Nato posted a whole bunch of images from the 2008 edition of Loop the Lake. It was supposed to be a larger group, but the weather paired the group down to a hearty few: Darth, Obi-Ben, Esteban Frito, Moto, and Stanton (sorry Stanton, we need to think up a good road name). Below are a few of my favorites.
This section of dirt was hairball greasy. A few spills were had. Photo: Darth.
Obi-Ben, and the venerable KLR along the Golden Spike. Photo: Darth.
Stanton on the big bike, cruising along the railroad bed. Photo: Darth.
Darth and Esteban, heading out of Wendover. Photo: Darth.
Honestly, I can’t remember where this was. But it was cool. Photo: Darth
There always seems to be a “band photo”, for the next album. Photo: Darth.
The absolute “money” shot of the whole trip. Photo: Darth.
If you want to see all of Darth Nater’s photos, view the latest batch at Motodelicious.
We are back safe and sound after a soggy but rewarding Loop the Lake. A full report will follow, once we get all of our video diaries compressed, images collected, all that kind of digital stuff. But first, here’s some Monday morning commentary from our friend Dave Z:
Watch a video of Dave Z
Darth Nater has been anticipating the arrival of his new bike. He ordered it over a year ago, and after waiting patiently, it finally arrived. Or did it? When they opened the crate from BMW Motorad, this is what they rolled out. It seems the economy has caused BMW to slightly alter the original design of the new F 800 GS. The good news is the new model gets slightly better gas mileage than originally projected. It will be fun seeing Darth roll into Wendover, all pimped out with his new ride.
Yeah, I know. It says Honda on it.
Dave Z did it again, claiming a podium spot and a bronze medal at this year’s World Championships, behind Bert Grabsch and Canadian Svein Tuft. Here’s the story on cyclingnews. With the Silver medal he earned in 2006, there’s only one he hasn’t claimed. As far as the U.S. chances to do something in Italy, I am sure all eyes were on Levi Leipheimer for his commanding time trial wins in the Vuelta, that is, until his new boss announced his return to professional cycling. Levi certainly had the form ten days earlier to indicate he was going to crush it. Z Man wasn’t even on the start list posted by cyclingnews, leaving fans wondering if he was scratched. I think that’s Z’s style, fly in low under the radar, then drop some big bombs. Can a brother give me a Hell Yeah for Zabriskie? Leave a comment and say Hell Yeah.
It’s official, the date is set. Loop the Lake, first weekend in October. Travel light, because we’ll be spending the night in Wendover. No camping on this trip. Who’s in? Darth is in. Moto is in. Stanton with the big new bike. Maybe Bart on the big orange bike. Maybe the Brothers Simons? Do we hear any other takers? A-Train? T-Bird? Below is a classic Steve Fry “way suuuuuure pal” moment, after squirting about in the muck on the baja KLR, Loop The Lake 2006.
Way sure, pal. That’s what I’m talking ’bout pal. Photo by Nathan Rafferty.
Darth Nater sent this pic in from a recent stealth mission down to the Torrey, Utah area. A true road warrior, Darth had his Tahoe loaded with two-wheeled implements of recreation. Road bicycle in the back, KTM 450 EXCR on the back of the Versahaul. Location of this shot was described as Hall’s Crossing.
Darth Nater on another solo mission. Hall’s Crossing, Utah.
September is usually a quiet time in the newswires of professional cycling. You usually can get all the news you need by briefly scanning the headlines of cyclingnews.com and velonews.com. Vuelta results, riders changing teams, news from Interbike, then the World Championships. Mainstream sports news, let alone mainstream media rarely picks up any news of cycling unless it’s a doping scandal. But then Lance steps back in from the shadows. Maybe he’s sick of dominating the tabloid headlines with his personal life and wants to get back to the bike. Lance has announced and confirmed he will make a comeback, and all of the sudden, the TODAY show is picking it up, it’s all over ESPN, interviews in Vanity Fair, and the cyclingnews servers are overloading. The bike industry must love it. There’s no doubt that Lance mania has always brought a lot of new people into the sport of cycling. Hopers, dreamers and survivors. There’s no doubt Lance has done more for raising cancer awareness, and giving hope to those fighting the illness. It’s hard to hate the guy for that.
