The new bike road fantastic. Still a little dialing in to do. The wide bars gotta go.
The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. Get busy.
June 06, 2010
One dirty girl
The new bike road fantastic. Still a little dialing in to do. The wide bars gotta go.
The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. Get busy.
June 05, 2010
My Precious!
After a two week wait in my basement collecting dust while we worked to sell our house, the new MTB is finally built up and ready. Welcome the latest addition to the family. It's a 2010 Specialized Stumpjumper 29er SS. And yes, the reflectors are staying. At least for its debut. Check out that profile. That's one sexy lady.
Inevitable customization has already begun. You may have already spotted that Thomson seat post in the previous picture. Check out the red KMC BMX chain wrapped around the stock 32 tooth chainring on the 180mm Stylo cranks. This was originally intended for the Motobecane's single speed conversion but, wouldn't work with the tensioner I bought. It's a nice addition to the red highlights already present on the bike.
Out back, the stock 20 tooth gear has been dumped for a 17 tooth Surly and mounted up on the stock DT Swiss 240s hub. Making the gearing just under 2:1 and hopefully just right for all that climbing on June 19th at the Lumberjack. The tubes have been pulled and after a failed attempt with the stock tape job, tapped with genuine Stans NoTubes tape, filled with sealant, inflated and are now holding air just fine. This thing is sex on wheels. She's tipping the scales at 19.4 lbs as she sits. That's basically 4.5lbs lighter than the Motobecane sans gears. More updates are certainly in her future. Likely some Ergon grips and cutting down the extra wide bars.
Many thanks to Jimmie Colflesh for the help putting the finishing touches on it and the team sponsor KLM.
June 04, 2010
LJ two weeks away
Well, it's basically here. Two weeks away. Just like last year, I haven't done the amount of training that I wanted to put in, in preparation for the race. I also haven't rode a single century. I wanted at least two under my belt by this time. To top it all off, I don't have a working MTB bike and my knee has been acting up more than ever.
So, I'll be scurrying to get my new bike rolling this weekend. Hopefully, riding it a ton too between now and the LJ. I also need to figure out what I'll be eating a drinking throughout the race. Last year's plan of pop tarts and Gu did not work out that well.
Most importantly, I am 90% sure I'll be rolling with one gear at LJ. I am not sure what I am thinking but, I've still got it stuck in my head.
May 30, 2010
I came, I saw and It kicked my a**
Yesterday was the annual XC race at Bloomer. I've spent the last two weeks either sick or preparing to sell our house so, I decided to give Bloomer a whirl. Not to mention, I need to do some catch up on Lumberjack training. I hadn't heard much about the course other than it was somewhere you should pre-ride. Good thing I hadn't heard too much or I would have likely bailed out.
Lap One:
After somewhat of a team warm up, Ray, Tom, Scott, Byran and I lined up in at the start of the expert race in the 30-39 wave. On the warm up, Tom had warned my that I was likely going to be hating life rockin' just one gear at Bloomer. In usual fashion, I shrugged it off and figured I'd show this place who was boss. After all, it'd never seen the likes of before. At the whistle, the race was on and we rolled out. I was happy to be able to hang with the geared riders with ease. Out climbing many at the ski hill to boot and throwing in some impressive moves for my skill level. I made my way through a few more rides and closed the gap considerably on Tom from the team and Gus who I met at the BTT ride. That was until we hit the switchback. That's where the Bloomer's harsh reality rocked my world. A relentless series of short downhills then up hills. Zapping every ounce of energy from my legs. Once clear of the switchbacks, I was sure the worst must have been over. Then I arrived at the scariest section of trail that I've ever been on in my life. I am not sure what's it's called or how to describe it but, it's pretty much what you'd expect riding in the Rocky Mountains. Switchbacks with the punishment of a 20 ft drop if you happen to make any errors. The rest of lap one wasn't so bad. I bailed out and ran the "stairs." It was very flat and the 2:1 gearing that zapped the strength from my legs simply wasn't enough on the flat and I lost a few positions.
