Travel and Leisure World's Best Awards

I just wanted to post the great news we received yesterday:

TRAVEL AND LEISURE WORLD'S BEST AWARDS

Jade Mountain of St. Lucia has today been declared the Number One hotel in all of the Caribbean, Bermuda, and The Bahamas.

Anse Chastanet of St. Lucia has been declared the Number Four hotel in the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas.

Jade Mountain of St. Lucia has been declared the Number Three hotel of the World's Ten Best Hotels, the very first time ever that a Caribbean hotel has made it onto the magazine's world wide category.

Travel and Leisure magazine announced this morning the winners of their World Best awards on the NBC Today show and their website http://www.travelandleisure.com

Featured in their August issue, Travel + Leisure's 14th annual World's Best Awards poll asked readers to rate the best hotels, cruises, airlines, outfitters, cities, and islands and they selected Jade Mountain
( http://www.jademountain.com ) as the top resort in the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas category.

Also, Jade Mountain ranked on position 3 of the Top Ten hotels worldwide, the first time ever a Caribbean hotel made it into the magazine's Top Ten listing.

Jade Mountain's owners, Nick and Karolin Troubetzkoy are thrilled with their resort's ranking. "The resort team has worked very hard since Jade Mountain opened over 2 years ago, to perfect and fine tune every aspect of our guests' resort experience. We cannot thank them enough for their commitment and enthusiasm throughout.", Karolin Troubetzkoy said in a statement this morning.

The Troubetzkoys were equally delighted to see Jade Mountain's sister property, Anse Chastanet, on position 4 of the Top Caribbean Resorts listing. " The resort teams at Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet have a healthy competition going among themselves at all times - the guests definitely are the beneficiaries of that ambition and we are very pleased to see both resorts honored in the Travel and Leisure awards today ", Karolin Troubetzkoy added.

Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet enjoy one of the most scenic settings in the Caribbean, overlooking St.Lucia's twin Piton peaks, a World Heritage site. Nestled amidst a 600 acre estate with two soft sand beaches bordering pristine coral reefs, ANSE CHASTANET is in complete harmony with its natural surroundings and offers excellent diving facilities plus many other activities. In the fall of 2006, Anse Chastanet's architect owner Nick Troubetzkoy completed construction of Jade Mountain. His bold architectural design - individual bridges leading to extravagant infinity pool sanctuaries and rugged stoned-faced columns reaching towards the sky - have established Jade Mountain as one of the Caribbean's most unique resort experiences. More sculpture than structure, JADE MOUNTAIN has been called the 8th Wonder of the World and should be on everyone's bucket list of the Top Places to see before you die.

For more information visit the resort websites http://www.ansechastanet.com and http://www.jademountain.com,
or contact them via Tel 800-223-1108 / 758 459 6100, email jademountain@ansechastanet.com

websites:
http://www.ansechastanet.com
http://www.jademountain.com
http://www.scubastlucia.com
http://www.bikestlucia.com
http://www.elopetoparadiseweddings.com

Salt Lake City Alert: Look out for stolen Moto Carbon

If you live in or near Salt Lake city and you know someone that has a new green Moto Carbon - take note:

2009 Moto Carbon 1 STOLEN from Squatter's Brew Pub downtown SLC on 3rd South. Size medium Serial#T209052

http://twitpic.com/a289i

Contact me or Monavie-Cannondale if you have any information about it.

http://monavie-cannondale.com/contact

dtinkerj at aol.com

White Magnesium Magura Marta SLs are IN!

I love it when the mailman drops off something I've been waiting out by the mailbox for - yes I keep my computer out by the mailbox!! The much anticipated Magura magnesium Martas came today and they will look so perfect on the new MonaVie-Cannondale Scalpel. The Martas I've been using have been awesome. Perfect in any condition - which means mud, sand, rain, whatever. These are extremely lightweight brakes that work perfect.

Now to work installing them...

Right after fishing...


http://monaviecannondale.bigcartel.com/

Team Monavie-Cannondale at BC Bike Race & Killer Monavie Video!

Gotta check this out.... MonaVie-Cannonale Team BC Bike Race Video

 

www.monavie-cannondale.com

Cannondale Flash Unveiled!!

Cannondale unveiled the lightest-weight hard tail cross-country bike ever made (ever) at the Annual Sales Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah two weeks ago.  Velonews.com was there and wrote a fantastic article about the 16.6 pound Flash along with this photo by Robbie Stout.  Everyone knows how much I love riding hard tails, so I am super psyched about this one.  When I tested it in Utah, I was blown away by how lightweight, responsive, and how good it felt to ride.  It will be a perfect complement to the Scalpel and I cannot wait to race it.  This is a testament to the high quality engineering and design of Cannondale brands and their commitment to produce the best products in the world.

 

I am honored to be a long-standing member of the Cannondale global team of athletes and a representative of the Cannondale bikes and other products. 

 

Check out the velonews.com article about the Cannondale Flash here:  http://www.velonews.com/article/94319/flash-cannondale-s-166-pound-cross-country-bike

 

Now I will go sit by the mailbox and wait for my Flash to arrive....

 

Tinker

Coolest 24 Hour Race at Boggs Mountain

Make a Smilebox photobook

Turnbull Canyon ride with RC for a Dred Tread Test

Yesterday my long-time friend Vic Armjio and Richard Cunningham from MTB Action stopped by for a ride and to test out the Kenda Dred Tread tires. We headed up to Turnbull Canyon in Whittier and even though it was gloomy and overcast, we had a great ride. Richard got to ride my Cannondale Taurine and my wife's carbon Scalpel. The canyon has all kinds of technical fun singletrack, pleanty of climbing and stunning views of the Los Angeles basin. If it were clear, you can sometimes see all the way to Catalina island.

We had barely been on the bikes for a few minutes and almost rode over a local snake. RC grabbed it and we all had a look at the docile beauty.

Next, we focused on the Dreds. If you haven't tried the Dred Treads, you should! And I am not just saying this because they are my signature tires (seriously). The Dreds are probably the best all-purpose tires I ever tried. Maybe by looking at them you wouldn't think they would impress you much, but every time I ride them I am completely blown away by how fast they perform, how well they grip in the loose stufff, how well they climb and corner. The Dreds perform as well or better than my other favorites.

I hope RC likes them as much as I do!

We ended the day with a snack of fresh fruit, hummus on whole wheat pita bread, roasted turkey sandwhiches with avacado and swiss cheese, and talked about fishing. My wife feeds me too much and I keep on eating whatever she gives me. I guess I need to complain about something!

Now get out and ride.

Tinker

Norwalk Bikers - Old School BMX

I got an email recently from an old friend I used to race BMX with. He sent this photo from 1973 of the Norwalk Bikers and asked me if I remembered...I can't remember what I did 2 hours ago but this was an awesome photo. Try and guess which one I am here.... I think I was 12. This is one of the very first photos and the beginning of my career. Damn I am old. That was 36 years ago!!!

