That was solid...

Every so often, a weekend lines up.
Saturday :
U10 futbol. They won 5-1. #2 scored. Both played well.
CX ride. 2 hours. BIG tailwind out 12th. The Powerstation was heavy from all the rain, but didn't preclude doing a couple of loops.
Asshole neighbors were loud @ 3:30am again, so after my ride, I fired up the pressure washer. Think big motorcycle single cylinder with a 3100psi pump attached. You wake me up...I make your hangover hurt worse.
Went to the shop and got some Velox.
Spent the rest of the Chamber of Commerce afternoon outside. Even fell asleep in the sun.

As you can clearly see, it was fairly terrible outside on Saturday!

Sunday :
Woke up (always a plus!), and watched the first part of Roubaix.
Met The Heathens for a nice 115km roll thru Lower Richland. Crosswind out. Cross/Tailwind home.
We came to an agreement yesterday that if you didn't ride on such a nice day, you should sell all of your shit on Ebay. 70degrees. Light breezes. Green countryside.
Got home, ate, played some futbol with Junior Management, had a NERF gun battle, went to Whole Foods.
Solid weekend...

Speaking of Roubaix....
(Arenberg starts at about 38 minutes...)


Carrefore de l'arbre (where the winning move happened)


Peto tosses his bike...


Gotta say, I can't blame him in this instance. Dude had a BAD day.
He had to stop mid-race for a poop. Chased back on, only to suffer a malfunctioning front shifter/mech. The bike change cost him the chance to dice for the podium. THEN Tinkov blames him, and Julich, for his performance.

And it's always cool to see the wacky stuff the mechanics do to the bikes for Roubaix.
I really like the handlebar tape on Sieberg's pedal to minimize the cleat skating around...

Simple...yet effective...

And Degenkolb deserved the W. He was easily the strongest.

And speaking of pedals, I got some Look Keo Carbon Blades. I like them a lot. Wider platform. More secure feeling. HELLA light. I'll do a full review in the coming days. I will say this though, use the old school, dual density Keo cleats. The Keo "grip" cleats don't play well with the carbon Blade pedals.
It's a difference in cleat thickness. Yes, I checked...
I'll explain more when I post the review...

Enjoy your Monday!

Two Days...

"When you went down in the cage, five hundred metres, you never knew for sure whether you would be coming up again. Not something to dwell on. Like the Arenberg. Best not even to let the fear in"

-Jean Stablinski

Don't know Jean Stablinski?  You should...


Fun ride last night. Small turnout. No matter. We had a good roll.
No motivation = no effort being put forth.
No one really had any interest in killing it last night. Well, except "he who should not be named". We all wanted to ride steady, and together.
He decided this was his opportunity to "attack" and "sprint". Pretty funny actually...not in a "HA-HA" way.
He'd go...we'd watch.
Slow(er) ride, he's towards the front.
Quick(er) ride, hides in the back, trying to survive.

U10 Futbol tomorrow morning, then a CX ride on the dirt. It's the little things I look forward to...

Time suck

That's all today's post is going to be. Things to effectively ruin any productivity you may, or may not, have on a Thursday morning.

Didn't ride Tuesday, as I don't ride on the days I get cracked and stretched. So nothing to report there. Crushing...I know...

Roubaix is Sunday. It's sunny in the North of France right now. I'm disappointed too.

It was nice last year too. I think we're about due for a wet race.



And 1994...

Probably still the best race of the "modern" era...

Scheldeprijs was yesterday. Kristoff is killing it. And again, can someone explain to me how Etixx-Quickstep lost this race...?


Scary crash too...

From the "Answer to a question no one asked" File :

A 36er? Really? Because, you know, toe overlap won't be an issue....
Maybe penny farthings will make a comeback...

Ducati custom 250 Scrambler? Shut up and take my money! Mr. Fuller knows his stuff. He's working on a KTM Duke right now. Hmmmm...

And just a reminder...

On the serious tip, thanks to Outspokin' for hooking me up on a Trek MT200 for #2 Junior Management.

His birthday is coming, and being the little brother, he's always gotten the hand-me-down bike. Well, not this time. He's gonna be stoked.
And if you need a proper fit, call them and get Brian to set you up. I watched the process the other day. To say it's thorough would be something of an understatement.

Ok...back to work...

Nutty Fruitcakes

What the hell was going on at Flanders yesterday...?

