missed opportunities.
I hate it when I miss a chance to ride, hate it I tell ya. It hangs on me all day, like this cloud that continues to shower guilt on me all day.
I’m hoping to commute tomorrow; I will have to drive on Thursday for some errands for work so my only days of potential riding this work week may be commuting Wednesday and Friday, Ugh. I won’t get to ride on Sunday either because of Easter. I had better make up for this on Saturday.
I’m very concerned, I had just come out of my slump and I could have a disastrous week of very little riding ahead. I don’t want to lose fitness, The second commandment of training? consistency!
I feel panic, like I need to go climb the torture 10K and abuse myself to make up for a lost ride…….
cyclocross magazine
The Rag:
I was at my favorite LBS checking out what was new, when the Postal Service dropped these off fresh from the presses. Since I like to support all things cross, I promptly threw down my $4.95 to contribute to the cause. The reality is: us crossers need a fix this time of year, Paleese give me sumthin’ cross! I’m jonesing and it’s only March, ugh! It’s a good one too, every bit as good as the 1st installment. So walk, no… run, No….. Bike on down to your LBS, and pick up a copy! Check the Blogroll for the linky to their site………
Training ride 3/16/08
Finally,
I was not expecting it, especially after yesterdays “lead leg” ride, but today I felt good. No lead in the legs, and I found today’s ride easy. All but the last 8 miles where Ken and I really threw down. It was great to have the legs resond, to get outta the saddle in the big ring and crank. I LOVE that, I love getting outta the saddle and throwing down. I love grasping the hoods and throwing the bike around side to side and feeling the rush of speed. In fact, the only person I know who gets out of the saddle more than me, is my pal Ken.
I’m pretty enthusiastic right now, I’m hoping to really go forward and hope to have cleared the plateau. Only the next few rides will tell. I’m getting anxious to get after it and start climbing some big climbs, improve my average speed on the flats, and pull some good distances.
Gawd I love the bike, we who partake are a privileged lot indeed. How lucky I am to have this great sport in my life, that just puts such a smile on my face. Cycling has given me so much, ten times over what I have spent monetarily. I owe cycling so much, more than I can ever repay.
I didn’t take any pics for you today, as I rode the same route as a few weeks ago, and I’ve already showed you those. Hopefully next weekend the weather will cooperate and I can go ride something new.
Miles ridden today, 42
Miles ridden 2008, 767
Cheers!
Training ride 3/15/08
Greetings!
Well, I had hoped for better results today, actually I was quite aprehensive before riding today having taken two days off of the bike to recover. I really had hoped for better legs. Twas not the case today. It was just one of those rides, I call um SCB (solo character builders) rides. It was wet, windy, cold, and nobody to draft. Even for just a little bit.
I’ve been using my cross bike with road tires and race blades , but I’m getting good and wet, more from the water on the road, than from the rain coming down on me. So this morning I went down to the hardware store to get some zip ties and a couple of brackets so I could properly mount a set of full fenders. Hey, this is the PNW, it rains here, alot. We had a decent February, and we got spoiled. The long range forcast calls for lots of rain. Since I plan to keep on riding, I went full fendered. Now at least I won’t be getting soaked from both the sky’s and the water on the road.
So, I get my rain jacket and my freshly fendered commuter/rain bike and head out. I can usually tell pretty quick how the legs are going to respond. I know right away their not cooperating, my legs are fighting me tooth and nail. Like moving lead. Ahh, the ups and downs of exercise. We who work out don’t have “it” every time, doesn’t work that way. We as atheletes want to have “it” the majority of the time. Specifically, we want to have “it” on race day. Since race day is 6 months away, I’m ok with struggling a little early in the season. I’ll pull out of it, sooner or later.
It was a miserable ride, not the kind you take pictures of. The kind were you see no other cyclists but yourself, alone fighting the wind and rain. Did I say it was raining? Hail the size of ball bearings was thwaping me on the noggin, like little pebbles stinging my face. The wind was howling too, of course against the direction with which I was going. Yup, fighting the head wind, and I’m cursing it too. As if the wind had a mind of its own and was capable of reason, as if it would calm down because I was cursing at it. Wasting my energy is what I’m doing. I look down at my speedo, 13mph, Ugh! What a ride, character builder indeed. These rides are going to pay off though, later in the year. I’ll be glad I did them. My better half is going to join me tomorrow, I’m going to get in a longer ride and were supposed to have better weather. I’m looking forward to it.
