Steel WÜl Trivia -Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn...

Question: What did Bernard Hinault ask a local hotel owner to do the morning before the 1980 World Road Race Championships?

Easton Dream Bike Charity Raffle

If you haven't learned about this already, check it out. Easton is getting grassroots by launching this campaign with our five, esteemed, yet uniquely original custom frame builders.

I was stoked when new(ish) Wüleur, Dain Zaffke of Easton Bell Sports approached me to assist with graphic materials to promote this truly unique project which is a win, win for everyone. Steers attention to the Easton brand, highlights and promotes the frame builders and benefits five separate charities of each builders choice. Pretty awesome!

And 5 lucky people will win a Custom Dream Bike outfitted with Easton EC90 components and Shimano Dura Ace Di2 gruppo!

Find out more here :

https://www.facebook.com/eastoncycling

- Apple

A Kiwi and a Swiss walk into a restaurant...

Occasionally something positive can happen when you get dropped in a bicycle race as a matter of fact, sometimes a good old whooping can be down right comforting and pack a healthy reality check especially if you end up eating dinner with a couple of your "hero's" who lapped you not once but twice at the Tour of Nevada City Cycling Classic.

The promoter of the Nevada City Classic traditionally allows the top 3 junior racers to take on the pros the following day on fathers-day weekend. With 20 years of hindsight, I can now appreciate why he offers up this humble pie opportunity to teenage racers. You would think my reality check would have settled in when Wayne Morgan and Alexi Grewal lapped me for the first time. I couldn't care less because my dad was sitting on the sidelines with my silver medal safely tucked away in his pocket and I knew my weekend was untouchable. 

It wasn't until we had dinner that evening with Jim Gentes, Rob Parsons, Herbert Niederberger and Nathan Dahlberg when my subconscious career change set roots. Whats the saying- the devil is in the details? Lets just say that I'm convinced that the littlest and inconsequential details we remember make the most impact in our long term. To this day, I still reflect on the fact that both Herbet Niederberger and Nathan Dahlberg (both TdF finishers) barely ate anything on their plates that evening after putting in a couple of huge efforts at Nevada City that day (I'm pretty sure they were both in the top 5). It wasn't the speed of the race or the high stakes descending that got me thinking about a career change, it was the simple fact that you have to basically starve yourself to maintain the slightest possibility of landing another year with a pro cycling contract. Seeing these guys in street clothes was also an eye opener as they looked so thin and frail they were obviously straddling the fine line between healthy and sickly.

You remember things for a reason and I am convinced that dinner was meant to be. It was almost like they were doing me a favor with their demonstration of one simple sacrifice they endure daily. I have all the respect in the world for these guys knowing, well... imagining, what it might take to pedal in their shoes. 

For the record:

Dahlberg found out that he was going to race the Tour de France with team 7-Eleven the night before it started...

The hand bar bone is connected to the frame bone...

artwork by Olivia Hess 2009

Today's plan is to push my pedals which will power my wheels while sitting on my seat and holding my hand bar. After I do that, my to-do list will be complete.

Blessings to My Wüleur Brethren

For those of you who don't know, I had a pretty real and traumatic skirt of major injury or dare I say, death on Monday. I had a collision with a car turning onto Smith Grade off of Empire at speed. Amazingly I came away with minor injuries. This is one of those a half second difference could have delivered a very different outcome. I am very lucky.

So, once I gather myself, who do I call amidst fire engine, paramedics and CHP, of course, Jake. He's there ASAP and steers the ship, get's me home, gets me some food and injury care shit - basically is the saint he is. Thank you so much my friend!

Then there's the issue of insurance questions and such. Who do I call for guidance, duh, Tyson Wiles. Thank you so much for your coaching and being available for whatever needs I may have.

From incident, my wrist was in question, so who steps up here? None other than The Gren, who comes and visits me in full scrubs in between procedures. Really? He insisted I get X-Rays, and sure enough, hairline fracture - could have overlooked.

The point here is, upon this super spooky and scary incident, I had very good and special friends (wüleurs) to call upon for assistance. This is a fine example of the extension of this family in a real life scenario.

I can't thank you all enough.

- Apple

chasing cobbles...week 1

My Movie from Jake Hess on Vimeo.

Nephew WÜleur: Luke Grenier firing the cannon

Luke and his teammates on their way to 2nd place in the state 

What does this have to do with cycling you ask? Well, there is some serious cross over, just ask our own bad-ass Steel WÜleur and NCAA H20 Polo guru Chris Appleton. If you ever find yourself in a pool with a water polo player, keep your head on a swivel because they will take it right off with one flick of the ball or kick-board in Lukes case...Congrats to Luke and his team!

Recon Boogie: a little here, a little there, & up up up