New Day...Happy Day

So, as I eluded to yesterday, the Ridley was in the stand, being torn down. Why? Well, to put it succinctly, it's broken.
Sunday afternoon, I was doing the weekly lick and rub, and noticed a very bothersome crack that ran up the seat tube. Seeing as I've ridden that bike about 6 times this winter, it was shocking news to me!
I took it to CC, so they could handle the warranty through QBP. Unfortunately, the shop is not a Ridley dealer, and even though they buy tens of thousands of dollars worth of product from QBP every year, thus, they could not handle the warranty. I was told that I had to go through Glory Cycles. Well, after the stuff that's happened with them lately, and the fact that I'm loyal to old friends, I choose not to turn down that road. Somehow, I knew the whole process would get fucked up somewhere along the way.
Instead, I called Ward Bates @ Winter Park Cycles in Orlando. I've known Ward for a decade, and knew he'd handle it properly, and with all due haste. In less than 24 hours, photos and emails were sent to the powers that be at both Ridley and QBP, and my new Ridley Helium is on it's way. THAT'S how you get shit done! If you have $ to spend, want high end stuff, and actual expertise to go along with it, call the guys @ Winter Park. All they do is high-end, and they do it well!
Time to order some new bits...sweeeeeet! Old parts will go on for now, though I may be forced to pull the trigger on a new group very soon.

For now, I'm riding the CX bike for everything. It's outlived 3 carbon frames...maybe I should take that as a hint...

Now, on to the rest of the show...

Broke out a quick 50km on the Salsa this morning in the sunshine. So nice...

F you Alberto! F you! WTF? I hope you get raw meat thrown at you in the near future. I don't know what outcome people really expected here either. Did anyone believe the Spanish were really going to ban him? I hope the UCI appeals to CAS, and that France and Italy ban him from racing within their borders. Douchecanoe...

To get your mind off the joke that European professional cycling has become, watch the video below...you'll say WTF again, and likely cock your head to the side like a Labrador. The kid obviously lives in The Matrix...



Now watch it again...

Peace...

RIP Marco

13 January 1970 - 14 February 2004

I've spent most of the day trying to figure out how to write a post about Elefantino, but couldn't decide how to assemble my thoughts. Does one call him a genius, or a fool? I lean toward genius, as genius has brilliant highs and shocking lows, and we all know that Marco swung from one to the other.
It's terribly unfortunate that, in an era in which EVERY rider of any quality had AvGas coursing through his veins, Pantani got popped and was affected so greatly by the detritus that surrounds a positive.
Was he troubled? Yes. Was he a doper? Yes. Was he a straight fucking baller when the road turned up? YES!
As I worked in The ManHole(tm) tonight, dis-assembling my Ridley, a poster of Marco from the 1998 Tour stared me dead in the face. He was wet, dirty and exhausted. The poster is a photo of him crossing the line @ Les Deux Alpes. Watch the video and see who he shelled like so many pecans, then form your opinion...



Pozzo di sonno Il Pirata...

3 years old...never a minute on training wheels...

First day on the 'pedal bike' for #2 son. Yeah, he's a straight baller!

Parenting advice...
If you have children, want them to ride a bike, and want to make it brutally simple for them to learn, buy a balance bike. Both of my progeny used a balance bike for about a year, then moved directly to a 'regular' bike. Neither spent so much as a moment on riding with training wheels. Both also began to ride their bikes before their 4th birthdays...

As for me...
Did 2.5 yesterday solo out thru Lex/Calhoun Counties. I wondered why I was rolling along at 35-40kph on the way out to Sandy Run with a sub-150 HR, then I turned around and headed home. STRUGGLED to maintain 30kph into the headwind...and paid full metal retail for the remainder of the day b/c of the effort.
The only thing the weatherman had correct yesterday was the temperature. He missed wind direction, and speed, by a W-I-D-E margin.
This morning, I went out with the group for the first time in eons, and it was quite enjoyable. We did a meandering loop around the Fort without much care or impetus. Another 2.5 hours on the road bike in the books. Good the see everyone, and glad Mrs. Der Kaiser has recovered...

Saturday's SuperPrestige CX race...last 2 laps...



Hope everyone had a good weekend and got to go outside and play...

Friday funnies

HA! And THIS is easily the funniest thing you'll see this weekend...

This guy has to be Jens Voigt's dad...
His Black Card is on the way...

Katie F'n Compton gets a contract. Just think how dominant she'll be with some actual support! Boggles the mind...

And like we all didn't know that this shit was coming. The Spanish weren't going to stick to their guns, especially when it involves the only rider from Espana that doesn't fall off his bike in a crosswind...or when riding over a painted line on the road...or when a small gnat hits them...

And I'd REALLY like to be a fly on the wall when PVP gets rolling. I'm betting he appreciates the paycheck, but secretly thinks Vaughters is a vag. Yeah, it's the same in Flemish...I looked it up.

And in sort-of-local news, let's all hope this guy gets a little more than the usual slap on the wrist for killing Army Doctor, Maj. Matthew Burke. The maximum penalty in these cases just isn't enough...

2 hours on the CX bike for the kid this morning. It's sunny and warm outside now, but it was peen shrinking chilly when I rolled out @ 8:45. I may actually break out the Ridley tomorrow. I haven't been on the road bike in...well, I can't remember at this point...probably a month or so.

Gonna be nice for the next week or so...get outside and play!

T-Minus

...12 days until surgery. It's a three-part affair that will, hopefully, alleviate the stomach/esophagus/throat issues I've suffered from for the past 2 years. As mentioned before, I'm having the TIF procedure, and they will also be fixing my hiatal hernia, as well as fracturing the problematic Schatzki's ring that has been hampering breathing, eating, sleeping...etc.

Thankfully, the WX looks like it will be pretty nice for the next week or so, ergo, I will be spending some quality time with my bicycles. As it stands, post-surgery, I will not be allowed to ride for a minimum of 7 days, and then only at a pedestrian pace for an undetermined time to follow. No matter, I'll gladly give up 3 or 4 weeks in order to solve the anatomic issue, and be well for the next 40 or so years!

During my convalescence, I figure I'll have time to devote to getting the house ready for a 'For Sale' sign. Spackling, caulking and painting shouldn't be too strenuous...shouldn't be...

Anyway...back on the horse tomorrow...

Tuesday's doping news

So Bertie Clentador had steak 4 nights during the Tour? JT and the boys have something to say to you.
Waiting with baited breath for Mr. 60%'s rebuttal. All the guys that booked out of Saxo, good job!