Curtis "Lightning" Rendich is 2A. The Norwalk Bikers were a traveling team made up of the best riders in each division that had the most points. Curtis said the other riders were Eric Pyles, Regan Pyles, Jeff B., and Allen Underwood. I love thinking back to these old times. You grow up doing something you love and you flash back to the old days and wonder what everyone is doing. Then you find out a few of them (like me) never grew up and are still doing what they love the most.

I really really appreciate keeping in touch with the past and meeting up with Curtis some day will be awesome.

Peace and ride one,

Tinker

New Crocs!

Have you tried Crocs shoes lately? If you haven't then you are missing out on one of the best most comfortable, versatile shoes ever invented. I just don't recommend getting your feet too close to the campfire with them or you risk melting your most favorite pair of shoes!

Check out the Crocs I got yesterday... I have two new favorite pair of shoes ever!

VeloNews.com on Mohican 100

Just a quick note to post the VeloNews.com article wrapping up the Mohican 100. It was great weather, super nice people, and a good turn-out. My story later...

Tinker

Click here for the Velonews.com article by Fred Drier: Bishop outfoxes a small group....

Men Podium 1-6

Photo credit: Fred Drier

Cape Epic Story in **NEW** XXC Mag

When Jason Mahokey emailed me and invited me to contribute to an article in the new XXC Magazine, I was flattered and happy to contribute. What I didn't expect was the fantastic job he did and the high quality work in an 11 page article depicting my blog stories about the Cape Epic.

Check out the article and the 2nd edition of XXC Mag on-line at xxcmag.com: XXC #2

I already bookmarked this site and plan to keep an eye out on the stories. What an excellent mag and great stories!

Tinker

In fond memory of Steve Larsen

One thing I shall never get used to is the news of a fellow cyclist passing away. When I read the news about Steve, it really got to me. This guy was a great competitor and challenged me and brought out the best in me. I worked my tail off to compete with him and for that challenge, he put high marks on my career. When he was racing mountain bikes he was one of the toughest competitors that I really had to focus on to beat.



I am really just sad to know that somebody that was such an inspiration to mountain biking had to leave so soon leaving behind his family. I saw Steve in Vegas last year. He was so upbeat and talkative. It was nice to see him happy and as he always has, his competitive side was showing. I am very sad to see this happen. I cannot imagine leaving 5 kids behind and I wish all the best to the family through this tough time. We lost a good person for this sport. He had so much talent and it is sad to see him go. I will always look up to him as one of the toughest competitors I have ever challenged in mountain biking.

Be thankful for every day and every breath.

Tinker

Mohican 100 MTB Race

What do you do when you've got 6 weeks between races?? Schedule an event of course! Our team, Cannondale, Kenda, and others will be heading to Ohio for race #2 of the NUE series. It should be fun.

Emv

Drum roll please....

We are pleased to introduce the new MonaVie energy drink!!!

EMV




I got my case of samples in today and this is better than any other energy drink on the market today.

Now go get on the juice and go ride your bike!!!

Tinker

What's in it:

Acai

Acai is a small, round, dark-purple berry with amazing nutritional properties. Its appearance is similar to that of a grape, but it has a smaller amount of pulp and a single large seed. Experts have referred to the acai berry as the most nutritious and powerful food in the world.

Apple

The traditional apple being added to MonaVie is both delicious and nutritious. Apples are rich in antioxidant polyphenols.

Acerola

A bright red, soft, and juicy fruit, acerola has been eaten for centuries by the natives of the Antilles, Central America, and Northern South America. Also called the Barbados cherry, acerola is known for having high concentrations of ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, acting as an antioxidant.

Camu Camu

A low-growing shrub found throughout the Amazon, camu camu is round and red when young and dark purple when ripe. These fruits are about the size of lemons and contain a significant amount of vitamin C.

Cupuacu

This fruit originates in the south and southeastern parts of the Brazilian Amazon. It is strong and pleasant smelling, known for its volatile aroma. The endocarp is white and soft, the pulp having a sour and highly-flavored taste.

Grape

Grapes belong to the Vitaceae family and are grown and harvested worldwide. They contain cardio-friendly antioxidants such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol.

Pear

Originally from Europe and Asia, pears have a soft, buttery, and somewhat grainy texture. The white to cream-colored flesh of pears was once referred to as the "gift of the gods."

Proprietary Energy Blend...

Palatinose (Generic name: Isomaltulose)Isomaltulose is a novel and natural carbohydrate energy source. It is found naturally occurring in honey and sugar cane extract. This unique carbohydrate metabolizes more slowly when compared to sucrose, (table sugar) and maltose (malt sugar).

Because it is not metabolized as quickly, energy levels are longer and more sustained. Unlike other carbohydrates that are digested slowly, isomaltulose is digested completely, which means no gastric discomfort like those experienced by consuming sugar alcohols and fiber based sweeteners.

Isomalutose is also kinder to teeth than sucrose and is not readily fermented by oral microbes. Recent studies of isomaltulose have shown it can help promote a steady stream of energy over a longer period of time.

The consumption of isomaltulose when compared with sucrose and glucose leads to lower blood glucose and lower insulin responses. This means that the body experiences a more gradual rise in the sugar available to provide energy to the cells and a more gradual decline.

So the energy provided by isomaltulose is available to tissues that need energy such as muscles and the brain longer than if sucrose was consumed. These benefits may help consumers to avoid the peaks and valleys associated with high sugar energy alternatives.

Isomaltulose, is sweet and soluble and tastes like sugar which makes it ideal for the production of the next-generation of energy drinks. Most energy drinks are loaded with high fructose corn syrup and caffeine for a quick jolt, but can often leave you feeling foggy and jittery.


Top of Page


Guarana

Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a Brazilian herb that is considered "GRAS" (generally recognized as safe). It has become a popular addition to energy drinks due to its natural caffeine content. Traditionally, guarana has been used as a safe and natural physical mental pick-me-up. Today, guarana is mostly used for energy and performance.

Green tea

Cultivated originally in East Asia as a large shrub tree, green tea now grows throughout Asia and parts of the Middle East and Africa. People have been drinking green tea (Camellia sinensis) around the world for centuries. Studies suggest that green tea has many health benefits due to its antioxidant polyphenol content.

Green tea may also help boost metabolism and increase alertness primarily due to its natural caffeine content.

Maca

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is native to South America that has been used since ancient times as a staple food crop. Maca has been long known in folklore for its aphrodisiac and energizing properties. Also known as Peruvian ginseng, animal and in vitro studies indicate that maca may have considerable promise as an energizing plant.

Maca has a long history of use as a medicinal plant used by both men and women to improve a sense of well being.

Yerba mate

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is native to subtropical South America in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. From reports of traditional use, its physiological effects are similar to (yet distinct from) more widespread beverages like coffee and tea. Users report a mental state of wakefulness, focus and alertness.

