Two things today...

Our old friend DeDe Winfield from back in the long gone, halcyon days of the bike shop, went to the Cyclocross Worlds. She didn't just go as a spectator. After finishing 4th in the Elite women's race and WINNING the 30-34 race, she qualified and went representing the good old USA. DeDe didn't win, but she finished a respectable 32nd. People may poo-poo this, but those same people didn't even race in Belgium, nor will they ever...

Good looking out DeDe, I'm very proud of you!!! In my book, you are now a card-carrying BADASS!!!

And yes, if I must, I'll take mine in black........

No ride for you!

Man, Saturday whipped my monkey ass. 3-1/2 hours on the cross bike and an afternoon of yardwork took away any energy I may have for the Sunday ride. I got dressed and went up to the spot. Fortunately, no one showed for the ride, so I rode home. I got exactly 3 miles on Sunday. When I walked back in the house, the H.O. asked what I forgot, to which I answered "my heart". Some days it's better to laze about and do nothing. I got a good nap, ate some Silician pizza for dinner, watched BSG and went to bed.
Evidently, I was mis-informed about TheDink. He's NOT playing Boo Radley, he's playing Bob Ewell in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. His nickname will revert back to TheDink...
TheDink's 'Sh*t-talk of the Day' (trademark pending) for Saturday was pretty interesting. He claimed he didn't want to go do the Lake Loop with the Vicious Bikers because he "just didn't want to have to drag them around for 4 hours". He told them that it was "too early in the season for such a long ride".
I may be a bit of a dick, but I'm not stupid, especially when it comes to bikes, training and riding.
First, I have ridden with the VB guys on several occasions. While they may not all be the strongest, the best bike handlers or even all that nice, they definitely do not need to be dragged around by TheDink. A couple of those guys are actually damn fast...! Faster than TheDink will ever be.
Second, TheDink claims he used to be a Cat2 back in the day. If this was true, he'd know that January IS the time of year to do a 85 mile tempo ride. He rides in the 85% HR zone that you're NEVER supposed to ride in...all the time.

From this day forward, written in ride reports, TheDink's 'Sh*t-Talk of the Day' (TM pending) will be a feature on this blog. I don't know how he keeps up with the BS he spews...

Time cannot change soon enough. The Spring Series is coming and the group rides will be getting fast soon. It looks like it may be time to start making forays into The Pain Cave. Oh, how I love and hate The Pain Cave...! I may stick my head in this week during some trainer sessions. It's too cold to ride at night AND do intervals...

Lunchtime...

A beautiful day

Well, it was supposed to be ass-biting cold this morning. My thermo said 37 when I rolled out of bed and 41 when it was time to leave the house. My brother wanted to ride in the woods, so we left at normal time and met at the gate. Only three people showed for the group ride, not including us. It ended up being 60 today... (eat it you bunch of Yankees!!)
We headed out through the trail and ended up going all the way to mile marker 12. The trail changes drastically once you get out past MM8. It goes from a trail that has obviously been ridden a lot to a trail that is relatively technical and really fun. If it was cleared off once in a while, it would probably be even better. Anyhoo, we turned and rode in on a firebreak all the way to the lake and around back to MM8. It was trail the rest of the way. Total time, door to door, was 3:25.
We really need to figure out some sort of mathematical equation that translates cyclocross bike miles to road miles. I'm more tired after 3:25 on the crosser than I ever would be after the equivalent time on the roadie. Maybe it's the fact that we're riding rigid cross bike with tall gearing on singletrack....
Nothing of any great significance happened on the trail today...

I got home, showered, ate a bite and promptly went out to put together one of those plastic garden sheds. The H.O. can't just buy the small one. She felt it necessary to get the 6'x3'x8' version. It was pretty simple, yet a bit time consuming. Especially when take into consideration that the QC folks at the Black and Decker plant must have been on break when this building was sent through. One corner was molded incorrectly forcing me loosen everything in order for the damn thing to fit together properly. Once it all was together, I tighten all the screws and fitting down and added some 1-1/2 inch drywall screws. That bitch ain't coming apart now...

