well, that was way not fun but gave me an excuse to pee outside. yeah not something one normally does in such a tiny postage sample parcel of property.
once the drain slowly emptied out of the shower, i tried flushing the toilet in there - oh that was a bad idea. it started filling up faster than it was draining. Big old huge volume flusher. Nice blue ceramic. Never gets used. basement was set up for second apartment style living at one point, kitchen and everything down there. Why? Dunno.
only access is through the bulkhead door.
So that moment of oh shit water is going to go everywhere was avoided for a bit.
finished drying up the mess. set up some fans, turned on the AC to pull the humidity out... opted out of calling Roto-rooter, night plush holiday weekend probably was a decent premium on top of already a premium service.
Wait and see... the girls headed off to Dunkin for a pre-bedtime bathroom use, and this whole time last night I was physically at my limit, like full on limit.
Exhausted. The only day I haven't worked in the last 6 weeks or so was Sunday last week and that was Mt Bike day and other stuff. Not a rest day but no work.
So eventually everything is stabilized, but not draining well at all.
If you recall that last plumbing fun, the snaking of the bathroom drains, oh and the garbage disposal i guess, I have not had success clearing the drains chemically lately, just hit em with the snake. I put 10' of snake in the shower downstairs and it did nothing. Kind of like putting the chemicals in the shower upstairs. it does nothing.
BUT i had 3/4 of a container of the large size of the acid drain cleaner. The stuff that seems to work better than the more commonly sold sodium hydroxide base stuff.
And I emptied the whole damn container into the shower pan and left it overnight.
Finally in bed at 10:45, took a bit to settle, then a while tossing and turning before falling asleep, maybe i had too much coffee yesterday in an attempt to combat fatigue.
So, today, E got up at 5:45 am to go guide on a long run, i woke up at 5. had to pee, but didn't want to wake her so i dozed until her alarm went off - headed outside in the pre-dawn, then downstairs to check the floor. Fans and AC did a good job of drying it all overnight, nothing wet enough long enough for serious damage. And I put maybe half a gallon of water down the drain in the shower, either maybe to push whatever hadn't diffused overnight down or to dislodge the clog.
And went back to bed. And didn't wake up until 11am. Oops.
Drain testing seems to have gone well. Shower and toilet and just now a small load of laundry, all seems to be acting as it should and not filling up the shower pan.
Fucking birthday miracle.
Of course it is now after Noon and i've just slept and worked on sorting the drain, still piles of wet clothes outside to deal with (that were on the floor) waiting to get washed, and then the stuff that was down there waiting to get washed from who knows when that no one needed or bothered with.
Lots to do - not sure what it means for the rest of the weekend, going to opt out of everything today except the shopping, maybe in plans for riding tomorrow I'll see if i can address the creaking of the big wheel mt bike.
The day is mostly gone, i'm still tired, but relieved that the drain thing worked itself out with a little help and patience. Although I guess we'll be keeping a really close eye on it for a while. hopefully it will aid in a bit more organization around here. I'm not optimistic but i'm hopeful.
So yeah your birthday may not be a big deal, who cares, or it is has always been a fun day... mine? not so much.
heddwch
G
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Friday, August 30, 2019
unabiguously
shitty...
now we've got a bit of water in the basement to deal with, not much, but in places it isn't supposed to be
i'm totally fried from today - the ride there - the dogs waking me up for a bit at 3am - the ride home - the week- the day
riding back home thinking - i've tried to be ambiguous about the day, like lots of people seem to be on their own birthday, it is just a day right? Just another one. No big deal...
like there's a big dark cloud of shit hanging over - and i'm spent and now the basement is flooded and there's a pile of wet crap and i've gotta figure out where the fucking clog is... i kind of think it is the laundry line... worried it was the sink, there's some water under there from the not quite perfect half assed putting it back in after not making it work (new one is on order)... would have been easy if that was where all the water came from... but nope. not there.
i haven't been this tired since June... and that was after that ride across michigan.
i had just gotten ready to put my feet up and stretch out in bed for a few minutes
then the 'there's water down here' and well... fuck...
this sucks
now we've got a bit of water in the basement to deal with, not much, but in places it isn't supposed to be
i'm totally fried from today - the ride there - the dogs waking me up for a bit at 3am - the ride home - the week- the day
riding back home thinking - i've tried to be ambiguous about the day, like lots of people seem to be on their own birthday, it is just a day right? Just another one. No big deal...
like there's a big dark cloud of shit hanging over - and i'm spent and now the basement is flooded and there's a pile of wet crap and i've gotta figure out where the fucking clog is... i kind of think it is the laundry line... worried it was the sink, there's some water under there from the not quite perfect half assed putting it back in after not making it work (new one is on order)... would have been easy if that was where all the water came from... but nope. not there.
i haven't been this tired since June... and that was after that ride across michigan.
i had just gotten ready to put my feet up and stretch out in bed for a few minutes
then the 'there's water down here' and well... fuck...
this sucks
Thursday, August 29, 2019
damn- unexpected
This song came through the pandora...
had to hit a live version...
the first round of the studio version got to me...
Listening and watching Frank (damn he looks young) live brought back that show, i wish i'd gone to boston in May. But more i wish i hadn't been at that show alone, rather be there alone than not at all but still...
unexpected was fucking getting all weepy and watery eyed watching this, i must have watched this clip and the whole live show a dozen times... i know all the words...
but it gets me every fucking time.
just not like this...
i'm going to go hide on the SEM and get a few more images for the Nanoscape stuff as a distraction while I ponder what to do tomorrow... still don't know...
had to hit a live version...
the first round of the studio version got to me...
Listening and watching Frank (damn he looks young) live brought back that show, i wish i'd gone to boston in May. But more i wish i hadn't been at that show alone, rather be there alone than not at all but still...
unexpected was fucking getting all weepy and watery eyed watching this, i must have watched this clip and the whole live show a dozen times... i know all the words...
but it gets me every fucking time.
just not like this...
i'm going to go hide on the SEM and get a few more images for the Nanoscape stuff as a distraction while I ponder what to do tomorrow... still don't know...
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Timing is everything eh?
Creaking bike, pending birthday, doubts about riding to the retreat - how early do i have to get up? what bike do i ride? do I really want to? should I drive? maybe I should see if someone wants to ride MTBs at like 4 on Friday...
hmmm... that might be better than riding there and back. Drive there, then go MTB'n after.
Such a good idea to start writing this.
Never would have thought of that.
Lots of friends with birthday's this time of year. Way too many of them it seems. Or is it that you just notice when others have their birthdays only when they are around yours?
Gonna go ride in the rain. get wet. get soaked.
not warm out, not cold either. wet is wet. shoulda brought changes of cloths.
Had a good streak going though - of positiveness -
chip wrote some stuff about our ride together - go check out his velocb blogspot thing
i'm getting out of here - before the rain gets worse.
i can kind of judge things based on inspiration to make dinner.
i have none.
but hey - maybe we'll just order pizza - i dunno
tired but not sleeping well - seems they go hand in hand. I get super tired - then sleep well, then don't need too much sleep, get too tired can't sleep until i'm so tired i just pass out, rinse repeat...
so who wants to ride mtbs on friday afternoon?
heddwch
G
hmmm... that might be better than riding there and back. Drive there, then go MTB'n after.
Such a good idea to start writing this.
Never would have thought of that.
Lots of friends with birthday's this time of year. Way too many of them it seems. Or is it that you just notice when others have their birthdays only when they are around yours?
Gonna go ride in the rain. get wet. get soaked.
not warm out, not cold either. wet is wet. shoulda brought changes of cloths.
Had a good streak going though - of positiveness -
chip wrote some stuff about our ride together - go check out his velocb blogspot thing
i'm getting out of here - before the rain gets worse.
i can kind of judge things based on inspiration to make dinner.
i have none.
but hey - maybe we'll just order pizza - i dunno
tired but not sleeping well - seems they go hand in hand. I get super tired - then sleep well, then don't need too much sleep, get too tired can't sleep until i'm so tired i just pass out, rinse repeat...
so who wants to ride mtbs on friday afternoon?
heddwch
G
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Gathering clouds
I can feel them. New bike and the ride has worn off, feeling on edge, near a void...
Strange, good one moment, horrible the next, little stuff building..
Creak in the new bike today. Not under load, not out of the saddle, irregular, not a good creak sound.
Not doing smackdown was the correct call but brought up emotions and sadness esp with one of the people that liked syl's post about it on FB. Yeah yeah forget that place. I do, and then something like that sneaks in the periphery.
Actually thinking about the Freetown 50. Crazy? Yup. But there aren't any cx races close enough... And that just sounds fun. Also there's a Clydesdale category. Good for cx? Nope. Fun? Maybe.
Tired but not. Swyping instead of typing, typing is loud, swype is not...
Many feelings of failing lately, lost, rush from Sunday is gone.