Wiggins had a hissy fit (actually pretty normal)


Just put that $12k bike anywhere....

Shimano Neutral cars smash cars and riders




(Hey, Shimano...I'm a pretty good mechanic, and a damn good driver...you know...just in case you're looking to fill some empty positions...)

Looks like Sky's Pinarello bouncy bikes worked out about as well as Museeuw's 1994 full sus rig.
Bikes don't win races kids. Hard men win the Spring classics...

Full race coverage


Kristoff's bike? A full aero rig...

The women covered the cobbles and climbs yesterday as well...
Elisa Longo-Borghini won in a solo effort.



And Patrick Lefevere was up to his old tricks after the race. Terpstra finishes second, and Pat spit the dummy, and shit all over the effort...
He said it was "...the best possible result without a dedicated team leader..."
Basically, he gave Niki a pat on the head and said, "You did good son, but Boonen would have done better..."
Here's a novel idea...GIVE TERPSTRA SOME GD SUPPORT!!!
What a joke...

Me? Yeah...I rode.
Saturday arrived with clouds and rain. CX bike got the call. I went out, looped around Eastman, and came back on The Powerstation.
Note to LexCo...
STOP GRADING THE OPEN END OF THE DIRT ROAD EVERY TWO WEEKS!!
Nothing tests handling skill like bombing off the pavement, straight into 3-4" deep, freshly graded Lexington County dirt/sand. Forward momentum gets arrested quickly.
Other than that, the 2 hours passed quickly, and were pretty good.

Sunday, a few Heathens met for a pleasant ride out thru LexCo.

Fairly terrible yesterday...
Oh, and the pollen count was somewhere in the "Going to Kill You" range...

An easy 110km fell under wheels. It was breezy, but the sun was out, and the temps were just about perfect.
You have your Church...I have mine...

The rest of the day was spent napping, and overhauling the BB on the Ridley. No more clicky-click...
It was rough.

2005 called

So Pinarello debuted it's "new" Classics bike today. A soft-tail. Journos, and the #fauxperts are all atwitter.
Too bad that several other companies have produced soft-tail, and suspended designs WAY prior to Pinarello's "discovery".
Klein, Ibis, and Cannondale to name a few...
And let's ask Museeuw how his fill suspension Bianchi worked out for him in 1994, when he was chasing Tchmil. The #fauxperts wouldn't know anything about that though...

 Coming soon, to a Fondo near you...
Honestly, I'm shocked there's no disc brake version...yet...
It's only $5750. I'll take two.

And here's a Klein Reve from 2005...

And here's the Bianchi monstrosity from '94...

Edit : Moots YBB

Ekimov's Trek from 05

See people, it's nothing new. Nothing to see here...move along...

Actual fun rides this week. Finally feel like things are getting back to normal after The Devil's Cleanse.
The pollen though...holy shit. the scale goes to 12. The level has been hovering somewhere around 137.
Felt really good Tuesday, and actually rode well, including one nearly 15 minute pull on 302 that no one seemed to want to take over.
Tonight, meh...
Tired and mentally fried. Taking three children to the zoo for three hours, DURING Spring Break, will, in fact, deaden one's legs, and brain.

Flanders is this weekend....
Is it bad that I'm hoping for rain and wind in Belgium?

So you wanna be a crit racer, eh?

It ain't for the nervous...

Studies have shown...

So Saturday, as has happened for the past few, Junior Management had soccer. Games are at 0830, which screws the pooch for making any group rides.
After the game, I came home, ate a bite, and climbed on the CX bike for a couple hours of playing in the dirt.
Perfect day. Sunny. Warm enough. North wind. I headed out 12th with the wind at my back with the knowledge that coming in on the dirt, I'd be sort of protected by the trees.
Rolled out just wanting to turn the legs over. No plan. Well, that North wind was shoving me down the road at 40+ kmh...on knobbies. It was nice.
Turned onto the dirt...a little heavy from the rain, but in good shape. SCE&G manages The Powerstation, so some "maintenance items" are good, some are poor decisions. They cleared the two downed trees, and someone built a bridge across the washout. Awesome...thanks!
Now, yin is always tempered with yang. They also decided to put down some gravel in a couple of the soft spots. Not pea gravel mind you, but fist sized chunks of granite.
I shellaced one of these chunks at about 30 kmh. The back end of the bike flew up about 12 inches. I rode a really nice nose wheelie for a few meters. When the rear of the Salsa came down...still in the gravel...the back tube blew out with prejudice. No slow leak. No snakebite. Think shotgun blast...
Off the bike in the sunshine to change it.
Got everything changed, and started to pump it with the mini pump. Up to about 50psi, and done...or so I thought.
Pushed the pump off the valve and....PSSSSHHHHHH! The top of the presta valve remained in the pump.
I was well and truly screwed.
Studies have shown that minipumps suck. Universally...
Studies have also shown that minipumps fly a really long way when thrown into the woods.
Phone out...call the team car...start walking...
You know what makes your feet and lower legs hurt really bad? Walking almost 2km in soft dirt...in carbon soled shoes.
Team car picked me up, and we returned to Service Course. Did I switch bikes and go back out? Nope. I took it as a sign, and stayed home.
Sunday was sunny, but cold and breezy. Let's try this CX bike thing again.
Same loop. No issues this time.

