CTW#7: Ouch

Photo by Max Gander

Day one of the Sunnymeade Stampede was a painful one. Great course: half technical, half hard grind. I went into Masters 35 way over geared thinking it'd be a fast course given the topo maps I studied. Wrong. Wet grass, mud, and grinding ups had me at about a 60 rpm max cadence. Not good for a spinnerer like me.

Photo by Max Gander

I arrived late, had my hands full with the pups, but still managed to see a little bit of Max terrorizing the Cat 4 class. The kid is 13 and is tearing it up. Good thing I'll be retired but the time he's racing me head to head.

Photo by Max Gander

The highlight of the day was watching Super D take an amazing come from behind win in the pro class. Watching it all unfold was unreal. I thought he was out of the game several times, but he dug deep and ended up mixing it up in the front and taking the sprint finish. Well done Dustin!

Tomorrow is the last day of the series. Last check had a 70% chance of rain. Should be a perfect end to the series if that's the case. Mud, sweat, and beers.

California Dreamin'

The label just makes me smile.

We've gone from a much colder than normal few weeks to several days of storms and rain. From cold and weary to dark and dreary. When I got home from work last night H. had set a package that came for me in the mail on my desk. A package? I didn't order anything.

The goods all safely nestled inside.

It was a package of sunshine from little miss sunshine herself, Jen @ Walz Caps! A package from Jen is always better than Christmas because you know it's going to be something you want, something you can use, and something most of your friends won't have yet.

The innards.

As much care is taken in the wrapping for mailing as there is in the making of the merchandise. The tissue prolonging the agony of knowing what's in the package and the card is there to help those less fortunate Canardians understand the operating instructions without requiring the ability to read.

Tada! The new moisture wicking Walz Cap!

Ah, love at first fit.

I have 2 wool caps that I got from Jen. One is one of the early early wool caps from much different stock than they use today that I got through Hennessey and the other is a replacement ear flap one she sent me after I posted up something on the blog about the one I purchased not fully covering my dumbo ears. I bought a grey wool one a couple years ago and have a wool Surly one that Ivory got me for Christmas a few years back. Other wools Jen has sent I've passed on to people whom I've felt deserved a little Walz love. I love the wool caps. They are the perfect under the helmet winter warmers and keep us thin haired folks warm while off the bike too. The ear flap version is essential for cold weather riding, from Trans Iowa to Gravel Grovel to Cross The Way to SouthernUnCrossed - it's kept my head and ears warm faithfully no matter how nasty the weather.

A few months ago I purchased my first cotton Walz cap for the coolish Spring and Autumn temps here in TN. The days when the wool is just a little too warm but a cap is still required. I got it personalized and it has since become my go to cap both on and off the bike. This after thinking I didn't want anything but the wool version for my head.

Wicking the moisture away on the way into work.

Well, after a cool wet night bringing the horses in and a cold wet walk into work, the wicking hat is quickly becoming my favorite despite my initial wool snobbery. It's soft and breathable, but still retains some warmth. It's so light you hardly even notice that you've got it on. I put a helmet on last night to test fit it, I'll have a better idea after this weekend's races, but it seems as though it'll be a thinner, more flexible fitting cap under the helmet.

Commuters, I think this cap will be the most bang for your buck, unless it's blistery cold where you live, in which case buy one of these for the spring/summer/fall and a wool ear flappy cappy for the winter months. It's fast drying, super packable, seems to regulate temperature well*, and fits comfortably under the helmet (I tried it under Medium and Large Giro helmets). Cross racers, this will be THE cap to have, warm enough to keep you going but wicking/cooling enough to not have you melting while pegging at the red line for an hour*. Others cyclists, well we've got our pick of all 3 types so get one of each.

* further testing to be conducted while racing this weekend

Thank you Jen for thinking of me and sending me a little bit of California sun in hat form. You've brightened up this dreary day.

Center Field

Put me in coach, I'm ready to play. Reading Dicky's post today and trying to organize my work schedule around my 2010 racing calendar has me thinking about PMBAR. PMBAR was probably my favorite race of 2009 and in my all time top 5 events list. I'm on the bench waiting for coach to decide whether or not to put me in, but I am still planning on getting in. Maybe if coach doesn't pick me I can pull a Horner and get out of my contract in time to sign up with another team so as not to miss the big game.

