A new single speed is born

Pictures are to follow but for now - I thought to announce the arrival of Blue Thunder SS. That's right...the Cannondale of old has joined the ranks of the SS. Vanquishing it of its gears and adding a tensioner from TH, new chain, super fast 'uber speed' pully and an Ultegra 42 front...I am ready to rumble...provided the chain doesn't skip. Took it out for the inaugural run and no skip at all...not even up super preem. My new commuter is born and the training continues for Fat Tire----

i hope you guys in Whalen enjoyed the spring rain. Kudos to all who went - it takes a special person to put the effort into riding in this weather. The Sultans of Slop...the saga continues.


ac














check out that Super Sport Pulley... amazingly fast















Ultegra 42 front... 6 speed rear freewheel...
42 with a six pack...okay, that was dumb.
















it just gets better with age.


see ya on the road.

ATS - Logo

I painted this logo for work - posting here so i dont have to send it all over corp email. done in acrylic paints. our office is Project Big Mosquito - PBM. I should do things like this for a living - not recruiting...lol.

Fat Tire - here I come...

Well the check has cleared...now the preparation begins. It is a great thing to have goals and like Jay says...this is the race he preps for all year. The benchmark. I will adopt this thought for myself. So, here is my goal...beat three hours. That may change and I may shorten that goal a bit - depends on how good I feel in Sept. I will make the trip to LaCrosse at least twice a month for extensive hills only. When i cant travel to Lax - Stillwater is the ride. Hills and more hills - this should help. After my last stint in Lax riding 120+ in two days on hills only - i already see the benefit. Catching up to those RAAM guys is in sight - but it is a ways off. I am ready for the pilgrimage to FatTire 2007.

ac

Serious Innovation for Serious bikers

Okay - this was halarious. I really could not stop laughing when I saw this. My friend Pete Taylor - owner of Bluedog Cycle - went out with some cycling/tech buddies of his down south in Arakansas. His photos and stories were amazing. Once again - proving the point that it doesnt get better than biking with friends...we knew that already. Between the insane single track, monster drop offs and beautiful countryside....well, here it is. Innovation hard at work. Where there is a will, there is a way. Nice use of tubes and duct tape - my hats off to you.





























Okay - dont try this at home

This is for my buds at work in Cali ... may you fall asleep sunbathing in the nude

Okay Cali boys and Girls....and yes, you too out in DC...this is about the worst storm since the 91 Halloween blizzard...and you have no idea what that one was like either. For us in Minnesota - we have been dreaming of a winter like this. This is what winter should be like! The skiers, the bikers, skaters, snow-shoers...the list continues...love being outdoors in the winter. It is a totally different experience to say the least. Picture this, tooling through the woods on ski or bike or walking or whatever... the sun creating millions of tiny rainbows from the ice crystals...small tracks leading from here to there...the chickadees flying in close to see who you are ... and most of all the serene sound of old man winter blowing his frosty breath - whistling through the barren trees of old. The snow covered forest - untouched - moving and changing as sand dunes in the desert...it is really cool to get outdoors - and i don't mean in the city - but out where things just 'are', without advertisement, without industry, without others.... just you and the great expansive creation.

So to us in Minnesota - summer or winter - we can find and we DO find a great joy in times like this - you cant help but love the winter and the wonderful change that takes place. So here are some pics as I promised - I will have to get some pics of me pulling the kids on the bike in a bit here...I might have them posted or i will send them.

first... the new brakes - thanks to Trail Head...great upgrade and even better conversation - you gotta spend some time there just talking - Justin needs the attention...lol.

Okay, so that is the new bike stuff. Fat Tire is only 6 months away and my fingers are crossed and so is the wiring in my brain - so I hear. First time and the only bike I have is SS without suspension...it is better that I dont know what to expect. I hear it is a roadie course so I 'should' be okay but it is the enduring the abuse that is of interest to me. I will look forward to the finish line - oh, and a new handlebar too. Yikes, i spent more in brakes and bars than the bike is really worth...but then again - how can you put a price on an old friend?

NOW TO THE KIDS IN THE SNOW...


Here we are heading out


it is fun and
a tremendous
workout to say
the least. broke
the rope twice
so i went to
pulling 2 instead
of three. it is cold
today - low teens.























time for hot chocolate!!!!










havin a
blast










the snow
banks
remind me
of my
visit to
ElCapitan

these are
cool! snow drifts
on the roof.









THE
WALL














that is it - hope you all enjoy the family fun in the sun pictures. Have fun surfing today in Cali!


andy claflin