A nod to some generous people (part 1)

It wasn't that long ago that I was on a $200(US) Specialized Rock Hopper. With no suspension and low-end components, this bike - in all its purple glory - was my ride. I took pride in keeping it clean and safe from bike thieves. Well, technically it probably was a while ago, but I'll never forget the humble beginnings of a rider who considers himself very lucky to have world-class support today.

Since turning pro in 2006, (and previous to that) I've had plenty of help along the way in the form of people and products. Today, my core support is made up of the people and products I've sought out. Financial and gear support comes from the likes of Trek, my parents, Bontrager and Ay-Up lights.

This post technically isn't my 'official duty' as a sponsored athlete, but rather my official duty as a thankful athlete. I owe it to these companies who spend time, money and ample resources to develop world-class products, in addition to sending out salt-of-the-earth people to represent their gear. One person in a cast of several generous characters is Andy Fellows from Ay-Up Lights.

Last year, an article came out in cyclingnews that mentioned a lighting failure I had in the middle of the night in Moab. The writer of this article threw me a bone by mentioning I needed a light sponsor. Well, after another Ay-Up athlete, Travis Macy, put me in contact with Andy, I found myself on their list of athletes. Being a solo 24-hour racer, this was one of the best sponsorships I could have asked for. Those of you who have looked into buying a lighting setup understand how difficult it is to pick the right product for the right price for the right application. Let me do you a favor... read on.

I'm the very proud owner of the Adventure V4 Kit.



As a mountain biker who struggles riding with a camelback, much less a bunch of other heavy and cumbersome items, I was looking for a lighting kit that didn't A) have batteries that break water bottle cages B) have unreliable and flimsy lights and C) burn out in an hour and a half - leaving a rider guessing whether or not he or she will be riding to the finish line in darkness.

I've been aware of Ay-Up for quite some time - and pretty much from the beginning just over 3 years ago. I saw these light and well-designed lights in Monterey, CA when I raced the Solo 24-Hour Worlds and they caught my eye. As an owner of a film/video production company, I have to be honest and say that - yes - design and looks play an important role in products I buy. So there's the first A+.

The lights themselves are the lightest on the market. (2nd A+)





In the V4 kit, I have two sets of lights - one placed on my handlebar and the other on my helmet, making the night 'come alive' as they say. However, remember my dislike for heavy batteries? Ay Up's got my back!




Lightweight (as light as an iphone) and lasting around 6hrs each (A+++!), the Epic battery blows away anything I've seen and WAY out-performs the several lighting kits I've raced with.



I'd like to re-iterate that I'm a huge fan of design, function, and a company's beliefs and people. Ay-Up has impressed me so much that I truly believe I'm doing someone a favor when I recommending these lights. In fact, if there are any front-rangers out there who want to do a night ride with me and try them out - give me a shout. I'll let you use mine. I encourage people to spend some time on their website as they have several products and kits that work in any application from adventure sports, climbing, skiing, and pretty much anything you'd ever need light for. A huge selling point for me as well, is that the pricing isn't outrageous. These guys just do it right - plain and simple.

Moab is right around the corner and I'm looking forward to lighting it up at night - thanks to Travis and Andy. Thanks for helping me out boys!

km

If only you could see lactic acid

This is pre-implosion. Congrats to Brad, Dave, Josh and Ben for riding great at the Five O.




In other news, Josh is in Guatemala and he's been documenting his journey thus far in his blog. I dropped him off at the airport and all he had was a backpack, passport and no idea when he was coming home. Enjoy the journey Tribeca... (my new nickname for the guy who tripods around corners he finds himself going into a little too fast...)

Also, Jonathan Davis from the Trek Store team finished third overall at the Vapor Trail 125. Again, the race is called, 'The Vapor Trail 125'... Need I say more?

Way to break through those dark moments my friend.

I've been racing a bunch lately and aside from a little bad luck, I'm feeling good and having a lot of fun. The Fall Classic was this last weekend and friends Dave and Kevin came down from South Dakota for it. We've developed somewhat of a routine, (if you can call doing something twice a routine) of hitting Denny's for a pre-race breakfast. Both times proved to be a successful endeavor for us. There's just something about wheat pancakes, eggs and coffee that make a person feel good...

With October approaching, my internal clock knows it's time for Moab. Not in the normal sense of a leisurely trip with friends to do some fall riding, but something more along the lines of one last race to say goodbye to the 2010 season and my 4th year as a pro. Moab is tough - mentally, physically and everything in between. Last year was a success and I hope to show up to the line just as prepared this year. I've always believed that, win or lose, the one thing you can do is make sure you've done what you could leading up to start.