Some lessons learned from last year:

1. Take the dog
2. Eat. 9 hours in Pisgah for PMBAR was so much fun it only felt like 3 and I ate like I'd only been out there for 3. That led to my lethargic and intermittent grumps on the home leg. I'll not let that happen this year.
3. New kicks. I finally found a pair of shoes that are comfortable on long hikes up steep gnarly rocks with my bike. I never would have given them a go had Dicky not been on the hunt for better shoes too.
4. Thanks to our 2nd place finish at PMBAR last year, I now have a fork that fits my bike. Less steep and twitch and more all right and yee-haw.

Another event that has my eye is the brand new Hell of the South Classics style race. Unfortunately it's a road style race and I'm not properly equipped. Anyone have any 700c disc mtb wheels I could borrow to run 35-40cm tires on my Rigormootis?

The Long Dark Road Back

The view climbing Claylick Rd @ night

In the last 25 days I've ridden outside exactly twice (Dec 27th & Jan 9th). During those same 25 days, I've ridden two indoor trainer rides (Dec 7th & 14th) and logged 21 miles of running (Dec 2nd, 10th, 16th, & 17th), about 12 push-ups and maybe 3 sit-ups. Not exactly where I'd like to be with my first Snake of 2010 looming 2 weeks away. Nor with the finale of Cross The Way this weekend. After the Gravel Grovel, I had hopes and visions of getting in some solid base miles like krs1 and I were able to do last December and January. But it's just not worked out that way.

It's been since July that I've consistently gotten out and ridden my bike. The starting of a new career in August and the juggling of a new schedule kept me from my normal routine. I managed a few commutes, but soon the long hours and the added time from the commutes had me beat down. Like Dicky's current economic predicament, my finances are tight. My salary is less than half of what I used to make and I'm still trying to catch up after 11 months of unemployment and December's wonderfully exciting vehicle dilemmas.

Since August I've been struggling to keep up. I realize now that I can't. Not for lack of trying, but the game has changed. I've been trying to make the new changes fit into the old mold. They won't. At first I was under the illusion that all I needed was an attitude change. I think even the girls suggested that several times. They were probably right, but really it wasn't my attitude as much as it was me fighting to make things as they were rather than how they are.

The struggle with work is the hours. We're stuck in between having to maintain normal Mon-Fri business hours while providing access for those on 12 hour shift work, which means the schedule is never set, never fits neatly between normal business hours, nor always just M-F as weekends are utilized too. For someone who likes the ability to plan ahead, the constantly updating schedule and nightmarish commute frequently results in disappointment and frustration. Which has found me giving up trying to get out and enjoy a ride.

Bob Mould would say: I can see a little light

Having 5 months under my belt, work is starting to become regularly irregular and I'm learning how to adapt to the adaptable. It's not ideal, but it's better than it's been. I actually made it out for a ride tonight despite the threat of rain, the misting drizzle, and the late hour. I'd planned on a trainer ride thinking I'd get out of work later, but we were surprised with it being earlier (never said the schedule is always bad, just unpredictable) and I was able to get some things taken care of and still have time to get out for a ride.

It was just what I needed. The first climb sucked, my legs rioted and my lungs quickly joined in the argument and I almost pulled the plug, but the misting drizzle and the eerie red gray glow of the Nashville lights silhouetting the Highland Ridge reminded me why I love being outside on a bike.

So, for the foreseeable future, late Tues, Weds, & Thurs evenings are going to be my ride windows. Those of you other working stiffs who can't make it out to those "be ready to ride at 5:30pm" organized rides due to work and life, shoot me an email or leave a comment if you want in on some of the rides. This week will mostly be Joelton/North Nash based rides. Next week work has me out of state until Weds, so more local rides that week as well. But I plan to mix it up and do some from downtown Nashville out to Percy then for brews until I can figure out how to make the bike commuting work out without running myself into the ground.

So now I'm up to 3 days, it's going to be a long road back.

(guess I should have named the post "Long Way Back from Hell" to tie into Hennessey's Danzig theme...)

Mobile Blogging

I received some Secret Agent Man shots of the new 2010 Moots VaMoots RSL.



Enjoy some Peter posting from the road.