The pollen count was about 137 on a 12 scale.

And Spring has sprung out in the woods. It's going to be brilliant out there this Summer. Mother Nature is slowly reclaiming the road. It will be full canopy, and double track very soon. I'm cool with that.

And speaking of Mother Nature...
Dear, sweet Mother Nature...you know we love you. We appreciate your temperate, sunny days. You are very kind to those of us who like to play outside. Here's the thing...
Get your shit together! These 40-50 degree temperature swings, punctuated by clouds of yellow, and rain storms, only serve for us to get angry with you. No one likes the headaches, or joint pain.
Some of us are old(er). The shit hurts!
Let's get Spring fully under way! It's almost April!!

Gent Wevelgem was yesterday. Freaking brilliant Belgian Hardman race!



Or HERE'S the last 95km, if you have some Marquis de Sade blood in your veins....
It was very windy yesterday...

Some guys ended up in the canal...

Bet that water was warm...and clean...
Good win for Paolini. An old dog that can still hunt. And as usual, Etixx-Quickstep couldn't close. And since they always need someone to blame, Lefevere blamed Boonen. You know...the guy who's at home, nursing an injury.
Hey Tom...now you know what it's like to be married. No matter what you do, or where you are, it's ALWAYS your fault!
At least Etixx is good for some comedy these days...

And in local-ish racing, Ty Magner, and the Hincapie boys took it to United Healthcare at SunnyKing on Saturday night. Kind of nice to see actually. UHC is so horribly predictable, and boring...
And I gotta say, the Hincapie team kits are pretty dope...

I'll leave you with this...



Smile people...
I know it's a rainy, crappy Monday, but you woke up this morning, and drew breath. Make the most of it.

Hey, Etixx-QuickStep...

Dwars door Vlannderen was yesterday. It was Belgian.



And again, Etixx-Quickstep had a guy in the break. Not just a guy, but the WC Michel Kwiatkowski.
And again...again, they came away with bupkis.
And again...again...again, the team management complained that the other riders in the break didn't ride to their liking.
You think I'm kidding?  Read this from Cyclingnews...
They actually faulted Cannondale's Van Baarle for not chasing.
Hey Etixx-Quickstep...GFY! Seriously!

If the shoe was on the other foot, and they had a guy attack at 1km to go, the EXACT same tactics would have been used.
I guess they expected Van Baarle and the other Topsport rider (whose teammate was up the road) to chase down the attack, and tow Kwiatkowski to the win. Sorry bro, but you're the WC...chase that shit yourself!
Excuse me, Mr. Lefevre, Johnny Cash has something for you...

I've done this a long time. Ridden and raced enough to know how and when to shut down a chase. Not saying I'm a pro-dog DS, nor an expert. Just saying that I know enough to understand that the Etixx-Quickstep boys got WORKED.
Accept it fellas. Admit it. Move on. Attempt to do better.
And PLEASE admit that you're a bunch of whingers. This is NOT the first time they been in at the kill, and come away empty. Nor is it the first time they've pissed and moaned about it afterwards.
First Cav "drops his chain" (again), then they miss the podium (again), then they whinge about it (again).

Might be time to stop having pillow fights...

And start having conversations about the fact that they're the supposed to be the #1 classics team. Museeuw, Ballerini, and Tafi would be ashamed...

Hello Spring...

