Time for some Plasma Cleaning

Which means I can't go anywhere and have to monitor the system for another 45 min or so.

On a friday afternoon.

ETD isn't working on the SEM. Not sure if it is the cage voltage or some debris is on the scintilator, so i'm running the chamber cleaning.

Was able to image some cool samples in non-ETD mode, after switching over from an SBF run overnight.

So I did sign up for the Freetown 50...  the Haaaahdest MTB race in New England.

Oh SHIT

kind of worried - but really not that worried but the wrong suggestion and then i'm worried but, am def back to NOT being worried, and very much looking forward to it.

Cooler by the car, 2 bottles on the bike, grab fresh bottles each lap, make some pedaling time. REALLY don't care how long it takes, just want to finish, finishing well would be good but so far it looks like i signed up for a Category of 1. YAY MOUNTAIN BICYCLING where EVERYONE HAS A CATEGORY. Mine? Clydesdale. 200+ pounds.

Am I? Yup, would I be STOKED not to be? Yup. Is it going to happen by Sunday? Not a chance. I think i could get food poisoning and purge everything between now and the start of the race and not eat anything and STILL not be under 200#s. And that's totally fine.

Gotta remember to get the trail side tools and shit together - aka plugs, tube, tire boot, chain tool, spare links...  punp... was gonna go with my old Jand hydration pack as a straight backpack (no bladder), but maybe saddle bag will work, or i dunno, i have a day+ to overthink that part.

Back feeling better has been a good thing. Got up stupid early this morning to see an awesome sunset, followed by a dense fog bank and then clearing right up all in the stretch of a headrace scrimmage for the kid's team.

This whole cutting back on coffee thing hasn't been bad. The urge def is more mental than physical, aka it is almost more I WANT more coffee than I need more coffee. After two days of just one cup at home I did move back to 2 but the big volume issue was once i left and either had 2 pot  day or a couple extra espressos from the machine upstairs.

Hmmm maybe I should grab some redbull for Sunday... ROCKETFUEL or not...  it really is just going to be more of a 50 mile MTB ride. Which is a long ride, no doubt, but also 3 laps. Kind of like a CX race, being able to hit the lines more than once and hopefully get them right by the end.

So - somewhat rested, back feeling better and fuck it - for less money than racing two 45 minute races at Gloucester I can get 4-6 hours of mt biking in and have it timed and recorded for everyone to say "hey he's still a slow mother fucker" but I can say - i had a blast.

Rode the Big Wheel bike more than not this week. Today? Yup, even locked it up at the store getting coffee (see cutting back meant I ran out today instead of like Tuesday).

Shit I even made a phone call today- like dialed the phone to see where the hell the damn garbage disposal is, it is not here yet. Next week maybe. This is maybe one of those times when I should have gone to the big shitty Cheetohead supporting box store and brought one home. But also, we're surviving, another week or so not the worst, not like I'm going to be able to install it this weekend anyway.
Now I have to call and schedule the Van to have the 'noise the tires are making' dealt with, also need to go back to platinum plugs instead of the irridium ones I put in. Might even just have to go to the local store and get them instead of ordering online. Shouldn't take too long to install, just did it last year.

And the plasma cleaning is done and there is no improvement in the detector so that's kind of shitty but not unexpected, one extra bit of info to add to the service visit on Tuesday.

Time to pedal home (really slowly on the huge bike with not quite fat but really fat tires)

heddwch
G