Team Rio Grande

So my season is going as expected. 10 races in and I have yet to see a finish. I have taken a year and given it over to the thing I like to call my job. This year has a lot of travel for me and my racing results are suffering. In the last 4 weeks I have spent 10 days in New York, been to  Germany, Jacksonville, FL, South Georgia, Cleveland, and I am headed back to NY this Sunday after riding the Triple Bypass. Oh well, I have been sporting the awesome Rio Grande kits and gotten to do some great races in New York and New Hampshire. The riding there is fantastic and I am living in Saratoga Springs for the second time in my life. It is a great town and is Pat Varley’s hometown. BTW – has anyone seen him recently? He is harder to find at a race these days than Jimmy Hoffa. He has people that actually live in his house with him and they report no sightings. Oh well, his body will will turn up soon. Back to Saratoga. I have an apartment there and the lifestyle is monastic. Work, ride, and eat with some racing on the weekends. The racing scene there involves longer drives but the quality is good. I did do the Tour of the Battenkill in April which was a fantastic race. I heard that it is the largest single race in the country in terms of participation. I raced the 3’s and there were two waves of 3’s with 125 riders in each wave so that should give you an idea. 60 miles with 20 miles of dirt and some 18% hills. The best part was watching Scott Nydam’s awesome solo victory in the Pro category. For those that don’t know, Scott is a Rio Grande alumnus and now rides for BMC.

So this weekend we will brave the 3500 people in the triple bypass that include good riders and a few gumps and tourons (a cross between tourist and morons). The miles and climbing will do me good and it has been 5 years since I have done this. Let’s hope the weather holds and it is not too hot but when you are in the mountains you get what you get.

It was really quite a muddy mess. Turnout was very, very low – an easy win! What’s up with that? Now I hear they may take away my result and run the race again later this year. Confusing…

Scott Wenzel, Scott "Godfather", Logan Garey, Corey Collier, Brett Kirby

How often do you get to have a great experience where you become aware of a life that you have not lived and are rather thankful that you don’t live it? Well, for the travel weary members of Team RioGrande and one member of Rock Racing we were able to have just this kind of experience. It took place about seven hours into our journey home from the ARK aka Arkanslaw or just Arkansas.

We were in need of some food and made the stop somewhere in rural Kansas just north of Oklahoma. We exited the highway with our burned out race eyes offering images to please our tastes buds after three weeks of racing and eating the same food everyday and night (I must say we ate very well on this trip, the team consists of guys with a rare talent for whipping up tasty viddles on the spot and our host family in Silver City was AMAZING!). The large booming signs that promise joy when eating which are visible from space had us in a tizzy. We were incapable to choose from so many great establishments like McDonalds, Burger King (Angry Whopper), KFC (new Grilled Chicken combo with mashed potatoes and a biscuit for $3.99. is that even legal?), The red haired angel in the sky known as Wendy’s, TacoBell and a few other local pig out spots like the CRACKER barrel.

We cruised the strip like typical youths from the area on a friday night with nothing better to do (or the only thing to do) than to show off their sweet rides and loud stereos. We are driving in one of the most pimped out vans to enter this town… Keep reading →

Bisbee Roster:  Scott Wenzel, Allen Krughoff, Logan Garey, and Corey Collier joined in transit and housing by Jon Garcia of BMC.

Highlights:  Corey Collier – 6th in TT, 7th in final GC.  Allen Krughoff in Stage 1 breakaway.

Gila Roster:  Scott Wenzel, Allen Krughoff, Logan Garey, Corey Carlson, and Corey Collier (pro/1) plus Brad Bingham, Brett Kirby (Men 2’s), and Aaron Anderson (Men 3).

Highlights:

• Pro/1 – Corey Collier 29th Overall, 24th Stage 5, Allen Krughoff 19th Stage 2.
• Men 2 – Brad Bingham 5th Overall, 5th Stage 5, 5th Stage 4, Brett Kirby 10th Stage 5, 13th Overall
• Men 3 – Aaron Anderson 1st Stage 2

The Rio Van is now en route to Fayateville, AR for the Joe Martin Stage Race.  Joe Martin Roser:  Jogan Garey, Scott Wenzel and Corey Collier (Pro/1) and Brett Kirby (Men 1,2).

After the Gila, Brad Bingham has earned enough points to upgrade from cat 2 to 1.  Nice!

I’m currently in the Rio team van with teammates Scott Wenzel, Logan Garey, corey collier and our friend Jonathon Garcia half of the way from Boulder, CO to Bisbee, AZ. We’ll be racing Friday through Sunday over four stages. Then, taking two days off, we’ll start the 5 day 5 stage Tour of the Gila on wednesday.

Currently high winds through Albuquerque but the forecast looks good for racing in Bisbee-upper 70’s and clear!

Stopping at Solar Roast in Pueblo on Earth Day! coffee roasted by the power of the sun, cool and tasty.