Just wanted to say thank you to Doug "Coach" Long. Last night I loaded up a Gary Fisher Sugar of his and took it home. Ive already got the bug!!! Headed to KC this weekend to get helmet and some other necessities. My last mountain bike experience was about 15yrs ago with coach up at Crowder. The past 10 yrs Ive been racing circle track dirt modifieds and probably will continue on a limited schedule but am looking very forward to this new adventure!!!!
Please put me on your call list when headed to the trails, the next few days Im going to spend getting use to the weird shoes and shifters!!!!!
Once again....thanks to Coach for getting me onto one of his bikes!!!

Denny Albertson
660 247-2043
dennyalbertson@yahoo.com

OK OK....I think Im ready to give it back!!! Got home from work late last night and was suppose to do a 8 mile run. I was running out of daylight so I had 2 choices....head to the Y and get 8 miles in on treadmill OR jump on the Sugar and get acquainted with her!!! You guessed it....went blazing out my driveway on the Sugar. Headed for my favorite running route....got back and still had a few minutes of daylight so I finished up with another mile. I finally jumped off (fell off) in my driveway and my legs felt like jello. I run 5-8 miles 6X a week and apparently my legs are still weak!!!!
3 things I learned on this ride......1. My butt hurts. 2. My hammies hurt. 3. I had big smile the whole time!!!! Im used to being in my racecar 90 MPH bumper to bumper, 2-3 wide in the corners but for some insane reason I think flying down some singletrack is going to give me the same adrenalin rush...Only time will tell!!!!
Trailgator----I bet I can make that thing look like a turtle instead of a rocket while climbing!!!!

Looks like we set the hook into another "convert!" Isn't it kind of ironic that we get so many wrestlers snagged into mountain biking? I don't know if it's a personality trait, or just coincidence.

Could be the individual sport mentality, or maybe the sadistic suffering we remember from wrestling practices. I just know that wrestlers tend to make great mountain bikers and "climb right back on the horse" when their "fun factor" judgement gets them into trouble and they go faster than their current skills.

One thing for sure, unless you end up in the local hospital ER, crashing mountain bikes is a heck of a lot cheaper than crashing race cars.

But then again, once your hooked, we like those "high performance" toys with all the carbon and ti, light wheel sets, lights for night riding, etc........ etc....... Just like car racing, horsepower has lots to do with engine size and fine tuning the carburator. Driving skills come with experience. Some quit after the first crash or two, others just revel in the thrill of the speed it took to end up crashing. If there's no blood in your socks, your probably not going fast enough!

Welcome aboard Denny! That Sugar could tell you some great stories and it has won races all over the Midwest and prime locations in the USA. Just get ready to buckle up your helmet and "let er rip!"

Wrestlers are definetly a different breed!!! We're born with it!!!

With all the rain Saturday how long will it be before the trails at either Crowder or Poosey are rideable? Suppose to be sunny and 70-80s all week. Im needing to try this thing out!!!!

We might be able to burn some laps in at Indian Creek by the end of the week. We need to stay out of there in the morning as it is turkey season, but there was no hunters at the campground yesterday.

It's a no shoot zone. My guess it will be more busy on the weekend!

Check with me on Thursday. I may have the new loop completed and you can actually be one of the "very first" to ride it, just as soon as I get the "first bagger" lap in.

Ok I'll get ahold of you sometime Thursday. Im ready to roll!!! I should be able to ride Thurs, Fri afternoon, and Mid to late morning on Sat after my kids soccer games, and Sunday anytime!! im pretty much open for riding anytime!!! Gotta get my legs in riding shape, obvious after last night. Im thinking about changing my name to theturtle28!!!!
Mark.....sorry I wasnt more talkative last night during the ride....I was focusing on not passing out!!!!! Had to go into mental toughness gear to make it home!!!!