Puny

Hey...Mother Nature...I know you're busy destroying parts of California, but if you get a chance, can you do something about the 30+ degree temperature swings here in the Southeast?
I know it's a bit akin to bitching about the weight of a brick of gold, as it's going to be well into the 60s this weekend, but huge swings are doing my head in.
No ridey last night, as my head felt like a football....


Better today. Now it's only my right eye that feels like it's going to pop out of my skull...

As mentioned, it's going to be pretty nice this weekend. I'm riding come Hell, or high water...
Ooohhhh...sorry California...too soon...

Baum nailed this color. The issue is the name of the bike...the Extensa...
Maybe it's me, but that sounds like some sort of erectile dysfunction pill...

Not much else today. Every post can't be a winner...sorry...

Whaaaaat?

 So, this is a new Pegoretti Responsium. The article that accompanied this photo was obviously written by someone who has never spent time on anything other than a plastic bike. Pegorettis were called "an acquired taste"...
What? Sure, they are an acquired taste, as much as bacon or chocolate is an acquired taste.

 She thought it was funny too...

This is Baum's 2015 TdU bike. It is nearly perfect. Change the saddle, and add some deep drop Dedas, and were gold. And if they made me...I'd even ride the SRAM stuff.

Fun ride last night. The group was small though. No idea why. It was a really pleasant evening.
The lights on the new sections of trail are now operational as well. It really messes with the vision, and the mind. I was just starting to learn the turns in the dark, now there's light on them. It's weird...
Got a decent two hours in the dark, and was told my lights were too bright by some numpty in a car.
Too bad Chief! I'm worried about me, not about you...

And I've come to the conclusion that it may be time to wash the CX bike. It's a bit of an embarrassment. It hasn't had soap and water on it since it was completed...in July.

Four wheels good...



The sound! Oh. God. The. Sound.

OK...time to go. Gotta go get cracked and stretched, then go buy some food.
14 shopping days left....

Yes, I'm ready to order...

I'll have the shit sandwich please...

That was my Friday...
The Boss took the day off, as she'd been out of town all week for work, so I decided to ride a bit.
I went to let the furry beast outside, and was met with labored breathing, and she just didn't want to get up. I carried her outside, and she went about her business.
Once back in, she laid down in her bed, and went right back to sleep.
I clicked on the laptop, and got CHKDSK three times, then the blue screen of death. It was 8am, and my day was going swimmingly.
I got on the bike, but it sucked. I couldn't quiet my mind. Dead laptop with THOUSANDS of photos on it, and my little dog was probably dying. I couldn't get my head in the game...
Back to Service Course, and Bella needed to go to the Vet. She passed quietly shortly thereafter. I was glad to be with her. I owed her that much.

She was 16-1/2. I buried her in the sunny spot she liked to lay in. The house seems a little empty...

I went out solo Saturday, head still a little cloudy, and was met with obstacles at every turn.
A stopped train at the end of 12th. Turn around. The Christmas Parade on Gervais. Turn. High School football Championships at Williams-Brice. Fight traffic.
Once clear of each issue, I got a little better on the bike. By the end, I was flying. A good ride is one that gets faster, and easier, as it goes on. It was a good ride.
The effort pushed down some of the demons. Catharsis...
Back at SC, I raked the yard...again...fucking leaves...
After I was done, I went to BestBuy. Thankfully, the Geek Squad dudes saved the pictures from my dead laptop, and transferred them to an external drive. I also did some retail therapy, and bought myself a Chromebook.
Gotta say, for 95% of human beings, a Chromebook is all one needs at home. It's light, simple, and super fast. Ease of use is off the charts. Yeah, the memory is small, but coupled with the external drive, it suddenly becomes a machine with a 500gb+ hard drive...for $250.
Sunday was sunny, yet windy. A good group showed, and rolled out together. It went sideways after that. Different turns were taken. A couple of us went one way, while others did not. I killed it to Swansea in the hopes that I'd catch the group, and we'd gather back up.
I sat in Swansea, by myself, for 15 minutes. No one showed.
The 20+ headwind was a JOY on the ride back in. Even more so, as there was nowhere to hide. I was in a fistfight for 90 minutes.
No matter. Shit happens. I got a good ride. 100km in 3:30. And considering the wind, that was killing it.
Once home, and a quick turnaround was completed, The Beast was loaded up, and Corpo went to Congaree National Park for some fresh air.
It was good. Even seeing an entire family of feral pigs was cool. It was momma pig, poppa pig, and a couple of generations of offspring. Probably 8 total. We were maybe 20 yards apart. We stood dead still and quiet. They looked and watched us too. After a few sort-of-tense moments, they moved on.
Next time, I'm taking a firearm. Park Service policy be damned. Hogs are no joke.
It was a good end to a weekend that I can take or leave.