Ricco, fresh off his suspension for using CERA, get rushed to hospital in some sort of kidney failure. Evidently, he jacked his own blood, stored it in his HOME reefer for 25 days, put it back in, and had an issue? No shit? Here's a tip...after a week, pretty much EVERYTHING you put into the fridge goes bad.
Hell, I won't eat leftovers that are more than a day old, and this jackass transfused blood that was 25 days old? Red blood cells, if stored properly, last about 6 weeks. Platelets...5 days!
Lifetime ban? Coming right up...
Forrest Gump was right...

When will these guys figure out that you can't make a donkey into a thoroughbred? All you get is a faster jackass!

My two cents...

So, over @ DC, the latest post is concerning race radios. I really don't care if they use them or not. They're great for mechanical issues, and for safety, but does anyone really think that the top-flight guys use them for advice from the team car? I doubt that Cancellara needed someone to whisper in his ear when he attacked 45km from Roubaix last year.

As usual though, the conversation turned sideways when one poster added a laundry list of 'improvements' that could be made to pro cycling. Here are the 'solutions'...and my rebuttal...

- Disk brakes. Are we still in 1890?

Really? They would be wonderful in a mass, 25-man pileup. I’m sure no one would get sliced by a rotor. Nothing says love like a 6 inch blade of steel, spinning at 200+ rpm, filleting someone's achilles in the middle of a shunt. "How'd he bleed out?" "Oh, he took a a rotor to the throat..."

- Minimal Braking distances – some wheel/pad combinations are dangerous.

Huh? The UCI couldn’t scratch their ass with a handful of hooks. You’re going to let them dictate what brakes teams can ride? "Ve are sorry Monsieur, but you cannot ride ze Zipps avec ze cork pads. Zere is a chance of rain today..." Yeah, that'll fly...

- Frames rules that do not discriminate against “non standard” riders.

This one, I don’t understand…I don’t think the poster does either. WTF is a 'non-standard' rider? Is Lance 'non-standard' because he has one nut? Maybe he means that certain nameless riders, who fall off a lot, should be allowed to use training wheels. cough...Danielson...cough

- 2 Triangles frame rules – are we still in 1890?

You want the pros riding beam bikes? What is this 1990? The thought of it was offensive to the eye then, and continues to be offensive. The fact that Trek Y-Foil bikes are so sought after these days makes me wonder about humanity.

- Weight limit on components – not the package – a 800 gram carbon frame is not safe. The limit should be around the 1200grm mark with no ballast.

800g frames are fine. You think an extra pound of carbon is going to keep a frame from exploding when hitting a bollard @ 50kmh? Carbon frames don't 'splode on their own, or when subjected to direct sunlight.

- Respect their own rules on locations of sprints finishes.

HTFU! They’re pros. It’s what they’re paid for. Funny that Euro-dogs whinge about the location of a sprint finish, but a field of Cat 3 dudes will put each other in the hospital for a $50 prime.

- Clothing that has a minimal abrasion resistance in key areas.

HTFU! They're pros. It's what they're paid for. What's next, wearing DH armor? I guess we're going to stop the field @ 10k to go, and the UCI will hand out the correct protection to the riders. What about on technical descents? Full leathers and knee pucks for all!

- TT helmets with a safer inner shell (no hard tail).

TT helmets are all Snell and ANSI approved. Have been for a while. And let's face it, if you crash yourself during a ITT, you suck at bike handling. Sorry Cav...and triathletes...

- Brake lights.

Now that’s just dumb! What's next, requiring the peloton to shout "Braking", or "Slowing", like a century ride. Maybe they could set up tables every 20k or so to hand out cookies and Powerade too...

Like the title says, my two cents...

Oh, and here's Stage 1 of the ToQ...(short overview) Boonen attacked at @ 400m to go and held the break off...

Have a good Monday!

Euro CX and the ToQ prologue

Two great races...

ToQ prologue...interesting course...
Oh, and Cav is shit bike handler...

Fine Line

Like the Spinal Tap boys said, it's a fine line between clever and stupid...

Same with 35 degrees and rain, except the line is between hard and stupid. I may not be the fastest guy on the block, but am surely harder than most. For the last two days, however, the prospect of riding in 35 degree rain held no romance. I hate the trainer with the white hot power of 1000 suns, but sometimes it beats being wet, cold, dirty and miserable.
Yesterday, I rode the last 50km of 2010 Liege-Bastogne-Liege...
This morning, it's was the last 50km of 2010 Roubaix, including the 'chase' of Spartacus for the last 45km.


I need to head back down to The ManHole(tm) and mop up. There's an obscenely large, muddy puddle under the cross bike right now...


Hey Bertie, STFU! I'm more than willing to bet that you were lucky that Clen is all they found in your piss! Remember this day? Yeah, the day you beat the best TTers on the planet?
I remember my phone ringing about 7 seconds after Clentador crossed the line. It was Bond on the other end, and the exact word, not words, was "BULLSHIT!" No cursory greeting, just "BULLSHIT!" That's enough for me!

Yeah, we all know, Jens is a BAAAAD man!

If anyone is near Athens tomorrow, get to Jittery Joe's in Five Points, and take part in the Dirt Road World Championships of The World. Jered Gruber put the loop together, so it's probably a combo of great/epic/big fun, and after the last two day of rain, it may be more Belgian than Georgian! Take a towel...

Out...

Fight...

DiPietro cheap shots Cooke out of the crease...see if you can guess what happens next...



-Courtesy of Burt Hoovis




So I was scheduled for the TIF on the 15th, but the Rep for the pharmaceutical conglomerate cannot be there that day, so it's either gonna to be the 22nd or March 1st. I'm ready to get the shit over with and try to get on with my life...and free up some cash for more bike stuff...

A funny and some Porn

Yeah, it's sort of old, but funny nonetheless. @pedal_junky and I came up with this months ago!
Could be a bit of a marketing coup for Chick-fil-A...

Stybar's Czech champ Ridley...that he won the Worlds on last Sunday. No Di2 needed...


Boonen's EMX-7


Another solid CX ride this morning on very tired legs. And I think the Michelin Jets have run their course. Nothing like standing on the side of 12th St. changing a flat. Yep, a flat on the pavement. One tiny piece of wire went through and that was that.
Fortunately, Ebay is brilliant. 3 brand new Clement LAS file tread donuts are one the way to the house...$65 shipped! These are the same treads that Dugast and FMB strip off the clincher casing and glue onto their tub carcasses. If you noticed the white tubs that Nys rode a few times this winter, well, they were shod with Clement LAS tread.