Road ride in the AM....

Doe, a deer...

Another Wednesday has come and gone, so you know what that means...
We met at 6 last might for our weekly foray into the lush pine forest that is Ft, Jackson Army Base. I do like the fact that days are getting longer. We made it all the way to the trailhead before having to resort to burning the lights. Upon entering the base, I saw two does standing about 20 yards from the road. No sooner did we turn around to look at them, there were 8 sets of eyes staring back at us. We've seen deer in ones and twos out there, but never a pack this big. They were all big, mature does with nary a buck in sight.
The ride was good. On the way out we rode tempo and really never pushed. There was a single, blue cycling glove hanging on a bush beside the trail. How does one go about losing a single glove, on the trail, halfway out? Kinda strange...
The pace picked up on the climb out during the return trip. I tried to keep my HR right at LT and carry a good pace. I ripped a few sections. After one particularly quick section, my brother calmly asked, "Who lit a fire under your ass?" I just felt good and went fast. Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug.
I changed my cleat position and it was perfetto. I can't understand why it is that I can just move the cleat on my mountain shoes around willy-nilly and have zero issues, but when I move the road cleat the smallest bit, I have knee/hip/ankle/sphincter pain. Maybe it's time to go to some different pedals on the road. I ride ATACs in the woods, so maybe I'll go to some Crank Brothers Quattros. Ostensibly, they are the same pedals. Or I'll be a complete sell-out and get some Speedplays...! The old school Looks are just not getting the job done anymore. I just don't want to buy two pair...of anything.

It's supposed to be cold this weekend, so the plan isn't set in stone yet. I'd rather do the morning ride on Saturday, but if it's 25 degress, I'll be on the mountain bike...or maybe in bed...

Welcome to ThunderDome

The perfect bike for after a small nuclear exchange. For those who don't know, it's a Castellano (Ibis) Ti Ripley 29er. What you are getting is a one-off, 700c wheeled bike with disc brakes, a shock on the front...and did I mention the fact it's a soft-tail? Those pink hubs are Kings too. The only issue I have with it is the 9 speed drivetrain. Put some D/A 10 speed shifters and cranks on it and I will go rob First Citizens. The asking price...? A mere $5200. Of course, it would take the place of pretty much every bike in the quiver...yet it seems so impactical.

I'm going down to the ManHole tonight to hang parts on the Cannondale for ManDrus. He brought the parts over yesterday and left them on the porch. I was sitting on the couch and never heard him. He's pretty stealthy for an old guy. It shouldn't take long to get it together. It'll take me longer to run the cables and housings than anything. Ah Campy stuff, how I love you so...

I gave Il Bambino a haircut today. First one. He never protested. It doesn't look all that bad either. At least he doesn't look like a serial killer. I'm just wondering what the H.O. is going to have to say when she gets home...

Sunday Lazy Sunday

I didn't even bother getting on the bike today. When you wake up in the morning and start making excuses for why it is that you shouldn't ride, it's best to just stay home, where it's warm and dry. I didn't plan on doing the group ride anyway, as the Sunday ride is turning into a January deathmarch. I can't understand why certain members of the group must make the effort to prove their manliness on cold January Sunday mornings. It's amusing that they are as fast right now as they will be in July...! False male pride is a bitch.
My plan was to get on the cross bike and do about 90 minutes through downtown and across the river to the MUT, do a power on, standing climb of about 5 minutes and bring my big ass back to the house. I moved my cleat on my right shoe and had a little residual knee pain from Saturday, Der Kaiser and I moved a trailer full of flagstone, which in turn made my back a little sore and my heart just wasn't in it Oh, and it was 44 degrees and pissing rain...! The excuses lead to a ride when you question why exactly you are out on the bike and make for a really sucky ride. Therefore, I stayed home. I made a trip to Lowes, moved the computer to the closet office I built and took a nap. All in all, it was a good day.

