What the Elf!

Pretty funny, try it yours-elf!

Elf yourself

Cari the Elf

Do it.

Kona vs. the lawn mowers

Whether it's hand or gas powered, our dog Kona has issues with lawn mowers.
I decided to capture it as best I could-check it:
*No Konas are ever harmed in our mowing adventures...

Gas is bad for the environment! Take that you polluter!

Leave the lawn alone! This is my zone, can't you see my torn up toys!

Pure Bliss

This past weekend wrapped up quite a whirl-wind tour.
My good friend and Otto made the trip from the heart of Raider Nation, the isle of Alameda, with his son Vander to spend Saturday night with our family and do some riding. And ride we did!

I started off Saturday morning staring at my computer's weather report and hoping it would break 30 degrees before my road ride with the Retrotec/Inglis crew. By 8:50AM we were up to 34 degrees so all the layers went on and off I went. It's a great group ride, not too fast, great conversation and a coffee break in the middle before tackling the bigger climbs and rides. Today was a 20 miler as I had to prepare for Otto and Vander. Sure was nice though, the crisp air really felt great and I warmed up really quick-essentially not needing the bibs, thermal tights, wool jersey and thermal vest...

After the ride it was off to Oaktown and a visit to the Oakland Museum of California to check out a "Fungus Fair". Cari is taking an independent study art class and has been drawing mushrooms, so it was a perfect trip (get it, trip--I'm funny). Her drawings are incredible, and it was fun to look at all the different fungi.

OVS and Vander arrived a little after 7PM and set to meeting the family. After a tour of the west wing of our huge house, Otto and I set off on a nice little night ride-poaching Westwood Hills (directly across the street from my house). It's a fun little place to ride, used to be legal and provided about an hours worth of pretty steep singletrack adventures by an almost full moon and nightrider beams.

Sunday morning was cold again, but we were ready. Curtis met us in front of the house as we were loading the bikes and we planned to pick him up after grabbing gas and bagels. With my Mazda loaded up with 3 bikes on top, we headed over Trinity road (where I will be hanging out to watch the Tour of California come through my backyard in February) to the best trails I have ridden in a long time-Annadel.

Sunday did not disappoint. We met up with some more friends from our road riding crew (Andrew, Larry and more) as well as some local single speed hammers. They were going to guide us around both legally and illegally and I had no idea what an action packed 2.5 hours we were in for. I can not stop grinning and smiling at the shear joy the trails bring and I was far from alone! Everywhere we rode was like a 8" ribbon of trail snaking through some really great areas. It was easily summed up on the ride back with Curtis proclaiming, "Isn't riding bikes just great!". Couldn't have said it better myself.

Looks like I'm heading back again next weekend. Now all I have to do is save up for Retrotec singlespeed...

Even better news was how well Jake and his new buddy Vander got along this weekend. And an even bigger thank you to Cari for willingly volunteering to hang out with two rambuctious 4-5 year olds. The troublesome twosome spent hours building legos and then headed over to westwood hills to hike and look at animal pelts at the Nature Museum. Jake definitely looks forward to more time with his new buddy!

* Very limited pics to follow-we brought the camera, but never wanted to stop riding to shoot-hazard of a great trail I guess!

Here's our group! A quick picture before an incredible descent down Lawndale...

Gooble, Gooble

Turkey day has come and gone in the Prosser-Roughley household and better way to spend 4 work free days could not have been found. It's nice to be off work and at home with your family and growing 4 year old son (who ends pretty much every thing with "Of course...").

It was also a great way to get some long over-due riding in so we jumped at the chance. Thursday found us saddling up at Alston -Cari, Jake, Uncle David and I were trying to make a new tradition of riding on T-day. I was a little bummed that we missed out on the Fairfax ride with Curtis and 300 other MTB'rs, but the family thing was really awesome. Cari got to see first hand how fast Jake and I (I mean Luke and Han Solo) can go around Alston. Pretty sure it was a bit of a nail biter for her at first, but she warmed up. Cari also spent part of the ride trying to ride in SS gearing in anticipation of her new ride. I recommended something around 32X18, 19 or 20, believe she settled into 32x18 and was able to do most of it. Awesome! More practice and we will be off and riding elsewhere when her Surly is built up.

Friday was a slower day, I headed out into the freezing cold on my road bike and did a little Carneros action, just to keep the turkey flowing right.

