Just for Junk (TnA)

Turtle starts with "T" as well...

I saved this big old fella this morning. He was BIG, and I've never seen a box turtle with orange/red coloring. I should have brought him home.
Good ride...no effort was put forth this morning...just rolled it over on the dirt for 1:45.

What a lovely morning...

It was one of those morning's that I really didn't WANT to ride, but I NEEDED to go out. 70 degrees, a light breeze, and the big Sun.
I felt really flat, yet the speed was about normal for the dirt loop. The grand total time difference for the loop...TWO minutes. The long loop normally takes somewhere around 2 hours, and this morning, it was 2:02.
I did make a large mistake though. Instead of taking the regular loop through Five Points, I turned and came home through campus. Today was the first day of classes...
It had a certain Beijing traffic feel. I couldn't even ogle the undergrads for fear that I'd get smashed flat by some fratboy in his bro-dozer.
Note to self, take the long way home...

La Vuelta starts this weekend, if you're into such things...

Motorpace

100km = 60mph+ in old money

Good ride last night, even though I felt like crap. I did feel better once I got home though...one of those days...
Of course, riding in the evenings is a tenuous thing around here right now, considering the H.O. is left with The Three Amigos while I'm out on the bike. She'd better get used to it though, as I'll probably be forced to ride at night this winter...

Not much else going on...Peace!

Danny Mac

Yeah, he's pretty good...

Riding bikes is fun!

Thursday, I did the WeCola ride, even though the weather looked threatening. I guess the spectre of getting a bit wet kept a majority of the group at home. Nonetheless, we still rolled out with 25+.
I did a little bit of Frankenstein-ing to the Jericho, both as an exercise in quelling a bit of boredom, and an honest effort to evaluate how the Foco-tubed steel frame rode with the deep carbon hoops. After the ride, I can say with some certainty that my next frame will be steel. The ride was sublime. Butter on a bald monkey smooth. Love...
Good ride too. The goal was to ride with a little pace for about 30 minutes, then spin home. The first part worked out fine, as did the second. As I was turning onto Blossom to cross the river, a LARGE bolt of lightning hit very close. So much for spinning home...
I walked in the door about 7 minutes before the first drops of the FOUR inches of rain we received, fell.
Friday, CR and I spun for about 90 minutes...another enjoyable ride.
This morning, CR and I went into LexCo and did a completely different and new loop that included a couple of new roads. Good stuff packed into 80km. We also located some excellent sections for a dirt/cx ride this winter. Details will come when I scout the roads in my truck. Invitations will be sent...

Tmrw, JB and I will be hitting some LexCo dirt.

That will make 6 days on the bike(s) this week, and should put me somewhere North of 320km. That's 200 miles in old money, and that hasn't happened since, oh, JUNE!

This is a sample of the horrible traffic that some think exists out in LexCo. Terrible, just terrible...

Mid-week check-in

So yesterday, I decided to run MyTracks during an interval. It really didn't change much, other than the knowledge that a little man in my pocket was tracking my every move.
The results? Like Monday, I pushed a a bit harder than I normally would have...


View 2011-08-09 09:40 in a larger map

No big deal you say. Not that fast you say. Well, take this into consideration...
It was done on a CX bike, pushing 33c tires with 50-55psi...and it was done on the finest Lexington County dirt, and included a section of soft doubletrack through the woods.
31:17 interval time. Click on the 'larger map' link for the GPS specifics...
I'll take it...

Personally, I like Cav. This Nike spot says it all. Naysayers will point out that he needs a leadout, or can't get over a hill, or gets chubby in the off-season. Blah...blah...blah...
20 TdF stage wins say a lot, and I don't remember seeing a leadout when he won MSR in 2009...
Others moan that he lacks panache. Really? Seeking out your teammates to thank them, immediately after winning, is class.

Maybe, as he gets older, he'll turn into a Museeuw type of rider. Johan started as a sprinter, and when his speed fell off, he became a Classics killer.
We can hope...

Monday

Good ride on the Ridley this morning. It always feels weird to get on the road bike after riding the CX bike for several consecutive rides. Sure, all of the fit measurements are the same, but the differences in geometry and material shine through.
I also popped a 2.5mm spacer under the seatmeast cap to raise the saddle a bit. 2.5mm!! When I rolled out of the yard, it seemed like I raised the saddle a foot! Fine lines people, fine lines!
I also tried out Google MyTracks on my phone. Pretty freaking brilliant. No need for a Garmin product...none at all! It keeps track of all pertinent info, including elevation gain/loss, and it actively maps your route. It also made me ride harder, since I knew there was a little electronic passenger tracking my every move.


Robert Forstermann has come for your children. Dude is as serious as a heart attack...

Here's a video of RF and Hoy going after it at Worlds.

Enjoy your week people...6 days until the kiddoes go back to school! Yippee!

For your Sunday viewing pleasure

Vive le tour! from Bear Thunder on Vimeo.

Back on the horse

Steel is real...


Good 2 hour CX ride this morning. The dirt was HEAVY after all of the rain yesterday. Wasn't particularly muddy, but there was definitely enough moisture to come home dirty. Like I've always said, good rides are measured with simple lines...be they tan lines, or dirt lines...
I did get to witness a LARGE redtail hawk make the swoop and grab on an unsuspecting squirrel while on one of the double secret trails. Pretty badass...

Hello World!