Saturday's ride was pretty good. The over/under on attendance was 5 (it was 38 degrees when I left the house). I took the under and lost. I guess it's getting close enough to the Spring Series and time change to make people roll out of bed and show up for the ride. We ended up with 12 people and did 3 hours at a nice 19 mph tempo. Boo attempted to take the group out twice. I think he just gets brain fade and forgets what he's doing. At one point, he missed riding into me by about 1/2 an inch. Before that, he just came over on my brother for no apparent reason. Later on in the ride he was riding on the yellow line when we yelled 'car back'. After the 4th time we yelled, he turned to look for himself, as if we were lying to him, and rode into the oncoming lane. He then swerved back, directly into the group. He says he was a Cat2 back in the day. If he was a 2, I was Sean Yates. That and the fact he has the musculature of a veal calf.
I can't wait for the first Thursday night ride. All the guns will be out and I'm sure there will be shots fired, which doesn't bode well for Boo.

It seems Il Professore damaged himself while painting. Get well soon you old fart. I say that with all due respect, because if I tried to keep up with his exercise schedule, I'd probably be in traction.

Oy vey

We hit the trails again last night for a lovely two hour jaunt. I'm glad I rode, but my heart just wasn't in it. Il bambino was hard to guard yesterday and it just made me tired. He's like a shark. He's either swimming full speed or laying on the bottom. The window people were here as well. Nothing like trying to get some peace and quiet with a workcrew beating on the house. The new slider windows do look damn good though. It's raining and 36 degress right now, so I don't expect to see them today...

The ride was pretty uneventful. We rode out, went down the dirt road that we climbed last Saturday, turned around and rode back. I forgot to lube my chain, so it sounded like I was killing baby mice the entire way. FWIW, the dirt road seemed much shorter while descending on it last night. I wonder why?? ;)-
It was farking cold last night though. 44 and sunny is one thing. 44, windy and dark is a different animal. I actually wore the USPS team issue roubaix bib knicks last night. My fingers, toes and about 3 inches of upper arm were the only things that were chilly. Thank God I didn't have to stop to use the loo. I would have needed help. My brother and I are close and all, but I think we both draw the line at helping the other whiz.

Target is calling me...
Later!

Another day...

...and another 100km. The group was a bit smaller today, but there was less toodling about. We rode steady tempo for 3 hours. The pace was a bit more brisk today and our stop at the G-Mart was only about 5 minutes. Just enough to get an Oatmeal Cream Pie and a Gatorade. No flats, no mechanicals and no Dink. Overall, it was a very enjoyable ride. Actually Dink will be known as Boo from now on. Evidently, he fancies himself as an actor and is appearing as Boo Radley in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' in some local theatre group. Boo is probably more appropriate anyway, considering the way he rides...

Coonan the Baldbarian came out on his new Orca with Record and Bontrager Aeolus wheels. A bit of overkill for a January ride, but hey, if you got it, whip it out. I felt a bit inadequate...and I was on the Damocles with D/A and Ksyriums. Oh, and TVH's bike started making noise today. He gets about two weeks of quiet, proper operation out of his Campy stuff before it's forced back into the shop. I don't know if it's lack of knowhow on the shop's part (likely) or just a Ghost in the Machine. His bike is like a Ferrari. Two weeks of hard use and then a teardown. That's why I ride Shimano. Put it on, set it and forget it...

We ran into a old fella today who has been riding in town for 40-ish years. His name is Leroy Lewis. He goes out and rides about 4 days a week and goes to the Y the other three. The Velvet Hammer says he see him there at 5:30am!!! Oh, and when I say 'old fella' I don't mean 60 or 65. Leroy told us today that '...if he makes it 'til June...', he'll be 85!!! I'm not very religious, as far as it goes, but God Bless that old tosser. 85 and still turning the ring.

Short one today...

Osama Bin Ridin

Osama isn't in the Middle East anymore. He was spotted today at a small convenience store in Lower Richland county, South Carolina. He's now using the name Philip and is in an undergrad program for education at the University of South Carolina.

