A week after finishing two crits in two breaks in Ontario, Jeff Padgett was up on the Santa Ana River Trail with us cutting up his face. That's the way the face bounces.


His five-stitch wound got no sympathy from Greg and Edward. Poor Jeff couldn’t even talk trash back to them because his mouth was too swollen, cold, and full of blood. Still, he was a good sport about it.


“Dis bedda nod be on Feeman’s bog.” Of course not Jeff.


The view from Monday's Big Bear ride overlooking the Santa Ana River Valley.

Around Town

I wish Steve would quit eating kittens.

Met this dude last night. His name is Jerrad. He has some pretty good photos from last Thursday's bike practice on his blog and even better ones on his Flickr.

Here's a good photo of me and Lap Dog. I call him Lap Dog because he likes to just sit, but then in the last corner he likes to bite your ankles. You know how some people say that if they ever come up missing or dead that it would probably be because of a certain person? Well, if I ever crash on a group ride, it'll probably be because Lap Dog chopped my wheel.

Even though his banner is an image of a baseball park (America’s lamest pastime), and even though his “About Me” profile says something about him getting paid to do stuff that most people pay to do (balance check books?), and even though his most recent blog entry is bad-mouthing Grand Terrace, I told Mark Foist I’d link to his new blog from mine, so here it is. Don’t blame me if you start communicating in Sienfieldisms, develop excessive knee pain, and use the word wicked before all adjectives.

Joey's Getting Fit

Mike came over to the house to fit Joey on his new bike.

I thought it was going to be a monumental event since Joey's broken his neck, a femur, an elbow, and a foot, but it really didn't take that long.

Sometimes being on a trainer and in front of Mike's computer is a very painful place to be, but not during a routine bike fit.

Um, you add your own caption here.

Other Stuff

We went up and raced the 3rd round of the National Mountain Bike Series in Santa Ynez last weekend. I came away with a second in the Singlespeed race, but brought up the back of the pack in Sunday's Pro Short Track. It was a fun weekend nevertheless.

Adam Hart has a blog now and I'm jealous of his banner. I'm sure it will have some good gas station and Willie Stewart stories. I can't get enough of those.

Scotty Tickmeyer is over in Belgium racing with the Junior National Team. He's supposed to be sending me some race updates, but all I've heard so far is that he got food poisoning. That ain't good.

That's all I got.

A Couple of Mothers

In honor of Mother’s Day I thought I’d send my mom and Denise, the mother of my child some interview questions. They’ll answer them individually without seeing the others’ answers. Let’s see if my influence in their lives will lead to similar answers. Oh, and I reserve the right to comment on any answer.

What actor should play me if they made a movie about my life?
Denise: Geez, start off with a hard one! If I get to play myself, then Keanu Reeves. If not, I suppose I'll go with...Matt Damon. Same name, about the same size. (I’m a better actor than Keanu Reeves and I’m not even an actor. – MF)
Mom: I'm still pondering this question. (You’re still pondering this question because you don’t know the names of actors. – MF)

What were you doing when you found out I had crashed at Perris Raceway and was in the Menefee Valley Hospital?
Denise: I was getting ready for a parent meeting at Chula Vista High School. I had to explain to the parent what happened so we made it quick and I got out of there. I was a bit shaken up, so I called my brother and he drove me out there. I had no idea that going to the hospital was going to be a regular gig. Thank goodness those days are over. (Thanks, you just jinxed me. – MF)
Mom: On vacation at the beach up north.

What were you doing when you found out I had crashed coming down Sunset and was at Beaver Clinic getting stitches in my face?
Denise: Wow, that wasn't that long ago and I totally can't remember. I do remember going to the crash site later and all of the pictures you took.
Mom: I was at home - I came to sit with you in the waiting room-- REMEMBER! (Why are you yelling at me? – MF)

What’s your favorite Ryder story?
Denise: I can't think of what my favorite story is (there are so many), but my favorite thing he says is, "Not today; maybe tomorrow."
Mom: I really like how he led the clapping after every song while on stage at the Spring Sing. (It should be noted that Ryder refused to actually sing at the Spring Sing, but he did clap after not singing every song. – MF)

What’s your favorite Twiga story?
Denise: I have so many great memories of her while we were growing up, but now I always think of that whole car dealership bombing thing. I also can't forget how she stuck up for me at my first RHS party (long story), and everyone thought her name was Chiga. (Bombing? I think she set it on fire. There’s a big difference. –MF)
Mom: She reminded me of Mary in the Peter, Paul & Mary.

What do you think of Shane MacGowen?
Denise: I can't get past the teeth. (Beauty is skin deep. - MF)
Mom: Too bad the drugs messed up his voice. (Don't forget about the alcohol. - MF)

Do you think Ryder will ever learn how to use the toilet?
Denise: As I type this, I am smelling a poopy diaper. I told him to go tell Daddy to change him, but he said, "I want Momma to do it." I hope he learns how to use it ASAP. I can't believe stickers and M & M's won't even do the trick. I plan to keep him naked most of the summer so he will quit going in his diaper, but experience tells me he'll probably just crap on the carpet. He's been known to pee on the train table.
Mom: Yes--Have patience.

