Wednesday, November 30, 2011

skrewerd!

So guess what??  The HiFi doesn't fit the trainer with it's current rear skewer... and of course the "trainer" QR they give you is too damn short for such a sweet ass ride....

So.... yeah...  The HiFi is all slicked up and ready to go!!  But, alas, it has no where to go.

ridiculous!!  

super slim, super fast... right?


Stopped by the un-nameable bike shop and they had nothing for me.  Informed me Specialized was coming out with a replacement part, but wasn't sure it would fit the Trek...  There HAS to be a skewer to fit the HiFi with a smaller "head" so it can fit the trainer!  First to figure out exactly how big this johnny is, and then I'll look for something with a smaller "head."  May stop back at International to see what they have to offer... if anything.  Otherwise it's either mount up the 4300 or file the holder to accommodate my damn skewer.




Oh yeah, I was going to talk about my race schedule... but I've entered frustration station so I'll leave it at that today, and go drink a beer.

Monday, November 28, 2011

I'm so excited!!

After recovering from my turkey coma I went for a ride at Foxboro.  Man, I am really loving that place!!  The more I ride it the more I really like it over there.  It's got a nice range of terrain, plenty of technical spots to keep your skills sharp (or force you to walk some) and it feels like I find a little more every time I get out there.  At some point I'll be able to piece together a nice fluid ride out there... but until that time I'm enjoying the exploration.  This last time I found a whole section of slick rock... with some drops.
Nice roller

Big drop

Almost looks like pavement here... but nope, straight up rock face

plenty of ways on and off this island


When I arrived there was a group just getting back from their ride.  Looked like a bunch of NEMBA guys.  I chatted while I was getting my shit together, took a group picture for them, and then I was off.  I haven't been on the bike enough lately, and I could feel it... but with the aid of some GU throughout the ride I was good to go.  That stuff if pretty damn amazing!

Saturday before the Georgia game I headed over to International Bicycle to drop off the HiFi for a tune up (gear slippage under force, and general creaking and whatnot), a slick rear tire, and the trainer!!  The guys over at International have always been great, and this visit was no exception.  Got a sweet deal on the tune up - I really appreciate them doing the work that is needed, and pricing accordingly, rather than forcing a package deal.  Went through the trainers they have... and boy do the high end models have some sweet gadgets!!  But with the trainer I got I also got 2 free training DVDs.  And of course, they went the extra mile and searched for a mountain bike specific DVD for me.  Super awesome!  Oh, and the best part of the whole thing - my bike will be all set to pick up today (actually was probably ready yesterday), super fast turn around!  

That's the Fluid2


So I'm excited for this week.  Weather looks good so hopefully will be out on the trails after work a couple times this week.  I'll have the HiFi all slicked up and now that I have a trainer I can start setting that up.  Throw a more regular gym routine in there and we'll get this off season rolling!!  

Looks like I'll be able to get a nice full season in this year... so full in fact that in just April and May I can equal my racing total from this year!!  Next time I'll explore my tentative schedule for 2012.  
 

Friday, November 25, 2011

Media Fridays
We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Finished up the video edit from my ride over at Mill Pond the other week.  I do like this place, the leaf cover and blow down made trails hard to follow at times... but it feels like there is great potential over there!


Thursday, November 24, 2011

Turkey Day

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We had a half day at school today.  And that half day was halved again so we could have a staff vs student volleyball game and a staff vs staff volleyball game (classic guys vs girls).  I was actually quite frustrated leaving school today.  Not so much because of losing - which we did... but because I didn't get enough!!  I wanted to play more!!  I'm not a super competitive guy, but I do like to compete... hence racing.

Every time we do a staff vs student contest I instantly want to get a team going and play in a league... whether it be hockey or volleyball, heck I'd settle for bowling!!  But maybe during this off season joining some sort of adult league is what I need??  Although, risk of injury is a factor here... who knows?

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving!!  I've got so much to be thankful for it's almost ridiculous.  But the big one, the one that really ties everything else together, would be my wonderful wife.  I honestly don't know where I'd be without her.  Thanks Annie for helping me be the man I am today, love you!

Now go eat some good food and ride some great trails this holiday weekend!!


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

2012 already?

I'm not sure about your neck of the woods, but here... here we already have (preliminary) race schedules for the 2012 season!!

Insanity.

The weather hasn't yet crushed the riding spirit so it hasn't felt like a true find-an-alternative-to-riding off-season.  But, with the posting of the prelims I'm excited about an expanded race season (since my first foray was not a full race schedule).   I've got two race series to utilize - EFTA and Root 66 (possibly a third series to throw in there... more on that on a much later date...).  This past season I primarily raced Root 66, will likely stick with that, but who knows.

Here is a listing of the races I have to choose from as of now....

Root 66:

2012 Preliminary Race Schedule
                   April 7th   Bunny Hopbrook
                   April 22nd   Winding Trails
                   April 28th   Massasoit Lung Opener
                   May   TBD    Winsted Woods
                   May  TBD     Norcross Scurry
                   May  26th/27th   Coyote Hill
                   June  3rd   Domnarski Farm
                   June 9/10th  Mountain Bike Festival @ Pats Peak
                   June 29/30 July 1st  Windham Worldcup
                   July 1st  Race the World @ Windham
                   July 5th-8th  National Championships  Sun Vally Idaho
                   July 15th  Stonewall Farm
                   July 22nd  Wrath of the Boneyard
                   August 5th  Hodges Village Dam
                   August 19th  Millstone Grind
                   September 9th  Landmine Classic

EFTA:


Looking at the dates of both series one could race a TON next year.  It is looking like they may have actually worked together to coordinate so that they weren't overlapping races like this year.  Should make for much larger/competitive fields for every race since racers won't be forced to choose between series.  