Friday looking at the ride, well that is going to be a tough day, but don't really have a choice, can't not do it, can't/don't want to do it on the e bike. Cx bike? Yeah probably...
Hitting publish, should edit/read it but no..
Will deal with it in the morning.
Heddwch
G
Strange, good one moment, horrible the next, little stuff building..
Creak in the new bike today. Not under load, not out of the saddle, irregular, not a good creak sound.
Not doing smackdown was the correct call but brought up emotions and sadness esp with one of the people that liked syl's post about it on FB. Yeah yeah forget that place. I do, and then something like that sneaks in the periphery.
Actually thinking about the Freetown 50. Crazy? Yup. But there aren't any cx races close enough... And that just sounds fun. Also there's a Clydesdale category. Good for cx? Nope. Fun? Maybe.
Tired but not. Swyping instead of typing, typing is loud, swype is not...
Many feelings of failing lately, lost, rush from Sunday is gone.
Friday looking at the ride, well that is going to be a tough day, but don't really have a choice, can't not do it, can't/don't want to do it on the e bike. Cx bike? Yeah probably...
Hitting publish, should edit/read it but no..
Will deal with it in the morning.
Heddwch
G
Monday, August 26, 2019
That was fun
Like a lot of fun.
The MTB thing.
I felt pretty good on the bike - only issue was right hand cramping/being painful, but could be bars, or grips or something. Tweaked the angle on the bars - maybe fixed it?
Didn't realize I was going out with the A crew. Freddie, Burke and Syl. Comment from a friend: "Quick pace and lots of skill there" in that group I guess. True, they have all been riding at Big River forever. Freddie lives within riding distance (he rode there) and well the other two have been racing MTBs there and riding it for as long as I've known them. Me? First time there.
The bike is a HUGE difference. I got the tire pressure pretty damn close for a high pressure low accuracy guess at about 10-12 PSI. Basically went to 10 psi on the gauge and added a full stroke.
Climbs better than I do, but man I hit the pedals and the crank arms SO MANY TIMES. should have put those crank protectors on when it was new. But now they hide the damage. The pedals? well not in the best shape after that. Perhaps these need to go on the CX bike or something. Put a less expensive pedal on there. But I did get better at not wacking rocks. honestly if I had done a better job at that I would have come to a stop way few times, so there's something tangible to work on. Everything else felt great. Pointing the bike at the best line and ignoring the roots and shit was awesome. Impressive. Didn't even notice the bike weight. But I was trying to keep up to two much lighter guys with way lighter bikes. The strava ride titles from the three of them were pretty cool, made me feel not so much like a putz out there.
Yeah yeah - fine - I might actually be a better mt biker than i am a roadie - wait -that's not a surprise, but one of the new shop guys just thought I was a roadie with all my drop bar shit... i just correct him "I'm a cyclocrosser" even if that is probably less true. perhaps i am just a big dirt bag mtber. Kind of explains the whole affinity with Singlespeed.
The bike has 750 bars, soooo wide. A couple tree strikes with them but in a few spots with the dropper post down and flying through some twisty stuff I felt like I could have even gone wider.
Does the bike make the difference? Yeah. It makes it fun again. Like it used to be.
Right now I'm missing Kentaro. We did a lot of Mt biking before he left Michigan. I think I rode with him more than anyone else in '99/00. Wish i could ride with him again. Damn, not sure why my brain went there other than riding MTBs with him was legit fun and probably when I really last had a blast riding them. We'd meet up somewhere on my way home from CMU and ride the trails.
The anniversary of his death by Waste Management Truck right hook is coming up in a few days.
Somber twist...
Smackdown is tomorrow, but looking at this week, well - yesterday, not a big day but i felt it in my legs last night so probably best not to under-estimate recovery. Wed there's the start of Donny's mid-week CX in PVD (west side) but starts late and a long ride home from there. Thursday dirt smackdown. Friday the department retreat way out west. 35 miles, 8:30 start time. I really want to try and ride there and back. Because, well that's the tradition I have at these things and another tradition on that day. Gives me Saturday to recover for another Sunday MTB ride.
And i don't want to ride and not have fun. So fuck it. No smackdown. Might just show up for the start like last week and then head home. It worked well.
Been kind of hungry today. Mentioning the weight issue last week, well, after the riding and the eating - balloon! POOF heavy again. I think it has to be a bit of inflammation as well as just weight. I should get off the scale and just go by belly squishing. But should to it with a measuring device, not just finger pinch. Not going to change much, just try and, like today, be hungry a bit more. Scheduled a meeting at 11:30. By 11:10 I was ready to eat my lunch, but waited until after meeting. Hungry again but a handful of things to do before leaving, hopefully I can make it home without more calorie intake. Tough to balance physiological need and cravings and recovery and weightloss, esp as I get close to that mid-century mark. I'm old. And getting older.
But hey, it beats the alternative.
Read another good book this weekend. Actually read a couple over the last week - First was Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. A bit magic and fantasy and all that, but good, have book 2 in the series on hold, waiting. The one I just finished yesterday, a recent release. Pretty good, a nice twist and great storyline, fun read: Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear. Started listening to The Fallen by Baldacci last weekend. Not quite done with it but getting really close. Is it good? yeah, formulaic, predictable, complex but not unimaginably, well researched and plausible enough... great like the others? No. very much pulpy, but hey - mysteries are fun at times and a better escape than some really mentally headwringing deep shit. But I guess, I do prefer and like space operas best, like Ancestral Night.
Soon I can leave, go grab a few things at the grocery store and ride home. This is probably one of the lightest weeks here but still busy and plenty to do. Still haven't gotten the garbage disposal, maybe I can get that done tomorrow... like i wrote last time -6 yrs ago- the trashcan is def wetter and stinkier w/o the disposal working.
Can't wait to ride the MTB again, kind of wish there were more trails between here and home, but maybe there are enough to justify it... hmmm...
heddwch
G
The MTB thing.
I felt pretty good on the bike - only issue was right hand cramping/being painful, but could be bars, or grips or something. Tweaked the angle on the bars - maybe fixed it?
Didn't realize I was going out with the A crew. Freddie, Burke and Syl. Comment from a friend: "Quick pace and lots of skill there" in that group I guess. True, they have all been riding at Big River forever. Freddie lives within riding distance (he rode there) and well the other two have been racing MTBs there and riding it for as long as I've known them. Me? First time there.
The bike is a HUGE difference. I got the tire pressure pretty damn close for a high pressure low accuracy guess at about 10-12 PSI. Basically went to 10 psi on the gauge and added a full stroke.
Climbs better than I do, but man I hit the pedals and the crank arms SO MANY TIMES. should have put those crank protectors on when it was new. But now they hide the damage. The pedals? well not in the best shape after that. Perhaps these need to go on the CX bike or something. Put a less expensive pedal on there. But I did get better at not wacking rocks. honestly if I had done a better job at that I would have come to a stop way few times, so there's something tangible to work on. Everything else felt great. Pointing the bike at the best line and ignoring the roots and shit was awesome. Impressive. Didn't even notice the bike weight. But I was trying to keep up to two much lighter guys with way lighter bikes. The strava ride titles from the three of them were pretty cool, made me feel not so much like a putz out there.
Yeah yeah - fine - I might actually be a better mt biker than i am a roadie - wait -that's not a surprise, but one of the new shop guys just thought I was a roadie with all my drop bar shit... i just correct him "I'm a cyclocrosser" even if that is probably less true. perhaps i am just a big dirt bag mtber. Kind of explains the whole affinity with Singlespeed.
The bike has 750 bars, soooo wide. A couple tree strikes with them but in a few spots with the dropper post down and flying through some twisty stuff I felt like I could have even gone wider.
Does the bike make the difference? Yeah. It makes it fun again. Like it used to be.
Right now I'm missing Kentaro. We did a lot of Mt biking before he left Michigan. I think I rode with him more than anyone else in '99/00. Wish i could ride with him again. Damn, not sure why my brain went there other than riding MTBs with him was legit fun and probably when I really last had a blast riding them. We'd meet up somewhere on my way home from CMU and ride the trails.
The anniversary of his death by Waste Management Truck right hook is coming up in a few days.
Somber twist...
Smackdown is tomorrow, but looking at this week, well - yesterday, not a big day but i felt it in my legs last night so probably best not to under-estimate recovery. Wed there's the start of Donny's mid-week CX in PVD (west side) but starts late and a long ride home from there. Thursday dirt smackdown. Friday the department retreat way out west. 35 miles, 8:30 start time. I really want to try and ride there and back. Because, well that's the tradition I have at these things and another tradition on that day. Gives me Saturday to recover for another Sunday MTB ride.
And i don't want to ride and not have fun. So fuck it. No smackdown. Might just show up for the start like last week and then head home. It worked well.
