friday funny

heard about this on the radio,
then Joey found it on youtube.

fuckin' stoners....

huh?

ya know, I try to keep this blog thang
centered on active fun type stuff,

but this guy is an ignorant piece of shit.
(as you probably already know)

An asshole that you'd really like to just punch in the throat.

Why does he still have a job?
And her too, for that matter.


With fucks like this spewing the 'news'
and the sheeple swallowing it all,
is it any wonder?

The Ultra @ Big Bear

Decided early in the week to head to WV for one more fling. Running around Friday doing the turbo gear shuffle & load, on the road shortly past five. Chased the sunset, hoping for a decent viewpoint out along rolling Rt 68. The best I could do at 70mph: The race: Wicked fun first two hours chasing Gunner & Benji, then the rear shock on the Dos shit the bed. Happened about when the route was leaving the camp property to head out for the hills and back. Weighed the options of trashing the frame vs not, took inventory of the legs, then bailed out and spun her back to camp. Had the tools I needed at camp, jacked up the rear shock pressure in an attempt to lock it out, loaded up the big Camelbak and set back out to get in some more fun miles at the very least. Jumped back on course straight out of camp, so basically right back at the beginning again. Rerode all of the race course, stopping for a beer break and scenery along the way.Odd thoughts of trying to finish the thang kept crossing my mind, still riding with a purpose of sorts. Got back to where I bailed and the watch reads 4:20 elapsed, the Dos begins to sound & act normal again....interesting. Keep rolling along, following arrows and get to where the course splits. Decision time, spin back to camp for good this time or drop wayyyyy down off the mtn to the next aide spot and get some solid beta on finishing the loop. I'm about 2.5 hours off the back at this point. Is a Super DFL effort worth it? Do I really need to suffer for 8+ hours, and why? Decide to at least get the solid beta and drop down the screaming descent. Hang out at the water stop, watch some folks pass thru & try to get opinions on the outer loop. Betsy tells me it's not really worth it and I value her opinion. Linger a bit more and then officially throw in the towel for the second time. Turn to climb the four miles back up to the campground, and punch out for my DNF of the year. Still got in a solid 6+ hours elapsed w/ a 9.5 avg while riding, gizmo read 49.5 miles for the day. Not the full race loop, but I'll take it.

Apres' race was sweet, grilled chicken and taters and beer, and beer and more beer and the Silver Dollar band playing for the campground's residents. I passed out in the EZ chair under the stars. Tore down camp in conjunction w/ BoYes and Andy, then jumped back onto the bike for a Sunday spin. Took a bit to get rollin', but the groove came back and had another sweet session of the BigBear flow, snapping a picture or two and saying goodbye to the 'race season' with a fun 2+ hour loop. Not exactly the 'result' I was looking for, but it was the wknd I'd hoped it would be.

let the Classiques begin!

caption contest...

going pro

things that make you go, hmmmmm.
Saw this post the other day, and it piqued my interest.

Been slowly thinking about 'what to do' next year.
What to do? The list of possibilities is long, but whatever it is,
sure would be nice to have some help along the way.

So, after reading that blurb, I looked at the Beyond Clothing
site, and found a pretty interesting company with a decent
looking product that I could definitely get some use out of.
And my ski/harsh weather wardrobe could use a bit of an update.

Another blurb went up today, outlining the process and specifics.
I think it looks like a possible "good fit" so who knows? Guess
I'll put together some sort of 'media pack' and send it their way.
Don't know unless you try.....

In other news, Merv's Bike Shop rocks! If you need SS stuff,
go to Merv's! Ran down there tonight to take back the uneeded
20t cog and 34 ring, figure to exchange for another new chain
and maybe some tires or something else. On a whim I ask if he
has a 4-bolt 32t ring, the shifty one I'm using now isn't the best
tool for the job. He sorts thru the drawer of the filing cabinet
and the first one he pulls out is a shiney Surly stainless, $30.
I love not dealing with the 'Well, we can order it for ya' bullshit,
freakin' awesome! He tap tap taps on the calculator and I grab
a new bell off the wall to make it even steven.

The bell has an integrated compass.
I'll never get lost again!

ding. ding.

bullseye.

hmmm, kinda don't wanna write this race report type thang. Because this could be the last one for a while, depends on if I head for the hills next weekend. I really should go, get in one last toeing the line experience, and burn up the rest of this fitness stuff. And actually riding with people during the race is kinda cool. On the fixy, you pass folks with a strained "unngggghhh, how owww you....", then the next time you see them they're hollerin' "On your left" while blasting by on the following descent.

This wknd was different.

The weather was cool, summertime is over. Camping was crisp and the stars were bright after The Law showed up. Slept well and hit the snooze a few times. Efficient start to the day and rolling behind a biiiig group to the official start line. GO! A spun out 32:19 is no match for the big rings and five of us form the 'lead group' of singlespeeders. Spend the next couple hours trying to wind it out up the climbs, pushing the pace but not quite à bloc, wondering who'll crack first; Timmy D, Les, Topher, Buck, myself?

