The Freezer - Ride Report of Thursday 7 April

Missile...Labrico....Boum Boum....

Long story short....
....missile wraps up with a few more layers than initially planned on the very good advice of both boomboom and labrico.... Missile leaves his garage to start the ride only to return 30 seconds later for "more air"....missile sets off (apparently) in a hurry to get the ride started....missile legs feeling good, they havent turned on a bike since september 2015!!!....missile takes his friends through the woods near crans....into crans....down the steps....through the stream....etc. etc. all is well until it starts to go 'up'.... Missile realises that his september legs are 'rather tired'!!. Anyway....we press on....toblerones rushing by at great speed....(or not)....labrico shows off his acceleration machine on the ups....missile decided his toes are decidedly cold....labrico gets a flat....PAN!!!...fock....missile helps in wieghtlifting labricos bike into position for a wheel removal....boom boom starts filming for CNN...FINALLY....labricos wheel is pumped up again...missile has been caught swearing on tape...who would think....and it gets colder....

....so we arrive at home...hot showers being planned....but....NOOOO. Theres no hotwater....kids+wife+missile+cleaning lady+mrsjason...= fuckallhotwaterleftforapostmtbshower!!
Labrico decides he'll go anyway...missile thinks 'onestpasdepedes' and also goes for a cold shower....BAD move....shivering like never in his life....fock it was cold....

p'tie arvine/chilean red/pasta/red sauce/chees was consumed....boomboom was a bottomlesspit 'denouveau'!!!

Stats....updated later....

showing up points: 1 point each
host points: missile 1 for ride 1 for eats
flats: -0.5 labrico
filmography: +0.5 boomboom
freezower: -1 missile

Grand Bois ride report

3 intrepid riders got on their bikes and went for a ride...
Into the "Big Forest" they went...
Mostly dry was the track...
Although, OldJo and Limoncello mostly looking for snacks...
(Here they are looking at the menu: Chateau de Chilly)

"Ride on" I said, "follow me into the woods" I insisted...
Eventually we got back on track...
Fun was had, nothing bad (no technicals, thrills or spills)...
All enjoying the start of a new season... very pleasing...
Yes, quite the poet, and I know it...

Then pizza we ate, until very late!

Here are the ride stats...
Distance covered: 35 kms (OldJo a little more as he had to get his ass in gear)
Ride time: 2 hrs
Elevation gain: 152m (OldJo insisted we keep it FLAT) ;)))
Points awarded:
1 for each OldJo, Limoncello & Balls for ride
1 for Balls for hosting
1/2 for Limoncello for keeping up (only Cat in the group)
1/2 for OldJo for first ride AS A DOG!!!

YEEEHHHHAAAA - the season has begun!!!!! ;)))))))))
More, more, more!!!!!

The Petit-Salève On The Rocks Ride Report

Riders: Labrico, Husky and Boumboum
37km and +800m
New bikes in a Dog & Cat ride: Lapierre, Rocky Mountain and Van Nicholas

1st ride: Balls to the Wall

Hey all you Joe's, I got out there for a good spin around the woods.

Up to Ballaison, via the muddy marsh, then into the Fairy Forest, down the other side, sweet single track, and back along the Deliverance route. ;)))

Trying to perfect the Grand Bois run. I was thwarted by farmer Joe!@£&!?!?

He had ploughed through a track I wanted to use, oh well, I had to find a different way back. 

Here are the stats of the ride...

Distance covered: 35km

Ride time: 2hrs 30mins

Height gained: 480m

No spills or technicals. ;)))

Points?

1 for ride. 

Not sure what else?!?!

The Indian Summer Ride... in Blue...Sunday November 15, 2015

The call for a ride was too strong that Sunday to miss the opportunity - Jura was calling our names.
Four fearless riders met in Tranche-Pied, all flagging the new colors - in blue somebody said it was better - of the Dogs & Cats Patrol.

Fearless were the Missile and the Nascar leading us through the ups, along and finally straight down on some of their favorite trails - AWESOME it was !
Surfing the piled leaves - hiding the nasty rocks - we truly had a blast .
In different styles, Balls cruising nicely and efficiently...Old Jo on the survival mode on the uphill, (4 hours in a Jacuzzi at 40 degrees the night before did not help)

Missile has no flaws - he clims, turns swiftly, races down crazily, and is a perfect guide - apart from the "moustache" !!