Ginseng

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) has been referred to as the king of all herbs. The root offshoots to make ginseng are harvested after 4 to 6 years of growth. In China, ginseng is widely used medicinally, to promote longevity and is said to improve quality of life.

D-Ribose

Ribose is a carbohydrate that when combined with other components form the energy currency of the cell. Ribose can serve as a precursor to stimulate the production of ATP (cell energy) in laboratory studies. The theory behind consuming large amounts of ribose is that it may maximize ATP stores and, therefore, increase cellular energy stores.

L-tyrosine

L-tyrosine, a non-essential amino acid, is a precursor to adrenaline (ephedrine) naturally formed in the body. Because of its role in the body, tyrosine may be involved with helping the body cope with stressful situations.

Acerola (Vitamin C)

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin needed by the body for hundreds of vital metabolic reactions. Due to relatively new research, intake requirements (RDA) for vitamin C have been increased.

Vitamin C's involvement in multiple metabolic pathways and its antioxidant properties, make it an important nutrient to consume daily to help maintain proper cell metabolism and tissue health.

B-complex Vitamins

B-complex consists of essential vitamins important for many physiological and metabolic functions. B vitamins are essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates and fat into energy. The B-complex vitamins included in MonaVie's EMV are vitamins B3, B5, B6, and B12.

New DCM Chrome MTB Team Website

Check it out:

DCM Chrome MTB Race Team

Chris Crideford's Ride for Breast Cancer Awareness

A few weeks ago, we found out about a guy on a mission to raise money for breast cancer research in the UK. Since then, the 60+ year old has embarked on his journey and will finish within the next week. We've been watching his progress and praying for him since it has not been easy. He is apparantly nuts, because he is not a cyclist, and has never even ridden much until he started training for this ride. We wanted to share his mission with everyone - even though we get a lot of requests for helping this or that charity, this is an unusual commitment and admirable endeavor. Whatching the progress on the trip tracker is sort of like a reality show but better because it is something we can relate to.

Here is his story:

Chris Crideford and his chariot for the journey in Britain

On April 26th, Chris Crideford, a 60+ year-old builder from the UK, set off to ride his bike from the bottom (Land’s End) to the top of Britain (John O’Groats in Scotland) - a distance of 875 miles [in British weather!!] to raise money for breast cancer research. His wife and mother have suffered with breast cancer and research from the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Foundation helped them. The two women are alive today because of it.

Having this close experience with cancer has made Chris truly value the research of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, who work relentlessly to develop safer, gentler and more efficient ways of treating breast cancer and preventing it occurring.

Since Chris started his ride at Land’s End (extreme southwest tip of Britain) on April 26, he has completed about two thirds of his journey. By May 7, he had now covered all of England and crossed the border into Scotland. Unfortunately, the predicted bad weather turned out to be accurate - he has had to battle strong winds and rain almost every day. He is carrying a tent and was planning to camp alongside the road, in cow fields, behind a pub, etc. But he and all of his equipment have been so wet by the end of each day’s riding that he has spent most nights in bed and breakfasts, youth hostels, and in some cases, the houses of complete strangers. Pretty much everywhere he has gone and had a chance to talk to locals, they have dipped their hands into purses and wallets and contributed to the cause. Some have bought him meals, others have run home and come back a few minutes later with food parcels, and the guest houses he has stayed in have sent him off each morning with bacon sandwiches and other such goodies. So, despite the rain, he is making excellent progress and is enjoying the trip. He has raised almost $3,000 so far and met a lot of nice people along the way. He is expected to reach John o’ Groats (population 300) on the northeast coast of Scotland within a week.

If any of you feel inclined to donate to this charity by sponsoring his bicycle ride, a link is provided below. I can almost guarantee that the ride won’t kill him, and even if he doesn’t make, your donation still goes to a good cause. Please forward this to anyone you think may be interested.

The website for making a donation is: www.justgiving.com/crideford

Coolest 24 Hour Wrap Up

The event was all for a great cause and it was really great to be able to be a part of it for the first time. This is definitely a worthy cause and northern CA has some of the best riding in the US but what happened with the weather was something we couldn't have any say so about. If I had to fly, it would have been a disaster, but we took the camper and that made it. Plus, Pico of the Hub Cycles was there wrenching for me - I do not know how to thank him enough. The promoter of the race said that in her 25 years of promoting races, she has never seen something so bad. They stopped the race 2 hours short of 24 hours - it was just a big wet muddy mess and I think everyone was relieved. I was determined to do what it took to get the job done. I had to make up for what I think was not stellar performance early this year, plus this is one of 4 races in the series and the man with the most miles wins the scooter.

Pico is a guy that has been around a long time and worked a lot on downhill bikes and the riders. I was very lucky to have an experienced mechanic that worked hard and did what had to be done. He worked with some of the best downhill riders in the world and I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with him, too. Thanks Pico! I could not have been able to finish this race without you. Can't forget Ed and Mom. Of course, Mom is Mom and she knows what to do and always is happy to get the job done. Ed is an excellent mechanic, too, but as my long time friend, he knows me and is always on top of what I needed. He even drove the whole way there and back. I couldn't have asked for a better support team.

In the end, I finally turned things around, considering it rained from the start to the end. These kind of races really wear on a person and especially the bike. Thank God I brought 2 bikes, so I was able to swap them out. The Cannondale Taurine rocked and stayed light weight and the Scalpel was a nice steady comfortable cruise. Pico kept them clean and even had to swap the entire brake system out at one point. Awesome. Oh and I want to thank all my sponsors - I cannot say enough how much I appreciate your support - and you are the perfect mix. I rode the Kenda Karmas on the Stan's ZTR 7000 Race Wheels for the Lefty. I refueld with Honey Stinger bars, gels, and chews , Mom's burritos, Terri's pasta, and MonaVie. The Tifosi's kept the mud out of my eyes! ODI grips are without a doubt the best on the market. They stay put and make it so easy to maneuver in any condition. My Crankbrothers pedals are the best! I will be trying out the latest model soon, so I'll let you know how they are. If I missed anyone, please forgive me, but I want everyone to know how much my sponsors mean to me - all of them. Thank you thank you thank you...

Here are a few photos from bicyclingevents.com and my friend Ed.

All the little signs posted along the road here are photos of people that had cancer. This was "Memory Lane". I remember one photo of a woman that was pregnant One guy told me two of the photos at the top of the hill were his family. What do you say in response to that? Damn, I'm so sorry. All the cheerful faces definitely kept people going.

Thanks to all the competitors, promoters, and spectators that kept us going. It was so amazing to see such happy people despite such tough conditions.

Peace,

Tinker

Photo Credits: Brian Joder - bicyclingevents.com

Photo Credits: Ed Kocina - Premier Tank, Inc.

