PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK:

COLD HEAD WINDS,

HOT CHILI AND DREAMS OF DIRK

By Bob

A bazillion years ago, Petrified Forest was a floodplain crossed by streams with tall conifer trees lining the banks.  Crocodile-like reptiles, giant amphibians and small dinosaurs prowled through the ferns.  Last weekend, a pack of five Rez Dogs – Chuck Van Drunen, Andy “Bobcat” Stravers, Chad “the Ghost” Meekof, Brian Leddy and Bob "Rosewarrior" Rosebrough - joined the hunt.  A report:

1.     “EVIL ALWAYS FINDS A WAY”.   In the morning, about ten miles from the start, as the pack was barreling down I-40, Chuck, who was riding shotgun, sent a prank text to Bob who was driving.  The text read, “Hey this is dirk…I’ll meet you guys @ the visitors center.”  Dirk “the Hollebeast” Hollebeek of course is the Rez Dog roadie who poaches mountain bike races and constantly tries to lure sweet, innocent, naïve dirt bikers over to the dark side.  Bob passed his cell phone to the guys in the back seat and  Bobcat, after looking at the text, stoically remarked:  “Evil always finds a way.”  This was not the first or last of Chuck’s obsession last weekend with Dirk (who was reportedly spending Thanksgiving in Phoenix with his family), but more on that later.

2.     80 HARD, COLD MILES.  In his sales pitch, Chuck billed this road ride – starting at Painted Desert, through Petrified Forest, on to Holbrook for lunch, and then back - as an 80 miler, but it quickly became apparent that to do the whole route would be a 100 miler finishing with a long uphill grind into a bone cold headwind - in the dark.  In other words, a suffer-fest of epic proportions.  Bob – a charter member of the Old Guys Who Get Fat in the Winter Club – opted for a shorter 60 mile version and retrieved the truck to pick up the other dogs at the top of the Agate Bridge Hill in the heart of the Park just before dusk.  The Ghost, Brian, Bobcat and Chuck had 80 hard, cold, windy road miles in their legs by that point.  

3.     COVERED IN CHILI AND FILLED WITH CHILI.  You can say what you want about Chuck, but you have the give the guy credit . . . you can always count on the fact that when he plans a trip there is going to be some good eating.  This time Chuck (with an assist by Bobcat) led us to a funky, family Mexican food restaurant just past the railroad tracks in Holbrook.   Rez Dogs are known to devour huge amounts of chili and we got all we could handle at Joe and Aggie’s Cafe.   Chuck led the pack by ordering a burrito covered by red and green chili and filled with red and green chili.  Yeah, you heard me right:  a huge burrito that was covered with chili and filled with chili.  Nothing else but a tortilla, a little cheese and a mound of chili almost the size of the lenses on Brian’s big camera!!!  Chuck topped it off with a chili relleno wrapped in an egg instead of batter.  Check out Bobcat’s cell phone photo of Chuck at lunch.

4.     DIRK, DIRK AND MORE DIRK.   Any time Chuck is on pavement or within even a half mile of pavement, there are only three things on his mind:  Dirk, Dirk and more Dirk.  Before sending his faux Dirk text, Chuck entertained the pack with a running commentary that started with an account of Dirk’s recent ride with Paul Barry (“Dirk was well behaved - for the most part.  One shot is all you get with Dirk.   Paul better know that Dirk won’t behave a second time.”), the Care 66 ride (“Dirk turned a causal, charity ride into the hardest race of the year!  It wasn’t just a race it was a series of races!! It was a stage race!!!”), and speculation that Dirk would appear unannounced at any moment on his way back from Phoenix to poach the ride and punish us with fresh legs.  The only absent dog who got an honorable mention from Chuck was Peter who recently told Chuck about a dog-free loop he had done on fresh pavement west of Vanderwagen.  (The Ghost, from the peanut gallery in the back seat,  “Any sheep?”)

CONCLUDING QUESTIONS:  Was Joe and Aggie’s chili really that hot or was Chuck red-faced-glassy-eyed-sweat-beaded-hair-straight-up because he actually convinced himself that Dirk might appear - out of thin air - and poach the ride going back?  And when is Chuck going to start charging Dirk rent for living full time inside his head?  Just asking.    

