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!!! 

Beer of the Week

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...

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!

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!

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!

Beer of the Week P/B karls jr

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Warm and Fuzzy Thoughts...

Hope this helps!

Just In Time for the Holidays..

  A Death Map

Its Here!

Can you feel it in the air?

The new schedule for 09 CX is already out!

Get your kitchen passes ready.  Wisconsin and Kentucky are on the USGP schedule.

Both courses absolutely rock!!

WOW!

Well that is that....CX season is officially over and in the books.  

I figured out one thing...I SUCKED, but I had so much fun going from Wisconsin to Kentucky to Iowa that in 5 months time just flew by.  It was a whirlwind of grass corners, confusing taped courses, wheel sucking sandpits, and huge hills to WALK UP then WALK DOWN!!  I do have to say I tasted the ground in every state I visited this year.  I really don't know if that is something to brag about or not!  But oh well it is what is and nothing more.

So my arse got handed to me this year by one of my hombre's in crime.  Good job Heeman!  He wouldn't even give me one of the six times we met.  Next year we won't be able to race Masters in the same class, now what?  Keep your eyes out for Rosco P Fastrain up in Wisconsin that boy will be rippin some legs off, that is if he isn't sliding down the pavement.  A BIG congrats to G-Bomb for a stellar ride at Nationals.  That boy totally rode out of his skin. 

 Oh yea, make sure to check out the kit for next year!!  Crazy, bright, and touches of orange!  I also heard we might be getting a PRO bike? In my wife inc colors, if I heard right!?  Striving for the most PRO unsponsored PRO look possible.  Well, actually we are sponsored, you just need to read into it!! That will make you wish for the new season to start really soon!!  

I know I'm absolutely excited all ready about this one! To bad it sold out 45 min after I signed up for it.  I did this one some years ago, but had ton's of bad luck.  Hoping for some redemption. Here is some other interesting plans for the year.  Plus you can never forget about these boys and the good work they do!!  Do you notice a theme here?  My name is dirt?  Could be that time to make a little change for '09!  That's one New Years Resolution I plan on fulfilling!  Oh yea, I can't forget about this one!  Waiting for the date on this one, but I will be riding/racing the course, again!!

That's a couple of races I can think of til CX season fires back up.  But I'm hoping to have a full season of racing and be firing on all cylinders come the 'fun' part of the season.

With all the changes coming about I will try and keep this blog more up to date...

Why Is CX So Cool?

I would put this way.... why on earth would you purposely subject your bike and body to such extreme conditions for 4-5 months of Saturdays and Sundays?

Here is the answer.

Something about this sport is beautiful in the ebb and flow as the rider performs a ballet of mounting and dismounting the bicycle.

There is something also very brutal about it also.

The sheer determination of the athlete to take on a course many would say is impossible or insane to ride in 'those' conditions.  But for some insane reason we jump on, over, through it all just for the love of the sport.  Something is definitely wrong with us!

Riding a perfectly good bicycle in on terra firma such as this...

We can ride it without even having to worry about getting in trouble with IMBA!  Wow!

Hope you enjoyed your CX season!  See you next year!

Beer of the Week

MIA

Can you see the determination....