Auburn Journal Article of the Wild, Wet Weekend

Recovering from the wet weekend today and will write up a story later, but here is a good overview of the race:

Auburn Journal "Wet, wild win for Juarez"

It was a tough race and I'm glad to be home and dry. The coolest part is the race raised >$40,000 for the Dream Foundation. Now that is cool.

Wet, wild win for Juarez

Round-the-clock rider logs roughly 182 miles in rain-shortened Coolest 24 Mountain Bike Race By Todd Mordhorst, Journal Sports Editor

Michael Kirby/Auburn Journal
Tinker Juarez of Downey, Calif., crosses Knickerbocker Creek on Saturday during the Coolest 24 Mountain Bike Race.

COOL — Tinker Juarez managed to pedal his bike around the slick, sloppy course at the Coolest 24 Mountain Bike Race 14 times between Saturday at noon and Sunday morning.

By the end, he almost needed a boat.

The four-time U.S. 24-hour solo champion added another well-earned victory to his Hall of Fame resume with a signature performance. He rode a total of around 182 miles in a race that was shortened to 22 hours and saw several top contenders drop out early due to the miserable conditions.

“The last thing I was thinking was that it would rain like this the entire race,” said Juarez, who turned 48 earlier this year. “There was a little break at night, but you still had to deal with the slime and the slip, so you still had to slow down.

“I actually felt really good. I’ve done a lot of races this year and I haven’t had that good feeling that I need the day of the race. In this one, everything came together, finally.”

A chorus of several hundred screeching brakes signaled the start of the third annual race, which race director Jim Northey said was filled to its 700-rider capacity. The course roughly followed Olmstead Loop behind the Cool Fire Station. This year’s route included 1,800 grueling feet of climbing.

The relentless rain could not dampen the spirits of the competitors, whose entry fees helped raise more than $40,000 for The Dream Foundation, a non-profit, wish-granting organization for adults, many of whom are cancer victims.

Juarez led from the get-go on Saturday. An early challenge from two-time Coolest 24 single-speed solo champion Dez Wilder pushed Juarez to a remarkable first-lap time of 57 minutes, 48 seconds — the fastest lap time by more than two minutes. The Cannondale-sponsored rider won a $100 bonus for the fastest lap on top of his $900 check for his first place finish.

His eyes, which were splattered with mud throughout the first half of the race, paid the price.
“I was a little nervous because I didn’t have a fender at first,” Juarez said. “Our mechanic saved the day. I was desperate. I didn’t think I would be able to make it through the night with the way my eyes felt.

“But we got that fender on there and it was night and day. My eyes were starting to get bad, but that fender saved me.”

Juarez will be back in Northern California in June for the Coolest 24 Boggs Mountain, also directed by Northey.

The four-man single-speed team from Victory Velo turned in an impressive 17 laps to win its division.

Full results were not available at press time. Visit www.globalbiorhythmevents.com for results later this week.

Bike Sport News Cover!

It makes Mom very proud and smile a lot when she gets to see her son on the front cover of a magazine. Especially when it is the top bike magazine for the country! Here is Germany's Bike Sport News cover for May.

Announcing 2009 Race Schedule

My 2009 race schedule has been updated and posted here: Tinker's 2009 Race Schedule

Here is the MonaVie-Cannondale Team Schedule: MonaVie-Cannondale.com 2009 Race Schedule

Stop by to say 'hi' and join MonaVie-Cannondale and/or me at any of our events!!

See you at the races,

Tinker

Coolest 24 Hour Race Against Cancer Dream Foundation

I am participating in the Coolest 24 Hour Race Against Cancer in Cool, CA next weekend. The mission for the Dream Foundation this race supports is funded by donations from races like this and contributions from people like me and you.

Please help me support the Dream Foundation Mission and send a check in any amount to the "Coolest 24 Race Against Cancer". Mention my name so they can keep track of which racers helped support the cause.

Send Checks to:

Coolest 24 race against cancer

PO Box 3163

Auburn, CA 95604

Tax ID#26-1406585

Then, send me an email so I can add your name to my pledge form. dtinkerj@aol.com.

Here is some information about the cause:

The Coolest 24 Hour Race Against Cancer is committed to helping people with their fight against cancer. Over the year’s, this race has raised over $120,000 to help fight cancer.

This year’s race will raise funds for The Dream Foundation. The mission of the Dream Foundation is to enhance the quality of life for individuals, and their families, at the end of life’s journey by helping adults find peace and closure with the realization of a final wish. Over 80% of the people that the Dream Foundation helps have cancer and most of them are here in Northern California.

Dream Foundation is the first national wish-granting organization for adults age 18 years and over. Dream Foundation has granted thousands of dreams to adults who are emotionally, financially and physically devastated by terminal illness. All dream recipients have been diagnosed with a terminal illness & have a life expectancy of less than one year.
86% of the Dream Foundation’s annual budget is used for Program Expenses, 4% for Administrative Expenses, and 10% on Fundraising.

This year’s Coolest 24 Hours Against Cancer is a 501(c) non-profit event.

Incredible photography of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain

There are photos and then there are incredible photos. Check out some incredible photos of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain Resorts in Saint Lucia.

Make the time to visit, too.

Click Here: Scott McNally Photography Blog

iBert Inc. Safe-T-Seat

I got a chance to run into Kelly and Che of iBert Inc. while we were at Sea Otter last week and wanted to post a note to say THANK YOU iBert for producing the best children's bike seat in the world!

Check it out on their website. You can buy a seat from them directly.

Here is the latest press release:

iBert Inc. brings its safe-T-seat, the front-mounted child bicycle seat, to Sea Otter Classic 2009. Be sure to stop by booth #236 to check out the child bicycle seat that places the child between the adult rider and the handlebars, giving parents improved control over both the child and the bicycle.


In the past year iBert Inc. has signed a sponsorship agreement with David "Tinker" Juarez and continued expanding its clientele around the world.

freecast of the World Cup MTB intro

I'm not that good at blogging let alone video so let's let the pros do it.
This is hilarious.

Cape Epic Day 8 - Stage 7: The Bitter-Sweet End

We made it.

And what a great feeling it is to finish the race and have it done. There are so many things can go wrong and we did have our share of challenges, but we did great. This race is different - no laps to get back to the pit and get the bike worked on - so you had to be prepared for the worst and this track really beat it out of you and the bike. Winning this race to me was crossing that finish line each day and getting that finisher's t-shirt at the end.

Johnny Kritzinger and Tinker Juarez finished 14th overall at the 2009 Cape Epic.

I met Johnny the day before the race. We never rode together before but I couldn't have asked for a better partner. You need a good partner to finish a race like this as well as we did. And Johnny was the best and I know he will continue to be among the best racers in the world for some time. Keep an eye out for him on the DCM Chrome team in the future.

The track really challenged us because of how tough it was on the bike. I know this is a lousy excuse but the mechanicals set us back. But that is part of racing and how this game is played. We did the best we could but I really wanted to do better for Johnny. He will be there soon enough. The best thing about it is we learned from each other and had a great time.