Nascar in tow and from time to time ahead of all of us in a quick acceleration. For him, every rock or tree has a name...An over power cornering resulted in an elegant slide....followed by a quick as lighting back on saddle..did he fall ??!!
Thanks for the apéro Nascar by the way, it hit the spot. (no lunch that day)

Balls, all smiles and happiness, repeating a million times, "man that's so nice, we are so lucky to ride today, I love it".
Credit to him his bike was free from rattling/squeaking (I washed my bike...he said)

Finally, Old Jo (an oxymoron) suffering of the noodle legs syndrom, huffing and puffing,
made it to the top. (you made a fourth of the climb..the rest is easy..says Missile, well the last fifth.. stays in memory)
Just in time recovering on the "faux plats" to finally be re-born on the downhill - how nice that was !
Wasn't I victorious in my challenging of Nascar "Grand Prix Miko" sprint ?! ; - ))

All in all, a fantastic day with trusty good friends...wifes were happy to see us again..(short ride we said...only lasted 4 hours - not counting the commute...)

Le "Rapid' Cycles" ride report

Saturday 27 June ride (lead Labrico, but ride request posted by Limoncello on June 26 - Claude had technical issue to post), hence ride report written by the same Limoncello

Ride Stats:

• 74 km
• 1528m up
• 4h50 on the bike
• Average temp 23C, Max 37C. Temperature on top of the Salève was perfect.

From Veyrier, went half way up the Salève, down to Monnetier for an unplanned break, then up the Salève by the road, all the way to the end of the Salève above Cruseilles, return to Labrico's home then Veyrier.

Highlights

• Great biking day, and writing this report only now, I am glad I had we had this ride dear Claude.
• Labrico fixing his bike at Rapid' Cycles: that's a place to go (may be for a year end dinner). This music bar / pub has been closed for years, and is being re-opened by the  next generation. Vintage coffee machine and oven in the kitchen, stage for gigues, the kind of place with a heart (bon, en français: avec une âme). The owner sees DH riders stopping by with broken bikes, so he put some tools outside the bar (not the right tools though). Place is called Café de l'Union
• Statue of the oak on the way down. You guys probably rode nearby in the woods by the Maison du Salève in the bois de Pomier.
• For both bullet points above and pics beloz, see quiz posted 27 june (no good answer)

Points:

• Points for both for a great ride
• Shared points: Labrico organizing, Limoncello appointed as personal secretary for ride request and ride report

Still discovering new things in the Salève area

Behind les Voirons ride report

Ride: les Voirons via Bonne

Ride posted 27 June: BoumBoum and Limoncello started on the banks of la Menoge up to Bonne, then up to the top of Les Voirons. A nice pause for a snack, and then a great downhill to reach Annemasse and go to douane de Fossard all along the Foron.

Stats:

• 54 km
• 1420m up
• 4h on the bike

Highlights:

• Some have ridden the banks of la Menoge in the current direction and it is up, down, left, right all along for 3 km ich. We did it the opposite way and went up to Bonne, which none had done before. This was really cool.
• Going up les Voirons via Bonne, we met at some stage migrants from the bois de Jussy, namely starving mosquitoes, although it (fortunately) only was for a section of the uphill.
• Great downhill in the Voirons, dry and beautiful
• Nice "dérapage" from BoumBoum while going underneath the bridge to cross the Annemasse-Thonon road. Not that often that I can see him grounded.
• Going all along the Foron to Fossard, which included some climbing over fence and bridge
• All together, a really nice MTB day

Points:

• Participants: BoumBoum, Limoncello
• Host: Limoncello
• Mother nature: Scenery/landscape, sun and temperature, tracks, etc … 10 points

Salève and Petit Salève from Bonne

Salève and Petit Salève from les Voirons

Jura from les Voirons (c'est pas mal non plus)

2015 Corporate Games - Ride Report

Not officially posted (I though I had), but worth reporting:

