End o' the week for me... (Post #1500)

 Baum does it right, period...

See, I told you Lemond was doping...
Explains a lot, no?

Good ride last night.  A bit faster than usual, but still not ballistic.  It was actually smoother, and more fun.  I also got to ride home with a soft rear tire.  Sweeeeet....

Evidently, certain folks are trying to change the ride location beginning next week.  And they worry about the new people who show up screwing up the ride....
Taking the ride from an easy, central location, and moving it to a location that's further away, and entails traversing much busier roads, that carry more traffic, doesn't make a lot of sense.
The Co-Op is easy in/easy out, central to everyone, and it takes virtually no effort, nor time, to ride thru a neighborhood to get out to 12th. St.
Listen, I like Tim and Henry, and I like Summit, but moving the starting point over there is a mistake.
And the decision making method is questionable as well.  If not for Aaron West posting something on FB, the vast majority of the group would have never know that the location had changed.  I feel pretty confident that, as of this morning, most still don't know that a single person has arbitrarily chosen to move the meeting spot.
This person was so worried about the "group" after Dr. Hudson's crash, it seems a bit hypocritical to make a decision without the slightest communication/consultation with the other 50+ people who take time out of their lives to show up every week.

We'll see...

Oh, and Pro-Tip to the Madone riding, Radio Shack kit wearing gaper who yelped at me last night.  YOU worry about YOUR front wheel.  I was in front of you...ALL NIGHT.  (Didn't you actually take the shortcut after being shelled?)
Because you chose to come to the front for the first AND ONLY time last night, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, and crossed my rear wheel, nearly taking yourself out...well...that's YOUR fault.
Pay closer attention, stop riding over your head, and stop trying to win the "we're-in-the-neighborhood-I-must-be-first-to-the-parking-lot" sprint!!

And with that, I bid you fine people "adieu"...
Enjoy your Wednesday!

I'm out for a few days.  I'll post some stupidity, but won't be riding...

Short time killer...

A quick story about getting a bike back from a thief...

Here's a Pro-Tip :
Take a 3x5 notecard, put your contact info on it, roll it up, and put it IN your seatpost.  Make sure all pertinent info is on the card.
If your bike ever gets 'liberated', and then found, this is proof that it's YOURS.


See, time killed...

Dirty

Didn't really feel like riding with the group this weekend, so I didn't.  Didin't feel like riding the road bike either.  So I didn't...

The CX bike got the call both days.  Did roughly the same loop Saturday and Sunday.  It's kind of amazing/crazy just how the complexion of my favorite stretch of dirt changes from day to day.
Saturday, it was wet, soft, and a bit muddy.  24 hours later, the surface was hard packed, largely dry, and actually a bit loose/sandy in spots.
Of course, that being said, there are still giant waterholes filled with opaque red water of indeterminate depth.  One must slow down and find a way around the periphery of these holes, lest one be thrown from the bike, and possibly drown in stagnant river water.

That being said, riding around the edge of the water, close to the woods can also be problematic.  In this case, causing one to bleed their own blood.  Doesn't look too bad, but it bleed like crazy, and is still stinging/sore this morning. 

Looks like I was oxygenated at least...

Action shot.  It looks smooth...but it really isn't right now.  The rain/flooding, coupled with the rednecks using the road as their private 4-wheeling grounds, has largely torn up most of the road surface.

I returned to Service Course dirty, soaked to the skin, and happy after both rides.

And I saw this up near campus.  A 'sharrow'?  In Columbia?  Who'da thunk it?  Of course, no one in a car actually knows just what it means, so it's merely paint on the road at this point.

I also stripped one wall of the bathroom to the studs on Saturday afternoon.  The wall was insulated, wood was replaced, and toilet re-installed.  Big fun.  Just need to touch up some paint, and throw a little caulk at it.  Also bought some paint to change the color of the walls...for the 4th time since we've lived here.  I may throw some crown moulding in there as well...

 Tony Gallopin won San Sebastian.