South Africa MTB racing is way bigger than I anticipated. Before we went, I pictured SA as a quiet part of the world, with some good racers, especially since Christoph Sauser and Jock Boyer have adopted the area as home. What I didn't imagine is that it is every bit and more of an involved cycling community with a huge following than we have seen here in the US in a long time. There were thousands of spectators at every race. At least 20,000 were at the final stage, helicopters with cameras everywhere, motorcycles with camera everywhere, and television coverage multiple times per day. I can't say I've seen that lately a long time. It is right up there with the racing scene in Europe. It was so nice to see SA as being right up there, particularly in the XC enduro scene.

Last weekend they had a national championship race with an impressive list of racers. This weekend they will host the first UCI World Cup race in SA. I look forward to seeing the DCM Chrome team on the podium. DCM is sponsoring the World Cup series, proving that the passion for cycling and desire to reach out to the international arena is very well established. I guess what I am trying to say is that this race woke me up and the rest of the world watch out. South Africa cyclists are here to stay.

Here are some photos of the last day. The stage is a blur now, so I'm not going into details, but it was another day riding my bike with a bunch of friends in one of the most beautiful parts of the earth. A good day in the office.

Brandon Stewart and Max Knox finishing 2nd place Stage 7. They were allowed to race this day!

Johnny Kritzinger and his PROUD Mom
(Johnny placed 19th in the SA Nationals the weekend after the Epic)



DCM-Chrome/MonaVie-Cannondale Team and Support Crew

Leroy, Tinker, Jacques, Kandice, Max, Ben, Brandon, Johnny, and Cisca

South Africa Wine - after race celebration at Johnny's family house

Jacques and Ben

Cisca and Kandice

Highway signs! This was not an ordinary chicken house!

Braai (the SA term for BBQ) at the Kritzinger's home Saturday night after the last stage of the Cape Epic. All we wanted to do was sleep - that is until we got there!


5-day old giraffe at the Lion Park


South Africa sunset at Ian Van der Walt's home in Johannesburg after the race - a perfect close for a brutal race

Getting ready for the 36 hour journey back to LA

One more thing - I heard that this event was the counterpart of the Tour de France of MTB. There is no doubt in my mind that it earns every bit of respect and more. It was awesome.

Many many thanks and congratulations to the race organizers, our team, Kandice and Cisca for supporting us, without Ian and DCM Chrome I couldn't have been there and I am extremely grateful for this, Leroy for the mechanical support, MonaVie and Cannnondale for supporting our trip and the awesome bikes. The Scalpel bikes held up awesome - perfect for a course like this, Kenda tires for keeping us with the rubber side down - this was the toughest terrain I've race in and the tires made it easy, oh and of course, my family - Joshua and Terri and Tracy - it was awesome having family there with the cowbells, wearing the jerseys, being at the finish line every day, and good food. It would have been hard being away from home for so long without you.

Tinker

Day 7 Stage 6 – A Real MTB Race Track

Johnny Kritzinger and Tinker Juarez near the finish of Cape Epic 2009 Stage 6

Day 7 Stage 6 – A Real MTB Race Track

Today was a good day in the office. What a beautiful office, too! The course was filled with lots of single track, rocky descents, and it was quite technical. I love fun single track and gives you time to enjoy the ride, just cruising along and enjoying the race. There was a super rocky decent. I went slow like Grandpa and didn’t care. I couldn’t afford a flat – too early in the race for that right now.

We had a fast group of guys and we tried everything to stay with them. The two guys that got away finished really well. They stood away and we were not able to catch them. The two Trek Check guys were with us for a little while but they had a flat and bike issues or they would have finished ahead of us. That is the way biking goes. Sometimes you get luckier than others. My Scalpel was working excellent, thanks to Leroy from Tiger Cycles. The shifting was excellent. The Gore cables are so nice - thank you Gore for your sponsorship. The cables are nice to work on, too. They have a Teflon sheath and works great.

At the end, Johnny went ahead of the two MTN guys and I was behind them. Then one of them slipped a gear and I was able to get past. His partner slowed down to wait so I got past him, too. Johnny and I finished 8th place today. We are reported as me being the Top American with my South African partner Johnny Kritzinger in 14th place overall.

What a difference good rest means. I even got up before the daily 5:00 AM horn blaring the wake up call. I am racing a lot harder than I anticipated before coming to this race. My intention was to take it easy and use it for the season training, but Johnny is super strong and doesn’t even seem tired after 6 days of this grueling punishment. But we are having a great race, and we made it to the last day within the top 15 – an excellent finish for a race like this.

Tomorrow is the last day and we will be finished. The week has flown by and it hardly seems like we rode as much or as hard as we have. I have already decided to return to South Africa to race again soon. Like I already said, this is an awesome way to see this beautiful country.

Peace,Tinker


Tinker hugging Joshua at the end of Stage 6



Tinker Juarez and Johnny Kritzinger - DCM-Mona Vie-Cannondale

The two DCM-MonaVie-Cannondale Partner Teams: (L to R)

Johnny Kritzinger with Tinker Juarez & Jacques Jansevan Rensberg with Benjamin Sonntag

Day 6 Stage 5 - over the hump to Oak Valley

Brandon Stewart and Max Knox Stage 5 near the finish


Jock Boyer at the start with the Rwanda team



Looking at results

Ben in the morning

Another fun day in Africa.

For a race like this you need three main things: 1) Dependable equipment; 2) your state of mind (positive attitude); and 3) fitness. Not necessarily in that order. State of mind is the most important.

Johnny needs a set of shocks, too. A hard-tail is so much lighter and easier going up hills and stuff, but the full suspension bike is worth the weight.

Johnny said that the first 5 k was the most fun and even though they made a big deal about it the UFO climb did not seem that bad. The last 5 K sucked. After the last water point there was a hell of a climb and we were out of water, hot, and tired. I don’t know where the route profile was tracking, but the little blip on the profile did not predict what we rode on.

My outlook was a little different. Today was not such a great day for me. I felt really tired most of the ride. This morning I felt nervous and tired. Somehow my legs didn’t have anything and they felt like cement. We started in a big group and my legs felt really heavy. I was getting dropped on the UFO climb but it was so early and I knew I couldn’t give up. It was only an hour into the ride. But I realized I had to think positive. I rode through it and I started feeling better. When I started feeling better and hung with the group, I focused on not doing too much pushing and hung on. I felt better enough to give me enough confidence to push a little harder and stick it together. The group stayed together and I remembered all the guys were tired too. We ended with a strong finish, in 12th place.

I am not even thinking about tomorrow yet. For now I need to rest, get cleaned up, and nurse this golf ball size lump on my shin where a rock hit me.

In this race you go through hard days. I gave a lot of effort yesterday and paid the price today. Sometimes you really have to dig deep and today was one of those times.