Chad Drinks The Bitter Cup

After a brutal defeat earlier in the season @ the dawn til dusk 12hr race. Chad Meekof decided it was time to officially acknowledge the power of this year's Gallup Cup Winner's   (AKA. 'Vanquish thy Enemy') and physically drink from the bitter cup that escaped his, and teammate Peter Tempest's, hands.

Chad states, " I wanted to feel the full agony of defeat, so that I would be motivated to go to spin class multiple times a day until next years race...when I will crush those wanna be posers Chuck&Andy" 

Sometimes you get the sheep...

Going All the Way

GOING ALL THE WAY:

A SEA OF SLICKROCK;

A BIRTHDAY CAKE UNDER THE

STARS; AND A SECRET, EPIC ROUTE

This weekend, six intrepid rez dogs traveled far from home to a wildly remote – and secret – part of the Colorado Plateau to complete an epic high desert slick rock ride.  A report: 

1.      “WE’RE GOING ALL THE WAY TOMORROW”.  Saturday night, before things got wild, Chuck Van Drunen pronounced, “We’re going all the way tomorrow.  We’ve been courting this ride for three long years and we’ve been to second base and third base, but tomorrow we are going all the way.”  After four or five reconnoitering trips by different groups of guys that established both ends of the route, the vast middle section remained untouched by rez dogs.  During our scouting rides we’ve encountered herds of wild horses, gale force winds, a band of yelping coyotes, a surreal thunderstorm, a stoic local standing guard on a knoll with a rifle . . . and bleached bones that serve as a stark warning to the unprepared. Through it all, we have come to know, respect and love this route.  Yes, it truly was time to go all the way. 

2.     PETER’S PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION.  Two hours into the ride on Sunday the pack – Chuck, Peter Tempest, Greg Cavanaugh, Andy Stravers, Paul Barry and Bob Rosebrough – regrouped and Peter said, “I have a philosophical question.”  All eyes turned to Peter: “Should we disclose the location of this ride on the blog?”  Bob: “That’s just what I’ve been thinking about. I’m inclined not to.”  Chuck: “Hell, no! We’re not going to disclose it on the blog.”  A discussion followed of the practical and ethical reasons why the route should remain a secret with heads nodding all around and the decision was made. The location will remain a guarded secret: no mention of location on the blog and even scrutiny of panorama photos.

3.     PAUL:  “LET’S DO MORE EPIC RIDES AND LESS RACING.”  Earlier in the week, at the Third Street Tavern, after the Wednesday night ride and storm, Paul – who has done more racing than any of us – suggested, “Next year, let’s do more epic rides and fewer races.”  Paul followed up with specific examples of the fantastic rides that are available to us in the Southwest.  This weekend’s ride was exactly what Paul was talking about:

·     an elevated sea of slick rock extending for miles,

·     endless opportunities for exploring,

·     a six hour and forty five minute effort from beginning to end, and

·     a sense of real adventure fostered by the absence of tire tracks, trail signs or cairns for a twenty five mile plus section of the route.

4.     RANDOM REMBERANCES FROM AN EPIC WEEKEND:

·     A surprise celebration of Peter’s 49^th birthday Saturday night with a cake (decorated with image of the Bread Springs loop sheep - of course) and ice cream on a canyon rim under a sea of stars,

·     A wild, nighttime romp down and back up a desert canyon highlighted by  perfect echoes off the walls at the bottom and a rare sighting of a ring tail cat poking his head over the lip a huge boulder to reflect our headlamps with his eyes,

·     The death (sometime before 6am Sunday morning) and miracle resurrection (at precisely 6:05am) of Morning Guy,

·     Chuck peering into the distance, at lunch on the lip of the rim, and announcing that he spotted Dirk on his road bike fifteen miles to the south on the highway,

·     Six HUGE camel backs including (if you can believe this) what appeared to be a 35-compartment-Gallup-Flea-Market-camelback at FULL capacity, and

·     Chuck – who had been spinning and exploring – giving in to the call of the dark side by incrementally dialing up the speed and dishing out the pain after we got off slick rock and hit the road leading to the shuttle truck (“You never know what a road will do to your soul.”), and

·     Paul giving an instructional lesson on English slang to the blokes on the way back home.

