DAks ICE trip DEC 2009

Jon Webster & I did 3 days of Ice climbing in the Daks ( Upper State NY ) near Lake Placid - Sunday 12/27 - Tue 12/29.

We drove up Sunday Am in the pouring rain wondering what the hell we were doing. Jon got up @ 3:30 and my alarm failed & he woke me up banging on the front door @ 5:00 am. I think around 10:00 we were getting dressed to climb it was still raining. We huffed up to the cliff and the rain stopped and it was almost warm. at least for ice climbing). We climbed at the cascade practice wall and JDW did 3 leads and much to my surprise after 2 years off I did 2 leads. Felt real solid almost like i never took all the time off. First several Pics from Sunday @ Cascade.

Steve on lead Sunday

Sharp stuff

ICE climbing - Just some of the sharp & pointy stiff..

Steve - up above

Jed after the rain - sun's out now and cool reflectios on the ice

JDW heading up - Don't look up it may poke your eye out !!!

Monday it was snowing like crazy -->> Don was sick so Jed joined us - we hiked into The North Face of Pitchoff and JDW & I each lead one route -- Tendonitis & Arm and Hammer . Stuff got soaked then the temps dove and the ropes became frozen cables. Three days later they were still wet in my cellar with a fan drying them out.. I just coiled them today ( New years eve). Good thing we had two sets of ropes for this trip.

Monday @ NFPO

Tuesday -- COLD cold - Did I say COLD ..........

SIX below Zero and the wind whipping like crazy, wind shield musta been 20+ below . We all dressed with lots of layers and parked @ Chapel pond and hiked into the BEER WALL canyon. ICE looked a bit thin @ Lions so we went in deeper Don & Jed stopped @ ICE slot/ Shot what ever it was -- we went way back to Positive Reinforcement - It was HUGE FAT and some NASTY candled / chandeliered sections. JDW did first lead as he had never been here before & I have climbed here several times as far back as 1994 I think. Oh yea I forgot to the right of the ice we climbed at SIX below water was flowing down the cliff....... YES open flowing water at 6 below it had steam coming off the water - very cool .... Two other guys showed up so this guy Chris lead a route similar to what JDW just did and I did a line left and sorta straight up Both climbing at the same time -- ½ way up the ice got so rotten I had to hack away 12-18” Old candled blobs that would not hold my weight at all to get good sticks and get screws in. It was a lot of work on top of dead vert. After those two climbs we hiked out to ICE SLOT/ SHOT and JDW did the last lead of the trip . It was getting colder and we had a long drive home so off we went……………………

Last climb we did Tue .....


JDF on - Positive Reinforcement in very cold conditions


Positive Reinforcement - just before we climbed it.......-

It's getting to that time of year again - You know 2010 Cycle Goals

So what will they be this year 2010 & how did I do on least years goals . I guess I better go see what I said I would do in 2009 first .. see comments I made today.....

2009 Goals : Blog post ( Jan 2009 ) :
Goal #1 get in the best shape of my life and try to hit 150 #'s. I have a week to go and I hit 151.8 yesterday so I'm wicked happy. OK I did hit 150 in FEB 2009 - even got to 147 late Feb, and I'm proud to say I'm currently bulking up for a cold winter -->> and almost all the Halloween candy is gone thanks to me. Current weight 157. PS: I did stay in ther low to mid 150's all summer. After race season ended early in August with my back injury diet went to hell.
Goal #2 Train like a crazy man all winter to get ready to have Gary + his friends School the old man. ( next Sunday @ Santa Barbra Worlds I will do my best to not get dropped). I got dropped but not as bad as 2008 - maybe I can hang even longer in 2010. That will be a 2010 goal for sure.
Goal #3 Get Jon to also travel out to Gary's for this trip - This is a plan . I will stay 16 days , Jon 13 days + two of Garys friends a week each we will have one hell of a blast . Fantastic Father & 2 son's week - could not ask for a better time .
Goal #4 Climb OSM in better time by 2 min's vs. last MAY. LAst may best time 22:00 I think. I can't find my time for 2009. I will keep looking.
Goal #5 See Lance Armstrong race in the Tour de California . We plan to watch the TT day Friday2/20/09 in Solvang Calif . Another cool day for sure. But Gary has a killer ride to get to the race from his house planned 70 mile ride out with Mt. Figaro .... Something about a 12 mile climb with 4000+ feet of climbing I'm worried.. Then watch race and ride 30 miles back home . Total change of plans - Gary and Brian a teammate were invited to ride the Solvang TT - and GARY Won . That was a cool day for sure . Oh yea we saw Lance but Gary's win was a way bigger deal.
Goal #6 no Heart Attack. Still kicking ( or should I say Ticking) ........
Goal #7 Ride 5000 miles in 2009 - still have 3 weeks so I think I will be OK ( I'm @ 7100 miles already )

Note Last years ( 2009) training camp Stats =
Total trip 16 days - I rode 14 of those days .......45 Hours - 690 Miles - 44,100 feet of climbing Who hooooooooo

Gary & Cross this FALL

I have a few fantastis Pic's of Gary I wanted to post here:



New S-WORKS - cross bike MID season 2009

Calif State Championships 11/22/09 :

Monday, November 23rd, 2009
Southern California/Nevada Cyclocross Championships
Southern California/Nevada Cyclocross ChampionshipsSCPS #12: Convert CrossPhoto: Kate Ybara

With clear skies, no winds, and a fantastic course Lake Casitas park was this year’s venue for the Southern California/Nevada Cyclocross Championships. The wonderful location and beautiful views made for an epic day. The course supplied one of the most consistently flowing raced this season. The combination of turns with loose dirt, fast sweeping grass sections, climbs, and the two flat road sections gave riders a lot of opportunities to race more tactically, which was evident all day.
We have to say congratulations to all the new champions who went out and worked so hard.

