Sunday, May 31, 2009

Sick Training Ride at Wabash

Looking good at Platt River.

Well in an effort to get some simulated climbing in I took my 4 year old out for a little 50 mile jaunt in the bob. He is a heavy little dude now so it was a good 4.5 hour workout. Don't worry I let him out to pee once. It felt like I weighed 285 lbs...the good news is that I can ride the same speed now trailing the bob as I could a year ago w/ just my fat ass in the saddle. I kept the Niner in the dog for the whole ride and just worked it...good times, good times. Qman wants to do it again next weekend as well, so it must have been fun sitting back there. He is a tough little kid...

Saturday, May 30, 2009

The Psycowpath Race #3 Lewis and Clark

This race was fun, I raced Cat 2 and got pasted. The best part happened even before I started. Qman got his first podium with a 3rd place finish in the kids race. I was so proud of him racing with the big kids on his tiny bike. His legs were pumping so fast...it was awesome. I have got to figure out how to make cool videos from these clips...anyway Quinn was so not impressed with his 3rd place ribbon. This is a quote from a true champion...after coming back under the tree where we were sitting he looked pissed and he said "I was standing on the small one." Qman takes after his old man and his old man before him and on up the chain...he can't except second place and third even though he was half the size and half the age filled him with disgust. I was bursting when the little bugger finished with class. He does a stop exactly on the finish line as if to say...that's right I'm here 3rd bitches, but I'm coming back with a better bike next year! 10th out of 11...jeezaloo. Results.

Q racing in style!

The bros sit at the Lewis and Clark monument with the big O! in the background.
One last shot of the two racers...Mack is in the truck totally not interested.


I'm hot and tired, the fans are bored...

Totally pumped at the start...red socks to match helmet. Notice the cool Sombas and his personal homage to the fam in Maine.

Q looks at the kid on top as if to say hey good job what are you like 10? Dude look at your bike next to mine what did you expect?

The very exciting start of the kid race.




The extra classy finish...what style.



Looks like Jess found a vantage spot in the shade pretty far from the action...the little black dot is me after a long climb.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Here is where the legs say what.

I'm not saying what it is, but something went in the mail today addressed to 89 Pioneer st.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

The 12 hour enduro


Ouch. I made it. The chain blew up after the first lap and took out my middle and small chain ring. I did 6 laps in "the dog." It brought my speed up but at a great cost. I friggen blew up after 9 laps and lots of standing up out of the saddle. I know I could handle a single speed now though...I took a 20 minute break at around 2am and decided to give the busted up middle ring a try. I literally hit it with a hammer a few times and smashed it with a screwdriver (secretly thinking/hoping it would be futile)...crazily and against all odds somehow the middle chain ring started working...wierd. I rolled out 4 more laps on my wobbly legs. My first few laps were 33-37 minutes...nearing the end they were up to 55 minutes...13 laps for a sad taint inducing record of 72 miles 1/2 single speed 1/2 geared 12 hours...Results 7th out of 25 solo and 16th out of 41 including teams.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Grenbrier artsy shots

Well, here are a few belated shots from Greenbrier. For all of those fans of the biker look rather than the business look.



Rest and repair

I was good and lazy today--I made the mistake of taking a rest day--it was gorgeous out and of course, the weather tomorrow is supposed to be rain and wind.  If the night here at work does not shape up, I'm gonna get zero sleep, making tomorrow even less attractive to get out for the scheduled 90 mins of what Joey calls "ZOOM"-- that means go really hard.
BM and I did manage to get the new Maguras put on the 26er--something I have been putting off for a couple of weeks.

Let's see how tomorrow goes--another rest day?


Man, they look good--and stop like crazy.

You must admit that having the Bull as my head wrench is just plain cool!!


The Don is torquing the brakes to spec.--the little man knows his stuff.


Sunday, May 10, 2009

Psycowpath Race #2 Platt River

Race #2 of the Psycowpath series was one of the best courses that Nebraskaa has to offer. The 3 hour marathon was at the limit of my endurance. Right at the end of my 5th lap about 4 guys passed me while they were finishing lap 6. I was bummed to get lapped, but at that point I was in just finish mode. I had fun setting up the new team tent and hearing my support crew chear for me. 13th out of 22.

The support crew checking trail connditions. The official report was "sandy in spots, but mostly nice and tacky"

Friday, May 1, 2009

Hills and more hills

We missed the gorgeous blue skies of yesterday as we woke up to cold, drizzle and overcast skies.  We sat around for a while and pretended we were figuring out a route--I think really we were stalling our departure as the legs are howling pissed and our taints are obliterated-- we REALLY wanted rest.  We finally decided to head out and climb--and climb we did.

We went up and over Cornish Hill, down 166 and over to Hooker Mountain--up and over Hooker Mountain, down the back and wandered through the back roads of Westford and finally popped out in the valley and it was back up and over Murphy Hill to home. Total for the day was 28 miles and 3600 ft of climbing.

I'm learning quickly that the Bigs does not like to climb and he loves to tell you all about "why" as he heads up. I think today was a break-through day whether he knows it or not--he was actually kind of chatty while climbing.  He's certainly looking better and it looked like he was almost having a little fun--he horsed up the backside of Murphy Hill in his middle ring--I was wondering why he was making funny faces--I thought he was picking up a rancid odor or something. The weather cleared and warmed up a bit--kind of humid actually.
All in all quite a nice day.

The big man is about to find out that Cornish Hill is really steep.


This cemetery marks the start of the Hooker Mountain climb--not Big Dave's favorite. It's the only local hill I know that gains 1000 feet--we did it twice and yes, Dave told me all about it the whole way up.


Working way too hard!!!  I probably should have reconsidered my choice to ride the SS today--oh well, like the Baby Moose always says-- Varsity efforts, varsity results.

Big Dave coming over the top of Campbell Hill--kinda making the I smell something funny face.