Been kind of hungry today. Mentioning the weight issue last week, well, after the riding and the eating - balloon! POOF heavy again. I think it has to be a bit of inflammation as well as just weight. I should get off the scale and just go by belly squishing. But should to it with a measuring device, not just finger pinch. Not going to change much, just try and, like today, be hungry a bit more. Scheduled a meeting at 11:30. By 11:10 I was ready to eat my lunch, but waited until after meeting. Hungry again but a handful of things to do before leaving, hopefully I can make it home without more calorie intake. Tough to balance physiological need and cravings and recovery and weightloss, esp as I get close to that mid-century mark. I'm old. And getting older.
But hey, it beats the alternative.
Read another good book this weekend. Actually read a couple over the last week - First was Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. A bit magic and fantasy and all that, but good, have book 2 in the series on hold, waiting. The one I just finished yesterday, a recent release. Pretty good, a nice twist and great storyline, fun read: Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear. Started listening to The Fallen by Baldacci last weekend. Not quite done with it but getting really close. Is it good? yeah, formulaic, predictable, complex but not unimaginably, well researched and plausible enough... great like the others? No. very much pulpy, but hey - mysteries are fun at times and a better escape than some really mentally headwringing deep shit. But I guess, I do prefer and like space operas best, like Ancestral Night.
Soon I can leave, go grab a few things at the grocery store and ride home. This is probably one of the lightest weeks here but still busy and plenty to do. Still haven't gotten the garbage disposal, maybe I can get that done tomorrow... like i wrote last time -6 yrs ago- the trashcan is def wetter and stinkier w/o the disposal working.
Can't wait to ride the MTB again, kind of wish there were more trails between here and home, but maybe there are enough to justify it... hmmm...
heddwch
G
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Time for something different
Rode the new bike yesterday. Did not do smackdown. Rolled with them down Waterfront Drive with the big wheels but that's it. It takes a bit of work to keep that thing going.
Def high force. Fit is on the money. Ordered new grips, hopefully they'll get here by the weekend but if not, i guess I can do one ride with undersized handle grabby things.
That's the bike. I like it.
Fun. And def huge, but doesn't look odd.
Heading out in a few minutes to do the Rooster Ronde Redux Part Deux with VeloCB.
Not riding this bike - tempting but yesterday kind of confirmed. I have a bike that is better suited to the ride than this one.
Would be fun to have this on those trail sections but also, the whole point of the ride is CXy time. Have to sort out the new tires anyway.
Time to sunscreen up and roll out. Fueled by Donuts today. Perhaps taking the fueling change to an extreme but fuck it - moderation is dumb. Yesterday i hit the scales in the morning at 211, lightest i've seen in maybe 2+ years? not sure but trend is good. But it also could be trending that way because I cut back the intensity and inflammation is down and other factors. Ate a lot yesterday and was back to 215 this morning. But hey what's a couple pounds when you're a clydesdale anyway?
Time to slather on the blue lizard (sensitive - just mechanical block with an all day base).
heddwch
G
Def high force. Fit is on the money. Ordered new grips, hopefully they'll get here by the weekend but if not, i guess I can do one ride with undersized handle grabby things.
Fun. And def huge, but doesn't look odd.
Heading out in a few minutes to do the Rooster Ronde Redux Part Deux with VeloCB.
Not riding this bike - tempting but yesterday kind of confirmed. I have a bike that is better suited to the ride than this one.
Would be fun to have this on those trail sections but also, the whole point of the ride is CXy time. Have to sort out the new tires anyway.
Time to sunscreen up and roll out. Fueled by Donuts today. Perhaps taking the fueling change to an extreme but fuck it - moderation is dumb. Yesterday i hit the scales in the morning at 211, lightest i've seen in maybe 2+ years? not sure but trend is good. But it also could be trending that way because I cut back the intensity and inflammation is down and other factors. Ate a lot yesterday and was back to 215 this morning. But hey what's a couple pounds when you're a clydesdale anyway?
Time to slather on the blue lizard (sensitive - just mechanical block with an all day base).
heddwch
G
Monday, August 19, 2019
Use the wrench on the bottom to turn it
Huh? What wrench where?
Garbage disposal.
I grew up w/o one and for a month or so in the summer of '13 we were w/o one here too. As mentioned the GD has been not working.
Timing was such that I could get to it this morning. Drop kid off for 5k pre-season erg test, head home. Was going to see what I could see with it maybe make it work.
Fun shit. Took it off - looks like some wood like fibers jammed around inside the spinny part. This one has more of a cup and blades and small holes along the edges instead of the big teeth and the one screen on the side. Supposed to be quieter and better or something (also more money). There's a big 3 year warranty label on the side. Couldn't remember when I got it. So what did I do?
Checked the archives. http://www.gewilli.com/2013/08/weekend-saga.html
oh.. 2013... the best and the worst year. Thanks life.
So now I'm dripping sweat (AC is on but still it is fucking summer and humid and while it is way nicer inside than outside it still sucks).
My hands smell like dirty kitchen plumbing (almost as bad as bathroom), I'm dripping sweat and the GD still doesn't work.
Brother said turn the wrench on the bottom when it gets jammed, you know the one you tape to the side? Well i had it and hadn't tried that. Ooh fuck there's some serious resistance here. Damn.
Turning turning, was able to make the visible wood fibers move around but I think there's probably more shit jammed along inside the wall of it. May just do the "HEY DON'T USE CHEMICALS IN HERE" as a maybe it'll soften dissolve it and I don't have to go get a new one.
Bike is here - got text this morning, UPS showed up before the shop opened, Matt D was there to receive it. Looks like shimano stuff is here too. Half tempted to drive everywhere.
Adding a bit of fun to my bad timing: Tax free weekend in Mass was this past weekend. Yup, funny timing that, eh?
Bit of a brain storm - what about that local appliance store that crushed the pricing on the new stove... holy crap their web page has way more selection AND better pricing and maybe there's something there that is good, AND while i'm sure the owners are big rich jackasses, they are our local ones and that's better right? And in RI so tax free? Pfft - who needs a 6% sale anyway when it is way cheaper than that to go to this place.
Anyway - maybe I should just take this dead one back to the big orange home improvement store and return/exchange it...
Actually thinking I'll bring the impact driver home after putting the bike together and just spin the drain with that. There's a 13mm nut holding the thing in place. If that doesn't work then the impact wrench should be able to take it off and if it is loose I should be able to free it all up and then determine if the motor is fucked or not.
BUT NEW BIKE IS HERE (and weather is muggy and f'n steaming hot - hey it is August DUH)... Smackdown or Dirty smackdown? I dunno we'll see what happens.
Enough sitting and pounding keyboard on the tablet thinking. But this was good - lead me to the S&W page and potentially a much better solution for less money.
Also the kitchen counter needs to be replaced. THe particle boar shit is falling apart behind the sink and raining bits down. I should look at finding a bit for it - maybe little brother has an idea where I could get a fancy scrap long enough that i can easily put a sink hole in.
And yeah - looking at that 2013 post. The fence still needs to be replaced. But it is held together with stakes and bracing now. Maybe not lasting another 6 years, but new bike def more joy than new fence...
NO MORE WRITING
heddwch
G
Garbage disposal.
I grew up w/o one and for a month or so in the summer of '13 we were w/o one here too. As mentioned the GD has been not working.
Timing was such that I could get to it this morning. Drop kid off for 5k pre-season erg test, head home. Was going to see what I could see with it maybe make it work.
Fun shit. Took it off - looks like some wood like fibers jammed around inside the spinny part. This one has more of a cup and blades and small holes along the edges instead of the big teeth and the one screen on the side. Supposed to be quieter and better or something (also more money). There's a big 3 year warranty label on the side. Couldn't remember when I got it. So what did I do?
Checked the archives. http://www.gewilli.com/2013/08/weekend-saga.html
oh.. 2013... the best and the worst year. Thanks life.
So now I'm dripping sweat (AC is on but still it is fucking summer and humid and while it is way nicer inside than outside it still sucks).
My hands smell like dirty kitchen plumbing (almost as bad as bathroom), I'm dripping sweat and the GD still doesn't work.
Brother said turn the wrench on the bottom when it gets jammed, you know the one you tape to the side? Well i had it and hadn't tried that. Ooh fuck there's some serious resistance here. Damn.
Turning turning, was able to make the visible wood fibers move around but I think there's probably more shit jammed along inside the wall of it. May just do the "HEY DON'T USE CHEMICALS IN HERE" as a maybe it'll soften dissolve it and I don't have to go get a new one.
Bike is here - got text this morning, UPS showed up before the shop opened, Matt D was there to receive it. Looks like shimano stuff is here too. Half tempted to drive everywhere.
Adding a bit of fun to my bad timing: Tax free weekend in Mass was this past weekend. Yup, funny timing that, eh?
Bit of a brain storm - what about that local appliance store that crushed the pricing on the new stove... holy crap their web page has way more selection AND better pricing and maybe there's something there that is good, AND while i'm sure the owners are big rich jackasses, they are our local ones and that's better right? And in RI so tax free? Pfft - who needs a 6% sale anyway when it is way cheaper than that to go to this place.
