For Whom The Bonebell Tolls

Everyone may have heard about the indoor time trials - the ones where you go sit on a saddle on a bike on a trainer, and watch a screen and pedal furiously as your terry white cloth towel catches your dripping bad ass self from staining the carbon top tube of your ‘beater’ carbon winter bicycle….

(We seriously do love you roadies!)

But if you wanted to have some actual fun in riding indoors and hitting a pump track, flying some wooden berms, dropping in from the 42 foot cieling level of a start of an indoor cross country race course for a time trial - against the pros? Hellz yeah. That’s how dirtbags roll in the winter!
Ray’s Indoor MTB Park

Get your arse to the indoor cross country time trials and watch the legendary Nat Ross smoke this course - and word is that Mr. Strout-Father-of-the-Sprout will be heading there in special WBR regalia. January 24th - Cleveland, OH. You game?

Time to check the calendar!
Post up if you plan on going - perhaps there’s a reason to have a throwdown at the park and at the RRHOF that weekend.

See - Rock and Roll and MTB makes a great combo….(moreso if you ride this at Rays baby!)

My first bike was not gifted for Christmas. It was beat up and old even in its day. Hard plastic tires fading yellow plastic seat, white rims and spokes, with a brown painted frame that seamed to hide the birth of rust well. No training wheels it was at first glance nothing special. But it was definitely something special, it was my first bike. With no training wheels my first ride was not the marathon on the lake that El Maya endured but it was freedom unleashed in a way that can only be felt.

Two Christmas bikes.

The Red Huffy BMX 1000 was my first bike that was under the tree so to speak. Tomato red, black pleated seat, chrome bmx bars with a “v” crossbar. Black and white checkered pads on bars, frame, and gooseneck. Silver rims, with motocross looking square knob tires. No hand brakes, just the coaster. When I saw that thing I was transformed on the spot. I had graduated, from the beat up old brown to the new red hotness. Now, I had a bike that could stand up to the rigors of an all day adventure, or just a ride down to the big blue corner store Barbaro’s. Later it became apparent to me the favorite candy store for the local youth, was also the favorite liquor store for those a little bit older needing a different kind of candy. Barbaro’s was farther away than the gas station owned by the grandfather of my friend Bill Bass. Far enough that I needed special permission to go there for candy. The trails were closer and I could go there whenever I pleased. So fortunately for me teeth that’s where I usually went.

The second Christmas bike was a Murray BMX bike. Smoked chrome frame black pads and a rear hand brake, with the grips that had the little raised bumps and the holes in the bottom. Dad set that brake up right, and then sent me on my way to the land of powerskids. According to Bill Bass, the local bmx older dude down the steet, all bmx tires at that time were named after an animal of sorts. The only two I remember were the monkey paw, and the snake belly. If you rode a bmx bike in 1981 and got your tires from KMart then you probably remember those tires. I rode the monkey paw because it was designed for better traction, at least that was what Bill Bass said and for me, back then his word on bikes was gospel. I mean that guy could pop a wheelie all the way down the block, clearly he knew what he was talking about.

Walnut St. was for me a Tour de France of sorts. To travel up and down the street was my spring classic. At the end of the street was ‘the woods’. I would ride up and down those trails that now, in hind sight would take about five minutes total, for hours on end. Down the hill with the sewer grate jump, through the mud pit, left towards the swamp pit and tall weeds, right back towards the house. It was that section back to the house that held the tastiest of the singletrack. The never to muddy to ride, twisting flowing trail that even back then I knew was a small piece of something special. But, the good trail led past the local bully’s house. If I rode fast enough, George could never catch me. I was a ghost and he never knew I used the trail that emptied into the side of his front yard. On the off day that I walked or ran I may have paid the price by being forced to wade through the creek. But on the bike I was unstoppable. Not once did he catch me, cause I knew that trail like the back of my hand, I had to…I had no choice. That was how I cut my teeth. Who knew back then that being chased by bullies in the woods would be my entrance to this world two wheels and two triangles propelled by a chain that we now know.