Marion IL. The fern is a nice touch.

A Day of My Life as a Tom Petty Song

Basking in the 45 degree temps and full sunshine this morning was an overdose of vitamin D that put me in a mood for spring. It felt great to be outside. I had time to kill waiting for the clock to read 10:20am so I could get the results of my latest TB test read (work requires 2 tests) so I would be back in compliance with the powers that demand compliant compliance.

The weekend is going to be in the spring like 50s and perfect for riding and today was a terrible teaser of the weather to be, only I'll be back up in the North where the highs will be what the predicted lows for TN are over the weekend. Ah the bitter cold irony.

The closest to anything bike I've been all week.

Typical of late, I've not gotten much bike time during the week. Wednesday was starting off on the wrong foot, so I put a little Moots mojo on to help get me through the day. If I couldn't be riding at least I could be wearing some riding socks to comfort the sole. If only those TeamDicky Swiftwicks would come in. Oh well, there's always the Misfit Swiftwicks to look forward to.

SouthernX has been rescheduled right on top of other previously scheduled events making it all more complicated. Is this how 2010 is really going to go for me race wise? I mean I've already missed out on the best* Snake ever and I have to work the weekend of P36 and several other key events of 2010. It'll all work out, it just sucks having to make a decision between 2 really good events that had fit so nicely in the calendar before the weekend of winter had to hit. I've still got a week to get it all figured out though... if only I were capable of the snap decisive decision making powers of Dicky.

*best = mostest coldestest

How cRude.

At least April welcomes a new event to the calendar and that should appease some of the 2010 let downs. Dig on the sample t I've been handed. Once again the squirrels are bringing a new black to the new year. This year black is the new black so remember to update your wardrobes and bike components accordingly. We are well aware that some are under the impression purple is the new black, but really it's the old black. Dicky's headsets have spoken.

The folks who bring it. Consider it well brunged.

The back is also the new back. Same as the old back, only newer and from behind.

Green acres is the place to pee.

Speaking of those who brunged, sounds like we might get more blog posts from places such as this with the Mighty Peter and his mobile electronic wordser of the dark lord. I'm so excited I sat on the edge of the seat.

Green and Gold Christmas In January

The Gold Cracked Right Eye of JD

I had until 6 months of age to send in JD's registration papers. We're not breeding nor planning on breeding or showing, but I wanted to register him so he's accounted for and there will be a place in recorded history for him. I waited until he was 5 months old before sending in his papers because for Catahoulas you have to declare each eye color. His were both blue when he was 8-10 weeks old, then they started changing. First to green, then to gold, then to amber. Well one to amber and one to green, but with blue specs in each, which they call "cracked". The shot above is of his alligator gold eye as he was resting his enormous head on me. I'm still not sure they've really settled on the final coloring yet.

His papers came back today and the certificate was issued (and has the date printed on it) on my birthday. Kinda cool in a dorky sort of way it worked out I think. My dog, my birthday.

The wonder bundle

Another thing that came in the mail today was the companion piece to a present I received last Thursday. H. has always been an excellent and inventive present giver and this Christmas (in January) is no different. She not only got me a light for commuting, night riding, Kanza/PMBAR/DSG that I can charge from my computer at work or home. But the really cool piece is the slick little charging unit for the car she found.

Goes perfectly with that brand new car battery!

It's compact and devoid of cabling and easily packable. Bonus feature is that it will charge my iPod shuffle, which I normally have to drag my laptop around to recharge. Which is kind of a pain in multi-person, cramped spaced, limited hotel room power trips like Kanza where the shuffle would be great for much of the trip but the 8 hour run time and lack of charging ability hampers the fun. Now I can listen and charge as needed. Plus if I'm out camping and living in the land of Pisgah and honey, I can recharge both my lights from camp.

Boring post I know, but I'm stoked. My other light requires 17 hours to charge for a 4 hour burn time. These Minewts (I have 2 now) give me 4+ hours (each) and only take 3ish to recharge, allowing me to have ample light for short daylight commutes and to have lights ready for those last minute night rides that break out from time to time. No more days before planning, just 3 little hours of notice. It also gives me enough lights for H. to join in for some SORBA night ride fun without requiring us to bug Kelly to borrow lights (and not return them for like a month or two).