And here's one from the Tour I forgot about.  Merckx, Hinault, and Indurain in the five time winner car, along with some other guy who must have been hitch-hiking.
Let's examine this photo for a moment...
Hinault was always suspected of doping, as was Indurain.  Merckx was popped TWICE.  Lemond, who steadfastly maintains his innocence, received B-12 shots in 1989 that took him from being off the back in the Giro, to winning the Tour six weeks later.  Iron shots?  Suuuuurrrrre......
These guys were all welcomed with open arms at the Tour.  Smacks of hypocrisy....just a bit.



Ok...time to get the day started...Lowe's and Target on tap...

Again?

Another crash last night on the group ride.  It's been a bad Summer.

Doug t-boned a medium sized dog on the backside of Glenn last night...at about 32mph.  I was in front of it, and didn't hear a thing. 
He evidently hit the dog squarely, flipped over the bars, landed squarely on his head, then tumbled a few times.
He was obviously concussed, and was more than a little scuffed from sliding across LexCo tarmac. 
Fortunately, there were a few LexCo deputies out there, heading to a call, and they ALL stopped.  EMS was called, and Doug was loaded up for a trip to the ER shortly thereafter.

He's banged up, concussed, and probably a little sore this morning.  Upside?  He's still drawing breath.

Wonder what the over-reaction will be from the ride "leaders"?  Surprised there aren't emails flying around already this morning...

Again...it was an accident, beyond anyone's control.  No one else got hurt, and Doug will be fine. 
Thanks to LexCo S.O. and EMS for their quick response, and professional service. 

Moving on...

Read The Cycling Inquisition.  Good stuff...

Nairo Quintana

Pablo Escobar and Colombian cycling

And if you like all things two-wheeled, check out Deus Ex Machina.  Cool stuff...

OK...gotta get the day going.  Cracking & stretching on the horizon...

Enjoy your Friday...

More doping news...

The French Senate, in their infinite wisdom, has released names of those who had positive tests during the 1998 Tour.
Zabel, Ullrich, Julich, Pantani, Livingston, Cipo, Durand, Hamburger...among others...

Now the UCI is trying to figure out how to sanction them.  Really?  15 years after the fact, and they're all retired?  Way to worry about the doping that may be happening in today's pro ranks!!  Good job guys!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, cycling is the only sport that will drag out it's dead, and re-hang them in the town square.  Only this time, sadly, it's almost literal...

Let me guess, next you're gonna tell me the VDB doped too... (shocked)

The worst part?  The talking heads, "experts" and "journalists" who will report this story, and give their opinions, didn't know what the Tour de France was 15 years ago. 

If you had to Google any of the names listed on the report, save me your opinion.

Moving on...

This is brilliant...

Kittel is HUGE!!!  Check out Boston.com for more great pictures from the Tour.

And as I've made abundantly clear, I'm not a big fan of the whole "gravel" bike concept/fad/genre, simply because it's a CX bike.  I am, however, intrigued by Raleigh's new offering...the Tamland.  Reynolds steel, 11 speed, discs, room for FAT tires and the wheelbase of a large SUV.  Bet this thing is COMFY...and not light. (photo courtesy of CX Magazine)

And while this isn't strictly cycling related, one of these would go nicely down in Service Course...

Relatively fun ride last night.  Saw MW, DBarry, and Ben pull into the lot, and made the decision to just roll with the "B" group.  The knowledge that there would be NO actual "A" group after about 20 minutes was front and center.  And I was right.  "A" group was shattered all over LexCo.  It's what happens when three very strong Cat 1 guys roll out together. 
Meanwhile, the "B" group had a nice, even, fun ride.  Those who wanted to work did so, those who chose not to work sat in, and got a nice ride. 

It was the first ride for the Noah with "regular", non-carbon wheels too.  Wow...!  Not a lot of difference in speed, but a HUGE difference in stiffness.  The uber-stiff frame really makes one aware if the wheelset under them isn't stiff as well.  Nothing jarring, nor worrisome, but just...different.  And the 25s fit fine on the frame with the ROL alu wheels.  I guess the carbon wheels have a larger effective outer diameter.  No wonder the tires are harder to get on them...
I think I DO want a stiffer wheelset though...