Here we are kiddies - the Top 10 Best and Worst for 2008 - all dirt baggin’ related. This is all in good fun and not meant in any other way but pure entertainment and reflective value over this past year. We’ve enjoyed the year greatly - and if you happen to land in the best or worst list - at the very least we noticed something to laugh about (again in a good way!). Be well - celebrate safely tonite and Happy New Year! (P.S. we’re riding a New Year’s Day ride (CX friendly) out by Waterfall Glen tomorrow morning at 10AM).

Top 10 Best
10. Stiggity realizing that his online name doesn’t match what was knitted on his son’s sweater - its two g’s - like Tigger.
9. The word dirtbag first being perceived as ‘negative’ to roadies when they first heard it from Stiggity, sweet!
8. MTB teams actually put faces to the names - at least most of ‘em (Hey you’re that guinness rider I ran into at 3 Ravines, and raced at WORS against, and raced at Rock Cut with, and had apple pie with your sister!?)
7. The time that Nevada Dave went on a training ride for 40 miles, and followed it up with a 60 mile cooldown not going below 21mph - on knobbies - into the wind - to Gary, IN and back.
6. El Maya realizing that buying things for your kids is about as cool as buying things for yourself - especially - when its bike related.
5. Meeting the Dirt Rag crew at 24/9 and learning that we all have the same love of the dirt indeed.
4. Nevada Dave placing 9th at 24/9 in the National Championship Solo Category.
3. Stiggity hiring a coach and finding out that the ‘fitness deuce test’ might actually have a benefit - or not - but he never let go of Taco Bell.
2. Stiggity coming in 2nd place at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup Championship Race!
1. Nevada Dave coming in 1st at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup Championship Race after blabbing all season long, he’s not serious about cyclocross after endurance events.

Top 10 Worst
10. The oddest fun ride of the year where out of 10 dirtbaggers, 5 crashed, 1 serious 3rd nipple inducing injury, 3 flats, and several mechanicals were had - in the name of fun at Palos.
9. El Maya making his first appearance Expert category race in a WORS series and DNFing.
8. Stiggity making his first appearance Expert category race in a WORS series and DNFing.
7. Team Pegasus’ uniforms!! Or is it the Sprockets uniforms??
6. Giving Stiggity his shoe buckle back that El Maya broke off his shoe - over year ago.
5. Finding out that all of the Killjoy riders really ‘are’ nice people.
4. Taking a swig of a beer handup - and then handing it ‘back’ all frothy and spit up on to the Half Acre Crew (Sorry!).
3. El Maya’s red Surly (Jerry) gets stolen off of his back porch.
2. Stiggity actually rides a real cross country race wheelset …. on his freeride bike.
1. Riding behind a knobby tire on the bridle paths at Palos - it ain’t all mud.

Ho Ho Ho - Dad is not a mechanic
I remember my 1st bike. I got it for Christmas. It was blue and it had the words free rider on the top tube - banana white seat, monkey bars, and lots of chrome. It was the Sears special I’m sure (my mother and step-father worked for Sears - so everything we got was from the Sears catalog - wicked!) - and I remember knowing exactly what it was despite my mom’s wrapping effort.

I also remember how unbelievably unsaavy my step-father was at assembling the parts on the bike - in hindsight, its probably the reason he didn’t buy training wheels in the 1st place. Less to screw up. It did ride awesomely though - I remember that 1st snow ride down Glenwood Ave. I was a free rider for sure. Having two dads was kind of a ‘cool’ thing - if only - because they both got me bikes. My pops got me the BMX the year later - it was all over after that. Christmas and bikes - life was and still is really cool for those wonderful bikes. My daughter was in the shop recently with me - I adored the fact she went straight for the bikes and said the word out loud - ‘BIKE!’. She is so getting a pimped out BMX with Pink Chris King parts.

What up with the missing parts on the site?
We are currently in the process of overhauling some parts, if not all, of our site - so bear with us as it looks fugly for a short bit and sometimes missing information - we’re officially under re-construction of sorts. The Bonebell Crew has a lot of work going on to bring you something really cool for the New Year. You’d think we didn’t have day jobs sometimes. At the very least - our jobs like what we are dedicated to such worthy causes (thanks bosses!). Enjoy the posts while we retool some things around!

