CLOSER TO WHERE WE STARTED

First we have to start off by saying a huge THANK YOU to some our sponsors for this past weekend.  TWIN SIX, Loaded Precision Components and ESI Grips came through huge for us and we were able to donate some great SWAG to a local favorite race of ours to help raise money for trail maintenance.  Bottles, socks, grips, gift certificates, more grips, and some sweet carbon low rise handlebars!  We can't thank you all enough!!!

Congratz to Steve Poirier for taking home one of the best prizes of the day!

http://www.loadedusa.com/products/handlebars/xlite-carbon-(xc,-trail)/

As far as racing, the teams had a great time.  Brian, Jon, Mitch and Aryn were the MFP and managed to pull out a 3rd place overall out of 21 finishing with a time of 5:35:29. As always, positions yo yo all day long until the full 80 miles are complete.  After coming up short last year of a podium the team was very happy to bring home some hardware this past weekend.

Ken was originally supposed to race with Mike, Gerry and Brian's wife Becky but a series of event happened and next we know Jon was on the horn to get Skylar and Uncle Fred to come south for the day to fill in for Mike and Gerry.  Number one goal was to have fun and they did.  

In the end, a damn fine day and everyone was happy it never rained like it was supposed to.  Thanks to Team Tree Farm for holding such a great event and congratz to everyone who came out to race and have a good time.  I'm pretty sure everyone did, even the guy who Brian kicked over as he was passing him.

We have tons of pix from all over the place....here's a sample of what went on all day:

The Diesel's

Brian sporting the Chicken-Hawk

 Lord Vader coming to meet the racers before the start

Diesel taking the color pink to seriously

Exit crater stage left

Brother Jim showing up to bask in the greatness of the Tree Farm Relay

Lunch

 Uncle Fred showing the young punks how to get it done

Dub9 happy he made it this far without crashing

Daddy DeYoung trying to steal Baby Thunder's Onsie

A-Train and Baby Thunder ain't havin' any of that!

Youngblood's says it's time to go to work

Wasn't he just wearing white?

She wasn't this smiley all day I tell ya.....

Sky and Uncle Fred fleeing the METAL scene

Hmmmm.....maybe she was allergic to the this

PEDAL PEDAL PEDAL PEDAL PEDAL

Maybe Becky should get Brad to be her mechanic

The Captain and his trusty sidekicks

What happens at the crater stays at the crater

Child of the corn

Why won't this kickstand work!!!!

Representing his tribe

From both sides

The Tri training isn't paying off here

We had to keep Ken tied to the tent so he wouldn't embarrass us

Changing of the guard

The Golden Hammer is coming home!

Se you all next year!!!

Ebony, Ivory.....and Ken

The streak ended this weekend at Midland City Forest.  If you are wondering what possible could be built in something called a 'city forest' well I'll tell you.  Some of the funnest, tightest, technical riding a trail could offer....when dry.  Unfortunately, it wasn't dry.  Jon, Aryn and Ken made the trip upstate to take on this new to the Tailwind Series venue.  Ken pre-rode it the day before and knew what he was in for if dry.  Aryn and Jon however had no idea.

"What bridge?!"

After the mud pit to sand pit to sled hill climb start for Aryn and Jon their positions in the pack weren't all that bad.  Could have been better but with this class, being in the class is still a good position.

Well it didn't take long for the trail conditions to start ejecting people from their bikes.  Not to long into lap #1 Robert Parish was seen off his bike gathering his thoughts.  About 2 miles later a recent grabber of podium finishes Andy Fedewa went down.  And this was just what happened in the first few miles of lap one in front of Aryn.

Lap #2 Aryn went down as well as Jon.  Lap #3....pretty much the same thing....for them and everyone else in their class.  They guys are still waiting on final confirmation but last they heard there was only 1 rider from their class, Jeff Porior, who didn't crash at least once in some point of the race.  Aryn lost his Gu bottle during a crash forcing him to run on fumes the last half hour of the race.  After catching Aryn and handing him some much needed GU Energy Gel, Jon put on a late push o n lap #4 to try and catch up to the podium spots but realized it was in vein and decided to let off the throttle and wait for Aryn much like how Maverick went back for Cougar in Top Gun.

"Any of you boys see an aircraft carrier around here?"

"You're to low Cougar, pull up!"

Ken had about the same luck Aryn and Jon did.  Three one way flights to the turf in three laps and some where in there a head on collision with a tree....he said he didn't hit the ground but now knows what those poor Plinko Chips on The Price is Right feel like.  Unfortunately no pix were taken of Ken on race day but he prefers it that way saying their wasn't anything good left to take a picture of.

So ends the streak of 10 races in a row of at least one podium finish.  As much as they'd like to forget this race every happened, everyone who showed up had to deal with the same conditions so nice job and well done to those who put it all together for the day.  

Next up, July 26th, the Tree Farm Relay.  While Mitch, Aryn, Jon and Brian will be teamed together for the Men's Advanced 80 mile race, Ken, Mrs Diesel, Skylar and co star Uncle Fred will be representing the team in the 40 mile Mixed Sport category.  This race is always a great time and is like a mid season break and also a reason to just ride our bikes and have fun for a day.  

What we can't wait for is to show how great our sponsors have been to us this year.  We have a big box of goodies from Twin Six, ESI Grips and Loaded Precision Components to give to Team Tree Farm for their raffles and door prizes.  Can't say it enough how much support this small grass roots team has gotten from all of them.  

So get moving and get signed up for the Tree Farm Relay....if you're lucky you'll get ya some!

To register: http://www.active.com/novi-mi/cycling/mountain-biking-races/tree-farm-relay-race-2014