Time to get the day started...

Baseball, Apple pie, Chevrolet...

Two of these three things AREN'T on dope...
So several baseball players are just NOW getting suspended for hot dope tests.  Need I mention that these test were done MONTHS ago in some cases?  The majority of these players were involved with a company in Florida called BioGenesis.
I'm sure it was just physical therapy, and yoga going on there...

The real pisser of the whole the is the apologist baseball, and sports, media handling of the whole thing.
I sat, dumbfounded, and watched the talking heads on Baseball Tonight, and ESPN nearly APOLOGIZE for having to call out Ryan Braun and A-Fraud for failing a drug test.  It was like they felt bad for the guys who got caught in the web.
And in reality, you should feel bad for them, because THEY'RE FUCKING STUPID!!

In cycling, where if you listen to media, ALL riders are dopers, and have so many PEDs running through their bodies that a urine sample is likely to burn ones flesh if spilled, tests are done AFTER races, and randomly.  And by RANDOM, I mean, dudes NEVER know when it's coming.  Oh, 6am on Thursday, and you're sleeping?  Knock...Knock...get up!  I need to WATCH you pee in this jar, then I need blood, and hair too.
And cyclists are forced to fill out a file documenting their whereabouts.  Going to NYC for the weekend, well, you gotta tell 'em.  And it's not just pros.
Our very own Aaron Trent has to tell USADA where is...

In baseball, the CBA prevents these things from happening.  The testers are FORBADE from showing up unannounced at players homes, and as for whereabouts, well...good luck with that.
Tests are carried out on off days, at the stadium, by MLB.  They DO receive a little assistance from USADA, but MLB rules apply.  Ergo, the tests are ostensibly announced in advance, giving the players DAYS to do what they need to do.  Wolf guarding the hen house much?
Any drug test, short of DNA follicle analysis, can be beaten if given 48 hours.
Yet these morons still fail...
And the argument that PEDs don't help with the "skill" part of the game?  Horseshit.  You still have to run, throw, catch, and hit the ball.  Sure, one must have "skill" to get to the show.  I like how the guys are scrawny kids when they get there, and 4 or 5 years later, they look like they're showing up at the wrong stadium.  Linebackers?  Oh, you guys are over there...
Go back and look at the Bonds, Sosa, and McGuire.  Or, just take a look at A-Fraud and Jeter...
Know what Babe Ruth doped with?  Whiskey, hot dogs, and women...
And I wonder why I quit watching ball and stick sports?  Wait, no I don't...I know exactly why...!

Fans don't care.  They like waddling their fat asses into the seats, eating $8 hot dogs, drinking $8 beers, and watching the gladiators.

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

And the $$ involved is obscene.  TV deals, ticket/concessions/merch sales drive the game.  An above average baseball player makes more in a year than EVERY rider that just finished Le Tour made for the three weeks...COMBINED.

You doubt this statement?  Ryan Braun, who got suspended for the rest of the MLB season, will lose @ $3.25 million in pay.  The entire payout for Le Tour was $2,675,508...using today's exchange rate of $1.32/Euro.
Look at Lampre.  The team made $14,700-ish for the three weeks.  Nine guys started the Tour.  They each made $1650 for the three weeks of work. That's $550/wk!!  Lampre's top rider finished the Tour with a time of 84 hours and 45 minutes...roughly...of RIDING.  Blow that out, and it's right at $19.50/hour. 

Yeah, fuck you baseball...

And let's not mention FIFA and the NFL, as their revenue dwarfs MLB.  FIFA and the NFL are shuffling away, whistling...

I feel hungover...

After three weeks of happy Tour drunken-ness, I feel a bit like something is missing. 

I guess I'll turn on one of the 24 Hour news channels, and wait for the royal baby to drop.

 Sky gave Froome this Jag drop top as a reward for winning the Tour.  God, I hope those are decals...