We decided to wait to find out the sex of the baby, since the whole thing was a surprise.
Well, not the WHOLE thing...we know HOW it happened! ;)
Lo and behold, we were graced with another boy at 9:34am today. And to answer your next question, yes, he's a big fella. 9 lbs 12oz and 22 inches to be exact. That's 4334 grams for my non-English measure audience.

I'm already sourcing parts to build a wheelset that will carry him over the cobbles...

No name yet...the H.O. is about as decisive as a fat person on the fried food row of the State Fair.
The In-Laws were here today, trying to "help" with names. It seems that they have an affection for names that belong to Jiffy-Lube employees. Colt? Clint? Really?
I appreciate the effort, but...wait, no I don't...

Rides are done for a few days

It seems the H.O. has made it to the finish line, or will in about 18-ish hours, in the great baby race. This means I will be on family duty for the next 3 or 4 days.
Thus, I have been on the bike the past two mornings.

Monday a.m. : CX ride on the double secret dirt loop. Rode hard, put away wet. Second ride of the morning was with the M.T.s to get them used to their new bikes. #1 got a 20" Specialized Hotrock for his birthday, and #2 got bumped up the the 16" Specialized Hotrock. Both handled themselves with aplomb in their maiden voyages on the new whips.

This morning, I did 2/3 of the Iron Cross on the Fort, and just enjoyed the sunshine and quiet.

The only noise other than high dollar Italian rubber on tarmac, and the mechanical whir of the Ridley, was the small arms fire that has become de rigeur on the Army's largest training base.

It's almost comforting. After a solid 50km spin, I came home and loaded the boys up for another ride.
Second day on the new rigs, and they got thrown in the mix. Dirt roads? No problem!


An hour on the dirt in WeCola passed quickly, and without incident. My kids are harder than you!

Some rides are good for your body. Riding with your children is good for your soul! Peace! See you in a few!

Jake Keough and PhilGil FTW

Keough wins after the UHC Blue Train hits the front and destroys the field in the last 5 laps. Jonathon Cantwell from Fly V Australia takes second. Cantwell protested that Keough deviated off his line, which you can see by the video, just didn't happen. Hard to deviate when you're 5 lengths ahead...
Great races last night. Big $ primes kept the pace high in both races. Nothing like starting the women's race with $500 on the first lap and $1000 first lap in the men's.

Local boy Marc 'Coco' Williams lined up last night and made to about halfway/45 minutes, which is about 44 minutes more than most of us would have lasted!

Pics from the race(s)...

And the last kms of San Sebastien...



Paraphrasing a quote from Ryder Hesjedal... "...I hope he gets his big contract and chills the fuck out! He's making the rest of us look stupid..."

Yes, yes he is...

Saturday Night's alright...

If anyone is interested, the hammer with be striking the anvil tonight in Charlotte. The Presby Crit goes off in a few short hours.
$25k purse for the women (6:30 start)
$50k for the men (8:00 start)
Did I mention that it's about 137 degrees outside right now?
My cooler is packed! Mexi-Cokes, h2o and Gatorade...



Good ride this morning. The dirt loop is nice b/c it's mostly under the canopy down near the river. The speed was there, but the legs were fatigued. After a few weeks of injury, and family stuff, a 15 hour week has made my legs mostly dead.
No bikey tomorrow...
Gonna try to ride Monday and Tuesday mornings, as the new addition to the family is scheduled to arrive Wednesday. Of course, the best laid plans...blah, blah, blah...

Enjoy your weekend!

Da News

Rock Racing...again...REALLY? They need to market this shit in Jersey...

USA Cycling figures out yet another way to split races, pit promoters against one another, and try to make themselves more cash...all in one fell swoop...

Hey Team Sky...If 'ifs and buts were candies and nuts, it would be Christmas every day'!!!

Boonen says he's back on track...cites his 19 year old girlfriend and a baggy of Bolivian marching powder as motivating factors...


I miss my BMX bike...


Today was a double day for the kid.

Ride one was a CX ride thru the dirt loop in WeCola. I hadn't planned on riding hard this morning, but the feelings were good when I hit 12th St., so I just sort of rolled it up until it started to hurt...and left it there. The 45 minutes at tempo passed pretty quickly. The dirt is pretty rough right now, but the rain has made it a fast track. The fact I was on a properly built steel bike with good parts, and Clement file tread meats didn't hurt either. 1:45 ride time

Ride two was the group ride in WeCola. I rolled out with them, then turned off where Old Wire crosses 176 and rode home @ SST. Good feeling in the legs, but they weren't happy with the second trip of the day up Gervais. 2:00 ride time

And an opinion- The WeCola ride is big fun, for several reasons. The first, and best reason, is that it's a positive vibe. There are Cat 2 dudes and fat 50 year old women, but it doesn't matter. Everyone is there to have fun and get a good ride. The groups shake out and splits happen...all very naturally. No one is out there to whip out their junk, or to brag about power numbers. Believe me though, if you want to go hard, there are dudes that will push you to your limit. Conversely, if you want to spin around, have a nice ride, and enjoy some nice countryside and nice conversation, that's cool too! There are myriad smiles and laughs, regardless of ability level.
It's kind of what it should be about!
As an aside, there were 50+ on the ride tonight...which speaks volumes for the group and the ride itself.

Morning ride

They graded a portion of Old State. Too say it was wet and heavy would be kind...


Have I mentioned that I hate SRAM?

Nap shortly...second ride goes off in 4 hours.

