My ol lady
UPDATE Mom's doing lots better. Thanks for the notes:) I'm nursing her back to helth, cooking and walking her daily. Greatful for each day!!
Pretty scary day yesterday, as mom narrowly escaped a full blown heart attack!!.
September 30, 2009
September 25, 2009
Fluidride cup
FLUIDRIDE CUP #6- FINALS
MT.HOOD, OREGON
Check out this Mt.Hood DH track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw8DRDAtJEQ. So many rocks, loose dirt, high speeds up top, etc. We flew home early from Interbike in Vegas for this race. I wanted to get time in on my 951 bike, and have some "no pressure" fun riding. Bryn came to shred as well but wasn't really feeling it. We weren't so fresh coming in after all the travel, both still a bit sore from Austria's crashes too, but this was like a mental vacation for me to just ride and be with homies in the mountains of Hood. I like to support these races whenever possible!!
Anyway, race day was a bit windy. Normally the pro course is like 5 minutes long, but there were some crazy winds on the upper bowl, which knocked like 4 bikes from the chairlifts and down into rocks. Poor kids were not stoked, bikes destroyed, so they had to close that lift and just run the bottom half of the track, which was still 2.5-3min of treacherous rocky terrain.
September 24, 2009
Bikevegas
Just wanted to say thanks again to all our wonderful sponsors this year. Bike show was awesome to talk to everyone face to face and hear what all has been going on, what's new. Old friends, new friends, Lots of exciting things on the horizon....
PHOTOS:FLIPPER
September 23, 2009
Interbike
LAS VEGAS
Can't believe how much ground we have had to cover lately. After taking a beating in Austria, we got home to Seattle yesterday and spent the entire day Locked away at my favorite coffee shop working on plans for 2010. Now in Vegas. Wish we were in Mexico though. Few more days and it'll be time for a break.
September 20, 2009
World Cup DH Finals
SCHLADMING, AUT
Not too big of a surprise today, Sam Hill did what he does best on a track like this, kept it fast and smooth while under control. There were some amazing efforts, risks, and close calls. Minnaar did really well to chase for the overall, but it was not meant to be. 3rd today, and 2nd in the overall. Fabien looked good, but had a crash. Brenden looked a little more conservative where we saw him, but landed a podium none the less. Gwin 3 podiums in a row for World Cups 
go USA. For the day 1.Sam Hill 2.Sam Blenkinsop 3. Minnaar 4. Gwin 5.Brenden.
The holes on this track were enormous, would have been so difficult to hold on; plenty of hits and braking to wear out the hands. Dry conditions were wonderful, rain would've been a nightmare.
4x Finals
SCHLADMING, AUT
Yeah, last night didn't go so well for me. I felt really good riding wise, nice and relaxed, didn't really care about the results. First heat, dunno what happened, hit this turn and my front end disappeared. I Landed really hard on a wooden steak right on my stomach. Tried to get up, bounced down some logs, and felt throw up and burning inside, followed by an urgency to pee. Super lame, had to go to the hospital and get all checked out to make sure I wasn't bleeding internally. Didn't see anything else for the rest of the night and missed the awards. What an awesome way to end the season. Guess it could always be worse. Time for a vacation, at home. Still finished #2 or 3 in the Overall World Cup?? dunno.
Jared Graves and Anneke won the titles
September 18, 2009
Schladming Quali
SCHLADMING, AUT
Qualifying for Downhill and 4x was today, as well as a big 4x alliance meeting about the state of 4x and ideas for the future, sort of the beginning of a union.
September 17, 2009
BART TAYLOR- RAD
Bart Conner, the actor/gymnast who played Bart Taylor in the Epic BMX movie Rad, is on the committee for the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid. Anyway, he has been sending out a bunch of emails to gain support, so I sent him a reply email explaining how that movie changed my little 10 year old life and I won a medal in BMX. Obviously he is not quite as cool as Crew Jones, who I based my career number after- 33, but whatever. Finally got a response:) "Jill, Thanks! I hope to meet you someday too. -Bart Conner"- stoked.:)
September 16, 2009
'Minger
Schladming,Austria
Not much on today, just some DH course hiking, registration, and casual riding. Few re-routed sections out there, but the layout is mostly the same as years past. Just one or two new wooded areas, crazy steep grass turns down below too. The ground is packed, out in the open, by a stone surface, then it's boggy where the natural springs trickle through, spongy in fresh woods, grassy in grass, rutty in ruts, bumpy over breaking bumps:) You get the idea. Spider roots are impressive, looks to be difficult from my hiking instinct, rooty and steep +rain and mud = tricky. Not much pedaling on this track at all, which is a big contrast to worlds last week. I would say this is the anti-canberra track, polar opposite. 300 riders on the start lists. Of the top 4 guys in the DH points battle, whoever wins will take it I think, so that's exciting. Frenchie has won already for the ladies.
Liked the freelap timing system buried at the start, rad way to practice sections 
. Didn't catch where the interval poles were though?
Stoked our luggage finally showed up and I can change my nasty airplane socks from a few days ago. Sweet. Raining, and more to come. Also Mexican restaurants in Austria that serve chicken burritos containing broccoli and curry sauce should be avoided. How hard would it be to employ at least one mexican and/or do research. Should've known by the lack of tuba music. Might have to just run Schnitzel straight up.
