"And I didn't have to wipe..." said the nerdman

You really dont want to know...okay, maybe you do so ask Nerdalicious about the husky's in the woods and the time when they found out he was letting loose the #2. enough said.

We ended up heading for a 31 mile ride tonight - great weather and good friends. That is what it is all about. we rode to the fletcher TT course - did it and came home. Early season is not easy... at least for the people that didnt do much all winter (me). I took a sign prime from Jorge and I came in second on the Fletch prime to B-train. I thought, for some reason, that by adding 5 gears to my weapons of mass destruction, that I would stand a chance. The sprint was on - Bernie was up shifting with perfect timing and so was I but when he decided to go to the 53 front ring...I realized that I didnt have one of those. I was spun out with my 42x11 and Bernie was not spun out - the diesel rolled on through with me on his rear wheel by a few inches. Good show Bern-dog. Once again proving that riding a lot in the winter - and being a stud - makes a difference in the on season.

Once back - we headed to Moon rock for b-day cake (Nerdster turned 40 - happy bday Neil) and lemonade. the night then got crazy when I ordered some wild turkey shots, then hemi ordered hot damns ( more than one for the crew), Larry jumped in with beefeater rounds.....and so on....note the pics. It was a GREAT time and fun was had by all. Happy b-day Neil - and thanks for getting older so we could have a good time.

I can say that the best time was spent with Johns daughter Lilly (spelling?)....what a riot and a handful. Kids are great! She was all about entertainment....I LOVE IT (last pic). John, you are blessed - what a great family!

afternoon wind extraveganza

I watched the flag outside my office window stand at attention ALL DAY. It was serious - the email machine was telling me that constant winds over 23 with gusts up to 45 mph....from the south. I took coon rapids blvd to the park and over to the shop. It is mainly heading NW so the wind was at my back - generally speaking as opposed to the ride in this morning. When you are going the same speed as the wind....in the same direction - it is like riding in a vacuum. it is neat...plus its the only time EVER I will feel like Merckx.

The ride around the EC park was interesting - 12 of us and the group split up just about 2 miles before the lap was done. I was spent - with 30 miles in already and I am not in the best shape - I sat up and then biked home - did two hill repeats up super prime and made it home in time to take the eldest to boy scouts.

So - 46 miles today - not bad - it was sure good to see everyone today. Geez, even Jorge came out with his freshly waxed cycling outfit and gold inlaid unobtainium voodoo road bike....good to see you bud - as always.

Pasta, salad, hershey's cookies and cream bar and an overpriced mocha - recovery foods in that order.


see yall on the road.


ac

the sum of my shortcuts.... morning ride

To not be out done by the Duke, I am staying on course to bike all week to work. It seems that each time I want to do what I know I should...I am met with doing what might be easier or more suitable to my immediate desires. Hence, sleeping in and driving to work sounded like a really nice idea.

I am not saying that I am the cycling dianetics zen master by any means but I opted for the bike, the ride in the 30 freeking mph wind....etc.... Why is it that it takes like 15 mins to realize why you were smart in the choice? I have grown accustom to reaping the reward of the immediate to the point that I cant see the forest through the trees...I mean I just about throw the baby out with the bath water or better yet I end up counting my chickens before they hatch....lol....

Still with my frustration mode on, I get to the half way point of the commute and I am still thinking - which way is quicker I just want off this bike and....whoa! I mean HOLD ON! Yeah, there are shorter paths to the end...there are little off shoots here and there that can reduce the amount of frustration....the end of course is the same either way so find a reason to enjoy and you will enjoy. Sounds like that could work for just about any application huh? Again I am not L Ron Hubbard here but the simple truth is that if we short our experience - there is no going back to get it and we live in the game of shoulda coulda woulda.

From a biking perspective here - I see that the total culmination of my efforts means that years may be extended on my life, Fat Tire 40 might be easier, group rides are more enjoyable, my clothes fit better, I may be able to beat Bernie on a sign prime, I can experience the simple joys of a morning ride and most of all my mind is able to release and know that the journey is well worth the extra miles and effort – some of these are immediate and some are 5 months to 50 years away…that is a good outcome for just getting on the bike this morning – high yield.( by the way, that was one long...run....on sentence....i know it was not gooder english)

So if I decided to plod through the easy route all the time, I must also learn to accept the fact that the sum total of my shortcuts will result in the misfortune of my soul.

Bird of Prey...

en route this morning - I witness a pretty darn neato experience. Normal commute - down the busy w.river road to the coon rapids damn - south out of the park - up behind target and of course Caribou coffee - they are so nice....then into work....