Full Doc day tomorrow. Renick for some cracking and stretching in the morning, then to LexMed in the afternoon for a surgical consult, and to schedule the TIF. Good times...

Namaste...

Go buy something!

http://www.cafepress.com/Shutupandgoride

CX Worlds

Streams went to shit yesterday, so here are the last two laps, plus a little bit...

(bad DJ voice) And we're baaack....

Sorry, had to take Junior Management to school, then break out a quick 50km on the CX bike. Though I'd feel like crap, considering my back and legs are crunchy from climbing the extension ladder all weekend, but my quick easy spin turned into a 50km mash the pedals sort of affair. Maybe painting a house, and not eating tainted steak, is the secret to strong rides.

So NY Velocity posted an interview with Kid Rock, er...I mean, Floyd Landis. The interviewer? Paul Kimmage...
Yeah, I read it, and here's my synopsis...
Blah, blah, blah, dope, dope, dope, Lance, Lance, Lance...
Same shit, different day, week, month, year...literally. I just don't fucking care what either of these douches has to say...sorry...

Looks like Trek is scrambling to put together some sort of Specialized Roubaix-esque machine for Team Lay-Oh-Pard to use during the Spring Classics. From the photo in that article, it looks like they just called Hong-Fu, or one of the myriad other Chinese manufacturers and sourced a frame. Trek will probably just steal...excuse me...'liberate' a design from another company, as is their M.O.! Hope the steerer tubes are up to snuff...

Obree comes out. Good for him! Maybe this announcement will give Wiggins the courage to admit he's a dandy.

Enough of this...have a good Monday everyone!

Oh Bertie...

Why is it so difficult to just take the easy way?
Bertie said he'd done nothing, then blamed it on an asthmatic cow that had been chewing on medical waste.
Bertie said he would retire if sanctioned. Well, he pulled a John Kerry on that one.
Now, he says he will fight the positive and the sanction all the way to the CAS, since they have such a wonderful track record of rendering decisions that come down on the side of the athlete. The Spanish Federation, for all of their foibles, actually said that Bertie could get a LONGER sanction if he goes to the CAS.
Let's do the hard math here...
Old Fingerbang got caught, yet admitted nothing. He got a year. The time frame got pushed back to be retroactive to the date of the positive, so in reality, after the decision was rendered 48 hours ago, it really equates to a 6 month suspension.
My advice to AC?
Take the bitter pill! Keep your mouth shut. Do the six months. Continue to train. Come back in August, just in time for La Vuelta. Don't be a putz if you win. Smile sheepishly, say 'gracias', and walk away.
Of course, we're talking about a giant ego with the charisma of a ferret, so what I've written above is little more than a dream...

Oh, and the TdF should push hard and see if it's testes will descend far enough to exclude Saxo Bank and allow Geox to ride. Again, I'm dreaming here. This is the French we're talking about...

Okay, enough editorializing...
Time to kit up and go play in the sunshine! Same loop as yesterday plus a bit. Lexington County has decided to 'improve' my favorite patch of dirt, so it was junk yesterday...surprise, surprise! Seeing how I seem to be a glutton for punishment, I'm headed back out there this morning...

Happy Friday!

Breaking News

Bertie gets a year suspension for his Clen positive. Likely stripped of his Tour title as well...

Anyone want to meet me @ Five Guys for a celebratory burger tonight? What? Too soon?

That popping noise your heard was Riis' head exploding...

Humpy

The 'old' descent of the Kemmel. 20% down, cobbles and a hard right at the bottom. If it scared the pros bad enough to have it removed from the race, then it should scare you. The picture is brilliant. Jered Gruber is, in fact, the man!

And as we all know, I'm an average rider, at best, but I have a well above average love for bicycles as art. This frameset (596) makes me want to do inappropriate things to it. Just sexy...

me ride-
2 hours on the CX bike in 40 degree light rain yesterday. It was quite nice, though I was just flat. I think the days of going up Gervais to get home are waning as well. Construction has turned it into a one-lane fistfight. Some jerk-off in a non-descript sedan, with 22" wheels, did the usual hurry-to-the-lane-closure, only to buzz me, then swerve into traffic and get hit in the door by a F450 work truck. I waited for the CPD and gave my expert opinion as to the cause of the accident. Sedan driving dumbass got three tickets...yeeoouch, and I got a thank you from the CPD officer. My tax dollars at work, for once...

No ride today. Gonna be nice the next few days and Junior Mgmt. is going to the Lexington Branch office for the weekend, so I'll have time on the bike and time to prepare the house for a sign to go in the yard. If you know anyone who needs a '30s bungalow that's been completely re-done, lemme know! I'll give you a nice spiff...

It's Wednesday...after lunch, you're on the backside of the week!

You want Big Ring?

Phillippe Gilbert is so Big Ring that his small ring is brand new!

Do the news Lou!

-Stybar must feel like the prettiest girl at the dance! To that end, the owner of Telenet-Fidea is a schmuck. When QuickStep makes you an offer to buy your ENTIRE team, you name a number, and then retire once the 'i's are dotted and 't's are crossed. Especially considering a Czech billionaire is the one stroking the checks.
I have a feeling that Stybar will end up with much less $, and the Telenet deal will go away. Stop the swordfight gentlemen, it's bad for business!

-Vaughters seems to be making an effort to distance himself from all things USPS and Lance. Stick your head a little deeper in the sand JV...maybe folks will believe that you were the only clean guy on the LA Express!
Firing White was a little harsh, especially considering his success as a DS. Now he can just go work for GreenEDGE, which is probably what was going to happen anyway. JV is a bit more duplicitous than people believe...

-Katie F'n Compton goes horizon at Hoogerheide, and again, there's no video of it...
Look for Katie to wreck the WC race next weekend!
And it seems the Belgians at CX Worlds are about as cooperative as the Italians at Road Worlds.

-Stage 5 of the TdU was a crit/circuit and was BRUTAL! Rarely do you see the entire field lined out like that...

...and how about McEwen? That old dog can still hunt!

-And today's episode of 'As the Lance Turns' is canceled because, well, I just couldn't care any less about the whole thing! Want to bust a doper? Put Joe Papp's drug dealing ass in jail...

No ride today...the antibiotics I've been on for the past 10 days have effectively rendered me ineffectual. My stomach sounds like a cage fight is going on, which make levels of motivation very low. Don't want to be out in Sandy Run and have to make a stop in the pines...