A CONCLUDING QUESTION:

How do you assure that you get individual blog attention?  Simple.  Greg hit on a sure fire way Saturday at Chuck’s house, just before departure, when he mistakenly thought Bob’s attention was diverted and he said, “My primary objective this weekend is to lay low so I don’t get on the blog.”  Not quite low enough Greg, but as Paul would say, “Nice try mate.”   

2011 ZUNI 50/100

PETER AND SHEEP VERGING ON VIRAL, BOB DODGES

A BULLET & DIRK INSTIGATES POACHING EPIDEMIC

By Bob

The Zuni 50/100: the long shadows and crisp air of fall in New Mexico and a gathering of the New Mexico endurance racing community. A report:

1.     THE BEST – HANDS DOWN!  Through the efforts of the remarkable Gallup Trails 2010 directors and volunteers, the Zuni 50/100 has become – hands down – the premier endurance race in New Mexico.  No other race on the endurance series is even remotely close.  Aside from the great course and the fresh fall weather, the Zuni 50/100 features a huge free meal, a bike swap, a home brew contest and live bands.  And beyond that, the race provides a sense of community for New Mexico endurance racing.  No wonder the race has been designated the New Mexico endurance championship and is the only race in the endurance series that has to close registration to stay under the Forest Service permit limit.

2.     FAST TIMES ON LONGER COURSE.   The Zuni 50/100 course has, in years past, really only been a 43/86 +/- mile race.  This year about five miles per lap were added by going down Berma Trial after finishing Quasimodo and climbing back up on Stuck Truck Trail.  In spite of the longer 48/96 +/- mile course, there were a record 8 finishers (all male) on the long course – including 5 single speeders.  The top male finisher was pro rider Cameron Brenneman who put in some amazing times:  4:15 for the first lap and 9:01 for the full long course.  Krista Park, another top pro, was the first female finisher at 4:43 for the short course. 

3.     PAUL REELS BOB IN.  Five Rez Dogs rode the 50 mile course this year.  Bob Rosebrough started out early with the idea that he and Paul Barry would meet toward the end of the course and finish up together.  It’s a good thing Bob got a big head start, because Paul torched the first two thirds of the course.  Paul caught Bob on the brutal Tampico Springs climb and they rode in together as planned.  Brian Leddy (who came away with the best deals of the evening at the bike swap) and Jack Hawley (who was seen cruising around on a fat tire unicycle before the race) started out together and also finished the 50 course as did Paul DeWitt (who spearheaded the home brew contest).   Paul B. finished a few minutes over 5 hours after easing up on the last third of the course and Bob, Brian, Jack and Paul D. all finished at just over 6 hours. 

4.     DIRK INSTIGATES A POACHING EPIDEMIC.   We need to have a talk about Dirk Hollebeek.  Not only does he seem intent on luring some naïve, innocent Rez Dogs to the dark side of road biking, but it also appears that Dirk started an epidemic of poaching with his abhorrent behavior at the Screamer.  Greg Cavanaugh, Doug Evilsizor, Chuck Van Drunen and Alan Philips – all previously law abiding citizens (Okay, well . . . maybe not Chuck) - each showed up at the race venue and took off on rides without having registered.    I’m thinking that this guy Dirk isn’t going to let up until every Rez Dog has shaved legs and a chip-on-the-shoulder roadie attitude. 

5.     BOB DODGES A BULLET.  After flirting with the idea of getting a 34-compartment-Gallup-flea-market-camelback like Chuck, Bob apparently came to his senses.  He rode Saturday with a new, shiny REI camelback.  Whew . . . that was perilously close to disaster.  There is simply no one but Chuck who has the panache to pull off the flea market camelback thing.    Bob clearly doesn’t have the huevos to do it and every man needs to know his limitations. 

