Wet and not so wild.

Last weekend was alright, bike wise. Got to ride on Saturday on a very cold (30 degrees) day. The toes were not happy, but I was able to stop in the Hollow to take the pic above. At least it was a sunny day.
Sunday brought trailwork and some MTB riding. The trail work was fun, met some new people and found out the locals trails were dry. They aren't now that they are under an inch of water, but hopefully they will dry soon.

^^^^^^ Tucker, the 3 legged dog, master squirrel hunter^^^^^
This week has been a wash so far. Two days of cold rain and I haven't motivated to do anything. I did do some hiking and trail work on Monday, but yesterday was a complete bust. Watched tv with Wifey and went to bed a 8. Hopefully the coming sunshine will allow me to commute Thursday and Friday, and then maybe a trip to Mass. on Saturday for a long, long MTB ride.

The Maiden Voyage

All dressed up and ready to ride

Today was the first ride on the new bike. I am pretty excited about it, seeing as it is most likely the last bike my wife will ever let me buy. All built up, with pedals and cages it weighs in at 22lbs. Not too bad, considering the bargain basement deals on the parts used to build it up (very cheap fork, free crankset and seat) The wheels, bar and seat post I paid for, and they could be lighter, but I like the way they ride and I am happy for now. The cleanest this bike will ever be.

I got home around 4 after driving sideways down the highway due to the gale force winds. The thought of a road ride by myself was a bit of a downer. I wanted to ride the single speed since I hadn't ridden it yet and it was just mocking me from a corner of my shed. Then, my friend Marc called and wanted to ride over to a quick drying collection of trails that are a good warm up ride away from his house. I was ready in 5 minutes and we were out the door.

After a fun ride over some recently flooded bridges and through rush hour traffic, the trailhead greeted us with dry ground and blue skies. The riding was excellent. Not just because it was the first ride on my new bike, or because it was the first dirt ride of the year, but also because the trails were in great shape. There were quite a few leaves on the ground, but the mud was minimal (better than after a summer rainstorm) and the trails were riding well. We both were a bit disoriented and the loop we rode did a fair amount of doubling back, but we found the best parts of the trails and rode for a total of two hours. A great maiden voyage on the new single and for the first dirt ride of the year.

The ride end with recovery beverages at my house, and was way, way better than suffering through the Northern Vermont wind tunnel on the road bike.

The slow ascent into the Pain Cave

The last pitch (it ends at the cell tower)

The hills, mocking me from afar.

This weekend's ride was planned so I could meet wifey at our friends house in Warren Vt. This sounded fun at the beginning, because we were going to have brunch when I arrived. It was not so fun when I got to the start of the climb (2 miles of climbing, Appalachian Gap) and was greeted by snow, hail and finally, sun.

The ride was pretty low key, although it was a lot more climbing than I had planned for. The snow didn't stick to the road, and the descent into Warren was very dry. I am not the most accomplished descender, and I was very thankful for the good conditions on the way down.

I was also able to build up my new frame, although all hopes of riding it this week are washing down into the sewer in the torrential rain we are having.

IT'S HERE!!!!

^^^This pic is fuzzy because I am shaking with anticipation^^^^
My new frame!!!! One of the best benefits (aside from riding really, really sick bikes) of joining the GrassMoots team is that I was somehow able to convince my wife that I needed another bike. Not just any bike, but a new Moots. I was able to sell my niner frame and keep all the parts, (pretty nice parts, too, I might add) and I ordered a new Mooto-X frame, with sliders for my new single speed. I used to think that steel was the perfect, economical choice for a single speed. But, I had a chance to get a Ti single speed, the holy grail of bikes (okay, maybe just in my opinion) and I plan on riding it until I die. Or get tired and need to rest, whichever comes first.


I am excited to try the sliders for single speed, as I have tried everything else. Eccentric bottom brackets are alright, although they can get noisy and they change the Bottom bracket height for different cog sizes. Horizontal drops are a pain, chains going slack, removing the brake to change a tube, too much work. I am thinking the sliders will be the perfect solution.