• Event: Annecy, 15 sports, including MTB (team and individual race), 4000 participants, 100+ companies represented (mostly French and Swiss, but quite some from other countries)
• MTB Race: lap of 10 km, 250m up (see reports from last year Corporate Games 2014 report )
• Team race (Saturday): relay, 4 riders, 1 lap each
• Individual race (Sunday): 2 laps
• Cat Riders: Cédric R., Nicolas T., Olivier B., Limoncello

Highlights:

• Hot, it was hot, especially on Sunday
• Cat team finishes 6 out of 27 teams, scoring 3 points (in each sport / category, the first 8 score points, 8 for the winner, 7 for the second …).
• Corporate Games Party on the Saturday night: no comment, you have to be there. Engage your company for the 2016 edition and you'll see
• Individual race: Limoncello collapsing. I don't know, probably a combination of the aftermath of the party and the heat. Average heartbeat per Garmin: 180, no energy, I finished in the last 10 out of 120 I think. Agonizing all along, really, but not giving up, never!

Points: don't know, up to the ref. Limoncello organizing the Cat MTB team, participating and bringing points to the company during the team race

Left to right: Cédric R., Limoncello, Olivier B., Nicolas T.

Newbees ride report

No official Jo other than Limoncello on this ride, but report anyway since the ride request was posted Aug 28.

Riders:

• Grazziano, recently joined Cat Geneva. For Cats (and Dogs who were Cats in a previous life): career in used equipment  ex CGT, then FSA in Madrid, and now Cat in Geneva
• Marc, neighbor of Grazziano
• Limoncello (host)

Ride: Bords du Foron, bords de l'Arve, Petit Salève

Stats:

• 36 km
• 654 m up
• 2h20 on the bike

Very nice Sunday morning on the bike. Marc knows the Salève well, but Grazziano discovered … the best spot in the area! Really cool

Points:
I don't know if this ride qualifies for point. Ref, up to you.
May be a compensation for 5 late ride reports ….

Left: Grazziano, Right: Marc

Balls the Farmer ride report

Ride on Jeune Genevois day (posted 9 Sept 2015)

Happy riders: Balls, Old Jo, Limoncello
Play ground: les Voirons
Distance: 37.9 km
Ascent: 787 m
Duration: about 3h30

Highlights:

• Beautiful biking day while les Vaudois étaient au boulot. Perfect temperature, sunny and dry. Fantastic.
• Old Jo keen to show that la fusée verte can go up easy …. and it does indeed.
• Old Jo alias chippendale to wear a greeny jersey somewhat matching his new bike's color, right when a 82 year old lady was hiking with her 86 year old husband (hope any of us will be in that shape reaching their age, although I have serious doubts for some)
• Great great great DH in les Voirons
• Hidden romantic spot (cascade) found as we were trying an unknown track. We managed to keep the Chippendale quite though
• "Joe Bar Team" like turn on the asphalt by Limoncello as he was racing with Old Jo (speed about 60 kph heading to a U-turn).
• Refreshments and snacks in a boulangerie somewhere near Puplinge. Balls met a new friend and now knows everything about the challenges being a farmer in Switzerland, the strategy to set the price of milk, and the tensions between neighboring fire brigades. Marcel's new friend is a perfect candidate for a Wednesday dinner (a reference for those familiar with the French théatre de boulevard).

Points:

• Participants: Balls, Old Jo, Limoncello
• Ride host: Limoncello

Moi, Tarzan!!!

So romantic ….

Courtesy from Joe Bar Team

The Bouncing Boobies Ride Report

Not quite those, but the intent was definitively here, and let BoumBoum literally speechless for a minute….

What: Bouncing boobies' ride
When: 11 Sept 2015 (ride posted 9 Sept 2015 (Jeune Genevois ride)
Starring: BoumBoum, Limoncello, featuring whoever she was
Where: Petit Salève via Bout du Monde

Stats:

• 38 km
• 803 m up
• 2h45 ride time
• 185: max heartbeat prior to even riding.

Highlights:

• Initial plan was to meet at Veyrier, but we ended up meeting on the bridge over the Arve (after the stairs leading to the stade of Bout du Monde)
• BoumBoum and I arrived almost at the same time. We were about to start when a ring made us look on the bridge to see a young lady racing on her MTB, in obvious need for more oxygen. She passed us with a smile as our lower jaws were about to touch the floor. No time for picture, but that was very similar to the one posted.
• DH'd 2 segments that BoumBoum re-discovered and had not ridden for may be 15 years … Beautiful.

