Slick

November is done and finding time to 

ride is going to get harder.

The commute now becomes a game of 

layers and what is falling from the sky and what is on

the ground.

Today was the first day that I got to feel the white

stuff on my face all be it that it wasn't much.

Trying to decide what was a dry patch and what was ice 

is a true mental game. Still not as bad as coming down the 

cut on my road bike the other day that was tricky.

So here is to December and the return of the light and

fast wheels turning in the cold.

Grinder

The weather man said it was

to be warmer today. Still had to wear the layers even with the

wind blowing out of the south.

Bob had put out a email stating that he was

going to ride  the crushed gravel and it sound like a

plan.

Good spin heading north and around the park,

hell of a head wind coming home. 

I started getting super hungry on the way back

got in the house and started to eat.

Wind Soft Gravel=hard work.

Now need to do some bike maintenance too many flats.

Low Angle

Being that I was anti garage riding yesterday

I headed out to the crushed lime stone not realizing that 

their would be people dressed in orange and carrying guns.

So I opted today today to head over the river and through the woods.

Was not so much of a river as a creek or two. 

The Cut

Blue bird sky's and chili temps. Stayed warm and climbed some hills, again felt soooo

good to be out side. Only got sketchy once due to ice covered roads.

But again can't say it enough better than riding inside. 

Got to make hay while the sun shines.

Goodbuy

Tempo in the garage yesterday, made

me realize why I like riding 

outside so damn much.

I'll get back out today even if it 

is going to be a cold one.

Need to get my work bench cleaned up so

I can start the tear down of my Spot. 

Only took an hour on the the interwebs and

it sold. Time for new time for another page to 

be written.

Empty Belly's

Time to do the American thing and let our waistbands expand... Bring it ON!!

Gator

Mid week slump

or just being driven nutz by weather.

The ride on sunday in the elements 

helped thicken my skin. Not wanting 

to ride in the indoors.

Stumbled across an old box of magazines and 

made me think of younger days. 

Crap on the way in the way of frozen rain ,,,,going to need to let out some tire pressure.  

Then bring on the food I am ready to feed the tapeworm.

Rubber Sole

Tires..

Seem to be to many in the garage that need to be replaced.

The Titus was the bike that I wanted with 

the thin coating of moisture on the ground.

But once again flat rear. The Hard Case 28's have seen 5-6K miles and

I think that they are done for.

Think that their is one or two sets left at the shop and 

I am going to have to snatch them up. Bontrager in their super wisdom

stopped making one of their best tires ever.

So with that I ended up on the Gunnar which is not normally the foul weather bike

but it was today.

Low clouds hung on the bluffs and i really wanted to go up

hill. So I did and in to a cloud that was full of wet cold water.

Thanks to the Metal and some woolie socks 

I made it down the S descent the slowest I have ever gone down that

hill. But in the greasy conditions I stayed upright.

Orange Crush

Another day and another

hill to climb.

No malfunctions and multi

gears.

Hunters in the woods with guns.

Time to ride the Pave as

long as layers are layered up.

Anchor

Another morning of bike mishaps and 

changes.

This time cleats were fine but tire was flat so I had to do a bike 

and shoe swap again.

I need to spend some time working on all the bikes and 

making sure that they are sea worthy.

If MTB riding is done for the year

I need to strip down the Spot and 

get it ready to sell.

But first I need to do a tire inspection and see what is getting worn.

Other than that another good morning climbing the 

quarry road and if I don;t do it again tomorrow it maybe over.

Gun season is starting and don't want to get shot.

That may hurt just a bit.

Cleatus

I am not super hero and don't try to pretend to be one.

But this morning I needed x-ray vision to get through the fog.

Plan was to ride the bike that shifted but as I 

started to ride away my right foot

did not clip in. Must have broke my

cleat when I came home with the boy on 

monday. So back in the house and a quick change of

shoes and bikes and back to the plan of the 

bitch of a hill the Quarry Road.

Not being able to shift was going to make the steep part hard and it did.

So a quick dismount and up to the Gate. Rest was steady as she goes.

Not sure how much longer this will last and this weekend gun season 

starts so that may be shut down. 

Still as always better riding than driving and better riding up

a kick ass hill then walking on a flat road.

Country Roads

Saundays are for resting and for 

just being a bump on a log, at least this time of

year. Out the door 9Am and well layered for a 

                                                    simple loop out on the roads up north. With a coating of left over rain the 

SKX Race Blades kept me dry and the Metal kept me 

warm. A bit of wind and a whole lot of quite roads kept the motivation level high.

And to top it off I get to eat left over Risotto. A nice little Sunday!!

Squashed

First day totally off the bike since labor day.

Had all the intentions of riding

even pulled the rollers out but never made it.

Relaxed cleaned up around the house

and watched some CX racing Live from CO.

Not sure what tomorrow brings but time will only tell.

The photos coming in from the MN CX race look 

epic and not a whole lot of fun.

My dad can beat up your dad

Rain is moving in and north will get snow.

I don't think that this is it and their may be

more dirt riding to come.

Not knowing I rode the Titus up the gravel road to work 

always a treat to ride the skinny's on such a rough road.

If and when the snow falls that will be shut down.

The mangled cranks off the Spot are getting replaced,

which is nice but still waiting on the E13 cranks

which will have more beef to them. 

Layers is the call for the day like a good carrot cake

dry warm and pedaling a bike out side.

Life could suck a ton more but right now it does not.

Fall Shread

It is Novvember and the wheels are still ripping through the 

single track.

Even under the cover of darkness after a big long stupid meeting 

solace was found. I was happy that my legs could spin after the pain that I put them 

through on saturday.

 

I did have to cut it short due to the fact that 

I have had another set of Race Face cranks broach their spline.

Stopped for some H2o and gave them a wiggle and wow did they wiggle. 

Not good good thing that I have a back up

but still hope that something else shakes loose.

Fast and Then Faster

Cross racing it is that time of year and everybody is doing it. I have not lined up for a cross race since the first year of UCI race outside of Madison.  Rocking the Metal suit and flying the Hwood flag I managed to find the start line and meet some of my fellow racers. Their was a hole shot prize and that was taken by Ezra Taylor while Jay and I sat on his Wheel. As the first lap shook out the positions were jockeyed for as Eppen and Casper made their presence know. 

They were joined by Little Guy, and I did what I could to hold on. I got scraped off the front three and beaten by the wind. That is when Chris Alme came around and I tried to hold on but was some what shattered. Got passed one last time this time by Dan Strese and his wheel I was able to hold on to for the last three laps. 

I thought I had it all figured out sit there and wait for the last 50 yards and as we came out of the drainage ditch and made the turn to the line he had already kicked and I had no match. At the line his front wheel got me and I slid in to 6th and just out of the Money. 

I had a blast yes I have been sore for the past two days but have not done anything at race pace for over a month and epically have not gotten off my bike and ran with it.  Huge thanks to the crew that put on the race and for getting me to the line, for all the great competition for letting me play cyclocross with them. 

 And Even BIGGER thanks to The HWOOD crew and to ALL AT TWIN SIX>>> You all helped me have one Hell Of A Kick ASS YEAR!!!!

PARTY ON AND RIDE WITH PRIDE!!!

2'sday

I chose to ride in the woods instead of 

going and playing on the SSCX bike.

I do have an impending CX race coming this weekend and

should do what every one calls practice.

But I could not pass up a chance

to ride single track.

And once again the single track was the 

right call for a tuesday that was full

of crappy broken appliances.

The weather man says that a change may be coming 

and that could make the commute in a bit colder.

That is why all the warm clothes are getting clean in the

new washing machine.