Okay - rewind...the Coon Rapids park. This is a series of paths that resemble riding over parking curbs...the heaves and buckled asphalt is horrible. so I take it easy through here...So I am near some pavilion thing and I look up - there is an eagle soaring above. yes, an eagle, white head, huge wings....looming over the water. So I stop, listen to a few screeches and watch this amazing creature skim the water and latch onto what appeared to be a mid sized carp or bull-head.

As I watched this happen, I realized I wasn't alone - about 4 joggers had opted to stare with amazement. One guy with purple shades on looks at me and says with a plain face - " you don't 'f-ing' see that every day huh?".

So I was hesitant to bike in this morning - I guess it took 12 miles to realize that gratification doesn't always come quickly.

ac

Highlights from the weekend...

For the three readers of the blog - recap. it is good for me to log a bunch of crap so I look like i am doing something important on the computer.

For the first time in a while - the weekend was free. I was a bit worried on Friday as I had a specific assignment at work to locate a few people willing to relocate to Iraq for a year or two...it ended up being a late night - some really cool conversations with non- linguists for a change but rather organizational management people. So when 8 pm rolled around and I was supposed to pull a rabbit out of my bag of tricks by 4 pm I was concerned that my efforts were pointless. I hope they weren't.

Sat morning - up early....anticipating some semblance of a ride I saw no indication. So I head out with the Rat single speed for a low gear high spin around the park. I didnt have all day so I tried to get cardio in full swing - it worked. The trail was fraut with 2 inch slush/snow which actually made it safe to ride but it was really hard for some reason. I did some hill repeats on super prime about 4 times and then hit the park - taking off shoots here and there the google map thing said I did 22 miles in all. I made it to the shop on my way home - looking for the new bike - and met up with an old but crazy friend - Justin....the Samurai is alive and well - got a new gig with some nuclear electrician job and he seems to enjoy his work.... so about 30 mins later its time to leave and Justin said he would once over the rat real quick and found out that my rear brakes were off and the right side pad was forced into the rim the entire time - hence the hard ride. Funny - I thought I put an easy gear on for spinning and it ended up being a watt maximizing exercise.

The ride home was all on the street and in the snow fall - sleet really. I am really beginning to loath the cold/wet weather. It is time to warm up and it looks like that will happen.


Sunday was low key - home from church...left over papa murphy's...lazy games inside with the kids and the low hum of the new washing machine cleaning my cycling clothes. Happy times.

Monday....all is set for the commute...it is time to add to the miles in better weather....Fat Tire is about 5 months away and I still dont have a mt bike to do it with...wait - the Rat is ready and so is that Monocog I am going to win.


drew

i found one. wow.

Russian Doll

Long story - not gonna get into it...pointless to explain...other than Neil was the Russian Doll. it really isnt that funny but it works for a title. On the Local - nice ride...bit chilly but not snowing. Mr.Anderson gets a flat and I do some down and backs to stay warm and literally about 15 min later...I come by again with Jay H and there was the most amazing struggle - 4 guys all working on the same tire/wheel. That tire kicked their butts. It was funny.

New Bike -

trigger pulled - Bowery mine....worry about the monocog later.

whoa....these are at TH

THIS COULD BEAT OUT THE MONOCOG FOR MY NEW BIKE

What the......

Mid day - my office - my car hard to
believe i logged 20 miles on the bike yesterday.

Another mid day shot in the arm....

Leaving today - tonight rather.
20+ mph winds - it sucked

I tried clicking my heels together three
times but all i got was a pound of slush in my shoes.


So now its a few beers - against my diet - and
Sum 41 vids
its a playlist with 10 songs - scroll bar on right and down a touch
click to view - it might work.

drinking beer and photoshop

CONFIRMED! Pain in Sept

Thats right - I saw the phone number to check if the MO was cleared...FAT TIRE HERE I COME. Time for that friggin mt bike! Now, I just need to figure out which one...the rat is always ready to rumble but after last years rally - and the chain coming off 4 times - I think i need a real single speed or at least an ENO hub. I think i got in b/c i clicked SS again - maybe they give you extra consideration for being a bit stupid.

So now onto the training - as this is the pinnical of the year for me and my exceptionally limited racing season. I heard that smoking actually helps your O2 intake...right?

Found this pic - no reason - me at age 4 in the black hills of SD. I do still have that shirt - its a bit tight but thats how I roll.

see ya at FT40!

tried something new....

seeing that my "new" bike is worth exactly what I spent on my new wheelset - I am game for adding a few choice bike tattoos. So in an effort to boost my stigma amongst my cycling gurus, I added something that is bound to add a few mph to my resume...a piranah. LOL..... I have got to be kidding but I did paint one on the bike. using touch up paint isnt easy so I tried to tape off an abstract fish. it worked - kind of.



not the best - but I get to live with it.

my wife....

