Found: Ride Randomness/Tid Bits

I'm a big fan of "found stuff" like you find (coincidentally enough) on the Found Magazine website. Finding photos, notes and strange objects along the road always crack me up and gets me thinking about how some of that stuff gets there. It can sometimes add a little spice to a long ride or breathe new life into a familiar road loop. Granted most of what I see is just ballz out trash that folks feel is OK just to toss out their car window. And THAT just makes me mad and depressed.

This past weekend was a good one for road side strangeness. These are some things I saw along the road and some observations that kept my mind going.

• 1 whole "fund raiser" hoagie still in bag in the middle of the road.
• 1 entire Giant Eagle birthday cake still in box. Who the hell throws a birthday cake out the window of their car?
  
• 1 tube of KY Jelly (not the same one I saw last year. Lots of back road "lubrication issues" in these parts I guess)
• 1 cheeseburger with 1 bight taken out (I noted the local of all food for possible bonk relief later).
  
• ONE latex glove (not by the KY, so I'm ruling out any roadside rectal examination).
• 1 tennis shoe.
• 1 work boot (why is there always just ONE. Where's the other one??).
• Four empty cases of Miller Light in one 200' stretch. The White Oak back roads partier seems to prefer Miller products, while the Scottdale area back road partier seems to prefer Bud products.
  
• So many McDonald's bags I could not keep track. Nice. Real nice. Food that kills AND makes our country look like shit.
  
• Numerous plastic "adult toy looking" cigar sheathes along the road. Who knew there were that many cigar aficionados in the White Oak area?? Yeah, I'm thinking blunt too.
• So many empty plastic water and pop bottles I could not keep track.
• The realization that most Americans have not one ounce of respect for where they live and treat the area they live in like a f*cking dumpster. Damn shame.

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In other better tid bits....

I got my Dos Niner and Mamasita back from Master Tom today. Looking sweet and feeling good. I can't wait to get some dirt time on them soon. A nice bit of work done by Master-T. Too bad come April 19th I will start my season of thrashing them. But hey, that's what they're for right?

I have ruled out any future purchase of the Mavic Crossmax 29er wheel set. Just too much jing and too many "questions" for me and my style. If I get my hands on a 2nd lighter wheel set in 2008 it will be Salsa Delgado 29er Race rims and DT 240 hubs for sure. Given the unfavorable feedback I got from Wifey this might be a 2009 purchase. I might have to kick up the charm (or FIND some charm).

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I got hooked up with some new products to test out this past week...

Nuun hooked me up with some BIGGER Nuun. Bigger Nuun is made for hydration packs. 1 tab makes 32. oz electrolyte goodness. Fill your pack's bladder, plop a tab, let it fizz and you're good to go. No need to worry about stank bladder either. Nuun won't gunk it up with nastiness and cause any 2 a.m. bacteria fueled trips to the race venue porta john.

I saw that to help promote the new BIGGER size and give endurance/adventure racing bladder suckers a chance to get their hands on it, Nuun has also hooked up with Deuter USA and is offering a free tube of Bigger Nuun when you purchase a Deuter pack. I had never really heard of Deuter until I started researching products from Nuun. Now I kinda got my eye on the Deuter EXP Air. Bike lust, wheel lust and now hydration pack lust! WTF! I'm such a freaking geek! It really is sort of sad. Yeah. Sad.

I also received some regular sized Kona Cola Nuun with caffeine. I'm a big fan of Zym Catapult with caffeine so I'm anxious to try out this caffeinated flavor of Nuun. Also curious to see what it tastes like. I hope to give both of these a try this week.

Lastly I got my toes on some Bridgedale socks.

The folks at Bridgedale threw some X-Hale Multisport sock at me to try to put a thrashing on, they also thew in a pair of chick flavored ones for Wifey to get her tootzies in. They look top notch and have great feel with a fiber blend that is 28% Merino wool. Mmmmmm wool. I'll keep you posted on what our feet think of them.

Lastly I leave you with this pic that I horked
from Jason over on the Salsa Amigos site.

This was taken by J. on a recent trip to China.
Next time you're in your local shop, imagine livestock milling about!

Oh well, that's a "rest day". Time in the Stankment® or on the road beckons tomorrow.

Later.

My Slack Is Right On Track

This past week I had some minor panic attacks thinking that my mileage was down, my hours were down, and my goal of trying to rock the mid pack at an endurance event near you might be coming off the rails. Well, to TrainingPeaks.com I went! I punched in some info, and compared Nov. 1 '06 to March 30th, 2007 and Nov. 1, '07 to March 30th 2008 and came up with this...

Nov. 1, '06/March 30, '07
Miles: 719 Miles
Hours: 139.2 Training Hours (road, trail, trainer, strength, etc.,)
Weight: 176 (last weight entry was Feb. '07)

Nov. 1, '07/March 30, '08
Miles: 816 Miles
Hours: 153.8 Training Hours (road, trail, trainer, strength, etc.,)
Current Weight: 180 (according my bathroom scale yesterday a.m.)

Sooo, it looks like my mid pack slack is right on track. So if you're gunning for 5th or 6th place, look out! If you're gunning to win. Don't worry about me! HA!

My weight is up a tad, but I credit that with more off season strength training, and a few more pints than usual to get through the f*cking winter. I think having a few extra El-beez to insulate my slack helped my immune system too. I was sick WAY less this year than in years past. I used to think that I would SOMEhow be a better cyclist if I looked like I just spent four years in a prison camp. But that just made me weak and inevitably sick. Right now I feel stronger and am stronger than I've ever been.

I mean I wasn't "illness free" this past winter, but most times it was like it was last week. A bit run down, maybe some extra time in the can, or some slight nose sludge. I'll take that over a full blow shitz, shivers, and snot fest any day!

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I got a sweet ride in today at my Dad's. 40 miles, and 2:20ish. I could bitch about how I dealt with a shitty crosswind for 20 Miles, a shitty head wind for 15 and only 5 miles of tail wind, but I won't. Because yeah, it blew (no pun intended. OK, WTF, pun intended) but it will most certainly make me stronger in the long run. If not physically, mentally for sure.

Once home my bro and nephew were there. They had ordered some pizza. I was hungry and freaking spent from the wind. I ended up having like 4 pieces (could have eaten 24). As I'm eating my 8 year old nephew looks at me and says "I thought you didn't eat this sort of stuff unless you made it yourself and it was covered in like vitamins." Nice. Real nice. Hes' a trip. He's was pretty spot on with that comment too.

Hope you all had a good weekend, whether racing or training. I need to go work on my slack a bit more.

Later.

