The best I can do......

All I can do is offer my sincerest apologies. You've all been waiting patiently for the Goatheads 2007 video, complete with helmet cam footage from Moab so cool that it will make you face melt off. Unfortunately it's been held up in post production for several months. It started with the writers strike and is now embroiled in a law suit over copyright and distribution rights. As soon as the lawyers give the okay the video will be released here......Until then, I've put together a short montage of some of our photos (sorry, no video). I'm sure men in black suits will try to shut us down for leaking this early, but I'm willing to take that risk. I'm sick of The Man holding me down with his foot I my neck. Today is the day that I "Raise My Fist and Resist!"




Hopefully that lifted your spirits a little, despite the crappy weather. If not, Wilford Brimley surely will.

Inconvenient Truth

As I watched the snow fall during breakfast today (the morning of APRIL 11TH) I realized there would be no Goathead group ride this weekend. At least not on single track (THOR guidelines). I began to wonder something, can we start a recall effort on Algore's Nobel Peace Prize.

Action Figures? I KNOW those guys!

FW: What Dads Do with Action Figures...

Prank

Here's a simple prank; all you need is 30 guys in spandex, 40-50 people with signs and cowbells, and a race podium. Let the hilarity begin.



This is the only way a Goathead will ever see the podium.

Swanson Controversy

Mod brought up the one thing I forgot to mention from Swanson on Saturday. Join the controversy.

With the changes to Tranquility and Swanson, will Manawa be the new downhiller entry trail?

(stirring the pot)

Update: When a blog censors itself, it makes it really awkward for the other blogs that link to it. I feel exposed. I think my slip is showing. :(

A Swanson Saturday

The Angry Butcher took me along to sharpen his cleavers on Saturday, looking forward to a bountiful new season. While we just road the front-side to avoid getting our pretty tires dirty, the new signs that marked sections as "difficult" puffed up our egos enough that it didn't really matter we missed out on the whole trail. The only thing better would be black diamond signs that say "May Cause Injury or Death!" If the parking lot had one of these signs, we would ride around our cars all day and leave feeling like we conquered the world.

A shout out to Mike D. and the mustache posse - thanks for making my day! You and Mod put the Goatheads to shame.

Perseverance

Obviously flats are something we have to deal with in cycling. But what do you do if you are leading a race, you flat, and don't have anymore cartridges / spare tires? You push on.

Mood change

I woke up this morning and it was raining. It looks like it might rain all day. Yet, I find myself in a great mood. It finally hit me as I was getting ready to teach my first class today. My joyous mood was my reaction to FINALLY being able to hit some single track. The trainer wasn't bad, but you can only watch so many DVDs. Did a couple snow rides with Lumpy and A.B. and they were a nice chance of pace. The past two weeks it was also nice to do a few road rides. BUT, there is no riding better than single track (if your MTB freak). Based on the new re-routes, Tranquility has gone from one of my least favorite courses in the metro to one of my favorites. While A.B, J-mac, and Johnny Law were missed yesterday don't worry they will be making their season debut soon.

Kung-fu Action at Tranquility

This is J.C. demonstrating how his Kung-fu training would allow him to break the Professor's arm without him feeling it. As exciting as this may seem, it actually wasn't the best part of the ride.
This was the first Goathead group ride since there was snow on the ground. Sadly, not all the Goatheads could make it, but their absence was minimized by the presence of J.C.'s brother in law, Tyler (not pictured). This was Tyler's first trip to Tranquility, I think you'll see him out there again, but he'll just be doing super fast laps around the creek. I think that was the only section he really liked.
As for the rest of us, I think the general consensus was that each full lap at Tranquility is 6 miles of bliss. I should point out though that any one of us would have been satisfied riding through an Indian burial ground if it meant we could ride on dirt. However, we did think that the new sections at Tranquility are going to be super tasty as soon as they smooth out a bit.
I know I'm a little behind the curve on this, but team Goathead would like to officially declare that the 2008 mountain biking season has begun (Which should mean more frequent updates to the blog). I think it's going to be a good year.
The Professor locked himself in his basement with his trainer for the last four months and is looking stronger than ever and his wife seems happier than ever. J.C. allegedly used his thigh master nonstop for 18 hours while sitting in front of his computer this winter, and if you felt his inner thigh, there's no way you could argue. J.A. (AKA the Beast) seems extra motivated this year, and since he usually throws down like Kimbo Slice at a back yard bar-b-q anyways, you know he's going to destroy this year. Johnny Law traded in his police cruiser for a bike. He spent the entire winter peddling after meth heads on the mean streets of C.B. The A-Train hasn't touched his bike since December, but he's been carb loading since then so I think he'll be ready. The rest of team Goathead hasn't taken the off-season as seriously (like myself) but the residual effects from last year still seem to be with us.
Now, check out this video of guys on recumbents riding on mtb trails. It appears that recumbent bikes are ideal for mountain biking as long as the trail is straight, the slopes are gradual and the only TTF you encounter is a little mud.

All of Omaha waits

You can see it on the face of every mountain biker in town.....Frustration.
It's been a long cold winter and it's been way too long since knobby tires have hit dirt. A few snow rides helped pass the time, but they didn't satisfy. Reports from around town are that the trails are close to ridable but not ready yet. The Professor tried Swanson and failed. I tried Tranquility and failed. The A-Train tried L&C and epically failed.

Give it another week comrades, we will reclaim the dirt!

Made me feel happy...

Ride on over to my meat house.

It's been a while since this thing's been updated, but the spring is hovering just out of reach so I'm hoping you all have singletrack on your mind..... For the sake of an update,........ I took advantage of the nice temps and found a new gravel loop up north of town. It was a great ride, but it reminded me that I'm not in shape. Playing basketball with co-workers once a week and riding the trainer every now and then just doesn't cut it. Now that high school basketball season is wrapping up, hopefully I can start bike commuting to work a few days a week. Nothing gets me in shape faster than that.

After my ride I went home and made a meat house for dinner.




No, actually that's a lie. I just cooked up a couple steaks on the grill. But if you'd like to make a meat house, go here to find out how. I plan on making my own very soon. Could there be anything better?

Goats on Ice

"What're you looking at?"

Although conditions weren't perfect (lots of ice!), three amigos made it out to Manawa on Saturday. We tested our balance, technical bike handling skills, and general manliness. I was the first one to cry, but I definitely wasn't the last.

Folding wheel

Very interesting. I can just imagine myself jumping a pothole and landing on a folded wheel.

Hey, I invented one of these this summer, it just didn't unfold.

Hawaii Chair

Forget riding your bike in the winter to stay in shape, just take the Hawaii Chair to work with you.

Rodney Mullen

Please hold very still while I blow your mind.

Top 15

Top 15 mountain bike crashes

Right Now!....... Garfield is cool again

I used to think Garfield was lame, until I saw this. Thank you Jim Davis!

I think we're ready

The Professor Joined me at Manawa on Sunday to hone his snow, bike-handling skills. I'm pretty sure we're both ready now for the Alp d'Huez Mega Avalanche race. It's a 22 mile down hill race in France. It also happens to be the largest mountain bike race in the world with 1,400 riders.

Here's a helmet cam of the start of the race. It starts really slow. Move it ahead to the 1:50 mark to see the good parts. The best part is around the 4:00 mark