That fine yellow crust that you came home with last night? That's Spring, and it's all over you.
After the ride, it invaded my sinuses, and woke me up at 2 a.m.
Holy headache Batman.
How much pollen is around you ask?
Well yesterday, I was sitting in my truck, and a bee landed on my hood. It began scooping the yellow death off the sheet metal.
"Screw flowers...this is much easier..."

Speaking of the ride, I did my best to control it out 12th, and it worked, for the most part. We were all together until Glenn, but the split always happens there.
We gathered back up, and continued on...until...
As normally happens, Gator was the issue. Well, not so much Gator, but the fact that the bigger part of the group didn't bother to roll slowly around the corner, thus leaving the stragglers.
I'm still feeling a bit puny, and am completely NOT fit, so I was in the straggler group...MAYBE 10 seconds behind.
Yeah...we chased back on...and it fucking hurt.
And I don't care what a certain rider has to say. At the top of Gator, we wait, or roll slow around the corner until the group is all together.
It's been that way for the last couple of years, and will be that way Thursday, and through the rest of Spring/Summer.
Try me...
Once into the airport, the back of my bike felt washy. Softening tire...
I figured I might make it home, but NOOOOOOOO! I did make back to the parking lot. Went to change it, and of course, the valve on the tube in my bag was about 5mm too short. Burned a Co2 cart, and said "F it..."
Kevin was kind enough to give me a lift back to Service Course. Normally, I'd change it, and limp home, but not on the carbon wheels. There's a reason my shit always looks new. I take care of it.
I checked the tire under the lights in SC, and nothing. No cuts, no punctures, no debris. Who knows? I'll check it again today before throwing another $15 latex tube in it.

So Cookie Cav was riding his new PowerMax2 cranks at San Remo. FSA cranks, taken apart, and put back together in a power unit. I think we've found the problem...

So yeah...this is happening...
I ain't scared...

The boys at Above Category posted this yesterday. It's this customer's THIRD F8, and 8th Dogma. Hey, it's only money...
I think this guy might be the customer...

Based solely on the GIF, Gerald Ciolek made the Carolina Panthers practice team. Now if he'd broken out with the Ickey Shuffle, I would have been truly impressed.

And last, but certainly not least, a quick dose of instant karma...

Yeah, he deserved that...

Time to order some tubes and Co2 carts.
Happy Wednesday, or as my children reminded me this morning, the last full day of school before Spring Break. Oh joy...

Meh...

The "plan" was to get up early Sunday, knock out a couple of hours before the rain, then get home and watch Milan-San Remo.
Alarm? 6am.
It jangled it's electronic jingle. I stumbled to the front door, opened it to check the WX, only to see that it was raining already.
Nope...can't help you...

I grabbed the blanket, and curled up on the couch for a couple more hours.
And speaking of MSR, here you go...



As Junk said yesterday, I don't think I've ever seen them go up the Cipressa and the Poggio so quickly. And the #fauxperts were, of course, bitching about the fact that it came down to a bunch sprint.
Welcome to Milan-San Remo. You must be new here. Oh, and SHUT UP!
43kmh+ average for 293km. Wrap your head around that for a moment. I don't think the UCI could, as they confiscated about two dozen bikes immediately after the race.
Checking for motors? Sure. Busting dopers? We're working on it...OKAY!

And Cav...poor little cookie boy. Says he dropped his chain off the outside on the Cipressa...which raises questions...
Why were you futzing around with the front mech on the Cipressa?
Is your team mechanic at all capable? Happened to Stybar not long ago as well.
Are your Quarq power unit cranks so shitty, and flexy, that the chain just JUMPS off?
It's okay Cav. We watched the video. You were getting tailed off before your "dropped" your chain...

Better get this problem figured out before the Northern Classics. I hear cobbles can be bumpy...

Can I ask a question? When will the wheel-width-war (WWW) stop? Now companies are tossing out 26 & 27mm wide rims. WHAT?