Rest for now.
Tinker

Cape Epic Day 5 Stage 4 - The Grand Canyon Day

Incredible scenery of the Western Cape, South Africa

Day 5 Stage 4

Today looked like it would be the end of our race. I took a bad line and there was a 5 foot across ditch with vertical walls that was about 4 feet deep. The ditch was next to the fire road we were turning on to. I was committed to save a bad crash since I was coming down the hill about 30 mph so I had no choice…I jumped it. My front wheel just cleared but the back wheel hit the brim and stopped me. The impact crunched and put a big ding in my back wheel. It was unbelievable- the tubeless tire was still on and intact, even after I jumped on it. But I thought the race was over with.

At that point, I put a tube in, straightened the wheel as much as I could, and we watched as all the people were passing us. We were on a flat road and people were grouped up and we lost any hope of finishing as well as we had in the last few days. The wheel and tire worked and we made our way to the neutral support zone. We just wanted to finish so we went carefully and luckily it wasn’t too rocky and when we made it to the neutral zone, the leaders and our teammate was there. We expected Brandon because we had just passed Max. Max and Brandon were working with Christoff and Burry hoping to help them finish and keep them in good time. Max and Brandon, after all, are just riding and using this as a training for the Sea Otter next month.

Anyway, Christoff gave me a wheel and we were set. We later got another flat on Christoff’s wheel and when I was fixing it I found a gel pack inside the tire and a plug. He had used a gel pack and plug to repair a tear and left it in there!! Ha!

Johnny and I were in about 40th position or back further. I was not telling him but was thinking in my head that this was a good effort to get to this spot in the standings and we needed to get it back. Maybe he just knew it but somehow we had to make up a lot of time. I put the hammer down and Johnny kept up. I depended on him to be there and I knew he could do it. We slowly passed team after team. We passed at least 18 teams and finished 18th today and 15th overall. We really put it together and kept back in the game. Anything can happen in this race.
So, it was a great day. For the disaster it could have been, we had a great day.

I feel like every day has been tougher than the last, but thank God we have an excellent Physio and motor home. I would be dead if I didn’t have the luxuries! I am tired but I came into today with power. Different from the last couple of days, which is a good sign. We will focus on pacing ourselves and staying consistent.

Tinker


The last downhill at the end of the Stage 4



Stan's Rims rock! The Kenda Karma tubeless tire stayed inflated. We will be able to repair this rim.



Johnny, Tinker, & Josua at the end of Stage 4

Cape Epic Day 4 Stage 3 - Dr Evil lightens up

Day 4 Stage 3

Yesterday Dr. Evil hurt us. It was a mere 73 km race – short compared to the last two days – but brutal because of the hiking. It started off with a really steep climb we could ride. When you got over the climb there was a little bit of rolling stuff, but then we got to the really steep climbing. All I remember is stretching out my whole body length of the bike to push it up the loose rocks. The rest is sort of a haze since I am writing this on the next day.

We actually did quite well. We were riding with Christoff and Burry and the rest of the top ten but they literally walked away from us during the hike a bike section. When we got to the top we took in the amazing view. You could see the whole valley. South Africa is amazingly beautiful and this is such an awesome way to see it.

Most of the ride was just sitting in a really fast bunch of riders flying along. The last 10K had a lot of really steep ride able climbs and then there was some really fast single track descents through some orchards. Then 3km of fast fast downhill straight to the finish. We were unbelievably happy to see the finish. We had a good ride. Finished 14th but decided not to sprint for 12th place since we all finished in a big group. I will try and post the video of the finish.

The photos here are of Rebecca Rush, Christoff Sauser and Joshua, Johnny’s bloody elbow, and Johnny’s leg during therapy.

Cape Epic - Stage 2: Dr Evil 2: Tinker & Johnny 0

Here is a story from my partner Johnny Kritzinger's about Stage 2. It has been so busy I haven't had time to keep up with the blog stories. But I couldn't have written a better story than this one...

Some of the race leaders

Johnny leading our pack

Tinker hanging in the middle of the pack

Vantage Point 2 was at the BC Wines winery


ABSA Cape-Epic Day 3 Stage 2

After a well deserved rest it was all action again at 5 o'clock in the morning. Feeling good and keen to make up for some lost time Tinker and myself set our bottoms on our saddles for what was to be the 3rd day of the untamed African race.

The start greeted us with a fast and flat 6km section of tar. Great to get the legs warmed up and move up in something that looks like the peleton you'd see in the Tour de France. On the top of the small hill the arrows sent us right and into the mountains. This section of downhill was just crazy! What made it even harder than the tons of rocks sticking out was the enormous dust cloud that was being created by the riders. The dust made it impossible to see where you were going! A big crash in this section saw other DCM Chrome Monavie rider Jacques Janse Van Rensburg go down hard as another riders' bike flew in-front of him!

We made it through safely and putting the hammer down to try and catch the small bunch ahead of us. Tinker was flying! I just had to keep up on the downhills,my hard tail not the best option for untamed Africa. ( I did not tell Tinker, but he had a massive rear wheel puncture when his rear tire met a sharp rock.....it used a lot of sealant but sealed perfectly!) Stan's Sealant is the best invention in mtb!!

Sitting pretty in the second big bunch of the day we were happy as our company were the two leading masters teams for the day. They did some big pulls on the flat roads and one could feel the tension build between them as the finish line drew closer with every pedal stroke.

The cooler weather definitely helped us today. The body does not fatigue as much like it does in the ridiculously hot weather like we had on stage 1. Our goal of trying to make up some lost time was a sure thing and we were feeling great as we rolled along the fast open roads towards Villiersdorp.

Like it was not hard enough forcing our bikes and bodies through the sand and undulating rocky terrain. Dr. Evil had something special for us for the finish....a steep 5km climb to the top of a mast tower on a koppie (small mountain/rise)! This sting in the tail sure did hurt! The climb also gave us our first sight of wild animals,weird because we had apparently rode through a private animal reserve along the route. Nonetheless we were happy to see some cows! Tinker makes an awesome cow moo and he can even make them stand up and walk out of the way.

The fast single track downhill was a real treat after the hard climb and knowing that it was only another 5km to the finish made it even better. Swooping through the vineyards and onto the tar road for the last 1km to the finish we were really happy with our 14th place on the day. A brilliant ride on anyone's terms!

Tinker and Johnny finishing Day 3 Stage 2

Our goal for the rest of the ABSA Cape Epic will be just to keep it smooth and consistent. That should see us shape up pretty well!

All in all....another great day in Africa!

