RIP

Goal One of 09 Accomplished

Got a spot in Battankill! Stoked. Time to get some miles in.

Sunday Morning

We had kicked around the idea of a Sunday morning ride. Brad was flying in late on Sat night and needed a bike. No problem, my winter bike is available. Except I hadn't really washed it or looked at it since about March.
So Sunday morning arrives and it is day three of snow. No Ride, but might as well get the winter bike ready for action.
So here is the evidence of how I spent my morning. Drive train started out barely turning and sounding like a bad coffee grinder. Finished off shiny and ready to ruin again.



Looks like this Sponge is getting retired soon.

In honor of the Saeco colors I wore these highly coveted Vans Saeco Super Marios.....



Looks like it will be Patriots and Porters today and maybe some time on the trainer.

CX Nationals

A couple fights? Who cares. What is the story behind this photo? The kid looks like he is running from zombies

Blue CX head tube heights

Another installment in the Real 1% series.....
My Cross-Guru pointed out that Jonathan Pages switched to Blue bikes in the middle of the season. An inexcusable move in the CG's mind. He also casually mentioned that he thought Blue head tubes were too short and caused some crazy spacer stack heights and stem angles. Not a major point of our bike life discussions, but once we rolled up to the Warwick race, I felt like Rowdy Roddy Pipper in THEY LIVE. Wherever I looked was a Blue with a huge run of spacers or crazy riser stem. I felt like the Manchurian Candidate. Wherever I looked Blues leered back.
They didn't look crazy in smaller sizes, but anything bigger than a 52 required some major after market work to seemingly get a good fit. Compare that photo of Van Gilder to this on of JP.
Very strange.
Here is a picture of JP on a Ridley from earlier this season.
The devil is in the details and with winter coming and most teams changing bike sponsors you can expect more real 1% nerd action.

The real 1%

Is this an old school cross dude with a white integrated bar and stem combo?

I love it when one photo sends you off on a CSI nerd quest to figure out what is going on. Photos on his site were not conclusive, so it is off to the mesage boards to post and hope someone knows what up. Velonews board says yes it is the Stealth Evo Pro. Not too much insight on other boards.
You know you are pro when you can run white-not just bartape but bars and bike! Never mind carbon bars!



PS- The Real 1% refers to the minority of uber-nerds who study race pictures like aerial surveillance photos looking for anomolies! It also marks the latest sub category of WWDIS categories.

Set your goals. Looking back. Looking forward

Sounds like three sweet hardcore tunes!
Warwick was the end of my season and I took this entire week of the bike. Total shut down and Porter binge. Back on the bike tomorrow. As far as those lunchtime runs?? Maybe after Xmas.
Now is time to assess and look forward. I have a ridiculous jumble of numbers hanging from a hook in the basement. All this race years numbers. Cycling, running , whatever. Some good memories. Some not so good ones. A bunch of lessons learned in the school of hard knocks.
Looking forward to next season both for racing and for doing some longer more epic rides.
I set 7 goals for myself for this year and I got 4 out of 7. I am giving myself until the 1st to set my 09 goals down in ink, but Battankill and Deerfield are two big ones along with a host of usual suspects and a full cross season.
At least if the economy goes totally south and I get laid off, I will have more time to train...............