The King reaches for his sword.

 A photo of Sky's illegal feed from a few days ago...

The origin of Zipp wheels...?

The plan was NOT to ride this weekend, but I got itchy yesterday.
CX bike?  Check.
Did a nice two hour spin thru the dirt out in WeCola.  Old State is a basket case right now.  Wet, choppy, completely blocked by mud and water in places.  Perfect.  Saw a clutch of rabbits, a baby deer, and a really big snake. 
Didn't feel bad, but heat prostration from Thursday night still lingers.
I rode fine, and felt okay, but once home, and working in the yard, the body temp shot up, and I started feeling like shit again.
I'll ride this week, if Mother Nature doesn't try to drown us again, but I'm not riding hard...not even close.

Tour's over...time to catch up on work you've been neglecting for that past 3 weeks.  Me?  I always neglect work, so it's not a big deal...

A thing of beauty...

 Nothing I say could possibly make the final sprint on the Champs any better...

He deserved it

People that run beside the riders have this coming to them...

Gotta feel for Tejay after his efforts yesterday.  Froome...not so much...
And what about Quintana?  I kept shouting, "Say hello to my little friend..." at the TV. 
Yeah...and this happened...



Bad ride last night.  Felt bad...rode bad...
Not enough calories on board...not enough fluid on board.  Sat up and went into conservation mode to get back to Service Course.
Note to self, when the heat index is 95+, drink more...

And the newbie triathletes f'ed the ride, as is their usual M.O.
Doesn't matter how fast you are (or think you are) if you don't have any idea of how to ride in a group...

Time to order some tires.  It seems the new bike doesn't play well with the 25c Vittorias.

Enjoy your Friday...

OK...a quickie...

So, we all know that the boys are going UP Alpe d'Huez twice today.  Yeah, that shit is gonna be mayhem...

Before they go up it for the second time, they have to descend of the backside, down the Col de Sarenne.  Adjust your tightey whiteys for this one...

Col de Sarenne - extended descent from Proflavio on Vimeo.

Looks like a good time, no? 

Tour tangent

As I've said, I'm not going to do a blow-by-blow of the Tour.  You're watching it...you know what happened!

Here's a tangent though...

When will Lemond shut up?  I mean REALLY.  No one cares what you think Greg. 

Here, read the latest....

Lemond believes...

So, he 'believes' that clean performances will one day rival those of 'the doping era', but somehow is calling bullshit of Froome and SKY in this year's Tour?  Okaaaaayyyyy...
I like the fact that he threw himself in the mix as well, as if his performances of 25 years ago are somehow the baseline for all Tours de France that have passed since then. 


I'm waiting for the day he starts referring to himself in the third person, pro-wrestler-style. 



As my brother @hbstache mentioned, he's not cool enough to be Ric Flair...

And Lemond wants Froome, and SKY, to release their power numbers.  OK, Greggy-Poo, how about we do a swap.  SKY's power files for the list of ingredients that were in those "iron" shots you got before the Tour in 1989**.  Cool?  One hand washes the other...

 The profile for Ventoux taped to the bars.  It's sort of like knowing exactly when a large man will arrive at your house to give you a beating...

 Meanwhile, ON Ventoux...

 So, is Europcar the hipster team?  Am I at Le Tour, or an alleycat?

As Ric Flair would say... WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

** in 1989, Lemond was getting shelled in the climbing stage of the Giro.  Between the Giro and the Tour, he was diagnosed with anemia, and was given "iron" shots, as his "Doctor" called them.  Less than 6 short weeks later, he went on to win the Tour. 
Lemond has admitted in past interviews that he does not know exactly what was in the "iron" shots...
Sure, you can raise your red cell count by receiving iron shots, or EPO shots, or blood bags...and before you call BS, EPO became available on the open market in (ready for it?) ...1989...

Enjoy your Tuesday...

Monday...again...

 Yeah...Froome is clean...as a whistle...
Need I mention that yesterday was the LONGEST stage leading up to the ascent of Mt. Ventoux of any listed? 
And Lemond is defending it...