When Michael Jordan came back to play with the Wizards, it was sad. He was older, slower, but he was still Jordan. He could still toss in 45 points, but the Wizards still sucked. The tv commentators called him “Floor Jordan” instead of “Air Jordan” because he lost that skyward step. It was still entertainment, though, and probably the only reason anybody watched the Wizards play. If Lance just shows up, wins a time trial here and there, it will be looked upon as a failure. He has to come back and win. Lance didn’t just win the Tour de France. He dominated his rivals, broke their spirits, and crushed the hopes of a lot of pretenders. His main rivals at the time are all gone: Ullrich, Mayo, Vinokourov, Kasheckin, Basso. All out of the sport for positive doping tests or they are creeping back after serving suspensions (Basso), but won’t ever match up again. So what’s the endgame?
I’m waiting for when he will start working on his next book: It Was All About The Bike After All.
Glad to see our man Dave Z get another stars and stripes outfit for winning the U.S. Professional Time Trial championships for the third year in a row. He fought valiantly in Beijing to represent the U.S. of A., but I know his result there wasn’t what he was looking for. Good to see Dark Meat climb back to the top step of the podium. Read the story on cyclingnews.com. You’ll notice that DZ’s Garmin-Chipotle squad owned the top five, with Vande Velde, Cozza and Danielson.
Wow. Just read an article on VeloNews about an apparent exchange of words and blows between former U.S. Pro road race champion Marty Jemison and Garmin-Chipotle team doctor and apparently, former heroin addict Prentice Steffen. I was down spectating at the criterium and saw Marty before the race. He was super-friendly and after exchanging pleasantries, he had a job to do, and we had a race to watch so we went our separate ways. Here’s the thing about Prentice Steffen. What the fuck? What could this guy possibly hope to gain by tarnishing the reputation of a hard-working cyclist who has been retired for years. A guy trying to make a living and support his family through riding a bike, with his tour business. I’m not just sticking up for Marty because I know him, and I’m not passing judgement about whether or not he doped. To my knowledge, aside from the unsubstantiated claims by Steffen, Marty had never been implicated in any doping. The only stain against him is his name was mentioned in the same vein as Hamilton. I’m just saying. This Prentice Steffen guy has a job as team doctor for Garmin-Chipotle. Mind your own business and do your damned job. In the sport of cycling, no doubt there are many people who know where bodies are buried. Move on people. The past is the past. Focus on the now and get rid of the dopers, because there are plenty of them still beating the system. And focus on the future. Make sure today’s young talented riders stay clean. Meanwhile, Tyler Fucking Hamilton, one of the biggest and saddest cheats of all time, was here in SLC racing his bike, courtesy of Michael Ball’s idiotic and pathetic attempt to rescue the careers of proven dopers in hopes of selling a few pair of overpriced jeans. I’m sorry for the language, but I raced against Tyler in New England. He was always good. Better than me. I was stoked when he crushed everyone at Liege Bastogne Liege. Then I almost cried when he smashed his collarbone in the Tour and soldiered on. What a sham. How ironic that while the Olympics were going on in Beijing, Tyler was doing circles around Pioneer Park in Utah. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.
Here’s one for you: apparently there is an offer for Floyd to return to racing with Rock. Floyd: don’t do it. You are better than that.
The 2008 Tour of Utah brought big time bike racing back to Utah, and the downtown criterium stage brought enthusiastic crowds and fast action around Pioneer Park. After the exciting sprint finish won by Ricardo Escuela over Fast Freddie, we got a chance to catch up with two local rockstars, Burke Swindlehurst and Dave Harward, as they were warming down. They didn’t have black Escalades waiting for them. They didn’t have team boss clowns walking around with bodyguards. Just two good old boys who ride their bikes really fast, who took time out to say hello to old friends.
T-Bird, the girls and Harward took some time to say hello after a fast stage.