Namaste...

TdU Stage 5

Poor Bobridge! Guy goes down in the corner and then gets run the F over!

2.5 hours in the cold sunshine this morning. Followed a little hidden doubletrack way out off Old State. After about 10 minutes of meandering thru the woods, it dumped me out in the Eastman Chemical plant railroad yard. The EPA should really head out there to poke around, because that place is just fouling the countryside.
Once out of the plant property, I rolled back down thru the dirt, up across West Cola, up Gervais and home.
Good ride on a nice day. Oh, and an open note to the big ass black dog that chased me for about 400m on Old State...F you and thank you. I needed the interval! It had to have been someone's hunting dog, as a black lab that lounges on the couch could never run that far that fast.

Have a good Saturday!

TdU Stage 4

And the final kilometers of Stage 3

Bling, Bling

Yeah, his nickname is 'Bling', and it seems he's got a little kick...

And on a personal note, it's amazing how light, quick and lively the road unit feels after weeks on end of schlepping around the CX bike with 32-35c knobbley tires. 2 hours passed quickly under wheels this morning, and the pace chosen was quite easy to maintain. Plus, there was a big, yellow orb in the sky that gave off bright light and warmth. It was nice to ride without getting wet and/or dirty.

Namaste...

Blah, blah, blah...

Yeah, I read the SI article. Nothing new was said...just a re-hash of 10 year old claims by people who have an axe to grind. I'm not going to run through to the accusations, nor the the fact that they can all be explained without too much research or effort.
And like I said on FB and Twitter earlier today, listening to the soft-headed, Ameri-centric pundits on CNN, ESPN, and the rest, is akin to listening to my 5 year old discuss physics with his 3 year old brother!

Nevermind the fact that NFL and MLB players are dopers of the worst kind, yet the 'reporters' fawn over them like they are the second coming of ___________ ! (insert the deity of your choice in the space provided)
Nevermind the fact that cyclists get tested more than ANY other athletes on the planet, and those tests are administered RIGHT NOW. No waiting, no advance warning! In both the MLB and the NFL, the testing bodies (not the USADA btw) call the teams and give them somewhere between 48 and 72 hours notice that they will be coming to their facilities. This advance warning is given so the teams can prepare a location within the facility for testing to be carried out. 2 to 3 day warning? I don't know exactly what it takes to clear one's system of PEDs, or other illegal drugs, but I do know it can be done within 72 hours! Yeah, I know this, as I have an acquaintance who works in the Philadelphia Eagles training facility.

The part if this that really pisses me off is that the American public receives these broadcasts in their homes, and swallows them down like they swallow mass quantities of fast food. The reports are one-sided and do not explain any intricacies that may exist, nor do they give the answers to the easy questions.
Then, Joe Six Pack, sitting in his mustard stained wife-beater, powers up his room temperature IQ, and jumps to a conclusion that's horribly skewed and jaded. "Lance is a cheating SOB!", he proclaims!
All the while, JSP continues to watch ESPN, and the aforementioned NFL superstars. You know, the guys who are 6'4" and weigh 250 pounds, but run like gazelles, have 6% body fat, and abuse their bodies by running into each other at full speed for 18 weeks of the season. Yeah, those guys are like that because they eat right and get lots of sleep...
If you believe that, here's another one...
I'm banging Megan Fox...daily and WELL!

I just do not care if LA doped. What's past is past...let it go...
Let's move on and be concerned with what's happening in cycling TODAY!

TdU Stg 2

Welcome to the season...please leave your pound of flesh with the coat check girl...

Edit:



Yeeoouch!

And this is just bad...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/carla-swart-killed-in-south-africa

She rode up the street @ Lees-McRae. Terrible stuff, but it proves the point that we, as cyclists, no matter what you think or believe in, must be absolutely aware of our surroundings!
As hard as it is to accept, the truck driver holds no fault in this one...
RIP Carla!

Pic post

Hmmm...Bond and GW on this thing for 2011 Masters Nationals? Sounds like the top step of the podium to me...

Jens says "Shut Up Camera!" (pic courtesy of Kristof Ramon) Check out his photos...pretty brilliant...

Rest day today. I actually had to do some work this morning to earn some money. Shocking, I know...
The custom MAX-tubed Hampsten I'm working on isn't gonna pay for itself.
Actually, if anyone needs a kidney, I'm open to offers. It's lightly used with some good miles left in it.

5 day stack starts tomorrow...can't wait! May actually throw a leg over the Ridley...

Namaste...

Sunday Muddy Sunday

That course made my pants tight! 32+kmh average speed? The way Pauwels took Albert deep into the corner like that, you'd think he's been watching Aussie Supercars on the satellite.



TdU got underway this morning. Well, it was this morning here, while it might have been Tuesday there. I can't get the time difference figured out. Nothing says LOVE like a 60 minute crit filled with Euro-Dogs to start the season. Oh, did I mention they averaged 48kmh? Yeah, you read that correctly. That's 30mph in old money!
And Liggett was calling them Leopard Trek, not Lay-Oh-Pard. I will say though, and this pains me a bit, the kits look nice on the bike.
Here's a link to their hotel rider for Le Tour...

As for me, I went out on the CX bike again...like that's any great surprise. Yesterday's wet and heavy dirt turned into wet and heavy thin mud. Shit was everywhere. I did scout a new ninja training ground that a cursory search of Google maps yielded. It would be great if not for the plethora of deer tracks and large caliber rifle shells laying about. It's really nice to stop and have a break naturel and notice that you're watering a pile of .30-06 casings. Seeing as I'm roughly the same size on the bike as a large buck moving through the woods, and we live in semi-rural SC, I got the hell out!
I finished up 2 more hours in the mud, returned home and lounged. The CX bike did get a much needed bath though. It's actually orange and black under the fine meringue of dried mud.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Some changes...

I like this Leppard jersey better...

They're making it hard...

So we all waited, with not-so-baited breath, for the whole Schleck superteam to be announced. When they announced last week, it came off a bit contrived. Now, these guys have the balls to send out to the press what amounts to a rock band tour rider.
Read it yourself HERE...
Really? REALLY? Lay-Oh-Pard? Lay-Oh-Pard sort of makes Nygaard look like a Re-Tard.
Thank goodness they got Mercedes as the car sponsor. Can you imagine if they'd gone the way of Team Sky, and gotten Jag Estates for team cars? Lay-Oh-Pard Trek presented by Jag-u-ahr. It would probably be enough to give Liggett a stroke.
In my heart of hearts, I hope the release is a tongue-in-cheek joke. If not, I'm waiting for the announcement that Nigel Tufnel will be riding for them.
I want to root for them, but as the title of this post states...