Ah Peter, just keep doing what you do...
"Peloton catching me on climb.  I just wheelie it out..."

 I'm deathly allergic to cats, and to be honest, don't really care for them, but this guy's stache could probably change my tune!

I DO need a new townie bike...

And whoever said, "No white shorts", obviously did not have all available information...

Moving on...

So Saturday, I awoke so early that the rooster told me, "Dude, it's early, go back to bed...".  No luck.  I shuffled quietly around the house from 0500, until @ 0730, and said F it.  I got dressed, grabbed the CX bike, and left.  Here's where our story begins...
Upon grabbing the bike out of Service Course, I spied my mini-pump, and toyed with the idea of taking it along. 
"Nah, more shit to carry...I won't need it..." rattled thru my empty head.
Off I went, into the muddy and flooded off-road sections of Lexington County. 

Upon making my loop around, I ran into this.  Definitely not passable...so I turned around, and improvised. 
I may, or may not, have poached some "private" property to get back to the other side of this flood.  I'm guessing the Gods of Cycling saw this transgression, and smote me in a way that would get the message across.
Upon bombing this "area" I shellaced a hole, and pinch flatted my front tire.  No worries.  Quick stop, quicker change, back on my way...right...?  Bzzzzt!  Still my turn!
Everything go swapped out in record time, but my CO2 adapter was bad.  No CO2 for you!  Remember my thought about the mini-pump earlier?  Yeah, I did too...at that moment...
Time to start walking out, and calling The Boss.  After 5 calls, and 15 minutes of walking, Plan "B" went into effect.  I ran through who was where, who was riding, and who would actually drive out to to get me.  Fortunately, Il Prof was at home, and was gracious enough to fly out of the house, and facilitate my egress.
All told, I rode for about 90 minutes...walked for about 35 minutes...and sat on the side of 12th. St. like a lycra-clad dope for about 10. 

And walking in carbon-soled MTB shoes is no bueno.  My feet, and ankles are SORE.  Better today, but it made Sunday's 3+ hours a little less enjoyable!!

Sunday we left with the largest Sunday group in recent memory.  It got paired down along the way with folks turning off, and the pace going ballistic at the end.
And I apologize for my crabbiness over the first half of the ride.  My feet/legs hurt from Saturday's stroll thru the woods, and I just didn't feel very well.  No excuse, but I'm sorry nonetheless...
We had a great ride out through God's country.  It rained off and on, and the roads were wet and slick, but it was still a good time.
I ended up with right at 100km, and felt way better after I got back to SC than I did upon leaving.
And that's the whole purpose, isn't it? 
Upon return, the weather cleared, so I loaded up #1 and #2, and took them to ride again.  The Boss and I walked about 3 miles, while they rode and raced each other for the better part of an hour.  And they discovered the joy that is riding your bike through a mud hole. 
Ah, to be a little kid again.  Hell, who am I kidding, I still ride my bike through mudholes...

Ok...get your week started...

Enough already...

This southerly flow has to stop.
Sure, we rode in it last week, but damn, I don't have enough bike wipes to clean the bikes after EVERY ride.
Rain is expected AGAIN this evening, but I'm going out anyway.  The CX bike has been returned to CX/dirt/rain/whatever duty, so it'll probably get wet tonight.

One could make an argument for getting up, and on the bike early, but the only thing I like to do at 0530 is sleep, so the odds of that happened are slim.  Anorexic actually...

Tour commentary...