6.     PETER AND THE BREADSPRINGS LOOP SHEEP VERGING ON VIRAL.  If you recall, back in July we told you – in the race report on the Leadville Silver Rush 50 – that the story of Peter and his arch nemesis was destined to spread beyond Gallup.  A couple of minutes after Bob finished on Saturday, a single speed racer from Colorado Springs told Bob that another Colorado Springs cyclist had forwarded him the link to the Rez Dog blog report on the backyard pursuit races and Peter’s clash with the foam board version of the Breadsprings Sheep.  Combine this with the fact that our Rez Dog Racing blog is now a featured link on the popular Back of the Pack Racing blog and it’s clear that the story of Peter and his arch nemesis is on the verge of going viral. It’s just too good to keep under wraps.   The only thing Rez Dog Racing is missing right now is a Go Pro video camera.  The video of the South African rider getting creamed by an antelope has 8 million You Tube hits and even made network news.  If we had captured Peter T-boning the Bread Springs loop sheep on a Go Pro video, he would already be an international icon today. 

A CONCLUDING QUESTION:  Paul was expecting Chuck to show up by 9:30 to ride the 50 course, but when Chuck didn’t show, eventually Paul started without him.  Did Night Guy finally write a pre-race check that was too big for Morning Guy to cover?  Just asking. 

2011 Bob's Backyard Pursuit Races:

BOBCAT’S RETURN, PETER T-BONES

SURPRISE GUEST & WOMEN RUN AMUCK

By Bob

It was that time again . . . to suffer intensely in four minutes bursts, to put away burgers and beer, and to sit around a fire pit and rehash the highlights of a fantastic year of cycling.  A report from the 2011 backyard pursuit races: 

1.      BOBCAT’S RETURN.  Andy “Bobcat” Stravers, the original backyard pursuit champion, returned to form to retake his throne over a strong field of local heroes.  Peter Tempest was a close second and Paul Barry was a very strong third on a fast course that featured improved banking on the turns and some spicy, new mid course rollers. 

2.     RANDOM HIGHLIGHTS:

a.     The ladies came to ride this year!  Jenny Van Drunen, Holly Herr, Eryn Hannick, Julie Bussewitz and Naomi Bruinius all rode well this year, but had some trouble staying on the course.  We’ll blame it on course marshals Chuck Van Drunen and Bobcat and say that they let the women run amuck.

b.     Chuck completely took Peter by surprise at the end of his narrow semifinal win over Paul.  As Peter rounded the 180 degree downhill turn around the juniper at the finish, he faced a foam board replica of the dreaded Bread Springs loop sheep.   Peter T-boned the facsimile of his arch-nemesis, went over the bars and almost busted another rib – this time from laughing so hard. 

c.     Greg Cavanaugh – the driving force behind the blog and this year’s jerseys and sponsors – completed an organizational tour-de-force by handing out awards for races completed and podium finishes and showed photos and videos from the season.

d.     Dirk Hollebeek spoke with such fireside passion about the Mount Diablo Hill Climb and the Valley of the Sun Stage race that you could literally see hard core, fat tire junkies being enticed over to the dark side as he spoke.  It appeared that a few were even looking around for a razor so that they could shave their legs!

e.     Chuck followed Dirk with equal passion to advocate that each member of the pack should buy a thirty three-compartment-Gallup-Flea-Market-camelback, but he seemed to come up empty on that one.

f.     A pack of Rez Puppies swarmed the playground, basketball court, and – after dark – roamed the course with head lamps and flashlights. 

g.     On the perpetual topic of “what’s next?”, the Zuni 50, completing the Rock Point to Many Farms route, Narbona pass and cross country skiing with Paul in Mancos garnered most of the talk.

A CONCLUDING QUESTION:   What was special about this season?  We’ll answer this one.  There were a lot of things that were special, but one thing stands out above the rest.  Simply put, “Every dog had his day.” 

NEWS FLASH: NMORS OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES CHUCK’S DUAL PERSONALITIES

It is now official!!  As Rez Dogs we have long known about Chuck Van Drunen’s dual personalities:  Night Guy and Morning Guy.  Night Guy is, of course, the guy who stayed up late the night before Dawn til Dusk pounding down beer while Paul built out his bike and then in Crested Butte lead the late night escapades that almost landed everyone in jail.  Night Guy is the guy who makes the promises - writes the checks - that Morning guy has to cash.

Well . . . the 2011 New Mexico Off Road Series final results are now in and they officially recognize Chuck’s dual personalities.  In the NMORS final standings for Cat 1 30+ Chuck is listed in 8^th place with 62 points AND in 22^nd place with 22 points.  No joke!  To check it out go to NMCycling.org and click on Results, then NMORS 2011 and then M Cat 1, 30-39. 