Saturday I teamed up with a former Sunrace guy-Tony and headed to Annadel in Santa Rosa. I did not know what to expect as the last time I rode there was like 12 years ago, and I assumed it was a fire road climb, a technical descent and basically pretty short. Boy was I wrong! Tony is a strong rider and we set out to basically just cruise along to some trails he know. I kept seeing so many places I have ridden in this park. Parts of it reminded me of Recliner up in whiskeytown, while others reminded me of Tsali and Pisgah in NC (thanks Kirby). Overall, it was some of the sweetest, fastest singletrack I have had the honor of rolling over and I WILL be heading back quite often.

Jake looking sweet all cleaned up and dapper...


Jake and the Thanksgiving Uke-After I said it was Hawaiian, Jake went around telling everyone HE was Hawaiian!

Come on little buddy-you gotta help Daddy pedal on the hills!

The "Big" hill in the back of Alston where Han and Luke really let 'er rip!

Cari catches us in the act of speeding!

Dear Santa...

...If you think I have been good this year, I only ask for the little things, like some jersey's and stuff from my new drool-worthiest company-Rapha. Makes my Assos bibs look like rags and my Swobo jersey's like Hanes Beefy Tees...

Please Santa, I promise I'll be gooder.

Your pal-
Kenny


PS: Oh yeah and a Garmin Edge 305 so I always know where I am going...


PPS: Here is the website(you have internet right Santa?)-Probably need a size large now that my belly is bigger...
Rapha

Real attention to detail and wool...sigh...I dreama the Rapha gear...Now how to convince Cari that I NEED a $200 short sleeve jersey...


When even a cotton tee shirt cost $50, this little indian will have to look only...

Beep, Beep, Beep...Need more tech gear, NEED more tech gear!

Criss Cross Applesauce

Sunday Jake, cari and I packed up the Prosser family Truckster (Cari's Element) and headed to Es Eff to check out the Super Prestige Cyclocross race and ride around in the park a bit. It was pretty cool, we were dialed in to meet up with Curtis, Grady and Johnoss (with Johnoss bailing at the last minute) to check out the suffering and see the DFL'ers rooting on the riders with PBR cans stuffed with dollar bills on the rough sections.

Jake was loving the trail-a-bike and only wanted to do more dirt ridin', who was I to deny the boy! I was suffering a bit on the single speed, but it was worth it to hear him whoop and holler for "more dirt"! We hit up some single tracks and paths and then the time cam eto head back to Napa-dude.

Jake slept on the way home and was ready for more ridin' later on at Alston Park near our house. I have dreams, ambitions, to host a cross series at this park, it's perfect, wide, pretty smooth packed trails, a litle paved section and some ruts and technical bits would make a great, fast course and it's hella™ spectator friendly.

Anywho, Jake and I again saddled up and off we went. I have been mountain biking for about 15 years and nothing compared to hearing your 4 year old son tell you "This is what it's all about" after flying down a pretty big hill and snaking around on the single track. He was loving it and so was I. Little dude really has balance and a ton of fun on the dirt.

We're going again this week!

Check it:

Aunt Grady (as Jake knows him) and Cari talkin' about riding.


Cold kickin' it on the course. I can not believe Grady was going on a long road ride in Marin sans helmet-NOT smart.


PBR and a dollar--Cyclocross pro salary.


Some hot racing action on the DFL hill.


Our sweet rides...

Jake jumpin' for joy off the Element's tailgate-post ride

Eye C

Just picked up some new specs this morning-first pair in 5 years!

Sweet pair of Oakleys, oh if I was only still in the bike industry, I'd be as cool as Skippy...Well at least my prescription went DOWN instead of up and these things fit my melon better than the previous pair. Plus I like 'em!

Yo, Yo, Yo! Pretty fly for a white guy. You'll have to use your sweet photoshop (or MS Paint) skills to cut and paste onto any pics you have of me, since I don't have a camera to show you the real thing (right now)...

Old(er)

So last Sunday I officially turned 34 years old. Of course it was a perfect day to get out on my road bike, alone, and just celebrate my existence-so that's what I did.

In commemoration of the sacred day, I took the previous Friday off and goaded my brother and my wife to get on their mountain bikes and join me for a few hours in Angwin. I wanted to spend the time riding amoungst the trees with my friends and this was the best way to do it. Thankfully they agreed (I would have gone alone) and off we went.

Angwin is sweet riding all around, nice swoopy singletrack, sweet whoop-d-doos, and now-extreme Northshore action. Way over my head, but fun to look at and climb on. I'd have to say a highlight was getting Cari's MIchigan-flat land style caught up to Cail-Style and doing a rather steep little drop. It was about 15-20' high and I'd say maybe 65-70 degrees, not too technical, but scary enough. We coerced her to do it and she did! Repeatedly! Now if I could just get her to leave her rear shock in the open (not locked out) state for rides, we'll be onto something.