Cant complain about weight gain when she makes things like this. She is amazing in many ways and this is one of them. 3 inches of cheese cake topped with oodles of fruit and glaze. I didnt even bother to ask about the calories...so I had half a small chunk.




Pics of today - the kids and my kids manning the camera....please note that Peter can NEVER take a serious picture...okay maybe a few here and there...the beauty of kids.

As you can see...

My new theme song is " I fought the law....and...." Yeah, I buckled and without much pressure I guess. I was on my way home and with the family out at a friends house - perfect time to stop by the bike shop....spotting bikes and ready to spend my loot. Of course, a suitable thing to do since my Bianchi was in the hands of someone else. hmmmmmmm...... commuter, mt bike, new something - heck wheels, shorts....my list is long and I have options. One of the lesser known options was the front loading washing machine. Swing past the shop - closed....damn. Across the street - Appliance Smart - open....double damn.

OOOOOkay - lets go look - but I am not buying. Ever heard/said that before? I will say - Greg Gonzolas is great and if you need any appliances - go see him. So I ended up with something that looked like an 3.7 cubic foot escape pod from the star wars movie I just watched with the kids. Scratch and dent - save water, energy etc....plus our old one barely works so this was inevitable. I reach into my pocket of loot - I have enough....triple damn. So I can show up with my old one - they take it off my hands no cost - minus one damn but maybe add a dangit cuz they arent light.

All in all - it will work and about 3 times as efficient - so when I called Tina and sent her a pic of the new washer - she was happy - minus a damn. The fact that they arent cheap and I sacrificed a new bike still leaves me at one damn - and I have the right to keep that - but I cant show that to my wife. There better be some "brownie points" in this....to which my wife will say " yeah, you get clean clothes." and I am back to the triple damn (with an added dangit) status once again.

.....the law won.

andy

at work today

its now my only road bike...weird.

It's Gone....

In the blink of an eye and the exchanging of memories - my Bianchi has found a new home. A good friend from the cub scout world has opted for the Noodle Cruiser as his new rig. On top of that - the new owner got some shoes/pedals " which i might now get " from Larry at TH.

So now I am free to get the ride of my next desire....just which one was it again? The Redline Monocog????? The Redline 925 commuter???? or as my dear wife said....the new front loading washing machine????? I think i know which one will earn me brownie points.

For now - I will scout out, read about and drool over the next adventure. Maybe I could purchase ALL the tickets for TSH for the Monocog flight and get the commuter too. wait ... that may not be the cost effective route I was looking for.

Ahh, I did get some freddy fenders for the cannondale and what a pain to install. That bike was not made for fenders and the geometry is not normal - tight angles. got them on - they work and I will stay dry.

see ya on the road - I need to start doing hills - what about that ER hill route to start? We need to get miles in and pounds off.


ac

Not sure what I am doing really

In doing some riding with gears again - I have tried to limit the number of gears to six. Reason - there are enough rides in MN that could really bennefit from some extra mechanical advantage. I never claimed to be the almighty ss'er so I have no guilt in doing this. Anyhoo - i switched some gears around to accomodate for rides like ramsey, preston, la crosse etc.... here is my spread in gear inches.













This looks okay to me - and I really dont know what these numbers mean but having 3 over 80 will allow to keep up without dying and one/two close to and in the fifties is good for brutal climbing.

Where I am at now - i will need some improvement to say the least. PR IV proved that. It is good to get some hard rides in to get a feel for where I am at compared to where I was and want to be. In trying to find a pic of Ramsey hill to show some folks in VA, CA - I was unsuccessful - except for this painting. it shows to some extent the steepness of this hill - but not really - you almost need to take a camera out there - but i have not found any.

PR IV...a free race brought to you by friends out for a ride

Another Great Day....

Tina had some girl scout stuff going on with Maria so I was not able to partake in the first half of the race but I did make it for the last 2 laps. I did notice that I am not at the same level as the other guys...but then again the 1st and 2nd place did just ski the Birkie - and that is no small task. So I dont feel so bad.

For my non-cycling friends - the race today was the Prairie Roubaxi IV ( link 1, link 2, )...this name is taken from the famous Paris-Roubaix held in France. It is our version of the race - cutting through black-top and gravel roads alike 40 miles in all. It isn't easy for early season and I SUCK in cold weather and suck less in warm weather. I was lucky today as the temp hovered below freezing so the dirt roads were not muddy whereas in the Paris-Roubaix race - it is almost guaranteed to be full of rain and slop....oh by the way the race in France is like 160 some miles and about 1/4th of that is on the Roman Cobblestones see vid links..( link1 eddymerckx and paris-roubaix 1976 -watch that one link3 )...I just forgot to bring my lungs.

No pics taken during the race but the post race pics are below as well as on Neils Porthole to Reality.


