Boss Cross 2...

This has got be hell on your drive train... Travis putting the power down. Kinda reminds me of going to one of those mud-pulls for monster trucks or something. "Next up, Pyro pulling the 12,362 lb sled through twelve feet of snake infested sand"...

Mass Update

Sorry folks... I know you've been all so patiently waiting to hear what the Ethos crazies have been up to lately. I'm just saying... Travis has taken forever getting pics sent, and a post without pics are about as pointless as a bike classified without putting the size.

Dave won SS cross style at Swope which brings us to the XC race. Rain the night before made for a super hard course. Here's action shots..


Getting the sleds ready

Shawn looks confused

So glad to be done

Travis sampling some fine brew from Weston



So weak

Jamie looks excited!

Travis on the podium

Travis going fast

Everyone had a good time given the conditions. Shawn did it fixie style, and I had a broken seatpost... Guess it's better than broken bones though.

Then it was Manions Cross where Jamie and Kev took it to the house cross style.
I couldn't find any pics, although I was for sure I found some somewhere last week. Oh well, you have the man picture of Jamie below that pretty much sums it up. Super tough course from what I've heard. Kev didn't finish last in the 4's, and Jamie mixed it up in the 3/4's.

Whilst everyone was off racing skinny knobbies, Steve and I took it to dirt for some more XC action at Knob Noster. The course was almost perfect, but a little rain the night before made for a couple of slick corners and a little overall slower speed. It was my home course and I took it to the whopping 4 total experts for the overall win, and Steve took home a 2nd, inching his way closer and closer to beating his rival, Gary Lowden in the old man Cat 2 class.



Yesterday Steve and I took it to Warsaw for some more XC fun while the other boys took it to Boss Cross. Travis and I had similar luck. I flatted twice in the first half of the first lap of three at Warsaw, but managed to still finish the race. Travis sliced his sidewall in the last lap. Kevin is working on his skillz and raced 4s, and I assume Jamie was there too. Haven't got the full recap on that one yet. Kevin took another 2nd, beating out some other competition, and yet getting even closer to Gary.

Now it's pretty much full on cross. I give it to my boy Steve, at least he came out to get in the last of the dirt action. Now I guess I'll start riding my cross bike for the first time since last year...

G

Man Style...

Our team player Jamie showing us his guns at Manions CX Race this past weekend neck & neck with another KC Local, Shoffner (Shoffner has 15 or so stitches in his right arm from the KC Cup race the previous weekend!). How'd he do? Stay tuned to find out!

Dave Wins Cross!

Our boy Dave took to Swope Saturday to partake in some cross goodness, as the KC scene cross opener took place.

He raced the SS class, and raced it well. Better than everyone else by the looks of things.

More to report as soon as pics get rounded up from Sunday...

Binder Tall Oaks and the Lizard

Like a prego, I'm late, but what can you say, waiting for results and pictures gets to be tiring sometimes. Now two weekends ago, six dirt pounding dudes from Ethos embarqed on a journey to Binder in Jeff City for the big annual bash known as the Tall Oaks Challenge. Jamie and Steve teamed up in the duo, Kevin and Jessie also did, and Trav and I were looking for some justice to be layed upon the past two years winners, Chris Ploch and Tom Arnold. Both Trav and I had raced here before, and it's the trail I cut my teeth on just 4 short years ago on my way into this crazy sport of ours. The rest of the boys got their Binder cherries popped, and from the comments afterwards, thoughouly enjoyed it.

Jamie So Fast I'm Blurry Jeffries

Long story short, Jamie and Steve battled Jessie and Kevin with the duo of Kev and Jessie taking it to the hoop. Trav and I put lap after lap of fast furious peddling down, to claim a new duo of champions at Tall Oaks! 11 laps in 6:08. Next year we're doing 12.

Wizzing By Single Speed Style

Jessie Rolling Single Also

Travis Holding It Down Strong As Always

Steve was not found in the pictures. Probably because his blazing speed blinded the camera man everytime he came flying by.

Chris blew his rear derailuer, which was a big bummer, and the duo of Jeff Yeilding and Mark Gullet took second, with third being someone I don't remember for some reason. Maybe if they ever get results up.

Yesterday another group of 4 of us took off in a crammed Subaru to test our might against the Tour De Lizard trail system. We arrived at 7 on Saturday afternoon, mainly because I'm a loser, and took to the trail to see just what everyone was talking about. We got a proper lesson in mountain biking that evening. We finished in the dark, which is always a great way to finish a pre-lap less than 12 hours from the race. Did I mention it's technical sections would make anything we have around these parts look like a childs play set? IT WAS AWESOME!

Travis pulled out an impressive 3rd overall, and 1st in his age group. Steve took the top spot because no other 60+ man was man enough to race him. Steve is pretty intimadating. Kevin SURVIVED! With a nice tiger slash, knee slice, blown up wrist, and bruised and battered thigh. Me, well, I didn't do so well. The rigid singlespeed wouldn't be my recommendation on this course. Add to the fact I rode like a 12 year old girl, and it pretty much spelled disaster from the start.

A common sight this year. Travis with some Sunryes Ale, posted up on the podium.

Kevin after the apparant lion attack.


And it's not broke! The benefit of being a vet is you can x-ray yourself for free.

Ya, we pretty much have the most bad ass old dude around on our team. Minus Doug... Both have my respect.

Next weekend is SWOPE SON! If you miss this race then shame on offspring, because they got the genes of a Debbie Downer. This is were all the cool kids will be, and everyone's doing it, so just toss those excuses to the side and come out and pound some good ol' Swope action.

Also, put in on your calendar, September 26. Yes another weekend of dirt loving as the action takes to the trails of Knob Noster. I can personally promise you you will have a blast at this place. It's my home trail, one I ride at least twice a week, and have been for 6 months. I still love every moment of it. It's fast, fast, and more fast. Super buff, a couple of good climbs, and a couple of sections that will allow you to go far past your comfort zone of speed.

That's all for now folks. We'll see you this weekend!

G