Anyway - maybe I should just take this dead one back to the big orange home improvement store and return/exchange it...
Actually thinking I'll bring the impact driver home after putting the bike together and just spin the drain with that. There's a 13mm nut holding the thing in place. If that doesn't work then the impact wrench should be able to take it off and if it is loose I should be able to free it all up and then determine if the motor is fucked or not.
BUT NEW BIKE IS HERE (and weather is muggy and f'n steaming hot - hey it is August DUH)... Smackdown or Dirty smackdown? I dunno we'll see what happens.
Enough sitting and pounding keyboard on the tablet thinking. But this was good - lead me to the S&W page and potentially a much better solution for less money.
Also the kitchen counter needs to be replaced. THe particle boar shit is falling apart behind the sink and raining bits down. I should look at finding a bit for it - maybe little brother has an idea where I could get a fancy scrap long enough that i can easily put a sink hole in.
And yeah - looking at that 2013 post. The fence still needs to be replaced. But it is held together with stakes and bracing now. Maybe not lasting another 6 years, but new bike def more joy than new fence...
NO MORE WRITING
heddwch
G
Friday, August 16, 2019
waiting is the hardest part
MORE WAITING
didn't show up today - gonna be here monday, at least that is when the crank will be here and well - guess i'll install em all at the same time... on monday...
gonna be normal weekend i guess - more time to work to pay for the bike before I start riding it...
guess I'd better switch those tires on the Crockett tonight and get ready for all day dirt next week.
heddwch
G
didn't show up today - gonna be here monday, at least that is when the crank will be here and well - guess i'll install em all at the same time... on monday...
gonna be normal weekend i guess - more time to work to pay for the bike before I start riding it...
guess I'd better switch those tires on the Crockett tonight and get ready for all day dirt next week.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Pulled the M'Fn trigger
GeWilli will soon NOT be the only cyclist who really likes to ride on trails and in the dirt w/o a modern MTB...
Yup - just pulled the trigger on a bike...
Terrifying yet also super exciting.
Of course the "Get the bike but you now have to have someone look at the van and see what it needs to make it before getting a new car."
New car terror - and if getting a new bike is an anxious disaster for me.... take it to another level with the car. Maybe the van is totally fixable. But I'll tackle that soon enough. One thing at a time I guess.
Anyway, SUPER stoked.
Looking forward to hitting some dirt on something other than a CX bike.
Okay, now where the fuck am I gonna put THIS bike.
Anyone wanna bike an E-bike? Maybe I should just leave that thing at the shop... Gonna need the saddle off it...
I wonder how well the Joe Blow Pro X will do at inflating those things (not great I'm guessing - but I do have that compressor now).
Just got interrupted to be told that my snaking of the bathtub drain did nothing to help the bathtub drain (i snaked all the way to the black iron standing pipe). Of course I have to learn the lesson each time. I have to snake the SINK drain (they meet about 2' away from the big black pipe) or the tub won't drain.
Of course perhaps it always works out that way because I snake the tub and maybe push the blockage over into the sink's drain and then nothing drains but well now it actually seems to drain. And I get to wait until the under-cabinet dries off before piling all the stuff back in there.
They have the bike in the New Jersey warehouse, there's a decent chance it'll get here by the weekend. We'll see. I'm also curious to see how big the goddamn box is going to be. Also wondering if the crank will get here (has to come all the way from NC) in time too. Or maybe i just have to suffer through the short arms (although would be better to be able to take the crank and BB off and sell it as a unit - or keep them and put em back on if I sell this - TBD).
Gonna wrap this up and do the rest of the wrapping the kitchen up for the evening that I didn't do while dealing with plumbing fun.
heddwch
G
Yup - just pulled the trigger on a bike...
Terrifying yet also super exciting.
Of course the "Get the bike but you now have to have someone look at the van and see what it needs to make it before getting a new car."
New car terror - and if getting a new bike is an anxious disaster for me.... take it to another level with the car. Maybe the van is totally fixable. But I'll tackle that soon enough. One thing at a time I guess.
Anyway, SUPER stoked.
Looking forward to hitting some dirt on something other than a CX bike.
Okay, now where the fuck am I gonna put THIS bike.
Anyone wanna bike an E-bike? Maybe I should just leave that thing at the shop... Gonna need the saddle off it...
I wonder how well the Joe Blow Pro X will do at inflating those things (not great I'm guessing - but I do have that compressor now).
Just got interrupted to be told that my snaking of the bathtub drain did nothing to help the bathtub drain (i snaked all the way to the black iron standing pipe). Of course I have to learn the lesson each time. I have to snake the SINK drain (they meet about 2' away from the big black pipe) or the tub won't drain.
Of course perhaps it always works out that way because I snake the tub and maybe push the blockage over into the sink's drain and then nothing drains but well now it actually seems to drain. And I get to wait until the under-cabinet dries off before piling all the stuff back in there.
They have the bike in the New Jersey warehouse, there's a decent chance it'll get here by the weekend. We'll see. I'm also curious to see how big the goddamn box is going to be. Also wondering if the crank will get here (has to come all the way from NC) in time too. Or maybe i just have to suffer through the short arms (although would be better to be able to take the crank and BB off and sell it as a unit - or keep them and put em back on if I sell this - TBD).
Gonna wrap this up and do the rest of the wrapping the kitchen up for the evening that I didn't do while dealing with plumbing fun.
heddwch
G
curious realization
This whole process of weight stagnation and fueling challenges and trying to go faster has resulted in a bit of a challenge.
A bit of added science by Kolie driven by a podcast and a link got me thinking. And then trying.
And then realizing. All that beer i was pouring into myself was a pretty solid 'sugar' boost and why I was never successful at quitting without cravings until I switched to vodka and no beer - dropping the beer carbs but keeping the ETOH.
Point being metabolic sloth. It is awesome to have the engine running insanely efficiently for a long all day Hundo or 210 mile gravel ride. BUT... it doesn't bode well for CX or going fast or cranking the metabolism.
So trying a bit of an experiment by adding a few more specifically timed carbs to the system. Morning/breakfast. No longer just the days before hard efforts like Smackdown and TT, but each day. Second, a late dose of sugar/ice cream if dinner wasn't a pasta/rice thing.
is it working? I don't fucking know. I'm still working on making sure I'm topped up for intensity, eating real food, and minimizing excessive stuff. BUT i think i might be? let me get through the rest week - then move on to trying it out more but the idea that most of my personal philosophy has always had that liquid caloric offset going on is something even after a year and two months I need to tweak. Maybe working on this will help with CX season a bit.
Now...
yeah that contemplation about the MTB....
if you've read this at all you probably picked up on the fact that I overthink absolutely EVERYTHING. And I have an absolute aversion to spending money, fix/make due/anything before the outlay of cash. It isn't always a good trait. But the overthinking means yeah I do kind of run everything down from top to bottom, backwards and forwards.
Okay not everything. Somethings I'm inexplicably irrational about, that whole dichotomy of personality? I dunno.
But buying a new bike. That's kind of one of the things that falls into the overthink excessively reluctantly pursuing... vs the irrational just do it.
I've spend the last weekend looking first at all the road options and what's there. Ultimate conclusion that i should get the Mad One SL 6 disc because the added value of the aesthetics of the SLR 6 disc just aren't there and besides I still have to buy a Dura-Ace crank for it. And even with the bro deal that's an enormous pile of cash. And really - will it bring me joy? Or will is firmly and undeniably confirm that it really isn't about the bike. That all too real possibility certainly would suck the joy out of that purchase.
But a MTB... If I look at my cycling twitter friends I know IRL, and those IRL friends on FB or just IRL they've almost all gone more MTB than road lately (last 5-10 years) sure most still do the road and there are a couple who haven't but... they all ride, a lot. Not that far from here.
Back in 06-10 I spent a lot of time riding the MTB - the ones I have (yeah they are more than 20 years old) and while not, unfun, they were more frustrating on the trails here than they were fun. Sure the Adroit is perfect for fast buff smooth flowy single track. Kind of anywhere the CX bike is good, but thats very little of the MTB here locally. some trails are fine but most aren't. Nature of the local nature.
Would a new MTB bring me joy. I feel pretty confident it would. Now can I decide what is the best choice? No. But I can make a guess. And if I'm wrong I should be able to unload it in a year and get something better/different.
But it is CX season. Yes. First race looks to be Sept 8th. A good bit of single speed racing on my new Crockett. Well not that new - got it what two years ago? Yeah. Got new wheels for it in May. So adding another big bike purchase feels fundamentally extravagant but also still pretty conservative for someone who's life pretty much is bikes bikes bikes bikes. And the lack of a modern MTB is a big hole in the "quiver" And yeah it means Fleet week might turn into Fleet Fortnight but still...