The winner of the PR-IV
Wonderboy ( aka no gravity )















Neil with the signature
goof ball game face -
2nd place










B-Train (right)- shivering like a
little school boy caught in
the rain and Me on the left
prepared with jacket.
I guess you could say I came in
4th but i didnt do the entire
race...but i did show.









The traveling trophy of
grace and the spoils of
victory.

Great Day....Man I love these days....

I actually got up in time to ride into work today. I had it all ready to roll from the night prior and that saves SO much time. Headed out in the dark/cold morning - dodging the sheets of thin ice on the road....got the middle finger for opting to ride in the road vs. lake Dayton...its okay, if all someone has is a middle finger I guess that shows their intelligence. As a biker, and I use that loosely, you get used to people in cars flipping the bird. Maybe they are jealous.....no....just stupid. Anyhoo - pulling up to the intersection leading to west river road and 169...i pulled up along some cars - waiting for the light and a guy with 93x on...very loud...rolls down his window and I was expecting some sort of smart ass comment and I got the hang ten gesture and a loud " you kick ASS dude!" while one of my favorite songs blasted - Megadeth Symphony of Destruction. That was a feel good moment. The other cool time was pulling up by Mavericks - by Neils home - I was doing intervals on that stretch and got to ride along side the Metro bus until Bills gas station just b/f I almost puked....the adults were like grade school kids in the window staring at this idiot biking in the dark...lol.

Once again - coon rapids dam - that is dam cold...even on summer days but the sunrise is so impressive - rolled down Coon rapids blvd and hit some major headwind to the point of frustration but hit the coffee shop - more looks and i really smelled bad at that point and then had a blast at work and repeated the ride home - 30 miles of Happy Time Turbo. and all on the 1x6 Frankendale bike with really nice wheels.

ac

knock on wood

single speed pain - here I come

THE NEW BIKE

okay, i know it isnt new but new enough to warrant a special blog post. It rode great and shifted great - it is just the cold that got the best of me really. I did the EC outer outer loop...which looks like it is less that the trail system - less turns. 16 miles - and just about 10 deg posted...avg rpm was at 90 plus...only way to stay warm...I didnt care about speed but that constant wind chill was the worst.
Spring.....where art thou?


http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1683511



enjoy the weather - I think i just bought myself a beer without guilt.


Andy




so the new specs - so it sounds all official. 89 Cannondale Frame, Top Shelf Suntour Blaze brakes with original brake cables...Ultegra BB, Tiagra rear derail ( went cheap cuz it still works great), Hyperglide cluster broken down to tight cluster 6 speeds, 42t chainring (single) 42x 11,12,14,15,16,18. FSA RD80 wheels with Grand Prix rubber and a lime green shift cable cuz that was a gimmie from the shop. So why the FSA on a beat up bike? why not? its just a frame and it moves forward and its light - would you give up on an old friend cuz of a few marks here and there?

ac

1x6

So I needed some new wheels for the Cannondale - which happens to be my fav bike to ride....the old open, way open, ball wheel set was trashed beyond expectation, and that is what you get for super cheap. Headed into TH for a look around, and found some nice FSA wheels at an exceptional deal. The goal was to ride the cannondale and sell the bianchi...i guess the stiff frame grows on ya. I really liked the c-dale as a single but i ended up adding a few more gears.

So with new wheels, new d-rail and a very tight cluster of six i am ready. why? good question - b/c it isnt necc to have voodoo technology to enjoy the ride and if I can sell the Italian Stallion - it will make way for a new single speed mt bike.

I sometimes wonder why I even go out...

Got home from church and thought - hey, its about to rain, ice and snow - why not ride? So, I took blue thunder out for the initial ride of the year and headed straight out 144 west bound to the Fletcher TT course - not out to beat any land speed records...I leave that up to the big dogs like b-train, wonderboy and the DUKE. My goal was to spin, take it easy, LSD ( Long Slow Distance - definition for Adolfo) for sure...I suck in cold weather anyway and the Pale Ale didn't help much this winter. I guess it isn't that bad but when you factor in the weather hanging in at or just below freezing, the wet roads, the soaked clothes and the driving wind...and that wind sucked in a big way. So my casual TT (time trial for my colleagues who dont know what "tt" means) time was 29:32 - and I guess I was trying at first with the wind at my back I was happy....the turn was brutal with lateral wind - my core temp dropped and the next turn into the wind was my downfall....I just cannot operate in that temp. What a sissy, I know but admitting is the first step to recovery.

I headed back and returned home the way I came and now the temp was for sure in the freeze zone and now my head wind was pure ice/snow/slop and I could not feel my toes, fingers and my gut was cold and I was really excited about going home...but the rollers were there so instead of cursing them out - I decided to take some pics.

I guess the rides like today really help in the sense that it sucks out there but you do it anyway. It doesn't take super skill to ride in bad weather - just no brains and I have a lot of no brains. I will say that the cold rides make the coffee taste sooooo good. My wife had hot brew waiting for me when I walked in the door - she is a sweetheart.

So 1.75 hours of riding at 18 avg for the entire ride - not bad all things considered.

cold ride yesterday

headed out yesterday to do back and forths on Cty Road 144....the rollers. took the ss mt bike with squatting tires and did 17 miles of back and forths...that was an interesting work out. right now i need more time on the bike and i just dont have it so the heavy, slow single speed made up for the times i couldnt get out...my legs hurt today.

saturday....in the park...think it was the....

a few picks of the snowmoblie trails, and hoofing it through the snow on sat...i got a camera phone and the pics dont look that bad...12 miles of the trails was enough for me and the single...that is a workout.


ok, the pics didnt go through - will have to figure out why.

I now know

Why South Dakota would be great training grounds for a supurb cyclist - this goes for skibby too cuz N.D. aint much better.

I was just out there to pick up my new mini-van....that almost sounds like I was excited to get a van. I really didnt know what to expect until I got there - this is a cherry of a car with not a thing wrong with it and I know what to look for in used cars. So aside from that - all I could think about was that there was a constant 40 mph wind the entire time I was there. I thought back to when I was in high school - the last time I was out in Aberdeen - and I biked from Aberdeen to Ipswitch - about 26 miles due west on Hwy 12 - it was 26 miles with a 30+ wind at my side. By the time I made it to my dad's old 2nd grade school house the wind was at my back which meant my ride home was going to really hurt. Fast forward to yesterday and today - the same wind the same thoughts.

So - I made it home through two snow storms en rout which was scary cuz in SD the snow storms are more than snow coming down - it is a total white out - both times I had to pull over - no kidding. The funny thing was in between the two storms was blue sky. I could see to the right the ENTIRE storm cell - to the left another ENTIRE storm and along side of me I could see an ENTIRE 211 car train - all at once.

I am now serious about cutting weight - and getting into shape - things have gotten a bit out of control. so - back to the grind and feeling better.

anyone wanna buy a 1994 suburban?



andy

should i be concerned?

while i am waiting for my computer to defrag - i was searching ideal weight, bmi etc....I got a bit concerned. Now, I bike a lot - not so much in the winter but I seemed to be off the charts a bit. i know there are some prof trained med peeps out there - do these scales account for a higher amount of muscle mass which could be construed as body fat? I guess i am not worried per se but just a bit shocked -

ok, the cpu is done with the defrag - back to the grind while i finish my danish. oh, well, maybe i didnt need it but it sure tastes good.

ac

My New Bike....

Looks very similar to a mini van. Funny how your eyes play tricks on you. well, I guess the bike gets to wait a bit more....of all reasons to wait - mini van.


ac

a bit of tlc

took over the wash tub in the laundry room - against my wifes wishes - and dismanteld the working parts of the ratatoulie bike. it seems that the salt, sand and harsh climate has not been nice to the bearings in various places...mainly the headset. the garage was not an option at -7 degF. shoot, the lights barely turn on at that temp.

I also got a shock today when I realized how far off I was on the gas bill for the home etc...wow - that is a rather amazing figure. I usually pay the same amount every month on auto pay and i forgot that it like multiplies exponentially in the winter...lol - I guess I need to address that prior to a bike...yes it is that much. it happens every year so I shouldnt be that surprised.

Days like today - well they make me cus. no riding outside - i hate the trainer - no walking outside unless you want to die. so where is that global warming? I welcome it with open arms.

YAHOO

seeing that I am sharing my life with you three readers - I just got the mvp employee of the quarter award - 4th quarter 07. i guess the endless hours paid off. time to treat myself to a new single speed MONOCOG 29 flight....if my wife allows such activity.

I've felt better

Today was perhaps one of the worst days riding I have had. The weather's bite was worse than it's bark. Between the cold damp wind, low temps and exceedingly high amounts of sheer ice and no shoulder to ride on - the sidewalks were worse - I was not only cold to the bone but very scared riding out there today. I can handle riding close to cars - it happens all the time but being forced into traffic due to ice and not knowing if I will stay upright had me tense and generally freaked out.

Being forced to ride slower got my core temp way down - thus freezing the sweat on and in my clothes - inducing a near hypothermic state. I was dressed fine with lots of good gear - just wasnt ready for today. I will chalk it up as experience and will learn from it - and will appreciate warm temps.

I made it to the shop from work to warm up and dry off and Larry offered a ride home - what a God send.

cheers


ac

02.06.2008

rode in, should not have, the good thing is that I get to ride on the same crappy ice on the way home. so at least i got that goin' for me.
15 miles - 2 near death experiences - looking to repeat later on today.

drew

2.4.2008

ride - drive - ride - drive.....22 deg, snow in the forcast, ice on the roads...ahhhh why not? well, it was a tad more interesting than I was readyfor. Lots O glare ice and the trails were a near catastrophe. I liken it to riding on large rocks covered with ice and death. However - I did spin in and made it in record time - improved the commute time on the rat bike by 3 mins...I was a mess when I showed up to work.

The gals at Carribou were nice and I got a free cup of brew for the effort and had to explain to some folks why I wasnt crazy and that the proper term is passionate. So a small victory in a sense that I shaved 3 mins off of a 15 mile ride...either I was really crappy prior or really good on this run. I will opt for the latter. No ride home however - cub scouts tonight and I know that I wont be able to make it home in time so my beautiful latino wife is going to pick me up at work so I can get back in time for boot hockey. I need to get 3-4 days in a week commuting to work - not for any reason other than to say I started training in Jan...and to get a jump on things.

the more i ride out doors the more i realize that cycling really doesnt have to stop this time of year. i wont do the sub zero commute - well, maybe but this above zero stuff aint that bad. Enjoy the day - and see you on the road.

ac

crazy - i love it.

1.28.2008 part duex

ok - i totally forgot that the sun goes down at like 11 am so the punch out a 5 o'clock made me realize that I will be finishing my commute via car lights....and then rain...and all matter of road slop to say the least. I had the blinky lights on the back and the tunes rollin'. the ski trails - which are a must for me to get home - had been melting in the pseudo - summer day thus making it really tough to ride on - seeing that some spots I sunk right to the axles. Once at the dam, I was home free and soaked to the bone.

To do rides like these builds a bit of character and a good frame of reference for those questionable days to come. If I can ride in 35 deg and rain/ice and road sand and salt - I guess there isnt much excuse later on when it is 60, 70 some degrees. Now, I see on the weather bug that we are going to sub 15 either tomorrow or wed...I will have to calculate my desire factor on this one. That is almost dangerous if you are not prepared and I know I dont have adequate clothing for 30 miles in that

1.28.2008 15 miles for the ride in.

the ride in - on the jukebox - various songs from sum41, soundgarden, nirvana, puddle of mudd, alan jackson and some techno rave song that I'm sure would sound really cool live in a club - but that's another story.


30deg when I left - 80% humidity - 10 mph wind - come on - this is Jan? I was blessed with the gift of watching the sun crest the eastern horizon en route. So the ride in was a victory and I'm sure I will suffer if I do this when the weather drops once again but for now I will commute and love it. I have to get some miles in early - for no real reason other than I hate going to the gas station and watching my belly grow while I dump more petrol into the tank of the beast when I could have ridden in.

Despite the warm temp this morning - the Coon Rapids Dam managed to pull off another brisk crossing. Well, it is rather exposed, the wind channeling down the river has had a chance to cool down - alot - and when it whisks up and over the dam - it was literally snowing ice shards of river water on the left side of my body....so - above freezing ride yet I was almost frost bitten by crossing the damn dam.

Coffee at Caribou - weird looks - a couple of thumbs up - good to be alive.

work

30 miles and runnin...

Yeah! The first official commute of the 2008 season...so I guess it's on. I now have the bug more than ever - freedom from the trainer. Not bad out - I know - it wasn't sub zero riding like some of our regional heroes but still it was chilly - low 20's. It was cold enough to freeze up the Gatorade. The trails to work were okay - the streets we clean and b/c I ran low pressure they were manageable. The only tricky part was after crossing the Coon Rapids Dam and heading south - all trails were groomed for the ski people and they were slick. Making my way up the levy or hill south of the 610 bridge into Coon Rapids was not easy but no dismount needed and no wipe outs. Stopped into Dunn Bros for some tasty brew and it was packed and I was there looking like a knob. Into work I went and the ride home was wonderful - the sun was out. With a quick stop at Trailhead to unfreeze the water bottle - I was racing home to the warm shower. 30 miles all in all with the single rat bike - what a day and what freedom.

leg up

Plan - to commute to work tomorrow. I hate having to work on weekends but in this case it is for very good reasons....to keep my job. lol. Not really. Seeing that I can have a later start - the weather should be better - low 20's. 15 miles to work - 15 back...takin' the rat bike for the tour de Ice and praying to the Lord God Almighty the the bike stays vertical.

I will report on the success of the ride.


ac

more cold weather riding

had the chance to ride today...inside. Okay, i know there is some virtue in riding inside. it is time on the bike vs time not on the bike. I get it. reading through LaLondes virtuous blog entries, I noticed he takes it a bit more serious... read here ... Well, he aint the champ of Cheq for nuthin.

