A Good Dirt Day

Oh yes, glorious dirt! No cars, no jack offs yelling "Go Lance!" or "Get off the road ass hole!" at me, just the sound of the wind through the trees, the birds, and the Big Mama laying the smack down on some dirt! It felt so good. It was sorta like a long dry spell of no sex ending- it feels great, and I don't want it to end. BUT even though I tend to last several hundred more minutes on the bike, than I do in my bed, it was still over way too fast! If you couldn't tell, I was HAPPY to be back on dirt.

The trails were in great condition, varying from bone dry to tacky. I guess that is ONE bonus of all the windy days we've been having- shit drys out fast. I felt pretty good and the Big Mama rolled nicely. I'm still amazed how she can take on a root fill trail and make it feel like you're riding on a bike path. Got a nice 2+ hour ride in today, and had a great time. Looks like rain for the next couple days, so I was glad to get some quality ride time in.

As much as I like my Big Mama, It's still hard for me to think of her as my race bike. The Dos Niner is my fave race bike (maybe ever). It's just so light, and responsive. But as I age, my back tends to get pretty sore during longer rides and races. Even though that 1" helps, it AIN'T four inches! But of course there is a trade off. The Dos is little lighter, has some hoochie mama components on and in my opinion climbs a bit better.

I have no doubt the Big Mama is the right tool for this coming weekend's Baker's Dozen. The the B.D. course has about 3 inches of elevation gain, but has proved to beat me up pretty good in the 200+ miles I've put on the course in the past 2 years. Over 13+ hours I think the Big Mama will prove itself.

Tonight I did swap out my Stan's/Hope Pro II wheels from the Dos to the Big Mama. That should help her spin a bit quicker. Now if I could just get my hands on a 2nd XTR crank!!.... ;)

I obtained a copy of A Sunday In Hell today. Can't wait to watch it later after Wifey/B-Man surrender the TV. Overall a pretty good start to this race week. Lots to do this week to prep. I'm anxious for the weekend, and pushing myself into that area where legs cramp, minds shuts down, stomachs revolt, shit hurts, and vomit, tears, and blood often make an appearance. Good times people, good times....

Later.