Points:

• Participants: BoumBoum, Limoncello
• Ride host: Limoncello
• Bonus point: BoumBoum for an (almost) new DH segment in the Petit Salève

The BRR

first points to who guesses why its called the BRR: it can only be guessed by those that were there (as it relates to the event) but that's you price you pay for NOT turning up.

Ride: 21 km

Up: 934 m

Who: Missile, Nascar, Limoncello, Jabeast, Balls, Alpine, Old Jo

Lost in the woods: A true camel trophy.

Hostwiththemost: Missile

Animals Killed: 1 Jabeast

Lateness Trophy: Papy = -Howmanypoints for that....?????

Fleche Verte Award: Old Jo = +2

Major Mechanicals Award: Old Jo (gear cable) = kill the mechano at H.P.

One BBQ too far: Missile burning the ribs -2

Who wins the quiz....???? +1

The Fast, Furious & Delicious Ride Report Tuesday August 11, 2015

We blew pistons on that hot summer biking night. Fast was the name of the game. Up, down, around, across and through the Jussy Woods and - grand finale - the Sentier des Douaniers.
The mosquitos were beaten flat...none in sight ! Tracks were dusty and dry, the thorns gripping and bitting only on the Ref. (tender skin that man..)
Many sweet, shapy and bouncy encounters, all ages, enlightened the ride..but ONE special curvy jogging orange short and tanned to perfection  skin definitely retained attention !!

Congrats to Missile who made the trip to the other side of the Wall (read Rhône).
His ride was only hampered by a few events.. what's wrong with him ; - )) here goes the list:
a) The Perfecto Dump b) The Biting Thorn c) The Aborted OTB d) The Too Small Big Ring for a sprint e) The Creaking Handle Bar and finally f) The Out of Air Rear Tire or Lungs...however keeping up.

As dusk was slowly creeping in, we rushed to the Café des Amis, where the charming and smiling waitress greated us with three large cold and well deserved beers.
Treated like Kings, we ate, drank and talked, making noise in the peaceful Choulex's night. Some said that Missile's laugh was overheard miles away..
A generous discussion took place about the future and/or conversion of the name of the Caterpillar MTBiking Team into - Cats & Dogs - as a suggestion, more on subject later.

Participants: The Missile, Limoncello, Old Jo.
Stats: Distance 41 km, Time 2 hours, Elevation 222m, Max Speed/Average Speed....
Pointage:
+ 1 for all
+ 1 Old Jo - track leader/organizer
+ 0.5 Missile for Aborted OTB
+ 0.5 Missile for riding in and out of Choulex.
+ 0.5 Limoncello for Shamelessly wind drafting behind Old Jo...to finally overtake on the last stretch  of the sprint...booo ! (am I not generous..)

Ride On !

Ring of Fire Ride Report Tuesday June 23, 2015

For once all of us were On Time ! A beautiful evening was starting.
To warm up..a quick bords de l'Arve and a short "climb the wall" in Etrembiere before we hit le Petit Salève and agreed to Boum-Boum's suggestion for an even more steep of a climb...why ?
It was not easy..all were pleased to reach the top. God's country scenery before we hit the well waited for downhill - and then it was just, just, just, great ! We love Le Petit Salève !
p.s. Even if suffering, Papy "enjoyed" the climb without complaining..
More bords de l'Arve at steady speed in winding skinny paths to reach La Tarentella where Master Ref. hidden in its red cover was waiting for us.
Suffice to say the pasta, pizza, beer, wine, dessert, coffee, limoncello were just perfect and the waiter only trying to cool us down as the noise made was disturbing nearby neighbours...
The same waiter warned us about the spicy sauce...yes he did..we did not trust him..hence the title.

Riders: Boum-Boum, Balls, Limoncello, LaBrico, Papy.
Stats: Distance 36 kms, elevation 555m, f****** steepest side of Petit Salève...but great training !
Pointage:
+1    All riders
+1    Papy invite/lead
+0.5 Missile joining for Dine
- 1    Balls for wrong tracking the group dowhill & lousy i-phone camera..
+1    Boum-Boum for mad uphill skills and fantastic downhill lead and mastery.