Talking to people, real ones, that I know and trust and one says absolutely fucking to go for it. No one is abjectly against it. Okay one says the Stache is an absolute dog and i should get something else. But trust me... I've weighed all the options in the acceptable price range. It is narrowed down and now I have to find the courage to pull the trigger - maybe the last bit of validation to quench the nagging anxiety of such a big move.
Okay - enough mental verbal hand-wringing.
I also kind of have an urge to sit on the SEM and image stuff but I didn't find anything here that I wanted to look at. And this reminds me of the duckweed along the bike path I've been meaning to collect and prep and look at (they have super cool biofilms on the underside of the floating leaves). When i hit publish I'm going to get a few sample containers and put them in the bag for the ride home!
heddwch
G
A bit of added science by Kolie driven by a podcast and a link got me thinking. And then trying.
And then realizing. All that beer i was pouring into myself was a pretty solid 'sugar' boost and why I was never successful at quitting without cravings until I switched to vodka and no beer - dropping the beer carbs but keeping the ETOH.
Point being metabolic sloth. It is awesome to have the engine running insanely efficiently for a long all day Hundo or 210 mile gravel ride. BUT... it doesn't bode well for CX or going fast or cranking the metabolism.
So trying a bit of an experiment by adding a few more specifically timed carbs to the system. Morning/breakfast. No longer just the days before hard efforts like Smackdown and TT, but each day. Second, a late dose of sugar/ice cream if dinner wasn't a pasta/rice thing.
is it working? I don't fucking know. I'm still working on making sure I'm topped up for intensity, eating real food, and minimizing excessive stuff. BUT i think i might be? let me get through the rest week - then move on to trying it out more but the idea that most of my personal philosophy has always had that liquid caloric offset going on is something even after a year and two months I need to tweak. Maybe working on this will help with CX season a bit.
Now...
yeah that contemplation about the MTB....
if you've read this at all you probably picked up on the fact that I overthink absolutely EVERYTHING. And I have an absolute aversion to spending money, fix/make due/anything before the outlay of cash. It isn't always a good trait. But the overthinking means yeah I do kind of run everything down from top to bottom, backwards and forwards.
Okay not everything. Somethings I'm inexplicably irrational about, that whole dichotomy of personality? I dunno.
But buying a new bike. That's kind of one of the things that falls into the overthink excessively reluctantly pursuing... vs the irrational just do it.
I've spend the last weekend looking first at all the road options and what's there. Ultimate conclusion that i should get the Mad One SL 6 disc because the added value of the aesthetics of the SLR 6 disc just aren't there and besides I still have to buy a Dura-Ace crank for it. And even with the bro deal that's an enormous pile of cash. And really - will it bring me joy? Or will is firmly and undeniably confirm that it really isn't about the bike. That all too real possibility certainly would suck the joy out of that purchase.
But a MTB... If I look at my cycling twitter friends I know IRL, and those IRL friends on FB or just IRL they've almost all gone more MTB than road lately (last 5-10 years) sure most still do the road and there are a couple who haven't but... they all ride, a lot. Not that far from here.
Back in 06-10 I spent a lot of time riding the MTB - the ones I have (yeah they are more than 20 years old) and while not, unfun, they were more frustrating on the trails here than they were fun. Sure the Adroit is perfect for fast buff smooth flowy single track. Kind of anywhere the CX bike is good, but thats very little of the MTB here locally. some trails are fine but most aren't. Nature of the local nature.
Would a new MTB bring me joy. I feel pretty confident it would. Now can I decide what is the best choice? No. But I can make a guess. And if I'm wrong I should be able to unload it in a year and get something better/different.
But it is CX season. Yes. First race looks to be Sept 8th. A good bit of single speed racing on my new Crockett. Well not that new - got it what two years ago? Yeah. Got new wheels for it in May. So adding another big bike purchase feels fundamentally extravagant but also still pretty conservative for someone who's life pretty much is bikes bikes bikes bikes. And the lack of a modern MTB is a big hole in the "quiver" And yeah it means Fleet week might turn into Fleet Fortnight but still...
Talking to people, real ones, that I know and trust and one says absolutely fucking to go for it. No one is abjectly against it. Okay one says the Stache is an absolute dog and i should get something else. But trust me... I've weighed all the options in the acceptable price range. It is narrowed down and now I have to find the courage to pull the trigger - maybe the last bit of validation to quench the nagging anxiety of such a big move.
Okay - enough mental verbal hand-wringing.
I also kind of have an urge to sit on the SEM and image stuff but I didn't find anything here that I wanted to look at. And this reminds me of the duckweed along the bike path I've been meaning to collect and prep and look at (they have super cool biofilms on the underside of the floating leaves). When i hit publish I'm going to get a few sample containers and put them in the bag for the ride home!
heddwch
G
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Morning musings
Maybe I need a new MTB, forget the roadie shit and just get dirty again. Get a bike I can have fun with on the local tails. Bonus a mid price point hard tail is waaaaaay cheaper than a Madone... Hmmm
Yesterday I wasted a bunch of time at the bike shop, instead of putting bikes together i was digging through the Ninja (EP) page and looking at Madones.
SL 6 is still a ton of $$ but i can get it at a crazy discount, but it has shitty wheels and the oddly out of place normal bar and stem instead of the cool aero one. And it is the heavy frame not the SLR.
The SLR 6 is a $1200 more...
AND i'd have to spend some serious $$ and get a Dura-Ace crankset (180s bro).
So like that's a SHIT ton pile of money. And I'm not going to ride it much between now and the spring. Maybe once a week, if that, once CX starts. AND I'll need the 62cm size and THAT limits availability and selection significantly. They make like 5 of those a year. Okay maybe they make 20 total globally. Seriously. NOT. THAT. MANY.
Klein only ever made 5 63cm bike a year in my size, and that was after production scaled up with the Trek buyout.
Freak size frames aren't even made in quantities.
BUT then idiot sceming brain started thinking about Mt Bikes. Like the preamble i started with (it was a text draft to CF but figured to expand and write while finishing coffee before heading to the shop).
I could go with a nice 29+ wheel bike. Like BIG WHEELS MOTHERFUCKER, modern fork, and hell the XT 180s are cheap and they work, and be ready for either SS MTB or gears if i got the Stache 5 or 7. Not sure the 21.5 is big enough but... not much choice, it isn't made any bigger. That's kind of the scary part, is it going to be big enough. Probably. Also, dropper post? WUT? me? nooooo that's crazy talk. No excuse NOT To sign up for 24HOGG in the Solo category. Fuck this going fast roadie shit. TTs are for triathletes, smackdown is for crit junkies and fast skinny kids. I'm a dirt bag CXer at heart right?
Maybe that's the direction i need to go in. I like riding in the dirt, I like doing it on the CX bike but most of the trails here are not suitable for that kind of shit, need a MTB... Now a full squish super bike would be fun but big fat tubeless 29+ wheels and a functional front fork should be good enough right?
Still a good pile of cash for one but then again, suuuuuuper steeply discounted. And maybe i start doing the normal industry bro thing and buy a bike then sell it and get a new one after a year or two. Maybe stop being the end of the line for bikes and be the first stop. plus side to doing that with MTB shit is the 21.5 fits a larger range of people than a 62 Mad One. (yes, I am officially calling the Madone a Mad One from here on out forever).
I'm still going to enforce the rest day protocol today - only riding to work and then I'm only riding the eBike. And That's another ball of wax. Ain't no Crossrip in the line up for 2020. They added an extra Domane. So the only two drop bar ebikes are road, not commuters. And none of the rest of the commuter line up come in 700c wheels. We'll see what happens. Maybe I won't be plowing the bike path this year. Anyone want a 58cm Crossrip+? well cared for. It is a GREAT f'n bike for commuting, but when you're given a demo one to ride, well it won't last and the shop needs to sell it. First $2800 can take it home.
I just peeked at the calendar for this week. Oops, I did it again. Overbooked myself. Probably going to replace the garbage disposal instead of smackdown on Tuesday (could do it today but that whole needing to go to work thing).
Maybe the following week I should block a day off and just ride CX bikes.
okay - getting late - burning daylight writing - putting the tablet away
heddwch
G
Yesterday I wasted a bunch of time at the bike shop, instead of putting bikes together i was digging through the Ninja (EP) page and looking at Madones.
SL 6 is still a ton of $$ but i can get it at a crazy discount, but it has shitty wheels and the oddly out of place normal bar and stem instead of the cool aero one. And it is the heavy frame not the SLR.
The SLR 6 is a $1200 more...
AND i'd have to spend some serious $$ and get a Dura-Ace crankset (180s bro).
So like that's a SHIT ton pile of money. And I'm not going to ride it much between now and the spring. Maybe once a week, if that, once CX starts. AND I'll need the 62cm size and THAT limits availability and selection significantly. They make like 5 of those a year. Okay maybe they make 20 total globally. Seriously. NOT. THAT. MANY.
Klein only ever made 5 63cm bike a year in my size, and that was after production scaled up with the Trek buyout.