Saturday's Urban Hillbilly Ride & "My Hump"

"A dreaded sunny day

so let's go where we're happy
and I meet you at the cemetry gates"
- "Cemetry Gates", The Smiths

A sunny day indeed, but no cemeteries in the plan (thankfully!). Just chamois time on the Campeon. The high today would reach about 47, unfortunately I'm was a bit too anxious to ride, and hit the road when shit was still in the 30s. I have to say I'm lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllonging to ride withOUT f*cking cold fingers and toes. I'm really sick to death of being cold. Ma nature can ditch the wind too. I can live without it!

Despite the crispy air, cold toes and fingers, I still had fun out on the roads via the Campeon's spicy ass goodness. I had planned on maybe doing a 4 hour ride, but as I pedaled along I realized that this is SUPPOSED to be a rest week and if I did four hours today it would rule out riding tomorrow. Monday is a rest day. I'd rather ride tomorrow out at my Dad's digz, so I decided at about mile 25 that I would use today to explore some new roads I've been meaning to check out, hook up with my normal loop, and then call it quits.

Yeahhhh, new roads are always cool, BUT there's a learning curve of course. Sometimes the maps are wrong, sometimes the map can't tell you what the road conditions are like, and MORE often than not a map is not taken on the ride.

At first the new roads were cool as hell. Then the roads went from pavement to half pavement, to gravel, to dirt, to pot holed dirt, etc., etc., THEN, I made right turn on to what ended up being a private farm road. And you KNOW it was down hill on some nasty ass gravel shit, ONLY to come to a dead end. Soooo BACK up said nasty ass hill. This part of the ride had me wanting my Mamasita or at LEAST a cross bike big time!

Even one back on on the "real road" this is what I had the pleasure of going down...

.

Then once down that dirt/loose stone road it was around the bend....

Then there was some more loose ass stone and dirt shit to go down until I FINALLY hit pavement again. I was near a "sportsman's club" and could hear guns being fired. I felt that at any moment I was gonna get a cap in the ass. I hate to complain about dirt and rock. I live for that shit. But I was UNprepared to ride it on the road bike.

"Hector was the first of the gang with a gun in his hand
and the first to do time, the first of the gang to die"
-"First Of The Gang To Die" - Morrissey

Eventually I got back to some familiar roads. There were a TON of cool photo opportunities with old trucks, campers, cars, abandoned homes and live stock. I plan on incorporating these roads again, but maybe on the mountain bike! I look forward to more miles on the Campeon tomorrow at my dad's. It's been a while since I rode there and it's my fave place to road ride.

Oh well, I got some more sheeeeit to spew, but that can be tomorrow or through the week. I leave you with this this..

"What you gon' do with all that junk?
All that junk inside that trunk?
I'ma get, get, get, get, you drunk,
Get you love drunk off my hump.
What you gon' do with all that ass?
All that ass inside them jeans?
I'm a make, make, make, make you scream
Make you scream, make you scream.
Cos of my hump (ha), my hump, my hump, my hump (what).
My hump, my hump, my hump (ha),
my lovely lady lumps (Check it out)"
-"My Humps", Black Eyed Peas

Yeahhhhh.Those Morrisssey/Smith lyrics might not set the house on fire, but I like to think they have a little more to offer than the B.E.P.s "My Hump" lyrics. Ah who am I kidin' that's baby making music.

Gonna, gonna, get you drunk....

Later.

Friday = More Ballz

Master-T called last night and bike prep is moving along nicely. There was a slight hiccup with the Mamasita's Reba though. Tom serviced and put new seals put in, since I unfortunately received the fork with low oil and an incomplete set of seals. But even after a complete servicing the remote lock out would not lock out.

So Master T. did some researching and what not, he pulled the motion control cartridge and found some metal flakes in the shims that seemed to be monkeying with the oil flow, etc. Pulled it, cleaned it, installed it. Lock out working at 100% now. And You KNOW I gotz to have my lock out for when I'm in those sprint finishes! ;) Orrrrrrrrrr just not wanting to bob around when I'm on the road with my Mama. Hooking a bro up as per usual. Thanks Tom! The Mamasita should be good to go soon, with the Dos Niner to follow.

On my recent (seemingly weekly) lust post- I mentioned my continued lust for the Salsa La Cruz. I figured I'd follow up with a some info for those who are more than just "lusting" the La Cruz. The bike is being reviewed by CxM (Cyclocross Magazine). Josh from CxM got some muddy time on the La Cruz recently and has posted some thoughts on his blog "One For The Ride". If you want to see more about that orange beauty take a spin via the WWW over there.

Not much else going on tonight. I have mastered my turkey ballz and put together a nice plate of ballz and pasta for Meat Ball Friday. Plan on 2:30 to 4 on the Campeon tomorrow. Fingers crossed and chamois lubed for some nice miles.

Time for a beer and some virtual crime fighting.

Later.

Is this about my muscular thick thighs?

The best news of today (and really its' not that great) is that I woke up this a.m. not feeling the LEAST bit sick. I've really felt run down and sick in the intestinal caboose area the past few days, but last night I got to bed early and slept like I was all hopped up on gin and GHB (that usually Ssssaturday night). Woke up feeling freaking phresh/fresh!!!

Rest week continues: Tonight I got a nice quick zone 2 tempo spin for an hour on The Booger. Burned some calories, and loosened up the legs for some weekend miles. iPodious rocked a sweet Raveonette's mix I made up. I think my ears MAY have been bleeding at the end of the ride (in a good way). I also tacked on my "single of the week"- a cover version of The Streets song "When You Wasn't Famous" by Bromheads Jacket. Really diggin' that song this week.... " dede dededede dededede dededededededoo"

Chatted via e mail with fellow local endurance racer Mike Schultz (Dirty Harry's) today. Mike runs Highland Training and is super familiar with the trails up on the mountain (he sorta lives there). I got some tips from him about combining the trails on (my right) side of 31 with the stuff over on Laurel Mountain. Thanks Mike! I should be able to lay down a BIG ass loop up there once it dries a bit.

Racing is dead???

The Leesburg Bakers Dozen in VA is SOLD OUT! Me and 375 racers (60+ SOLOS!!!) are gonna gather in a cow pasture in Virginia to say racing is most certainly NOT DEAD! The Cohutta 100... SOLD OUT! That's another 200 folks saying it's going strong. That's nearly 600 folks at just TWO races saying RACING IS NOT DEAD! THEN add in Sea Otter out in Cali! NOW we're up to just a sick number of people racing mountain bikes the weekend of April 19th/20th. SICK! SICK! I tell you!

So the next time some magazine tries to sell you the image of mountain biking as some dude throwing himself off a cliff on a mountain bike that looks more like a motorcycle. Kindly drop them an e mail and point out a weekend like April 19th & 20th 2008.

Yeah, some racers will be lucky to finish (ME???), some are racing for ca$h, some are racing for themselves, and some are racing for bragging rights with their buddies. All I know is that there's gonna be a ton of folks rocking two wheels under their asses, pushing themselves hard and having fun doing it!