Edit: Looked at the radar and noticed the pretty colors directly where I'd planned to do ride #2, so I stayed in the house. Should have done a loop of the Fort...
I did get the nap though...

Gotta love the French

...when they aren't whinging or running away...

Now THAT'S WTF Willis was talkin' 'bout!!

Jesus, what a great freaking Stage!

Everyone on this big blue marble, including the peloton, watched Andy Schleck roll away with 60km to go and thought, WTF is he doing? I think we all figured he'd blow over the top, or show his usual skill on the descent, but nooooo. The little Schlit held it all the way to the top of the Galibier. That being said, he was pedaling squares over the last 3km or so...
Cadel...panache...went to the front and killed it.
Voeckler...panache...couldn't help in the chase, but gutted himself to hang on and keep yellow. Dude has spent 20 days in yellow...which puts him @ #20 on the list, equal with Bartali, and above several BIG names!

L'Alpe is tomorrow, and could decide the race. Personally, I think too many matches were burnt today, and some no name will win the Stage. The Tour will come down to the TT. Of course, steaks and T-patches may still be getting passed around in the hotels, so there may be fireworks again.

Either way, I'll be front of the 50", watching with baited breath!

My call for the podium: 1-Evans 2- Andy S. 3-Voeckler

Anywho, Tuesday was a good ride. It's different, fun, and you can make it as hard, or as easy as you like. A few good efforts were made, and I'm starting to feel like a little pre-mancation form is returning. The problem is the fact that is 137 degrees outside in the afternoons, and I'm just too fucking lazy to get up @ 0530 to go ride, although that may change in the near future. I'm just not built for oppressive heat.

Tomorrow may be a Tour Edition picture breakdown post...

Jens and Stuey should really slap him around...

An open letter to Andy Schleck:

Andy, you're a pussy!
I wasn't surprised by your incessant head swivel in the Pyrenees. I understand the unspoken love you have for your brother Frank, and the fact that you lack any style, soul, or panache. We accept these shortcomings. Some don't like them, but we accept them as part of the rich tapestry that IS Le Tour.
Today however, you reached a new high water mark on the 'bitching like a junior high school cheerleader' yardstick. On today's descent into Gap, it was raining, and the road was slick...I get that. I also understand that bombing roads like these is daunting, even in good weather. Hell, I don't like it either!
My, and more than a few people's, problem with you today? The fact that, after you lost time on the descent, you yelped like the spurned last puppy in the litter. To borrow a quote from your teammate Stuart O'Grady, Harden the Fuck Up.
You're a freaking top-flight pro...learn to handle a bike. Call Trek! I'm sure they'd box up a 29er, or a CX bike for you to play with in the off-season. You'd be surprised how much it helps! Or stop by the BMC team bus and have a chat with Cadel. He may be a whinger, but he won the MTB World Cup twice before turning to the road.

Or, if you are against this idea, I've also found a pharmaceutical answer...

Now, I make no claims as to the efficacy of this drug, nor it's legality under current UCI regulations. You may need to add it to your TUE card.

Yours-

Cycling Fans

The Schlecks

Herp and Derp. Andy will also be starring in 'Simple Jack 2'

Matty Goss channeling De Niro...

Nothing to report here, other than I canceled my order for a new group to put on the Ridley this morning. It seems, that in the grand scheme, electronic Shimano loses out to a new 5-ton A/C unit.
On a side note...as soon as I stroked the check for the A/C, my ass began to hurt...weird...

Voeckler part deux

As the Stage yesterday showed, the Schlecks seem to be a Confederacy of Dunces. Andy looked around more than he looked forward. Everyone is likely stressing in the team buses, trying to figure out some overly thought out strategy to get their team leader(s) into yellow.

Voeckler? Nope, he's chilling in the cafe, having an espresso, reading L'Equipe...
Yep, style and soul...style and soul...

Good ride with OSB and Il Prof this morning. Amazing that on a nearly perfect morning, there were three of us at the ride. Headscratcher...for sure. We did a meandering 85km loop through LR and simply enjoyed the day. It was nice...

Voeckler

In watching the Tour over the last three days in the Pyrenees, I've come to a conclusion. This conclusion is mine, and mine alone. You are more than welcome to agree with me however, and I'm thinking some of you may do just that.

Conclusion?
Voeckler is cut from old cloth. He has more heart, soul and style than the 'favorites' in this year's Tour. He's a gritty little bastard who rides completely above himself, and for that, he must be admired. No HRM, no SRM, no radio. If the move goes, he goes. The favorites couldn't drop Tommy today, which leads me to believe that they are going to be forced to do actual work to wrest the maillot jaune from his shoulders. Like the vaunted Honey Badger, it seems that Tommy V "don't care".


Good two hours on the CX bike this morning. Beautiful out in Lexington County this morning. Funny how people are 'discovering' the roads out there lately...

Saw these today

Hoogerland T F U !!!
Ball and stick 'athletes' would go on the DL for WEEKS with an injury 25% this bad. Cyclists...nope...roll on!

Colnago porn and some stuff

I'm not a huge Colnago, nor Campagnolo, fan, but Voeckler's bike sort of speaks to me. In a dirty, Italian supermodel sort of way...

Went out in the 473 degree heat index last night. I knew I was in trouble about 30 minutes into the ride. Stomach bad and malaise. I sat up and decided to pedal home. By the time I got home, the lights were going out...quickly. Sitting in a 75 degree house, not eating much, and being largely off the bike for 3 weeks do not make riding in oppressive heat a whole lot of fun. Note to self : next time the heat index is 118, stay in the fucking house! 18 hours have passed and I still feel less than chippy...