National Parks Service Rule Proposal
Kiddies - you like to keep dirtbaggin’ alive in National Parks - then you better read up on Proposal Document 1024-AD72 and drop your positive comment that you support this initiative. In short - this regulation puts more control of these decisions to the local land managers which cuts the review process shorter (typically takes ‘years’ to approve a trail system). This is great for all areas that may deserve a trail system and folks in other organizations have a better lead into working with a local land manager to review possibilities of opening new avenues into MTB trail use - think of how many people C.A.M.B.r have to talk to get just ‘one’ trail laid out - now think of how many National Parks out there without trails (lots!). Its a lot of work but every suggestion to improve the process counts. Bikes belong in parks - well laid out plans with the help of I.M.B.A. can make them a reality when outlined correctly. Many studies have proven that erosion due to bike tires are not an issue when there are well laid out trail systems that are designed to combat the same erosion and protect the natural landscape.

Happy Holidays to everyone - be safe out there the next few days and enjoy!

It was a sobering cold last night. As in, walking home in the windy below zero gusts was really really sobering - at 2:39AM.

What a great night it was - so many conversations, in different languages even - all spreading the cheer and good vibes.

People are jazzed to be biking even in this weather. We have a lot to be grateful for and even more grateful for the ability to do much more with ourselves for the new year. It’s always great to hear how positive the dirtbag’n community is. Here is a vid from ‘mapsandmagic’ - the drummer is a friend of Nevada Dave who volunteered his talent to keep us going in the cold. Thank you kind man. Drummer Boy ain’t got nothing on you this season.

Is this year really wrapping up? Nice because we can’t wait to get the new one going.

Chicago Cyclocross Cup Freak Out! from mapsandmagic on Vimeo.

For your viewing pleasure - filmed, edited, and published by Luke Seeman. Who is the moron in the BMX helmet in front of him?

Come one come all - its the Decemberists Party at the Chicago Ale House this Saturday, December 20th at 8:00PM. There are at least 5 birthdays being celebrated, so it should be festive. The venue is odd - but so are many of us in the dirtbag community, so it should fit well. We don’t regularly patronize this location, it has an air of ’something-is-up-around-here-and-we-can’t-put-our-finger-on-it’ vibe. It’s not ‘bad’ but it definitely is huge for the if in case y’all decide to come and celebrate with a bevvy of choice with us. Its the off-season and everything goes as far as we’re concerned.

There’s been plenty of great talk among dirtbags about race goals for next year and how awesome next year is going to be. Its clearly the end of the year fanaticism in all of us, eager to get the season through so that we can start with a new year with greater resolve than the last. So before that happens, come and corrupt yourself at least once more before the New Year.

The Bonebell welcomes all!
thebonebell-at-yahoo-dot-com

P.S. We are aware that ‘The Decemberists’ are also some neo-folk band with harmonica and accordion music - we are not celebrating that, though harmonica and accordian music does rock. It just doesn’t roll with us. Note To Self: Jukebox better have something crunchy.

Govnah

We promise that political ramblings or opinions will not ever be the norm for The Bonebell. In this instance, however, I will be writing up some thoughts on this as there is an underlying impact to everyone who bikes in this grand city of ours. The amount of attention that Active Trans, C.A.M.B.r, I.M.B.A., and all other volunteer organizations geared to getting us the best of what we can get for our interests will always be severely limited by the people who are in control of the activity of these very same programs in our areas by way of funding and endorsements. We are a cynical bunch in Chicago being governed by the Daley regime. Some of us, as lifelong residents of this city, suspect that ‘the machine’ is an immovable force best dealt with a blunt instrument. Many organizations succumb to the city’s political scape by selling a piece of its integrity to get further ahead - and I am not insinuating absolute corruption - but money talks in all politics, and money in of itself is a corrupting factor. Its why I say - support your local business with your dollars. Support your local organizations that you ‘believe’ in without your dollar, through volunteerism.

Because…

If the allegations are true about our Guv’nah, then every little organization named above needs your help, input, and funds to continue to thrive against the machine that exists in Illinois. If your own State’s Governor is so consumed by a wrath of political misconduct - what can you expect the state to listen to your causes? Its a damn shame. Its embarassing. It is what it is - and The Bonebell doesn’t even come off the shelf on this one.

Thank you G-Rod for once again showing that the Illinois Office is truly lined with crooked ambition - you don’t represent us.