Sachs spouting off about the NAHBS. If you ordered a frame from him back in the 70s, you should be getting it soon...
Like I've said before, I'm a sucker for the art that is a properly built and sorted steel frame, but cannot fathom waiting 7 years for one. Here's a tip, STFU and pick up the torch...

2011 Team kits...in depth...

The WX has improved here, but there is still a small amount of ice lurking...waiting to reach up and snatch the bike from beneath you when you least expect it. Because of this threat, I chose to be the large sweaty rat on the small spinning wheel again this morning. 75' more of SST/tempo on the turbo while watching '10 Fleche-Wallone. Again, it felt sort of good to spin a gear hard and get a good sweat going. Wait...what? That sounded like I'm enjoying riding the trainer! WTF is happening here? Help meeeeeeee.......
That being said, I'm going outside tomorrow!

Peace...

My kind of ride

How Euro-dogs descend...



Kids to school, albeit delayed. Back on the bike...

Edit...



75' of SST on the turbo this morning...never caught Flecha though!

Strep throat be damned...

CR and I went out for a short spin in the snow/ice/slush/mud this morning. It wasn't as fun as riding in freshly fallen powder, but surely beat the hell out of riding the trainer. It also afforded me the opportunity to cough up some very attractive stuff once I got home.

The IRD Fire Cross tires work really well in the wet slop too!



Albert killed the field in Belgium last Sunday. Poor Nys...guy wracked with the flu, but still lines up and was somewhere around 6th when he dropped out. Win, quit, whatever...dude is nails!

Overview of Czech champs...Stybar went horizon, as expected...



Local Twitter legend @dwuori wrote a guest entry on Handlebar Mustache. Damn funny stuff...and more than likely a bit prophetic.

Tour down Under kicks off in about a week. Hopefully the weather will Oz a break, b/c they've been taking a Kershaw County ass-whipping lately. The 4 inches of snow and ice we got here suddenly doesn't seem so bad, eh?

A much needed visit to Renick is on tap for tomorrow morning...hopefully. The Snowpacolypse has made a mess of things around here...

Peace!

Khhhhaaaaaaannnnnnn!

4+ inches of snow and I am hamstrung with strep. I truly love riding in the snow...

Guess I'll just watch it out the window today...

A special thank you...

A special thank you goes out to my 5 year old. You've given me joy, smiles, laughter, solace...a full range of emotions...
Today though, what I'd like to really thank him for is the raging case of strep throat that I'm now battling. Felt like Superman yesterday...feel like Clark Kent's grandmother today.

What really makes this little bout with illness so, so special, is the fact that I had throat surgery last Monday. As you, dear reader, can imagine, the area located approximately between my chin and sternum feels fan-fucking-tastic right now!

I went to Doctor's Care (yeah, I know!) this morning and was seen by Dr. Hotty McBlonde Big Boobs. Yeah, nothing like looking and feeling puny while a 30 year old, newly minted Doc rubs her rack on your arm while listening to your breathing. Good morning Sunshine!

So instead of giving me a shot of Rocephin, as swallowing is, well, quite challenging right now, Tits McGee gave me a prescription for 875mg Amoxicillin. Imagine again, dear reader, a pill the size of the end of your thumb, from the first knuckle to the tip! The pills should have come with a giant straw, like they use to blow meds down the throats of horses.

Oh, and it's supposed to snow here tonight...

Happy 2011! It's been kickass thus far...

Not much lost

So I took 5 days off the bike due to my little throat/esophagus procedure. Yesterday was a struggle, at best. It seemed like every pedal rev was for naught. My normal two hour loop was interminable.
Same loop this morning, same (maybe stronger) wind, same everything...expect my performance. Sure, fighting the headwind was a big ball of suck, but it didn't feel like I was dragging a brake. Hell, when I hit Old State, I pushed and actually stayed on the rivet for the entire 15 minutes of dirt, even @ the bridge, where I neglected to see the 8" deep hole that I shellaced with the rear wheel. It had a bit of a wobble for the remainder of the ride. Fortunately, Uncle Shrews works Saturdays at CC now, so the issue(s) were quickly rectified. Remind me to go buy him a 6er of good beer...

Speaking of dirt, it looks like a 'Roubaix' style ride might be coming together in the coming weeks. Figure on 80-ish km, and 10 or so sections of dirt. Like the last ride, all will be easily traversed on a road bike. More to come...

Now, on to actual interesting stuff...

Stybar win Czech National champs

French and Belgian cross champs tomorrow morning (US)

Team 'our kit looks like Sky and Garmin' introduced yesterday. Scarves? Really? It makes one wonder how Vaughters will try to upstage Leopard @ the Garmin-Cervelo reveal. It'll probably look something like this... only with less chicks...

Circulus finds a permanent place to wreak havoc and cause injury. Wondering what the jump in PDW's health insurance premium is going to be? Oh, FWIW, PDW makes some cool shit too...

Anywho...get out and enjoy the ride...

Humpday

So I rarely check the email account that I have linked to the blog. Why? I really don't need deals on Cialis, making $500/wk working from home is, in fact, a scam, and reading emails from Nigerian businessmen is SO 2008.
Every so often, there are gems. I've met, and corresponded with a few 'industry' types, and even gotten some schwag out of the deal. Gotten a few compliments, and a few 'go-fuck-yourself' notes. I like those the best, because...well...


Tonight, I got an email, albeit a couple of weeks old, with an address that one normally doesn't see attached to mail sent to a monkey show like I'm running here. The addy was @NASA.gov !!! When one see a gub'ment address, it's usually bad. Like IRS or Homeland Security bad.
In this case however, it was from a guy who works at Langley, in Virginia. Obviously he's a guy who needs to partake in something that doesn't tax his brain when he gets off work.
Anyway, thanks to him, and all of the others who frequent this dirt road exit off the information superhighway.

Now on to the news:

How did this happen? Campy SR 11 is the best product? NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE is this, albeit small, town rides SR 11. Hell, there's more Di2 running around!

Phil Z about to get corn-holed by the USADA. Wonder who 'the source' was? Not hard to figure it out, eh? Funny that every related article listed on the page is about Papp...

Speaking of slippery little fuckers and delays...

If you don't go here, then you should...

