Dirt is for........ potatos?

Ya....... No.

I have come down with a sickness called SS fever. the only cure I know of is to just ride it out :)

I started riding off road way..... way...... back. A thing called BMX in the late 70's early 80's. My first MTB was a Raleigh with suntour thumb shifters that my Mom and I bought at a bike store on Stanyan St. in the Haight. It was dark blue and had the big chrome 1 pc. handle bars. I really wanted the Ross but it was to much $$.

I loved that thing. I only had it for maybe a year and then it got stolen. Took me awhile to get a replacement but did. By then it was like 1990 and technology was getting pretty good. My buddy Jim convinced me that clip-less (SPD) pedals were the shit and I got up to speed with them in no time. Then he somehow got me to try, (gasp) spandex! I fought it for the longest time. Once I had tried it though, I was sold. I have had a lot of friends in the past that helped me along the way in using new stuff or pushing me performance wise. Into the 90's I used to work in Marin and I was doing night rides and bomber runs in China Camp and Mt. Tam on the trails that are now all off limits. I never thought I would look back and say...oh the "good ol times" but they really were....

I had a super solid group of guys to ride with that pushed me every ride. Once I "found the single speed" or did it find me? I was off and running. Back then you had to have it made and some friends at what was once Stanyan Cyclery on Haight had a Diamond Back Ascent "modified" for me. I rode that thing with a ridged fork and just started killing it. My descending skills were always front of the pack, probley from years of motocross riding and then I started climbing like a madman and had a very wicked spin. A little clue, when riding a SS off road, you can only go "so" fast. Go to slow on the climbs and your walking. Big motivation to turn those pedals over even if it's 35 rpm! I am beginning to think that's were my decent sustainable power has come from. This is also part of the reason I am focusing on the SS this summer and will hit as many MTB events as I can. I will still do the RR thing, love the speed yo! but something about the dirt is calling me in my soul. I must heed the call and will try to get as many of my teammates and friends on the bandwagon as possible.....

Yes... I'm on a mission ...

a mission from potato's...............