Ride with the kids on Saturday/Sunday...picking berries and such.

Rode about 20 some with Maria and David on Saturday - Ran into Neil and group...well, didnt run INTO but by anyways. Also saw the ever elusive Bernie on the trails hittin the loop...always a blessing to find Bernie on a bike. Hit up Culvers and had a great ride with the two eldest...Peter was due back from Church camp that day. Then took David and Peter Sunday to the bridge to pick berries...

trying to get on board with this again

Though FB offers a great solution to "what is going on with who/what and where/when" the blog is still a nice place to dump some thoughts.

Felt good to jump on the TT last night. No cramps and put a slightly bigger gear on to see how it would work. It did great. 22.46 on the Fletcher took the top spot but more importantly it took my PR by like 28 secs. Now, some of the big dogs were not out playing - Hogland and Broste (get better Perry). but all the same it was a fun ride.

Hit the velodrome to see some friends race and some friends watch...watching is much less effort. Looking at RAAM next year with Tim Case and trying to formulate how this would work. Yes....its early but better to start early. right? nothing like big goals.

Today is work work work...and then maybe a ride with the kids but work is the priority today...not always but today. Pete comes home from camp tomorrow so Im sure we will be riddled with stories and crazy adventures for days to come.

andy

Maria in trance

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another gr8 day to ride?

ummmm does it have to be good sunny weather to have a great day riding? no, not really but it sure helps. I just crawled out of my office (cave) and stepped outside and was rejuvenated - its time to cook the road tonight with the sound of chains and heavy breathing. 144 Loop - 33 miles and some nice rollers to get your HR up there. 5 pm at Trailhead.... Single speeds are welcome....gears are optional.....fun is mandatory.

Anticipation

Looking out to 5 pm I see a bunch of people on bikes....traversing through the rain soaked roads of Fletcher and Hassan Township...where is my rain slick anyways.

NO RAIN....the ride was near perfect. Thanks to ALL who came out and good to see the Duke of Earl out there today!!!!!!

total of 3.25 hours of riding for me - single speed. the group rode up tempo - we kept it together - we ended together with smiles. good job all!

Andrew

back to some story telling....thank you Erik

Could you believe today? I mean, it was fantastic all around - except for Maria who is a bit ill today. It started with me scheduled to be in Apple Valley for volleyball and then Maria was a mess.....so VB was nixed on our end....this opened up the option to bike with the group. It didn't disappoint at all.

25 some people - everyone smiles. It was like the moment in the Wizard of Oz when it all went color. The light turned on, the legs felt fresh, the road was quick and everyone was itchin to just - well....be there.

Some familiar faces and some new ones - but then again i didn't ride with the group that much last year so I am sure I am a new face as well to many. It was fun to get to know some new friends. For those looking to blast the ride - they were happy. For those looking to sit back and enjoy and smooth ride...they were happy. It worked very well today.

The single speed (yet to be named) was a nice ride. the geometry is a bit different but close enough for government work. I think I will shorten the stem a bit or get new bars. The 72 gear inch was a good match for today and i think it will be the primary gear for road as long as the hills don't get too steep. When we were cooking with gas, it was comfy to sit at 23 with my HR at 169 - once to 175-179 i was feeling the burn. In an effort to keep watt training going - i was trying to be mindful of perceived effort and real effort. I figure it doesn't hurt to train a bit during a nice group ride. Of course - if you ride the single speed you will get a workout no matter what.

Jay, Mel and myself had single speeds and the speed demon was Mel. Heading into Otsego I glanced back to see someone in no-mans-land and when i turned around the lead group was 30 ft in front of me....i was cooked and didn't feel the need to spike my heart rate to bridge that gap. I rode in with with the other group and it was concluded you would be hard pressed to find a better day to ride - considering the first real nice day it seemed like a once in a lifetime day to get out. glad to see everyone.

some recovery foods, muscle milk, water and ecaps and all is good.

see ya later yall.

ac

interesting times...

Have not been here in a while...that's for sure. Not sure why but I am guessing it has something to do with life...more life....and a bit more life caked on top of an already built up heap of stuff. "Stuff" is a good word here as its so random and undefined that it would take a book and a half to get it right. The stuff ranges from the mundane to the extraordinary - wonderful to the horrific - peaceful to reckless. Stuff...or life...catches up with us and it steers us and thus we are given limited control.

There are constants in my life, well, really only one - God. The other things that are cloaked as constants are relationships, marriage, money, things...things that change often. I guess I should really consider these "constants" (aside from God) as variables acting in my life that alter and re-route my life daily if not hourly. So...I guess one could say that its good to have varying alternatives out there - keeping you lively. Change is good on some levels but not all that comforting at times.

