TaStE Of pAiN

Tomorrow may be the last line up and last number pinning for me this season. 

Heading up once again to the 612 for the Mn State CX Championships.
There are more races or at least one more this season,, here in Wisco, but for what it is worth it has been a long long season of racing and it  may be time for a  break. 
Pip and I may head over to Madtown for the National Race the first week of January,
but my desire to spend a bunch of dough to race just is not their.
If registered with in the next week it is only 65$ but it is also a new year so a renew of ones
USA Cycling license which is another 150 so by the time it is all said and done I would have over Two Hundred dollars wrapped up in to a CX race... The math just does not add up.
But tomorrow should be fun,,,,,this race has been one that for years that I have wanted to do and now that Pip has a rig and enjoys the pain we can head up and Party On with the rest of the Hollywood Cycles crew.
Bikes are tuned cleaned and ready to go,, weather will be somewhat good mild temps and a slight chance of rain. So bring it on make it hurt fell the pain and ears ringing and the tasted of blood in the back of my mouth.

I am ready and the bike is ready time for game on. It will be METAL! and it will hurt but it has all been fun..

Kindred

For the past few years now I have been working with the good folks at Chris King..

Is was kind of a dream come true to have one of if not the best and most progressive companys

stand up and help promote an independent racer. 

When it comes to the gear Hubs, Headsets, or Bottom Brackets I never have to 

worry about performance when it comes race day.

Here is a link to their Chris King Buzz Blog.

Take a look and check out some of the other post, as they show you the cycling world through their eyes. 

Toxic

It is time for some detox.....after a week long gorging of food and drink I feel like a 

sloth.  I even make sure that I move everyday but I think that the consumption out weighs the motion. 

I was the only one in the house that had to work on Black Sabbath Friday and it was a slog of a day fixing and working on more than my fair share of stuff, and all I wanted was a midday winter nap. 

And after crashing out early that evening I was ready to go saturday morning. It would be the first weekend in five or so that we did not have any racing so the whole weekend would be free to do what ever.  With the sun shining the Pip and headed out on cross bikes to smell the fresh air. The only issue was that air was colder than either of us expected,, not a whole lot of warming up happened until we go to the hill of Bliss. Climbing always makes things get warmer that is until you get to the ridge top and the wind blows right through you.

Zipping through the quarry on skinny tires is a blast and makes you have to think quickly about where you place those tires. We only bumped in to one group of hunters who had a buck in a sled and were working their asses off to drag the thing out of the brush.  I was so happy to make it home and warm up with some Whiskey and second thanksgiving which was as always super kick ass. 

Sunday was mountain bikes,, I can't even remember my last Mtb ride. Felt real real good to be on the fat tires. The climb up the quarry hill did suck but it did not hurt me as much as it kicked the Pips ass. 

The woods were quite with most hunters being done as it was the last day of the nine day hunting season.  Fat tires Fat Bellys and much needed rest. Now it is time for a mental shift and that detox so I can get 

ready for the SSCX Champ race this saturday.. Hope I remember how good that pain feels. 

Turduckin

A seat at the table? Flashing back through years and years of family and friends.

Many things to be happy and thankful for.

I miss my grandma and hope that my grandpa can get through his 

days on earth all alone. 

This will be the last Thanksgiving where the whole family is 

together,, Pip will come home from college next year and we will be all back as a unit. 

What holds this family together is strength and determination and the ability

to get Rad on two wheels. 

We will not take part in spending america back to health on friday.. We will celebrate Black Sabbath Friday and instead of shopping we will be rocking. 

This week of rest will becoming to an end and the it will be time to get back firing up the engine

and getting ready for one last CX fight. 

Pin it on line it up and go fast!

Be good to everyone do nice things eat lots of food.. Remember what is important in life it is not stuff.

As a wise man once said " you are not what you own " !!

Go fast and have fun..   

Pins and Needles

Plans change people change and hair styles change.. and after some soul searching of what to do with the boy(Rocket) we decided to drive up north to get into some more cross racing.

A bit of pavement was in between us and what some were calling one of the worst cross events on the MCF's calendar, but with Jingle CX out of the picture it was my only shot at some more practice.

Barry,, one of my Hollywood Teammates was planing on being there and I knew that later in the day that I could take the boy to the science museum,,,since were going to be in the big city. 

The venue was not to far away from where I spent most of my young and I got 

to point out different sk8 spots and talk in my old man voice of "back when I was a Kid"..