Johnny

Leroy Geldenhuys the team mechanic for the trip (top notch - See Tiger Cycles here is SA to find him) and Joshua cheering us on

Cape Epic Stage 1 - Dr Evil - 1 : Tinker & Johnny - 0

Day 1

We started the day today at 3:45 AM and were on the road with the convoy by 4:30 AM. The stage started at Gordon’s Bay. I felt normal at the start. Not tired but I knew it would be a long day in the saddle. We had a good starting position so it was a nice neutral start. Everyone was shuffling around and got into a comfortable place. The first climb was 8 miles from the start and I started having a mechanical problem. This was when I realized how technical and hard the course was going to be on the bike. The next neutral support area didn’t have anything that we could use. Johnny waited for me and we hammered when we could. Your mental status is so important to performance and on this first day I knew I had to get over it. After three hours of struggling I almost cracked. It was just a matter now of just trying to survive the rest of the ride and finish.

We rolled across the line in 22st place and 24th overall. Not bad after a day like today.
Oh – lesson learned today: Pick a small kid on the side of the road to do the high five with. The teenager I saw today almost knocked me off my bike!

Ben and Jacques had a great day and made up some time from yesterday. They finished 10th and are in 15th place, overall. Ben said, “It was definitely tough. It was bumpy and hot. The hardest part was after I lost my water bottle and I bonked a little. I am so happy we got a good finish.”

Will try and post daily. I just know that if the rest of the race is like today then the Cape Epic will live up to it’s reputation. Untamed.

Should be better tomorrow. Good sleep will help.

Tinker





Johnny and I at the start in our new DCM-MonaVie kits.


At the finish line

Oh God Yes Ice me please

Cape Epic Prologue

The Cape Epic started today with the 19 km prologue. Johnny Kritzinger, 22 years old South African and up and coming champion, is my partner for the next 7 days. We are riding on the DCM-MonaVie-Cannondale team and had a great race today. We are in the open Men's category and started somewhere around the 360 spot or something. It was a fast and fun course with just the right amount of climbing. But we lost track of the number of teams we passed and ended up with the fastest lap time for much of the day. Overall, we finished 19th. An excellent start. Johnny and I worked well together and I look forward to this race with him. Here are a couple of photos for now. More later. We should have more down time to blog once we are on the road.

Standings for half the day.


Johnny and his biggest fan - Dad Kim


Joshua and Ian Van der Walt

Peace,

Tinker

Cape Epic Prologue - Ben's Story

Ben Sonntong wrote up a great story about his team race today and I wanted to post it since it was such a tough way to start this incredible race. Ben and Jacques have an excellent attitude about it though, and recovered tonight with a good massage, pasta, and rest after this hot frustrating day. What Ben didn't mention is that after the end of the race he spent almost two hours in the clinic - he was one of the three random drug tests for the day... And after this day he still had a great attitude. Good luck tomorrow.

"Cape Epic Kick Off

Ok, there would have been much better ways to start out the Cape Epic, than breaking a rear dereilleur and running instead of riding 80% of todays prologe. But stuff happens, and we, Jacques and me, are both positive that the during the next days we can make up this mishap.

Both Jacques and me started very excited into today's prologe. After we went through the twisting start/ finish area, I passed the lead to Jacques, who is known to be one of the best climbers out there. The rumors were right and he put the hammer down. We were off to a fast start and after just 5min into the race we were passing the team in front of us.

Yeah, we made up a minute on them that quickly. The plan was to make Jacques push on the climbs and than I would lead the downhills pointing the line to Jacques, who has more of a road background. We made it save down the first downhill, but soon after at the start of the longest climb of todays prologe, I just heard a horrible noise behind me. First I thought it was just the chain which dropped from Jacques bike, but his reaction sounded more dramatic and soon I realized that his rear dereilleur was in parts. No chance to fix this mishap! I took a couplce seconds for both of us, we were both shocked, but we realized that we need to keep going.

Jacques ran up the hills and on the flats and rolling sections I was pushing him. It took a while before teams start to pass us, we were going strong before, but soon one team after the other came by. It was a frustrating situation, nothing we both could do. Our only goal was to finish todays stage and limit the losses.In the end, after 14lkm of running and pushing, we finished todays stage 24min down on Burry Stander and Christoph Sauser, who took the 1st victory of 2009 Cape Epic. Of course, we are dissapointed, but maybe this mishap will made us a stronger team for the following days.

There is lots of racing ahead and we will try to prove that we belong to the strongest teams in this field. We didn't asked for this "team bounding" extreme situation, but we will go positive into the next stages, since we still want to find out, how fit we are compared to this world class field! Tomorrow, the real Cape Epic start, which means for us, waking up at 4, drive 1 hour to the start and hitting 180 heart rate at 7am sharp! The starts are early and for tomorrow Jacques and I have to be right awake. After todays result we have to start in Block E, so we have to make our way through the field quick to catch the lead group, because that's where we want to be in!!!

Ben"

Table Mountain Burning

We had a great journey here to Cape Town South Africa and are posting all the back scenes part of this trip on our family blog: http://www.juarezepicadventures.blogspot.com/. Terri and I will post all the race updates and prep stuff there. Here is what I've been up to to get ready for the race.

I got a short ride in yesterday after putting together my bike. Today we went up to Table Mountain and went to Shan's bike shop and had some coffee. I will update the name later. We had coffee and a nice danish roll, discussed the bikes, the course, and the race.

When we headed out this morning we found out that Table Mountain was burning. We were not sure if it would be closed but headed up anyway. It was pretty smokey since it had burned through the night and over 150 homes were evacuated, but they let us ride. Shan - one of the locals knew all the trials.

What a surreal sight - you could still feel the heat from the ground and the burning scrub. From time to time you could feel the water drops from the helicopters. The wood was still smouldering and the helicopters were flying all above. I was thinking we would got to jail today Wow.

Back to the ride. It was a tough ride. It is steep with loose rocks, sand, and broken up roads. There are big rocks in the decent and the turns are slippery. I was really happy to have my Stan's wheelset set up with my Kenda tubeless tires. It is so easy to pinchflat. I was happy to have the Scalpel - I will definitely need the full suspension for this one. For the rest of the week - I have no idea what to expect - but I am glad I brought the gear I did. Yes - this is a tougher prologue than most.

I don't have photos of it but it looked like the sun was rising because the fire was so hot.

It was a perfect beginning for the toughest mountain bike stage race in the world.

2009 Team Expansion Announcement

The 2009 Team Press Release:

2009 Expansion! March 21st, 2009 Posted by Bart Topic: News
MONAVIE-CANNONDALE EXPANDS ROSTER AND “EPIC” RACE SCHEDULE IN 2009!

Salt Lake City, UT – (March 18, 2009) – Building on the success of the 2008 season, the MonaVie-Cannondale Cycling Team announces powerhouse additions to the team roster and a rigorous event schedule to focus on “epic racing around the world.”

MonaVie-Cannondale welcomes the following new riders in 2009: current US Short Track and Marathon National Champion Jeremiah Bishop, two-time US Collegiate National Champion and former ITU Winter Triathlon World Champion Benjamin Sontag, and Utah-based rider Alex Grant. In addition, Burke Swindlehurst (of the Bissell Pro Cycling Team) will be crossing over from road racing on a part-time basis.

