Grazie Marco...

Riposare in pace....

Ooooof....

So yeah, the wind that has been kicking our collective ass for the past 6 weeks was out over the weekend.
Saturday and Sunday were both big km days, yet felt even bigger thanks to the "breeze".
Calling it a "breeze" is akin to calling Trump an idiot, but I digress.
Nothing says big fun like coming out of the trees and having the crosswind grab your front wheel, and push you 5' off your line.
Il Prof (Ret.) is back from his snowbird stretch in AZ, so he was back with us on Saturday morning.
Basic flat loop, but once we turned at the GMart, it was headwind home. They said it was 8-10mph. I don't know who "they" are, but I hope "they" trip, fall, and hit their heads. 8-10mph my ass!
Sometimes you just need to get on the front, and drive it home. So I did.
Once home, we loaded up and went out to look at new GMC pickup trucks. Actually, it was more of a quest to figure out what COLOR truck we're going to get.
I was present, but I got a little distracted...

This picture cannot even begin to portray the actual color of this Z06....

Sunday, The Heathens were back together.
The run out across the ridge, and into Swansea was a fight. Brutal head/cross winds. Once we turned for home though, It was tail to cross/tail all the way home. Mmmm...tail winds...
90km+ both days. To be honest, I rode around the 'wood for a few minutes yesterday so I could get the clean metric. OCD is a MFer.
Plus, it was 75 degrees and sunny. 20 more minutes isn't gonna cause a divorce....

I'm a little wrecked this morning. First back-to-back long days in a good while. Felt good & rode well, but I'm really sleepy this morning.

Things to look at:
We talked about this yesterday. Only Cipo could get away with changing clothes in the bunch.

 It was pretty fair out there on Friday morning too! FYI, if you ride The Powerstation, the far end, out to Eastman, is closed beyond the RR crossing. And by closed, I mean that there's no more road. For now at least. I'ma check again tomorrow morning.

 I'm no tri-bike fan, but this is a sexy beast.

And speaking of, Baum still does some of the best paint. And they're made of metal...

Found a design for when I finally lose my shit, and go full hermit in the mountains...
Might need this to get there...

And I know everyone is all "aero this" and "aero that" when it comes to cycling gear, but remember one thing...

Cycling didn't invent aero...

And with that, get back to work! Be sure to get outside today though. Fresh air is good for you!

Off the bike is a good thing...

Corpo loaded up last Thursday and headed to the the NC mountains. Nothing more than a lazy trip, and some QT with the family.
We rented a little house on the side of the mountain in Waynesville, NC. Cool little town, and a perfect basecamp for adventures.
Friday morning, we rolled out, and headed UP into the high mountains...into Great Smoky Mountain NP. All the way to the top, and Newfound Gap. 5046' above sea level, if you're playing at home.

Twas cloudy, windy, and cold. The views were still pretty damn good.
The plan was no plan, and as Gatlinburg was 15 miles down the backside of the mountain, we headed down.
Glad we did, as we got to see the destruction caused by the December fires. The fires were arson, and HORRIBLE. It served as a lesson for the boys of what NOT to do.
Glad I went to Gatlinburg. Glad I never have to go again. The words "tourist trap" come to mind.
Coming back across the NP, we passed an "Elk Crossing" sign.
Hey...wouldn't that be cool?
Not 5 minutes later...

There were two dozen good sized elk just hanging out in & around the playground of the elementary school in Cherokee. Pretty cool...
Back to the house...big fire in the fireplace, and dinner.
Saturday, we fiddled around in the morning, then went snow tubing. If you've never been, GO! You don't need kids. It was big fun. And it was proof that people of all shapes, sizes, colors and nationalities can do something together, and have a good time!

The small kid, barely visible in the tube is #3. The spinning kid is #1. They had more fun than should be allowed.
Post tubing, we headed over to Soco Falls, and hiked down to the water. That lasted about 45 seconds, as the spray was REALLY cold.

Yes...that's ice!
On the way back, we stopped at a little market and got fresh trout. Yeah...it was good.
Another big fire, and a viewing of "Harry and The Hendersons".
(Pro-tip : Take your Amazon Fire TV Stick with you. If you have WiFi, you have quality TV.)

