Wonder Twin Powers Activate!

If you're old enough to remember the Wonder Twins Powers, you better go schedule a colonoscopy tomorrow. I was suffering on a ride recently and for some reason it felt empowering to yell, "Wonder Twin Powers Activate!- form Cat 3 fitness". I was introduced to the Wonder Twins in 1979 at Squaw Valley Ski School during one of our breaks by this guy. The ice unicycle is a nice touch. The next time I'm out chasing my nephew up Fremont Peak I'd like to form a 98' Bobby Julich.




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I'll take Henrietta Peak for 200 klicks please

 Mrs Henrietta off in the distance 

 I celebrated Veterans day today with a solo boogie in the northern Gabilan Range to Henrietta Peak via San Juan Di Anza Historical Trail. I ran into a couple of fire buddies in SJB while I was refueling the tank and they said that I looked "tired". I was pedaling octagons up School Rd on the return trip with a huge smile on my face. I was thinking of this mountain when I wrote this.

Wulerus who can't ride often dream of riding

I can almost make out the words of the green street sign as the rising sun wiggles its way through the early morning coastal fog.  I usually don’t get up this early, but this all day ride has been on my mind for months and I had to experience it again.  As I approach the old fire house and the first small decent of the day, I feel like reaching down and slowly dragging my hand over the familiar smooth roads like a surfer would feel the silky moving water of a wave.

When I was a kid, I embraced the endless stretch of time between school years. That feeling of drifting is one that I look back upon with fervor that borders on a jealousy of my former self. I can’t remember particulars, only that feeling of freedom from a life unencumbered, and drifting free. And while growing up has eliminated those epic spans of time, the drift can still be felt off the tarmac. I climb to crest the summit, and see the gravel bed lying down before me. I surge to pump speed into the backside of the summit grade. I lift my hips up and behind the seat, drop the heels, and personify a mountain lion about to pounce. As I accelerate downhill my speed indicator is simply the wind whipping along my ruffling jersey. The drive train whirs. Each tic of the freewheel is a stressball rolling off my shoulders. I dive into a massive sweeping gravel left. The bike leans over. While down below the tires claw for traction, up top I’m relaxed, I’m drifting. And as I hit the apex of the turn and begin to carve, the g-forces push the corners of my mouth upward. The wind. The drift. The smile. The endless sense of time between this corner and the next.  I’m young again.

I cherish the moment knowing the road has gifted me this day. My life long kinship with the open road has been unwavering and feels like a warm blanket as I drift in and out of its familiar spaces. As I pedal along leaving a virtual trail of worries in the dust, I make subtle adjustments to my position unseen to the naked eye which will prove to be crucial over the next 6 hours. As I scan the horizon I can see my prominent and permanent friend off in the distance waiting for my arrival. My mind settles on the notion that every valley, every pebble, every inch of pavement, have defiantly conspired to deliver me to the top of the mountain.

Hey Dad, some dude on a bike asked me...

 when are we going to do our "San La Glorious something ride". You mean our La Gloria Grade Boogie? Tell him it's the first week in January traditionally right after the Virgen de Tepeyac by El Teatro Campesino.


Steel Wul Chronicles -San Juan South from Caletti Cycles on Vimeo.

Breaking News...

Late last night the flag football association in San Jose crowned the mini dudes in the red kits as champions. That's all I got today after a restless night in shock.

Two Six Market coming soon...

Kong's Market served our community for years and now Two Six Market has stepped in to fill the need. We are really hoping that Evan and his amazing homemade bread, cookies and treats from around the corner end up inside! Cheers to the unincorporated neighborhoods of the county!

Do you live in Soquel, Capitola or Live Oak...

           I look forward to seeing all these folks (especially Sir John Lucchesi) on the Central Fire Protection District Board.