And if you're into clean, crisp, forward design, check out my friend Bob's site. He's pretty GD brilliant. I want the shock table...BAAAD!

Anyway, back on the bike tomorrow night...

Peace...

COME ON!

Slippery little fucker got his sentencing delayed...AGAIN!!

Sure, DOING drugs to be a bike racer is a low, shitty thing to do, especially when you dope your way to the middle, like Papp did, only to get busted at some two-bit race like the Tour of Turkey. Doing drugs though, does not warrant time in a concrete box.

You know what DOES warrant time in the hole? SELLING drugs to 187 'clients' , then testifying under oath WHILE continuing to sell drugs does, in fact, warrant time being cellies with some random member of the Aryan Nation. His sentencing agreement is sealed, which I have no issue with, but the fact that it's been nearly a year is happy horseshit.

I guaran-damn-tee, if it was some guy who got popped for selling weed to that many people, he'd be sitting in the State Pen, regardless of how many people he snitched on.

_____________________________________________________________________

One more day off the bike for me...Doc's orders...
The throat is feeling better, but is still damn sore. My left arm feels like it's going to fall off, thanks to the 'nurse' who started my IV. Oh well...I'll survive.

Back on the horse Thursday....

Oy vey...

Let's start with yesterday...the talking points...

-2 hour CX ride in the drizzle
-Saw a coyote on Old State Rd
-Felt good...rode well

Shower/lunch

-decided to cut through Cayce (never do) to go p/u Junior Mgmt
-Blue lights
-51 in a 35 $185 & 4pts (reduced to 44/35 $88 and 2pts)

Today

-LexMed
-EGD
-Scar tissue removal/throat biopsies
-Nurse missed the vein first time
-arm looks like a heroin addict
-slept 3.5 hours this afternoon
-throat hurts like I shot-gunned a broken CFL bulb

I think I'll practice some retail therapy...

Is this too much?

Battle...

No way Nys was going to lose his own race...NO WAY!

The plan was to ride this morning, to start the New Year off right, but the H.O. wanted to travel North, to Charlotte, and visit the mecca of Swedish build-it-yourself, IKEA. Seeing that IKEA pleases my inner gay, I was cool with skipping a ride.
Seeing as HQ is moving into a bigger facility in the coming months, plans were made for the upfit today.

We probably walked 5k in the store, so I got a little work in!

Back on the horse tomorrow. Next week will be a wash thanks to LexMed...

Changes...

The old design was, well, looking a bit old after these many years and posts. Something new was called for! Fortunately, the big brains at Google do most of the work. All my low-capacity gray matter had to do was point and click to choose the design and colors.

Changes are also afoot here at The Corporation. A few things are in the works, one of which being a move of the corporate HQ.

Anywho...

I needed to hang around to spend some time with the H.O. and Junior Management (they got promoted for Christmas)yesterday, so I did a quick spin on the turbo to get rid of some junk. The rest of my day was consumed with cross-training. Raking leaves and walking around the zoo counts, right?

This morning, CR, CW and I did a nice 90km loop out through Lexington and Calhoun Counties. My aforementioned low-capacity brain thought, for some reason, that it was Saturday, so I changed to route so we could come in on 302. Well,as the rest of you know, it's Friday/NYE, and the natives where out in force. One close call (a bit too close as CR will attest) was enough for me to roll to the front and use whatever power/fitness/speed I have and give it some stick. We ran 40-42kmh most of the way down Hwys 6 and 302... (For you metric impaired folks, that's 25-26mph)
It was a good ride, on a nice day. Next time though, we'll stick to the initial plan!

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year. Be safe!

GvA Loenhout

The weather looked lovely...

And I sent Crank Brothers a note to see if they'll send Nys some Candy 11 pedals...

Day 3

Watch this at your own risk. I'm not prone to motion sickness, but this got me a little woogie...

royal h disc from bryan hollingsworth on Vimeo.

Another 2 hours on the bike today...only it was on the Ridley, and it felt weird at first. It was the first ride on the road unit since that nearly infamous, partially stupid, and completely epic day. The effort here is to pack in some saddle time this week, as the H.O. is home all week, and I have another throat 'procedure' next Monday. Thus, most of next week will likely be shot squarely in the posterior.

Back on the CX rig tomorrow...

The correct attitude

Ride and smile people! That's what it's about...

It was a bit breezy out there today...

Not terribly cold, but WOW, it was a stiff WNW breeze. At least I was smart enough to go out INTO the headwind, and come back with the tailwind. Weather Underground says 12-15mph winds...whatever! I'm no meteorologist, but I've ridden long enough to know that if one is pedaling, HARD, on a long downhill, and fighting to stay @ 20mph, the wind is stronger than 12-15mph!
2 hours on 30c tires @ <60 pounds was plenty for today.

Oh, enjoy the photo...

Something to look at on a dreary day...

BOOOOM!



The Muur on a snowy December day...

Merckx's hour record track bike geo. 12 pounds!!!


Wade's Posterous page and his blog, which is entertaining and insightful.

All things Big Ring.

Holds off? HOLDS OFF? Kate F'n Compton won by almost a minute...in the snow!!!

If you're a luddite, and like your cables, start hoarding parts...

Barney opens his hole once again...Mr. 60%...DB!

Dude...F.O. and go away...

Hope everyone got what they wanted for Christmas...

I know I did...

Buncha riding on tap for the week, if anyone wants to join in the fun...

Dumpdate

See what I did there? Yeah...it was dumb...

McEwen and Hunter to Radiocrack

Speaking of RadioSmack, the rumor mill is spinning feverishly...Sastre and Menchov to RS should Geox and TMC pull out? Silly season has begun...

CR and I did a really good CX ride this morning. 2.5 hours of road, dirt, grass, mud, cold and wind. The only thing missing, thankfully was blood. We even did a bit of hard tempo. It didn't feel too bad...

I'm also working on a product review for the next update. I keep forgetting to take flipping pictures for it...
Maybe in the morning...

Anyway, this will be it until after Christmas, so everyone....

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

To all of my non-PC friends...

Merry Christmas!

Dump

Who says the altitude training systems are worth it? Robbie McEwen's mates, that's who!!! Hero!

Speaking of McEwen, poor bastard can't catch a break. First, Pegasus goes under due to the lack of sponsor dollars, then he is rumored to be going to RadioSmack. Others are jumping ship to wherever they can.
I guess this means killing a bear with a pen knife is going to be included in SpiderTech's training camp...

QuickStep's 2011 kits...yawn...

