101, uncorked

yeah, I needed that.  

put together a good ride.

laid some doubts to rest,

good for the head.

just under 8:20, which in

today's stacked field got me

a 23rd place, 6th singlesped.

Fun racing action w/ Topher,

Billy, Huber....damn you and your big ring!!!

seeing the ladies' race sort out, 

hanging out around camp. 

new El Mariachi is a sweeeet rig, 

coasting is fun!

good stuff.

pay day! get pumped!

yeah, so it's Friday.
you just got paid.
got some change burning
a hole in your pocket.

well, instead of ponying up
for yet another tallboy of PBR,
how 'bout throwing some love
Larry's way? He's working on
a pump track project down in
Chambersburg. Trying to raise
funds to match what the boro
has granted.

Help grow happy kids! And
probably put some smiles on
the faces of us grownups also.

Links:
http://chambersburgpumptrack.blogspot.com/

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?EventID=6811

snake!

another snake pic,

1,2,3,4? rattles

circle of life.

today's race was, meh.

elected bottles over camelback,

relearned that lesson.  Climb up

out of the hole that Methodist Hill 

puts you into cracked me.  Dug Hill

was miserable w/ cramps tapping.  

Then the feet started cramping on the 

way down Gutter Trail.  Was holding good

position into cp2, but rationalized the

battle ahead and pulled the plug sooner

rather than later.  Enjoyed some beers 

hanging at the checkpoints, soaked in the

cold creek up along Birch Run, then ate,

drank and was merry until the heat 

started getting to me again.  Congrats to

everybody that got around that loop,

ya'll were tougher than me today.

Here are some pics from a much

more enjoyable ride, little Saturday

shakedown spin.

Berries!

Snake w/ breakfast.

Glad he was occupied.

ahhhhhh.

see ya'll at the 101.

race trim

coasting was a lot of fun at le Tour.

I need(ed) a break from the 9:00 battle.

Getting under my skin, head in a wierd place.

So, no new frame, delivery time was

optimistic anyway.  Into the workshop,

thought about rebuilding the Dos, roll

the dice for one last fling.  Swapped some 

parts around instead.  Had already

mounted up the lighter Ti railed saddle,

thought about the Reba, but didn't see many

inspiring opinions regarding the Jabber/100mm

Reba combo.  

Qwik bar & stem swap, now riding carbon on 

the Jabber, hope that bit of 'give' will bring some 

comfort on Sunday.  And went coasty, swapping 

rear wheels.  ENO eccentric on the Jabber, makes 

for easier flat changes, and with an EBB El Mar on 

the way, the wheel can stay, will just need to flip it.  

Centered ENO can go on the Salsa.

Now I just wonder about the motor, nice town spin

and LeTort soak last night, finish strategerizing details

for tomorrow, which means a qwik shakedown spin,

think I'll go hit Vista/Canyon, have some thoughts on 

how to tie it all together.  Also decide on a water

strategy, it's gonna be kinda gnarly out there,

should be fun.

Waggs & me.

a local climb, that I don't subject myself to too often.  

Only once last year on the BSRR.  2.5mile @ 8%

according to the truck on an incline sign.

Not pitchy, not ramped too much.  Just a solid

unrelenting constant pitch.  Tough to step out the 

door, and stick to the plan.  Are the Tour efforts 

far enough past? Really willing to step thru the 

door into that quiet place?  

Apparantly so, huffing and puffing the 40:15.

Staaaaaand for a long time to rev the motor.

Then steady tempo, 9.2mph sitting in at 180bpm.

Stand and wind her up to 10.3 until the body feels

empty, 184bpm.  Tick tock goes the clock, the pitch 

just is.  Stand and recover, stand and recover, 10.3,9.2,

10.5, 9.1, 184, 181,185,180,10.2,8.5, 8.7, 185, 8.9, 186, 186

9.0,9.22, 9.2...188.

13:58.

Turn and spin it home, short n sweet 1:15 ride, step back into

it again, just test the water, begin to open it up for Sunday.  

Looks like I'm racing, so here's to hoping UPS does their job 

and I'm building a fresh bike at this time tomorrow, or

the Jabber will be set up to coast.....

back n forth....

well, a couple emails,

a couple phone calls.

New El Mariachi is on the way!

suwheet, thanks Salsa, you guys are all right.

now, I wonder how Travisimo is making out.....

