Likin’ Bikin’ News

Lompoc, CA <– Watch for more MTB happenin’s outta this little Mecca.

For now, we’ll just report another great weekend of hangin’ out with the Wilcox clan.

And by “hangin’ out” I mean: bikin’, XC racing, pump-trackin’, surfin’, more bikin’, dual slalomin’, and more surfin’… yeah, in 2 days. Our Lompoc visits tend to be somewhat action-packed…   NO down-time.

Standard weekend there goes like this:

Bri and I load up the L’B’ shuttle machine, roll into Poctown late Friday night, and catch up with Ma and Pa Wilcox(and sometimes Doc-Knock) until 2’ish?

Saturday AM, Marshall is outside watering down the pumptrack. I’ve blogged about the Wilcox p-track before, but it’s as staple in the back yard there as a swing set or swimming pool anywhere else. We get out there as much as possible. It’s fun AND an amazingly tough workout. The idea being, acceleration without pedaling. Here’s a little example:

After forcing down some calories… (while there, we’re too busy to have proper daytime “meals”, just stay fueled and keep going) we either hit the track for some good bikin’ times, or, as was the case this past weekend, head over to Chamberlin Ranch for some down-home, grass-roots, local racing. “StumpGrinder” Mike puts on a really low key, fun for the whole family race series out there. Check it out at RideSB.com and come git yer race on! (Or click that “RideSB” logo over there to the left)

The DH course is fast and flowy with some good opportunities to put a little sunshine between your tires and the ground.

The DS course is the steepest I’ve ridden (which, for a single speed slalomer, is perfect because there’s really not much pedaling, let-alone shifting, required)

The XC… Is tougher than I expected. This past one, I arrived about 10 mins before the start, went ahead and entered the Exp SS category, ran back to the car to get ready, back to the startingline where I found myself to be the ONLY one in that class…. So, off I went, to race myself. It was actually great! 4 laps of a beautiful course. Lots of climbing (which, being a loop, translates to lots of descending too!) and lots of singletrack.

Yeah, 32 miles on the diSSent was tough… but that good kind of tough… the kind that leaves your legs like rubber-bands and gives you 10hrs of motionless sleep the night after. Anyway, yeah, I grabbed 1st place (and last place… but hay, I’m an optimist!)

Oh, and did I mention there is yet another pump-track at Chamberlin? Built by the Pumptrack Master himself. Actually, this weekend, we rode 3 p-tracks in the greater Lompoc area. It’s an epidemic up there! And, these thinngs are getting some serious press… here’s “the other pumptrack master” gettin’ some ESPN luv).

It’s not just Bri, me, and Le Cirque up there either. Even more of Team L’B' is usually in the house. The Hoffman’s are yet another bikin’-likin’ family. Brenda, Ed and the kids all ride, race, and enjoy this little activity we call “bicycle”!

Now, we do bike ALOT… But it’s always nice to change-it-up and go enjoy other outdoor activities.  So, after a hot day in the dirt, it’s become routine to head back to the house, drop off the bikes, load-up the boards, and go recover from racing at the beach. (And the cold Cali central coast water feels really good on achie XC legs too.)

Note: Marshall and Jana, are surf hall-of-fame’rs. And I (Dan) am just getting the feel for it again…

Sunday is DS/DH day back at Chamberlin, or if non-race weekend, you can bet we’re having some 2-wheeled fun somewhere else up there.

Finally, Sunday evening, those Wilcox’ follow Bri & me part way home where we all hang out and surf some more at a beach near Santa Barbara. (See above shot of Jana on glass)

Bri and I get back home to the OC by about 11:00 Sunday night and can’t believe how fast it all goes by, how much we’ve done, and how done we are. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz………