Flash...cold off the presses

Well, strictly speaking the young'ns out there may not even know what a "press" is(was). I've been riding alot, and when I say alot for me its alot, which means I'm destroying stuff. For some reason I go thru cassettes, chain rings and chains at an almost even 6 month interval. Damn they're expensive to replace, and I've tried EVERY chain lube out there, currently its ROCK-N-ROLL blue (cause I'm SO cool) This stuff seems repel dirt and grime the best I've seen. Hell I even had to replace the pulleys on the rear deraillure (sp?) as there were NO discernable teeth left on either the upper or lower. All these components worked wonderful in the relatively dry trails at home, but when it got wet and muddy at Farmdale (I-74 Series finale) they conspired together in an ORGY of chainsucking violence. So bad that I was using my XT chain to cut through my chainstay, ripping off the groovy-but-absolutely-worthless-bling thing thats meant to protect the nice carbon underneath. Then my bottom bracket spit all its ball bearings out, not that this was a shock seeing as its two years old, I must say that I'm impressed with outboard bearing designs. Replaced with a Chris King BB, if its half as good as my six year old headset I'll be happy. Oh, I also snapped two (upper and Lower) titanium pivot bolts on the BLUR...nice...If you've ever had to drill a 15mm titanium bolt/pivot out of a carbon frame you'll know this is easier said than done. Replacements from Santa Cruz were free and quickly sent, however, they've went to Stainless Steel on the lower pivot...hmmmm, me thinks I'm not the first to experience this issue. Other than MY drivetrain problems and broken pivots I can't complain about the new bike too much, its stiff and light, climbs pretty well and makes a big hit nice and soft (btw I snapped those two pivots climbing believe it or not) So, on with the early winter riding, the lights are on the bike, I'm freaking out the local Deer herd, and am STILL patiently waiting for snow....

Its all over...

But the CRYING...Contador wins the Tour, calls Lance a JAGBAG and a crappy teammate. I say, bring on 2010 and Team Radioshack, no matter what you feel about Lance Armstrong you gotta admit he looked "pretty good for an old fart". And since cycling seems to eat their own, say what you will about Lance but I'm sure VS. tv likes a 50% larger viewing audience, yeah I know, they should've called it "all LANCE, ALL the time" but cripes its AMERICAN cycling on the tube. Don't tell me Ventoux didn't stir you're climbing legs a little?? Maybe??? Speaking of JAGBAGS, its seems my best buddy Greg Lemond has figured out mathematically how Contador MUST be cheating because of his reluctance to talk about his VO2 max as it pertains to climbing the Verbier...Gee Greg, you're right again! Nobody will ever be as good as you were, or as CLEAN as you were. All Greg needs to do is come up with his own rubber wrist band and I'll buy two of them cause he is SO "then". RAGBRAI finished up in Burlington this weekend, pretty cool to see it happen. The weather they had this year was awesome. When I get older I might try it, if nothing more than to answer the first and always question someone will inevitably ask when I reveal my true cycling identity. WOO HOO for IOWA! Summer's almost gone and I'm already dreaming about fresh powder, obviously wishing my life away....

Colorado is cool

How much stuff can you cram into a Jeep? Everything but the climbing gear, it had to be sacrificed for the bike stuff. Everyone was flashing thier brights at me, must've been settin a little low in the rear, and with 5 people inside the poor little truck climbed the 6 mile 7.5% grade of Monarch pass like Cadel Evans...SLOWLY :) North fork of the South Arkansas river outside of Salida, water temp? c-o-l-d! about 20 yards from the tents. we used it instead of the cooler, and, some previous campers left me a couple bottles of suds! SWEET! Its nice going to sleep listening to the white water flowing by, unless you have to pee during the night. We were in Bear country, apparently WE taste like chicken, but all we saw were sheep. I would have liked to see a bear (from a distance) but echoing my son, "my Daddy didn't bring no gun" so maybe its better we didn't. Angel of Shavano campground (9100 feet up), I could get used to it. we had the best weather window, 70 degrees during the day and 40 at night with nary a drop of rain. Mrs. Brakeville says Bear Grylls is full of shit!! We DID have a fire courtesy of BIC, cause raw SMORES are just wrong. There is nothing like a pine fueled camp fire to cleanse the soul. The Colorado trail, leading to the Angel of Shavano trailhead. This is open to bikes as well, and descending the trail is FAST and sketchy, the open wounds on my shin have healed nicely. Obviously there are a few hike-a-bike sections that can't be cleared no matter how fast you hit them! The view from 13,010 feet up 14,299 foot Mt. Shavano. I noticed my heartbeat in my eardrums, wierdy. 50mph winds and a desire for O2 kept us from knocking this off our list but we'll bag it soon enuff. Above is Hartman Rocks near Gunnison, granny gear up, big ring down. Can't wait for the next time. Oh, I actually raced the Scott County short track race, gee, who knew that these were so intensely paced? Duh! I finished on the lead lap so its all good.

RUN FORREST!!!!!