Euro CX

Hasselt


Druivencross


The weather is looking a bit more, well...Belgian. Kind of looks that way outside here today too.
I took some good photos Saturday and Sunday, but the new machine and the camera aren't talking. Gotta get that one figured out...

Have a good Monday...

No ridey

Not until tomorrow at least...
The Boss is out of town on business...if one considers Myrtle Beach "out of town", so I'm single-parenting until Thursday.
I'll definitely be out Thursday night...with the new 6000 lumen light. Whether it's really 6000 lumens is a matter of conjecture, but I can say that it's easily brighter than the 2000-ish lumens I've been pushing.
I figure I'll run it in tandem with the 1000 lumen spot beam. 7k should be enough...

 Why do I suddenly have the urge to buy some Giordana kit?

 Cool Nibbles graphic. Too bad his team is full of Eastern European dopers...

 I normally eschew the wearing of Euro team kits, but the new Saxo kit is pretty cool. How many local teams are stealing this design RIGHT NOW?

And I know this may not be popular with some folks, but the new Campag crank is ugly. It looks unfinished. For $1000 (not a typo!), it should appear as if some care went into it. It just looks a bit cobbled together.

Svenness 3.7
SVENNESS 3.7 from In The Crosshairs on Vimeo.

Onboard with Sven


Speaking of onboard, remember this?


Gotta jet...more point and click Christmas shopping to do...

It's been a while...

...since I put 4 days on the bike together.  And 5 out of 6...
Feels good though...but I'm tired...

A few of us met Saturday morning at The 'Wood for a spin out through Lower Richland.

It was chilly when we rolled out, but warmed up pretty nicely. We did a sort of backwards loop that hit some roads we hadn't ridden in a while. Of course, being the lover of dirt roads that I am, I took one that was a cut through, just to be different.
I may have over estimated the depth of the water hole that blocked the road...

A photo posted by MM (@mminsc) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:05pm PST

We ended up with damn close to 100km on a pretty nice morning...

Tell me again how nice it is to ride where you live...
The remainder of the afternoon was spent clearing leaves. I took my time, as to irritate my fucktard neighbors. Wake me up at 2am, and I'll run my loud-ass leafblower while you try to watch football. Dicks.

TVH and I were the only attendees for The Heathen Ride on Sunday. Pretty much everyone was out of town, save for a few...and their excuses for not attending were weaksauce...at best...
We rode a bit shorter than usual, as tired legs were the theme. And I told The Boss we'd go look for a Christmas tree when I got back to Service Course.
It was pretty freaking sublime though...

AND a tailwind home...
How'd we swing that one...?
A quick turnaround was followed by a trip to The Farmer's Market to get a tree. The Boss, once again, over-estimated the height of our ceilings, and bought a tree that was a bit too tall. I lopped off about 8 inches, and a dozen branches to make it fit.
We made a stop on the way home...
There aren't many better spots to wile away a 70 degree November afternoon than here...

Tim Johnson showed how to get up the stairs at Milton Keynes CX last weekend...


Time to go. Things to do. Money to spend.
It's going to be sunny and 70+ today. Go outside and get it on you...

Two in a row?

Yeah...two days in a row...outside...in the sunshine...
Yesterday was a pre-Turkey Day, multi-surface affair. No plan but to enjoy the ride. And I did. The ride...in pictures...

 PowerStation. (It was HEAVY!)

 Parking garages

 Cobbles

Singletrack
2:15 later, I was back at Service Course, and watching Futbol. Rough morning...

KL and I met this morning for roughly the same ride. We added a little onto the dirt road section, and skipped the garages. No matter. Another good 2.5 hour ride with good company. And it was BEAUTIFUL this morning. 45 degrees. No wind. Big sun. If you didn't ride, you missed out...

Riding from Rosewood @ 9am tomorrow. Road bikes. Come join us. You may have a good time...
And The Heathen Ride is on for Sunday. 9am @ Colonial Center.

MTN Quebeka's new kits. Dig the shorts. The jersey...well...it's a little Newcastle United...

And I neglected to mention Lotto NL/Jumbo's new kit a few weeks ago...

Only the finest MSPaint design and font for the former Team Belkin...

And KL...keep your mouth closed about the double secret stuff you saw today. Remember, those places are also good spots to hide a body...

Hellloooo Portland...

Looks like the rain of the last three days is blowing out. Finally...
Yeah, I know it was only a few days, but this is South Carolina FFS!

