Little Black Spot

What is a Week? A stretch of days? Punching the clock? 

How do you define it? I try not to define it by going to the job site, or by when my 

favorite soap operas are on.  I define a week as how 

work has been done on two wheels. 

Sunday nights I set a list of goals of what i want and what I expect. 

It can be a hard week,,if their is no weekend racing or a week of tempo/base

keeping the legs supple for races to come. 

This week... was one that I was able to load up.. Not so much on miles/time

still around 15 hours total saddle time but more on hill climbing and 

being able to punch and recover. 

The next race up in Lester Park has s good amount of climbing as you climb up to the top of the trail system and dive all the way back to the start finish line.  Not only does it have some of the 

best single track I have ridden in years but you also get to traverse around the thunder roar of duel waterfalls.

I had a good race last year after a rough start getting crashed into off the line and having to fight like crazy to get towards the front. This year I am hoping that with some hard work and smooth riding that I can better my results from years past.  So today to end the week I get to have a nice long endurance style ride on the mountain bike. It will be warm and sunny and a good day for some solid work.  Until then the Tour is on the tube and soon the Women's World Cup from the Catskills will be on the net.

TDF

It is almost July and in my other life that meant that it was 

time to get ready for the Firecracker 50, always a big fun deal in the sleepy town of Breckenridge. 

Also means that the Tour de France is going to start,,, and even with all the 

bullshit of Dopers and Cheaters I will be watching one of the greatest events on two wheels.

I have many memories of watching the race unfold the hot dry flat stages where the field is blown apart by wind, to the Mountain stages where one rider set a blistering pace over multiple Col's. 

Good stuff and good TV viewing for the whole family. 

Monday it was announced that the Minnesota Series figured out how they were going to 

handle the Duluth carnage. They are going to flip the two races that take place up there.

We will be racing at Lester Park which is one of if not the best venues of the summer. 

Lots of climbing and perfect single track all wrapped around a Park that has two rivers and many 

waterfalls, as long as my start is better than last year it should be a good event. 

I have been out working on as much climbing as I can,, and much to the ribbing that I have 

been getting on the FB still riding the 1x9 drive.  After 7 years of single speeding trying something else has landed me a lot of criticism, and being the butt of jokes. I am fine with all of that because I can strip the bike down in 10 minutes and be a 1x1 again. As of late no desire, shifting has been fun. 

So back at again this morning before the triple degree heat comes in this afternoon. 

I hope that all in the Cspring area are staying safe..

Now go ride. 

HeDkInG

I should have been racing this weekend but I chose to go and ride bikes with the boss and 

his wife Kwood. Sunday brought a wors race 90 minutes from the house and 

the original plan was not to race and just build for the Minnesota race up near Duluth.. 

But as now is here we sit and wait to hear what is going to happen,,,seeing as the area we 

were going to race at has been hit hard by the heavy flooding rains. 

If things happen this way and Duluth is canceled that will make almost a month with out

a race. Not good I should have raced. Their is a race this weekend he in town a 30 mile road race that they want 30 dollars for,,, but no prize money.. Hard to justify a dollar a mile for a training day. 

Would be fun to go race the new King/Hed wheels that Hwood built up, but that may be better money spent else where. 

Weather can be a royal pain in the ass the Rains in Duluth ,, the Fires in Colorado and now the 

Floods in Florida.. Seems like you can never win.. 

You can win and you could be a winner every day.. Just get out and ride

your bike.. Be One Less Car!

Standing in the Rain

Longest day of the year here today folks from here on out it is all down hill. 

I have been trying to make the most of it or with the weather we have been having the Moist of it. Bikes are cleaned from the the debacle of Sunday, could use some new cables on the Pip's bike but she is so busy she is not riding it right now. 

Hate being so hung up on weather but it has been off the wall to say the least... In the past 24 hours up in Duluth Mn they have gotten over 11 inches of rain. Homes and neighborhoods are cut off due to roads being washed out and flood waters.  This is the road out in front of the SKJ's house up on Skyline Dr.

Best wishes for all the folks up there,, we are supposed to be racing there in two weeks and the campground that we would be staying at have had to evacuate.

More rain is on the way and  I should be riding tonight with the Wed night group but really don't want to have clean bikes again,, plus it is 90+ with high humidity. Yesterday when I left the house to ride at 5AM it was 80 hot and sticky,,,,thankfully Chamois Buttr keeps things in check.

Wheels are moving and instead of racing this weekend I am going to spend some time riding a bunch trying to get a big blox of dirt miles in.. Levis with Hwood and crew will be good for the mind. 

Get out stay cool and ride your bike!!

What just happenend

Cold wet muddy and confused is how my race ended yesterday,, Still not sure how 

all things are going to shake out. 