Vision's new 40mm deep rims look cool...are 26.5mm wide.
Yeah, I know that wider tires (to a point) are faster, and that rim shape can help determine/improve this characteristic, but a 23mm tire will be borderline TOO narrow for a 27mm wide hoop. Kinda like running 18mm tires back in the day. Too much rim, not enough tire.
And a 25mm tire on the same hoop just won't fit some frames.
Hell, I have a set of Williams WS28 wheels. 23mm wide hoops. I run 23mm Vittoria Open Corsas on them. Between the calipers, the tire is nearly 26mm wide. I tried to run 25mm OC SCs on them. They fit, but the clearance isn't enough to make me comfortable banging down a dirt road.
I feel confident in saying a 27mm rim with a 25 or 27mm tire won't even go in the stays of the Noah.
(BTW, if anyone at FSA is reading this, I'd be glad to test a pair of the Metron 40s to see if they fit...)
On my "standard" width (20mm wide) Williams 50mm carbon hoops, I run 25mm wide Vitts. The width and volume are pretty damn close to the same as the 23/23 combo.

Wide rims are good stuff. I'm not arguing that point. My 23mm wide hoops allow me, at 180 pounds, to run 100-105psi. Bigger volume, FTW.
Marketing is now driving the WWW. "Ours is wider, so it's better..."
Well, if it don't fit, it ain't... (that was Southern speak...)

Time for my Whole Foods run...what time does yoga end?

Only up...

Man, today was one of those days that the ride only got better as we rolled.
The weather started off quite iffy. Damp, breezy, complete cloud cover. As we went, the clouds pushed out, and it turned into a Chamber of Commerce day.
A nice, easy 90km under wheels.
Feeling better than Tuesday as well, although the stomach is still a little floppy.

And it seems a few people need a primer on custom bikes, especially a certain Ti bike.
Here's a little info on Kent Eriksen...you know, the pre-eminent builder of custom Ti in the US.

Best road bike and TIG welded bike at NAHBS in 2014, and best TIG welded bike again at NAHBS in 2015.
And yes, the tubes are fat and round...not shaped. Builders figured out shaped tubes, other than ovalized/squared, tended to break. Yeah, about 10 years ago....
And a pro-tip for shop employees...
If you don't know what something is, nor any of the theory and technology behind it, keep your mouth shut. Shitting on a customer's bike is stupid, and proves ignorance.
And do NOT tell the customer he needs a fit...on his custom high end frame...that was built TO HIS EXACT FIT.
Same shop told me to stop riding Ridleys, and start riding bikes that don't break. This was said as they were building up a replacement Specialized Tarmac. And as we know, those are the pinnacle of reliability.
And the shop wonders why they've lost customers....
We all know the reason(s)...

Jeep Cherokee Concept. Built on a Wrangler LWB chassis. Hey Jeep...shut up and take my money!!

Milan-San Remo is tomorrow. Should be a good time. All of the big names will be there, and the weatherman in Italy says it's supposed to rain on the back half of the race. Coming off the Poggio, in the rain, should be a hoot.
Last year was wet and cold too...

This is a test...

There is little that will assess how one feels more quickly than a ride with some pace.
As of last night, I'd been Norovirus-free for 5-ish days.
The little voice in my head said, "Hey man, you're better...go ride!"
So I did...
The run out 12th was quick. Quick enough to split the group pretty easily. The 45-50kmh run out quickly indicated that I'm just not back to 100%.
I let the front group go. I probably could have stayed in, but turning myself inside out didn't seem like the smart play to make.
A nice little second group gathered up, and we pretty much stayed together for the rest of the ride.
If I had to assess, I'd say I'm somewhere around 80% right now. Just not fully recovered from The Devil's Cleanse.
And I rode the carbon wheels last night for the first time in probably 6 months. When paired with 25c Open Corsa SCs, and latex tubes, it's just a fast setup. And SMOOOOTH....

Quintana won Tirreno...and possibly the best trophy in ALL of sports. He's gonna win the Tour. Yeah...I said it...in March...

Lezyne is coming out with GPS computers. They look nice, have all the functions on needs, and are actually quite unobtrusive. Maybe a viable challenger to Garmin. The again, all they really have to do is operate properly, and they're better than Garmin.
The top end Lezyne will be compatible with both ANT+ power units, AND Di2. Kinda cool.

And speaking of Taipei, Road.cc found a few interesting things...
Not sure about the ControlTech one piece, carbon saddle/post deal. Looks like an expensive mistake when you knock your bike over in the driveway, and/or a jackhammer for your nethers.

Pucker up...and I don't mean your mouth...


Isle of Man. I'm still wondering how those guys sit down on the motos, what with their giant balls...
Seems like this song should be the soundtrack...



OK...it's cooler outside today, but the sky is blue, and the sun is shining. Go outside and get it on you!