I also got a bunch of goodies, like a kit and socks. Sorry, no pics of them, I am still coming to grips with my new smurf suit. Maybe next week.

Uuuuggggghhhh.

This weekend was good, but much too quick. Saturday I had to take a Latin test (so I can become an official teacher) The test went okay, I think. I will find out for sure in 4 weeks. After the test a friend stopped by my house on his way home from the airport and invited me on a "chill, 2 hour spin" It ended up lasting 3 and a half hours, in which we were both pushing each other. Or, at least, he was pushing me and I was nearly pinning it to keep up with him. Sunday was probably the last ice climbing day of this winter, and it was a good one. The FinLaw, My friend Marc and his girlfriend and her sister hit the notch and were pleasantly surprised to find plastic ice and Rain, snow, sun, rain and more snow in about that order. The forecast for the coming week looks nice (50-60 degree temps and sun) and it should be chock full of riding.

Later this weekend, the new bike arrives in a box full of goodies from the new team...........Yay, spandex!

It is starting

Just registered for Singlespeed-a-palooza and the Gravel grinder.
Singlespeed-a-palooza is a single speed only race (not just a clever name) in NY. I have never ridden in NY before. This should be fun. The gravel grinder is a fundraiser for a local MTB club in the Stowe area. All dirt roads and lots of hills. Fun event and a good 40 plus mile ride.



Hopefully I don't shell myself in the beginning of the year and die at the end.

commute day 2

Today was a bit rough. After giving blood yesterday and taking in the roadbike today, oh yeah, and riding 17 hours this week, I was a bit tired. My heart rate was ten beats higher than normal and my breathing was pretty labored. I guess it will be a few days before I feel normal again.
The weather was nice and I think I will ride again tomorrow, but I am happy I won't be getting up at 4 tomorrow.

Bloodbath.

I did it. I gave blood for the first time today. It wasn't that bad. The worst part was the blood technician telling me that he didn't like to look when the needle goes in.

"Oh," I say, "You give blood often?"

"No," he says, "I don't like to watch when it goes into you."

I thought you were supposed to look at what you were doing. He then proceeded to tell me that today was his first day on the job.

Fortunately for me, he was pretty good at what he does and I didn't feel anything more than a slight pinch. I am glad I didn't look, as the needle is actually pretty big.

I filled the bag, ate some sugar, and hopefully won't faint on my ride tonight.

first commute, continued.

The ride home was rather uneventful. Full of sun and freshly melting manure ice (it is a real thing if you live in VT) I made it home in 15 minutes less than the way in. I guess riding in the dark slowed me down.
Maybe ride in again on Tuesday.

March 8th, first commute of the year.

It began last night, packing up the way-too-big messenger bag with clothing, food, and more clothing for the ride home. The commute began at 4:45, in the a.m., which is much too early, but it is necessary if I am going to be at school on time, able to change and at least rub on some deoderant before class. The temperature a surprisingly warm 30ish degrees (the extra clothes are for the ride home, when it will be around 40)
It was uneventful to start, the legs warmed up a bit and I was moving along nicely. Then the button on my light changed from blue to red. This is not a good sign. 8 minutes later I was cruising down the back roads of Milton, VT with only a flasher on my back and a rough guess as to where the potholes were. Luckily, I didn't steer into any big ones, and I managed to stay away from oncoming traffice. The sun was up about an hour later, so I will charge my light tonight for Wednesday's ride in. Now the only thing left to do today is ride home, for a total of four hours commuting.
Doesn't that sound like fun?

Spring is springing.

Two consecutive days of riding outside. Still messy out, so the fixie flyer is getting it done. The first day was warm-ish (High 30s) Last night's ride was a bit cooler, and once the sun was gone it was downright cold. Today should be another ride or a skate ski, and with temps in the 40s this weekend, it is go time.