Turn the DiAl

I got my MT8's set up on the Spot and was able to ride to work today on dirt.

I got the back brake dialed in perfect and the front not so much. 

Don't have a bleed kit and been super hard to get to Tostin's shop so I rode it as is. Bike rode really well and felt great to be on the bike for the first time since the Fat Bike World Champ Race.

The 24% grade kicked my ass with the 2:1 but still got it done. Got to work all smiles. 

After work back at it up the bluff and this time I dove in and rode most but not all of the trails. 

Some single track still moist others tacky,,,then the fact that my front brake was not responding the way I wanted it made me not want to dive to fast in to corners and fly down  hill seeing that I could not stop to quick,,, Afterwards I told Pip that I felt like a horse learning to walk. Soon it will all be dialed. Lots of stuff showing up on a daily basis. Today was Ergon. Grips and gloves and the Gloves are Black & White....Party On!!

More work in the garage tonight trying to get things more dialed.

The help that I am lining up lately is questionable at best.

Back to Black&White

Hard to believe that  march is almost  over.. 

Been kind of a blur,, miles are piling up and only 140 away from the 

1000 mile march goal... This is my own kind of march madness. Skipped the 

TNWC ride today due to winds,,, riding in a group with 40mph winds did not 

sound like a good idea to me. Yea it would be good training but 

also a good way to get wrecked with the wind pushing people all over the place. 

I opted for a few hill repeats and then a loop home. For  a good while I had the wind at my back

until the cross winds came from their on out it was a fight to stay up right. Leaning hard in to the center line while being pushed to the gutter. Made it home in one piece,, followed by Pip,,  who went 

out and killing it on single track,, lucky little shit. 

I can't wait,, I hope this weekend to get some while I go up to see the boss and the new shop

in the cities.. Hollywood is back and in Black and White.

Tired and then tired again trying to stay on the plan,, find that a beer or two a night 

helps add to the carbs that are so lacking from my system,,

Not looking Schleckish yet and don't plan on it but I am ready or at least I think that i am..

The Ragnorok is a touch over two weeks away... Need to get the road bike in shape and ready to go. 

Was hoping that the King wheels would be done by now but their is still time.

As for now rest and more work getting it done and getting after it .....it is like a 12 steep program for

cyclist... Step one RIDE YOUR BIKE>>>>

Cobbled

Friday off due to waiting for the cable guy. Thought that i was going to be wrecked

from lack of sleep,.,.,.the Pip went to the midnight showing of 

as James calls it the hutergames. I did not stay up till three to wait for her

but was in and out of sleep checking up on her via text,,etc.

I am impressed on how well the kid did with only 3 hours of sleep. 

Days off from work are like Christmas, bithdays, and the superbowl all

wrapped up into one day. Killer breakfast and tons of good coffee,

all while watching a Live Belgian Classic...E3..

It was a great race guys were charging hard up the cobbles and steep grades,

and the deck was getting hit hard,,,even for superman,,,dude got crashed into 

while changing a wheel in the feed zone and still made it back to the main group.

When it was all done and said Tomke hit the line first.. Good times and made me stoked to get out and ride,,,,just needed the cable guy to leave. 

Once that happened I got dressed and was gone. Flying the Hwood colors and ready for a good day in the saddle.

I had mapped out some routes but did not really have a plan other than at least three hours. 

Went out north and kept working my way north and east heading towards 

a hill that I heard so much about in the five years of living here. Killer Hill,,,,EE is the

county name of the road and people talk about it like it is almost unrideable.

I wanted to ride it from east to west to complete my loop and know that the road had new pave 

I knew at least the ride would be smooth. Finally getting to the base at mile 36 and fighting 

a mild head wind I was happy to now have the wind at my back. As climbs went it was

ok not as killer as people talked it up. % of grade was never out 12% the west side the grade did go to 15 and was pretty sandy which made for a sketchy decent but again not so killer. County S out the front door here kicks up to 22% and is as long if not a touch longer...More Killer...

Rest of the ride was status normal.. Finished with climbing up M to S which with the rain we 

have had was now much cleaner and free of sand ....so now you could really lean in to the turns. 

Good day on the wheels all followed up with hanging out with my lovely with at the 

moon drinking beers and riding cruzer bikes. Yep days off are the shit !!!

PipNaTioN

I am so damn glad that I am not a Teenager,,

Not to make my self sound old but these kids are in a strange strange world. 

Raising a Teen is almost as hard as being on. 

Mine she is great kid wanting to fit in and all that crap. I get mad because I 

at times see her not using all her potential due to the outside influences of  the times and place she lives. 

I have been bringing this kid up surrounded and immersed in  as much of the 

cycling world as I can. She has hung out with National and World Champions, industry wigs,,big and small.. Seen some pretty amazingracing and gotten to

ride her bike in some of the most iconic places in the USA. 