And on the topic of you Guv’na:
You 1st met me outside of Webster Place in the early ’90s and I was wearing my dad’s work shirt. You were campaigning and came towards me out of a crowd to appeal to my sense of Union Labor not knowing that I was not a Union laborer - you told me the work you did for Teamsters Local 705. I brought it up to the then Union captain (coincidentally my dad’s friend). He had nothing but disdain for you, I can see why.

A beautiful Montessori school was built a few blocks away from my home. I was surprised to see how immediate it went up - then we find that your daughter goes there, and ’suspected’ misappropriation of funds or solicitation of favors was had to complete the build in the burgeoning neighborhood. You denied it all. Now there is an incredible and audacious display of donations to get kids to go to the same school. Way to knock the blue collar vibe out of the ‘hood that you allegedly were protecting in your original campaign for reform. Education shouldn’t cost families a bribe to gain entrance to a Montessori - I see why its the norm in Chicago now.

My dog usually doesn’t like guys - but I can see why she growls at you when you ran by in the park. She’s got good instincts.

I do applaud your security guards - they rode their bikes faithfully behind you protecting you as you jogged your way through our neighborhood, too bad as governor, you didn’t pay any mind in asking them to wear a helmet and not ride on the sidewalk, its so obvious you support safe cycling in Chicago.

I wish you luck Governor - you are seriously going to need it (and say hi to our friend ex-Gov Ryan!).

Edited PG rated version.   Nevada Dave Norton checkin in here ya all!  Got there at 930 ish, and rode a lap in my civilian clothes.  Was sweating my butt off.  Mind you it was 15 degrees. Great course.  Brandin Leach (winner of the cat 4 A race,and Fellow Johnny sprockets teammate), Brittany (another killa teamate, 3rd place womens cat 4), and I rode ourselves into some pain at the race site on Wednesday night in the rain.  I happen to live a 6 minute bike ride from the race site.  We flew up the hill on Wednesday night, at about the same trajectory as on race day.  I knew that we made a nice little pain investment that night.  Three days out, I allowed myself to know that I was going to win.  I wasn’t really thinking win, I was more Knowing it.  Very calm and just knew.  I only had 2 other wins this whole season, and I “felt” exactly the same way for each of those.                                                                                                                                                                Prior to the race,  I  rode some of the sections twice, and the first two S sections 3 times, cuz I knew that would be crucial in the beginning. I have to give a big shout out to my teammates Phil and Brandin for fixing my bike while I was warming up on the trainer.  Phil kept shifting up and down up and down up and down up and down up and down (you get the picture), while I tried to get my heart rate up for the race.  This was minutes before the race. Finally, it was RIGHT!

 And it stayed right for the whole race. I was shifting and drifting big time the whole race.
3 laps in, I started allowing myself to KNOW that I was going to win this race. Nutritionally, I had an awesome 10 days. I was clean and lean and ready to lay it all out ! When they said go, I wasn’t paying attention, and lost 2 seconds. At the last second before the first s turn, I bursted and got into the top 5 on the 1st corner. GAME ON ! I quickly was in 3rd spot, and within the first or second lap,( not sure), I was in second behing Tim yuska.  As soon as I passed him, I felt that I owned the race. Short laps, major mountain bike course, many supporters out there armed with expensive cameras, and snare drums, I was able to rock out!  I got a gap, and decided to put the hammer down as if I had someone right on my butt. I attacked the hill every time, and kind of rested on the down hill.  I ended up with a very large gap, and loved it.  I wiped out on a corner, then ran into the bridge (they don’t budge), but kept on going.  I think I couldve ran into a semi truck on this day my friends. My switch was thrown, and they had to pull me off the course, cuz I wasnt sure if it was the lap bell or if I won.  I took off just to be sure. Doing 100 mile (at least) mountain bike races, I couldve gotten stronger and stronger as I went, but this was not the case, and I turned off, when friends told me to stop.  My brain was creating just too many good chemicals to get off the course so soon.  There’s so many awesome photos and VIDEO out there, Im really looking forward to sifting through it all, and posting it on the bonebell.    Great day, GREAT COURSE!!!!!!!!!!.   Thank you TURIN !