And now a word about our sponsors

Ok, first things first. I have to set the record straight here.

Last time, I wrote about the anti-group group ride and well, I may have caused some confusion/angst/umbrage with my side of the story. To get right to the point: I wasn't writing about anyone in particular. Not at all. I mean, I'VE been that guy and so has everyone else at one time or another. I was writing about the lack of simple enjoyment of riding the bike with no agenda, no training schedule, no reason other than wanting to pedal around with friends. Kind of lamenting the fact that we seldom ride like kids anymore.

So, let me offer my apologies to Adam:

Adam, I am sorry if it seemed I was singling you out. I wasn't. That's why I made this apology in Alpha Bicycles green. I hope I can still get discounts at your shop.

On person I will NOT be apologizing to is the fucker that ran me off the trail this morning (my leg still hurts). Your indifference has been noted and you are now on my 5-year plan. Your destruction is imminent.

NOW...a word about our sponsors.

First up: Alpha Bicycles, run by Adam (who is not an anti-group ride d-bag). As you may have surmised, Alpha is a bike shop. They sell a variety of bicycle lines:

• Niner bikes which are of the 29er variety
• Moots which is the titanium bike of choice for old men and those who get a shop discount
• Pivot which is a bike I've never heard of because I am inclined to ignore mountain bikes

In addition to those fine products, Alpha Bicycles offers some of the very best mechanical service you can get in the Denver area. That's no lie. The man to talk to is Nate. His wheel work is legendary as our very own Danny Flapjacks, from parts unknown and weighing in at 16 stone, has a set of handbuilt-by-Nate wheels and after several years of riding, they are still true. The accolades for Alpha Bicycles are too many to list here. Just go to Alpha Bicycles when you need parts or service. They know what they are doing.

Next is Routine Leg Works (RLW). These guys make and sell embrocation. That's a fancy word for "stuff you put on your legs to make them feel better." Mike is the man to talk to. He's a 'cross racer and from his experience with his own products, he has continued to make improvements to the lineup. They currently have "Flahute" which is excellent for cold days as it has a somewhat waxy feel that helps to knock down the wind chill, "Prepare", which has less warmth than Flahute but offers a good warmup solution in an oil based concoction, and "Recover" which is used after a hard ride to help the muscles, umm....recover. For best results, apply in this manner:

MBG Training. What can I say about MBG training that hasn't already been said? Well, its Randy "Mr. Big Guy" Gaffney and his big brain

(and even bigger heart) giving us all a chance to excel at our chosen sport of cycling. Randy coaches several of the Frites guys including Matt Klick who, in 2 short seasons, went from a cat-4 racer to the podium at States in the cat-3 division. Not bad. Randy knows how to motivate without being all shouty and loud. Sure, you can try to do something different than the plan he has prepared for you. Last year, I tried just that. I thought his plan for me was too easy. And then, 1 week later, I was so tired I couldn't even look at the bike. I learned right then that my ignorance and lack of insight is no match for Randy's wisdom and experience. I now work with Randy to develop my custom training plan which, if all goes well and I don't continue to get bullied by mountain bikers that need to switch to decaf, should have me racing well this fall during 'cross season.

Not to be forgotten is Pactimo. Pactimo supplies the clothing for the Frites team. Pactimo is what makes people stare at us with desire rather than recoil in disgust. Our kits are just that cool. The man to talk to is Matt. He can give you the low down on all the Pactimo options available and he can also help you design the kit you've always wanted for your team. Matt designed the much sought after "Bandido" jersey.

'Nuff said. Pactimo does great work and their materials are top shelf.

Flippin' Flapjacks is the brainchild of the previously mentioned Danny Flapjacks. Ever been to a race and thought "Man...I could sure go for some pancakes and sausage. I wonder if anyone here could whip me up a batch?" Danny and his wife (who is from the Bayou and only goes by "Mama") make some of the best pancakes you can get. They're so light and fluffy white, they'll make a fortune by tonight. Danny and Mama did a 1 week stint at Ride the Rockies in 2010. By the end of the week, they were cranking out food for over 400 people. How do they do this? With the magic griddle of stupendous proportions, that's how. Danny and Mama have a custom griddle that looks capable of cooking 345928 pancakes at the same time. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration. But seeing that thing in action is worth the price of admission.

Finally there is Save Our Soles. SoS makes socks for athletes. Frites uses them, too. They come up with some unique designs for almost every outdoor pursuit: cycling, running, hiking, and skiing. You can't go wrong with SoS socks. Long lasting, comfy, and plenty of design and color options to choose from. Just don't wear them with sandals. Even SoS can't make that look cool.

Note: I couldn't find anything about Jupiler beer. Yes, we carry their logo on our jerseys. No, I have never had one. All I could find is that they are affiliated with Anheuser-Busch. If that's the Jupiler we're talking about, well, I'm not going to endorse Anheuser-Busch as they have all the money in the world and scarcely need my endorsement. Besides, we all know that Anheuser-Busch is a marketing machine that doesn't know the first thing about making good beer. Obviously I have the wrong Jupiler in mind. I'll keep looking around and when I find the right Jupiler, I'll dedicate an entire article to a taste test.