No ridey outside last night. I'll do wet. I'll do night. I don;t do night...in the wet. It's a recipe for seeing your collarbone protruding through your skin. Water-filled holes and wet leaves will reach up and drag you to the ground...
Instead, I rode the trainer...again...
I know... twice in a week.
This is what the floor looks like after 75 minutes, including 3x10 at 85-90%. May as well channel the hate into something productive...

A photo posted by MM (@mminsc) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:20pm PST

And thanks to Fabi for driving me on towards the end. I was struggling...

A photo posted by MM (@mminsc) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:24pm PST

I'm riding outside each of the next four days. I don't care if it's raining blood!

Svenness 3.6
SVENNESS 3.6 from In The Crosshairs on Vimeo.

And sometimes, four wheels VERY good...


Who do I need to kill? And when do they need killin'?

And there's some sad news to pass along today.

Steve Hed died this morning. If you don't know who he is, you really should. He's the reason we all ride the wheel/aero technology we're on today. He figured it out first...and I mean FIRST.
I don't care to whom you pray, but take a moment today to say a word for Steve.
He was a leader, a genius, and an all around mensch.
Cycling has lost a son today.

OK...break's over....

The last week was one of utter lack of motivation. I just didn't want to ride. I felt tired, and a little dinged up. So, I rode when I wanted to, which amounted to exactly three hours on the bike.
This week will be a little different...
The time to ride is there, and the want to ride is returning. These Holiday weeks are always good to get outside and ride a bit.

No ridey on Saturday, as nice as it was. The Boss had a funeral service to go to @ 11, and seeing as I'm lazy, I didn't get up before the rooster. I slept in, had brekkie, and watched the CX races from Koksijde.
After the races ended, Junior Management and I got dressed, and went outside to clear leaves.
That was my workout. Go hard clearing leaves for 2 hours.
And really, there's not much better than watching kids jump into a leaf pile the size of a VW Beetle.
I even got a nap. What the wha....

The plan Sunday was to get up, and get on the bike before the rain started. Unfortunately, the rain started about 5am.
Again, I watched some Euro CX, and then did the unthinkable. I went down to Service Course, and rode the trainer. As much as the trainer just absolutely sucks, I had limited time, and it was reasonably effective. A solid hour passed pretty quickly. I credit the fact I was watching the '03 edition of Flanders.

A photo posted by MM (@mminsc) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:43am PST

VdV beaten by PvP. Don't know those guys? #shhhhhhh

After the turbo, I went to an 8 year old's birthday party. If someone had stopped by the house and falcon-punched me, the trifecta would have been complete.

 FDJ introduced their new kits. I feel like I've seen the design somewhere before...

 And I sort of eschew watching ball and stick sports, but Sunday evening TV is lacking, so I watched the American Throwball game.
I watched this infernal sport for most of my life, and I can say, without equivocation, that Odell Beckham Jr. may have made the greatest catch EVER. That was some next-level, caught in The Matrix, I forgot about physics stuff right there...

As an aside, the allowed use of PEDs in football is a joke. Tony Romo has a bad back. He rarely practices, and before games, gets painkiller AND cortisone shots IN HIS BACK. The NFL is cool with this. The American people are cool with this. He's "tough" for gutting it out.
Yet cyclists are dopers...
Mmmmkaaaayyyyy...

Thibaut Nys riding a fat bike? Things are upside down.

Time to get my day going. Places to go...people to see...

Close enough

 Like the new Canyon? Only $2500 retail...

 Or you can get an oddly similar frame from Hong Fu...for $ <$600

Or an aero version from VeloBuild....for $499

Hmmm...curious...

Odd Urban Ride last night. No one seemed to want to be there. I wanted to ride, but just spin. My trip to Renick sort of snapped my back and legs for a couple of days, so there would be no shenanigans.
And I'm still a little dumbfounded why the ride is fracturing into several groups. What's the point of having a group ride?
The point is to be together. I can go ride by myself in the dark. Everyone has their own agenda. Just another example of the dysfunction that IS the Columbia scene.

I'm gonna need a moment...
Just put some white look Keos on it, and ship it South.
And if you're into such pornographic things, head over to Firefly's Tumblr page. All the photos are large format, and will eat time out of your day.

Oh my....

Doesn't look like a ride is going to happen for me tomorrow, as The Boss "forgot" that she has something to do @ 11am. Funny that she "forgets", then always recollects on Friday.
If anyone wants to see what Rule 9 actually looks like, I'll be out Sunday...in the rain...

My name is Inigo Montoya...

There seems to be some confusion around here about "The Rules". Please read them again, and then use them. If you have questions about certain Rules, contact Velominati. They will be glad to guide you on the path to the V.
Pssst...Rule 9 doesn't apply when it's 37 degrees, clear, and dry. Just sayin'...