Freak size frames aren't even made in quantities.
BUT then idiot sceming brain started thinking about Mt Bikes. Like the preamble i started with (it was a text draft to CF but figured to expand and write while finishing coffee before heading to the shop).
I could go with a nice 29+ wheel bike. Like BIG WHEELS MOTHERFUCKER, modern fork, and hell the XT 180s are cheap and they work, and be ready for either SS MTB or gears if i got the Stache 5 or 7. Not sure the 21.5 is big enough but... not much choice, it isn't made any bigger. That's kind of the scary part, is it going to be big enough. Probably. Also, dropper post? WUT? me? nooooo that's crazy talk. No excuse NOT To sign up for 24HOGG in the Solo category. Fuck this going fast roadie shit. TTs are for triathletes, smackdown is for crit junkies and fast skinny kids. I'm a dirt bag CXer at heart right?
Maybe that's the direction i need to go in. I like riding in the dirt, I like doing it on the CX bike but most of the trails here are not suitable for that kind of shit, need a MTB... Now a full squish super bike would be fun but big fat tubeless 29+ wheels and a functional front fork should be good enough right?
Still a good pile of cash for one but then again, suuuuuuper steeply discounted. And maybe i start doing the normal industry bro thing and buy a bike then sell it and get a new one after a year or two. Maybe stop being the end of the line for bikes and be the first stop. plus side to doing that with MTB shit is the 21.5 fits a larger range of people than a 62 Mad One. (yes, I am officially calling the Madone a Mad One from here on out forever).
I'm still going to enforce the rest day protocol today - only riding to work and then I'm only riding the eBike. And That's another ball of wax. Ain't no Crossrip in the line up for 2020. They added an extra Domane. So the only two drop bar ebikes are road, not commuters. And none of the rest of the commuter line up come in 700c wheels. We'll see what happens. Maybe I won't be plowing the bike path this year. Anyone want a 58cm Crossrip+? well cared for. It is a GREAT f'n bike for commuting, but when you're given a demo one to ride, well it won't last and the shop needs to sell it. First $2800 can take it home.
I just peeked at the calendar for this week. Oops, I did it again. Overbooked myself. Probably going to replace the garbage disposal instead of smackdown on Tuesday (could do it today but that whole needing to go to work thing).
Maybe the following week I should block a day off and just ride CX bikes.
okay - getting late - burning daylight writing - putting the tablet away
heddwch
G
Friday, August 09, 2019
welp
That was the wrong direction.
The wind and my time. Felt like it might have been a tailwind. But nope.
Just under 22 officially.
Then couldn't freaking sleep at all. Eyes gluing shut but brain and body wired lying in bed. It was pretty surreal.
As much as I wanted to stick around for the results and the raffle - with as many people there - I left. Rode back with JC. Bailed on the ceremony.
And then there is the whole what is the Merckx category.
In my book:
Rims less than 35mm, no aero helmet, no aero bike, no aero bars.
Pretty simple. Skinsuit? fine. Shoe covers? Don't care.
Teardrop helmet? Nope.
Aero bike? Nope - even if it is the only bike you've got
Aero wheels? Nope - same - if the only wheels you own are carbon and deeper than 35 mm then you aren't in the category.
Did I care? yes. Does it matter? No.
Not my race series. I wasn't anywhere near contention for the series awards. So Fuck It.
I also think I need a rest week. Maybe work in a longer slow ride, not a no ride week but def maybe a break from intensity. I've been going Smackdown/TT for the last five weeks, sticking in some extra riding on the weekends. It has been a big week for me. Hills on Sunday, smackdown and then TT and it has been a rough week. I'm tired.
Shouldn't be maybe? But then life isn't cake and waffles like most of the fast people. Running 21 year old shit probably isn't doing me any favors. But it isn't about the bike.
We'll see how it shakes out. Def feeling like bailing on Tuesday next week. Def hanging up the Klein for the season. Maybe it is time to put the knobbies back on the Crockett and ride only that.
Someone pointed out how draining it is to do these kind of technical intense trainings all day. True, it is. They also mentioned how tough it is to just be the one who gives and gives and how nice it is to have someone to hang out with you can recharge from. the rest was redacted and placed in a draft
maybe if i start some running it will help.
not sure how it will but hey - good delusion to motivate for something that will make a difference in singlespeed CX
Gotta get through the rest of the month first.
The rest of the day before that.
Best to go back to it.
heddwch
G
Cue'n up another Amelie mix set to get through:
The wind and my time. Felt like it might have been a tailwind. But nope.
Just under 22 officially.
Then couldn't freaking sleep at all. Eyes gluing shut but brain and body wired lying in bed. It was pretty surreal.
As much as I wanted to stick around for the results and the raffle - with as many people there - I left. Rode back with JC. Bailed on the ceremony.
And then there is the whole what is the Merckx category.
In my book:
Rims less than 35mm, no aero helmet, no aero bike, no aero bars.
Pretty simple. Skinsuit? fine. Shoe covers? Don't care.
Teardrop helmet? Nope.
Aero bike? Nope - even if it is the only bike you've got
Aero wheels? Nope - same - if the only wheels you own are carbon and deeper than 35 mm then you aren't in the category.
Did I care? yes. Does it matter? No.
Not my race series. I wasn't anywhere near contention for the series awards. So Fuck It.
I also think I need a rest week. Maybe work in a longer slow ride, not a no ride week but def maybe a break from intensity. I've been going Smackdown/TT for the last five weeks, sticking in some extra riding on the weekends. It has been a big week for me. Hills on Sunday, smackdown and then TT and it has been a rough week. I'm tired.
Shouldn't be maybe? But then life isn't cake and waffles like most of the fast people. Running 21 year old shit probably isn't doing me any favors. But it isn't about the bike.
We'll see how it shakes out. Def feeling like bailing on Tuesday next week. Def hanging up the Klein for the season. Maybe it is time to put the knobbies back on the Crockett and ride only that.
Someone pointed out how draining it is to do these kind of technical intense trainings all day. True, it is. They also mentioned how tough it is to just be the one who gives and gives and how nice it is to have someone to hang out with you can recharge from. the rest was redacted and placed in a draft
maybe if i start some running it will help.
not sure how it will but hey - good delusion to motivate for something that will make a difference in singlespeed CX
Gotta get through the rest of the month first.
The rest of the day before that.
Best to go back to it.
heddwch
G
Cue'n up another Amelie mix set to get through:
Thursday, August 08, 2019
strangest TT series
Who has a TT rig that isn't ridden in the local TT series. Even if the rig is a semi-aero front wheel and a disc covered rear wheel and clip on bars on drops all attached to a 1986 steel bike?
Me.
I'm not optimistic about the numbers tonight, but I'll still cross the t's and dot the i's and see how it shakes out.
Had thought about driving there but not gonna do that. Will do the whole ride there and home thing. After I go home to get the bike and change.
Took the e-bike to work this morning. Mostly to facilitate getting here and home w/o totally killing my legs. Perhaps the added commute miles took a touch off for smackdown. Or not, probably not. Looking at the strava hr map - i was just too deep too long too early. Buh buy. And honestly, yes I talk too much about it, my weight being 15-20 pounds more than it was when i was fastest in '13 probably accounts for a good bit of the deviation, esp when factoring the wattage difference required. Even if I am pushing the same power - i am going slower.
So not as much power means even slower.
But if i can just hold the same time or go a little faster than last week, that'll be good enough. If I can break into the sub 21 mark? That would be ideal. We'll see how it shakes out.
Just ate a bit of food. Time to get on the bike and head home.
Hopefully a less rushed turn around there than on Tuesday.
thinking maybe early morning before work CX start drills at IPP
something like this: http://www.empiricalcycling.com/podcast-episodes/ten-minute-tips-1-training-for-cyclocross-season
possibly even use TIllinghast as the over under 2x20 course. Might have to figure out how to program the garmin to do the whole timing thing for me though.
Time to pedal. then race. Girls get home later tonight. Back to normal.
and life marches on...
heddwch
G
Me.
I'm not optimistic about the numbers tonight, but I'll still cross the t's and dot the i's and see how it shakes out.
Had thought about driving there but not gonna do that. Will do the whole ride there and home thing. After I go home to get the bike and change.
Took the e-bike to work this morning. Mostly to facilitate getting here and home w/o totally killing my legs. Perhaps the added commute miles took a touch off for smackdown. Or not, probably not. Looking at the strava hr map - i was just too deep too long too early. Buh buy. And honestly, yes I talk too much about it, my weight being 15-20 pounds more than it was when i was fastest in '13 probably accounts for a good bit of the deviation, esp when factoring the wattage difference required. Even if I am pushing the same power - i am going slower.
So not as much power means even slower.
But if i can just hold the same time or go a little faster than last week, that'll be good enough. If I can break into the sub 21 mark? That would be ideal. We'll see how it shakes out.