At the age of 16 she has some pretty good accomplishments, and her mother 

and I like to think that their could be more of those to come.  The issue is she is a teenage girl in Onlaska Wisco where she is the only Teen who ridesa bike that is not from a box store,, no one for her to ride with other than me and a few other 

locals that we bump into up on the trails. This is far from what she had living in Summit County where 

every one was on some form of bike.  Hard for her to motivate and that bums me out. Racing season is 

coming and she has put in some good work over the winter in the gym and even skied a bit, a just as of the other day started having some knee pain while running with the track team. 

Now she has run and can run but she is not a runner. I told her that it was ok with me 

stop the team but it was time to devote all free time to the bike. Yes Pip the trails will be 

open soon and you can ride your Mountain Bike seeing as you don't like your Road bike. 

But now is the time to get moving,, It is hard to push I don't want to go over board. 

I remind her of the promises that she has made to Hollywood Cycles and to Twin Six.. 

She understands it is just hard none of her friends understand and all the boys are a bunch of tools,,so she is stuck hanging out with 30somethings and her dad..

The fire will get stoke soon,,as the dad and defacto coach I just want to see more out of her.

She was 2nd in the State of Minnesota for the Elite women and helped

Hwood score a State Championship,, so I know the drive is there...time to make the engine roar. 

MotorGrAtEr

No rest for the wicked,, or at least that is what they say and still not 

sure who they are. But sunday lived up to all the hype. 

Sunshine and a killer breakfast,, fresh blueberry pancakes with some 

strong coffee. The only thing that was missing was Bike racing streaming on 

the computer..
Sent AnnA out for a good ride before the wind got to be too crazy. I think that 

her and her Madone are starting to get along better with every ride.

I dug around in the back yard and made sure that the coffee did not go to waste.. 

Someday I am going to have a fancy espresso maker and going to spend my days

going transcendental as I drink enough coffee to see the 4th dimension.

When it was my time to head out it was the age old question of 

which way to  go??   With the mild weather I have been this way and that 

way so many times starting to  almost feel like I am getting burned out on the routes ...or just really ready

for Mountain Biking. 

Decided that Minnesota would be a good time with some longer climbs with less % of grade.

Over the river and through the woods had me on the top of the TV 19 Hill and now pointing 

down Tscheremrper ,,,,totally hacked the spelling of that but close enough.

Never gone down this hill climbed it a ton but down was new,, felt like or at least was day dreaming that I was over in Italy with the orchards and old farms,, and a beaten down old pave. 

Fun sketchy decent down through the sand and debris to the Root River,,, from here I was excited to 

head up Brush Valley Road. Township 281 starts off gravel and then when it gets steep and it turns to crumbly pavement. 

Things started off good until I  encounter some moisture then it turned soft 

then my front wheel dove into what seemed like quicksand.  Clipped out put 

my foot into the road up to my ankle and almost went over the bars. 

Not what I was expecting..  Got up and cleaned up front end and cleaned off my 

Northwaves as good as I could and started climbing.. Damn I got dirty as all hell,,, not sure why and where the wet road came from  we have not seen rain for a least a week . 

Finished the ride strong climbing Burns Valley and listening to my now dirty and pissed off drivetrain. Road Bikes do not like to get as dirty as I got.. 

Put up a new logo today from the good folks at Paceline,,, 

they take care of my bottom line making long days in saddle 

more manageable.  And they make bad days the kind that end up in quicksand 

much better. 

 

 

 

Gas is getting out of control and those of you that don't should. 

Turning

I wanted more,,but what is new.. Made the decision to go

and do the saturday group ride that starts at the 

KT on 33. Knowing that many people are still calling it early season that 

the group will have varying fitness levels. My goal 

was to go and hang out with dudes in tight clothes and power meters for as 

long as I could. Good size rolling mass of riders headed south 

into what once again seemed to be a gusty wind. Up K and over to Brinkman's 

ridge where we got the first flat of the day.. Longer than normal fix and we were moving again. 

Sliding with a good bit of cross wind the group struggled to stay together when the 

same wheel went flat again. This time I was told  to  help change the tube,,this change was pushing me 

past the time that I want to be at,, had not gotten far and had a bit of stoppage time. 

After some fast rolling along the top of the ridge I  splintered from the group, and started to 

head toward the north. Got to the garage

and realized that the family was still all out on their bikes enjoying the weather.... I wanted more...

Let the wind push me to the north in cool down mode. Having to turn back to the 

south and the wind blasting now at 20+ I hit the crushed gravel to hide from the wind. 

Hard to hide, rolled home with a touch over 60 in about 3 hours so ended up being a good day. Ready for some of lower wind days to show up. 

Got to spend the evening eating good food drinking good beer and throwing 

Frisbee with the family. The topper of the evening was getting 

to watch MSR and what a finish.. I have to think that Spartacus is not happy..