And young Travis Kinley is doing a bit better since falling victim to a 4000 pound weapon yesterday. Young Travis is a good, earnest, genuinely nice kid. He came out to the TNWC not long ago, and was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning to take the beating he was about to receive.
If you follow the link, and read the commensurate comments, I am, in fact, the one ripping the ignorant. I'm not going to rant here, as my thoughts are probably known by all of you.

Please be careful out there folks! I've been to one memorial service this year...don't really want to go to another...

Hoog is tougher than...well...everyone...

Hit by a car, and seemingly attacked by Wolverine...
33 stitches and I'm SURE a large tetanus dose...
To this...

I heard that Jens Voigt wore Johnny Hoogerland pajamas last night! I mean really. How badass? Curt Schilling had a bloody sock and rode that wave for years. Hey Curt, you're a pussy!

Plus: How badass is that Ridley?

WTF man?

Really? REALLY? Flecha went down HARD, and Hoogerland did his best Steve McQueen impression. Betting that the driver of the French TV2 car will be surrendering both his job, and license tonight. See what I did there?

Edit: Hoogerland on the podium today. Dude is a GD stud!


Euro-dogs are the hardest guys on the Planet. If a baseball or football player had been popped by a Citroen, he'd be out for 6 months. Not a Euro-Pro! Hoog was out for 6 minutes!

Bad crashes today. Not a big fan of Vinokourov, but crashing out with a broken femur is just plain bad. VDB broken a collarbone and collapsed a lung, and DZ broke his wrist. Same crash btw...
Edit: Turns out that Vino broke the femoral head OFF the top of his femur. Welcome to retirement my friend!


Another 2 hours on the road this morning. Legs felt better, and my back didn't hurt, so I'll take it. No ridey tomorrow. Junior Management has swimming lessons in the morning.
Oh, and as an aside, the TNWC might be drawing to a close for a while. Construction is going on out on the course, and the City will be digging up the road in the coming weeks to install new sewer/drainage pipes...right on the front stretch. I'll go out and check regularly, but watch this page and my Twitter feed for updates. Cool? Cool! Thanks...

Namaste...

Every damn time...

I've been critical of Cuddles Evans in the past, but he's been riding with a bit more aggression over the last year or so...

...then he turns into his normal bitch self...



Deep down, in my heart of heart, I wish Cav would have punched him dead in the fucking neck! Wanker...

And how the hell is Dan Jones NOT on some Worldwide TV broadcast. These are the interviews people WANT to see!



I actually rode my bike today. It was cool! Two weeks off for a back issue (post crash) makes the body not quite ready for primetime. About 30 minutes in, I had a really bad patch that could likely be attributed to my body asking, "WTF man? We've been laying down for two weeks!"
2 hours easy this morning was good though. No back pain and I got to be outside in the sun.

Check yo self...

Cycling is hard. Racing is harder. Being a pro...fucking tough. The Tour...nearly inhuman and inhumane. Crashes have taken a toll over the last few days. Big names have gone to the house. Boonen, Wiggo, and others. Today though, video surfaced of Horner AFTER the Stage ended. Did I mention that Horner bounced his melon off the tarmac at 50kmh? It's sort of tough to watch. No blood, guts, or protruding bones, but tough on a personal level...

Watch if you'd like...



Fucking guy got off the deck and chased the last 25km without remembering the crash. There's a line between falling off and having a head knock, and a HEAD INJURY! Horner has a head injury, period! Grade 2+ or grade 3 concussion most likely. AND a freaking broken nose...!

I hear the peanut gallery shouting, "You're no Doc, how the hell do you know that?" Well, my dear readers, I bounced my helmeted head off the deck a couple of years ago. I didn't, and still don't, remember the crash. Thanks to Giro, I didn't get hurt a lot worse. Same with Mr. Horner!

I'm all for playing through the pain, but the RadioShack team Doc needs to pull him out of race. Road rash can be scrubbed out, fractures can be splinted. Closed head injuries have a bad habit of getting worse if not treated properly. Horner hits his head again and the result might not be very pleasant.
I know you wanted to do well again this year Chris, but go home and recover!

Porn

Cockpit setup on a Team Sky Pina Graal. That's some custom scheisse right there!

I'm no TTer, but I geek out on TT bikes. The new BMC prototype is just plain sick! Jesu Christo...my pants just got tighter!

Oh, and check this Tumblr site. YAY Cycling! Great photos and commentary...

The Tour started...

I'm excited, but DAMN, it's been boring. I know it's only the 3rd Stage...(yawn).

I do like this picture though...DZ putting his root down!

Stupid News for Le Tour (to this point, of course...): The UCI has dic(k)tated that saddles on TT bikes must be perfectly level. No nose up...no nose down. Really? Is this all the UCI has to worry about at this point? How about the fact that Clenbutador is still riding? I don't think much of Bruyneel, but I'd gladly give $20 towards his fine for 'improper conduct towards officials'. Ridiculous!

No Fab 4th ride for me again this year. It's a ride I really like, but just doesn't like me...at all...
I've broken wheels, frames, body parts, etc., either on, or before, this ride. I don't think I'm meant to do it. Beautiful day for it today though. Hope everyone had a good time!

My SI issue is getting better everyday. Maybe 10% per day. I'm starting to get the junkie Jones to ride. I've been off for a week, laying flat on my back. So enjoyable...