Just ate a bit of food. Time to get on the bike and head home.
Hopefully a less rushed turn around there than on Tuesday.
thinking maybe early morning before work CX start drills at IPP
something like this: http://www.empiricalcycling.com/podcast-episodes/ten-minute-tips-1-training-for-cyclocross-season
possibly even use TIllinghast as the over under 2x20 course. Might have to figure out how to program the garmin to do the whole timing thing for me though.
Time to pedal. then race. Girls get home later tonight. Back to normal.
and life marches on...
heddwch
G
Tuesday, August 06, 2019
weird
I thought the last one published at lunch. Perhaps not. oops
Well smackdown went predictably. Actually worse than usual, mostly because Leland went to the front and drilled it on Woodward, I hung on his wheel in 2nd, not a problem but a lot of work. We got to the farm, you know where those three little water main covers are that one of us (me) always nails perfectly, that place, a gap opened that I couldn't shut down. Just. couldn't. close. the. gap.
flicked elbow and jason john and justin came through, I tried to get on justin's wheel... I managed to do it but the timing was just at the little rise and the whole power to weight gods totally smacked me down and i just watched them ride off.
Not even close to contact at the turn at the end of prospect. So even FARTHER to ride alone than last week. Legs right now feel more jacked and sore and destroyed than they have in a long time. Good thing? Perhaps? Maybe it is because I came home, drank a protein shake (kid doesn't like it - someone's gotta use that expensive shit up before it goes bad) then warmed up some left over chili put my feet up and watched the last 2/3s of District 9 (the movie).
When i got up at the end there, oh man my legs, shredded.
No more TV tonight.
Riding around all I can think of is what is wrong, why am I so slow, would getting a coach help, no i don't have power, none of them can help w/o it anymore. Besides I know I need better stim and better recovery. Maybe I need to give up on Smackdown, say forget it. Stop trying. I'm not as fast as I was 5 years ago and at that point i was just barely able to hold on. I mean I was 15-20 pounds lighter 5 years ago, but mechanically and physically i'm holding together much better at this weight. I know I I can go down a little more in weight and the scale is ticking in the correct direction, a pound or so every week or three. or four, or not at all. skinny shorts are fitting a little better than they were a couple months ago so that's at least a positive sign. Can't help but wonder if there's some underlying physical issue beyond just getting old.
It is kind of depressing, not clinically, more of the disheartening/discouraging variety when I'm on the bike right now. and no the black blue wasn't any faster, perhaps even slower.
Not sure what's going to happen with the TT and my legs and brain.
Maybe I'll pull it together.
Managed to catch the timing just right and watched the kid's race. 3rd. Needed to be 2nd to move on to the finals, but they held off 4th and for having only been in the boat together for a couple weeks and being 3 years under the age cap for the U17 junior race, that's pretty fucking good. Super proud and stoked.
That is her mother in her, the athlete. I'm a mechanic. I take things apart and put them together and make them work. I can't go fast. That's not me. makes me doubt the whole racing thing. Rides like today, couldn't even make it home with any reasonable headway and I'm seriously wondering why bother, what's the point. Gotta give it at least another go.
Maybe the running will help, maybe i need to cut out the smackdown and do other more specific stuff with manageable expectations, intervals on my own, targeted parameters that don't involve trying to ride at a level I will never be able to sustain.
I dunno... i'll keep thinking about it but not doing what I need to do to actually do it. But maybe the shop is slowing early this year...
not terribly positive, so i'm going to have some of the ice cream i made last night (i'll make more tomorrow) and go to bed, hopefully the fireworks are over for the night, the dogs haven't liked them going off tonight.
heddwch
G
Well smackdown went predictably. Actually worse than usual, mostly because Leland went to the front and drilled it on Woodward, I hung on his wheel in 2nd, not a problem but a lot of work. We got to the farm, you know where those three little water main covers are that one of us (me) always nails perfectly, that place, a gap opened that I couldn't shut down. Just. couldn't. close. the. gap.
flicked elbow and jason john and justin came through, I tried to get on justin's wheel... I managed to do it but the timing was just at the little rise and the whole power to weight gods totally smacked me down and i just watched them ride off.
Not even close to contact at the turn at the end of prospect. So even FARTHER to ride alone than last week. Legs right now feel more jacked and sore and destroyed than they have in a long time. Good thing? Perhaps? Maybe it is because I came home, drank a protein shake (kid doesn't like it - someone's gotta use that expensive shit up before it goes bad) then warmed up some left over chili put my feet up and watched the last 2/3s of District 9 (the movie).
When i got up at the end there, oh man my legs, shredded.
No more TV tonight.
Riding around all I can think of is what is wrong, why am I so slow, would getting a coach help, no i don't have power, none of them can help w/o it anymore. Besides I know I need better stim and better recovery. Maybe I need to give up on Smackdown, say forget it. Stop trying. I'm not as fast as I was 5 years ago and at that point i was just barely able to hold on. I mean I was 15-20 pounds lighter 5 years ago, but mechanically and physically i'm holding together much better at this weight. I know I I can go down a little more in weight and the scale is ticking in the correct direction, a pound or so every week or three. or four, or not at all. skinny shorts are fitting a little better than they were a couple months ago so that's at least a positive sign. Can't help but wonder if there's some underlying physical issue beyond just getting old.
It is kind of depressing, not clinically, more of the disheartening/discouraging variety when I'm on the bike right now. and no the black blue wasn't any faster, perhaps even slower.
Not sure what's going to happen with the TT and my legs and brain.
Maybe I'll pull it together.
Managed to catch the timing just right and watched the kid's race. 3rd. Needed to be 2nd to move on to the finals, but they held off 4th and for having only been in the boat together for a couple weeks and being 3 years under the age cap for the U17 junior race, that's pretty fucking good. Super proud and stoked.
That is her mother in her, the athlete. I'm a mechanic. I take things apart and put them together and make them work. I can't go fast. That's not me. makes me doubt the whole racing thing. Rides like today, couldn't even make it home with any reasonable headway and I'm seriously wondering why bother, what's the point. Gotta give it at least another go.
Maybe the running will help, maybe i need to cut out the smackdown and do other more specific stuff with manageable expectations, intervals on my own, targeted parameters that don't involve trying to ride at a level I will never be able to sustain.
I dunno... i'll keep thinking about it but not doing what I need to do to actually do it. But maybe the shop is slowing early this year...
not terribly positive, so i'm going to have some of the ice cream i made last night (i'll make more tomorrow) and go to bed, hopefully the fireworks are over for the night, the dogs haven't liked them going off tonight.
heddwch
G
mini-break
or a house to my self couple of days...
family has all headed off to Canada eh?! St Catherine specifically. I guess there some big rowing boat race thing. I am hanging out with the dogs.
Down side was I delayed making dinner, I wasn't hungry yet, until I was hungry and dinner wasn't close to ready.
But I ate enough, had some for lunch and still managed to make Ice Cream (and ate a little before bed). Watched a movie on that prime thing on the tv thing, a movie i couldn't watch with everyone else. Me and the dogs. Hanging out.
Doing dishes, laundry, plenty of other shit to do. Should probably make a trip to the home improvement place and buy a new garbage disposal. I have the plumbing bits to remove it totally but seems people are way too used to having it and my suggestion of making that permanent was met with a flat out 'NO' sigh. Oh well.
Not tonight though - it is smackdown tonight. Already some arguments about moving it earlier. Seems there was an appreciably higher level of car traffic with a 5pm start than a 5:30 start. We'll do the 5pm today - if it is super shitty i guess we'll move it back. But being solo i gotta head home and let the dogs out before the ride. Means an extra 10 miles or so but hey, call it a warm up eh?
I need them warm up things. Although I think perhaps I need to NOT ride to the TT on thursday given the whole being at home alone thing and the timing. Dogs aren't keen on hanging out alone for 12 hours. Although they might be fine, it probably isn't best to push it.
Aired up the tires on the black blue yesterday. Felt a wee bit easier - but who knows if that's reality or not. Does it feel better? a little yeah. So back to smackdown on this thing. only one chain ring and all that.
Had a weird instance with Flickr on Friday - tried again today and it worked, but something was def hanging up on it but my account and the folks I follow over there are BACK. Sure, a bit stagnated but keeping that connection feels important in someways.
Big announcement today: https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/landing/ioty-2019/ so that should be fun, and since I'm a judge there's no pressure to submit or feel bad about not winning.
Submitting stuff to the image contest last year was pretty disappointing. Realizing it was a full on popularity contest and the winners were all local society folks kind of felt a bit unfair. They changed it for this year but I'm not at the meeting and didn't submit anything this year.
I managed to get out and do some hill repeats on Sunday morning before work. Funny, a hard ride in the morning negatively impacts my work productivity in the afternoon. Go figure. But the hills felt good. Did it on the Crockett, better gearing for the hills (kind of) and CX specific power. Don't want to do those too frequently but seemed pretty high on the effectiveness. After the TT series is over on Thursday i think I'll start sticking some running in. Need to start slow, short duration and high frequency until the muscle soreness fades a bit. Emphasis on the starting slow part.