And there's been a large disturbance in the Force here in Columbia. Not saying what it is, as it was likely told to me in confidence, but if it comes to fruition, you'll shit...


As for your author, I did a solid 2 hours on the CX bike this morning. I tried to search out something that looked interesting on Google Maps, but it ended up being a bust. Still did the tried and true West Cola loop. About halfway back in on Old State, I was greeted by a pack of stray dogs. They seemed to have a loose hierarchy, as the big dogs ran into the woods, and the 12 pound punter is the one who chased me. He was either the leader, or going through initiation.

Now to the ManHole(tm) to pull the BB out of the Salsa...again. The thing goes along fine for about 4 weeks, then starts creaking and moaning. At least it keeps my skills up...

Peace!

A Winter Wonderland...

No ride yesterday as #2 was sick, so I was on duty all day. The H.O. took #1 to see 'The Nutcracker' with her parents. Both offspring were supposed to go, and I was to have the day to myself, but the best laid plans...blah, blah, blah...
The upside? #2 just has a virus of some sort...likely from the petri-dish, er...I mean pre-school. Upside #2? His illness kept the in-laws away from the house. Saturday was a push...

The plan for this morning was to go ride outside, but to be perfectly honest, I really didn't feel like throwing on 17 layers, so I rode the turbo. I'd scheduled 90 minutes. I rode 67 of those, and they were the longest 67 minutes ever. Normally, if I'm in the right frame of mind, the trainer isn't so bad. This morning, I felt like breaking out the torch and cutting the bitch up for scrap.

The cherry on this Sunday (sundae) was a trip to Lexington. They should really build a fence on the other side of West Columbia...right on the other side of the airport...

A lovely day in Antwerp...

DB

If you Google 'self-serving douchebag', it will say, see also: Richard Sachs...

I mean really, who the hell is he trying to convince here, the people dumb enough to drop a deposit on a $4000 steel frame with a FIVE year lead time, or himself?
Let's be serious for a moment...FIVE fucking years? For a steel frame made out of very average tubing, by a guy who has been building what is effectively the SAME frames for years. No pushing of the envelope, no experimentation, no imagination...
That ain't ''at the vanguard" homie!
And do the math...
$4k for a frameset that's made up of MAYBE $500 worth of lugs and tubing, plus the $250 or so for the paint. That leaves $3250 for labor, welding supplies and amortized equipment costs. You cannot, for a MOMENT tell me that he's not making money! My guess is $2k-ish per frame. The production numbers are never solid, but rumor has it that between 50 and 75 framesets per year are constructed. That's $100k to $150k per year in the checking account. Yeah, he's in it for the soul of it...
If you believe that, I have a ______ ______ to sell you...

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate steel bikes. Hell, I finally found one of my personal white whales and bought it. Yep, it's a Columbus Foco tubed Jericho Nightshade CX frame. It's beautiful. The tubes are mitered so closely that the welds are imperceptible.
I also have a raging woodrow for IF. Those guys are pushing the envelope on steel, stainless and Ti. And the paintwork? Unreal!
And Hampsten...Jesus!!! They are using custom drawn MAX tubesets. Yes please!!! I may have to throw down for one of these before too long!

Oh, and if anyone wants an old school steel Merckx, Pinarello, or Pegoretti, I have it on GOOD authority that GITA in Charlotte still has more than a few floating around the warehouse.

Just my two cents...

Tidbits

HTC unveiled the new team kit for 2011, and it's a yawner. Emilia Fahlin's ass on the other hand...

UHC finally gets some real gear...

WTF...and I mean WHAT. THE. FUCK???
The fucking guy knows he's guilty! Now he, and his attorney, are throwing out every excuse under the Sun, to see if they can create doubt. All they need is one complete asshat on the jury, and the guy walks...even though he ran over and nearly KILLED another human being. The problem? That human being was on a bike.
The new-car-smell triggered his sleep apnea? Has anyone brought up the point that sleep apnea isn't narcolepsy? It just doesn't work that way! Maybe his new Merc bored him to sleep! More likely, he was futzing around with some gadget on his new Benz, drifted over and lost control.
I'd seriously like to cut that fucking guy. I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep either!

Video goodness:

Trials. from Louis Vieira on Vimeo.

And a bit of local news. I spoke to Toby P. about a New Years' ride, and unfortunately, there's nothing in the works.

The cold weather abated this morning, so I rode outside. A nice CX ride through Lexington County. I'll take 90 minutes in 42 degrees and drizzle over the turbo any day! Speaking of, I did a double on Tuesday...both sessions on the trainer. I may have hallucinated...
A little action in the woods tomorrow morning...monster cross style...

Peace!

CX Nats Vid...

Cyclocross National Championships 2010 from mark colton on Vimeo.

Still searching for the entire race...

A new Member...

If you watched the CX Nats yesterday on the intarwebs, you saw a great race that was won by a guy who is, in fact, NAILS. Wells has been around a long time, and won a bunch of races, but it seems that 2010 was a banner year. US CX champs, US Short Track MTB champ and US XC MTB champ. Oh, did I mention that he finished 3rd @ Leadville in 6:30? Yeah, he's bad man! He's also an old man by pro dog standards at 34.
His Black Card is being sent to Durango as we speak...

As for the non-badass portion of this post, I did a solid 2.5 hours of CX bike goodness on Saturday. Went out and felt really bad, then crashed in a sandy turn, way out in the middle of BFE. It seems whatever was making me feel poorly leaked out as I laid in the soft sand on Old Wire Road. I got up, made sure nothing was protruding from my flesh, and continued on, feeling pretty damn good for the last 100 minutes of the ride.

Sunday was warm, wet and windy. I woke up STIFF from my meeting with the pre-historic beach in Lexington County, so I decided to go spin easy. One hour seemed to work out the kinks. Renick worked out the rest of them this morning...

Christmas is 13 days off...are you ready?

Oh, and if's you're anywhere close to Hoovis and his crew of misfits, get your shit together and go do his ride this coming weekend!

CX Nats

The Rev clicked off a 7th today at CX Nats in Bend. After a so-so start in the 20s, he put it in the RING and left it out there! He said he went so hard that he cried for the last two laps...not by choice. Fucking strong like bull!

Friday's obligatory post

God Damn! I love Cipo, and so should you!

CONI has morning wood for Bernucci...and his entire family!

Cancellara to Riis : "it's not me, it's you..."