Running. I heard a comedian comment about runners, he said "nobody likes 'em, they're all skinny and in great shape!" George Carlin said "running isn't a sport, ruuning is a way to get someplace faster than walking". Running for me has always been painfull, maybe because I do it so infrequently, or perhaps because it shakes loose the 30 extra pounds on my gut like jello in a baggie. The Missus and I volunteered to help at the registration for Burlington's Bridge Run on Saturday, all we had to do was hand out pre-registered packets to the racers (and listen to the inevitable jock-snots whine about everything from the free tee-shirt size to the course itself, I think every race promoter wonders why these types of people even show up if not to flap their gums and bitch). For our efforts we scored a free entry into the race WOO HOO! There is NO WAY I'd run six miles unless a Grizzley was behind me, or maybe if a passle of Bigfoots attack me at night in the woods and steal my bike, so we both opted for the 2.2 mile version, and I can tell you the last YEAR in which I've run farther than 1 mile was 2004. Be that as it may, my only goal was to RUN the entire 2.2 miles, even going up snake alley or into the 35 mile per hour sustained headwind on the return across the bridge, I would continue to do my best impression of a "run". At the 1 mile mark they were yelling out the times, my first mile? 11 minutes, 26 seconds. DUDE, at that pace I could complete in under a half hour! So across the bridge we go with the wind at our backs, not too bad at the turn, the REAL runners will continue on to get their six.("not I" said the sly Fox) I drafted a 70 year old guy I caught on the bridge while we were buffeted by the killer headwindn, and once we passed the middle of the bridge and were on the downhill side, I hit the gas and passed him! (I'm so ashamed) Anyway, I finished at 25 minutes and 9 seconds, well under the half hour I had thought it would take me. I must confess my running shoes were purchased sometime in the last century, if memory serves 1998. They look brand new, but my feet are fatter or something cause they don't fit very well. My toes hurt, my thighs are mush, and every time I sit down now I wonder if they will support my weight when I stand again. I may have even had a little fun...running.

Dirty little secrets...

Santa Cruz Blur XC Carbon...BIKEGASM!!! 4.4 lbs total The secret is I really don't know jack when it comes to bike mechanics, so nows the time to learn. A thank you goes out to my LBS for loaning me some tools I don't have. Is it bad when theres parts left over? Almost done, "Mr. T" to the rescue, cause I didn't want to even attempt shift cables. I got NO skilz! Thank you SIR! He then went on to diagnose that my rear wheel is ready to split in half and handed me a spoke wrench. *gulp* Old and new. New bike is 24 lbs. total. That might not sound so great but its two lbs. lighter than before and I'm running a list of heavier albeit stronger components. (read cheaper to replace as well) XTR cassettes last about 9 months before the teeth are gone and at 300 bucks a pop FUGETABOUTIT. If I was REALLY worried about weight I'd consider dropping a few LBS. off MY enlarged rear end, and thats basically free. Dirty secret number two? I have NOT been able to ride my new bike more than 20 feet due to work and friggin rain. I'm almost insane...in the membrane...insane in th...well you understand.

Its not the years, its the mileage

I'll be saying goodbye to an old and very dear friend next week. In 2001 TREK introduced the FUEL full suspension bike to be had in different groupo combo's, at the time I bought the middle of the pack FUEL 90. My first real bike in almost 20 years. And what an awesome bike, it made me a rider again, it compelled me to actually RACE and compete in a very tough sport. It has transformed my body and spirit, like a lever action RED-RYDER BB gun at Christmas, I dreamed about XC greatness, and when I'm not riding it faithfully I can feel it in my soul. The only component left from the original bike I bought in 2001 was the seat post, and only then because it has permanently welded itself inside the carbon seat tube on my current frame. Too many high powered car washes I guess (always keep your shaft greased they say). TREK has been kind to me as well, as I have broken two main triangles in both aluminum and carbon and two swing arms, I've replaced them with the latest TREK had to offer, primarily SEXY carbon fiber goodies. Three front shocks, two frame shocks, six seats, four handle bar and grip combos, five different cranks, six cassettes, two sets of shifters, brakes, and God knows how many tires filled with GALLONS of STANS. But alas, TREK can not undo what almost 20,000 miles of abuse has wrought on ten year old full suspension swing arm technology, EVERY pivot point on this bike is wallowed out in both the frame and swing-arm, almost every stress point is now showing little stress fractures where the top coat of carbon weave is flaking off. If I turn left, the back half of my bike now leans right, creaking and groaning with the strain. There are literally coke can shims installed to take up the slack on the main pivot, whose slide bushings long ago have joined together and eaten into the aluminum inserts on the main triangle. Where today they use sealed cartridge bearings, ten years ago TREK used plastic bushings (I've replaced them all at least five times that I can remember). I've had first place finishes and last places finishes, I've pulled off some amazing saves and had some absolutely horrendous wrecks. This bike has been ridden in the mountains, in the desert, fast, slow, dry, sloppy, cold, hot and every condition in between, and I'm guessing over 1,000 laps (at least) of Dehn's woods. It has earned its retirement and then some, but I've said before I am a predictable creature of habit and change is something I despise so this frame will remain on my wall not as merely a bike, but as an example of real art, a sculpture formed in carbon from yesteryear...Next week Mr. FED-EX should be delivering a replacement frame from a different manufacturer, we'll see how much bike tech. has changed in a decade, cause its got some mighty big shoes to fill...Stay tuned.

Tranquility

M I S S I S S I P P I spells relaxation