After Cav's obvious hook on Veelers, and his hissy fit with a reporter, it seems he's gotten himself on the "we don't like you much" list in France. 
During the TT yesterday, someone sprayed him with a bottle of urine. 
Sorry, but that's out of bounds.
I don't like Cav much either, but spraying him with a bottle of musty pee goes beyond a simple dislike, and borders on assault. 
Of course, the "experts" when insane of the Twitters yesterday.  And by "experts" I mean the folks who have watched the tour since 2009, yet know all of the intricacies of bicycle racing, and cycling in general.
For reference, the riders have ALWAYS had things thrown at them.  Spit, liquor, water, fists.  Piss is something new for me though...
Oh, and don't the episode ten or so years ago when Oscar Friere and Julian Dean were shot by a pellet gun.  Puts the pee-pee spray in perspective, huh? 
And as much as people hold Lance with much the same vitriol as a deposed Dictator, he never deserved the amount of spit launched at him during his seven wins*. 
It's par for the course when fans, and douchebags alike, have such easy, and close access to the rider. 
It's happened for 100 years, and it'll happen for 100 more, unless they figure out a way to full enclose 100-150 miles of French roads...daily...for three weeks in July.
Part of the beauty, and spectacle, of Le Tour is the human contact.  It's just sad that a few very small people take the time to search out their spot along the stage to act like asshats.

Sometimes, the asshats get theirs back...

Speaking of...this is a very cool, and very well done video that condenses the 100 year history of Le Tour into about 10 minutes.  Watch it...thank me later...

100 years of Le Tour



Some pictures to ruin your productivity...

Tony Martin touched 90kmh a few times yesterday.  Ripping...

This is Tony Martin's back! Yeooouuch!

 I make no effort to EVER compare myself to a pro, but I HAVE had road rash on my back like this, and I can tell you, it's not fun.  Once it scabs up, it's HORRIBLE.  Any movement pulls the scabs, and the surrounding skin.  It seeps, and bleeds with alarming frequency.  And forget anything resembling restful sleep. 
I'm not even going to mention showering, as the embedded memory is causing my back to tingle...
Good on Tony Martin for racing with a large percentage of his back skin still on the road.

 This picture wins the internet...

Ignore Cuddles.  Pay attention to THE SHOES!!  Must have....

PBS found the right design for their new skinsuits...

And I know this isn't strictly bike related, by it's my page, so I do what I want.  A VW single cab, with a Porsche powered Formula Vee?  Who do I kill, and when do they need killin'?

Okay...time to get the day started.  Oh, who am I kidding?  Time to move to the couch, and the 55 to watch the Tour...

Nothing to see here...well, maybe a little...

 They make Rapha clothing out in Swansea?

 I don't need no steeenking saddle bag.  As an aside, Pedro's stopped making saddle bags.  It's my understanding, in speaking to them, that the "blowout" bags will be available again in October.  Sweet...

Firefly.  Just clean....

 Froome.  Yellow Jersey.  Tiny little bed.  No one should be made to sleep in a bed like that.  Is this Le Tour, or an episode of "Lockdown" on CNBC?

Yes, I drank the flouro Kool-Aid.  It should be here by the end of the week. 

Now if I could just find one of these...

Prize Money for the first week of Le Tour.

Obscene that these guys bury themselves, and risk life and limb for so little money. 

OK...100km to go...time to watch...

Rain...schmain...

Yeah, it's been raining...so?  We've ridden.  I know others have to.  The bike is a tool, not a jewel...
In the past 7 days, I've knocked down almost 15 hours on the bike.  It has rained every day.  Nothing that a few well used bike wipes, and some fresh chain lube can't solve...

Chopper says...



Speaking of Aussies, and the Tour...



Yep, and that's one of the many reasons Orica-GreenEdge is the coolest team in the group.  And they seem to be kicking a little ass this year...
Pay special attention to the cameos in the video, especially @ 2:25...

And I won't re-hash the last week of the Tour.  If you come here, it's highly likely that you fritter away countless hours of productivity for these high Holy three weeks in July.  You've been watching...

Two things though...

Has anyone ever seen a team control the front of the group for 100+km, a la Cannondale a few days ago.  That was an impressive display of power.
And...
Yeah, Froome rode away the other day, but he didn't destroy the field, and win by 5 minutes.  Sure, he crushed those guys, but he was fully in the HurtLocker, and the time gaps were pretty normal.  Is he doping?  I really don't care, and neither should you.  It was entertaining. 