Time to get a fresh shave on the meat sticks, change the batteries in the HR monitor, and order some Hammer gel!

CLICK MY ASS FOR SOME LEESBURG '07 VID

BONUS: The title of today's blog post is a line from a movie. Name the movie! AND don't be Doper and Google or IMDB the f*ckin answer!! There's no prize. You're guessing for pride people.

Later.

Germs, Getting Pumped, Small World

Another day of fending of the germs at work. I seriously have had it up the here (visualize hand to top of head, please) with people hacking, gagging, sneezing, snorting, coughing, wheezing, sniffling, straining their voices, blowing their noses and generally being ab-sol-ute-ly disgusting germ spreaders!!!!!!! WE GET SICK DAYS!!! TAKE THEM!!! STAY HOME!! Or I WILL take sick days just to stay away from the germs. Damn.

As with yesterday, I'm not sick, but feel "not right". Gonna chill tonight, eat some grub, throw down some Green Tea, and go to bed. This is a "rest week" for the most part, so I figure I'll putz during the week and try to get out and throw down some long hours on Sat. or Sun. Then start gearing up for Leesburg! Woot! Woot!

I got a my recently ordered floor pump from
Bikeman.com World HQ today....

The Topeak Joe Blow Pro is the titz! It's the freaking Cadillac of floor pumps. I finally had a couple extra pennies, and got sick and tired of my current Specialized floor pump sucking hard. I can finally have a realistic idea of how much psi I've just put in my tires AND be able to read the gauge since it's top mounted (it's hell getting old!") I can't believe I'm this pumped (booo!) about a floor pump! I'm a geek. Sorry.

Got more of a potential forest road/service road ride mapped out today. Made up some PDFs and hope to do some recon on them once I get the Mamasita/Dos Niner back from Tom's. Dirt is calling my name (say my name! SAY IT!!!).

So I'm checking out John D's blog the other day and hit a link to Tim C's blog. I go into Pgh Pro today to chat and to pick up a couple Hammer Gels. They introduce me to their new dude- Tim. I'm driving back to work thinking that Tim looked familiar. Back to John D's blog, back to Tim C's blog and "bingo". Tim C. says he just moved to Pgh. (people move here??) and is working at Pgh. Pro Bikes. Small world.

I got bored after I first posted and ended up looking at porn,
so figured I'd throw down some lustful images/thoughts...

I have no problem with my Reba, but if you've ever used a Fox.
You want a Fox! I had a Fox. And I'm really digging the Fox F29

I dig my Hope/Bontrager wheel set. But I lust another set of high zoot light wheels.
Because I hate to see the "other" bike suffer. There would be NO suffering
with a set of Mavic Crossmax 29er wheels and they beat the Fox in lustfulness.


Then all that forest road ride loop research I've been doing
has me lusting THIS...

The La Cruz is just sooooo sweet. Would be great to make
a bad ass, shit kicking, flat bar monster cross bike with one.

Then again there's the EM Complete and many yet to be ridden/seen
spicy bits of two wheeled goodness coming in the future.

WHY GOD?
WHY DO YOU GIVE ME THIS DESIRE?

Not one of these things would really make me fast or better (not sure too much could). I lust them 'cause they're all pretty friggin' swankeriffic!! And as I said about the bike pump above. I'm a geek.

That's it. Later. (this time I mean it)

Sick? Future Rides? & Raveonettes

My body is not right. Not 100%. More like working at 70%. Not ballz out sick, but something is not right. Little bit of of cough and a nice case of "let's get to know the BIG men's room stall a little better". Did know there's a crack in the floor about 2" from where the rusted right hand wall bolt is? True. Also, There's a chance of rain through Saturday, and Macy's is having a Sale. At least that's what the paper tells me, and Jesus, I read enough of it today!

brennan (sorry for that, B-Man came in to say goodnight and wanted to type his name. Now back to the blog...

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Anyway, work wasn't that busy so I had plenty of time to sit around and wonder if I'm sick or not. That of course made the day just FLY by! I did have time to spend on the PA-DCNR web site putting together a sweet ass training ride. Sort of goes down like this for you peeps in the know:

Park at Linn Run - Climb Linn Run Road - Right on to Quarry Trail - Marshal Fields - SR 4005 down to Edie Rd. - Right on Beam Run down to Warming Hut - Summit to Spruce Run - Right on Laurel Summit Road - Left on Alberts down to Locust Trail - Silver Mine, Wolf Rocks, Fish Run, and Bomb down Linn Run Road to the finish. Feel free to make suggestions if you know some forest roads I may have missed.

I've done a variation of this before. Not sure what the mileage on this one would be. I may have to consult Master Tom, since he is very wise in the ways of Laurel Mountain. I think this would be a great training ride because it combines a good bit of climbing, with some road, forest roads, double track and rocky single track. You could add more rocky single track on for sure, but as a training ride for events like the Wilderness 101, I think this will be cool. I'd like to take more advantage of the trails and forest roads that the mountain has to offer this year. I HOPE! Time is always a real nut crusher.

Last week SoloGoat mentioned that Speed Goat Bill (Seven Springs Pit Neighbor and he of 1st lap crash broken femur/Mamasita infamy) is working up the idea of a big ass race up around the Goat in the future. That would be freaking cool! Good luck Bill! I'd like to see this happen.

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As I sat looking at maps, thinking about racing and cruising the web I got more anxious to a least get on the trainer tonight, sick or no sick. So even though part of me wanted to fall asleep at the wheel on the way home, I got on the trainer and did some Zone 1/2 spinning for an hour. Felt good to get some high cadence work in and sweat out some of whatever evil is lurking in my bod. I felt the best I felt all day during/after that spin. Plus, I wanted to rock iPodious with a new mix.

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WARNING:
From this point on I will ramble on about music
and nothing to do with bike racing.

I have to admit, I have a total freaking rock star crush on Sharin Foo from The Raveonettes right now. Not so much the looks (not that I don't dig), just her voice! Whether on it's own or when it's combined with Sune Rose Wagner's. It just does something for me. It's like she's the older, wiser, arty, clove cigarette smoking, worldly, college age, arty chick that you with would go all "Mrs. Robinson" on your fat, nerdy, future hipster, afraid of real girls, high school aged self. Maybe I've said too much? Cough, cough, ahem....

The Raveonettes have become one of faves in the past few years. Walls of J&MC inspired feed back and distortion, mixed with high speed rockabilly/surf/spy music and BIG helpings of girl/guy harmonies. Even when they slow it down and get all 60's girl group on your ass, there's usually an aura of spookiness or B-Movie drama to it (sex, drugs, and suicide). So they are forgiven.