Lap Two:
My surge to catch Tom and the switchbacks really took their toll on me. I was really suffering mentally on lap two. My lines were crap, I was all over the trail, making multiple point and made near full stop turns a points. That's when I started to hear it. The familiar buzzing of Scott's rear hub. Of course, right as we enter the relentless switchbacks. My lines were terrible, I was breaking down mentally but, tried hard not to be caught. Scott yelled out at one point. It was a real motivator and somehow I held him off from passing me in the single tracks. Only long enough for him to get around me at just before the crazy, mountain like switchback decent. I did what I could to stay with him but, I was just not on my game and Scott rolled away from with ease. A little farther out of the trail, I believe near the "stairs" I caught back up with Scott. He was sidelined for a moment with some chain suck and he jumped on my wheel as I passed. If I remember correctly, passed another rider just before or after the "stairs" but, took the worlds worst line and ended up in the woods. Resulting in being passed by the overtaken rider and shortly after again by Scott after I took yet only terrible line and ran off into the worlds being stopped by a branch in my spokes.
Lap Three:
Determined not to quit, I somehow caught up to Scott on the flats and actually passed him at the beginning of lap 3 as he slowed for a bottle swap. I Bryan as I headed out down the lightening fast start and gave him the fist pump. Scott caught back up to me as I spun wildly on the flats. We climbed the sled hill together and I waved him by me as we hit the first section of nutty single track. I was determined to pull it together and have a good race and was doing a pretty good job of hanging with Scott in the technical stuff. I had high hopes for this lap. I felt better or at least I had convinced myself and I felt that I'd recovered from my sprint to catch Tom on lap one. As Scott and I climbed the first real climb after the sled hill I was determined I was going to own this lap. No quitting, no slowing down, I'd hammer every hill and take every corner as fast as I could. I hammered up the climb hoping to close some of the gap Scott had put on me on the last decent. As I neared the top, my legs unwilling slowed and I struggled to maintain momentum. Just as I was about to crest the top of the hill, my legs came to a complete stop and my left leg completely locked up. I toppled right over on my left side. Thud! My left calve completely cramped up and I spent the next few minutes trying to stretch it out enough to ride again. This time around the switchbacks were unbelievably hard. Not to mention, I was making all sorts of bad decisions and taking bad lines. I wrecked at least one of the sandy turns. Ryan from KLM caught me just as we entered the mountain like descent. I was shocked when he called out to me. I asked him if he'd lapped me. Turns out he snapped his chain at the start of the race. As I did on lap one and two, I got passed in the flats. This time I was somehow able to take a position back. Most likely due to the climbing.
Lap Four:
Lap 4 was simply survival mode. I ran the sled hill and the stairs. I simply rode as hard as I could so, I could finish. As I neared the end of race and entered the last bit of single track, Lee from the team was taking picture and called out to me to chase after someone. I put my head down and tried to hammer, then almost immediately hooked my bar on a tree and went right over my handlebars managing not to split my skull on a log as I planted my hand on it to avoid hitting it face first. I crossed the finish line just happy to be done. At some point in the race. I am pretty sure lap two, it'd gotten very hot. The course had taken it's toll on me. I was spent. In the end, Tom pulled off a 3rd. Scott, myself and Bryan pulled off a 8th, 9th & 10th.
I made it back just in time to take my son Evan on a pre-ride lap of the kid's race course. Shortly after, my wife, daughter and I spread out along the course to cheer him and Miles, Jason's son on.
I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the sport and beginner races. We had a great showing John, Joe, Roger, Jason and Lee from the team showed up and raced. Andy had made it out and had handed me a water bottle on lap 4 and raced as well. Jim rode up to the race from the BTT ride to cheer us on and had logged 77 miles for the day at that point.
In the end it was a great day. Even considering I admitted defeat to the superior adversary "Bloomer." We had a large group show up, my family had a blast and the mood and venue was great. I expect to be back for some serious punishment next year.
Pictures my wife took:
Lap One:
After somewhat of a team warm up, Ray, Tom, Scott, Byran and I lined up in at the start of the expert race in the 30-39 wave. On the warm up, Tom had warned my that I was likely going to be hating life rockin' just one gear at Bloomer. In usual fashion, I shrugged it off and figured I'd show this place who was boss. After all, it'd never seen the likes of before. At the whistle, the race was on and we rolled out. I was happy to be able to hang with the geared riders with ease. Out climbing many at the ski hill to boot and throwing in some impressive moves for my skill level. I made my way through a few more rides and closed the gap considerably on Tom from the team and Gus who I met at the BTT ride. That was until we hit the switchback. That's where the Bloomer's harsh reality rocked my world. A relentless series of short downhills then up hills. Zapping every ounce of energy from my legs. Once clear of the switchbacks, I was sure the worst must have been over. Then I arrived at the scariest section of trail that I've ever been on in my life. I am not sure what's it's called or how to describe it but, it's pretty much what you'd expect riding in the Rocky Mountains. Switchbacks with the punishment of a 20 ft drop if you happen to make any errors. The rest of lap one wasn't so bad. I bailed out and ran the "stairs." It was very flat and the 2:1 gearing that zapped the strength from my legs simply wasn't enough on the flat and I lost a few positions.