Saturday was a good ride out thru The Swamp, and it served as the shakedown for the new Noah.  There were two little issues, but both were easy solved upon return to Service Course.
As for the ride, it never rained, but it was WET the entire time.  The sheer number of critters on the road was pretty astounding as well.  Snakes, frogs, woodland creatures...you name it.  And I feel pretty confident that my efforts to miss that huge bullfrog on Old Bluff were in vain, as bits of him were stuck to the down tube of the new frame.  Ick....

 Nothing like getting the first "on the road" pic in front of the G-Mart...

Sunday, we had a nice little workman-like group for the trip out to Swansea.  We got wet for the first 40 minutes or so, then once over the ridgeline, out in LexCo, it was big blue sky, and a bit of sunburn.
Swansea...traffic circle...Fish Hatchery...302...home.  Good ride with a good group. 

 Action shot.  The white is going to be really taxing to my OCD.  Note to self : Get on the intarwebs and buy some GlobalBikes Wipes today...

Now for the Noah...
It's a race bike.  It's not a "comfort" road bike, a la the Roubaix, or Domane, or even the old Helium.
It's comfortable, and smooth, as long as the road is the same.  On rough, pot-holed, choppy pavement, the ride is not what one would call compliant.  And I'm running 25c Vittorias @ 100-ish PSI. 
It's tolerable for a rider that weighs more than 170 pounds, or doesn't mind the harshness.  Fortunately, I'm both.
If you want a comfy, plush, cushy ride, look elsewhere.
That being said, yesterday was the first time I put an anger to the pedals, and I can assure you, it JUMPS forward when given the whip.  No wasted motion or energy, AT ALL!

Turn in is quick, yet very predictable, like all Ridley frames.  No drama in a hard turn.  Lean it in, and the Noah rails through. 
Outputs occur quickly.  There's little need for big efforts to make it change line.  Small inputs are all that is needed to get around holes in the road, or drop it into a corner. 
It's not twitchy...no way.  I rode it no-handed without issue.  Let's say...it's direct. 
It's a hard-edged sports car in a World filled with Camrys. 

Weight?  Somewhere around 16.5-16.75 with 7900 D/A, pedals and cages.  Not a featherweight, but not exactly an anchor either.  And let's face it, me and 15 pound bikes don't mix.

Ok...enough for a Monday.  It's rest day.  Catch up on work...

You know why?

Good ride this morning.  We rolled out thru The Swamp, around into Eastover, and back in the normal-ish way.  All told, just shy of 100km in 3 hours.  Big fun, and we actually saw a large, bright, yellow/white orb in the sky.  I heard talk that it was called "the sun", or something like that...

 The second water crossing of the day.  It's a bit damp out in LR.

Anyone a TV/movie location scout?  So many options with this little church.  Such a beautiful little building...

And I took a little roadtrip yesterday...and it was good...
Short roundtripper to Greenville to pick up my new Ridley Noah RS frameset...

 Built up pretty nicely.  Not as light as the Helium, but DEFINITELY has more aero properties.  Crazy tube shapes, tucked in rear wheel, and internal cable routing.  Speaking of internal routing, I understand it, but what a pain in the ass.  The rear brake is full housing, through the top tube, and it was pretty easy, which lulled me into a false sense of security.
The gear cables were the old 'push-pull-until-you-find-the-hole' exercise.  It was cool though, as I had a lot of practice with this through high school and college...wink, wink!

 Speed holes?  Actually, yes...at least Ridley says so.  They supposedly quiet the air around the front wheel by diverting the air off the spokes...whatever...it looks cool, and John Cobb invented it.  Don't know who that is...?  Google is your friend...

Oh yes...it will be...

Happy 4th of July everyone!
Hope you did something with your day.  We rode bikes through the beautiful countryside.  Then I built up my Made-in-China Belgian bicycle with Japanese, Chinese, Italian, French, and Spanish (what?) parts.
Now, I'm sitting on my couch, watching a French bike race on my Chinese-made Japanese TV, and pecking out this entry on my Chinese laptop.

And you know why?

'Murica