They had a super cool park for running and playing and before I knew it James was the 

pied piper was a flock of kids doing is bidding. 

After meeting up with Barry we got a good look at the course and the first thing I noticed was that the barriers were taller than normal and all on up hills which was going to make for some interesting jumping as the race went on. 

Smaller fields were on the line with the most of the CX riders down south and the rest fizzling out.

The turnout was so small they were saying that 1-2 race would not happen.

Got some help on the line getting my number straightened out as this mountain biker still does not know how to pin a number and we were off. 

Barry and got to the front and worked together through the single track and over the sand pits. 

Thirty minutes in we came through to see we had five to go,, which means the officials decided to make it an hour race,, and more than anything it meant the suffering would continue longer. 

As it all shuffled out Barry and I came up the last run up together and being gassed and not wanting it have to sprint up hill to get the win I wave my teammate on. 

Five weeks of racing and racing hard now I get to take a bit of break as it is hunting season and i don't want to be in the woods. 

December 1 is the Minnesota State Champ race and I hope that I am going to be read.. As for know I am tired and ready to put my mind brain to sleep.. 

Older Men

Paper cuts are annoying especially when all you want to do is break down all the beer boxes that have stacked up in front of the beer fridge. Trying to save time in a bottle or for that matter a 12oz can can make you run in circles. Never seems to be enough time to du the things you want to 

du.

The Darkness is almost coming to an end, a touch over a month and 

Light will start making it's return.

As said before I have been bitten by the cross bug and have been having a 

good time on the skinny tires fighting the onegear to get to the finish. 

Now my last minute thrown together of a season I over looked that the famous Jingle Cross 

was moved to the week before Thanksgiving. I was planing for an escape from the holiday, and some Pure Sweet Pain for CX racing. 

Unfortunately I was late on planing and just can't get it thrown together. 

A bit of a bummer after four strong weeks and feeling pretty good on and off the bike. 

Last sunday was a workout and I want more.   

There is a race up in the cities not to far from where I grew up and I could see the boy and I heading up and getting in line to go. Before I know it the Mn State race will be here and then Nationals here in Wisco.

One of my trips of the stairs as the Hecklers were doing their job I was not only told I was winning the old man race but also told that I had the Raddest Bike.. Yep 10 year old CX with a Quill some Shiny King Hubs and Hed Wheels and a Thomson Post attached to San Marco saddle yep

Pretty Kick Ass.

Rather Ripped

Week four in a row of Cross racing,,,, This time the whole family went over to Ripon to see what will be the new home of Sophia and for me and the kid to do some racing. 

For the kid it was going to be her first ever cross race and other than some practice on saturday

it was going to be trail by fire. 

The course was one like I had never seen before... A set of double stairs,,with a landing in the middle

a volleyball pit twice in a lap and a decent down some sketchy single track.. 

The kid did awesome just settling in and fighting through the pain,, her soon to be team and new Coach rallied around and cheered her on. 

For me I was on the line with 8 or 9 college kids and only two other 1-2's.

I learned right from the start that I was way over geared,, more than I have ever been.

And after watching Drew go down pretty hard I just rode to get some work in. 

The race took you through one of the dorm quads and the students were out ringing cowbells and shouting. There were places to get rad and catch some air and the old guy was having fun until

I almost ate shit going down the single track back to the football field. 

Flatted with one lap to go and made it to the pit and swapped out my front wheel,, the Official was confused and said that I was done,, which he later learned that I was not and just placed me where I was. 

Now the question is what to do now,, Jingle Cross is next weekend and me and the boy would have to go together as momma is out of town or I could just take a week off... 

Only issue with that their wont be much racing before the Mn state chams race. 

I'll get it all figured out. 

He Double Hockey Sticks

I have got a bit of the  bug..  The Cyclocross bug.

I got a late start but I am also not going to be guy on July fifth gluing tires and getting all excited for cross season.

This last week was the self proclaimed Midwest Single Speed CX Championship. 

For me it was the third time for to try to come out on top.  No riding in the velodrome this year but they found a good way to kick or asses. 

TMB

Some high speed straight-a-ways tight curves,, and obstetrical made for a hard lap.

Found my self up towards the front and trying to manage the pain. At some point in time 

I missed a wheel and just that fast I was in nomansland. 

I want more ....more of that feeling when the official says 30 seconds. Then go and the pain that comes along...Another one this weekend and then off for a week or so.. 

Pure Sweet Hell!

Hollywood Cycles

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