taking 3rd Overall. It would only be right that he then earns himself a 3rd place finish in the Comp overall series points race. A superb finish to a superb year. Amazing year Aris, Amazing.

First lap breathing issues and last lap gears issue lended themselves towards a bottom half comp overall finish. I felt good mid race. I was able to smile here and there. I had fun. I almost beat Aris in the hole shot at the start...lost by a tire.

Phil tested out his aero TT helmet as well as his EXPO jersey...2009 might have EXPO treating him real well.

All tried to find a good seat at the "Equalizer".

Tambo takes 11th in the age and is still smiling from him WEMS 3hr series championship.

Aris get Air on the slick rock.

Click the pick to see how hard Phil is working.

"Equalizer" look from the bottom. I did make it this time(3 of 4 on the day)

Taco

WORS Finale

Can't wait for WORS finale in Sheboygan this Sunday. Always a fun one it is.

Class this AM - Up north this PM for Trixie's Pop's Birthday's Day

Early up Sunday morn and we're off for some WORS action.

See ya there.

Enjoy the weekend and Keep Press'n On

Good Morning 10/10/08

Friday is the day.

Breakfast and a little Homework this AM. The goal is to get it done before tonight... for it's due Saturday morning.

I wanna have too much fun tonight ridin' fixies in Waukesha, so school needs to be clear out of the head.

I hope everyone can enjoy what Wisconsin is all about today and this weekend. These few beautiful fall days are the reason I stay here. Get out there!




PS - Are you thinking about Halloween Cross yet?

10 - 9 Day

Messenger Appreciation Day

Respect

Pass on the 'head nod'

Lapham Peak CX Pics

I sat this one out while a few EXPO peeps tried it out.

Aris has a nice nice new CX bike. Totally Tubular...get it?

Pics of Jeff actually racing, and racing well can be found here.

Joe Horvath (our CX king)

Off to class. You ride...NOW!

10hrs at John Muir - 100miles

Beautiful day matched some beautiful results. WEMS John Muir event pleased again.

One degree above freezing was the temp in the parking lot at 7am. I was getting nervous seeing all the SS's pulling in. 8 of us in total, which isn't bad. Clothing wise, I chose thick winter socks to guard my toes and a long sleeve jersey to fit over my short sleeve. My plan was to set up an easy off situation down the road once it got warmer. So I placed all of my vitals in my under jersey pockets.

The start was fast. My number one goal was to get out front. Not to so much gap the SS field, but to be able to keep my eye on everyone. If a SS was going to go off the front, I wanted to see it happen with my own eyes. I managed to pull into the pits in the lead with a slight gap on Travis Gruchow and John Shull.

Two laps had past and I was still in the mix. I was excited. However, some great fear was starting to creep in. Travis caught me towards the end of lap two. He said another SS (John) was close behind too. Travis and I ride in together. He has to pull off his pants, so I am allowed a few extra seconds of think time. Before I could even blink, John Shull flies through the pits. He didn't even stop. What do I do? Stay and wait for Travis or hop on John's wheel to keep him from gapping the field?

I had to go after the lead. About a mile into the third lap, I had caught back up with the WORS regular(John). This happened to be his first 12hr, which would explain his cross country style. He was ripping it! He really made it tough for me to hang on. None the less, I managed.

So while John and I are riding hard, Travis is dealing with a flat. You would think he was done. I thought I had gapped him enough, cause I couldn't see him at any of the long straights or switch back sections...

Just as John was done, Travis worked his way back. Travis and I start chatting. This was when he told me he was dealing with a flat. And this is when I began to worry. Not only did he bring me back, but he did it after a fluke flat. I was in trouble.

We rolled into the pits together after lap 5. At this point he had just finished a 4 mile rest and relax session while I was pacing him. He most certainly had to have been loaded with adrenalin too... When he snuck out of the pits just in front of me, he was gone. Another one off the front to strike fear into my head. Damn. I waved goodbye 3miles into our 6th lap. I just wasn't going to ride a pace that didn't belong to me. With that, my mind started to say "be done". My only unwanted pit-news from Trixie was how much of a gap he had opened up.

I ride into the pits...I couldn't see Trixie due to Travis blocking my view. He was still there as I rode in. It was a new day all over again. After all of the attacks, I wasn't up for much more. So I didn't, neither did Travis. He let me lead out of the pits for lap number 7.

Next problem - I had to pee. The last time Travis got in front he was gone. I wasn't up for trying to gap either. So held it, my pee. Then came the lap's big climb around 4.5mile marker. I turned the cranks slow, really slow. Just enough to stay on the bike. Travis had begun to let his pains show. While he walked the final push towards the top, I had just enough to do my duty. Little did I know, he waited anyways. Thanks T.

My piss marked the point in which the race had begun to lean my way. By the end of my 7th, I had stretched the lead to 10 minutes. My mind set? You have two laps to go, don't blow up. Lap 8 went without any glitches. The pits after my 9th had Travis in street clothes. He was done. His body just didn't want to do it any more. Sucks, cause this race could just of easily have been his. 2009 had better look out for this guy.

Trixie did the math and said not go out for a 10th lap. I trusted her, I really did. I just wasn't going to leave anything out there. Plus, why not hit 100 miles for the day? Not only was her math dead on, but her pit work was amazing. Over the years, she has fat out become a pro in the pits. She was a step ahead of me in every which way(when isn't she?). Pops and Moms lended some super hands as long as they could(left early to tend to the Bros's homecoming).



An awesome win turned out to be and AWESOME WIN after I went ahead and checked the series results this morning. The much needed 12hrs at John Muir victory handed me the 2008 WEMS 12hr Solo SS Series Championship!



Not only do I get to be pumped, but Chris Tamborino wins his 3rd straight WEMS 3hr Series Championship. John Gregorski places 2nd overall in the WEMS 3hr Series just behind his teammate. And the Watkins Bros, Brandon and Jordan, take claim the the WEMS 6hr Duo Series Championship. Not too bad of a WEMS season for EXPO Racing.

Won the 2008 WEMS Solo SS Finale

It was a tough one, thanks to all the tough SS peeps that showed up. Much much more to come. Tomorrow morning I will watch some CX at Lapham Peak...Resting and watching others suffer should be fun.

Bike Safer

BikeSafer on TV

BikeSafer makes the News. Nice piece it was about respecting cyclists, and understanding the law in regards to bikes sharing the road.

Clicky HERE for Jeff's Blog which includes the link to the video.