What it's really about

Some called it crazy. Some called it bad planning. Some thought it was going to be the death of me. Well, I thought it would be the best weekend of riding I could have!

I am fresh off of a whirlwind trip from Colorado to Park City to Spearfish, SD and back to CO. Earlier this year, back when there was snow on the ground, Shannon from the Park City Point to Point bike race asked me to join in the fun of this epic, 75 mile, 14,000 feet of climbing, epic adventure. The only catch was that it was the day before the Dakota Five-O in Spearfish. Both of these races are a mountain biker's dream. Mainly singletrack and a lot of climbing, the trails that make up these races are destination trails in their own right. Well, I found a way to partake in both races via a late flight Saturday night into Rapid City. Of course I knew I would have a pair of sore legs and a tired body, but I wasn't going to let it ruin the weekend.

However, there were a few snags to work out. which bike goes where? How? What about food? Support? And so on... Dave from the Trek Store in Boulder gave me a few leads and I ended up befriending a gent named John Davis. This pretty much changed the destiny of the weekend as John and his crew (including wife and kids) took me into their group. If I could describe a total professional program of preparation, support and just good times - these guys fit the bill. I was in good hands - and so was my bike as it rode with John in his RV while I hit the friendly skies.

I was introduced to new friends when I reached Park City and we all had a nice little pre-ride the day before the race to scout the start. After the ride I was treated to a fantastic pre-race dinner and interesting conversation. Shortly after, it was time to hit the hay and gear up for some major time in the saddle.

The PCPP started at 7AM and a lead group of four quickly formed. I found myself riding with strongmen Josh Tostado, Alex Grant, and a young buck - all of 16 - named Keagan.



Keagan was riding the duo category with another 16 year-old stomper so he was blazing that first leg with the 3 of us solo guys. About 2 hours in I ran into some bad luck and suffered a mechanical. As the group rode away from me I just had to remember that it was a long day and anything could happen. Plus - I was riding some great trails and I knew I was going to enjoy that. As the day wore on I had some more tough luck, but managed to hold onto 3rd overall. Alex ended up putting a little time into Tostado (who I'll be seeing in Moab in about a month) and pulled off the win. I was happy to finish the race and feel solid the whole time. After the race, the podium was set up and I had about 5 minutes to spare after getting the paycheck for the day.



Off to the airport I went. John and crew were all in after killing it out on the course and they wished me well in my next adventure of the weekend.

Bike and bags with my new Trek brethren, I flew nice and light to Rapid City where my parents, uncle and cousin were waiting with open arms at the airport. I pretty much had my whole family welcome me when I made it to the vacation house we had in the Black Hills. I ate as much food as I could and stumbled upstairs to bed. 5am came way too quick and I was suiting up again! More food and Josh B and I headed down to the start for the warm up. We ran into local legend, Dave Olson, who joined us for the short, bursty climbs that were to get the legs and lungs opened up. The second I stomped on those pedals I knew I was in for a looong day. With Josh, Dave and fast Colorado pro guy, Brad Bingham, taking the start - I knew it was going to be a painful day.

My family, (aka 'Team Kelly') along with Dave had mapped out every feasible route to the aid stations so they could hand us bottles and food throughout the 50 miles. As the gun went off, I was immediately in a world of hurt. The big guys headed to the front and immediately put me against the ropes. I'm friends with the guys who were in the lead and who were about to do battle, so I was excited to see who would do what. All 3 had a great day and it was Brad taking the win, with Dave (who I witnessed tear himself apart to reel Brad in) getting 2nd and Josh (who rode through a set of bad legs in the beginning to come back strong) getting 3rd.

Team Kelly has been an integral part of any success I may have had in my cycling. The amount of support, love, and fun atmosphere they provide is unparalleled. Saying thank you just isn't enough, but that's all I can do in this blog - so, Thank You. My mom even treated Josh and me to a massage at the post-race party where couple gals had a table set up. I couldn't have needed it more!

The weekend was great, although it went by way too fast. I blinked and, sadly, I was saying goodbye to my family. All said and done, I realized that while racing is something I love to do and I spend a lot of time working at it - it's really the people who you surround yourself with that make the experience.

To my new friends I met in Park City - thank you for defining what the mountain bike racing scene should be.


Leslie Handy, Jonathon Davis, Curt Wilhelm, Brandon Newcomer, Yours Truly, Anthony Thornton, and Bill Wheeler

To my family - I love you all and feel blessed to be surrounded by the best people I know.

(More photos to come)