If you found $500 what would you buy me?
Denise: Some new clothes. I'm sick of hearing you say you don't have anything to wear or nothing fits. Just face it - you should buy extra small. (Extra small may give me a muffin top. – MF)
Mom: A bike accessory--What else?

What was your first bike?
Denise: I don't know, but I think it was yellow and I got it for Christmas.
Mom: I'm not sure what my first bike was but I remember my "Pink Witch" bike from Don’s.

If Ryder and I decide that he’s going to forgo college, move to Europe and become a pro bike racer, are you going to give us grief?
Denise: Isn't that what I do best? (Yeah, you’re pretty good at it. – MF)
Mom: No-I'll go on tour with you guys.

So far, how do you like being a mother?
Denise: I love it. Even though he sprayed me with the hose tonight when I asked him to turn off the water and his favorite thing to say to me is, "You are a bossy engine!" he is the best thing in the world. (Maybe if you weren’t giving him grief, he wouldn’t call you a bossy engine. – MF)
Mom: IT'S THE BEST GIFT IN THE UNIVERSE! (Quit yelling at me Mom. I’m not a child anymore. – MF)

A Brush with Blum: Part 1

One of the most interesting people I know, who doesn't ride bikes, is Richard Blum. He has more stories than me and since he’s old, he got to experience the real southern California punk rock scene in the 80s. The following is the first installment of my 137-part series called A Brush with Blum, followed by a short bio of the man himself.

• “My buddy’s uncle had a wrecking yard. Every now and then someone would dump a car that still ran. One time we scored a diesel VW Rabbit and we took it to go see The Exploited at the Olympic Boxing Auditorium. Of course the Rabbit broke down on the way there - right under the interchange of the 10, 101, and 5 freeways in L.A. There was no shoulder so we got out and climbed up onto a wall to get away from traffic. While we were standing there trying to decide what to do an off-duty cab driver rolled up and offered us a ride at no charge. After we got in the cab we found out that he was high on PCP, but he got us to the show. After the show, there was one hell of a riot. It even made the TV news and the L.A. Times. We got a ride back to Upland after the show laying in the back of a Chevy Luv pick-up. Besides the wind, a light rain was falling so it was a miserable ride home. Good times.” - Blum

Richard Blum was born in 1964 in Newark, New Jersey, however his family moved to Upland, California when he was 2. Blum says that Upland used to be very rural with lots of lemon and orange groves. As a teenager he had a motorcycle and would ride all over town with his BB gun and shoot at anything and everything. When he wasn’t shooting things he was skateboarding and BMX riding at the famed Pipeline Skate Park and the infamous Mount Baldy pipe.

Blum was never much for organized sports although he did play some football and baseball at Damien High School, an all boys school in LaVerne. He was teammates with Mark McGuire and claims that he had a higher batting average than McGuire. Blum also says there was no evidence of McGuire’s alleged steroid use in high school. In the early 80s Blum gave up sports to pursue beer, girls, and punk rock music (the latter he claims is his calling). He spent the decade going to punk shows and seeing acts such as:

The Ramones (in Rubidoux!), Circle Jerks, Social Distortion (at a Chino backyard party in 1982), PiL (Johnny Rotten closed the show with God Save the Queen and Anarchy in the U.K.), DRI, GBH, Black Flag, The Adolescents, TSOL, The Addicts, Youth Brigade, Buzzcocks, Stiff Little Fingers, Dead Kennedys, Misfits, Minor Threat, X, and The Cramps.

Blum, himself, can be seen in the punk rock documentary Another State of Mind.

All good things must come to an end and Blum’s punk rock life slowed down when his daughter Amanda was born out of wedlock. Having a mouth to feed, other than his own, forced him to settle down and get a real job (kinda). Today Blum lives in Riverside, California with his wife April and his youngest daughter Annabel. Although he still loves good old fashioned punk rock, Blum also loves fast boats. Now 44, he says all he wants is a $100,000 cruiser boat with a slip at Dana Point and vacation homes in Hawaii and Wyoming. “I can’t stand crowds and the MTV false prophet lifestyle of southern California,” says Blum.

Sounds like he’s been watching a little too much of The Hills with Amanda.

This man saw The Exploited at the Olympic Boxing Auditorium and lived to tell about it.

In his defense, he would have won anyway

Ryder jumped the gun at the Run Through Redlands Kinder-Dash. They didn't restart the race because it's hard enough to get a bunch of 3 year olds lined up once, much less twice.

Then he and Destry wrestled on the grass at the Redlands Bowl.

Denise won her age division in the half marathon.

I was the only loser in the family this weekend. On Saturday I took 9th at the Idyllwild Spring Challenge - 15 minutes short of a thousand dollar pro cash purse. In my own defense above is the course profile. And unlike Ryder, I got a lack-luster start and had to play catch-up for 30 miles.

If you're like me and you like to make fun of people, take five minutes and read this.