Up and on the road back early Sunday morning. We decided to take the back way. 276 all the way down into Greenville.
If you want a 45 mile ride that will break your legs, take your bike to Waynesville, and ride to Brevard. The valley road is rolling. Once into Pisgah National Forest, things go up. I cannot emphasize the following enough...
The are sections of the climb to the BRP that would make Contador and Quintana wonder what the F was going on! 10%? Yep. 12%? Uh-huh. 15%? Oh...yes. The steepest section was right at 20%!! And it wasn't short.
It was fine with 400hp under foot. You will NOT catch my big ass riding it.
Nice lunch @ Mayberry's in Brevard, then up to Caesar's Head.

It was a bit hazy, but still...as always...a spectacular view.
Only saw a few folks riding...
Thru Greenville, and back on the boring highway.
It was a great weekend. Much needed, and enjoyed by all.
Sometimes, one should just put the bike away, and go somewhere with family. It makes things better.

Now, I DID ride this morning. Easy 1:45. Just turning the pedals over to loosen up. No plan other than to feel the sun and wind on my face.

Happy Tuesday kids! Gonna be nice this weekend. I expect to see folks on the bike!!

Breezy

Hey...thanks jetstream! We'd all forgotten what it was to struggle.
Every ride last week was getting kicked in the teeth by the wind.
Saturday & Sunday were both chilly & windy. Felt pretty good Saturday on the trip out around The Swamp.
Speaking of, things are returning to normal out in LR.

This was taken shortly after the 2015 Flood...

The entirety of the lake was drained in short order after the road/dam gave way.
Little more than a year later, it has pretty much returned to normal...

Told you it was a decent day Saturday.
80km fell pretty easily, wind notwithstanding. Returned to an empty Service Course. The Boss was gone for the weekend, & Junior Management was at the LexCo office.
Ate lunch, cleaned the bike, and napped the rest of the afternoon. Rough...

TVH and I rolled out Sunday morning. It seems a few of The Heathens have misplaced their bikes.
The headwind was brutal. Dead out of the West. Of course, once we turned for home, it was like having one of those motors in the BB. 40-60kmh...just rolling...
2.5 more hours.
Back to SC, made BBQ, and napped.
Everyone returned @ 4pm, and may weekend of solitude ended without ceremony.

Press is out about all of the new team bikes. IDC. This is still the best looking bike of the last 5 years or so.

 And please, remember that people rode dirt roads before any of us thought about riding dirt roads. If you don't know, now you know...

A few rides planned this week, then Corpo is headed to the mountains for the weekend.
Enjoy Monday, before it's outlawed.

Winter?

Of course, I've probably just jinxed all of us.
It's been warm, so bike time has been plentiful. Not always dry, but warm. Hey...I'll take 60+ degrees and wet over sunny and 35 every day.
Yes, it does play hell with the drivetrain, but that shit is consumable.
Last week was a little lighter.
Did a long road ride on Tuesday. It was perfect outside. A little climbing, and a little speedwork. Both on the same road. How, you ask?
Well, when a little gray pitbull pops out of the woods, and starts chasing you, you go faster. It's REALLY fun on a 5-6% climb where one is usually just looking for a rhythm.
Big ring, and stomping on uphill @ 40kmh for 500m is FUN. REALLY FUN.
Same section on the way back was taken at 60-65kmh. The little fucker never moved out of the yard.
Had to skip Thursday, as #2 was a little under the weather. No big deal. Lotto-Belisol isn't watching me.
Then, the rain...
Well, let's start with the fog...
Saturday morning was FOGGY. Seemed like a bad idea about 15 minutes into the ride. Visibility was MAYBE 250m in places. The back of the CX bike looked like an alien shuttle craft. Blinking red lights everywhere.

There was a town here when I left...

Out on the PowerStation, it was creepy. Like, "Ruh Roh Raggy", Scooby Doo creepy. Very still. VERY quiet. And foggy.

The road was in good shape though, so I went a bit faster than normal. My inner 8 year old was chatting in my ear.
At the end, I found this...