One of my fave songs of the new CD is "Aly Walk With Me" . At about 3 minutes in, this song has so much feedback/distortion that it melts me like chocolate in the sun. I could listen to that for hours! Makes Wifey want to kill herself (or me), but GOD DAMN! I LOVE IT! (issues). Their first CD/EP "Whip It On" is an 8 song/21 minute freak out. If I'm driving and a song like "Beat City" comes on I can go from 15 to 105 in a school zone in the blink of an eye! Like the kids say "I want to die in beat city, go, go, go!"...

Thanks for letting me blather on about non bike stuff again.

I need sleep. Later.

GO! GO! GO!

Foodie Thought Monday & Chamois Burgers

Not much going on today. After 4 days in a row of nipply riding, it's time to let the meat sticks thaw out a bit and take it easy. B-Man has been little under the weather, and everyone in my entire office is sick. Add in me riding outside in the snow and cold like an idiot over the weekend and I have assumed the position for illness to give it to me long and hard. My only hope is that last week's multi day "stomach issue" was my version of the illness. Doubtful. But one can hope.

With my first race only 26 days away (Woot! Woot!/ALL MY GOD!!!) I'm going to use most of this week as a rest week. Then start the build, etc., etc., for 13 hours of fun in the woods and cow pastures of Leesburg, VA. This race is getting huge numbers. I'm looking at the numbers wondering how many racers the 7.6 mile loop can hold? The more the merrier I guess! Just shows you charge a good price, give the racers a fun course and they will come! Nice job Plum Grove.

Spent some time tonight cleaning last week's 8+ hours of early spring grime off of the Campeon. Back to looking fast, spicy and sweet. I'm still totally digging the way this bike rides.

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Wifey picked up a book from the library the other day- Bob Greene's Best Life Diet. I can't really comment on the actual book and/or the "diet". But one thing I will comment on is the fact that this book and many other similar nutritional/diet books are really starting to chap my ass. Why? Well, I like reading the stuff, but the recipes have got to step up and get into the real world for folks. Not that they're BAD, I'm sure many are damn tasty, and damn good for you. I just think they unrealistic for folks to incorporate in their daily routines.

Do I REALLY have time to work till 5, drive 25 minutes home, ride for 2 hours and THEN make grilled swordfish with mango chutney salsa, baked potato, and fresh steamed asparagus??? Ah, no! I think the authors of these books aren't doing their readers any favors by suggesting that they make meals that it either A. Takes a mad amount of chef skills to make. B. Too much time. and C. Costs too much money.

I sort of have my routine down with my weekday eating. Most of the meals, ESPECIALLY during the season, are done within a 1/2 hour. Less, if I took the time to pre cut and store some vegetables. Most of my meals are whole wheat pasta/brown rice based with a wide variety of veggies and lean protein from chicken, tuna, turkey, and veggie crumbles. Then of course there's beans. More than a tooting magical fruit. They're protein/fiber powerhouses.

I try to keep the meals lower in saturated fats, high in complex carbs and high in fiber. These are my general rules with my down fall being cheese. I go with low fat cheese when possible or cut back on the amount of REAL cheese. Cheese is the spawn of Satan and his minions.

What does all this verbal diarrhea mean? Hell I don't know. Just that I'm tired of reading that I should be making all this high zoot stuff. Keep it real fitness gurus. Tell me what to do with a can of Albacore Tuna, some instant brown rice, a box of pasta, etc.,suggest meals that use "real world" food that can help me streamline my cooking.

The high zoot things are cool for the weekend, or when you have the time, but try to be realistic. I think too many books overwhelm the reader, with exotic ingredients and hard to replicated meals. Leave the reader thinking "Hell it's just easier to go to McDonalds or Burger King!" and then fall back into the routines that make/made them fat in the first place.

Still on the subject of food, with no of the rant but all of the great taste- here's the recipe for some kick ass turkey burgers I spoke of yesterday. I would NOT make these on a ride night. Takes too long. You could make up a batch and freeze them individually I suppose.

Soiled Chamois Spicy Bung Burning Burgers
(You KNOW that's appetizing!!)

1/2 Pound Ground Turkey
1 Link of Hot Italian Turkey Sausage (de-linked/skinned/crumbled)
1 Egg
Couple jiggers of Worcestershire Sauce
Pinch/Dash of Salt and Pepper,
1/2 cup or so of bread crumbs,
1 Small Onion
Hand Full Of Fresh Spinach
Clove of Garlic.

Put Spinach/Onion/Garlic in food processor. Vrrrrrrooom, vrrrroooom done. Put all ingredients in a big freaking bowl. Clean the bike grease off your hands (under the nails too please!!) then dig in, mixing it up good with your hands. Make up some patties. I can get four or so out of this. Depends on how big/small you want 'em.

You can grill them, fry them or whatever you want. I bake mine (my personal pref). at about 350 for 20/25 minutes with some foil on top. Flip burgs at 10 min. mark. My oven is "vintage" with a "vintage" (broken?) thermostat to boot. So for all I know I'm baking these at 900 degrees. Use your best judgment and don't blame me if you get some kind of turkey meat carried disease.

Mount burgers on some 100% Whole Wheat buns, with a sliced of fat free cheese. Serve with some baked homemade Baked 'Tater Chunks or some decent store bought ones like McCain Roasters. A beer like a Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA is the titz with this meal (weekend only please!). The crisp bite of the beers cleanses the tongue and leave you refreshed, ready for another bight and just a tad buzzed! :)

Are these burgers good for you? I doubt they're THAT good for you. Using turkey instead of fat ass beef, and adding in some veggies like spinach couldn't hurt. Plus when YOU make your food, you control of the quality, ingredients and portion sizes. You could ditch the sausage and used ground turkey breast if you wanted but you MIGHT have to add a dash of olive oil to make up for the freaking leanness of the meat. With the amount of riding most of us do, we can afford some added calories. Just don't forget to ride!!!

Oh well, that's Monday. Time to rest, try to avoid getting sick, and start panicking about the coming season!

Later.

The Old Heathen Ride

Wow, that ride in the snow/slush/cold yesterday really left my legs feeling heavier than a boat load of potential gastric bypass patients fresh from an all you can eat buffet. I didn't know whether to ride, rest, or hit the trainer today. Don't be stupid, I rode! But first things first.

Being sort of heathen (that would be being spiritual, but avoiding organized religions at all costs), I had no real BIG Easter A.M. plans other than getting up with B-Man so he could see what Mr. E. Bunny left him.

Along with some candy, E.B. gave out some books, and B-Man's first baseball glove! Proving you can eat your chocolate, be athletic and "well read" too. Of course by "well read" I mean Captain Underpants and Frog and Toad books! Sweet!

All of that cool stuff came in an even COOLER Easter Basket...



I swear, we did NOT have his head replaced with a Spider Man head. Yet!