What BIG bike looks like! Tree Farm's Kona CX

Did a nice CX ride yesterday. Figured out a way to do a full hour on the train yard without ever having to get out onto the road. Funny part? The dudes who work in the yard are completely okay with it. Talked to the Manager and he's absolutely cool with it. Sweeeet!

So my new pulleys arrived yesterday and I ventured down into the ManHole(tm) to install them, along with a new KMC chain. Well, when I pulled the Ridley off the rollers (yes, I use them for storage), the headset was no longer operational. I'm not talking 'kind of rough' or even 'notchy'. It was frozen in position. I'm beginning to think that the jaunt around Lake Norman, in the snow, was bad for the bearings. Ya think?
So the headset got completely pulled out, cleaned and re-built. It's working again, but is going to get replaced in the next 7-10 days. Headsets for tapered steerers are not cheap, and sort of hard to find unless you know what you're looking for. That being said, almost all 1-1/8" to 1-1/2" tapered HS bikes use the same unit. If you're curious, it's a FSA CF-40. I know that your day will now be fulfilled with that knowledge.

I'm starting to think that I may just need to pull the trigger and buy some new bikes....

Oh, and TCOTBR has put it down once already @ CX Nats in Bend. Kris Walker won the Womens' 50-54 age group. Bo Pitkin finished a strong 11th in SS. The Rev knocked down a 15th in the TT to grab a 3rd row starting spot in Masters Elite on Saturday.

Werd...

Things to look at...

Tommeke riding a decidedly NOT Merckx cross bike at his charity cross race last weekend.


Big Ringing

Full Gas: Riding a Time Trial with Fabian Cancellara (Intro) from Halo Films Ltd on Vimeo.

A few things...

I'm no Doctor, nor am I proficient in higher mathematics, but I DO know that there are a lot of angles going on in this crash that are contrary to proper neck/back alignment!


As you pull out the warm clothes to ride outside, remember, you could be in Flanders! Relish the big, bright sunshine and 30-ish degree temps! (pic by Jered Gruber)


Left the house in 27 degree sunshine this morning. Properly dressed, and in the warm Sun, it was a pleasant day for a ride. 90 minutes on the cross bike knocked down, and most of the residual stiffness from Saturday's drama has been worked out. Downside? I have a saddle sore, likely from being wet, cold and dirty for so long, and one of the pulleys on the Ridley came apart when the chain broke. Brady Bunch lesson? Don't ride superlight, aluminum pulleys! New VCRC ceramics are on the way.

7th day of Hanukah...

Epic? Nah...

Epic is a word that has been bastardized and diluted to the point where it is almost meaningless. There are days, and experiences, that bring the word back into proper focus.
As I mentioned yesterday, I rolled up to Charlotte (Statesville to be exact) to ride with my buddy Frank and some of his crew. As my latitude headed North this morning, I couldn't help but notice that the temperature on the dash kept heading South.
Once to the meeting spot, it had settled firmly @ 35 degrees. No matter, it was overcast and dry, with zero wind. It was all good.
We headed out a bit after 9 (JM was late...) for the 4-1/2 ish hour jaunt through Iredell and Catawba Counties. The first 3 hours were pleasant and convivial. Then, it started...
First, small ice pellets began falling, increasing in size and severity as we rolled. The beauty? They were dry and bounced off. Shortly thereafter, snow (yes, you read that correctly!) began to enter the (wintry) mix. At first, it was light flurries. These light flurries had higher aspirations though, and quickly turned into BIG, FAT, WET flakes. These lovely little beasts stuck to everything...the road, the grass, our bikes, glasses and clothing.
The road quickly went from dry to very wet and a bit slick. Remember, bridges freeze before roadways...
Cold set in for our little band of merry men, which turned to downright near hypothermia. With 30 minutes left in the ride, I no longer had use of my digits, which meant no holding the bars, no standing to climb, and no shifting...just plugging along, longing for the sweet release of death. We kept passing cattle pastures, which set my frozen little mind wandering, until it settled on a very Star Wars-esque fix for the problem. If I would have had a lightsaber, a lovely heffer would have met her maker, so that I may have crawled inside for warmth.
Once that bad, and admittedly a tad DARK patch passed, we turned back into Lake Norman State Park.
Here's where I received the final cock-punch for the day...
Last hill, just make it up and coast down the other side into the parking lot. Not so much...
I reached for the shifter with my frozen fish stick of a finger, pushed the button and all forward momentum stopped. I guess the chain had enough of the shit weather and let go in not-so-spectacular fashion. Nothing like breaking a chain to end up a ride that could only be called EPIC. At least the German-made rat bastard didn't give up 40 miles from the car...what a plus!
Frank hauled ass to the truck and came back for me.

I changed clothes and headed back for Cola. Once thawed a bit, I shook uncontrollably for nearly 45 minutes. Yeah, that cold...

Rules #5 and #9 were definitely in play today.

Overall though, it was a great loop with great guys. I'll go back and do it again, if they'll have me. That being said, if it snows again, screw you guys!

Friday pic dump

Who do I need to talk to about employment around here?




Rethinking my stance on the whole 'fixie' thing...




The Joy of Cycling



Going to Char tomorrow to ride with @pedal_junky and his crew. Should be a good time. We're rolling out of Lake Norman State Park (mountain bike trailhead lot) @ 0900. 75-80 @ base pace. If you read this, and are close by, feel free to join us!

Oh, and GO COCKS!

Peace!

WTF do you expect?

So the UCI says it will appeal any 'unsatisfactory ruling' that the Spanish Cycling Federation may, or may not, give in Contador's doping positive. As the title states, WHAT THE FUCK do you expect? Are the Spanish going to find him guilty, give him two years and recommend that he be stripped of his Tour title? If you said yes, I have a nice piece of property out off of Bluff Road that I'll be glad to give you a nice price on. Then Bertie says he'll quit if found guilty! Don't let the door hit you in the ass...
Even the Spanish beef producers think Contadope is full of shit!

Garmin-Cervelo are at 'training camp'. Looks more like a gay cruise/retreat. I say this, of course, with all the jealousy I can muster. I'd rather be hanging out in the Caymans than listening to my children whinge incessantly about, well, everything.

December has finally rolled around, thus it looks like it may be time to actually start riding my bicycle. The cocktail seems to be beating back the headcold, so I'm on the bike tomorrow with some sort of purpose. Maybe a double...shocking, I know...

Special thanks go out to SpokeJunky for helping the Jericho build along. Looks like the SRAM 1x10 is going to come to fruition. It'll be interesting, if nothing else!

Picture of the day: "I can't make it, go on without me..."