Happy 4th of July!

Ladies and gentlemen...Marketing by Cervelo

90 seconds saving over 100km? Wow...I think I'm gonna go take pictures of my Ridley and put it on Ebay. Screw light weight, ride quality and pulchritude!

Jesus...the S5 is ugly and just looks unfinished...

NC races....

France Chav wins solo...


Belgium Gilbert is a carrier of the Black Card!


Netherlands Ligthart takes the sprint from Tankink



Looking for other vids....

Crashing is hard

As the title states, crashing is hard. Sure, when you're 17 and hit the ground, you can pop up, finish the ride strong, go home and wash out the wounds, yet be perfectly fine the next day.
When you're over 40, hitting the ground takes a lot out of you.
Folks have asked exactly HOW I hurt my back...well, here's your answer...

Last Saturday, in the muddy mayhem that was my solo ride, I did, in fact, hit the ground with anger. Old State was SLICK in a few spots. I rolled through the first couple of spots of snotlike, Lexington County, red clay mud with aplomb. Big ring, + some speed + pedal hard = cleared mud section. This equation had always worked in the past. Well, as usually happens when I try to do higher math, failure is always an option.
I hit the section in question, proceeded to execute a text book tank-slapper to high side, and hit the rocky, wet, muddy ground at high speed. The angles in question were both acute, and obtuse at the same time.

I sat on the hard, not so cold, ground for a moment, just to make sure there were no bones protruding from skin. Once bi-pedal, I realized that my back was not happy with the circumstance. I rode another hour, but should have taken my dumbass directly back to Service Course.

Once, home, I knew my riding would be curtailed for a while. The skeleton seems to have made it through unscathed, but I'm severely stoved up. Bike is fine, just a bit muddier for it, but it seems that I'll be buying a new Giro helmet. My back-up/CX helmet did not survive the impact. Saved my head, but goes into the collection of retired buckets. Maybe the new Giro Aeon...?

As the days pass, I'm feeling better, and will try to throw a leg over the top tube tomorrow.

Happy Hump Day!

Sunday pic post

Advertising finally tells the truth?
I'll take it, if I must....
Who says NYers are stupid?
Um, yes please! Click on the pic for the HUGE version. Amazing...
Doping schematic. Very eye opening, if it doesn't make you cross-eyeded!

Nothing much to say today. My back is shredded. I moved furniture for the H.O. Friday night, and seemed to have strained my back...again! I rode for 2.5 hours yesterday and came to the realization that another week off the bike is called for. I try not to get all depressed about the whole situation, but it's hard on days like today. Freaking perfect outside...
Looks like the 4th of July ride in Tryon is out. I've said it before...I just don't think I'm meant to do that ride!
And as it normally works, Junior Mgmt. is going to VBS in the mornings next week. Guess I'll get to lay around in peace...

Friday video dump

Servizio Corse Strade Bianche - Chapter I from 341PRODUCTION on Vimeo.

Both videos made by Gianmarco Dodesini Valsecchi.

And if appreciate bicycles, design, or any marriage of the two. Click this link and get your geek on. (Firefly Bicycles)

Back on the horse tomorrow. I've recovered (sort of) from the trip to Pa. All of the riding during my man-cation, both two and four wheeled, just soaked me for the past week. A lot of lazing about seems to have done the trick.

I think I saw a hyena...

It's been Africa hot in Columbia the last few days. I know that it's hot in other places around the US, but Columbia is a different kind of heat. Sort of like brands of hot sauce offer different flavors and heat.
See, Columbia is a geographic wonder. We sit in this nice little hole, dead in the middle of the state. There are parts of Columbia that are less than 200 feet above sea level. This hole creates it's own weather, and gives our humble little city a bit of inversion. The junk weather just sits here and marinates, like beef stew, thus making it hotter and more humid than most other places.
The air stagnates, the wind stops blowing and it becomes quite unpleasant.

Last night, instead of trying to prostrate myself at the TNWC, I rolled out towards W.Cola on the CX bike. I figured hitting the dirt would be better b/c most of it was in the shade. On the way out, I met Il Prof on his way to the Tri-City ride, so we rode out there together. Upon leaving with them, Kempy and I got caught yapping and missed the light. Once out to 12th St., the chase was on. Kempy was on his tri bike with 404s, and I was on the Jericho with knobbies. Following his wheel at 40kmh+ was not easy, and sounded a bit like a monster truck rolling down the pavement. When we caught, he rode straight past the bunch, and I sat up and just rode with them until my turn onto the dirt.
Old State was dry, loose, and rough last night, but it was ALL shaded, and about 10-15 degrees cooler than the road. Not bad.
A bit of effort blew some garbage out, which was nice. However, the last 15-20 minutes of the ride was quite slow. No matter what you do on the bike, if it's done in 105+ temps, it sucks the life clean out of you!

Now...news you can use...

Ultegra Di2 is coming...to my house.
The Shack announces it's (senior) Tour roster. Horner expected to play the part of domestique, yet still finish higher than the angry midget.
Soler seems to be out of the woods. Good on you mate! Dude is a class bike racer!
Riis confirms Saxo Bank will be around as sponsor for 2012. Team will be known as "Team Saxo Bank p/b Omaha Steaks"
Speaking of class riders...Ted King everyone!
Peace!

Hey...I-95, this is what I think of you...