Rule 9

Not Rule 9
I refer you to Inigo...
You will be reminded of these transgressions in the near future, when it's cold, gray, and pissing rain.
Instead of riding last night, as I just didn't have the want to get dressed, and leave the house, I built this...

...then sat in front of it for a few hours. It was quite pleasant, thank you!

 I'm largely ambivalent about fat bikes, as I live in SC, but if you're gonna be a bear...be a grizzly...

 Emily Batty knows...

 Know this guy? (his name is on his bike...)

 Know this guy? (he won Roubaix twice)

And you'd BETTER know this guy!

And after 20+ years of doing this cycling thing, these pedals look like :
A) An answer to a question not asked...
B) An injury-inducing pedal failure waiting to happen...
C) A pedal-related back/hip/knee/ankle/foot injury waiting to happen...
D) All of the above

A video posted by peloton magazine (@pelotonmagazine) on Nov 11, 2014 at 3:19pm PST

Enjoy your Wednesday. It's cold, but the sky is blue. You could be in Buffalo.

Monday

And look outside your window...
If Monday had an assigned weather pattern, this would be it...
Foggy...rainy...thunder...a bit cold...it sure is Monday out there today...

Good CX from Gavere yesterday...


If you have a child/friend/acquaintance that wants to go to Europe to be a pro CXer...have them watch that race.  18kmh avg. That's 11mph in old money! Sounds like a ripping good time, eh?

A few of us met on a cold Saturday morning for a little spin out through LR. Even though it was about 35, the sun was big and bright, and felt quite warm. Now, in the canopy of trees on some sections, it was nippley. No matter. It was a good 2:30 on the bike. Gotta get on the road bike a bit more, as it felt weird. Too much time spent on the CX bike these days...

Sunday was a cold, gray, dreary start. The Heathen Ride was canceled. Instead, I watched Gavere, and then went out on the CX bike. Felt oddly good, so I decided to make a little effort. 45 minutes later, I really didn't feel all that good anymore. Funny how that works, huh?
Today's moisture is much needed out on The PowerStation. Parts are pretty soft and loose. But then, that sort of thing DOES breed handling skills.
I also got to see the big buck that roams the woods out there. Easily 12 points and 250+ pounds. Big boy...

 Parts of rural SC almost look Euro when shot in B&W. Searching for a name for this section. So far "Black Forest" is the clear leader...

 The only color yesterday was the trees.
All in all, it was a pretty fair day to ride. 45 and cloudy. All things considered, not bad. You could be in Wisconsin...

 Ah...being a pro in the 80s was so glorious...

 A different take on the single speed I suppose...

And I know I've said my next bike would be metal, but the 2015 Fuji Transonic is kinda doing it for me...

Stay inside today...get some work done. That's my plan...except for the whole "work" thing...
Oh, and watch this...you have a spare 12 minutes...

Not helping...

So we've discussed the new LeMond Washoe on here previously. O/S 853. 44mm headtube. Breezer drops. LeMond/Euro geos. Enve fork. $1799 for the frameset. Sweet deal, right?
Well, these hit the inbox, and just are not helping lessen my want...

The full bike shown, with Ultegra Di2...minus the carbon wheels...is $3999! One could likely build it for considerably less. The third colorway is black with Carolina blue and white accents. That's probably the way I'd go...
Oh, and if anyone is feeling giving here prior to the upcoming holidays, I ride a 55cm in LeMond geo.

I can't...it's just that...how does the...I mean who thought of...
Nevermind...this says it all...

Two wheels good...

 Started life as a 90s Ducati 750. Looks better now, eh?

And this is a full custom job Scrambler. (photo courtesy of Marc Seeh) Doesn't look fun...at all! Again...not helping...

Fun ride last night. I got a late start from #2's last Futbol match, so I rode the loop backwards, figuring I'd meet the group up near the Botanical Gardens. Worked out perfectly.
I will say though...
There a couple of sketchy parts of the 'hood back there. They go wholly unnoticed when one is riding with 15-20 other folks. When traversing them alone...in the quiet darkness, one tends to find a bit bigger gear, and push the pedals a bit harder.
And I switched out the 23 for a 27. Amazing how much easier it makes the two big ass hills that come towards the end of the Thursday night ride.
And it actually rained on us...just for a few minutes. Ricky said he didn't think it would last. My mind immediately went here...



Fortunately, Ricky was right. I hit Service Course with a solid 2 hours, a little effort, and some laughs. Got back as the temps were starting to drop as well. Thanks Mad Alchemy for keeping the guns warm.

Time to get the day started. The Target list isn't going to shop for itself...

3.5

SVENNESS 3.5 from In The Crosshairs on Vimeo.