Dear Salsa,

This a cracked frame.  Everybody that's seen it,

has said, "yep, that's a crack."

I read on MTBR about what awesome service ya'll have.  

All they need is word from the dealer, and some pics, 

and a new frame is on the way.  But in my case, again,

"They need to see the frame."

So three week turnaround, I need to drive extra trips

to get a bike box, to get it shipped.  Then wait two weeks,

then drive again to pick up the new frame.  

Which will not be a Dos, it will be a steel El Mariachi.  

See what the EBB thing is all about, but more importantly, steel!  

Not a soft tail made out of fucking aluminum.  Duh, it's 

gonna break, especially if your backyard is called Michaux.

But why the fucking runaround???  fucking bike 'industry' pisses

me off.  How hard is to weld 7 tubes together?  I mean really.....

got crack?

oh well....

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.  "  

-Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution

That was a quaint idea while it lasted.

Do we still have freedom of speech?

Hey George Bush, fuck you, you fucking asshole.

Hey Specter, you and your 68 buddies too, thanks for selling us all out.

What a fucking disgrace.

tuckered out.

I'm tired.  Was feeling it before le Tour, really feeling it now.  So taking the week off, totally off the bike, well, might do the commute later in the week and a post tune up neighborhood spin or two.  The fleet needs serviced, post shower march up Reddish has the roadie in grim condition, same with the Dos.  Mtn shoes barely survived, both toes blowing out, not even 6 months on 'em.  Swap the crank/bb back over to the Jabber and reunite with the fixed mtn flow.  Road bike needs the rear brake stripped, shorten up the chain a link or maybe half also.Still absorbing the Tour.  It was tough, hadn't made it a priority this year.  Just figured I'd go ride it, not really 'race' it or make any goal of it.  Instead, I procrastinated, somewhat on purpose, and left myself with the fix as the only option on the road.  Got into 'race' mode on a few occasions, bits of work here and there to keep honest, but making sure to always enjoy the ride.  Never forget to look around.  Took few pictures, system for easy camera access with the Ergon still needs worked on, and didn't wanna drag the camera thru some stormy weather.  Beautiful scenery and lots of smiles and bikes bikes bikes away from the real world where it's as much about the ride and the route and the group itself, then it is about the racing.  The racing adds spice and entertainment, but it's only a small fraction of the day's events.  So much else going on, the parades, the post stage collection, the dinners, house breakfast and recovery time.  Amazing how it all comes together and mucho appreciation for those fools that make it happen; Carpong & family, Jenkini and Mumbles.  An amazing crew and community, thanks so much guys.

Now, what's next?

winging it, TdB '08

le Tour.  7 stages 5 days 

plus opening ceremonies.

once again, no gears.

went coasty on the dirt,

fixed on the tarmac/pave'

(rear brake added for the big hills).

legs were flat, I'm tired.

went in tired, went in stressed.

Monday prior storms did some

damage to the garden, the post 

below a jinx?  winds and rain 

tested the integrety of the chincy 

cages, and the whole shebang 

collapsed.  Tuesday extra chore,

rig up some rigging for the crazy

vibrant tomatoes.  Made it thru the 

week, but gonna need more support 

sooner rather than later.

then onto the road for afternoon 

arrival at casa de Carpong.  HUGE

thanks for putting us up once again.

Prologue:  Prerode a lap to get a feel for things, then ripped off a stellar 19th place hot lap, riding the downhill like a little girl.  Important part was getting in tune with the scene, checking out from the real world for the next five days and doing the catching up and meeting new faces and seeing who's in for the journey this year.  

eat, drink, be merry.

Stage 1:  Welcome to my world, hike a bike to Elliot's.  Not up to speed yet, got into squirrelly rut on the first hi speed doubletracky, so laid back to breath and hiked to the top of Elliott's, making time best I could. Grabbed a hole shotish position into the trail from the top and hooked up a sweet groove with Matt Marcus onto the higher speed roll out into those sweet Crawford hikes.  The new to me descent off Crawford was FUUUNNNNN! so glad I can coast.