Wifey got some Wife Of The Year votes today by volunteering to go to my Dad's with B-Man and just let me stay at home and do whatever the hell I wanted. I think this was her way of thanking me for keeping B-Man in one piece while she was gone much of the past 3 weeks on business. She HAD to be surprised by that. I KNOW I was! That, or she's just smitten with me. Either way I win.

So after dealing with the remnants of last night's spicy Mexican feast (ouch!), I sat around sucking down coffee and thinking about what to do. My plan would be to do a 2+ hour ride and try to stay in the little ring as much as possible. Spin the legs, do more flats, and not kill myself. Just sping some nice circles.

The weather was SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSO much better than yesterday. Still "Witch-Tit cold", but sunny! If you see the sun in WPA you best get your ass outside whatEVER the temps. We don't see the sun that often. Averaging about 59 sunny days a year. No wonder 90% of WPA is either at the bottom of a bottle, on antidepressants, dick heads or all of the above.

The ride was pretty uneventful. Just putzed along, enjoying the crisp sun and doing a few new roads. Since I was just putzing, I took the camera to document the sunshine.

I see this one pick up truck on about every ride. It has a window sticker that says- "If it ain't red. Leave it In." Can SOMEone tell me what the f*ck that means??? Is it a hunting thing, a stock car thing, or some sort of misogynistic humor that I don't get??? I beg you. Tell me.

I got "Go Lanced" today. The 2nd time in 2008. Do you think if we all got a petition together and sent it to Lance , he could use his Texas connections and maybe work with "President" Bush on getting a National ban on the phrase? It needs to stop. How many runners get "GO BRUCE JENNER!" or "GO CARL LEWIS!" I doubt any. I just don't know what it is with people/motorists and cyclists? Do I ride with a "please f*ck with me" sign on my back?? NO, but I might start riding with a a "f*ck with me and I'll kick your ass (in my mind)" sign on my back! Whatever. I say- "Enjoy the ride, let God weed out the D-Bags".

As I said, it was great to be out in the sun, and NOT inside on the trainer. Io have to say I long for a ride when I don't get severe wind burn, don't have to wear 10 layers of clothing, and can feel my toes and fingers at the end.

Once home I quickly fired up the stove to cook up some Progresso Chicken Wild Rice (45% Less Sodium). This soup with a couple jiggers of Frank's has become my new post cold ride snack. Warms my cockles up good.

Gonna throw down some "pub food" tonight. Gonna cook up some kick ass Turkey Burgers (look for the recipe soon!) and Baked 'Tater Chunks. Wash it down with a couple brews and try to avoid thinking about another 5 days at my mind numbing job.

Time to watch some bike racing on TV and relax.

EDIT: This is why I love Bob Roll...

Phil Liggett: "How many times did you ride Milan-San Remo?"
Bob Roll: "About 4 or 5 times and every time I got the tactics wrong"

Euro roadies. ALWAYS on the cusp of how
to look like a total freaking douche.

Hope you all had a great holiday and did NOT feel the need to "corn row" your hair.

Later.

Ride Of The Blithering Idiot

After a sleepless night that had ME in B-Man's bed and B-Man in MY bed with Wifey, I was up early and (sort of) hydrating via the strong yet sweet, milky nectar that IS 12 to 32 oz. of my java. A little later Plum Grove Pete called. We did NOT get the expected 2 to 4" of snow that was called for BUT all the weather geeks had everyone so convinced we would get it, PGP left his road bike at home and opted for his mountain bike. I have no mountain bikes in da house, since all at Master Tom's getting "love".

While it didn't snow that much it was friggin' cold, so we agreed that since the weather sucked, and our mismatched bike sitch sucked, we would abort the ride. It was nice to talk to P.G.P. though and get some DL on the Bakers Doz. It's gonna be HUGE. LOTS of racers. They may have to cap it from what I'm hearing.

Anyway, I would have to be content to ride the trainer, sweat like a stuck pig and listen to some tunes. Or would I???

I consulted a close training adviser- B.Man. The question was posed... "Should daddy ride INSIDE where it's warm or OUTSIDE where it's cold?" He quickly said OUTSIDE! Giggled (fiendishly?) and then asked which color light sabre I wanted to be, blue or green? This was IDIOT MOVE #1. I can't NOT ride outside now! My boy will think I'm a wimp. It's bad enough he sees me shaving my legs and walking around in spandex! I gotz to freeze now to prove man hood! As with most of my daily decisions, it may have been wrong to consult a 4 year old on my training. Or was it???

I kitted up with triple socks, double gloves, bibs, tights AND knee warmers, base layer, jersey, Craft Rain/Wind jacket and my Bikeman.com winter skull cap under my Lazer lid (for that D&D Wizard look). I opted to use my Sidi shoes rather than my Lake winter shoes. I find the Lakes just a bit too bulky for using with my road bike. Mountain bike = no prob. Just don't dig them with the Campeon. It's a "style thang".

All this layering paid off. The temps were cold, there were a few flurries in the air, but after one climb I felt great and was happy NOT to be on the trainer. Or was I???

At mile 20 it started to snow. When I left the house I double checked the local radar and saw NO SNOW in the area!! What the frig?? The snow wasn't laying but it was coming down good, and it was super wet. And I was getting super cold! The bitch of it was, that at mile 20 there's NO bail out options. ALL options have me doing at least another 15 miles to get to the Soob. So nothing to do but RIDE ON!

Now I will admit at times I felt a little "hard core". But mostly I just felt like an idiot. I was cold, wet, and longing for heat. I can almost guarantee NO ONE that passed me thought I was "core" they just thought I was a moron who was going to get hypothermia or frostbite.

This was one of those rides where "good roads" sucked. Smooth pavement tends to just let the water pool, making for some ice water-rooster tail-enemas-with a touch of bloody "butt burger". The rougher roads disperse the water better and were way dryer!

My face was so cold and wet that I felt like a stroke victim each time I cursed myself out loud for doing this f*cking ride. I found myself yelling to "isss ugging ucks!!" and "oh, ore owe... hat eh uck?!!". To tell you the truth, I got some use out of a fellow blogging endurance racer's 2008 mantra... "harden the f*ck up!" Very true words Jason. I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your mantra today. It REALLY helped!

I got back to the Soob 2:11/34.5 miles later. Soaked, cold, shivering and ready hump the Soob's heater like a dog on a sex bender. Part of me is happy I went out. Part of me thinks that this was one of the more idiotic things I've done. BUT if you're reading this, you know the deal. We bike racer folk have an illness. We HAVE to do this shit. It defines who we are to OURSELVES! I can give to shitz what Mr. Irate Right Wing SUV driver thinks. Let him smoke another cigarette and think I'm a blithering idiot. Fine by me.