Race started in the sun with nice temps and perfect trail conditions. I hit the Single track sitting in forth or fifth,, up front is where i wanted to be. The twisty one track carved like I have never seen, going fast and staying off the brakes. Hit the Hair-way-to-steven the first time perfect and down in to the reroute. Punching out of one of the climbs I rode over the Grouse,, bird seemed to be fine as I saw it on laps to come. Second lap was more of the same charging and being aggressive and again off the breaks and on the gas. Third lap started with the rain starting to fall,, before entering the single at the start it was already getting greasy and loose. Mid lap things started to get bad for me,, lost the ability to  see and the glasses came off and from their it got tough to keep the bike up. The off camber trail was hard to run let alone ride. 

Coming through into the last lap the race director was that the race was called so I 

came through the start/finish line and dropped my mud heavy bike to the ground,,, after a minute or two of confusion I hear the USA official say that he did not call it and now it was too late to get back on course.    Results are a mess the miss direction of the people in charge and  the destruction of bike gear left me dizzy and a bit grumpy. 

All the work that I have been putting in is working I feel good and now need to build for the next race.  Kids bike has gotten overhauled mine gets it tonight.

Contact

 

I stumbled across a facebook conversation today about pedals and what to go with. The person that started the conversation was talking about how the time AtC pedals were not the same as the old days. I agreed and added my two cents. I too used the old style of times for years and as the dust covers became harder and harder to replace,, I searched for some thing new.. The Eggbeater and I did not get along to sloppy and I tended to pull out of them to often, then working at a local shop I saw a lot of failures.  Shortly their after I found the Look Quartz, and fell in love.. Like most relationship at first we argued but once I slowed down and realized how to get the cleat shims set up I was in heaven.   What for me that makes them so great is the contact point between my shoe and the pedal. You actually stand on the pedal making the feel of the bike and ability to drive through the pedal stroke that much better.. Their is float and options for release making the set up totally customizable.   Then to top it all off the cost and weight of the pedals are easy on the pocket 250 grams for the graphite and around 100$, and if you go with the Cabon Ti you can come in at around 120 grams.  All in all a solid feel and a good price, every time I clip in I know that it is going to be a good ride.

Stop,,ThEn Go

Two solid day on the bike has me felling pretty good. I have been liking my Tuesdays when I can get a good group ride in the morning before work and then get out on the dirt in the evening. It leaves me with 60+ miles and helps build early in the week with racing on sunday. The old saying of make hay while the sun shines has never been more true,, the day job has been steady with 7ish hours daily then out to get the real work done.     One of the things that I have been very luck to ride with this year are my Magura MT8 Brakes. Not only is the weight low and stopping power and modulation and feel perfect. But the ease of maintenance is unreal.. As a privater racer I need to be able to do all if not most of the work on my gear at home.. I do have a good friend local that can help but I hate having to ask as he builds wheels and does the over my head shit or just calms me down and makes it work. Jay and is shop Hollywood is two hours away and he'll do what ever I need but again that is two hours.  The MT8's set up and that is just about it if

you do need to bleed it is simple and changing pads is a snap.  They have a full line of stoppers that work for both the Mountain bike and now on Road bikes. 

I think I found the deal I have been looking for airfare wise for Interbike in September,, pretty damn excited to go,, Steve Mathews from Chamois Buttr is sending me to help work the booth and see a bit of dirt demo,, I have never been and think that it will be a good time.. Would have never made the connection with Steve if it was not for Mike Gore, how just happens to be racing the RAAM.

Check out his site and wish him good luck,,they start crossing the USA tomorrow. 

Now Go ride your Bike,,,Ride the Revolution!

Just a Bit OfF

Weeks coming off a race, it is always going to be a gamble on how the body feels. One thing that I have found this year so far is I am not totally wrecked the next day. Not sure if it is due to the work done this spring or the streamlining of my nutrition. I think back to the Ragnarok and to the torture that I put my self that day,, one hundred and fifteen miles with a tall bottle and a small one,, oh and half a can coke. I cramped a bit and pretty sure at one point that I was seeing things,, but was able to hammer through to the finish.      So monday was a easy day of just getting the legs spun out,, Got up early to ride the with the EMAG group not expecting much but when all the jumps were made and hill sprints were started I was able to match and ride through. Wednesday was twice up the bluff before work once on the gravel quarry road and once up bliss. Again not felling that bad and was happy with the numbers and the effort. After work with sometime on my side I did a TT pace back up and over the bluff to home. The work was getting done. Thursday back up the gravel climb and to work,,,the hope was to ride dirt after work.    I must have made it a mile from home heading to the trails when i realized that my cranks were loose. Not loose broached again,,,,I had a back up set and with a thirty minute detour of bike work thanks with help from Feedback Sports I was back out on the bike. My goal was only an hour and a half,, Weather was perfect and the trails were riding sweet only issue was the pilot wasn't  I came home sat in a Ice Bath and got the rolling pin out and tried to freshen up some dead legs.
I seemed to work Friday morning was another Emag ride and due to work I had to bring my Ergon pack loaded down with food for the day. The group was interested in why the pack how much extra weight I was carrying.. Best part was it was not enough to slow me down,,,, the snap seemed to be back..

