FACT

riding your road bike on dirt roads is fun. fast, sketchy, and fun. pros know it, you know it, and I know it. It is a fact. But Why?
Oregon knows it

Italy knows it

France knows it -Tro Bro Leon

Denmark knows it-GP Henning

NY State knows it

VT knows it (** I realize it's mainly mtbs in the video, but work with me)

MA/D2R2 knows it!


Get Stoked and go do it.

things done changed

VS

When I first got into bikes, the one part of a wheel that people obsessed over was the hub. High Flange Campy hubs made everyone drool. Grease Ports as well. A gleaming machined hub got everyone a twitter. Over the last few years you rarely hear anyone geek out over hubs, the last 3 or 4 years has seen the ascendancy of the rim. Mainly do to carbon fiber tech. It is hard to miss people drooling over Edges or Zipps or Reynolds. I was holding a Lightweight a few weeks ago in VT. The total package of lightness was amazing, but since the entire wheel is bonded, how could one part stand out? It's a wheel system now.
One opinion offered by the Major is that hubs tech has been pushed as far as possible so advancements on the rim would be the next thing to get highlighted
Even retro grouch types focus on rims (non carbon of course)
I think it is more an art vs industry type thing. We used to marvel over the gleam and machining of the hub-the artistry. But overall there has been a shift towards the inexorable march of product development and weight weenies, and we look at the gram count before the picture.
I am no retro type and definitely drool over Edge rims, but it is sad to me to see the cult of the hub fade away.

naming this post as I did allowed me to find this-ouch
this is better
time to ride

Lame Sunday

I had a crappy day on the bike Sunday. To cap it off, all my camera type devices were malfunctioning. Shitty photos all around. Here is a short Zapruder quality clip of the Cat 3 finish. Presented for dubious historical value only......

The only thing worse than a bike blog all about watts, is a bike blog all about no watts. So outside of observing that my weight to powerless ratio was very good, I have no comment on my day. I will say that this race was well run. My general feelings on the day can best be describe as unfufilled

a few parting shots. I guess since I was there-might as well share, but by no means are these crucial shots.



some blurry backbay action....
1st,2nd, and 3rd came out of this blurry mess

the battle for top 20ish. Why was my camera in fail blog mode?

compare and contrast

Read this.

Then Read this.

Can you guess where I am going? Maybe they should pick a different name or historicdal reference point....

recovery?

Every wonder how the stock market can recover and go over 10,000 while unemployment remains at 10%? The two numbers are perversely connected.
take a quick read of this
And you should give this a few moments of your time.

Gravel Grinder

Rolled into the rally spot super early-before anything was open early. First ones there early.
Preride warmup? Why not, didn't bring any trainers...

Nick got in on the camera action.

Did I mention the flowing mullet-watch out cross season

Shouldn't have taked shit about Perry Hill cause it was first up on the menu again. Kicked my ass again. There were some other tasty hills on the menu. Clouds are covering up the top, but there was still snow on top of Stowe.

Who needs Battankill for dirt roads. Where is the headless horseman?

Nick waited up for me at the first aid station, and we were off again.

With 5 miles left we hit another aid station. Time for a High Life.

Before we knew it, we were on to the amazingly muddy and fun community bike path and pulling into the parking lot. Nick took the sprint for those that were wondering....
Rad Tacos to finish it off and then 4 hours listening to the Red Sox blow it on the way home. Thanks to 5HillsBikes for putting it on.
By way of a product review, the showers pass softshell trainer gets two thumbs up. Kept me dry. Wasn't exactly torrential downpours but highly effective.

Vermont Weekend

The plan was to head out to Vermont for the weekend. Bring road bikes and cross bikes. Do a road ride on Saturday and the Gravel Grinder on Sunday. Well the best laid plans of .... and all that. Weather reports promised rain, snow, doom. Road bikes got left behind and it was 2 days on the cross bikes.
Woke up to this.

It stopped snowing and the rain let up and we went out to try a 30 mile loop. Right off the bat this loop punches you in the face. Perry Hill. Not a fan. Pain may be weakness leaving your body, but Perry Hill gives it back to you at the top.
After suffering in silence, I decided to go full tourist mode. I had my camera why not use it. We came to a cool covered bridge and I went into full Mofo mode to get the shots.


We trudged on over some incredibly beautiful roads. Got lost. Got tired. Got stoked. and got home. These rides were short but they kicked my ass.
One wrong turn took us to the top of this dead end road where we met a couple dogs.


back down.

Trying to focus on riding and taking pictures helps you forget about sucking on the bike....

Trying to take a perfect picture of Nick's mullet also helps pass the time

Soggy dirt roads on cross bikes can be a little "soul sucking" so why not try video. Better luck next time.

Dont want to be a downer, the ride was tough but fun. Cold, rainy, whatever it was pretty damn cool.
Anyway that was pretty much day one. Finished it up with eating, bike cleaning, and lounging. Up next day two the real deal Gravel Grinder.