Tech talk

So, on Sunday, there was discussion about 10 speed versus 11 speed, and compatibility.
As we know, on SRAM/Shimano, 10 speed is 10 speed. No issues. No worries. Cassettes and Chains are interchangeable.
The issue is 11 speed here. When SRAM and Shimano went 11 speed, the shape of the cassette body changed on the rear hub. 10 speed cassettes WILL fit on 11 speed hubs, with the correct spacer. (I'm doing this right now. It works.)
Unfortunately, the opposite is not true. 11 speed cassettes do NOT fit on 10 speed wheels. They are too wide. The 130mm rear spacing hasn't changed, but the width of the cassette body has...

Edco just introduced an 11v cassette that will fit on a 10v body. It's available now, through Reynolds Cycling. All at the low price of $230, and only in 11/25.

Here's where things get interesting...
I sent out an email to a couple of guys I know who do this for a living. Here's what they said...

11 speed is 11 speed is 11 speed. Campagnolo, SRAM, and Shimano ALL share the same cassette spacing.
Ergo, as long as a wheel has an 11v cassette on it, it will work with whatever drivetrain you're running. I guess this is why the neutral support guys from Shimano, Mavic, and Vittoria didn't complain too loudly.

It also raises an interesting idea for a work around.

Campagnolo cassette bodies go 9, 10 , OR 11 speed.
As 11=11, one could feasibly dump the 10v cassette body on their existing 10v SRAM/Shimano wheels, install a Campagnolo cassette body, and run an 11v Campag cassette.
Sure, it's not exactly inexpensive, but it's surely less money than rebuilding wheels, or buying new wheels.
Word on the street is that a few smaller teams, both here, and in Europe, are using this very fix.

Food for thought....

One week

So, whatever virus dragged me into the depths seems to be gone.
It was crappy on Saturday, so I stayed in the house. No reason to go out anyway. It was St. Patrick's Day, and the "festival" was going on in Five Points. $20 to get in. Crappy bands. No food that I could eat. And let's be honest here...
I don't tolerate drunk people well. If you're in the 18-25, it's borderline. If you're a grown person, with a job and family, and can't hold your liquor, well...
The normal Heathens met Sunday morning, and I have to say that I was a bit disappointed at the turnout. It was beautiful. Warm. Light winds. No matter...we still had a good ride.
A few roads we hadn't been on for a LONG while, including Blue Johnson (snicker).
Most people who had been sidelined for days with a stomach illness would have gone out and done a short ride. No one has ever accused me of having good sense, so I stayed out for the full 100km.
If you're gonna be a bear...
And I rode the new Vittoria Open Corsa SC 25s. When paired with latex tubes, the ride is smoother than a fresh jar of Skippy. Even at 105/110psi...which might have been a little much. Plus, they just look cool.

Jack Kane repainted this Noah. It was for sale for a LONG time...for not a lot of money. I should have bought it...

Yeah...if you don't know...

I really wish I knew how these fit, because they're badass!

Hey Boston! Enjoy your snow record. Dopes.

Tirreno finished on the Terminillo yesterday. It was cool...



Quintana. That little dude can roll it up a hill.

And the whinging began before the stage was even over.
The #fauxperts bitched that it was dangerous, and that the pros shouldn't be subjected to such conditions.
STFU!
Once the stage was over, more than a few riders tweeted complaints about the conditions. Rule 5, Buttercups!
Here's an idea...
Don't like it? Quit.
Return to your home country. Get a job. Go to work everyday instead of getting paid to ride a bicycle all over the World.

And it seems Lance is going back the Le Tour...sort of....
I wonder how long it will be before the protestations begin...from all sides...? I'll give it until lunchtime today.

Ok kids, it's nice outside. Go outside to eat lunch today. Remember to take your Claritin...

File Under : "Things you DON'T want..."

Yeah, this "virus" that I've had since Sunday. You don't want it. EVER. It's angry. It's violent. It makes your body angry at YOU. I'm not "sick" anymore. Now, I just feel like I've spent a solid week in Vegas with my old crew from Philadelphia.
My muscles aren't sore. My GUTS are sore. And if we remember correctly, the upper portion of my GI tract was effectively rebuilt not long ago. And I'm tired...so, so tired. I guess expressing the contents of one's stomach 60+ times over the course of a few days takes the wind out of the old sails. And then there's the calorie deficit....
The bike? Sure...yeah...right...whatever...
It's locked away in Service Course. It'll be there when I decide to get back on.