Come on people! This is why we can't have nice things. There's a reason the gate and barriers are there. Some dumbass decided to ignore it. It's been fixed, but dammit, go play in your big, dumb trucks somewhere else.
I ALMOST made it back to SC before the rain. Almost.
Woke up late Sunday. Watched Hoogerheide. And then the rain stopped.
On the bike.
The Powerstation was HEAVY. And they'd just graded the far end, so it was mush. About 200m into it, I had to make a decision. Stop, put a foot down, thus getting a shoe muddy, and turn around, or keep slogging.
I chose B.

This was AFTER the chunky stuff had fallen off.
Still got back with 2 hours. I'll take that.
Well, 3 hours if one counts the hour spent with the hose, bucket and sponges/brushes.

Little road spin in the wind yesterday. Special thanks to the peckerhead who broke an entire 6-pack of empty Heineken bottles under the 26 overpass. My 2.5 week old Vittoria now has a boot, and a glob of ShoeGoo on it. Pricks....
Yesterday was also the first day in kneewarmers for about 3 weeks. In January. Tell me again how nice it is where you live.

If you cannot identify ALL 3 guys in this photo, well...you know...

Gotta wonder what point The Pirate is making here?

"And remember, disc brakes WILL make you a better descender!" #AlternativeFacts

Gonna be nice this weekend. Go outside and play...

Two weeks in a row

Last week was the second week in a row of 5 days on the bike. And another 4 days in a row.
Tuesday was CRAZY cold in the morning, but as I have the proper clothing hanging about, I kitted up, and went out.
It was 27F when I left. The dirt on the PowerStation was frozen...and were the puddles.
The call for less pressure in the Clements was a good one.
Still got a good 2 hours on the bike. Thanks to Giordana for Roubaix Knickers and a Windtex jacket. The jacket is so good, I only wore a baselayer under it!! And sweat THROUGH the baselayer!!
You can ride outside people! Buying the proper clothing is no more expensive than buying a stupid fucking trainer!
The rest of the week (Th, F, Sa, Su) were all road rides. All in shorts and all ended in short sleeves. Gotta love the weather in SC. Below freezing Tuesday. 80 on Friday. Headache? What headache?
Th/Fri were solo jaunts, as I'm unencumbered by "work".
I had a good roll going Thursday, but when I got to the level crossing @ Dixiana, the train was blocking the road...and had ZERO intention of moving. I turned around, and backtracked, but it was like the flow was gone. Still got 2+ hours, but it felt disrupted.
Made up for it Friday. Felt good. Rolled over the gear. Nearly a no-chain day. 2 hours was no problem.
Probably a bit mental as well. The new Vittoria Corsa G rubber got installed.

On the 23mm wide hoops, the 25c tires measure an honest 27mm. And they're REALLY round. I had to play with the pressure a bit over the course of those two rides, but figured out that 95-98(F) and 100-104(R) is the pocket. They are the standard for clinchers right now. They feel "fast", are crazy comfortable, and turn like a cheetah chasing prey.
I have about 10 hours on the set, so wear is unknown. I'll write a complete review in the coming weeks. Bet you can't WAIT!!
And let's not forget...
The blonde sidewalls just look GOOD!! And run latex tubes in them. Running good tires and shit tubes is just silly.
TVH and I went out Sat/Sun. He was breaking in his new Madone 9 w/SRAM eTap. Pretty cool bike.
His fit was a little off, but we stopped to fiddle with it. Seat still needs to go back @ 5mm and up @ 5mm.
And personally, methinks he needs a longer stem.
After 20+ years of ride Campag, it was fun to watch him reach for the thumb button...over and over and over...
I shouldn't say much. After 20+ years on Shimano, I'm confident I would have blown more than a few (dozen) shifts too. Old dogs must sometimes learn new tricks.
Both days were near perfect. If you didn't show up to ride...well....
No ridey today. I need to source some chainrings for the Ridley, and some pedals for the Salsa. I got some new CX shoes from Diadora, and realized that I don't have any pedals that'll work. D'oh!!
And Junior Management is out of school for MLK Day...
I guess DSS has an issue with leaving 3 children home alone for hours at a time.

Mmmm...bikes...

 Focus. Just clean and simple.