Jesu Christo...
A trip that should take @ 9 hours, if everything lines up, took 11 hours yesterday. We, and I say we because everyone on I-95 thru DC yesterday was in the same suck-u-ation, sat in traffic south of DC for 90 full minutes. I turned the truck off for 23 minutes at one point. Yeah, I timed it...nothing much else to do at that point.
It's morbid, and a bit twisted, but I really expected an accident of epic proportions to be the cause of the back-up, but NOOOOOOOO, there was nothing, other than poor traffic engineering.

Once it opened up, I would have gone hammer down, but the truck isn't very happy over 80, AND the bikes were on the back, so I set the cruise at 77 and let it roll until the low fuel light came on. After a fuel stop, for both the truck and me, I pointed it into the wind and headed home. A positive? The restaurant in the truck stop was a Five Guys...

The final cockpunch? I-20 in Camden, no more than 30 minutes from home, I hit the leading edge of the storm and ate huge rain drops, hail, and horrifying crosswinds.

Next time, if I take the bikes, I'm going 77 to 81, through the mountains...

Riding here does NOT suck!

A protected trout stream that ran next to the best road I pedaled my happy ass on all week.



The views are spectacular. This is from inside Valley Forge. Long climb up through the park to get here, but the view and descent were worth it!

We had a little reunion of sorts last night. It was one of those reunions where you only see the people from high school that you actually liked, and still like! Big fun was had by all. Booze flowed like water, two kinds of BBQ, and plenty of laughs! Ingredients for a good evening!
LV spilled a full glass of red wine...no big deal, right? Well, the hostess with the mostest doesn't take kindly to spills in her new house. Fortunately, she was in another room! LV (the spillor), our friend Mike, and I attacked the spill like a NASCAR pitcrew. Joe Gibbs Racing doesn't have SHIT on us. Inside of 20 seconds, the spill, and any evidence that it ever happened, disappeared. I know it's sort of a location joke (you had to be there), but it was freaking brilliant!

Good rides this week! Back in the truck for another 10 hour beating tomorrow!

Peace!

Pics from yesterday

Not bad views around the lake. I got lost on the trails for about 45 minutes. Not for nothin', but trail markers really wouldn't hurt out there!
A couple more loops around today, then off to check out the new shop that opened around the corner from where I'm staying....

Told you so...

It took a few days, but that weasel-y little fucker Papp left a comment...
Go away Joe...no one gives a good GD what you think. You have an issue with perception. It's this perception that makes you believe that you are the great savior of cycling. If it makes you sleep better at night, then it's your issue to deal with. The fact that you yap like a purse-dog to anyone that will listen makes it everyone else's. I'm no head-shrinker, but serious mental health advice may be what's needed for you. Your 'notoriety' is what it is because you've acted like a douche, not because you've suddenly found the straight and narrow.

STFU and just slide into anonymity, where you have lived your whole life, and where you belong.

Now, onto the rest of our show...

Thor won the TdS stage yesterday, then promptly showed off his ''whiteman's overbite". Nice! The finish was NOT easy, yet he hauled his big sprinter body to the finish. Take note of this as the Tour approaches...

Change in locations today. Leaving Philly and moving to the 'burbs. Mapped out some good loops through the country. Just found my damn camera, so I'll upload some photos later...

Have a good Wednesday!

When good trips good bad...

So I blew out of Cola Saturday morning, WAAAAY before the rooster cracked open his beady little eyes. Set the cruise at 74mph, and left it there. Made the halfway point 30 minutes faster than last time I did this trip.
Gas-n-Go in Emporia, Va.
Back in breeze....
Hauled ass and was absolutely killing it until I hit the outskirts of DC. 35 miles to make it through DC took 1:17. At one point, I got OUT of the car, on I-95, and stretched for a few minutes. Traffic was stopped!!! My pal Gary posted on Twitter after I'd tweeted my plight, "DC is the place where making good time goes to die..."
After making safely out of the Thunderdome, ass began of be hauled again. If you aren't going 11mph on that part of I-95, you'd better be going 80mph. This pace was maintained until about 3 miles from the Delaware border.
Traffic backed up, and then proceeded at what could only be described as, ''at a crippled snail's pace''. Lo and behold, two jackasses, in too big of a fucking hurry, tried to hit the same lane at the toll plaza at the same time. If you know anything about physics, then you know how this worked out. Two cars wedged between the concrete barriers at the toll plaza will, in fact, cause issues.
Once beyond the festival of dumbassery, the final 30 minutes went by quickly.
A trip that was on plan to take just over 9 hours wound up sucking 10.5 hours out of my soul.

I rode yesterday to get rid of the stiffness in my legs, and MAN is it fucking hilly here. I'm glad I slapped the 11-28 on the bike. the 11 isn't needed, but the 28 was my friend yesterday. There are three climbs with 5 miles of the house that are Camp Old Indian-esque. Big fun for the fat guy!

Another road ride today. 2 hours or so. Can't do much more than that where I'm staying right now...not a lot of open spaces...

Dinner in South Philly tonight with a couple of short-listers...

Peace!

Joe Papp strikes again...

It seems that little cock-gobbler Joe Papp has claimed another victim. Sure, Phil Zajicek got popped for doping, but he got the death sentence because of a fucking snitch. A snitch who is FAR worse on the grand scale of doping offenses than even Armstrong, Clenbutador and Veinokourov.