Miles ridden today, 26
Miles ridden 2008, 726
Cheers!
things I love…..
Greetings Readers!
I was thinking about bikes and parts today having recently come from the LBS where I ordered some new parts. I swear, bikes are like Computers, you can’t keep up with all the new stuff! Every day something new comes out that you’ve never seen before. I can’t keep up with all that bling!
As I was barraged by all the new gizmos and gadgets at this higher end bike shop I thought I’d compile the things I love in particular as to individual parts, and or products. Tried and true stuff I spend my own money on. I’ve no specific loyalties to parts and or pieces, loyalties I have with people. So a part has to perform for me or it’s just replaced. Sometimes the bling is just that, with little or no substance. I have tried all kinds of parts (parts encompasing everything on the bike) over the years and this list is an example of what works, and what I’ve found to perform. Bang for buck and all that. Just my opinion folks, nobody is payin me to pimp their stuff. All of my bikes include some variations of these basic staples. I have built all of my bikes myself, and have hand picked the individual frame builders, and parts. I love a “custom built” bike. Something you just won’t find on the showroom floor. If I was building a bike today, it would be built entirely by a combination of this list…..
Handbuilt Steel and Ti frames by:
Carl Strong, Independent Fabrication, Richard Sachs, Mike Zanconato, Vanilla, Moots, Mike DeSalvo, and Jim Kish.
Carbon Forks by Reynolds, Easton, and Alpha Q.
Headsets: Chris King exclusively.
Seatposts: It’s not the fanciest, it’s not even carbon. I love the Thompson seatpost.
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Gel Flow, the only saddle for my arsk, I own no other.
Stem and Bar combos: Road, Deda Tool/Newton and or, Ritchey WCS/Salsa Bell Lap for cross
Brakes: Road, Zero Gravity, fantastic product. Cross, Paul Neo’s. There a pain to set up, but the best in canti stopping power.
SRAM drivetrains with: (I really like the SRAM stuff, and I’ve ridden Shimano for many years) FSA K Force Lite, or SLK Lite cranksets, ceramic BB’s, and chainrings. (unless your talking RED)
Pedals: Road, Speedplay. Cross, Egg Beaters. (beaters are a great invention, someone should have thought of 4 sided entry long ago)
Custom Wheels: this is tough, there is a ton of really good wheels out there. Road, Reynolds mid V/Attack. And or, Zipp 303 rims custom built with DT Swiss Hubs and Sapim CX-Ray spokes. (who can afford um)
Cross, Chris King Hubs custom built with Niobium aluminum alloy tubular rims, and Sapim Laser spokes. (I love Chris King and DT Swiss Hubs)
Factory wheelsets by Reynolds or Zipp, Fulcrum’s too. (again, who can afford um) Mavic’s are workhorses, Ksyriums have been battle tested in cross for years. I haven’t had great luck with Shimano, American Classic, or paired spoke design wheels. Again, there are lots of great wheels out there.
Tires: Road, Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX, no other clincher road tire comes close. Honorable mention: Michelin Pro Race.
Cross, Tubulars by Challenge, Dugast, and FMB. (I have this newfound obsession, this preoccupation, this compulsion over tubulars that is steadily growing to very unhealthy levels) 
So there you have it, the Pack Fodder endorsement for road and or cross bicycles. Yup, that ought to carry some pretty big weight, my personal recommendation! LOL! Why these companies outta be sending me some Federal Reserve Notes (good for all debt, both public and private) to advertise on my blog! Yeah, that’s it, where’s my free parts?
Just joking, as a consumer just like you, I gotta pay my own way. The aforementioned list is worthy of my hard earned dollar. FWIW, take it with a grain of salt, after all, what do I know? I’m just “Da Fodder”.
PS, all you Campyphiles out there feel free to substitute Campy for SRAM.
Cheers!
Is it cross season yet?
Greetings Readers!
