A "Friendly Training Ride"

Group training rides are the backbone of most Cat 3's training programs. Pride, ego and pecking order is often determined by these weekly sessions. Brought together are often different personalities with little else in common other than to have... A "FRIENDLY TRAINING RIDE!"

"What do you say we take it easy today?"

"OK with me. I was out late last night."

"Let's just have a mello spin."

Each one knows this is pure smokescreen! After a brief warm up, these competitive types will break out a hammer fest!!

In Durango, we call this the Tuesday night rides.

The Poloship Cometh

Rocky Mountain Grass Poloships

April 16, 2011

The 2011 Rocky Mountain Grass Poloships will take place in Durango, Colorado on Saturday, April 16th to decide the 2011 holders of the Colorado Cup. Grass bike polo has been played around the world for over one hundred years and after 20 years of hibernation, the fast action sport appears to be back in Colorado. The Colorado Cup is a traveling trophy that grew from a 2009 challenge tourney in Lyons between Boulder, Fort Collins, Carbondale and Durango. Whomever wins the tourney, keeps the cup and owns rights to host the next challenge tourney.

Teams from all over the Four Corners have been invited. 14 mens teams and 5 women's teams have made commitments thus far. The morning Round Robin Play will take place on the Fort Lewis College Campus, to determine seeding for the championship bracket. Then play moves to downtown Durango under the lights at Buckley Park. The mens and women's finals games will be aired live on local radio KDUR 91.9 FM with halftime shows and an All-Star game to add to the excitement. The 2011 RMGP is being put on by Passion Productions, promoters of the 2009 Single Speed World Championships, and the sponsors for the event are Fort Lewis College Cycling, Durango Cyclery, Ska Brewing, Steamworks Brewing, King Cages, Durango DEVO, Pool Creative, Target Rental, Pam Cheeney Retires, Leamonhead Hair Salon, City Market and Durango 9R School District. Each sponsor was allowed a team and drafted players from a long list of Durango locals.

Sound Sweet or What!

Chainsaw Cheeney

Newly Shorn Arrivals!

This is the jersey that has sheep pleading, "Shear Me!"

Our brand new lightweight Bouré Wool jersey will envelope you in the unsurpassed delight of 100% extra-fine Merino wool. Beautifully chain-stitched embroidered logos on front, back, and sleeves make this wool jersey a one-of-a-kind. Three rear pockets and 15 cm zipper. Performs in hot weather as well as cool. Wool... what can't it do?

Who Rides?

Fun photos from our latest "WE LIKE ..." links, Rides a Bike.

Marlena Dietrich Rides a Bike... and shows how to look marvelous.

Joan Crawford Rides a Bike... on rollers

Elvis Rides a Bike... and signs autographs on a boy's head

Humphrey Bogart Rides a Bike... with a hand in his pocket

All photos from Rides a Bike. Visit the site for many great shots.

http://ridesabike.tumblr.com/

Schweeet Elite Team Update

The Devo Sweet Elite is getting ready for Race #1 in Fruita and they'll have this glossy Team postcard to pass out while there. Then Teal is going to the Sea Otter Classic is California mid-month and the team is partnering with Specialized to get her to the race and take care of her while she's there. The Sea Otter is quite possibly the largest MTB event of the year in the States and it's good to have the jersey in that prestigious field. And a big thanks to Specialized for all their help.

I Say, Polo Anyone?

The Duke of Edinburgh taking part in a bicycle polo match at Windsor in 1967.

Swinging mallets in 1947.

Women's Bicycle Polo Team, 1946

Eighteen year-old Tony Dibble narrowly avoids colliding with his Norwood Paragon teammate Peter Sayer, aged 17 1/2, as they attempt to fend off a high shot for goal during a match against a Clarencourt team. Croydon, 1952.

Photos from http://corbis.co.in/

EZ-Steps for Field Botany

A Quick & EZ Guide to Finding and Identifying Native Plant Species.

1. Possess Good Plant Identification Books for the region of your travels.

2. Ignore Silly Signs that warn of impending risk.

3. See! Smooth roads... no problem.

4. Confidently Reassure Family Members who may begin to worry as the road steepens, crossing streams, and rapidly deteriorates. Wonder (but never out loud) if we'll be able to turn this all around when the road ends at the Wilderness boundary?

5. Set-up a Identification Field Laboratory.

Insure it has good lighting, while still suitable for sore-foot soaking and cold-beer drinking.

6. Identify Plants.

Start with easy ones to get warmed up.

Arizona Sycamore

Plantanus wrightii

Sotol

Dasylirion wheeleri

7. Replace Broken Tail Lights (and other broken parts) after returning to smooth roads.

Photos Courtesy of Lisa Bourey

Latin Lesson

Apache Pines, indigenious to the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico, populate the lower forested areas of the Sierra Ancha Mountains of Southeastern Arizona. Very similar to Ponderosa Pine, but with longer needles (up to 12-inches) that droop elegantly and possess an emerald color that brings the forest alive. These Apache Pines are seen bordering Reynolds Creek at an elevation just under 6000 feet. Look for them on your next trip to mountains of Southeastern Arizona (or the Sierra Madre of Northern Mexico), you'll find them pleasantly delightful.

Apache Pines with Half Moon

Pinus engelmannii cum dimidium luna

Apache Pines without Half Moon

Pinus engelmannii sin dimidium luna

Apache Pine (with 10-inch needles) planted in our Durango yard

Pinus engelmannii in domesticatio

Photos courtesy of Lisa Bourey

2011 Bouré Team Jerseys

Well, our 2011 Team jerseys are designed and prepared for final production. Both jerseys have full-length zippers for maximum cooling and ease of donning/doffing, with bright coloring to keep you visible on the road and to aid in backcountry rescue. Our LS jersey is made with a super-cooling, SPF-35 fabric (SQ Pro with Mynx UV for you fabric technophiles) and feature white sleeves for maximum summer comfort and sun protection. As per the norm, we're offering them at Pre-Sale pricing through March, with delivery in early April. And our Elite shorts are now on Sale, but only until March 15th.

Men's & Women's Boure Team SS jerseys

Regularly $70, Pre-sale $60

Men's & Women's Boure Team SPF-35 LS jerseys

Regularly $85, Pre-sale $75

Men's and Women's Elite shorts

Save $15-$20

Safe Routes to Riverview

Announcing new safety improvements at Riverview School for students who still practice the time-honored tradition of walking to school... even in the snow (albeit not through than 10-feet of snow without proper footwear, like our parents).

Riverview TEAM (a parent-teacher organization with the acronym for Together Everyone Achieves More), Riverview parents who support Safe Routes to School, Bouré Bicycle Clothing and the Safe Roads Coalition recently raised money to purchase three sets of Crosswalk signs to increase safety at three Crosswalks adjacent to Riverview School. After personally witnessing several near accidents at these locations, I'd have to note that these signs have significantly increased awareness for student pedestrians using these Crosswalks, while alerting and educating parents of the Colorado State Law that requires them to Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalks. A special thanks to Principal Doug Geygan and beloved-teacher-turned-custodian Brian Honold who've taken the extra time to put them out both before and after school.

This newly signed Crosswalk is at the west end of Riverview's entry/exit on Mesa Avenue. In this particular case, these signs increase visibility for children who cross in the morning from the shadows on the left.

This young Riverview student uses the newly signed Crosswalk on the way to school, while still employing the time-tested, pre-signed techniques of wear bright clothing and sprint when clear.