Coming soon on the opening of the new Hollywood Cycles
Doors are to open on the 31 and stands to be a great party..
As the Boss always says>>> PARTY ON!!

Cloudy ViSioN

Rode into work today in a thick fog.. Which explains that while sleeping with 

the windows open I could not hear all the normal noise of roads and trains...The sound outside was like that of a good hard snow storm.  I wanted to get just a nice spin around D-town and by the river,,still not

digging this pitch black stuff in the morning. But with the conditions the best bet was just to get to the shop...

Thick and wet front side of me was covered in a fine mist,, and in my heist to get out should have

grabbed some more flashy lights.. I get past but a few commuters every morning that are all lit up like the top of the sears tower, and I have nothing..

Can't tell if that is why they snub me or if it because I am all kitted up in superman suit with a smile from ear to ear... Oh well.. Like to think that I wave to all cyclist I may miss one or two but generally a happy guy on the bike.

Yesterday's goal was active recovery getting out and spinning with little or no 

hard efforts,,which can be hard on the Single Lemond, but I choose that one so 

I would not be tempted to shift and crank hard.. On that bike it is stand up or sit down and spin.. Or as this picture shows bend the spokes. 

Using the Interval function on my Cateye computer and doing the same route as yesterday 

was the plan for today.. Legs still mad from tuesday nights efforts, but was still able to turn the 

pedals as I wanted. More saddle time and more time in the sun. I think that things are coming 

along well,, I may have to the TNWC on tuesday and see where I stack up with all the 

power meter riders in the area.  What ever happens as long as the sun keeps shining and 

the wheels keep turning I will be all smiles. 

MoNoChRoMaTiC

Another day of warm temps unseasonably warm..

Not much of any wind. I wanted to do the TNWC and actually ride with a a group,

but once again work was slow and I was out way before the five o clock ride time.

I spun home and ditched the pack grabbed some supplies and headed out. 

Had an extra treat of a big box of Chamois Butt'r products show up yesterday so 

now no more sore backside,,...in the end my Butt was happy.  If you have

used the euro style you know why and how it works if you have not tried a Chamois Creme you should. Not some thing that you need every day but long days in the saddle and for me racing Mountain Bikes it makes for a much better experience.

                                                                                   Since I was missing out on the effort of the Wold Champ ride I headed out 

from the house on a mission and a plan of what I wanted to see, and the work that needed to be done.

Right out the front door you can hit Cty S that at points kicks over 20% stretches a bit over a mile and a half and the gain is at the top of the ridge is 800 feet. This leads to a section of road that climbs 

up and over two more bluffs shorter climbs but again in the double digit % of grade. 

Makes for a good ride finishing on the hill you started on and the descent is wicked,, on the breaks 

you can easily go 40+,,let go of them and you are flying. 

Great day,, Shorts and Jersey weather and even got to ride with out any shoe covers.

Weather is

looking great for the whole week,, hoping to be able to get after it this weekend, and if I get my break cables trimmed on the Spot may even get out and roll around on the fatter tires. 

I Dream In Black & White

UP

I had some pretty lofty goals and came damn close to achieving them.

By far a strange weather week, as mother nature try's to figure it self out. 

Week started with 30 degree temps and wind chill, and then had some wind

and lots of sunshine. 

Yesterday was down right nutty with sustained winds of 30 and gust even higher. 

Took the kid out and again tried to work on getting her to understand drafting better

and that it is better to work harder to stay on a wheel then to sit in no-mans-land and 

get shattered. 

Climbing up the Bliss Climb  at her pace I heard what I thought was the 

train,, nope it was the flag at the top of the bluff almost getting ripped of the pole.

Today was a much calmer day and again with the sun in full force.

Layers were shed as the work started to head up hill. 

For me today was all about pace not so much time in the saddle as every one in the house 

wanted to get out on their bikes. By the time my ride was

done my Cateye said that for the week I had climbed enough to stand on

top of Mt. Quandary.  So 

missing the goal of mileage is one thing but getting 14K+ of climbing was pretty good.

Needless to say lots of recovery going on here, and getting ready for the week a head. May even try to HTFU and do the TNWC,, not sure if that is where I need to be but we'll see.. Need Need to get my MTB ready,, could be riding some dirt soon if things stay the way they are. 

Every day should be the weekend.

wHiPs

I spend a lot of time on my bikes and get

my training rides in before and after work. 

Years ago I would have ridden with a messenger bag but now life is much easier with my Ergon BC2 

bag. I can load this thing down and get down to business, and with the way the 

bag moves with your body it is like it is not even there. 