Much fun was had by all, even with me somehow snapping the pivot bolt on my Intense (which contrary to Intense's website, are definitely NOT available at your local hardware store). Thanks to Johnoss at CVC for supplying me with a new one the next day.

Yeah right, eh! Too North shore for me.


Here's a scale shot of the one BC style thing.


Hella hardcore Norcal™ stylee-C.Roughley in action.

bikes, Bikes, BIKES!!!!

This past weekend found the ol' stable of bikes in our family growing-yee haa!

Saturday, my good friend Steve stopped by to show me his sweeet new Rally Car and drop off a set of his old cyclocross wheels so I could get my Cannondale back on the dirt. After it's previous job as my touring bike from SF to Santa Barbara, complete with Cari's Campy Chorus Triple, it was time to get back to "normal" and help me explore new trails I have been seeing on my road rides...

That same day spurred Cari to begin a search for a new bike. She focused on Surly and found her "dream bike" on good ol' eBay.
A custom painted (baby blue, just like my old Ventana-RIP) frame, fork headset and seatpost. She's a newbie to the eBay experience and I had to calm her down to NOT bid until the last 5 minutes if she hoped to get her new ride. She didn't listen. She popped a bid approx 8 minutes to go and was outbid. I calmed her and had her wait until the last 2 minutes and spring the most she would spend, in this case $305. The tension mounted, the clock ticked, 30 sec, 28 sec, 18 sec, 5 sec...SHE WON! Now the patented Prosser Rationalization™ stage sets in. You know, I'm not really spending money, I'm selling X, Y and Z to cover the costs. Ahhhh, how nice it is to see my young paduan learn from the master...

Sunday AM found Jake and I heading to Fairfax in Marin to pick up a trail-a-bike for Jake to ride with me and Cari. I had sold a lanyard and 2 pins we were given at Disneyland for $40 and used the cash to pick up a used trail-a-bike. I don't know who was more excited, Jake or me! I got home, cleaned it all up and bolted it to my SS. Cari, Jake and I headed to the river trail behind the college to try it out. With his Cannondale Jersey, Trek gloves and Bell helmet, Jake was stoked. He loved riding behind me, kept yelling "Faster" and then showing me how he could stand up while we rode. A proud moment for all involved!

Finally came the resurrection (Kirby, you will appreciate this). My beautiful black Kestrel 200Sci has re-emerged from the ashes like the great Phoenix. Having been successfully retired from it's glorious past as my primary road bike (replaced by a 2005 Indy Fab Crown Jewel SE), old Black Beauty was languishing in the rafters of my garage (not as far back in the attic as it's sibling, the MXZ mountain Bike) awaiting a call to duty. With the purchase of the trail-a-bike, the call was set forth. It was time to transform Ketrel, transform! Step one found my flat bars and a SS configuration. However, even after attaining a perfect chain length with a 16T King Kog and my modified FSA Carbon Cranks (single ring, 39T), I thought the gearing was a bit much, so a deraileaur was in order. I'm keeping her single ring in the front and 8-9 speed in the rear and am happy as hell to get her back on the road...


Jake and I are so "parking lot" (as my old friend Fish used to say).



The Captain (Jake) and his stoker (me)



Like a couple of Fonzi's, "Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy"...



Mommy and Jake chillin' by the river


This is what Cari got. Can't wait to get her out on the trails!



Sweet child o' mine! The Kestrel reborn as my "Townie".



Cockpit shot of the "new" Kestrel

Hella-ween

Our family successfully celebrated Jake's 4th Halloween on this planet yesterday.
Much candy was had and despite some neighborhood graveyards and witches giving Jake the scare (he would never make it in Kirby and Lyn's house), everyone had a blast.

Jake was convinced, coerced, directed to try something other than the "Truck Driver" he wanted to be. After a trip to our local fire station, Jake decided he wanted to be a fire truck driver. A costume was quickly procurred and mom and dad set off on their search.

Mom settled first on a Vampiress, then Dracula's bride, and finally into her interpretation of a Mark Reiden character. (Check her blog for pics, I couldn't find any!)

For my gig, I went back, way back, to a time when I might have been business up front, but all party in the back. A time when mini-trucks and JJ Fad ruled the scene. When white turtle necks could be worn with your freshest pegged acid washed jeans and white high tops. A slight modification had to be made to accomodate the chilly weather-there was no way I would make it in my original wife beater, cut off levis and sandals with socks, but over all I think I found my inner Billy Ray...