I'd like to see the sport rid of the dopers, but not like this. Revamp the system! Make punishments harsher. Instead of a two year ban, throw the bums the hell out of the sport. Don't start throwing people out of the sport because a convicted, drug-dealing, felon cuts a deal to save his own smarmy hide.
And yes, there's a difference between what Phil Z, and MANY others have done, or might be still doing, and Papp. Papp was a doper, who set up a BUSINESS selling dope, ergo, he's no better than the douchebag mixing a batch of meth out in Lexington County. Both are drug dealers, PERIOD!
The meth cooker goes to jail, and can't get out. Papp snitched out everyone he knows to the USADA, and will probably get a walk. Equity...nope! They are the same person though...

Here's a better idea...
Papp misses his family in Cuba? Buy him a plane ticket, and send his ass to be with them! Life in Cuba is probably harder than prison anyway, except for the whole 'holding the pocket' thing!

I'm sure this will illicit a response from Mr. Papp, as he probably sits around all day Googling his name to see what people are saying about him, and that's fine. He'll say he's trying to save the sport. Bullshit! He's trying to save himself from being used as a sex toy in prison!

And on that note, I'm out! Mancation(tm) starts tomorrow. I'm heading North to hang out with some of the people on my short list, ride my bike through the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside, and relax. There will be updates next week...mostly pictures. I found some good loops to hit while I'm away...

Back in SC in a week or so...Peace!

(insert post title here)

I'd be down for this sort of thing if I thought it wouldn't cripple my 41 year old ass!



No TNWC for me tonight. I woke up this morning some serious sinus stuff going on. Fortunately, my friend in high/low places, Dr. JB, was kind enough to call in a RX for me last time I was sick, and he added a refill...SWEEEEET! I'm now on a cocktail of OTC and RX meds to kill whatever is trying to grow within my head.
Man-cation(tm) begins Saturday, and that takes precedent over riding around in circles for an hour. I looked back on my log yesterday, and over the last four weeks, I've spent 50.5 hours in the saddle. 12/12/16/10.5 = a rest week with a touch of head cold.

Lots of stuff to do in the next few days before heading to Yankee-Land...

News you can use...or not...whatever...

Will someone PLEASE give this fucking guy the Breaking Away 'Team Cinzano' treatment? If you don't know what that is, watch the movie! NO SPRINTS!

Rasmussen won Philly. No, not that douche, the one who rides for HTC. Would have been nice to watch it...computer or TV. Comcast had it, but only in certain markets, and Direct TV. Good jobs guys, way to embrace the intarwebs...

Coverage of USPros was on Versus last Sunday. What a pile of shit! 12 minutes of racing with 48 minutes of BS promos and commercials. Oh, and the footage that did make it to air looked like Eastern European porn...shot on a Blackberry...with a dirty lens.

On the woman front, Tiff Cromwell leaves Lotto-Honda and heads to greener pastures. 'Not the right fit' was one of her reasons for departing. She must have gotten one of Liz Hatch's jerseys...

WADA advises Clenbutador to skip Le Tour. Cites the lack of quality beef cattle in France...and the fact that Bertie is a tool!

Good ride thru Calhoun County yesterday. The consensus was that those who refuse to ride out that way just don't know what they're missing. Good roads, actual terrain changes, low traffic, myriad loops between 45 and 90 miles...on second thought, nevermind, it's terrible out there...stay on Ft. Jackson...

TNWC tomorrow...6:30 at the spot. Let's have a big group this week!

Good rides with a good guy and a review

So Rahsaan Bahati has been in town for the last few days. I met him Thursday morning...a friend of a friend sort of thing. He was in town for some meetings concerning his foundation, and neglected to bring a bike. So using my considerable juice (wink, wink), I lined up a whip, pedals, shoes, etc., for him to use while here. After some quality hours with Rahsaan, both on, and off, the bike, I can tell you that he's one of the nicest and most gracious guys that I've ever had the pleasure to meet. Some of his past antics have given him sort of a bad rap in the cycling world, but all of that's completely unfounded. He's a competitor. If you don't have a touch of asshole in you, a competitor, you are not!
He showed on Thursday night, and again this morning for the 8 a.m. ride. It was much appreciated by all in attendance. I think the juniors got a kick out of it!
We did a nice, double paceline tempo ride thru LR this morning. 85km in 2:25 on a beautiful SC summer morning!