Maybe I AM an idiot. Maybe it WAS dangerous to be out on the roads, but I'll take idiocy and the penitential dangers that come with doing something I love any day over being an excuse maker who takes his/her shortcomings out on others.

NO ONE wants to see my ugly ass mug. BUT the pic below is basically what my face looked like for 2 hours. I've seen better days, that's for sure! Our should I say
" I've een etter ays fah shah"?

And THIS pic is what I saw out of my Tifosi's when
it WASN'T snowing in my face like a MO-FO!

In the end, I'm glad I went outside (now that it's over) but probably would have got more out of time on the trainer. Although blogging about time on the trainer is pretty lame. That's like reading a Pentouse Forum about maturbation! Lame. Or is it???

I have to thank B-Man for kicking my ass out the door to ride. If you can't take orders from a 4 year old, who CAN you take them from???

Time to try to warm my core up with a few beers and some spicy ass Mexican food.

Happy Easter! Stay away from the chocolate and don't eat any rotten eggs.

Later.

8.0, 9, 9.3, 11%, Whatever It Takes

Today was one those fast paced Friday's at work. In other words it went fast and that rocks! The ass suck part of the day was that it was freaking beautiful outside today and I was INside, NOT riding!!! Cold and crisp, but sunny and NO WIND! What's so suck about that you ask? WELLLLLL as I said, I was at work for one, and two- we're supposed to get 2 to 4 inches of snow tonight. Yep. Friggin', Mother Friggin' SNOW!!!! Enter one rope to attic (props J.P.)

So what's a "D. Bag" like me to do?? Well I scooted home, kitted up and went out to do some hill repeats on one of one of our local neighborhood climbs. I had planned to do 10 repeats. YEAH RIGHT!!!!

The climb is shortish but gained 200' Elevation in only .3 miles. In other words it's was a f*cking 11%+ nut drop of a grade! I got 5 in, so 1,000' of climbing and numerous un-granted wishes to quit, vomit and/or lay down and die.

I've done this climb on my mountain bike and really never thought about it. On a road bike, even with sweet ass compact crank gearing, I nearly shot a hemorrhoid out may ass like a bullet trying to get up it. Not a bad way to spend and hour, on a Friday, when I usually do nothing but enjoy a frew brews. This would NOT be my first choice of workouts/rides, but it's doable. Now if I have to ridet the trainer tomorrow, I'll know that I at least got some climbing work in today.

Speaking of brews. I picked up the Weyerbacher BIG Beer Mix pack case today. Featuring....

Old Heathen 8.0 ABV
Double Simcoe IPA 9% ABV
Merry Monks 9.3% ABV
Blithering Idiot 11% ABV

At I've been trying to keep my beer's ABV close to my ride's Average Gradient Percentage. Make me feel better, in some "my legs are weak from climbing AND from just 2 beers" type of way. ;)

With the coming snow, it looks like my "man date" to ride with Plum Grove Pete is mostly likely off tomorrow. I hope the weather man f'ed up. But I doubt.

Well, that's a Friday people. Time to finish a Merry Monk and get my "crime fightin'" suite on. WIFEY'S HOME FOR GOOD! Sweet! I guess. ;)

Later.

I Was Dressed For Suck-Ness

It's a good thing I'm a believer in Bike Commandment 5, Subsection 2, Verse 1- "a bad day in the saddle is better than a good day at work". Being a believer in this phrase will prevent me from being too much of a whiny little school boy bitch (pardon my French) as I write tonight.

Based on some weather forecasts I did NOT see myself out on the road today. But this was one time I was thankful that the powers that be at weather.com were wrong. Well they WERE right about the winds gusting up to 40 mph!! Friggin' Frigs!!!

When I got out of work the sun was shining and the temps in were in the low/mid 40s and did NOT seem that bad, even with the wind. So I put on some knee warmers and a wind jacket. I should be be fine, right? RIGHT???

I forgot to put on a second pair of socks before I left the house, and I chose to NOT wear my Hammer cold weather gloves. I did NOT want to be all overheated. After all, it's Spring now, right? RIGHT???

Ah, wrong! I froze. My face was cold, my toes were cold, my legs were cold, the winds were howling and I was pretty much miserable for 2:15. BUT!!! I was NOT at the office and I was NOT on the trainer, so I'll take it. Temps were about 43 or so. The wind was gusting up to 30 or 40 mph and I was moving between 11 and 35 mph through the ride. You do the math. Seriously, do the math 'cause I really suck at math and will just end up saying something "wise" like- "I was so f*cking COLLLLLD!!!"

Of course, most of all this was my own fault. I was under dressed and NOT focused on the ride because of the wind, the cold and a raging case of chap ass I'm rocking due to high saddle time, high fiber, a slight bout of intestinal flu, and work place toilet paper that feels like I'm rubbing my anus up against a jagged rock. Sorry for that visual. But I think it needed to be said. OK, maybe not.

One home I showered up, fetched the B-Man, loaded up the Salsas and headed to Master Tom's crib to drop the bikes for some pre season TLC. Meaning I'm having a kick ass mechanic work on my bikes to get them "in shape" for race season. By "in shape", I mean new drive trains, forks serviced, brake bleeds, and given the Master Tom once over with the "Magic Torque Wrench". Thanks Tom.

After Tom's, B-Man and I went to the mall to get a pretzel and look at toys. I could go on and on about how much I hate the mall, but I won't. I already did that on the phone with Wifey tonight, and if I do anymore ranting my Doc will have me taking freaking horse tranquilizers or something. OK, maybe I'll just sum it up by saying I do not "GET" 98% of American culture. I wrote a bunch more but because it just made me sound like an asshole so I deleted it. I think I need a beer and good ride in (ON MY BIKE!! GUTTER BRAIN!!).

Later.

Nothing, iPods?, Marathons & Coke

Some days life gets in the way of all the good mojo bike stuff. Sometimes all you can do is bend over the barrel of life and let yourself get violated to the fullest possible extent by work, fatherhood, business trip taking wives, cold, wet, weather and whatever else might be within a well lubricated arms reach of the barrel. In other words, there was no riding or work out today and I feel like a tubby ball of lump for a variety of reasons.

It's supposed to rain and snow tomorrow and again for some of the weekend as well. Plum Grove Petey F. is coming up to M/Ville this weekend and we're gonna try to hook up for a road ride. The original plan was to ride Boyce, but since it's gonna be shitty, I'm giving Master Tom the Mamasita and Dos Niner to get them into race shape and P.G.P.F. and I are gonna attempt some road miles in this little dark, dank, damp, dirty corner of heatless hell.

_________________________________________________

Not sure why (like I have nothing else to do), but I've been following this tid bit on MTBR.com about iPods etc., being banned in many races.

Not that anyone really cares but this is my 2¢.... I agree. As you all know I'm a friggin' music junky and would die without my iPod when I'm on the trainer. But I just don't think they belong on the race course. Your actions effectst the performance and safety of other racers, not just you.