The Two Snails Ride Report - Sunday June14, 2015

To clarify,  the ride report's name has nothing to do with the bikers....we simply crossed our way with two huge Escargots de Bourgogne...we took time to admire nature.
It started an hour late due to Papy's previous evening party....continued with Balls spilling coffee in my kitchen...and had to push him out (talking too much), finally got on the road at 10.00h.
Sun, Rain and Storm were our riding partners, a bit of "shit where are we now" spiced up the ride while trying to find our way by the Menoge river.
Boëge gave us shelter from rain for some well rewarding Reblochon sandwiches before hitting the La Menoge trail.
We returned home far too late as...somebody's Government dark clouds and striking lightings were piling on us..hence we raced and wind drafted to minimize the damages...(we all face that..don't we ?)
Maximum heart rates were overblown..and subsequent resting time was well deserved.

Bikers: Balls alias Duracell and Steady Papy
Where: Top of Les Voirons, Boëge, La Menoge, around Les Voirons
Stats:
Duration: about 4 hours and a half
Pedaling: 3.51 hours
Distance: 62.54 km
Elevation: 1'046 m
Max.speed: 74.8 kmh (Papy) 74.6 kmh (Balls)....draw conclusions...

Pointage: Again we cannot claim...but I would allocate some to Balls...see comment above ; -)

p.s. tilt your head on the right....sorry ! 

 

 

 

Ride report: The Sarkozy Ride

Saturday 13 June 2015

Riders: BoumBoum, Adrien (Bassist - contrebasse) at the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Limoncello
Ride lead: Boumboum (comme d'hab)

Ride stats: 52 kms, 850m up, 3h10 on the bike (note: I went up the hill before reaching home to pass the 1000m up mark (just for the sake of it). Total time …. well, probably 5h due to some stops, talking, mechanical, drink with a lady who fell in love with the musicians, etc...

A really nice ride: Arve river banks (flat, direction Chamonix) till St Pierre en Faucigny, then up next  on le Mole, via a pretty technical track (rocks, roots) including about 150m portage (in preparation for TdMB?). Then down in direction of Fillinges, to reach the little single by the Ménoge which took us back to the Arve again, about 2 km of the Casino).

Highlights (see pictures in relation to some of the comments):
- The Danny Macaskill pass
- The Arve river banks are beautiful. Its a nature reserve with numerous spots to admire the wildlife
- Meeting Carla and Nicolas Sarkozy (hence the title) and their friends (including Obama)
- Limoncello: mechanical with "le dérailleur de merde". Not sure buying this bike was such a good deal
- Refill stop by a house for Adrian who was running out of water. The lady (no picture available) clearly fell in love with our two musicians, and heavily insisted to invite us (successfully in the end) for a drink in order to get BoumBoum and Adrian's contact details (which they eventually gave). That was supposed to be for his son, who was here and couldn't care less, so I let the readers draw appropriate conclusions.
- Boumboum: tentative for OTB (no succes)
- Almost a hit into a horse who was quietly drinking out of a bucket, right in the middle of a small road (downhill). Lovely apologetical owner (unfortunately, no picture)
- The "Labrico land" road … you need to see the last picture for this one

Points: No points claimed since the ride was not advertised (per the rules). Up to the venerable ref to make exceptions of course.

Pictures:

Come on BoumBoum, Danny Macaskill would do it on the bike with closed eyes

(wooden bridge probably taken off by the water a few weeks ago)

 Wildlife

The Arve near St Pierre en Faucigny

Nice pedestrian bridge over the Arve (near St Pierre en Faucigny) 

The former and future French Presidential Couple 

Sarko, no Banania for us, beers for 3 thirsty MTB riders please! 

The whole family 

Attention les poules (et les poulettes), la prochaine fois, on amène Labrico!

Missile-Land Ride Report

22km, 850m, 1hr55 minutes
Riders: Missile, Labrico, Balls,  BoumBoum, Limoncello, Zorba, Jabeast

Well, the up was uppish (as promised)
And the down was downish (as might be expected)
And the 'along' was a tad technical and downish on the right. New trail name: TEKNIKAAL
and the down was a little downish on the left - Trail name: Don't fall left.

