That’s right, Woolly Mammoth. A name that was given to me some time ago. I think it was early in the season, before I shaved my legs. It was probably an icy cold morning and some of my 150 pound friends on bikes half jokingly called me the Woolly Mammoth because I was really big and kind of furry.

Then there’s Der Hipptler. A real trouble maker. Good at ruining the days of many a dreamer (12k dreamer that is). Otherwise known as Hippstar. Chris Hipp is still alive. He has changed his appearance and is only recognizable by his reverse wheelies that are achieved by applying extreme pressure to his front brake, lifting his rear wheel about a foot off the ground. He has graduated from his patented reverse wheelie at stop lights to now riding reverse wheelies through the middle of switchbacks while the entire pack delicately picks their line through these treacherous turns. He has no fear, and he is faster than ever.

In between meetings, I took the train from San Jose to meet Chris near his home in Menlo Park. We did the noon ride. The difference in the culture is amazing out here. At a noon ride during the middle of the week, 25 people showed up. I kept wondering if these guys had jobs… And, they all did. They come from all walks of life. They were all very skinny and very fast.

Today we rode up Old La Honda Road. My body, at 1/8th of a ton, was not ready for this. It was interesting to see what over a decade off the bike has done to me. I dragged my miserable self every pedal stroke of the way until we reached the top. Of course, I brought up the rear, and I have the pictures to prove it as Chris took snapshots of me all the way up. He was cool enough to stay behind with me to tell me what I should be expecting as the grade only steepend as every mile ticked by. We rode through the most beautiful country I have ever seen. From unbelievable views to dark micro-climates in the mossy red woods territory.

When we got to the top we were greeted by 20 degrees of cooler temperature and a guest appearance by the famous Tom Ritchey. We put our cold weather gear on and began our descent. Of course, Chris is a pro and handles a bike unlike no other. He amused others by riding his reverse wheelies as he carved his way through tight turns on the descent and then blasted through other turns without ever applying brakes.

We took a detour from the group ride and rode through the most beautiful scenery imaginable just in the foothills of the mountain we had already ascended. A few 50 mph bursts and we were back to the train station, where I got my ride back to San Jose.

Today was quite a little adventure. It is great to see Hippstar in such form. This is motivation and is perfectly timed for me as I find that I am still in the toughest part of my training….the part where I struggle to stay with it every day. Especially after today, my interest is stronger than ever. I hope in the coming months to have several trips out here to ride again.

For those who don’t know the story, Chris Hipp and I were team mates over a decade ago when all that mattered was the bike. Now, a few more things matter. We have stayed in close touch over the years as each of us have had our handful of unique professional experiences over the years. Even Chris parted briefly from the racing scene as he created a company that pioneered the blade server industry. He never lost the passion for racing and is back dealing destruction where ever possible. As for me, if you read this blog you know the story…