This morning was more of the same,,, dressed and out the door with enough time to 

Squeeze in an hour-ish and a bit of climbing.  Seeing that it is much colder most mornings 

on top of food for the day my pack is loaded with a change of clothes for 

the afternoon ride.   Today had a curve ball throw in just to make things interesting,, not a lot of work very few calls and I was done and out of the shop by noon.  Pissed by the lack of work and the clouds

 that had rolled in I spun home and ate some lunch, and headed back out.  I stuck with 

the whip of choice, opted for the geared ride as the winds have been kind of stupid and shifting is nice when fighting it.  Rode north through some nasty cross winds and then headed east and it was like I had a hand on my back pushing me.  

Here where I live only being a 1/2 mile from the Mississippi when the wind blows from the west your options kind of suck. North and south are flat and boring and heading to the east means that you will be fighting head winds the whole way home.. But what does not kill you only makes you stronger ,,,,Right??

After a good push I 

headed over to 108 and rode the Cut ,,

and,,,the sun came out.. 

It turned out to be a good long day in the saddle.

I  need to figure what to do about this repair gig as it seems we are getting slower and slower,and making money is a good thing.... But  long days in the saddle are good and ,, I will be working with Paceline Products this season and they will be making sure that the long days on the bike don't render me unable to sit down the next day.

My favorite is the Eurostyle Butt'r works wonders and after last summers extreme heat and humidity my back side was happy and not chapped at all.  Looking forward to working with Steve and the crew there, good mid western folks that are very passionate about cycling. 

Think tomorrow will be a bit of an easy day and take some time to get not only 

my road bike cleaned up but get the kids ready for a good warm and windy saturday. And maybe just maybe find the time to get my Break lines trimmed and get the MTB back ready to Rocker.  

Stacking

A get away is what this family needed and a trip to the indoor water park in the 

land of the Dells is where were heading. 

Pretty good deal, a nights stay at the Hotel and all the water park fun 

you could have.  We had a blast crushing the slides and 

splashing around. And since we went on a sunday/moday the 

crowd levels were pretty slim,, just not the people. 

Saturday night after eating a bit of food and having a few adult soda pops we headed back. 

From what I understand I may have had to much fun. Going down some of the tubes
in reverse. Pip told me that I needed to shape up or I might get kicked out..
So I had to act my age and shape up... Regardless after some more adult  sodas,, we hit the
hay to get more the next day..  Monday morning I hurt,, body was pissed about all the stairs that we were running and all the jerking back and forth of water park fun.
We came we conquered we kicked ass...

Weather took a turn for warmer after a few cold days on the bike this was awesome.
Saturday I though that I froze parts of my anatomy off,, and yesterday was
an hour sub allout into the wind.. Today
was 65 and windy but it was 65!!
Started the day off with some tempo to work going back up over the bluff,,the Emag loop. Felt good to out getting miles before work instead of doing hills intervals.  After the
day job was done I went back for more working my way a bit south only to head back to the north with the wind.  Managed just under three hours and 50 miles with over 3500K of climbing for the
day. Not bad for a tuesday and to ride in only a jersey and some knickers felt Awesomer.
Came home to a bottle of R4 and some Second Surge, to help recover and get ready for more to come.  If you have not you should check out the new Pacific Health Website.  These guys
do a great job of making products that help make you recover faster and ride longer...and they have a taste that wont make you puke,, good stuff.
Weather is going to be good all week through the weekend and so on... Goals for the weekend is to do a loop over in Mn that is going to cover some hills and gravel roads.. I am

so ready for the weekend. Bring IT On!

Crunching

At times I can make my ears bleed from plugging my nose

and sneezing.. well not really 

but that is what my work can not my job can make me feel. 

Love working with my hands and fixing things for people and making them 

happy that their expensive box of crap now works. 

That being said it makes me hate and as my wife's favorite show says 

my h8ters are my motivators. 

After a long week and some stupid bullshit the past few rides

have been fueled by anger....

Yesterday found me in the quarry on the SSCX and making mends with the 

darkside of gravity as I descended the steepasshill.  Before I hit the hill

my work phone rang and I had to head back to work for another whitetrashicemaker issue. 

Regardless I got good time in the saddle and crushed the pedals. 

Today was not far from the same,, a few times up the bluff to clear the head and then 

around for the way home. Rode the Lemond X SS today and the bigger gear and steel felt so damn good.  After miles and miles of Beating the shit out of my self on Aluminum the buttery ride of 

steel felt so good.  

As I went out to the garage to get another beer I looked at all the bikes that 

I have not hung back up this week I thought to my self

that it has been a 4 bike week.. All of the major players have been in 

play and that warms the heart..  Putting it all together I thought deeper and the four bikes

use five different Cateye products. All of which crunch the numbers that

keep me company while I am out all alone on the Pave or Dirt.

Here is to the weekend ready or not shitty weather and all.. We are packing the 

famdamn up and heading to the indoor water parks for some good old family fun. 

Until then watch Hurl take on a Turtle...