Lap Two:
My surge to catch Tom and the switchbacks really took their toll on me. I was really suffering mentally on lap two. My lines were crap, I was all over the trail, making multiple point and made near full stop turns a points. That's when I started to hear it. The familiar buzzing of Scott's rear hub. Of course, right as we enter the relentless switchbacks. My lines were terrible, I was breaking down mentally but, tried hard not to be caught. Scott yelled out at one point. It was a real motivator and somehow I held him off from passing me in the single tracks. Only long enough for him to get around me at just before the crazy, mountain like switchback decent. I did what I could to stay with him but, I was just not on my game and Scott rolled away from with ease. A little farther out of the trail, I believe near the "stairs" I caught back up with Scott. He was sidelined for a moment with some chain suck and he jumped on my wheel as I passed. If I remember correctly, passed another rider just before or after the "stairs" but, took the worlds worst line and ended up in the woods. Resulting in being passed by the overtaken rider and shortly after again by Scott after I took yet only terrible line and ran off into the worlds being stopped by a branch in my spokes.
Lap Three:
Determined not to quit, I somehow caught up to Scott on the flats and actually passed him at the beginning of lap 3 as he slowed for a bottle swap. I Bryan as I headed out down the lightening fast start and gave him the fist pump. Scott caught back up to me as I spun wildly on the flats. We climbed the sled hill together and I waved him by me as we hit the first section of nutty single track. I was determined to pull it together and have a good race and was doing a pretty good job of hanging with Scott in the technical stuff. I had high hopes for this lap. I felt better or at least I had convinced myself and I felt that I'd recovered from my sprint to catch Tom on lap one. As Scott and I climbed the first real climb after the sled hill I was determined I was going to own this lap. No quitting, no slowing down, I'd hammer every hill and take every corner as fast as I could. I hammered up the climb hoping to close some of the gap Scott had put on me on the last decent. As I neared the top, my legs unwilling slowed and I struggled to maintain momentum. Just as I was about to crest the top of the hill, my legs came to a complete stop and my left leg completely locked up. I toppled right over on my left side. Thud! My left calve completely cramped up and I spent the next few minutes trying to stretch it out enough to ride again. This time around the switchbacks were unbelievably hard. Not to mention, I was making all sorts of bad decisions and taking bad lines. I wrecked at least one of the sandy turns. Ryan from KLM caught me just as we entered the mountain like descent. I was shocked when he called out to me. I asked him if he'd lapped me. Turns out he snapped his chain at the start of the race. As I did on lap one and two, I got passed in the flats. This time I was somehow able to take a position back. Most likely due to the climbing.
Lap Four:
Lap 4 was simply survival mode. I ran the sled hill and the stairs. I simply rode as hard as I could so, I could finish. As I neared the end of race and entered the last bit of single track, Lee from the team was taking picture and called out to me to chase after someone. I put my head down and tried to hammer, then almost immediately hooked my bar on a tree and went right over my handlebars managing not to split my skull on a log as I planted my hand on it to avoid hitting it face first. I crossed the finish line just happy to be done. At some point in the race. I am pretty sure lap two, it'd gotten very hot. The course had taken it's toll on me. I was spent. In the end, Tom pulled off a 3rd. Scott, myself and Bryan pulled off a 8th, 9th & 10th.
I made it back just in time to take my son Evan on a pre-ride lap of the kid's race course. Shortly after, my wife, daughter and I spread out along the course to cheer him and Miles, Jason's son on.
I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the sport and beginner races. We had a great showing John, Joe, Roger, Jason and Lee from the team showed up and raced. Andy had made it out and had handed me a water bottle on lap 4 and raced as well. Jim rode up to the race from the BTT ride to cheer us on and had logged 77 miles for the day at that point.
In the end it was a great day. Even considering I admitted defeat to the superior adversary "Bloomer." We had a large group show up, my family had a blast and the mood and venue was great. I expect to be back for some serious punishment next year.
Pictures my wife took:
 |
| From Bloomer XC |
May 18, 2010
Sick again!