In the past years I have lived, speaking mainly of the past 14-15 years, I have seen many horrible and wonderful aspects to life. Everyday has been a change...and this "stuff" has forced me to reevaluate my stand on many things as well as how to react to these changes. Most items on the auction block are pretty cut and dry while many items also are open to extreme interpretation. My creative response ability has been put to the test as of late. Not easy to smile at times and not easy to wake up at other times....staring at a loaded gun of potential angst is not my idea of smooth running. So where do I look? How do I get through? Where is there an option that yields a perfect response, outcome etc...well, I have to look at the one constant that has never moved. Yup - God.

So what happens then when your answers from God seem to contradict what you have thought for years? When what you think is going to be the solution would actually cause more pain....or that you have traversed down a path for so long you have no idea what happened to imagination, creativity and freedom? Not meant to be answered in one night or in ten years - but maybe it is... We are creatures of habit and wont ever break that habit unless there is good reason. Pride sure does the trick as well in keeping us locked in negative patterns and pride thus defeats us in every way. Not to be confused with confidence, pride is one thing that most of us hate and its one thing we don't want to give up...go figure.

And now, here, as I sit and type, I am confronted with items in my life that seem and appear and thus smell like pride...how do i do this? Where do I go? How do I make things change? Will this survive? I'm not sure - I have no idea...as I cannot see the future. Finding time to center myself has not been easy. Confronting the issues at hand is no small task.

this may just ramble on - that's the idea I guess...just wanted to type...Winter is good for this type of stuff...too much time on my hands compounded with too much stuff to deal with that offer limited hope...and my Constant is there and that little bit of hope is more than enough to keep it going.

hope to see you all on the road soon.


Andy

velodrome????

so - seeing that i have a true track bike now - thoughts on racing at the velodrome this year?????

open for comments



ac

road bike

first road bike ride in a long time. spending most of my time on ss mt bike was traded for a road bike tonight. fixed a flat prior to launch, installed some cleats and dawned some cold weather gear and headed out. I am amazed that it takes about the same amount of time to get dressed as it does to ride....one of these days I'll get the system down pat. First step is keeping all gear in the SAME location - does anyone else have this problem?

went out at 9 pm, in the 20's for temp and with my new LG cold weather split mits i was nice and warm. Took till the top of super prime to get up to temp and then into the park. full lap with a kicker through Champlin on major roads. It was faster than I thought. Open roads and blasting through stop signs (not recommended) helped here to keep the tempo consistent as i didnt have to unclip once and that is unusual for urban riding. Came across some skiers on rollers skating in the streets - weird but cool.

the last 5 miles was up-tempo on the home stretch and kept the HR pretty high and the cadence at a good roll at 90 rpms. I was happy with the ride but later found out my computer was not calibrated right based on mapping my ride vs. time. ended with about 22.5 or so mph avg but thought i did close to 25. cant win em all. Heck, if i actually did do 25 I would be signing up for as many TT's as I could...but alas I didnt so I wont.

the best part of tonight was the solitude and clear thinking. cool nights and being properly dressed is a good combo. any colder and you tend to feel constricted with clothes...but I wont let that stop me from riding in dec/jan/feb.....maybe Feb as its pretty dang cold about that time. I will try to at least ride on some minus temp days to keep up with Billy V and his cold weather abilities....that guy is amazing and an inspiration.

see ya on the road yall.


ac

last night pic....foleydrome.

Jorge last night winning the "empty parking ramp" prime.

what neil said...

http://nerdybike.blogspot.com/2009/11/dont-tell-my-wife.html

Full Day...long overdue.

Spent the day as one expects a Saturday to unfold. Started quiet as the family was out the door before I got up. They went to basketball game for a friends daughter...I had some lazy cookie crunch and some tunes - house to myself on a perfect morning.

Soon the troops appear and a spontaneous trip to the movies was well received. "Where the wild things are" was on my bucket list and it was not what I expected - and thus pleased. Once home, Tina was off to work and my backyard project was also on that bucket list. Some select ipod favorites, a rake and a job well done. I tend to forget and not plan a dinner when I have to make the call...Tina leaves it up to me but knows full well that when she is at work...we will be out for supper. So Maria's friend Sammi, Peter and I head to Mc Donalds, a trip to the Gap to see Tina and ice cream at DQ.

We all had smiles on a day that no one wanted to end. This was, as Maria stated, by far the best Saturday ever. "Thanks Dad" meant a lot today!

ichabods twisted 2man time trial. congrats to jay and dave will(power)

i think its time...

to get off my lazy cycling routine and get into the schedule again of miles and miles....sickness is gone, ambition is high and the bike is always ready.

Lights are ready, trails are ready...so why do I wait? not sure but its about to change.

