Spoke too soon...

Dehn's trails are not as bad as I thought they would be...They are a thousand times worse. I tried a night ride last night, and after I had logged 3.2 miles in an hour and a half, and somewhere along the way ripped my cycle computer wire in two, destroyed my neoprene shoe covers, hopped on and off the bike more times than a cyclocrosser in a season, I gave up. I'm thinking saturday I'll hike the entire trail toting a chain saw...yaaaah!

Ice Storm...Film at 11:00

Its nice to be back in the age of electricity again, funny that no matter how long the power is out you STILL hit the light switch out of reflex. THANK GOD I bought a camping coffee perculator this summer. I gotta have my JAVA!! Its depressing that almost every tree in our neighborhood is jacked up. I went for a walk during the storm, between the ice and the wind the sound of the trees snapping under the stress was spooky, when MOTHER NATURE is in control you get a sense of how powerless people really are. Theres also still thousands without power so I'm considering myself lucky. Stay warm everybody!!! Heres what we grabbed at Hy-Vee before they closed the doors! OOOH we're survivalists! (we already had the cat, Missus Brakeville rescued this animal during a training ride, he is aptly named; "Roadie") Having lots of camping gear is a plus, mac-n-cheese, tuna, peas, by lamplight. by the way, its now 50 degrees inside...and falling. Almost every tree in Burlington is FUBAR, Dehns is no exception, after my home was warmed up I did a little trail maintenance. A whole lot more in the next few days..

Approaching "Normal" again

Rode the road last night, first time back on any bike in a week, did 20 miles of Dominic's route. My kiddo was able to go home last night to his own bed, and is doing great considering his injuries, never is the sun so bright or the sky so blue than after being stuck in a hospital bed for awhile. During my ride I ran into one of Burlingtons (newest) finest, Police Officer Blake Cameron, I wonder if he'll get the bike patrol this summer. He better not bust me for going the wrong way up Snake Alley! If your planning on a trip to Burlington, ya better not mess around cause theres a new Sheriff in town ya hear? "Yer tail lights busted"

Seat Belts, Air Bags, and Miracles

I didn't ride a bike over the weekend. my Son and his Girlfriend were headed home from school Friday night right into a small blizzard, ice and schulers corner on HWY 99, two cars, twisted metal, cold, fire, "jaws of life", shattered bones, orthopedic surgeons, hospital food, titanium rods, staples, morphine, pain, two young kids, way too young for this...lets just say I'm more gray than I was. Both Kids are doing as well as can be expected. They are both ALIVE. Thank GOD...

I forgot my camera

If I would have remembered, you would have seen STUNNING shots of this weeks computranier race, where I about lost my Hardee's breakfast bisquit. Then I went to the log rollers, these things really ARE the devil. You would have seen how these logs can shake loose your fillings, not to mention your knees, ribs, shoulders etc. I would have snapped a few photo's of the sunday group ride, where Dennis WOW'ed em in Denmark with his HPV streamliner (AKA the flying Banana) FARMERS are too cool! I tried to explain that underneath all the body work Denny actually has a motor, and although its not good, farting inside the Banana is rarely fatal. It was way warmer (at least 40 degrees warmer) and we put in a good 40+ miles. Blogs are much more entertaining with pics so next time I won't forget the gravy. Its supposed to snow 4-8 more inches tonight...anything to keep me off the gravel...crap.

Running with the DEVIL

According to the keepers of the faith this is the face of the DEVIL I've already put in a living room century on this torture device for February, so the devil made me do this last night. 11 degrees, solid ice base covered in 3 inches of new powder, 7 miles in 1 1/2 hours. Don't forget Saturday at Donnies The second DICE roller race, computrainer race, LOG rollers all at a comfy 72 degrees!