I for one was on the shitty end of the the .mp3 stick at the '07 Wilderness 101. On a long single track climb up from one of the aid stations, a woman in front of me was cruising along singing, listening to her .mp3 player. I was behind and wanted a pass. I asked several times, but she couldn't hear me. I finally tried to get around near the top of the climb, biffed it in some rocks and watch as she bombed down the hill singing away with NO clue that she f*cked me up.

Now believe me, I can finish 50th with or without racers using iPods, but the way I look at it, I have enough shit out there waiting to f*ck me up, I don't need another. I think it's just common courtesy to not wear them. Lets face it, often it's the fast guys wearing them blowing by we shleps. But one day it might be an iPod using shlep that f*cks up Mr. So Pro. Will his ego let him laugh it off? I doubt. I see an "in writing race protest" frenzy at the finish line!

Yeah, I know there are folks who race with one ear bud in, or the volume turned down low and that's cool. But put yourself in the race promoters position. He/she is putting on a race, dealing with land issues, insurance issues, racers bitching about the course, etc., etc. The last thing they need to worry about is checking to see what volume you have you iPod set at or if you're wearing both ear buds!

I too have been out there pretty much alone at 3 a.m. and would have liked some tunes. But I also know by that point in the race it would probably be safer for me and other racers if I was drunk off my ass and waving a loaded gun around shouting German cuss words on top of my lungs (I don't know German or own a gun).

Call me a bike crazy, tree hugging, feel good type racer (I'm all that) but yes, EVEN during a race I dig all the nuances that racing/riding my bike brings! I love the whirl of knobbies on hard pack, leaves blowing, birds chirping, rain drops falling, owls hooting, lungs searing, gasps for air, leg cramp F-bombs, pedals turning, chains slapping, cages rattling, riders going down, shouts of encouragement, requests to pass, or just the soothing sounds of a blowing snot rocket. I want it all.

I've been known to ride the rail trail with iPodious, and God knows I won't go within 10 feet of The Booger (my stationary trainer) without a mix ready to drown out the boredom. But damn it's a bike race. If I get to the point that I'm so damn good that I don't have to worry about people passing me, or thinking about other racers, I should use my spare time to fill out a UCI application and book my airline tickets to Houffalize rather than filling up my iPod!!

_________________________________________________

My European, kobbie headed brothers and sisters at MTBS.cz have once again put up some sweet ass pics! This time it's from this past weekend's UCI Marathon World Cu race #1 in Manavagat, Turkey. Check them out!

I love the one above of Corratec's Roland Stauder guzzling one of
my fave late race drinks... Coca-Friggin'-Cola. Really looked like a cool race. All hat sun and cool scenery makes me want to got to Turkey. Or at least drink a Coke and eat a turkey sammich.
________________________________________________

In Marathon/Enduro news close to home and way f*cking cool... The Fat Marc promoted "Escape From Granogue" 4 Hour Enduro is a go for May 24th. So sign up, or Marc will feel bad. Plus if enough folks sign up there might be enough dough for Marc to hire Zep to play at the race and save you folks from having to bring your iPods!

Later.

Stank & Going Big(ger) With Nuun

My luck sort of ran out with getting outside to ride on these half days off from work. Today it was rain, chilly temps, and wind. The rain wasn't "epic" or anything, but I still opted for intervals in the Stankment® over dealing with the rain/wind.

After not riding the trainer all last week, today was a real mental nut slapper. Even more so since I went with doing 12/30 Sec. intervals. The intervals hurt as usual, and when you add in a worn chain/cog, you UP the pain a bit when your chain decides it would rather be in 53/14 rather than 53/15 half way through the interval. Bitch! Oh well it's the whole "doesn't kill me, makes me stronger, blah, blah, blah, bull shit," line.

I wasn't too upset about not riding outside. I really needed to get these intervals in, and if I'm going to ride outside I like to RIDE and not f*ck around with interval type "workouts". I would like to/I need to get out on some single track soon. It's been MONTHS since I was on REAL dirt. I've spent plenty of time on the Mamasita, but mostly on the road and rail trails. My first race only 4 weeks away, and WPA is getting the cold, damp, hairy underside of Mother Nature! I have a feeling the first time my tires hit dirt will be during my Leesburg pre ride. No big deal. As long as the bikes are dialed in (which they should be after thy visit Master Tom's this week) I'll be good to go.

____________________________________________________

I'm going to be getting some more Nuun to try out in the coming days (thanks Boo!). I'm getting the hook up on some of Nuun's new "BIG Nuun".
Each new BIG Nuun tab will each 32 oz. of Lemon/Lime taste bud tingling, electrolyte goodness. Perfect for hydration packs, which is a BIG seller for me and where they will see some action for sure in about a month. I hope to have some in the next week or so, and will post some feed back once I try 'em out. So far Lemon/Lime has proven to be my fave Nuun.

I used Tri-Berry Nuun today during my intervals and for some reason was getting a lot of phlegm. At one point I hacked a chunk of throat coating/phlegm out onto the floor that looked like 3 oz. of snot/booger/spit. Nice. I've NEVER experienced that with the Lemon/Lime flavor but for me the Tri-Berry didn't work so well. It's like I keep saying- NOW is the time to experiment with this stuff. I don't want to be hacking up shit like that during a race. Races are the time when I hack up lungs, lunch, small rocks, and occasionally turkey bones from the previous Thanksgiving.

____________________________________________________

Today I was Googling some info on Pineapple juice (I know, I'm a food nerd!!) and for whatever reason, THIS pic was amongst a bunch of food sites/pics!! So of COURSE it became today's Soiled Chamois Moment of Zen...

?????????????

For the record I went to the store in search of Pineapple Juice that is NOT from concentrate. None was to be had. I also put back a real pineapple in favor of canned pineapple in "natural juice". They do NOT really taste at all like real pineapple! Drat. But hey through ALL of that I did find this pic of the hot dog molesting bartender! A win? Sure, why not. I've also tried to recreate said search, and for the life of me I can not find this pic again. Oh well. I'm hungry for hot dogs now.

Later.

Soothing My Utter & Soft Tails

Hotel Rooms and Lubed Up Chamois Bitz

Not too much going on today ride/training wise. Just some logistical stuff for upcoming races. Hotel rooms booked, new tent purchased, directions got, lists being made, etc,. All the mundane stuff that you have to do to make the mid pack magic happen.

At lunch, I hit Target today to pick up THIS much needed item...

From the utters of Vermont cows to my chamois ensconced boyz. Bag Balm is in za haus. Used my last two finger fulls of Greyhound Juice on Ssssssssssssaturday, so I needed to pony up for some utter cream to get my boyz & cheeks through.