I was granted a TH gift card from my sister in law for Christmas and today it was spent - new cold weather full gloves. I had to try them out so into the garage for more riding. I have a heater in the garage but I had to keep it off - and had to keep the jacket on. Watched the Incredibles wilst spinning - great movie...it cracks me up. I couldnt help but think about outdoors so from now on at least a ride a week outside - snow or whatever.

I agree with Neil - it seems that everyone is a bit serious this year. This is good - why not take your desire seriously? Just remember - Hemi is rollin on the rollers right now - no matter what time it is. he didnt earn that name for sluffing with chips n salsa on the sofa.

My new approach this year is to follow in Wonderboy's steps and honestly ride to work as much as humanly possible. I am not confident in reaching his goal but to come close would be a great asset to riding and to the pocket book as we climb the gas price ladder.

thats it -

ac

two days in a row...

well - tonight was an easy LSD to the movie - National Treasure. No beer this time however. 1.5 hours of headphones and chase scenes and my bike. Gotta love it.

where did the days go?

I was going through some mail today that should have been gone through about 2 months ago - you know that pile, we all have one. If you don't - take this opportunity to NOT chime in and tell me how organized your life is. Anyhoo, in this pile of pay this, buy that, don't forget these...was the pic from Marathon Foto - Cheq 40. hmmm......September....not that long ago really but it marked the time I really stopped biking on a regular basis. Spin class here and there and a whole lot of working long hours. My zeal had quickly faded to find time to hurt myself.

So - with the daylight getting longer - not by much - and the dvd player working in the garage - I took on the dreaded spinning to Invincible tonight. Great movie - highly recommend it to anyone. I have been out once a week on the real road for 13 miles a ride...but somehow i dont see it taking the same physical effect. Mentally - it is like Christmas morning every time I get the wind in my face but the sloth like feeling is going to have to be overcome and beaten.

I know - I know .... I aint gonna be a pro rider...heck, I dont see myself as even being a crowd favorite on a sign prime but the fitness aspect is driving me nuts. I love the bike - I love the road - I love the hum of the tires and friends that I enjoy all these things with but I also enjoy being in shape - feeling good when I sleep and wake up - knowing I will keep this ticker going for a while longer. There have been darker days in my life that have brought me through some very questionable, illegal activity in my past but nothing can even come close to the rush you get when you are rippin' across 144, leading out a pace line, falling back in place and rotating back in lead - the team - the collective effort - the solo victory. Better yet that awe inspiring feeling of claiming the personal victory of cresting Ramsey Hill to the tune of golf claps from passer by's...for those that do that hill - pat yourself on the back. It takes a lot to get up the dang hill - especially at the end of that ride.

So this is about the time I get on my virtuous cycling rampage - plucking out the grandiose reasons why everyone should bike and why those that think its weird should move to Siberia. Just had to share and get it off my chest...for the 3 readers of the blog. LOL.

enjoy the week.


andy

i am now turning into Erik Speaks...

A Fox, a Wolf and a Whole Lot of Bull

Add to My Profile | More Videos

made it out...

once again - the weather was perfect. Too soft for riding on the snowmobile trails - hit the road on the mt bike single. 13 miles - sloppy - perfect. ran low pressure on the mt bike - which really helps in this snow. I checked HR from time to time and sat most of the time about in the 160's for the 13 miles...i dont have a monitor but checked on the fly. being out of shape from the summer really stinks - i am making it a goal to get my three outdoor rides in each week. I will also get on the ski's a bit later on.

enjoy this weather - may it continue to thaw up until may.

andy

drummer

okay - a bit different for me - in my usual extended quest for the latest youtube vid....and I call it the youtube vortex - much like the appletini vortex - I get lost quickly. why the drummer? I played drums from the sixth grade to the end of college - not great by any means but could hold my own. I loved it - it was a cool part of my life...now I just annoy people at work by playing on the desk and of course while singing into the steering wheel, the dash board is now my set.

One of the best out there, and there is a saying that drummers are a dime a dozen, is JoJo Mayer. Technique is outstanding, speed is blazing, control is tough to understand. he can and does double for the late buddy rich - this solo is simple in that it isnt showy at all but to a drummer - you will watch it over and over wondering how he does it. google vid or you tube jojo mayer on your next trip into the wormhole - his band is called Nerve.

startin all over again...