Dirt road heaven? Perhaps...

Shut up and take my money! RestoMod '66...better than a new one...

Call me an idiot if you wish, (wouldn't be the first time) but doesn't "Rubber Side Up" indicate that you've made an error somewhere along the way?

Remember when I said that chocolate brown metallic would make a killer paint color?

Yeah...Baum knows...
I'll even ignore the fact it's a disc frame...

I'm going to TRY to pedal a bicycle on Sunday.

And in case you haven't noticed, the pollen is starting. Time to eat all the Claritin....

Down...almost out...

So Saturday, we had futbol @ 8:30, ergo, making the ride wasn't gonna happen. I watched the end of Strade Bianche, then went out on the CX bike. The Powerstation is a mess. Two trees down, and the washout has evolved into the Grand Canyon...with pipes.

Once out to Eastman, the decision was made to come home on the road. I did explore a dirt road that I've always wanted to ride. Turns out, Some of it wasn't dirt...

Lovely, no?
I didn't feel great on the bike, but things ebb and flow, so I didn't pay much attention to it.
The rest of the day was spent laying about. General malaise.
Up Sunday...feeling puny, but went to the ride anyway. Sometimes, one rides INTO the ride. Not Sunday. I felt worse as we went. Once to the split, I bid adieu to the group, and headed for Service Course.
I did not make it.
The wheels were coming off. Once to Old Wire, I called the team car. The Boss met me just before the overpass on 12th. I was done.
Headache, nausea, cramps...
Yes, whatever fresh hell the kids brought into the house had a firm grip on me. The consensus is norovirus.
The listed symptoms? Yeah...I had them all...
I haven't been out of the bed/bathroom for the better part of 30 hours. Joyous.
And it turns out, contrary to what my surgeon said after my stomach surgery, I CAN throw up. It's just really hard, and hurts...a lot.
As I type this, I feel like I've rounded the corner. Famous last words...

Strade Bianche



And Boonen crashed out of Paris Nice today with a separated shoulder. No Classics for you!



End of the Stage...



Wash your hands, and Lysol your houses people. You do NOT want what I've had!!

Just some stuff....

Le Samyn was yesterday...
Twas a good race...



This time, Etixx-QuickStep had FOUR riders in at the kill, and couldn't win! LOL.

Cycling Weekly (UK) put together it's list of the 25 most stylish riders....
Quite a good article...BUT...
Merckx at #10? No Cipo? No Pantani?


Ritte Snob Stainless

See...natural sidewalls!!!

If you're into cheap-ish cars that may need some TLC and/or may be fun to own, check out Credit Card Classics. 
About the same price as a bike these days...

And we'll close with this....

This is my friend Rebecca. She's an elite triathlete. She lives in Alaska...of all places. This photo will heretofore serve as a "How-To" guide for those who may choose to make an attempt to wear a similar outfit.

Another warm, if rainy, day today.  Enjoy. You could be up North....

Off a day...

Yesterday was Monday...
It was 65 and sunny.
Word went out around lunch that a night ride was going off, as Tuesday (today) was supposed to be crappy. (And it is...)
A little group formed up at the normal time, and went out.
The PowerStation is HEAVY after the rain. Good shape, but heavy under wheels. Well, good shape, except for the fact that the land bridge over the washout has disappeared after last week's rain. One does NOT want to crash into the resulting hole! There may not be an escape.
Out to Eastman, back in on 12th, dove into the woods, and hit the trails.
A quick trip up Gervais, and thru 5 Points, and I was back to Service Course.
2:15 on the bike...in the dark...in 60 degrees. A little Mad Alchemy Russian Tea was more than enough.

I did come to the general conclusion that the CX bike needs some serious TLC once time changes. Chainrings. Chain. BB overhaul. Lots of noise flowing forth lately.

We should all aspire to be this guy...
Portrait of my grandfather : 80 and still cycling from Florent Piovesan on Vimeo.

For no other reason than his first bike was a Molteni Merckx!

From the "Shut up and take my money" file :

59 Nash Rambler restomod. Not a fan of the white walls. Ditch them, and maybe lower it a bit...

And I've been looking for an old truck...

If one has a Nash, one may as well have a Studebaker as well....

That's about it for today...
Places to go...people to see...