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Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing

Elbert Hubbard

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Two Days of Spring

So it doesn't get any better than this....Yesterday and today in the mid 50's...So now what?



Well go for a ride of course!

A True crusty POV

Here is a future Derby lead...

This kid was tearing it up as we came up the hill.  Then all of the sudden saw us and decided to ride on the road for a little ways beside us.

So there was still a little bit of bite in the air so I busted out my old skool driving gloves..
(Anyone recognize the logo?)


The only thing was that you still had to keep your eyes on the road where the shade from the trees overhung due to this...

Not only that the ground was still pretty cold evident by the pond..

A couple of happy cyclists enjoying the day!

I'm actually brining in the new year with 45 minutes of pain, SUCKERS!!! 

Sunday, December 28, 2008

It Beats Riding the Trainer!

So today's race was mud!  I mean mud like I haven't raced in, in years!!

Oh yea, I said race!  It beats the roller's. 

 The course was spot on, the only thing is the crazy weather we are having.  From spring day to thunderstorms to 60-80 mph winds in the area with tornado warnings and flash flood warnings to snow the next day.  Then today it wound up being 49 degrees!  This is some crazy Midwest weather.  As the saying goes "If you don't like today, wait til tomorrow!

So back to the race...No preride for me.. I saw what the bikes of those who rode so I decided to hit it blind.  We lined up all 14 of us and off we went.  I didn't clip in right away so I wound up midpack.  From there it was very interesting, very deep mud with ton's of leaves to clog up everything.  I had to stop 3 times to just clean out my fork from all he debris that was jammed in there.   My wheel wouldn't even spin, insane!  I had to stop twice to clear debris from the rear derailleur.  Wow!  There were a couple of sections near the river that were an absolute marsh and I ran it ever lap!  My shoes were trashed! I think I found the bottom of at least two holes that had to half way go to China!!  Oh yea those were my Christmas socks!  But after the first lap you couldn't see the reindeers or Christmas trees at all!
I did wash them this time H-man!!

I do have to give a shout out to J-H for spinning vinyl as we raced!  I mean actual vinyl on two turntables on top of the RV, Clark!!  The music kicked arse!  

On a couple of the sections I sat and spun it, with no results it was as if I was on rollers!  All I could do was laugh at myself and concentrate on not hitting the deck!  Which I didn't do, but by the looks of it you wouldn't have been able to tell!
I have to get this shit clean for Wednesdays race!  I hope my shoes are dry by then!  On top of that I'm not racing on my black/red Orb next race!  Not the way the weather is looking like it is!  Or I might just might but use my aluminum wheels from the other one on!  I will see how the mood strikes me on Wednesday.  

Tomorrows temps in the 50's are screaming for me to hit the roads for a couple of hours...

Friday, December 26, 2008

Is this December?

That's right.  December 26th and its that warm. 

Sooo.... what do you do?  Go for a road ride.

This is how things started...



mikemike doin' his thing on the bike

Hibernating has done Tulip good!

Kat Von Dee in da house!


Take a right at the bright orange thingy

Yeap that's a road!

mikemike starting to get really happy with me!

You know your in the country when you see that.


More country roads.

Breakin' it in right!

It doesn't get any better than this!

Note the country bike lane

The Boss said "Hell with two wheels!"

So about an 1hr 30min's later this is the end result...  Still can't beat it for December!



Thursday, December 25, 2008

Hoofin It

So Mother Nature decided to give us a white Christmas. Due to this we decided to go on a 2.5 hour  hike here.

The only problem it was 18 degrees when we started. It was a little chilly climbing up this hill.  On top of that I decided to get acclimated to carrying a pack.  Loaded up 20lbs in the daypack and off we went!

View from the parking lot looking up.

Amazingly this is only half way up the hill looking down to the parking lot.  Ugghhh what did I get myself into! (to give some perspective if you look to the left you will see the race wagon)


Now at the top from the parking lot, here is the view towards Lee's Summit!


A nice little rock out cropping.

We were the first up here today!


We started exploring the trails around the park and here is what the terrain looked like....

Ice was everywhere!

You think a truck might have been up here?

There is a trail in there!



Where's Waldo?




Well we might have not been the first!

On the back side of the park we could see Independence!
Also Oak Grove. It was an amazing view from up there!
The Boss and I!  
Merry Christmas!!
Maximilian posing!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Now What?

I was able to chill for 9 days.  Amazingly I made it that long without doing a damn thing.  But now my ADHD has got the best of me.

So..  Now what is on the agenda.  

How about some of this expect with dumbbells! Along with these!

So I haven't really had enough of racing this season.  So.... Now What? 

 Who the needs to go to Belgium when you can have this in your backyard! The only thing missing is the thousands of paying, smoking, drinking crazy  CX fans.... 

Maybe these two assholes will show up!