Well, the 07 year is over - official...and glad to say it's gone. I am a rather fool-hardy optimus - I like to think that things are always green - good and that there is good in everyone just waiting to be pulled out of their souls - kicking and screaming at times. But for me - 07 started shaky and was filled with less than happy moments - lots o stress. Not so much in the biking world but everything else. I look back at what made me scared the most, and it scares me all over again - never and I say NEVER wanting to go back or relive that time in my life. Now - being the optimus , I can say and I do say God is good and there are more times to thank God than to worry but as humans - we always tend to remember the tough and forget the good.

When all that is precious to you is held in front of you - out of your control - you tend to freak out. Loosing control is generally not a good thing but sometimes it is needed to remember what God can do, is doing and will do when it happens again. So bitter sweet is my mood - looking forward I am excited for 08...a bit smarter, a bit more watchful, a bit more gutsy to push some limits. I am not one for resolutions - i know what I need to do - that list would be too long. One day at time, min by min with my kids and wife, moment by moment with the King ( not Elvis ).

There is freedom in the start of a new race - the anticipation of what will come is exciting. Shoot, I got my new Bluedog cycle jersey ready for the season - it is pretty cool...that's exciting. So 2008 is here and so are my friends. I am rather lucky, fortunate and blessed - I know I dont deserve them but I am glad that God has seen fit to give them anyway.

Onward and upward - this is going to be a great ride.


ac

A Couple of Close Calls

Well, close call in the good sense...sad sense... As I enjoyed the day and all that was electronic - video games with the kids - I had a couple of trips outside to clean the roof edges, snowball fight ( ice chucks rather ), brush off the drive way....I had to squeak by the rear of the car to get out of the garage - brushing up against my bike * close call number one*. My heart skipped a bit - like a murmur or extra beat - I found myself as in the movie Gladiator - in Alysium riding in green pastures with the sun about my face. Glancing over in my 2 sec daydream I saw the unmistakable smile of Crazy Legs, the pat of the back by Mark Connell, Neil's perfect jokes for all occasions...need I go on? My daughter walked over as there I was wedged in on the side of the car with my left hand resting on the front wheel of my bike.

the second close call came when we were heading out to meet Tina after her work at TGIF for Davids birthday. I saw a cyclist...riding past the front door of Lifetime fitness as if to thumb his/her nose at indoor training. I was at the stop sign right by Holiday gas station -you all know of where I speak - flashing back to 90 deg days, the humidity, the friendship, the getting in trouble for being out on a ride for the 5th time that week.

These close calls were a wake up call - get out and ride. Get out and ski. Get out and walk alone in the park, the street heck the back yard. GET OUT. This time of year is odd - it can force many to retreat to nothing-ness and well I will go nuts. I am glad for the close calls as it reminded me of all that is Holy and right in this world.

see ya'll on the road.

ac

Perma-Frost

That is what my toes feel like. I got to ride today - FINALLY. On with the cold gear, out on the fresh snow - single speed mania lives on. 13 miles through hard pack, drifts, plowed berms...slow going and difficult but a blast. I cued up the Harry Connick Jr Christmas Music and away I went.

It was good to get out - man, it has been tooooooo long. the old bike still rides well - still too small. I may have to retire the rat...wait, nevermind. That bike will go to the grave with me.

Enjoy the holiday season, Merry Christmas!


Andy

the physics of weight loss

I was curious as to how I was going to shave off the few pounds I have put on this winter...well, I suppose it is for the better. Having the pounds keeps you a touch warmer this time of year. So, when I was grabbing the extra flab - and its not really flab - I said " how am I going to drop 10 pounds"? Well, there was this little thing called stomach flu that has been running around the schools and I was the last in the family to get it. It was amazing - the dynamic shift that overcame my body in a matter of hours. Between all the activity, there was a mass exedous that had me amazed. I lost just over 9 pounds in 7 hours....the wrong weight however...but man...a gallon plus of fluid. That can be dangerous - doing some research at 4:30 am had me looking up fatalities due to flu.

So the second I could hold stuff down I was all about water, pedialyte and soft foods. by the way, the target brand pedialyte isnt that bad at all. of course, I am used to Gatorade endurance so it brought me to a place of comfort...on a bike.

Good thing it was a 12 hour ordeal - so tonight I had incredible potato soup, dinner rolls and watched the Bourne Ultimatum. Good flick.

sorry for the details - we're all adults.


andy

Washington DC

Always a pretty cool town...great to visit...deadly to stay. It has a pretty high death rate. Sights seen - Washington monument, Capitol, near the White House ( complete with snipers on the roof ), ol' Abe, Korean War / Vietnam war memorial, Holocaust museum ( that was scary) and ended with the Air and Space Museum...all in 4 hours on foot...my calf muscles hurt.... that places ooozzzesss in history - you can almost feel it surround you as walk the streets - especially the Ford Theater and the place where Lincoln died.

Glad to be home to sub freezing temps - it was mid 50's in DC and everyone was cold - I was in short sleeves.