Couple more things to do today - had some weird dreams, slept okay but not perfectly. Been honestly feeling a bit off in some ways, weird strange ones. Def in a weird space now.
Finished the book called The Feed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071RQX5TL/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 uncomfortable but ultimately good. Nice tension, well developed story, a bit of a few plot twists and well crafted. Disturbing sort of but also good. I did listen to it and perhaps might be one of those if I was reading it i might not finish. Yeah I'm still trying to get through Virtual Light. No dice. Not engaged enough, probably need to audio those if I am going to make it through them. A bunch of books that I had on hold all got auto-checked out, so I need to read a bit to catch up. Probably better to do that than watch movies at home, but I can read when everyone is home and they are binge watching some reality TV (don't ask) there's something more relaxing about watching and letting the brain turn to mush for a bit than reading. Even if I'm reading while being in bed.
On the reading list now (aka checked out waiting for me to start/finish)
Dark Matter (Blake Crouch) Audio book
Throne of Glass (Sarah J Maes)
The Fallen (David Baldacci) (memory series book 4)
Virtual Light (Willam Gibson) *started - about halfway through maybe
Darkness Visible (William Styron) - rec from iworedettos - started page 1, it is short, but haven't made it further
okay - time to give some microscope instruction - lunch time (at my desk alone, eating and typing) is over.
Soundtrack for lunch has been:
heddwch
G
family has all headed off to Canada eh?! St Catherine specifically. I guess there some big rowing boat race thing. I am hanging out with the dogs.
Down side was I delayed making dinner, I wasn't hungry yet, until I was hungry and dinner wasn't close to ready.
But I ate enough, had some for lunch and still managed to make Ice Cream (and ate a little before bed). Watched a movie on that prime thing on the tv thing, a movie i couldn't watch with everyone else. Me and the dogs. Hanging out.
Doing dishes, laundry, plenty of other shit to do. Should probably make a trip to the home improvement place and buy a new garbage disposal. I have the plumbing bits to remove it totally but seems people are way too used to having it and my suggestion of making that permanent was met with a flat out 'NO' sigh. Oh well.
Not tonight though - it is smackdown tonight. Already some arguments about moving it earlier. Seems there was an appreciably higher level of car traffic with a 5pm start than a 5:30 start. We'll do the 5pm today - if it is super shitty i guess we'll move it back. But being solo i gotta head home and let the dogs out before the ride. Means an extra 10 miles or so but hey, call it a warm up eh?
I need them warm up things. Although I think perhaps I need to NOT ride to the TT on thursday given the whole being at home alone thing and the timing. Dogs aren't keen on hanging out alone for 12 hours. Although they might be fine, it probably isn't best to push it.
Aired up the tires on the black blue yesterday. Felt a wee bit easier - but who knows if that's reality or not. Does it feel better? a little yeah. So back to smackdown on this thing. only one chain ring and all that.
Had a weird instance with Flickr on Friday - tried again today and it worked, but something was def hanging up on it but my account and the folks I follow over there are BACK. Sure, a bit stagnated but keeping that connection feels important in someways.
Big announcement today: https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/landing/ioty-2019/ so that should be fun, and since I'm a judge there's no pressure to submit or feel bad about not winning.
Submitting stuff to the image contest last year was pretty disappointing. Realizing it was a full on popularity contest and the winners were all local society folks kind of felt a bit unfair. They changed it for this year but I'm not at the meeting and didn't submit anything this year.
I managed to get out and do some hill repeats on Sunday morning before work. Funny, a hard ride in the morning negatively impacts my work productivity in the afternoon. Go figure. But the hills felt good. Did it on the Crockett, better gearing for the hills (kind of) and CX specific power. Don't want to do those too frequently but seemed pretty high on the effectiveness. After the TT series is over on Thursday i think I'll start sticking some running in. Need to start slow, short duration and high frequency until the muscle soreness fades a bit. Emphasis on the starting slow part.
Couple more things to do today - had some weird dreams, slept okay but not perfectly. Been honestly feeling a bit off in some ways, weird strange ones. Def in a weird space now.
Finished the book called The Feed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071RQX5TL/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 uncomfortable but ultimately good. Nice tension, well developed story, a bit of a few plot twists and well crafted. Disturbing sort of but also good. I did listen to it and perhaps might be one of those if I was reading it i might not finish. Yeah I'm still trying to get through Virtual Light. No dice. Not engaged enough, probably need to audio those if I am going to make it through them. A bunch of books that I had on hold all got auto-checked out, so I need to read a bit to catch up. Probably better to do that than watch movies at home, but I can read when everyone is home and they are binge watching some reality TV (don't ask) there's something more relaxing about watching and letting the brain turn to mush for a bit than reading. Even if I'm reading while being in bed.
On the reading list now (aka checked out waiting for me to start/finish)
Dark Matter (Blake Crouch) Audio book
Throne of Glass (Sarah J Maes)
The Fallen (David Baldacci) (memory series book 4)
Virtual Light (Willam Gibson) *started - about halfway through maybe
Darkness Visible (William Styron) - rec from iworedettos - started page 1, it is short, but haven't made it further
okay - time to give some microscope instruction - lunch time (at my desk alone, eating and typing) is over.
Soundtrack for lunch has been:
heddwch
G
Friday, August 02, 2019
sound track for yesterday and this morning
with a bonus video of some REALLY cool shit
soundtrack:
Video:
Vorticity 2 (4K) from Mike Olbinski on Vimeo.
heddwch
G
soundtrack:
Video:
Vorticity 2 (4K) from Mike Olbinski on Vimeo.
heddwch
G
Thursday, August 01, 2019
The TT... also DAMN GARMIN
JP's Garmin that I need to probably give back at some point and get my own, decided that rather than track my meandering early to get to the time trial and longer but not easy route to the start, and then all the warm up efforts it was just going to crow flies bee line it to the start. GREAT.
At least it captured the actual TT. And my slow but steady improvement. And yes, it was an improvement. Only a handful of seconds faster but I also didn't feel horrible riding home and unlike that first week and the second week, I can actual move and function now that I'm home. It is almost as if my body is kind of starting to figure out the go hard for a short time thing. A bit of a stomach/gut cramp before during the TT but nothing I couldn't ignore once I heard "GO"
Would my times be better if i was on the old Paramount in TT mode? Yup. But doesn't matter. What matters is that improvement. Maybe I can find 20 seconds next week. Can try right?
The sensations pedaling are much better. Not going a whole hell of a lot faster but I am not 100% totally fucking useless after as in right now.
But I am still tired- at least the kids made dinner so there was something yummy to eat when I got home that I didn't have to make. Now to put what I didn't eat away and get some rest.
Back to crazy tomorrow.
heddwch
G
mid-week weekend?
Kind of in a way.
I scheduled time to do a project that has been in the works for 2+ years. And that was it.
Nothing else.
Stopped by the shop on the way home, didn't even build any bikes. Just went home (weather was looking shitty - turned out it didn't even rain on us).
Was strange, feeling the lightness, relaxed, a freedom from that dark cloud.
Flip side of this - is a bit of a backlog, a log jam building up. But fuck it. I'll get to it when I get to it. everyone else seems to be taking two weeks off.
Yeah - i think i could actually take 3 weeks off, I have that much vacation time accumulated, not counting other time i can take off.
So - slipping into neutral, turning the engine off, feels good.
And not unjustified.
Time to play with an air compressor.
Felt like documenting a good feeling.
TT tonight - maybe this lightness in heart and mind will translate into faster pedaling.
One thing I am doing differently. I'm riding to the start myself. Getting dropped on the way there is mentally bad. Might take the long way to get there. Backpack makes it less aero on the way but means I don't have to head back to the office on the way home. Worth it.
heddwch
G
I scheduled time to do a project that has been in the works for 2+ years. And that was it.
Nothing else.
Stopped by the shop on the way home, didn't even build any bikes. Just went home (weather was looking shitty - turned out it didn't even rain on us).
Was strange, feeling the lightness, relaxed, a freedom from that dark cloud.
Flip side of this - is a bit of a backlog, a log jam building up. But fuck it. I'll get to it when I get to it. everyone else seems to be taking two weeks off.
Yeah - i think i could actually take 3 weeks off, I have that much vacation time accumulated, not counting other time i can take off.
So - slipping into neutral, turning the engine off, feels good.
And not unjustified.
Time to play with an air compressor.
Felt like documenting a good feeling.
TT tonight - maybe this lightness in heart and mind will translate into faster pedaling.
One thing I am doing differently. I'm riding to the start myself. Getting dropped on the way there is mentally bad. Might take the long way to get there. Backpack makes it less aero on the way but means I don't have to head back to the office on the way home. Worth it.
heddwch
G
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