4 out of 5 stop to take notes at the Racer's Meeting and then it gets quiet as we try to make up the gap. Efficient splash and go stops for me, nobody else is screwing around much either, Tim keeps rolling on thru. We're still a tight bunch of four with Tim just outta sight past the halfway gnar gnar and then the train is derrailed as we miss the left turn into Buckets. Quick 2 minute backtrack at most and rolling comfortably again. Half way up the mtn, time to go look for Les & Tim. Around to the front and the conversations stop. Solid 20minutes of quiet time with Topher and then all alone after I get dropped high speed descending off of Spicer Knob. Now sitting in fourth, out of sight front and back, figuring Buck should come ripping by at any second, the mood turns sour. Where is that damn water stop!!!! Why am I riding like such a pussy?

Slum across Chickadee and at the oasis Johnny T has a beer in hand. I have the taste, but not the stomach for it, I decline. They tell me that Topher is only a minute up the road. Set off up Rattlesnake Run with a mission. Legs getting empty and twingy, need to accept that cramps are gonna be part of the equation, just keep pedaling, and drink. No Topher, but surprisingly I spot Les up the road and turn my focus on that carrot. Slam some calories & drop a gel pack on the road just as I'm closing the gap...fuck, skid, stop, off, pick up, in, back on, rolling....still in sight, barely. The climb lets up, we drop some doubletrack and once at speed, that 30 second gap turns into out of sight. Shit, shit, shit, where is he?

Resume climbing, ahhhh there he is, just pedal. Back out onto more climbing fireroad, flashbacks of chasing Buck up this last year, and Les is right there.....and then just up the road Topher appears!!! Look deep for a bit more cadence, need to get the holeshot onto the ridge. Chasing down a singlespeeder, on a singlespeed, when you're all similarly geared and about 40 miles into a fitty, sucks. Come on Scotty, I need more power!!!! Turn right onto the gravel double, finally onto Toph's wheel and around without hesitation, trying to appear strong. Tempo, tempo, tempo. Left onto the gas line, over the tanktrap hump, drink now, then a right into the woods. Les is latched on, gotta try to break the elastic. Riding Rocky Ridge as hard as I can, working and trying not to show it. Try to look smooth. Thru a ton of gnar and I can't even stretch the elastic. Les has breath for commentary, I'm licking my stem. Fuck, what's it gonna take?

I bobble and weave, then Les takes over and I stroogle to hold on with Topher within earshot. Chasechasechase, focus, pedal and chase and keep it tight and where's Topher and Buck's still back there lurking too and fuck he's got another bike length! Damnit, focus you dipshit, get smooth, roll it , flow it, no brakes, bounce and giddee up on it.

Ride like you know how, bitch.

Chase across the grass field and hit the final rollers together. Pass the final aid and noone bluffs as we push up that first pitchy bit. Keep looking back for Topher, keep looking back. Follow Les across the final bits of trail, push thru the one insane full right leg cramp of the day without a whimper and work survival mode while trying to hold onto Les' wheel and maybe we'll reel in Tim at this pace, but he could anywhere from 1 minute to 15 in front of us by now. Plan the line to maximize flow, avoid that stabby power move, keep the cramp monsters at bay. Final rocky oomph, up over the last gnarly log machine blasted knob, throw down a show of strength over the last six or so pedal strokes and make the pass. Yeah, that was worth it, for the next 2 or so miles we spin and tuck down the grassy path to the road crossing, chatting and looking back for Topher or Buck. spinspinspin, tuuuuuuuuck.

Cross the road, hard left, off the bike and hiking with conviction. Not exactly an attack, but if he wants to play, he'll follow, it's not like I'm running or anything. Back on the bike as soon as possible, look over the shoulder and it's vacant. Spin thru the last bit of trail and roll it home for second place singlespeeder, eigth overall. Timmy D. rode like a flawless machine all day and won it with about a two minute gap, Les was third within a minute, Topher another one or two back and Bucky crossed the line about when we cracked open the first round of Troeg's. Damn tight group, I kinda like this singlespeed racin' thang.

Gotta give props to all that helped make this happen; G'burg Cycle, the Cupcakes that gave up their chances at glory to feed us and the moto crew for their course work.

Thanks a bunch everybody,
coasting can be fun.

yay!

Woohooooooooo! Congrats to Holly & Buck.
They brought little Hayden into the world yesterday.

Apparently another enduro nut job
freak is in the making, 36hours
for Holly to get the job done.
Makes these silly bike races look like,
well, silly little bike races.

In good spirits after talking to the proud papa,
took a quick lap around this year's favorite
shakedown loop, Comm Serv to Jake's to
R'Snake and back. Lucky to have such
quality only a hop, skip & a jump from
the backdoor. Good mood translated well
into the legs, twas a quality fun ride.

32:19 is working sweetly on the Dos,
love that half-link magic, no loud distracting
clackity-clik thru the rough stuff. It's like, all
shmooove and shit. fun fun fun.

Dicky put up some thoughts on the whole
spancership game and being a 'washed up old man.'
Timely subject as I wonder if that's a
fork in the trail that I should maybe explore......

hmmmm, do the NUE series fixed?
Just looking for a 29 or 69 that's fixable with
a bottom bracket that's a smidge higher than
the Dos and some $$$$ to help with four entries.

My resume':
I've done a handful of idiotic things on fixed gear
bikes that some thought not possible, and that
most just don't understand. And when I'm not fighting
this self-imposed handicap, occasionally I'll be first
across the line....

Who wants to hook a brother up?