Eagle Tree via I think I'm turning Japanese

Every now and again I stumble across a "road" in the county that I'm unfamiliar with and this one was loaded with vineyards, rolling hills and a huge meadow unimaginable from the bottom of the drainage. When I'm off the beaten path, I usually have a local real estate rag rolled up in my jersey and luckily I ran into a very nice women who gave me chapter and verse of the lay of the land including the 3 million dollar ranch home and surrounding vineyards that I was "interested in". We agreed that it was a bit out of my range and we parted ways.

Sandy Point Fire Station 1948

 California Division of Forestry Sandy Point Fire Station circa 1948.

 
current site of the former Sandy Point Fire Station

Sandy Point was located at the confluence of Gazos Creek Rd and Johansen Rd. The foundation for the apparatus bay and barracks is still there and often used as a lunch stop on our Boogies. Viva Sandy Point and all the Fire Rangers assigned to it over the years.

while my guitar...

"Guitar Boogie" Arthur Smith road kill

I saved this piece of history from inevitable destruction today by leaving it on Black Cat's porch. If he ever gets sick of the punk rock, he can play the down home boogie.

October is the new October

Super Dave and AC chasing Willie Bullion down some of our favorite fire roads during the 3rd annual Cobble Classic circa 2010. I believe Super Dave or BJM was named KOM and Tim Noakes the Sprint Champion.

Italian Mothers- always on duty

Over the years, my mom has washed more chamois and kits than most soigneurs. I believe this was after the 1993 edition of the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Thanks for all the support mom and viva Team Wheelsmith.

Nephew Wuleur - Luke Grenier

Luke has been exposed to cycling his whole life and while taking a break from high school H2O Polo this lung on a stick has been found crushing the pedals around town on his mt bike. I was a very proud uncle today while struggling to hang on his wheel on the steep stuff as we traversed the county with his dad in tow.

Bike To School Day Tierra Pacifica 2016

The safety committee (me and John Martinez) at Tierra Pacifica Charter School have been rocking bike to school day for 7 years. We posted some good numbers this year: 112 cyclists / 324 miles

would you like paper or plasic sir?

When you spend your formative years chasing down the elusive cat 1 road license, you keep those small tokens of pain tucked away safely at Grandma's house. Olive uncovered these jems recently digging through the rubble of yesteryear.

Wente Brut bottle of bubbly from the 1991 Road Race

still looking for the right occasion to celebrate with it

                    

    I've never even heard of most of these disciplines before...OT?

Olive...Are you working for PG&E?!

Having a teenager in the house is reeking havoc on our power bill. We have crept back up to 3.34 Electric kWh / Day. This means homework by Petzl until we're back under 20 bucks per month. Our family record of $11.34 still stands and will always be our (my) goal. How else can we (I) afford Compass Tires.

 

Tim Neenan at work...

That must mean the ambient air temperature in the shop is bearable again! I've already reached out to Rob Parson's to join me on the first mountain boogie as long as he dusts off his white and red lugged LH with simplex retro friction and Cinelli saddle. Thank you for coming out of retirement Tim.

How much longer?...you don't want to know

Mama Wuleur turned 40 and made one simple request; hike from Sarratoga Gap to Waddell Beach 30.5 miles . She gave us plenty of time to prep (1 week), so I felt good with my twenty minuet "walk" session I did to prepare for our 10 hour journey. Her crew was made up of family, school buddies, yoga peeps, and bad-ass moms from TPCS.

 0430 gathering at SW HQ

 it was all smoking and joking until the sun poked through the redwoods

 the chemise was crackling on Upper China Grade

Mama & Olive @ Berry Creek Falls

AK saved us with cold refreshments and a ride home

parts are parts...

We confirmed the nutrition content in a packet of peanut M&M's is the same as your garden variety "healthy" sports nutrition bar. Greg LeMond has been right all these years claiming you might as well eat candy considering what's inside those "special" bars. We've been experimenting with dates and almonds, apples with cinnamon, baked sweet potatoes with salt and smoked salmon.

rise from the ashes...

I'm usually sitting on that curb enjoying a treat on a fantastic bike ride, but my day job unfortunately had me engaged otherwise today. Pescadero, we are so sorry for your loss today and send you our love.