The cousins-Jake and Kaleb in a candy-induced coma...

Hella hardcore Norcal style, gimme yer candy!

Rodent Land

Last weekend we made Jake's first trip to the Happiest Place on earth-Disneyland. We hatched the plans for the trip 3 months prior with his uncle David and aunt Erin-it was to be the culmination of his hannakah-style birthday (8 continuous days of gifts from very generous relatives)-and Cari and my gift to him for making it to 4 years under our care.
Jake picks up what I am putting down (as he tells me) pretty easily and described his trip to anyone as follows, "I'm going to the place where dreams come true". Little did I know, that by taking him on several rides— beginning with the innocent enough pillaging of "The Pirates of the Caribbean" , followed by Space Mountain and then "A Bugs Life"—it would be more nightmare than dream.
There was no way I was getting him into the Haunted, er Happy, Mansion...

*Note to other 4 year old parents; Disneyland has some pretty ominous and dark imagery that my 4 year old found pretty frightening.

**Note 2 to parents; If your child is 39.5" tall and doesn't look like they are going to grow to the mandatory 40" height required by most rides, you can always get some Tom Cruise lifter -style shoes like we did. Jake barely squeeked under the height sign, but got on all the 40" rides.


He loved Tom Sawyer's island, Buzz Lightyear Astro blasters, Star Tours and especially California Soaring.

A great time was had by all, I'll let the following pictures do most of the talking!


Jake looking cool on the plane!



Breakfast in the park at 8:01AM (it opened at 8:00AM)



Riding the Rockets in Tomorrow Land



Heading to do some astro-blastin


Family Blastin'

Blastin' is serious bid-ness



It's a small world (and a long ride)



The mystical "Chicken Stix"...



Uncle David and Jake meet Woody



All I want from Disneyland is a monorail, and your popsicle...pleeeeeeeeeeeeeese!



Ready for "A Bug's Life" (or not)...



Blast OFF!



First Visit, day 1, hour 10.



Mine is bigger than yours.



Camera flash to the face while waiting for Star Tours



Jake cold chillin' by the diesel train cafe in California-Land



Jake meets the real Tow Mater!



Jake, me and Lightning McQueen! Ca Chow!



Jake the Snake



Bear Cub and Cub's Bear

Reunited!

The Sierra Nevada Mountains, old friends, crisp air and 18 miles of singletrack to go! *Sorry for the low-res pic, only had my Razr phone for pics!


Better late than never!
2 weeks ago-my good friend Kirby and his wife Lyn were going to be in California for the weekend. On the same day my wife was planning on spending the weekend with her friend in Roseville and good ol' Grady was looking to go mountain biking in Tahoe. This type of schedule and cosmic alignment does not happen very often (if ever) and I jumped at the chance to see my old crew of friends and do a little mountain biking.

Grady picked me up Saturday night at about 6PM and after a stop at IN-N-Out, we were off to Reno to rendevous with Kirby and Lyn for some drinkin'. Well, Grady's In was ready for an Out around Sacramento, so a coffee and bathroom pit-stop behind us, we were back on the road with a Reno arrival time of 11:00PM. Keeping in constant, unintelligable cell phone contact with Kirby we found downtown Reno, parked the truck with about $6000 worth of bikes in the back and headed to meet Kirby and Lyn. To our surprise though, there was no Lyn! What the hell?? Kirby sadly said she went home to bed 20 minutes earlier. Doing what we could we had a drink with Kirby and Jacki (whom we were staying with) before heading back to the truck and going to Jacki's house to sleep. Of course we had to wake Lyn up and give her hell for going to bed!

The next morning we ate a cool little place in downtown Reno before heading off for the ride. Grady had a sweet set of hand written instructions straight from 3 sources. The ride was initially dictated by Mike Ferrentino. Verified by Johnoss. And cross checked by Todd. With those credentials we were sure for a good time!

The ride was called "Hole in da ground" and is directly off US 80. After packing at the end of the trail, we headed back to Boreal and went under US80 to the trailhead. What we were in for was 18 miles of technical singletrack that rocked! Thanks to Kirby and Grady for waiting for me on the climbs and the good time we were able to share. I will definitely be heading back to this ride!

Now what we need to do is plan at least a trip a year, in a different state each time, where we can hook up and ride...

Special Buddy

Here's some sweet photographic evidence of the joy that my lovely wife experienced on our recent ride-the Napa Valley Century. She was a bit loopy after working real hard to get through her 65 mile (or so) portion.

With no further ado...duh, duh duh duhhhhhhhh-