Night Creature

Got my first taste of tight single track in a good while tonight. I hit Pleasant Valley Park in Murrysville for a quick 1:15 of completely legal night riding. Yeah, there's only about 3ish miles of single track right now, but throwing down a few loops got me a nice workout and a chance to burn some calories outside under the lights.

Tonight was the first time this year I got to utilize my night riding permit issued by Murrysville. All I had to do was call and check in with the Murrysville Police Dispatch before I went, take my permit with me, and that was that. It will rock more once more trails are built there. It was sweet to get some miles in and not have to worry about Johnny-law. Really cool of Murrysville to work with folks on this. Now we just need to get the county to step up with Boyce Park!!!!

ONE more day NOT in the Stankment™ on the trainer. The Stankment™ is something that I am going OUT of my way to avoid this winter. I will night ride, ride in shit weather, hike, run, ski, walk, skip and jump to avoid it. If and when I do ride it, I plan to avoid those stupid 2 hour sessions that I would do. I'll use it for some intervals when the snow flies, but I figure life is too short to be holed up in the basement.

Rode the Mamasita tonight. Tonight was the first ride with my new Race Face CF seat post. WOW! What a difference from my old Salsa Shaft post. It by no means made the Mamasita "plush" but my ass could really tell the difference in trail chatter. Carbon seat stays + carbon post = happier ass. It looks pretty freaking cool too! Of course if it shears off in my seat tube during a ride or race I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune about carbon fiber. HA!

I came DAMN close (and still might) to registering for Southern Cross today. A 50 mile forest road race in Ga-ga-ga-Georgia mountains. I thought it might make a nice long weekend trip this winter for me, Wifey and the boy. Shack up in one of the cool little cabins at Mulberry Gap. Only 50 entries are available and 31 are gone. I just can't imagine driving 10 hours to do a race in January. I guess it's my Northern mentality. I just keep imagining Pennsylvania in January and not Georgia. I'm sure it won't be warm, but I can't imagine it would be freaking 10 degrees either. Hmmmm. Even if I don't do the race, after seeing Mulberry Gap, we might have to go down in Spring or Fall of 2009 just to ride and hang out. Looks sweet! Wifey said she's into the idea of going down, but I'm gonna sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow if there are still spots open.

Deafness Update: I am hearing much better in my left ear now. It appears that the steroid worked. It's still not 100%, but I'll take it. I was really spooked there for a while not knowing if it would come back or not. I still can't shake the faint high pitch buzzing, but I'm hopeful that will leave someday soon too. I enjoyed the sound of every leaf crunching under my wheels tonight. I did NOT enjoy the sound of my front wheel going flat as I rolled my bike into the house tonight. Frig!! 3 flats in the last 2 rides! WTF???

Lastly- Hammer Nutrition is having a BIG ass sale! On food AND clothing. I don't even use that much Hammer stuff anymore, but their deal on bibs is sweet! $36 with S/H. Sweet deal! Ordered up a pair last night.

Later.