The NMORS final standings do not say which of the two Chucks was in 8^th place and which one was in 22^nd place but we all know – without a doubt - that it is Morning Guy who finished in 8^th.   He’s the guy, after all, who cashes the checks.  The only real surprise is that Night Guy broke into the standings at all.  

2011 Rez Dog Racing Season Results!!

Overview: 
Taking the cake for most successful season, Bob Rosebrough with a podium spot in all but one race this season!
Nipping at his heals, Chuck Van Drunen and Nightguy come through with the most races for the season at 12! (with some impressive results as well)
Setting the stage (pun intended) for the Rez Dog multi-state road racing scene, is Dirk Hollebeek with road races in Arizona, Michigan, and California!
As always, the infamous Rez Dog founder Peter Tempest (surgeon at large), ups the ante by taking Rez Dog's national by competing at the US Marathon National Championships!
Bobcat came out of retirement this season to nestled his way back into the pack with solid results in all of his races.
Joining the ranks this year was Paul Barry, rocking his Tomac in both XC and Endurance races, and chopping at the bit to wreak some havoc next year!
Sure to get his money's worth out of his new Diplomat, new daddy, Kevin Zwiers, rocked the 24ITEF and had a strong last minute showing at the Screamer.
Chad, The Ghost, Meekof while light on the racing calendar, pretty much proceeded to crush his way into the top podium spot of all bike related events he entered...no doubt he'll be out for blood at Bob's pursuits.
I (Greg) had a strong early season start with D2D, 24ITEF and Socorro only to go off the racing grid for months after my son was born. In a brief state of delirium I made an appearance at the Sandia peak challenge, only to find myself sitting on the side of the trail...(more on that if you ask the right person)

Results:

CVD:

D2D (Gallup Cup)
La Tierra SXC (2nd Cat 1 30-39)
La Tierra XC
Pajarito Punishment
Frasier Mt. Madness XC (2nd Cat 1 30-39)
Frazier Mt. Madness Hill Climb
24 hrs. Enchanted Forest= (1st Duo Male)
Sandia Peak (2nd Cat 1 30-39)
Oak Flats
Screamer
12 hrs Mesa Verde
Valley of the Sun Stage






Dirk:

Valley of the Sun Stage
Grattan Race Series (x2)
Albuquerque MTB race
Screamer
Diablo Hill Climb


Andy:

D2D (Gallup Cup)
Tierra Torture SXC (1st Cat 1 30-39)
Tierra Torture XC (3rd Cat 1 30-39)
Pajarito Punishment
Screamer













Bob:

 D2D (2nd Solo 50+)
Socorro Hill Climb (3rd Cat 2 50+)
Socorro XC (3rd Cat 2 50+)
24hrs. (1st Duo Male w/CVD)
Silver Rush 50
Screamer (2nd Cat 2 50+)
Road Apple (3rd Cat 2 55+)




Kevin:

 -24hrs. (1st Co-Ed)
-Screamer










Chad:

D2D
Frazier Mt. Madness Hill Climb (1st Cat 2 20-29)
12 Hours of Mesa Verde 
Screamer (1st Cat 2 20-29)
Gallup Triathalon (1st)














Peter:

Frazier Mt. Madness XC
Frazier Mt. Maddness Hill Climb (3rd Cat 1 40-49)
Sandia Peak
US Cycling National Marathon Championships
Silver Rush







Paul:

24 hrs Enchanted Forest (1st Co-ed Team of 4)
Frazier Mt. Madness XC
Frazier Mt. Madness Hill Climb








Greg:

-D2D
-Socorro (3rd Cat 2)
-24 Hrs in the Enchanted Forest (1st Co-ed Team of 4)
-Sandia Peak Challenge













Team Totals:
Races participated- 48!
Podium finishes- 21! (almost 50%)

We'd like to thank all of our sponsors and family for their support of Rez Dog Racing and many thanks for a super successful season!

2011 Sponsors:
Gallup Journey Magazine 
Fratelli's Bistro
Bob Rosebrough Law Firm
Tomac Bikes
Gallup Bicycle District
Big Mike's/Four Corners Welding
Zia Rides
Rico Auto Complex
Pinnacle Bank
Brian Leddy Photography
Gallup Trails 2010