Elite Men:The long road start was taken by last weeks winner John Behrens (Bailey Bikes) who came out in the lead through the first loose turn and he continued his pace through the first half of lap one. Then it was series leader Brent Prenzlow (B&L/Celo Pacific) who commanded the front spot going up the long climb and through the triple barrier section. He had the lead position but the front group was not breaking up. All race it was a group of at least six to seven riders as they tactically watched each other, applying their efforts in their chosen sections but it would not crack the group. On the third lap going into the fast flat barrier section Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air/Specialized) went over the bars hard as he was hopping the barriers. It was a hard crash but not enough to put him out of contention because he has the power and pedaled back onto the front group within half a lap. Prenzlow was racing smart at this point with the other lead riders as the exchanged pulls through different sections continuing to pull away from the rest of the elite field. We saw Gary Douville (Platinum Performance) up front, and then Taberlay, Mountain Bike Legend Ned Overend and others as the group came through each lap. With four to go Prenzlow dropped off the front pack with his foot unclipped, maybe with a pedal issue, but by the fifth lap he was back in the group. Finally, with one to go pack of six came to the last turn before the barriers. Mark Noble (Nonstop Ciclismo) made a move in the tight corner to pass Overend but he lost traction and slid out which made Prenzlow run into the back of him. It was just what was needed for Taberlay, Douville, and Brandon Gritters (Rock N’ Road Cyclery) who monopolized on the two tangled riders. Taberlay instantly attacked leaving Douville and Gritters in the chase. Prenzlow and Noble were back in the chase quickly but it was close. Taberlay kept attacking through the final climb and onto the road for the final sprint for the win. However, while he did have an impressive race to take the win, his Australian citizenship does not allow him the Southern California/Nevada Championship so Gary Douville took the championship title and second on the day. And, behind sprinting up the road it was Brent Prenzlow who just passed Gritters before the line for third, with Gritters Fourth and Ned Overend to round out the top five.

Pro/Elite, Gary Douville (Platinum Performance)

One of the many 2nd place finishes this season

Braap

More Braap

Ned Overend - Mr. Mountain bike KING himself with Amanda + Gary

SUNDAY 11/22/09

This has to be the best ever pic . It looked crazy ..........

VW Eurovan Theme - It's been all around !!!

Vail Co.......

Outside of VEGAS - Red Rocks

Death Valley Calif

T meadows

Yosemite - Just before the BEAR ............... Wadered thru camp....

Yosemite

I don't need to tell you where this is ...... Most stunning view of nature I have ever seen !

Alcatraz in background

San Fran - 2006

No CAMPING - N. Calif - we stayed 3 days -2006

BIG A$$ REDWOOD TREE

Stuck ...................

Calif / Oregon border

The Pacific South of Seattle Wa. - 2006

Mount St. Helens Washington - 2006

Mt. Rainier Washington State

Mt. Rainier Washington State

Idah o - so where are all the potato 's

Tetons - WY

Almost @ Yellowstone National Park

Devils Tower WY................

Mt. Rushmore - South Dakota

Back side - Mount Rushmore 2006

Broken Eurovan - BAD LANDS S. Dakota - about to get several hours towing to Rapid City

Eurovan mirror - South Dakota saloon - you get thirsty driving all day.

Wisconsin Cheese place 2006 trip across the USA

Oct 2003 - Gary + I hiking weekend upper State New York ( DAK's)

Just loaded up for another trip somewhere.......... 2007

Wow never been that clean since.......

Day one - As Eurovan owner - 2/4/2003

VT. -- N/H - weekend fall 2007

Gary + The guys 24 Hours of Adrenalen Berkshires MASS - June 2004

Best camping spot on the South West trip - 2005 UTAH I think

Moon over Eurovan - 2005 Hite UTAH.

Monument Valley Utah / AZ line - 2005

On the way to North Rim Grand Canyon AZ. - 2005

Day 4 after visit to South rim Grand canyon Just north of Flagstaff AZ.- 2005

Eurovan Mirror - Day three - South West trip 2005 - Arizona line

May 2005 trip to the South West - Day One - Big traffic Jam in Pa.

Gary @ Barkhamstead race - CT 2007

Senaca Rocks - WV 2007

Yosemite 2006 - VW way way below

Cape Cod 2007

Chambridge NY - Ballon Fest 2009

Outer Banks North Carolina 2009

Andover Ct 2009

Monument Vally Utah 2005

Some Colorado Pass 2005 heading back home

DAKs NY - ICE climbing trip - North face of Pitchoff 2003

Cape COD again

Mount Washington NH - Cravase Training day - April 2005