Ugh. So, first it's Strep Throat that takes me out for a week and some. Then Michigan decides to dump April and May's worth of precipitation in early May. Then I get sick again. I new it was coming. I ran yesterday and felt amazing. As good or better than I did when I was a real runner. This is historically the sign of me about to be very sick. I think it must be all of the endorphyns running around in my body trying to cover up that I am getting sick. It hit me yesterday afternoon. I knew I was in trouble when I took a near involuntary nap from 6-9 last night. At first I feared it was Strep Throat again. Now, I nearly convinced it's a sinus infection. Basically, a month until Lumberjack, I need to get my house ready for the potential move and work is BUSY. I don't have time for this sick BS!
May 15, 2010
Beat the Train Epic - 5/15
Another great BTT this morning. Woke up at the butt crack of the morning and got rolling about 5am for a BTT Epic from my house. Rode into Detroit to Fort Wayne with teammates Andy Straub, Jim Senska and Andy E. Met up with Dearborn Don on the way too. The way in was awefully chilly. I was sporting tights and my new Kenda arm warmers and pretty cold in the sub 50 temps. Somehow Jim powered in with nothing more than shorts and a TShirt.
The ride was great. 31 riders in total. Temps ended up being perfert and in the 60's. Plus, the sun was shining with barely a cloud in the sky. Andy changed it up this week and we hit some new landmarks. At least new to me. Such as the pump track, a flame throwing car, the Motown Muesem and the new foot bridge. We even spotted a peacock and a rooster. All of which was of course mixed in with favorites such as Bell Isle, the cemetary and the river walk in front of the Ren Cen. Best of all only one flat in the group for the day.
Today was the first ride on the new Kenda Kwick Roller Sports on my CX bike. They do a great job of absorbing bumps and pot holes with their beefy 700x32 size. I even tested their Iron Cap flat prevention when I involuntarily ran over glass multiple times. The big draw back is they simply a beast to turn over. They feel like they weigh double what my Kenda Small blocks do on my mountain bike. We picked it up on Belle Isle and I was really struggling maintaining 21mph. Which may partially be due to running the past two days. My legs did feel pretty beat today. Regardless, I doubt I'll be running them on any fast group rides.
After the ride, Jim S. and I rode back together. Neither of us could stay for breakfast. Wish I was able to stay but, I had a funeral service to attend.
Basically 68, not necessarily hard but, fun filled miles for the day.
Garmin Data
The ride was great. 31 riders in total. Temps ended up being perfert and in the 60's. Plus, the sun was shining with barely a cloud in the sky. Andy changed it up this week and we hit some new landmarks. At least new to me. Such as the pump track, a flame throwing car, the Motown Muesem and the new foot bridge. We even spotted a peacock and a rooster. All of which was of course mixed in with favorites such as Bell Isle, the cemetary and the river walk in front of the Ren Cen. Best of all only one flat in the group for the day.
Today was the first ride on the new Kenda Kwick Roller Sports on my CX bike. They do a great job of absorbing bumps and pot holes with their beefy 700x32 size. I even tested their Iron Cap flat prevention when I involuntarily ran over glass multiple times. The big draw back is they simply a beast to turn over. They feel like they weigh double what my Kenda Small blocks do on my mountain bike. We picked it up on Belle Isle and I was really struggling maintaining 21mph. Which may partially be due to running the past two days. My legs did feel pretty beat today. Regardless, I doubt I'll be running them on any fast group rides.
After the ride, Jim S. and I rode back together. Neither of us could stay for breakfast. Wish I was able to stay but, I had a funeral service to attend.
Basically 68, not necessarily hard but, fun filled miles for the day.
Garmin Data
 |
| From BTT - 5/15 |
May 13, 2010
Ugh, Michigan
Where have I been? Tucked away in my cave, AKA house. Avoiding this crappy weather. Rain, Rain, Rain... I though April showers were supposed to bring May flowers. Don't see many flowers recently, just showers. And it's May! On top of that, work has been a beast lately. I am way behind on getting the house ready for a potential sale and I've done little to no training since Yankee. Which means my mood is beyond tolerable. To top it off, my cell and laptop die. Yes, it could be worse but, this stuff is a pain in the a**.
Looks like the weather will turn around soon, I should get some time to work on the house and I should get some training in too. Hoping to hit BTT on Saturday. That's 60+ miles before noon baby. H*ll Yes!
36 days until LJ. OMG! I am not ready.
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