Good ride today. 14 folks showed up and we rode a piano for about 3.5 hours. I ended up with 100km, so I was pleased with the ride. My brother flatted at the store for a second week in a row. Get some new tires Chip!!!
The Dink was up to his old tricks again. He tried to bridge a gap, only to fail and make the excuse that he wasn't trying hard. Yeah, whatever...I'm sure you could have closed the gap to the two Cat3 guys that were doing a steady power interval...! The second trick was on a long dirt section that was a nasty piece of climb. He started on the road first, swerved to miss a hole, almost crashed himself, Der Kaiser and myself out, and then proceeded to get caught and/or dropped by the rest of the group that chose to tackle the Roubaix section. He claimed he dropped his chain twice. Mandrus refuted this claim, as he was riding beside him the whole way.
I didn't have the heart to tell him that you can't drop your chain if you never get out of the small ring, especially on a 5% climb where you are forced to keep the power on and stay seated.
The third trick was when he 'swerved' to miss a tar patch in the road and when I saw 'swerved', I mean 'turn dead left'! La Martilla even wondered why he was such a moron, and she NEVER talks about people in that manner. That's the very definition of Litmus test.

I got brushed by the mirror of a car on the way to the ride. The guy had plenty of room...he did it on purpose. I chased my guts out, but never caught him. It's probably for the best as I would have likely given him a beating of colossal proportions and hurt my hands in the process. It's difficult to ride in a hard cast...

Be careful out there.

Bar-B-Que and political glad-handing

So we went to the Governor's Inaugural Bar-B-Que last night. There were 14 different caterers from all over the state serving their own particular style of pork. I ate one plate from Boss Hogg BBQ. These are some good guys who live in Hopkins, SC. We ride past their establishment every weekend, so I figured I'd stop and partake. It was excellent. Mustard base, flavorful meat and some DAMN good banana pudding for dessert.
There was some serious eating going on last night. Some folks had plates that resembled those of a participant in a competitive eating contest. Did they do this at every restaurant setup? I'm sure more than a few did, which makes me feel sorry for their co-workers this morning. The one plate I had made my heart hurt and I swear I felt some numbness in my left arm.

There was more back-slapping and glad-handing last night than I've ever personally witnessed. Kind of sickening when you really think about it...! Ah, South Carolina politics, what a game...

North wind a blowin'

So Brohem and I hit it again tonight. It was a bit chillier than usual and the wind was HOWLING through the trees. The ride out from the house was easy, as I had a 20+ mph tailwind shoving my fat ass up the road. You know you have a tailwind when you're rolling along at 28mph...on a cross bike...with 40c knobbies.
We kept the pace manageable tonight. No big surges or attacks. No real adventure on the way out other than running through a vine that had been shaken loose by the wind. Oh, the vine had 3/4" long thorns on it. I look like Bela Lugosi got me this time. Two nice puncture wounds on the forearm. DeFeet should really add some kevlar to their armwarmers...
The return trip was made at about 70-75% and I came close to eating poo a few times. I got so crossed up in one corner that my shoe rubbed the front tire while I was trying to pedal out of the slide. I didn't crash though. I got skillz like that...
The ride home sucked a thousand chocolate salty balls. That wonderous tailwind turned into a headwind that required me to put out way more wattage than I should be when hustling through the neighborhood.

The H.O. and I are going to the Governor's inaugural bar-b-que tomorrow night. That's right, in SC, the Gov has a GD pig-pickin' for an inaugural party. Nothing like watching all of the big-money, quasi-alcoholic, 60+ year old, white, powerbrokers lick sauce of their fat, little, soft-money fingers. The H.O. is a lobbyist though, so I must go do my husbandly duties. That, and the fact I'm so full of shit, I can bluff my way through the evening and they'll all think I'm laughing with them...not at them. I will need to take a shower when I get home though. It's kind of like going to Wal-Mart...you just feel dirty when you get home.

'til next time...

MMMM...new wheels ride good...