A group of local riders still don't know what hit them...
- a horde of multilingual 'not so quiet' riders
- one dressing for war
- a number wondering if they should wrap up
- another saying its only 5 minutes down
- a jeune with a 'i'm gonna beat papa on the downhill' written on his forehead
- a yodeling zuid-afrikaaner
- freight train overtaking manoevers through them despite leaving well ahead of the group

A loooong lazy meandering trail back home, almost lost Jabeast

Closed restaurants meant food chez Missile.

The ensuing conversation suggested that there might be more to the crew than just being able to recount the same biking stories over and over....although of course we did that too.

Same again next week please!!

Points for all as usual
hosting for missile
new bike +2 labrico

Ride Link:
Missile 'Teknikaal' Ride

Ride report: The Balls_Less ride

Riders: Labrico, Papy, Limoncello
Ride stats: 28 km, 494m up, 2h11 on the saddle

That was a back-up ride since poor Marcel is suffering from the back (see his ride attempt post)
Labrico started from the BMX track in stade du bout du monde, and was joined by Papy and Limoncello at the Migros Etrembières.
Dynamic and uninterrupted ascent of the Petit Salève, although we decided to start our way back slightly before the top for Labrico to be on time for Mathis, and we were indeed right on time.
Papy and Limoncello rode back to Chene-Bourg for a well deserved (and very good) pizza, before heading home.

Highlights:
- Papy in an artistic figure while hesitating between two technics on how to manage a technical passage. Kind of a slow motion of an OTB, but still ending on his two feet
- Limoncello being trapped in the net by the paint ball area, Papy patiently waiting behind for this to happen as he had noticed the flying net due to the wind
- Mathis proudly wearing his Cat MTB Tshirt (the 2012 edition???) which use to be too large and is now perfect size for him. This boy has changed / grown up big time lately.
- Very nice colors on the Salève with the sunset

Points:
- Point for all riders
- Point for Limoncello for organizing last minute
- Point for Mathis for wearing his Cat MTB shirt at the BMX track

Thanks Joes, it was a cool ride and evening

The Moussaka ride report - 12 May 2015 ride

Ride: Petit Salève, starting from le stade du bout du monde
Riders: Balls, BoumBoum, Labrico, Missile, Nameless, Zorba, Limoncello (host)
Ride details: 568m up, 32.6 km, 2h17 on the saddle per my GPS (a bit less for some)

Fantastic weather, dry track.
We left around 18h30 from the bout du monde, riding the Arve's right bank, which is a nice little single, yet offering less chances for checking on jogueuses getting out preparing for summer time.
Quite some time waiting for Zorba who got a flat and then missed the trail going up to Monnetier. BoumBoum and Balls as the rescue team, the later bringing back Zorba.
Pause on the way up, Rescue team 2 (Balls) feeding Missile with whatever energy bar was left from years of MTB, probably forgotten in the camel bag since 26" time.
Went up via the escargot way, Missile being inspired by the video posted by Beaujolais a couple of days ago.  Rescue team 3 with Balls helping carry Missile's bike while our dear ref was firmly holding the handrail, followed by a well deserved 5-min recovery time.
Limoncello's joke of the day: "Zorba (quite stressed as well), if you fall there, we'll have to change your name to Jo Moussaka."
As it was a bit late (and some did not have the lights), we did not make it to the top, and started the downhill. Petit Salève is a great play ground !!!!!!
At the bottom, BoumBoum, Missile and Zorba headed to Limoncello's, making sure they could benefit from the limited supply of Bière du Salève (1664 was the other option), while the rest of the crew headed back to get the cars.
A bit late for Nameless to join for dinner, so he missed the spaghetti - carbonara prepared by Christèle.
Balls volunteered as the DJ, and it was a great evening for all with LOLs.
Of course, respect was of essence and no laughs were heard when the ref sudently stood up with a funny face, suffering from a cramp.
All together, a great evening for all.
Pictures: Courtesy of Balls

Points:
Point for all riders
Points for Limoncello (ride host - dinner),  Thanks again Christèle for your help
1 point for Balls alias Mitch Buchannon. Next time bring CJ!

It's cool man!

Cramp, WTF!!!!

Energy bars please

I was a poor lonesome MTB rider

σωτηρία

Sunset on the Salève

Missile: j'ai faim