Thursday Came Close. Real Close...

The plan was to get 2+ hour of single track in today. I came close, but got f*cked by my sense of direction and lack there of.

I got a registered letter from the Trib yesterday (Separation paperwork/check/401K, etc.,). I wasn't home, so I had to trek to the McKeesport Post Office this morning to pick it up. Easier said than done. I live a stones throw away from the Port, but RARELY venture there. Today I HAD to go there and of course I got lost. What I saw has no words. All I can say is that I can NOT believe that some folks live like that!!!!!!! I'm not talking "middle class white dude meets lower class shit". I grew up poor. I KNOW white trash. What I saw today was BEYOND anything I ever grew up in. Trash all over the place, dirt, mud, cars on blocks, boarded up businesses, busted out windows, "oh look a Hummer", etc., etc.,

A quick phone call to Wifey (YES I ACTUALLY used my cell phone for once) and she got me to the P.O.. That's all well and good, except I'm now a half hour+ late for my ride. Grrrr.

Regardless of how late I was, I DID make it to Boyce for some time in the dirt. No, it wasn't the 2+ hours I hoped for, but I did get 1:40 in and the dirt looked, smelled, and tasted like heaven!!! I used the Dos Niner today for the first time in a lllllong time. The 100mm stem is spot on. It helps the back pain a LOT , but did not get rid of it. The Big Mama KILLS the back pain, the Dos Niner and it's new stem delay it. What-are-ya-gonna-do?

The trails were in good shape and the timing of the ride was perfect. It was warm enough (33?) to escape with un-frozen bottles, but cold enough that the trails were not a mud pit. I got in more hours with the XTR crank, and I have to say, I was NOT imagining things last week., the XTR crank is just plain ol stiff and propels my ass forward QUICK! It's way more than I deserve. I'll happily use it, but XC racer types are way more deserving of such a crank. But then again, I paid for it, so f*ck them. ;)

This is what stuck lens cover looks like.

I was real happy with the way the Dos Niner handled today, and can't believe I rode as long as I did (2 years!!) with that 120mm stem. The 100 just made steering and control 10x better. I may have been able to squeeze an extra 1/2 hour in today, but since you can never rule out a mechanical and I had a certain kick ass 5 year old that needed picked up by 1:00 I thought it best to call it at 1:40 and head home to shower, etc.,

Once I picked B-Man up we headed to Pro Bikes to drop off the Big Mama to have the rear brake bled. Tim (AKA the Little Ball of Hate) thought that it was a "reach thing", but the rear brake is like a sponge and needs bled and what not done to it.

While we there B-Man was able to pick up his new ride...

He's THRILLED with the new ride and is super anxious to get some miles in. I of course am super geeked that he WANTED a new bike and not some "sit around eat and get fat" type toy.

All in all another great day in and out of the saddle. I may try to make a return to Boyce tomorrow, but I also have a TON of shit to get done if I want to do a BIG Saturday ride in.

Later.