Let me ask you this- Why the f*ck do they keep Bag Balm behind the pharmacist's counter at Target? Are THAT many people stealing Bag Balm? Or is it like cold meds, where some douche bag is making crystal meth or something with it? If THAT'S the case, at races I'll lube the boyz, then smoke it, eat it, or whatever, to make those late race hours go faster! Nothing beats the late race "bonk" like some late night, skin absorbed hallucinogens right? I kid of course.

Other than that, just chilling with B-Man, playing, watching Kim Possible and counting the minutes until WIfey comes home. Not sure why, but this third and final week sees me and Brennan missing her big time. God's speed WIfey! I'm gettin' "randy"! KIDDDDING!!!

Is your tail soft or are you just unhappy to see me?

I'm a long time fan of the soft tail bike. In my opinion, the soft tail platform has only got better with the advent of the 29" platform. I continue to dig what the soft tail 29er (in my case the Salsa Dos Niner) can do for me. I think of my Dos Niner like this- Take 1" of pivotless suspension, add in 3 extra wheel inches (over a 26" tire bike) and you got yourself an extra FOUR inches of rock gobbling wheels and a little added comfort. And NO REAL maintenance other than experimenting to find my optimal air pressure in the Relish. Great for a mechanical putz like myself who barely knows how to properly lube a chain.

I think it all goes back to the days (yesterday?) and one of my all time "dream bikes"- the Moots YBB. I always loved the idea of corrosion free Ti, combined with a hint of maintenance free suspension to take the edge off the trail. Unfortunately, a YBB will always be a dream since the YBB is nearly $3,000 F.F.O. (F.F.O. stands for F*cking Frame Only!) compared to the Salsa Dos Niner at just under $1,000 retail, I gotta tell you, the Dos wins on price. Plus Scandium is corrosion resistant too.

Ti may aid in dulling some extra trail chatter, will win in the high zoot "bling" department, and may win in the llllllllllllong term durability department, but I feel the Dos Niner's flattened chain stays help too, and hell, I can barley keep a bike 1 year before I lust another so I'm not super concerned about it. I'm married to my wife, not my bike. Give me SOMETHING to slut around with, PLEASE! Not to mention Salsa has proven to stand behind their frames big time.

My Dos Niner fame and Master Tom's feet.
Just 24 Hours before the '07 12 Hours of Cranky Monkey.

I do wonder why Moots seems to have ditched the air shock option for the YBB? I guess they've been making it long enough to know what works for their customers. I like the options that an air shock like Salsa's Relish gives me. I can't honestly tell you how well the Moots elastomer shock works, but it must work, since the YBB is sort of a freaking classic. Ti is pretty damn classic too. Just freaking pppppppppppricey.

I started thinking more about soft tails and 29er suspension recently when I saw that Guitar Ted and 29" Dot Com is going to be reviewing the Siren Song 29er soft tail soon. The Song looks to be sort of interesting. A 1.5" travel soft tail that uses a Cane Creek rear shock and a "flex-plate" to aid in the suspension.

I like the idea of an extra .5" of travel over what the Dos Niner gives my ass, but I have to say I personally don't know if and extra .5" is worth the possible "worry issue" of only a handful small bolts holding my bike together (see above pic). I will be anxious tor read what "G-Love" says for sure. One neat thing about the Siren other than the added travel, is that they can build the frame to your spec with a pretty fast turnaround (according to G-Ted & 29".com).

Guitar Ted is also going to be testing out a Fisher Hi-Fi 29er with 4" of rear travel. I'm also interested in this. Not that I can envision myself on one, but I really don't see much out there about FS 29ers, so I'd like to hear more about how they handle. Personally I like the fact that with a 29er you can achieve many of a FS bikes ride qualities with simpler shock set ups (soft tail baby!), less travel, and or lower maintenance set ups. Not sure I'm crazy about what the Hi-Fi offers exactly, but I'd still like to read some feed back.

I think in the world of FS 29ers I find myself drawn more towards bikes like the above mentioned soft tails (including my Dos Niner of course), the 3" travel Titus Racer X 29er and it's now dead (?) cousin from Asylum Cycles. Not to mention I'm more than a LITTLE interested to see what comes out of Salsa land in the coming year or so.

That's all I got. Since today is St. Patrick's Day, I celebrated not being Irish, but married to red headed Irish chick. She's mostly Irish and the rest Scotch/English. Which means she enjoys 5 to 15 beers, wants YOU to pay for them, and can't cook to save her life. HA! That's a joke baby! I swear! You know I dig you the most!

Looking at the M.A.S.S. French Creek, registration. Anxious to race there again. Looks like they're gonna have a field for $5 tent camping. Sweet! The 6 hour endurance info has one of the best quotes ever- "The Endurance race will be 6 hours. If you are considering the Endurance race you should really have your head examined". While I've never had my head "officially" examined I have occasional been on medication. HA! The FC course is challenging, but I'm not sure it's "head examined worthy" The old 24 Hours of Snowshoe course... THAT was head examination worthy! ;)

Later.

Siren photo from: iHeartSingleSpeed

Nothingness & Tifosi

Not much going on today. Yesterday's big ass ride put me well into my scheduled hours for the week, so I'm just chillin' today. Surprisingly, my legs feel spanky today and it took a lot to not get out on the road again. MENTAL NOTE: Apparently 2 DFH Raison d'etres, 2 Victory Hop Wallops, a plate of my white trash Mexican food and homemade guacamole is just what my legs need to recover from 4+ hours in the saddle. Sweet!

Had some odd happenings with Tifosi Optics this week. I totally dig my Q3s and recently got a new pair from local Tifosi dealer- Speedgoat.com. Once I got my new glasses, I sent Tifosi my old scratched lenses, warranty info, and CC# to cover the $10 Shipping as instructed by the Tifosi web site. This way I could have them replaced and then have 2 full sets of lenses and frames good to go for race season.

Fast forward about a week....

I get home Friday to see a box from Tifosi. Inside was a the new set of lenses AND new Q3s?? I check the invoice and it says I was charged $25. Odd. Now I have 3 sets of Q3s, and 3 sets of lenses. I'm not complaining (at all!) about getting a whole new pair for only $25, but some folks might be a bit pissed if they THOUGHT they were going to be charged $10, and got charged $25 without authorization.

I will say if I knew I was going to get a whole new pair I would not have spent $55 on new set at Speedgoat. Oh well, I'm stocked up and will be able to have extras in my pit to swap out during races or for when I inevitably lose a pair. So thanks Tifosi (I think).

Another good thing about the Q3s is now that I've switched to the black rimmed glasses I can join a couple of my fave hipster nerds rocking the "nerd chic" look...

Now Rivers, Moz and I can all rock the
government issued hipster/nerd/bike geek specs look.

Oh well, time to get ready to start another week at the feecus factory.

Later.