I rode the Cane Creek wheels today. They are definitely worth the cash and I advise you to pick some up. They are very stiff, seem to 'roll' very well, are not harsh in the least and ride lighter than their weight. Overall, I'm very pleased with them. I can't wait to get into the crit with them on the bike.
The ride itself was good as well. The group was big for this time of year. Of course, it was 60 degrees at 9 am and quickly rose to around 70 before the ride was over. Then again, our little group ride turned into a 4 hour test of both mental acuity and mechanical ability. We had 1 flat before our stop, 1 flat AT the stop, a chain with a stiff link that had to be broken and repaired at the stop and finally, another flat about 10 minutes from home. Our resident, and only, female hammer ran over something large, and sharp, enough to cut her tire and take a bite out of the rim. She limped home with 50 lbs. of co2 and a Luna bar wrapper acting as a boot.

No rest for the weary though...! The H.O. was raking out flower beds and seeing as she's pregnorant, I was forced to pull the tarp full of wet leaves to the curb about a half dozen times. Then I de-leafed the front yard.

I'm tired and COPS in on TV...
Out...

Yet another night ride

We headed out last night for another happy jaunt through the woods of Ft. Jackson. Nothing of any consequence happened on the ride itself, but I was really wigged out for the first stretch in the trail. It was a full moon last night with high, thin clouds. The moon was huge too. It made for a creepy feel. In the first section of trail, the moon was directly ahead of us, taunting, almost watching us. I kept waiting for Bela Lugosi to pop out of the trees and chase me up the trail.
I was forced to lead last night as well. My brother forgot to charge his batteries the night before, so his wife plugged them in at 3pm yesterday. He got a good 2 hours of charge...but I digress.

On the way back, I felt like I was smashing a huge gear, so I ramped up the pace to get some leg speed going. The climbout from the turnaround was done at about 90% and actually stung quite a bit. My brother actually quoted The Velvet Hammer when he let out a resounding "Woooooooo..."!! When TVH does this, it means the ride was a bit difficult.

I did discover that I need a wider tire than a 35 on the back of the cross bike for singletrack. I have a 40, but it's too big for the chainstays. The search will begin for a 37 or 38 today.

Likely no ride until Saturday, unless I get froggy and decide to go down to the ManHole and ride the rollers for an hour tomorrow. I'll probably need to free up my legs, so I'll probably go down and watch the '06 Tour of Flanders and spiiiiin.

New shoes...

Cane Creek Aros 33 carbon clinchers...
Very stiff and not too heavy...
We'll see on Saturday

This very well may be the face you see on Saturday!

Happy New Year...

...Big f*cking deal...
The H.O. and I watched "Invincible" , with Mark Wahlberg, on NYE. Pretty good movie and a true story to boot. It's worth the $4 at Blockbuster.

Last Saturday's ride was pretty good. Beautiful weather with temps in the 60s and virtually no wind. I think we actually had a little tailwind action on the way home. Same old same old from Dink. He was chased, caught, and dropped a few times. I just don't get it. He went of the front coming to the bridge sprint AGAIN. This time my brother led the charge and we chased him down at 60 kmh. The best part was when Dink tried to shift and accelerate to catch the wheel as we went by. I was really amused by the whole thing. You better call Petacchi and borrow some legs if you're going to jump on a train going 20 kmh faster than you and likely 10-15 kmh faster than you are capable of riding.
Prior to this, Karl and Trez decided to have a go at one another. There's nothing like closing a gap at 50 kmh, getting across and then having the main combatants pull over and expect you to pull through...! Needless to say, there were four of us in the little break. Dink made some excuse about not being in the right gear and just riding along...
The others just watched us kill ourselves and were only about 15 seconds behind the whole time...

No ride Sunday or New Years' Day as it was raining both days. Brohem and I will be in the woods tomorrow night. I'm trying a new light setup...we'll see...or maybe we won't...!

I'm still waiting on my new carbon wheels...! It's killing me. I will, in fact, be one them one day this weekend...if they show up.

I really don't watch, or even like, college football, but GD...How good was the end of the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State pulling out some old school backyard plays to win the game! Hook and Ladder? Statue of Liberty? I felt like I was back in Junior High. Brilliant!!!!!!

Peace out!