Stage 2:  Hot day of road slum.  Mooreland Gap, dismount dejectedly on that sweeping left hand ramp, just didn't have it.  Legs are not what they were last year, absolutely no oommph, or I'm just not digging that deep, knowing what's ahead.  Either way, "Outlook Not Good" for me having a stellar Tour, gonna be digging deeper than expected this year.  Trade 10 steps of shame now, for 50 later.  Long fireroad false flat summit and power rollers were mind numbing as usual.  Able to climb and spectate the KOM from the ez side of 675, that was nice. Fixy negated any 'coast off' participation down the fun side.  Took the opportunity to lead out the second timed section.  At least to the top, then immediately dropped and chasing down the backside of many orchard type rollers to the base of 211.  Into the oven and up thru New Market Gap, legs toast, actually unclip for first ever time on the road bike.  That was a sketchy and not enjoyable 31.2mph, can go faster pedaling if I want/can, so use the runaway truck ramp to shut it down below twenty to clip back into the one sided roadie pedals, what a pain in the ass that is.  The estimated 75ish route, was actually 90, shocking!

Stage 2b:  Rippin' Hillendale time trail.  16ish minutes of tearing braaaaaap braaaaP! rocky surprise bermed out fun.  Then chowing down on an awesome Ethiopian buffet, beer and ping pong spectation.

Stage 3: Putting the G in gnargnar.  Short Mtn kicks ass, some many ridable torquey power moves and tight seam lines and high sides and bright spot aiming.  Really wishing I either had fresh legs, or an extra tooth or two on the freewheel, or maybe just not racing, and riding instead.  Not a fan of hiking stuff I know I can ride....if only.  Then it rained, and I finally felt good pedaling the bike, got down onto a sweet roller coaster ribbon of trail to finish the stage and pulled back some of the road fix handicap in the hunt for a mid pack GC finish. sweet.

Stage 4:  Queen Stage.  The big one, the one that scares me.  Out to and over 250 into the WV, back home over Reddish via portions of the S&M100 course.  Goal as usual, don't walk.  Really slummin' body and mind in the morn, weather is looking weatherish and not helping the mood.  Make a deal on the way to Stokesville just to make it; if 250 doesn't go well, then bail.  You'll have given it all by then, and if it ain't happening, pull the plug, think of the big picture.  Inform Carp just to say it out loud more than anything.  GW rollers to 250 go well enough, final pitch of pave' barks worse than it bites.  Dropped by the trains past Braley's and make the right.  Settle into a sweet 16.4mph rythmn, Sarah in tow to Mtn House.  Just turn 'em over from here on out.  Just breath, and turn 'em over.  Work the pitch thru the elevator switch and settle in.  Just settle in, and pedal, let it roll you thru the stroke, use that fix,roll, mo. just. pedal. Done, wish for a freewheel for the ripper into WV.  Lunch break, then some quality quiet time on the valley parade to the next depart'.  Mtn valley cruising on the road bike, farm meadows, collapsing century old wood slat barns and homesteads and stone and rusting barbwire fences, a deer in the meadow.  Enjoy it while it lasts, back into the pain cave, 3rd over the unclassified kom to start the stage, don't drop toooo many spots on the down, then on up to Reddish.  Do whatever it takes to not stop pedaling.  No conversations, don't mean to be rude, but the quiet place, is quiet.  Pedal the whole way thru to the top, finish only 10ish minutes back.  Yeah, this is where the core power kicks in and where it comes from.  Was hoping for a top 10 on the summit finish, but more than happy with 12ish.  Half an hour of pedaling down Reddish at 20mph was just as tedious as last year, spectating the sprint was tight.  Steady tempo slummin' back to town was enhanced by a post storm rainbow, good times.

Stage 5:  Yeah baby!  Been waiting a year to get another crack at this ride.  Last year was a day filled with "why am I doing this fixed????" while trying to drop the descents.  This year was rippin' good times through and through.  Inspired by the knowledge of final efforts, the timed sections were a blast.  Being able to let go of that extra oomph, burn those last couple matches, cuz tomorrow I'm back at a desk.  DeathStar, oh, soooooooo much fun.  Brakes were blazing hot, trail was tight, loam was predictable sluffy love on the steeps, carving line with an occasional blip to keep your eyes open for.  Damn.  HoneQuarry-HeartBreak, yeah yeah! YEAH!!!  Final shot off the line, then recover and flow, find something for a couple of those ups, laugh at the stepped hike a bike, wait for the final one then pull some moves on the rock gnar love of Heartbreak.  yeah, hell of a time, been waiting a year for that.

yeah, been waiting a year for that.