World Cup Finals- Schladming
SCHLADMING, AUT
We got in yesterday, and hiked up the hill to get some exercise and acclimate to the time. It was nice and sunny, which makes Austria one of the most beautiful places in Europe. I was kind of grumbling about having to come to Europe another time, but it's not so bad once you get here. It is misleading from any pic or video, but this hill is incredibly steep. The downhill is a fast one at the bottom. All 3 events are running here, xc is the white taped out course in the middle, DH is slightly to the left, 4x even more left. Took some pics of the 4x track up the hill.
http://dirtmag.co.uk/news/category/videos/dirttvschladming-4x-track-talk/dirt-1235740.html
September 14, 2009
Washington state finals
SEA-TAC, WA
Yesterday marked my second year in a row attending the bmx Washington state championship race. Pretty rare to actually be home, but Good to see all the local kiddies out there doing their thing. The race was 5 min down the road from where mom lives, super local. I have never seen so many people there; Motorhomes parked around the block, tents everywhere. Saw a bunch of homies from way way back, From my pink panther days when I was like 10:) bunch of riders remember when my dad used to run the place, endless stories. I have some pics to post later. Anyway, a lot has changed since then, but the roots of bmx will always be the same.
I'm boarding another plane to Europe. C ya in a day.
September 11, 2009
MADCATZ
Check out this old pic from Bryn's Archives...
Web Montage
Just wanted to say thanks to some awesome sponsors and photographers this year. Bryn and I have had a great time exploring the world and riding bikes.
Photo Credits: Flipper, Victor Lucas, Sven Martin, Colin M., Timmy Bardsley Smith, Damian Breach, Stik, and Dirt mag
September 08, 2009
Australia to Austria
Check out this last part of our schedule.... Sydney, Australia to Schladming, Austria. Any way you look at it there is about 30 hours of flying for one last race, not including the layovers. Quick stop in Seattle to see the family, then We go across the atlantic to finish this World Cup series up strong, and enjoy the finest Schnitzel 
europe has to offer. Hope the track is worth it!!! Straight to Vegas after that to handle business at the bike show. At least we got a good day on the dirtbikes and some awesome OZ time to regroup.
September 06, 2009
DOWNHILL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
CANBERRA, AUS
Today started out early, 7am wake up call, guys were out there practicing at 8:30am. Racing for elites at 1pm. Meanwhile, the fans prepared.....
September 05, 2009
DH practice and XC finals
CANBERRA, AUS
Today was the final practice day for DH. Schedule had an hour for the Elite Women and Jrs, then an hour for Elite men. Long day with only an hour of practice, but most riders got 3 runs in for fine tuning.
September 04, 2009
World Championship 4x
CANBERRA, AUS
No world Champ stripes for me this year:( starts were subpar, and that's all it took. Caroline Buchanan is world champion on a track she has ridden since conception, pays to be local I suppose. I finished second, buhly 3rd.
Jared, also aussie, dominated and earned his stripes. Saladini had a good start, but on the outside couldn't pull enough, and some guy I dunno who has never raced a mountain bike round finished 3rd. I don't think that should happen personally, it was a good experiment with the track, but this was not exactly the answer.
Crowd was awesome. Dunno, I'm pretty flat right now. Anyway, Bryn is ready to shred on sunday DH.
September 03, 2009
BEST DAY- RACE DAY!!
Pic from Billy at Dirt
CANBERRA, AUS
It feels like christmas day to a little kid. All year we wait for Worlds, and today is 4x day. Check out Vitalmtb.com, they have some of the best updates going as does our beloved dirtmag.co.uk. Just wondering where Editor Mike Rose is?!? he always goes to worlds!! :(
On the brighter side, I have seen so many Aussie homies that I haven't seen in a few years, such rad people who truly love the sport of Mountain biking, yeah Australia!!!
WORLD CHAMPS-4x quali
CANBERRA, AUS
It is almost time,,,Tomorrow is the big day!!!. Qualification runs were tonight. The general vibe seems pretty chill out there, weather held,track rode fast. Putting together a full run was a lot of energy, particularly down that last bit:) all good though, nothing we can't handle:)
I am not sure 100% if these results are correct, but this is what I remember from when I left. Poor Prokop slid out at the last turn on what looked like a ripper of a run, think he is still in. Reigning world champ Rafa Alvarez also had a massive stack at the end of practice in the first little berm. Other than that, nothing too crazy.
For the ladies, we had a slightly different line than the men, mainly the lack of air on the big double. I had a decent run to take the top spot. Local favorite Caroline Buchanan was also looking good, as were Anneke, and Romana as the times showed. We have a really strong field this weekend with some depth, even though Jana is missing from the group due to injury and Rachel Sedux. Stoked to have lane choice here.
4x MEN"S QUALI
1. jared Graves
2. Slovik
3. Saladini
4. Ryan Henderson??
5. joost wichman
WOMEN'S 4x QUALI
1. Jill
2. Caroline
3. Anneke
4. Romana
5. Anita
September 02, 2009
Practice and Pump tracks
CANBERRA, AUS
Downhillers had the am shift for practice, 4x afternoon, pumptrack world championship in the evening....
Check out: www.dirtmag.co.uk
September 01, 2009
Mt.STROMLO WORLD CHAMPS
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA
Went to go check out the venue this afternoon,,, It has been awhile since I have seen this hill, but considering the small size, organizers have done a pretty good job of putting everything together. looks official all flagged out, banners, tents, etc. No trees anywhere will probably make for the best video coverage and spectating from one spot, but it feels weird without em. I heard about the crowd from the world cup last year, so I am quite excited to see everyone turn up. Rad to have family, friends, our own car, english, etc....