And now, on to the show...
Zipp 404 Firecrest Full carbon clinchers

$2500-ish for 1550-ish grams. Seems a little exorbitant to me, even before riding them, especially when you consider that wheels in the same weight class can cost hundreds, if not thousands less.
Let's hit the high spots...
Speed- Yeah, they're GD fast! The hoops themselves aren't terribly heavy, so the whole 'rotational weight' issue is pretty moot. Even climbing, the weight isn't at all noticeable. At an average pace they roll well, but once at speed, say 38-40kmh+, the 404FC wheels just haul ass. The 58mm cross section does not hurt in these instances.
Stiffness- Even with the low spoke count (16f/20r), they seem to have plenty of lateral stiffness, even under my big ass. Climbing, as well as coming out of corners, they seem to jump forward when power is applied. Tall rims, semi-high flange hubs and short spokes contribute to all of this. On the vertical plane, they are pretty damn comfy...more on this in a moment...
Setup- As far as putting on tubes, tires and a cassette goes, situation normal. Here's where things gets hinky. Because of the width of the rim, which is 26.5mm for those who are to lazy to click the link, one must tinker with the brakes. I ride Mavic SSC binders, which, even at their widest, would not accommodate the width of the rim. I was forced to replace my NEW SwissStop Yellows with a set of 1/2 thickness Yellows, so there would be enough clearance. Not terribly difficult, but a slight pain in the ass. For someone without technical ability around the bike, this would be better left to the dudes in the service department at the shop.
Ride Quality- Yeah, I said they were comfy before, and they are, as long as you remember that the width of the rim dictates lower tire pressures. The width effectively gives your tires, regardless of what they are, more volume, thus, lower pressures are necessary. I didn't think about this on my first ride, so I jacked in my normal 120psi. The ride was rough and twitchy.
The next few rides, I backed it down to 105, and the ride was sublime. Speed was not affected. Cornering may have actually been approved, when considering that the lower pressures allowed the tires to flex a bit more.
Negatives- Price! For the $2500, you can buy an assortment of Boyd, Williams or ROL wheels. The marketing wags @ Zipp will tell you that the 404s are more aero, but wind direction/speed dictates aero, so again...moot point.
The 404FCs are horrid in a crosswind. Even under my beefy 185 pounds, they tend to sail when struck with gusts. Not a pleasant feeling when traveling at speeds that would strip the flesh from your bones if you hit the deck. Last Thursday, we had a strong head/cross wind, and I felt like I almost needed to tack into the wind.
And I'm going to go against some others and say that the braking was good, not great...about the same as my Williams carbon clinchers. No carbon wheels brake well in the wet, and these are no different. Even with the Zipp's new braking surface, the braking is poor at best when wet, even with the Yellows.

Yeah, they're pretty nice wheels, but the negatives outweigh the positives for me. If someone was GIVING me the wheels, I'd take them, but for the $, I think I'll pass.
What would be great is if they were @ $1000 less, and they came in the 303 rim depth. You listening Zipp?

Sunday ride...tomorrow @ Outspokin...9 a.m.

Again, with THAT word...

As was discussed last winter, the word "epic" has become so overused and bastardized that it's merely a shell of it's former self.
Well, last night, a ride that went from pretty fun in the Vietnam-esque heat and humidity of Columbia, turned into a battle with the elements. As is said in Columbia all too often, if you don't like the weather, wait 30 minutes...
The skies began to darken about 45 minutes into our ride, but "hey, it'll pass" was uttered by more than one person. The turn was made on Dixie extension, which is, for my non-Columbia, SC readers, the road leads to the furthest point out into Fort Jackson Army Training Base you can ride a road bike. Yeah, we rode all the way out last night.
Upon, turning back towards town (and facing West), it was noticed that the skies ahead were very dark. The pace went up, in the thinking that we could beat the storm. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Sorry, I just made myself laugh...
The rain started about 5 minutes later...then the lightning...then the wind. The rain went from drops to 'biblical' in the course of about 800m. Visibility went to MAYBE 50m, the wind was gusting, thus blowing the rain sideways. It stayed this way until we got into the center of the Fort, then the temperature PLUNGED. And by plunged, I'm talking dropping 25-30 degrees! It was COLD at the traffic circle. With this cold, the final cherry was placed on this oh-so-damp sundae of misery...HAIL! Marble-sized hail began to fall! The answer to your next question is, YES, that shit stings went it hits you.
We all made it home in what was an actual lull in the mayhem. It was still raining, but about 15 minutes after I hit the door, all hell broke loose again! My yard, and neighborhood for that matter, looks like Godzilla rolled down and shook the trees. Branches are everywhere, which means my children have some work to do in the backyard this morning!
The ride was maybe borderline EPIC, but it was definitely hectic for a long while!

As an aside, it seems the new rim shape on the Zipp 404 FC wheels is very efficient at slicing through both flowing water, and deep standing water. And regardless of what other reviews you may read about them, the braking is NO better in the rain. I think I actually sped up at one point when I applied the binders.

Oh, and Rahsaan Bahati is in town. If you see him, say hello! We hung out yesterday for a long while, on and off the bike. He's very cool, very mellow and just a good guy. He'll be riding with us Saturday morning, so get to the circle @ 8 a.m.!!
Apologies to him for nearly drowning him last night! His exact text to me after the ride was "Dude, that was uncalled for...soaked..."

Wednesday morning quickie

...and who doesn't like a quickie in the morning?


Rujano is using every neck muscle in his tiny little body to keep from turning his head! You can almost hear his thoughts..."No mire Jose...no mire...!" It reminds me of the pictures you see of the dog with a treat balanced on his nose.

And yet another example of proper skinsuit fit...

The TNWC went off last night. About 20 masochists left the line together in 97 degree heat. It was just brutal. The usual ebb and flow was there, but the swings in pace were much larger than usual. Two or three laps at 45kmh would be followed by two laps at 30-32kmh.
Two chain drops for me last night...one on the short chute, that cost me yet another lap, and the second on the backstretch, at 50kmh, after running through one of the 'repaired' strips. A new f/d will be ordered today. Tired of nearly blowing out my hip when the chain falls onto the 39 at speed!
TobyS escaped with 2 to go, and the group watched it. Personally, I'm quite surprised that he was let go. It's not like he's A)fast, or B)done it before!

Yet another trip to the Surgeon for me this morning. 3 months post-op...
The Surgeon who did my procedure(s) makes his real money doing bariatric/weight loss surgeries, so even at my 185 pounds, I get big stinkeye from the other folks in the waiting room. Nice to be the skinny guy in the room for once!

Welcome to summer everyone!