 The new Colnago Aero bike. Yeah...I'd rock that. Change nothing.

 Sagan's "training" bike @ TdU. Where does the subwoofer go?

 And TVH and I talked about these bikes yesterday. Cannondales are just simple and clean. Square frames & two triangles. Sadly, I cannot make a Cannondale fit properly. 56 is too small and 58 is too big. Plus, I'll never buy a bike (or anything else) from the local dealer, even if they started to make a 57 again.

Funnies....

 I thought the second coming would be a bit more...theatrical...

Yeah...this is just funny...

Back to the bike tomorrow. Hopefully we'll see TayTay and JMR this weekend. I think they both still ride...
Now, I need to go to the LexCo office and help hang a giant mirror. The fun never ends.

Testing

So, it's been a year since they cracked open my right knee. Still getting better. I can feel that it was repaired, but there's no pain.
The surgeon said it would take a year for it to get close to "normal". That's about right.
I've been pretty self-preserving. Nothing crazy. No running. No soccer. Careful about twisting and hard lateral movement.
Figured I'd put it to the test this week.
4 days in row on the bike. All good. I even did some lateral strengthening exercises yesterday afternoon while Junior Management ran around on the soccer field.
Seems good this morning. My legs are shot though. No ridey today...nor probably this weekend. Gonna be cold and crappy. That's the actual forecast.
We're being threatened with snow. Not gonna happen, so settle down. Stop rushing the stores for bread and milk. Are you gonna make milk sammiches?

As I said, 4 rides in a row went off. CX/Road/Road/CX.
First days I've ridden the road bike in weeks. Felt light, responsive and fast. Weird.
Rode in the wet Monday.
Same Tuesday. Went out in the drizzle. It stopped shortly thereafter, but the roads were crap. Wet, sandy, and SLICK painted lines. 2.5 hours in it pretty much trashed the bike.

Now, I know a lot of people who would leave it as such, but as I have both mechanical sympathy, and a touch of OCD, It was cleaned and lubed shortly after this pic was taken. And of course, no latex gloves in Service Course. Ick.
Another 2+ on Wednesday. It was a bit breezy out in the country. Felt better as the ride went, and the blood got flowing.
Yesterday was colder, so the Salsa got the call. Having the brainfart of brainfarts, I went out The PowerStation. Yeah dummy, the mudhole is still huge.

As it was too cold to be wet, and I didn't feel like a morning hike-a-bike, I turned around, and headed a different direction. Still got in a good, easy spin. Also watched a big pileated woodpecker doing WORK on a tree out on the dirt. Not a noise other than him jackhammering the tree. Not one around other than him and me. One of the MANY reasons I ride out there.

One last thing...

Canyon will be available in the US very soon. Oh yes...sooooon...

Okay...go get groceries...

First ride since last year...

Derp. #DadJoke
Still doesn't make it not true.
Normally don't ride on Monday, but I missed out yesterday. I looked at the radar, believed it, and screwed myself.
Even so, today was an arguably better day to ride. The rain stopped, and I headed out @ 0845. It was foggy, wet, and 65 degrees. Pretty flipping nice morning to ride a bike. Did the normal morning loop, and came in on a VERY damp PowerStation.

The waterholes are ALL very full, the mudhole is gigantic, and the surface is HEAVY. Much effort was necessary in order to hold a respectable pace. I bapped the dookie out of the paved x-road, and pinched the front tube. Stupid.
It was going down, but pretty slowly. Ride it until you can't...
After understeering through a wet corner, it was time to stop. Quick change, and back on it.
2 hours. 55km. The bike is a mess.

Did a fun ride NYE morning. Juan Solo. It was cold. Too cold for most, as I saw no one else.
Normal CX loop w/an extra dirt loop thrown in. After I'd it the GD downed tree in The Cathedral for the second time, I stopped and moved it off the road. You're welcome.
Seemed like a good spot for a photo op.

Take care of our play area. I know a lot of folks like it out there, so stop, and clear things away if you can. Make it better for everyone!
Probably back out there tomorrow, as it's supposed to rain again...

Got this shirt for #2 for Christmas. You know he 'bout dat life....

 The bridge into Manhattan. Such a great shot.