With the announcement of next years racers already that means I need to start getting series about training.  Here's to a kick ass 2012 season!


Friday, November 18, 2011

Dude, it's almost Turkey Day!

Media Fridays
We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Couldn't get my footage complete and ready for today... so here is something from the internets in it's place... hope you like it!

Monday, November 14, 2011

I like riding!

It seems like forever since I've ridden!!  It hasn't, but the frequency with which I have been riding certainly has taken a nose dive with good old New England weather playing it's game.

My "training room" is yet to be set up.  I was hoping to have everything set to go out and get my trainer and whatnot by now... As you may, or may not, recall the condition was I fix the hole in our ceiling.  I got drywall, all the fixins and on Friday (between rounds of MW3) I attempted to get that hole gone!!  Well, the builders for some strange reason figured that a ceiling is a great place to store - DIRT!!  Yeah, when we opened up the ceiling dirt came down.  Dirt, as in from a yard... how that comes into play when when is rehabbing a building i have no idea.....  but it's there.  And I guess with the gaping hole there is a bunch of sagging going on around the hole, so when I got the drywall cut and in place it was no longer flush with the rest of the ceiling...  ugh!!  I've decided to let this one go and we'll get someone in here that knows what they are doing instead of my systematically removing the entire ceiling due to sure fire mistakes.

Which also means the HiFi hasn't gotten it's tune up, nor a fancy smooth rear tire.  It's starting to scream for a tune up - with creaking and chain slippage... I certainly put the HiFi through it's paces in it's first season.  I really enjoy this bike.  I think it will continue to be my go to bike on rides and epics for a long time to come...  even with the addition of other sweet rides (which are sure to follow - at some point).

Yesterday I got the chance to get out for a ride.  The question was, where to ride?  Answering this question gets tricky this time of year, with leaves, and downed trees/limbs - conditions can be hit or miss.  I decided to take a gamble and headed out to Mill Pond Conservation Area in Burlington.  I had ridden there once and remembered some sweet singletrack opportunities.  For the most part trails were "clear."  They were drowning in leaves, which left me playing detective as I tried to find the way in some spots.  As I noted from my first ride, the trails there need more traffic.  There is some really sweet technical stuff, nice berms, and I found some great slick rock fun this time.  At times the trails get tight, so it isn't a place to speed.  But the various opportunities available keep things interesting.  I'd need to explore more to really figure out how much mileage is there, but it seems like a decent enough place to ride and I think one could link all the trails together for a sweet ride.

I did bring the Drift, so I'll have a video together for Media Friday.  Oh, and I wore some Sock Guy socks again, and they are sweet - especially when misjudging the amount of water on trail and ending up with both feet submerged...  But they feel great, offer super breathability and have nifty sweat wicking powers.  I did receive my questionable red bibs in the mail the other day, but have yet to try them on... so we shall see if I'll be showing off the goods next year or not.  As Charlie politely pointed out, may not have been the wisest of color choices.
I decided to shrink the image here... this isn't a porn site after all!!
One last lesson of the day.  If you are craving a beer post ride and you can't wait until you get home, reach for that gatorade in your water bottle that's been in your car for, let's say, two weeks.  Straight up alcohol!!  One of the grossest thing I've ever experienced (right up there with drinking someone's spit cup thinking it is your Guinness...)

Friday, November 11, 2011

Movie Night

Media Fridays
We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Ok, so I totally neglected the post today... what with "fixing" the hole in the ceiling and the fact that MW3 was calling my name.  So, since i'm late, I figured a nice cinematic piece should suffice for those roaming the internets on a Friday eve.

Enjoy.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

bad blogger

Ok... I've been slacking, big time....  sorry!

But now is not the time to make up for it... as I'm supposed to be getting ready for work right now.

So here is a little something I got in the mail:

3 real deal bike socks (not pictured, the other half to each pair)

I got to experience riding with bike specific socks for the first time at the Wicked Ride of the East.

So maybe when I'm a good blogger again you'll hear more the socks and the ride.  But, that is a big maybe considering MW3 just came out....

Friday, November 4, 2011

It's on!!

Media Fridays
We'll posts videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.


The Wicked Ride of the East is on, it's been confirmed!!  Hopefully maintenance on the pterodactyl will go smoothly so we'll have a way to get over there.

So, not footage of Harold Parker, but instead a race that was held a little while ago up at Highland... the Highland Over Mountain Enduro Race... interesting format - 3 separate stages where you are timed, with some riding thrown in there between them.



Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Spinning

Due to the crazy October Nor'easter we got up around these parts (rain in Southie - power still out in many towns across New England) the Wicked Ride of the East was cancelled, which I was pumped about.  I was super bummed that for the last NEMBA ride of the season I'd be sidelined with vertigo.  But with the cancellation, maybe I'd be ready in time?

Truth is, Friday morning I woke up and felt.... good!!  My head was still a bit foggy, but no more spinning of the room, no more unbalanced feelings... was I cured?  Certainly not ready to do any real testing of my balance, but I was psyched none-the-less!!  Since then, things seem good.  So I am hoping that Annie and I will be able to ride this weekend.  We are still waiting to see if the mess up around that area is cleared in time for the weekend, but if it is this might be the last good ride for Annie (Annie isn't a fan of cold weather riding).

I've decided the 4300 will be my winter bike.  The HiFi will go in for a tune up and then find itself fitted with a new, smooth, rear tire and a place on the trainer.  I'm getting excited for winter training!!  Yeah, I'm a dork.

Oh, and just for giggles, I think I'm going to mess with the 4300 and make it a 1 x 8... less to worry about with the shifty bits... and one step closer to a singlespeed.  No room for another bike, so I'll mess with what I have to keep things fresh.

And, here is some random education...