“Joining the MonaVie-Cannondale Team presents an opportunity to focus on my favorite form of racing — epic racing — and meet the challenges of the world’s toughest mountain ranges and top international competitors,” says Bishop. “It’s an opportunity I couldn’t resist! I’m proud to join MonaVie-Cannondale and look forward to a fun season with all the great riders on the team.” Bishop also plans to compete in the US Pro Cross Country Tour and select events of the Kenda Cup East series.

Returning to MonaVie-Cannondale are the legendary David “Tinker” Juarez, Bart Gillespie, Susan Butler, Mitchell Petersen, Bryan Alders and Leana Gerrard. Complete rider bios can be viewed at http://www.monavie-cannondale.com/.

In their efforts to conquer the world’s epic races, MonaVie-Cannondale athletes will rely on MonaVie (http://www.monavie.com/) to support their bodies’ antioxidant needs. Introduced in January 2005, MonaVie develops and markets scientifically formulated, premium quality products, specifically for person-to-person distribution. Developed with a philosophy of Balance-Variety-Moderation, MonaVie brand products deliver phytonutrients and antioxidants to promote and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. For more information about MonaVie brand products or how to join the MonaVie family, call 1-866-217-8455, or visit http://www.monavie.com/.

Epic mountain bike racing is a torture test for the body, mind and bicycle. The team’s weapon of choice will be the MonaVie-Cannondale Team Scalpel equipped with Kenda Tires, No Tubes ZTR Olympic Wheels, Crank Brothers Pedals and Scrub Component Rotors. For better performance strategies, the team will rely on the science of Kinetic trainers, Wobble Naught Fitting Solutions and the visual expertise of Myo-Facts/Dartfish.

With the team now boasting nine professional riders, MonaVie-Cannondale racers will compete in epic events around the world, including the Absa Cape Epic, BC Bike Race, Intermontane Challenge, Brek Epic, La Ruta de los Conquistadors, and the Sabie Experience. The team will also attend select US Cup and NUE100 events.

My Chariot for the Cape Epic

I spent the last week making sure my bike was ready to go to Cape Epic next week. It is a good thing since I had a little trouble with a few things but it is running like a champ now. I can't wait to race it! Just in case anyone was curious about the Cannondale Carbon Scalpel - GO GET ONE! The ride you get from this thing is incredibly plush and considering 8 days in the saddle you cannot ask for a better bike.

I picked Stan's wheels not only because I love these wheels but because they will be the wheel sponsor for the MonaVie-Cannondale.com team in 2009! Nice!

I also have this gear and components:

ODI grips

Fizik saddle

Gore cables

Exustar bottle cages & seat bag - I will also use their hydration pack, gloves, and other stuff. They have a lot different gear and bike components - check them out on their website.

Crankbrothers Candies

Kenda tires - a couple of different types just in case

Sram xo trigger shifters & derailer

Magura brakes

USE seatpost

Diadora shoes

Tifosi eyewear - several different lenses and frames - there will be a custom MonaVie-Cannondale styles in 2009! Nice!

Nutrition will include Honeystinger bars and chews

2009 MonaVie-Cannondale Website and News

The team is getting ready to release the 2009 roster and race schedule on the new website. We have a stellar team this year and it is an honor to be part of it.

Bookmark http://www.monavie-cannondale.com/ and add it to your feeds for all the team news, blog stories, and links to our awesome sponsors.

You can keep track of all our races, riders, and send us notes.

Keep sending in the notes! We love to hear from you.

News: Cape Epic 2009

Got the first news release just now about MonaVie-Cannondale pairing up with DCM Chrome at the Cape Epic next week. Check out the MTB Race News story here where you can follow the race on line. Also check out the TV schedule:

This is going to be fun!

More later...

Tinker

__________________________________________________________________________________________________


U.S. mountain biking legend Tinker Juarez will be competing in the upcoming Absa Cape-Epic in South Africa. Juarez will be competing on a composite team that will pair him with a South African rider. This will be the first time at Cape-Epic for the Monavie-cannondale.com rider although he is no stranger to endurance racing. Juarez has competed in just about every major endurance race in North America. In 2008, he tackled ultra-endurance events like the Dirt, Sweat, and Gears, 24 Hours of Moab, and BC Bike Race.

Cape-Epic is billed as a magical and untamed African mountain bike race. The race begins on March 21st in Cape Town South Africa and ends 8 days later in Lourensford. The Cape Epic is the world's largest mountain bike stage race with 1,200 racers rolling off the start line each morning. The route features 425 miles of off-road riding. Other mountain biking greats scheduled to take the start of this year's Cape Epic include World Champion Chritoph Sauser and Burry Stander (Specialized) as well as fellow mountain bike legend Tom Ritchey.

You can follow Tinker's progress and all 8 days of the Cape Epic right here on MTBracenews.com March 21-28.

Singapore Bike Asia & Eneloop MTB Race - a soggy dripping success

Start of the Eneloop MTB Race at Tampines

I headed to Singapore for the 2009 Bike Asia show and Eneloop MTB race last week, only a little more than a week after the 24 hours in the Old Pueblo. I still had open wounds from my crash at OP. But the flight there and back was in Business Class - NICE! What a huge difference it makes for such a long flight. But the extra stuff and amenities do not stop GERMS. I ended up with flu like symptoms that started a couple of days after I arrived. I didn't even get out of bed on Wednesday before the race. Thursday was relaxed and I went to the shop and show. The Thursday night group ride was a soggy mess so for the whole time I was there, I only got about one 20 min ride before the race. What a bust.

The good part was that Chris Bray (Cannasia Cannondale) is such an excellent host. He took good care of me and I had no stress about anything. All I had to do was be ready when he told me to and I did. He arranged for some interviews with newspapers, magazines, and ESPN. We also had a couple of interviews with Gary Fisher and Mario Chippolini. The Bike Asia group had an excellent venue and provided a good time for us all. It is so nice to be so well taken care!

She's a Princess!

Canasia Cannondale Booth - busiest in the whole BikeAsia show

Chris Bray, me, and Gary Fisher

An honor to meet the best sprinter of all times.

Gary Fisher, Chris Bray, and Mario Chippolini

So even though all of that, everything went well ...except the race. The competition was excellent and there was no room for fault or excuses, including the flu. These guys were on their best game and I gave it all I had...too bad I only had a half full bucket of whip ass. Theirs were full! I ended up proudly in 3rd place and happy to be there. Oh and the race had to be called off early due to the severe lightning and rain. We still had about an hour of racing left so who knows if I could have done better but no matter. Glad to have the opportunity to be there and I look forward to next year to make it up.

God Bless,

Tinker

Happy Birthday Tinker!

Hijacking Tinker's blog to wish him a happy birthday! -- t

Make a Smilebox greeting