It was at this moment that Jesse knew he'd fucked up...

I'ma do better this year. More posts...more often...more dumberer.

Is it over yet?

Murry Chrimas errybody!

Now...can we move on?
I like Christmas break for one reason...I get to ride a lot. The Boss has been home for a week. The kids are into week two.
Thankfully, The Boss went back to work today, so the house is a bit quieter. A bit...
Santa brought the boys enough stuff to keep them occupied and out of my hair...or lack thereof...so they're relatively sedate.
As for the riding, many rides were done in the past week or so. My legs are dead. 5 of the last 7 days have produced a minimum of two hours on the bike each day. Also produced some moments...

So you remember that cold ass, really foggy morning about a week ago? Yeah, I went out in it. Twas foggy, and the fog was dense. It stuck to clothing, making it very wet. Hands were cold. Borderline non-operational.
Also gave a serious Scooby-Doo moment back on The PowerStation.

Spooky enough back there solo...
Cold the next day too, so I was Juan Solo on the road bike. Nothing to report. It was an uneventful ride, which is really what we should all strive for.
Xmas Eve gave us a nice little group roll out through LR. TVH finally brought Sad Bear a hat.

The group wanted to turn for home early, so I turned. Once back into town, they went home. I did another hour. You're welcome.
Xmas Day was the normal 'Tour de SC". Three stops in all. First two = good. The last was the usual painful, "Why do we do this again...?" affair. It's like being in an arbitration hearing. Only half the people can actually tolerate each other. I just don't get it.
Thankfully, it ended early, and we bailed.
I got up and got on the bike the day after, mainly to shed the negativity that had stuck to me the previous night.
The PowerStation is in pretty good shape. Hard-packed. Still a few wet spots, and the mudhole is still rather large. Upside? There are lines around the outside. Don't get it flipped though. The lines are NOT dry. You'll get muddy. Get the line wrong, and it's deep...and cold.
Felt better and better as the ride went, so I pushed a bit. Twas cathartic. Pushed out the bad juju.
Same loop yesterday...except for the GD train that blocked EVERY road I needed to cross to get out. And by every, I mean EV-ER-Y...from the river to KnoxA. Only spent 20 minutes trying to circumvent the train.
Finally got out, and got going, only to realize the legs were a bit snapped. Coming back in on the dirt, I ran into Crazy Pants, and turned around. We rode a loop back into town, and parted company at Tech.
Did I mention it was 70 degrees, and we were both in shorts and SS jerseys?
How's your weather?
5 of the last 7 days have been on the bike. Lots of kms. Road bike clean. CX bike not.

That's THREE good rides.
I want to put 11v on the old dog, but I beat the shit out of it, and honestly feel bad doing that to new parts.

I did hit it with the hose in the afternoon.
Back on the clock today. DSS frowns on leaving minor children at home while one rides...I've heard...

Things to look at :

 Yes, I know it's a thru-axle, disc bike, but the paint...oh...the paint....

And if anyone is thinking of getting me a post-holiday gift...a Colnago is always a good choice.
Two wheels good...

 BMW...or...

Triumph?
I'm cool either way...

Gotta get the day started...at 10:15am. Holiday break is good for something...

Hey...figure it out...

Ma Nature, can you figure out what you want to do? Pick something. Don't care what. Just asking for some consistency.
We've ridden the coaster over the last week.
Cold and sun? Check. Cold and cloudy/damp? Check. Cloudy and cold, then warm and sunny an hour later? Saturday. Warm/Humid/Windy? Sunday.
Monday morning? Gray. Raining. Temps dropping. Stay inside.
Of course, I say that, and karma jumps up and pokes me in the coconut. Kids are home for Chrimbo vacay, and of course, I need to go to Whole Foods this morning.
Always a good time.
All things consdered, it could be worse. Watching The Weather Channel right now, and Cantore is live from Chicago. -6F degrees, and -21F wind chill.

I spent enough time up there to know that I'm not going back. Sure, it's pretty on TV, but I'll pass...