The weekend was a trip. lots of biking and hangin with friends in Wiscony....this was the type of weekend i could repeat over and over.


see ya on the trails.


ac

glad to get out! night ride in the park and it was grrrreat! cued up the lights, cycled up some blues travelers and down the road i went.

once in elm creek it was a smooth and ez ride to the single track and in the dark you really need a light on the helmet to see properly. ran into Hogland out there and we spun around for a spot and then i headed to Bernies home to say hello [he was en route for work in a distant state] and then to the bike shop to say hello 2 the crew there.

the ride home was surreal and quiet in the park. i highly suggest night rides in the park. what a great way to cap the day!

heading to la crosse this weekend for mt biking and dinner with friends.

Pic from Cheq...LOL

Was just sent some great post-Cheq pics. I got to spend my time with Pete Taylor and family/friends for the remainder of the weekend. This pic reminded me of just how tired I was...sleeping for about an hour on a metal canoe...it was magical. had to take a pic of the hard copy so its grainy.

down with the sickness

its been just over 1 week of dealing with a head/chest cold that has sucked the life out of me. Not the flu or some bizarre voodoo virus - just a snot and achy filled cold. So in lieu of church tonight, I took my pinched nerve [in my back] and saddled the 29er and headed for some easy geared road and single track. After all, it was 70 deg when I left and by the time I got to super prime, my lower back popped and wallah, my back is better, legs stretched out and my cough was still kickin.

I wanted to cruise at some level of effort and 2 weeks of no riding and a cold said "you will ride easy today...." and so I did. Anything above about level 2 HR was a cough-ridden phlem-fest. This is ok b/c just getting out sometimes is a good thing.

I still get lost in the single track but Im getting better. With a few repeates up the sledding hill and a trip back on the double track - I was done and ready to go home. Dark it seems by like 645 or so...weird.

ac

single trackin' with the master

me and hogland...single track. thanks dave as it was much better riding today than with a big gear...i hope 2 get 2 know those trails better as one could really get lost. it was really nice to not have swarms of skeeters eating your blood the whole time. next time ...32x18 out there. i think we shld plan a trip to elk river soon.

...thinking 2 road race and

...thinking 2 road race and mt bike race as much as i can next year...yes that means single track Dave....so....i need 2 practice more on the nar

talk about perfect....

headed to LaCrosse, WI this weekend with the family for a few days of family and friends...well, more family than friends - and that is just fine with me!

we took our time getting to LaX, eating at A&W in Inver Grove Heights, a stop in Rochester and then once Tina was asleep I cranked the speed up to 85 mph from Rochester to LaX and basically followed a rented RV with bikes on the back all the way to the hotel exit...funny. It was the same rental RV company that many RAAM teams used. I had flash backs.

If you have never been to LaX for Oktoberfest - its a weird thing. It used to be MUCH more insane in years past. My brother commented that in the late 70's through 80's even the Hell's Angels would come into town to party. I remember some weekends(years) that the town would go fro 40k to 250-300k for the weekend...they have toned it down but still...the O-fest parade is like 5 miles long and takes about 2.5 -3 hours to complete - great memories, actually didnt see many friends at all as I think we all look REALLY different now.

The best part was family - Chris, Elaine and Taylor and Nina came into town from Seattle. Jen/Scott, Jack and Nick from Burnsville - us from Dayton...Mom and Dad were in Heaven. First time we were ALL HOME in like 7 years....at the same time. Food was incredible both days - Dad's ribs and Scott taking charge of steaks on Sunday - insane....I HAD to bike for two reasons - 1. why not bike in LaCrosse - you kidding me? 2. the caloric intake was absurd.

Which leads me to biking b/c i wont bore the 3 readers with my family stuff. I had very limited time so I opted for a sprint up Grandads to the flag (actually a faster time now than when i was in college...go figure...yes I have the times listed from many moons ago - my first diytt.) when i was up top i looked across the river valley to the MN side and its about 8 miles across I think. I then figured to bike down graddads then to MN and up Apple Blossom road which isnt as bad as Bliss road but still - it's altitude. it has been since college that i rode up that hill...the memories. There are some nice climbs down south and I miss it alot. My dad and neighbor both workout at UWL field house every morning and they BOTH know Jake Cohn as a result of working out there - how cool is that?! Jake is LOVIN LaCrosse and one of these days i will ride with sir Speedy but O-fest weekend is not the best time - too much lemonade. Got a flat 3 miles from LaCrosse without a tube/kit - one phone call to the best crew member (dad) and he had me in the truck inside of 5 mins...he was very happy to still be TSH Crew!!!!!

A side note - Dad now has a super cool new Marin flat bar road bike with all the gear. He logs about 75 miles a week and he is 70 yrs young. He was inspired prior to RAAM but really got the bug during RAAM...so did I. My dad is amazing!

A fun weekend filled with family, food, friends and biking....