DirtyJuice

A nice little race weekend at Escape Granogue

High heat and humidity made it feel like breathing through soup, and an already technical course covered in moisture from a prior rainstorm sent many of us flying off our bikes...

No injuries, no notable placing a, just made it out in one piece...

I don’t sit around, watch TV, drink booze, and talk with losers about what I “wish” I was doing.

I wake up, get dressed, leave the comfort of my home and make my ideas and thoughts into reality...

Here’s a lesson for you s**theads; If you don’t live a life that you respect and honor - no one will ever respect or honor you; Maybe that’s why your friendships, marriage, etc are s**t.

Buck up and take ownership of your life...

**t

On the left, struggling through the single track at Bike Line Spring XC 2009; and to the right I’m flying through the woods at Trek Spring XC 2019...

The major differences between then and now?

1. I quit smoking
2. I stopped wasting time
3. I stopped making excuses
4. I started believing in myself
5. I learned the importance of love and forgiveness

**t — at The Spring XC at Fair Hill.

Let’s get real...

Mountain Cycling is not a political statement

Mountain Cycling is not a conquest for the sexes

Mountain Cycling is not a “girl vs. boy” thing

Mountain Cycling is not a statement for or against race

Mountain Cycling is:

1. A ridiculously overpriced groupthink sport filled with social ranking, in**st, and bullying

2. Comprised of mostly white upper middle class je***ff men and women

3. All about privilege

4. Overhyped, ego driven and destroyed

5. All about the je***ff accessories, the je***ff gear

——————————————————————————————————————————————

When I started mountain biking in 1991; I dreamed of being the member of a team, hanging out with cool people, going on great adventures, breaking balls, bones, and bikes...

For the first few years (up to 2001) I had a blast, riding mostly alone, occasionally running into other riders, having a little fun learning and laughing, and putting great memories in my pockets...

Somewhere along the way this sport became cutthroat; And trying to be a part of a team was the worst mistake I ever made. Teams are filled with insecurity, ego, useless goals, and nonsense marketing campaigns. Just look at these je***ff amateur teams, more sponsors than NASCAR. Give me a break.

In 2019; The sport is no longer what it once was - a simple alternative adventure to the road cycling garbage. It was an escape from the day - the complications that people get themselves into, the useless conversations and even more useless existence of most middle class whities; A time to feel like a warrior and a pioneer.

I’ve gone back to the way I used to be, and the way I dreamed XC riding could be.

So if and when you see me on the trails and I’m not “friendly” and I don’t say a word, it’s because I have no interest. I already have friends, and I already have a plan in mind.

This is why DirtyJuice is forever...

Philadelphia is my home, and the public spaces are my back yard...

I carry or stow trash bags in strategic places so I never have an excuse to not pick up litter...

Today I spent 30 minutes cleaning up the remnants of looked like a wild high school hootenanny. Empties, v**e sticks, plastic cups - the speckled the grass and the roadway. Unsightly for sure....

I cannot expect others to understand the positive personal impact that deliberate action provides the mind and the soul, all I can do is clean up and make a difference where I can.

Challenge yourself to do the same - take a few minutes to clean up your city each day...

**kyourteam

Today is the 225th day of the year and I have ridden my bike for 139 of those days.

I’ve spent 195 hours and 39 minutes on the saddle, on an average of 5 days per week and in that time and I cover an average of 69 miles.

I’ve climbed a total of 112,500 feet, and have pedaled a total 1,879 miles.

I’ve shaved at least 2-5 minutes off my best times, lost 10 pounds, increased my cardiovascular and muscular strength, my recovery is quicker and my technique is refined.

I’ve never worked at anything as hard as I’ve worked at this, and I am damn proud of myself for pushing myself and not making excuses.

This accomplishment has led to many other personal and professional accomplishments; But I’m most proud of what I’m doing here. This is one of the few things I’m good at, and I like that at 40 years old, I’m only getting better...

DirtyJuice Forever, you lazy motherf**kers...

**t **kyourteam **kyoursponsors

This Wednesday 7-10-19 I'm starting up the official DirtyJuice sanctioned Night Riding Sessions.

This will be a weekly ride starting at 9PM from the Belmont car barn (weather permitting.)

Bring your lights, bring your helmets, and bring your brain. Leave your bulls**t at home...

Before you watch fireworks, wake up early tomorrow and join the DirtyJuice crew for a fun off road cross country ride through Belmont and Wissahickon.

The pace will be lively and so will the company. PLan on a 2 to 2.5 hour ride of trails, gravel, and climbing. DirtyJuice merchandise rewarded to top climbers and riders of the day. Bring a few bucks for espresso and food.

I hope to see all of you out there

Some to wrap up June 2019...

I change my tire pressure about once a week. Sometimes I run lower pressure to have a smoother, gentler ride. At lower pressure I sacrifice speed for comfort.

When I run higher pressure, the bike becomes more “lively,” it wakes up and becomes instantly responsive and twitchy. I sacrifice comfort for speed.

Higher speed brings out different handling characteristics. For example; In dry conditions, I’m more likely to “wash out” my front end in turns if I’m not paying attention to my lines...

This was a fast and challenging week. I had to adapt to a higher pressure, occasionally messing up my lines by not making adjustments in my control to compensate for more speed. A few times I smashed into trees, slid into 3rd base, and “Full Messiah” over the handlebars...

This is also the first week in a long time where I rode 6 out of 7 days and exceeded 100 miles of riding. I feel good about my performance and my energy output.

The more I ride, the less desire I have to race. I thought I’d be all h***y to compete and size myself up against others, but I find myself caring less and less.

The point? You can never be perfect at anything. Make the tiniest changes and watch yourself learn all over again - and eventually the reason you started doing something may not be the real reason at all...

DirtyJuice Forever...

**t

It’s not about winning, it’s about doing...