Some decent rides through the week.
2 road and 2 CX.
3 solo. 1 w/TVH.
The Powerstation is is in pretty good shape. It's a little heavy from all the rain, but that's what makes it good. I've ridden that road 2-3x a week for years. It's never the same.
The Gas Line stretch is a little choppy right now, but that's on SCE&G. Not gonna complain to loudly, as they need to get to the gas line, and I like heat and hot water.
The mudhole is getting worse. I'm fairly confident they'll fix it soon, as the middle is a solid 12-14" deep.
There's a way to get around it, but it's a bit hike-a-bikey. CC and I are planning to head out there after Christmas to to a little work.
The normal line around it appears to be there, but take it on authority that it's REALLY soft, and all forward progress will be arrested unless you are on a CR250. Brap-braaaaaaap....
The idea of cleaning up the Amazon cut through has been discussed as well. It's getting ridden in, but need a couple of rakes, an axe, and a machete, not necessarily in that order.

1 of the 3 main Heathens has left us for the Winter. The Professor packed his stuff, and headed for Arizona for about 10 weeks. Instead of taking a bike, he bought a CX bike from TPC, and will use it out there. He says it's staying there, but I'd be willing to wager that he enjoys riding it, and it comes back East.
I've ridden in Phoenix, and can tell you, there are some really fun spots to bang around on a CX bike.
Word is that TVH will have a CX bike soon as well.
What's the World coming to??
Speaking of, I'm on a mission to track down a new CX frame. I loves me the Salsa, and it's served me like a warrior, but it's more than a decade old, and hasn't exactly been babied throughout it's life. I keep waiting to hear a large crrr-aaaaaaaaaaa-ck, and either be forced to pick myself up of the deck, or limp home with a broken weld.
In the time it's been with me, there have been four different groups on it. 6600, 6600G, 7800, and now 7900. Yep, it's still ten speed. It still works. And don't get it twisted, having a snazzy, 16 pound carbon bike is fine and well, but you have to actually RIDE the fooking thing.
The Salsa is 17.5 pounds, and battle-tested.

Ok...time to rally Junior Management, and head to Whole Foods. And do the last of my pointy-clicky Christmas shopping.
My goal not to leave the coach to shop this year, and it's worked out just fine.

TVH and I are planning to do a road ride Wednesday morning. All are welcome.

Happy (Crappy) Monday!

Some things...

Happy Monday! If you're local, stay inside. It's CRAP out there. Ick.

Chrimbo is 13 days off. If you haven't hit up Amazon yet, better do it quick! Fortunately, I'm pretty much done. Just managing logistics of what gets here when, and for whom.
I need to order a couple of things, but I'm not too worried. I could get one of the things I need locally, but after my treatment the last time I was in the store where I can procure such items, I will order the item(s) online.
Play stupid games, win...well...none of my money.
People in retail need to understand that many of us don't NEED them.

Good rides over the weekend.
It COLD (for here) on Saturday, so Los Tres Amigos all slept in, and went out at 1pm. It was still cold(ish) @ 40 degrees, but the sun was big and bright.
Nice little spin out through LR on empty roads. 2.5 hours fell easily.
I'd also forgotten the joy that is a thermal jersey. Mmmmm...fleece-y lycra goodness.
Sunday, it was cold(ish) and cloudy. The other Heathens bailed early, so I switched bikes, shoes, and bottles, and headed out on the Salsa.
Honestly, it wasn't as cold as Saturday. Sure, there was no Sun, but the temps & humidity were higher.
I did some 'splorin', and then hit The PowerStation. It's in pretty good nick, except for the mudhole. It's still full of COLD water. There IS a line on the WAY outside (right side out/left side in), but make sure you stay dead against the bank. I got it right on the way out. The way in? Not so much.
Let's just say that 12-18" off the bank is deep mud/water. If you miss the line, keep pedaling & power out. That water is too cold and deep to dab.
And remember, "Closed" isn't always...
The good stuff is often on the other side.

Told you so...

And sometimes, you gots to coordinate...



Just remember one thing...
The forest doesn't care if you're cold. BTFU.

Speaking of Belgian, The new AquaBlueSport team is on Ridley next season.
Dark blue and gold. Yes, please...

Ok...I've monopolized enough of your Monday morning. Gotta go track down a frameset...