Then saturday the day that everyone want to go long and ride all day,,, this guy had family in town and a lot going on,, but my goal was to go out on the MTB and just have a ride... Ride some single track and have fun... Not workouts,,,no intervals,,, no repeats,,, just riding,,   So good for the soul. Bike body mind were all flowing along the trail.....It set me up for a day off the bike and a day spent with family.. Monday starts a new week with a race at the end of it.. Load up the work early so by the end of the week I am worried about nothing more than bike body and mind being ready to deliver.

Sleeping IN

Tired time and bikes,,, This is the time of the year that the racing heats up along with the days. The weather has been on par and the kids are out of school. It is also the time of the year when it gets hard to find all the time that i need to ride and train. I find my self leaving the house earlier and earlier to get some riding in before work then getting home and riding some more. It is thursday and I still have not gotten on my Mountain Bike since racing it on sunday.The road has been a nice treat but this boy wants to be in the woods on the single track.. It is a constant juggle of family and riding. And sleep, for some reason I have not been getting the sleep that I so badly need.. I am a 7-8 hour kind of person the more the better,, but with the longer days and the kids now home and playing late I am not getting the rest that I would like to have.. I should be out right now but this is a slow morning, I have plans to be out on the trails after work today,, that will help swing things back to normal.

Get out and enjoy the weather,,, It is summer time and the riding is Good.

Bluffing It

Mankato Minnesota racing Mount Kato,,, One of my favorite venue's to race and again a place that I have fond memories skiing as a youth.  Family and I headed over on saturday to do some camping get some R&R and let the Pip check out the university campus. The kid and I got to do a lap on the course and it was tacky and fast the tricky decent of "Quick Release" was the worst that I had seen in a while but rideable.  Quick tour of the campus and it was back to camp for some dinner and chilling out.
  Morning brought some showers which had me thinking that we were going to be in for a wet race but they were passing showers and did not add up to much.  As I looked around I realized that it was going to be a stacked field, with everyone racing for the State Title.. I was happy to have a front row call up seeing as it is 50 yards of sprinting to the single track and then up hill.

  The horn sounded and it was a blur,, good start and up towards the front.. The Freewheel Boys were heading the charge with Jessie and Mcburney setting a blistering pace. I sat fifth wheel and charged along with the train.. I had young Jack who was in town and SKJ sitting waiting to pounce,, I was hoping that the pace that we were pushing it would create a gap to the chasers but they always seemed to be right there.. Somewhere in lap two or three Luke Nelson came around with some fast legs and I watched him go as I was content to push my pace and see what happened. By the middle of lap five I was back with Mcburrney and we had picked up Doug S.  the three of pushed it along until Doug got super legs and he was off.  The race was super fast and again blown away with Brendan's ability to ride people off his wheel. I finished 8th again but this time with out crashing like at Afton and the top 8 all had green plates as again it was a stacked field..
 I think that the work that has been happening is working and things are falling into place,, I need to keep working on the fundamentals and I am pretty sure this season will be a success no matter what heath says.
  A good day on the bike and a good weekend for the family.. all the time spent and work done is paying off. The Hollywood Cycles twinsix.com, Twin Six Team is rolling as the Pip Scored her second third place of the season.. Big wheels are moving and we are Partying ON!!!!

The AKA

The Geax "AKA" TnT racing tire has been on my bike for the past eight hundred miles or since mid February.  I am so in love with this tire and how it preforms. Super fast rolling and with the lower pressure that the TNT compound allows the tire corners like on a rail.  Geax also has their own sealant much like the stans that is the industry standard, the Pitstop TNT Sealant super easy to use and instal in the tire.

I last night just set up my back wheel with a fresh 29x2.0 and I am ready to test it out today as we are getting to the race venue a day early.  This will be a good chance to see all the lines and test the bike at different pressures... For those of you in the 612 the place to get these Tires is at Hollywood's new shop on the edge of the greenbelt.  There you can pick up Geax tires Vittoria tires and Northwave shoes... All the things that you need to go fast and Party ON...

Get some new rubber take a deep breath enjoy the smell,, then Grip it and Rip it,, Because you are going to go fast..