New Girls

Kwood wife of Hollywood Henderson has brought some new goods to market.

Check out what these ladies are doing and while you are 

there grab a Shirt for the cyclist in your life.

Bandit Crossing

So damn glad that I got one last Mountain Bike ride in before the winter blew in. 

It was a long and fun year on the fat tires and now it is time for the bike to get cleaned up and 

start think and planing for next year. 

I got out saturday morning before the sun broke through the clouds and the woods were

quite and the trail was still frozen so not a single knobie left a mark in the dirt.

Followed the day up with some enchilada's  and then a spin over to the Moon with my Sweet Lady for beer and wings that never got ordered. 

Riding home through the hood it was all lit up with holiday cheer, and with no snow on the ground and warm temps sure seemed like winter was never going to come. 

The we went to bed and woke up to a winter wonderland.

After moving some snow off the driveway the boy and I headed out to ride our neighborhood cross course, with the white stuff flying and piling up on the ground it sure changed the way our wheels moved. And it made for some great snowballs.. 

Knowing that the commute to work would be one for the story books with the snow falling all through the day, I knew that I needed something to get me to work. 

Not wanting to destroy my cross bike for the forth year in a row I started digging around the garage to see what I could put together. 

Pull the winter commuting wheels out of storage and took the Vittoria CX wheels off my King Wheels and got to work.  This here bike is something that came about years ago and has never really had a purpose... With a few tweaks and  some spare parts I got it up and running. As a winter commuter it will work,, could use some studs  but with out it will just make for some more funner spinning.

Winter is here at least for now so time for crazy commutes and if and only if the snow holds we will be sliding on snow on waxed missiles..

Going to leave you with one From Jeff at All City and Bike Jerks he has the right idea.

Bandit Cross: Ruining It For Everybody from Quality Bicycle Products on Vimeo.

 

SuPeRcHuNkEd

Winter has no desire to show it's head in these here parts,, so this guy is making hay while the sunshine's ..I have been finding deep solace in morning spins up the quarry road avoiding the crappy morning traffic and getting to climb one of my favorite hills. 

I can leave the house in a crappy mood about work,, bills,,, kids,,etc,,, and  the next thing that I know smiles are stretching across my face,,,,,,,,,that is until I get to the job site.  

I dream about stuff take in the fresh air do dandy boy moves and just take in the freedom that is 

wheeling around. 

Fixing things i think is a noble trade ,,, even when the stuff that i am wrenching on is nothing but a big pile (fill in the Blank)...

I at times think of my wrench friends in all the bike shops all across this land that have to hoist up a Magma or Freespirit or even the walmart Schwinn. 

I can see their faces drop to the floor as they have to true some shitty wheels or re-cable the pos..

But the funny thing is it could be a Madone or a some fancy full boinger or even worse the racer guy who does not clean it after a nasty race and can't figure out why it does not shift. 

It all boils down to things break and need to be fixed,,,cheep or through the roof expensive. 

When it is all said and done and the day is done being able to unwind and forget it and let

all slide off like you like you are made of Teflon is key.

And once again it is the bike that unlocks the door to sanity. 

Walking out the door I can make the choice to just hit the path and head home or I can 

turn the opposite direction and head through town and back up the bluff... then I can make the choice of single track fun or just bombing down some loose gravely fun. 

If all goes well my week is full of ups and downs and all on two wheels,, and if winter does not want to come and make things impassable these knobies are going to keep on spinning. 

Not

I keep telling my self that as for now the season is over and it is time to shift gears and do something else for awhile. But this keep looming in the distance and with the severe OCD that i have 

I keep looking at it.

No No I say 85 dollars for a 40 minute race is too damn much.. I am going to save my dollars and 

go on sunday and Heckle my friends and shake hands and slap palms with the

sponsor folks who will be in the 608 for this big event.

Unit till the next line up work will be done on two wheels and in the mid-evil chamber of pain.

And hopefully sooner than later the work bench will be changed from a tool shop to a wax bench 

but would require snow??

Fading Lines Taned

I know my place and I know where I am the happiest..  That being said I want to spend every day that I can in that happy place.  I finished off my work day and headed home on my SSCX with a 

light on my head I rode into the darkness. Last time I checked I is December but other than the lack of daylight you would not know that with the 60 degree temps and rain showers we got today.

Only two

days out since my last race of the season and I can already fell that felling of " what in the hell am I going to do now?" I spent yesterday chilling and playing with the boy,, we made our own urban cross course across the way at the middle school,,,,sure is a shame that kids bikes are so damn heavy.. I have been stretching him on a mid-evil rack so he can get on to a snappper bike..

Saturday was full of Cross Bike Racing ToMfOolery..  A windy chill day in the 612 and a well though out cross course.. The boys who put this one together used every inch of every bit of off camber tight twisty sandy bits of fun that they could.  After Checking in with the Twin Six Crew,

we (pip) set off to watch the 3's race,, what a kick ass race it was as we got to watch the young Bavers hit the Top Step with Hwood on the third step,,! Good Job you Red Headed Stud!

I was up next and was stoked when I got my call to the line, and what a line it was,,, next to me was Dan C World Track Champ and Brandon K the winner of the ROY and the Raganork,, Ezzra T on his crazy wide handle bars that give the man so much torque and another 25+ guys ready for a ton of pain.  Brandon punched it right at the start and we were off,, a small group of around 8 or so formed until we it the sandpit for the first time,,,, here things stretched out a bit and we all came back together at the stairs.  By the back side the yo-yo was in full effect. i could see the lead group for the next 4 laps but could never bring back.. I sat for a while where I wanted to be on Dan Casper's wheel,, he would pull on the flat straight and I would ride the more techy stuff,, but duder is strong and running a tooth or two more and was 

able to ride away after the sand pit with two to go.. 

I came in where I normally du Seven,, so yes it was another ride of Sevin Curran.

For a Cross season that was thrown together at the last minute I think that I did well over the 6 weeks of racing.. Had some moments where I felt fast and like I knew what I was doing ,,,,then others when I just wished the bike would break in two.. The level of riding and riders was top notch and the singlespeed class was riding as hard if not harder than the 1-2's. 

I am thankful for the weekends of fun seeing teammates and old/new friends.... For beating my body and equipment,, for going crossed eye off the line and smiling the whole time. 

I could not do it with out the support of my family here at home and all the kind sponsors who keep me moving..   Two Thousand and Twelve's racing may be over but the next season is just about to begin and start all over.. 

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.