So’s I’m sitting in the car dealership this morning getting my oil changed, bored outta my mind without internet service. What? No internet service? What year is this? Sheesh. I thought waiting rooms were required to have wireless internet? Didn’t that bill get passed?
Anyhow, I’m bored so I go back into my picks from last years cross season, it’s been a while since I’ve viewed them and sho nuff, they put a smile on my face. J I’ve been thinking about cross all day, I love it I tell ya. Why? Well if I could articulate that in a literary sense, I’d be raking in the scratch from having sold millions of copies of my latest novel in the trilogy. That’s a tough thing to just summarize in text.
I love the whole thing; I love the people, the bikes, the racing. I love that my family came out to see me suffer, and get my mojo on. I love that people you don’t even know are screaming for you, and the more you appear to be suffering the more they cheer? I love that the Elites will not only give you the time of day, but hand out advice and support. I love the seemingly insurmountable odds that you’ll do well, and when you do it rocks your world. I love the grit. I love the runups, the barriers, the off camber sections, and I love the mud. I love having that really good battle with your nemesis (or two) for lap after lap, neither of you giving an inch and then trading some mud on the bell lap. I love the pain, the suffering; I love the battle that goes on within my own head. I love the mud flying off of the tubbies of the guys in front of me, in seemingly slow motion. I love seeing my pal Ken out there racing. I love the frenzy that is the start of a cross race, that crazy sprint right off the bat that shocks the hell out of you. I love the finish too, that final climactic rush of empting out your body’s reserves, knowing it’s over. You just leave it all out there, and after the finish I love that I just feel like I’m going to puke for half an hour. There is absolutely nothing that jacks me up like a cross race. Those are a cherished 10 weeks a year people, let me tell you.
It was great to view those pics, keeps me focused, and keeps me hungry. I can’t wait for this season. I can’t wait for the side show to come to town again for 10 weeks. J
My better half is planning to take a stab @ cyclocross this season, which is going to really be something. Cross, it’s a family affair. I’m almost, almost that is, looking forward to having her race cross more so than getting to race myself.
So I keep focused, keep riding, keep trying to coach myself, all with the eye on the prize.
What’s the prize? To compete of course. I want to give it my all, to leave it all out there and come in with a top 20 finish. Keep in mind we’ll typically get 130 riders +/- in my class at a Crusade Race. So a top 20 is a lofty goal. As long as I’m given’r, I’m satisfied with my race. I just won’t “sit in” or “mail it in” I’m more than willing to suffer like a dog for a less than desirable placing, that in of itself will usually net you 5 or 6 spots.
I definitely have the right attitude; it’s the legs that I’m working on. If only I had the legs……..
Tonight is my cheat night, pizza and beer. Tomorrow, we ride………
Cheers!
Indy Fabs in 953
Had to share these with you……
I’m thinking the only thing missing on these is Canti Bosses.
Ohh, how my loins long for a IF SSX in 953. I wish some greenbacks would fall outta the sky, “here you go Jim buddy, go ahead and order yourself up an SSX in 953″ Gosh thanks Karma!! Yea, I wish……………
And another….
commute 3/12/08
“how u feelin’ today Jim?” Ahh, I’m beat coach. Tired as Hell… I’m just killin’ myself to get avg speeds of last month. My legs feel like lead. I’ve hit a plateau Coach. Coach says: “Ahh, guidt. Take the next 2 days off… Ve start again on Saturday”.
Well, you heard the man, Coach (me) says take the next two days off. Coach says he wants me to stay hungry, not get burnt out. Recovery is important. I’ll take up the bike again on Saturday, which leaves me two days to conjur up some new ways to inflict pain and suffering onto thyself….. who know’s maybe I’ll just go out and ride my bike.
Miles ridden today, 20
Miles ridden 2008, 700
Vagen
I found this pic, and well, just had to share.
Vanilla Workshop: SpeedVagen.
Oh mama, would I love to race this!
This bike is sporting a SRAM Force group, Paul Brakes, Deda Bar and stem, Hand built tubular wheels with King hubs, and Reflex CD tubular rims. Fork is an Alpha Q CX 20 painted to match the custom Vanilla Workshop frame. All bizness.
I especially like the backdrop, it’s sitting in the window, as if it can’t wait to get out…..
