Final Day of 2011

the last of the year, sands in the hour glass are slipping away on 2011.

quite a year.

Different than 2010, and quite a remarkably better start.  Instead of losing the car, I won a couple pair of high zoot wheels.  one set of wheels carried me through a summer of TTs and a handful of crits, the other through a season of CX.

The car still was full of pain in the assedness.  First trying to pass inspection and now the broken spring and frozen strut tube, and now still sitting on parts.  A battle with this thing, a love hate relationship.  Resigned to it.  At least until things sort themselves out.  But then what to replace it with?  Not a question I can ponder now. although maybe i should pick up a pile of Power Ball tickets.

I did manage to get a ride in yesterday.  Was a ton of fun.  Planned on a road ride but then Syl rolled out of his house on his Scott 29r hard tail.  So me and the Croll with the 28c marathon tires (at 80spi - pumped em up for the ride) followed his training route and checked out a new off road loop that would work well for CX practice.  Except 80psi and road tires don't quite have great traction in pine needles or mud.  Still was fun. Definitely slowed him down in the sections on the trail (full fenders+ seat bag+ frame pump+ waterbottle = sub optimal cxing on an already heavy bike).  But made him pay on the bike path and a few intervals he tossed in there.  Couple 5 or 6 hill repeats on long gentle grades, I felt surprisingly good. Granted Syl's just starting his season, and mine just finished up so there's a bit of a miss-match.  But maybe I can work to keep this level and built on it for next year.  I won't be starting the year at 207, so maybe I can focus more on power, endurance and what not and less on dropping weight (but still not gaining any back).  Or I can just do what I've been doing and fuck around on the bike, putting life first and all those adult responsibilities the higher priority.  Kind of have to do that.  So we'll see how this all pans out.

It is supposed to start raining here soon. I'm not sure I am ready to ride in the rain just go get on the bike today.  Tomorrow looks pretty clear weather wise, might have to get out and pedal a bit.  No snow at all this year.  Just a bit around Halloween and the trace dusting on Christmas morning.

I am looking forward to 2012.  Lets see what new challenges the year brings.  But first we need to wrap up 2011.

heddwch
G

So good: Women's World Cup from Zolder

The Millennium Falcon is still sidelined

So after a few days of it being apart, I made a big circuit and picked up the used springs, strut compressors, a 17mm deep impact socket and a Makita 1/4" impact driver with a 1/2" adapter.

Trip wound up an extra 20+ miles or so when I found out that the driver wasn't where I was driving to, but that sorted itself out and i managed to do a much needed grocery run while out.

So I had ready to go everything I was hoping i would need.  Simple right? Just unbolt (driver worked perfectly - eventually - corrosion sucks) and put it all back together.

Problem is, there are a few bits that need to be re-used.  Specifically a 3-4cm long sleeve that acts as a spacer between the top cap and the bottom point.  Of the four possible ones to 're-use' (as per new gas tubes) three were completely and totally obliterated. Gone. Mushroomed into nothingness of rust.  Awesome.

And of course no one has them in stock, on hand, of course.  And of course this being the first run through with this particular job on the car I didn't know to be prepared to re-use them, honestly didn't even think there would be bits that I couldn't re-use.  Esp up in the top of the strut tower where most everything looked to be in decent shape (compared to the bottom).  Add to the equation that the parts had been replaced at least once before (the tubes at least) and maybe thinking the top bits would have been replaced at the same time.

I guess not.

So it sits.  Waiting on a delivery.  Options were paying extra 4x the cost for stuff tomorrow, or taking a chance that ground shipping would get the part here tomorrow, or the latest Monday.  2 day shipping would be the same, no faster.  Next day - yeah not going that route.   Other than going with the 4x more expensive part the third option would be to pick them up on the 5th.

Started off so simply.  Didn't need to cut anything to get the stuff out.  But the car now sits.  A bit longer, looking like a dune buggy with the rear end jacked up that high. On jack stands.

Waiting.

MFA trip yesterday was pretty cool.  So had hoped to button this back up today.

today started off so well, mood was good, optimistic.  BOOM crashing to the floor, haha, NO RESOLUTION FOR YOU!

Humph.

Gotta ride maybe. Mt Bike still isn't ready to go do anything, today - poof, no riding today. No riding since the 26th if you can call riding around doing laps waiting for no one to show riding.  I did get a hard lap in with Syl and a couple hard laps in with Burke so it wasn't a total waste of a day.  But that's been it.

Trying to stay positive, but all this shit is just making it tough. Oh and the keyboard on the laptop here got hosed with some apple cider.  I probably made it worse trying to clean it with windex instead of just going with water or IPA.  So now it is full size keyboard and mouse.  Decreases the portability/mobility of the laptop in a big way.  At least there are cheap new keyboards for the laptop on fleabay.  One more attempt at cleaning it with some ETOH and compressed air before that though.

New Years is coming up, locked into an event i'm not excited about in the afternoon.  But the other option is out of the question now that the race wagon Millennium Falcon is still out of commission.

Might just have to say f'it and go for a long solo ride tomorrow on the road to exercise the demons in my head.

It has been great watching kick ass racing from Belgium every other day.  Can't wait for tomorrow's race.  Definitely wish we were still racing locally.  Weather's freaking PERFECT down here.

But we're not.

And just those lucky few heading to Nationals and then to Lou'vull are keeping the edge sharp. Some how, maybe by going to Chicago this weekend.

Initially I kind of had in mind to do a bandit CX race today or Saturday, but that pretty much went out the window on Monday.

positive - gotta stay positive

heddwch
g

don't blink

not surprised

the shift key has apple juice under it. i'm not bothering trying to capitalize the web log today.
e e cummings style bitches

today there was a bandit cross race.  someone (me) fell off the wagon and landed in a mug full of equal parts coffee and powers whisky after a few celebration ales from sierra nevada, and as a result, someone was up wicked late last night, didn't sleep much and woke up with a solid hangover.  worth it i suppose.  got up. said fuck it and got dressed and headed out to do some laps and see if the wind did anything to the course yesterday.

got an hour of riding in.  there's a lot of turning on the course. a full mile long with the basic layout and honestly some tricky bits.  little elevation to speak of but lots of sand and shitty traction in most of the turns.

actually a pretty fucking fun little circuit. i wish i'd worked this hard to lay something out earlier in the season.

it would so totally work well to run a full usac race on. parking is good, land use is light esp this time of year, no neighbors to bitch and moan, idyllic setting, natural dismount features and lots of space to really work up a slick course with tape and stakes.

we'll see if it happens.

got some turning in, drank some coffee, watched Zolder (in kit from the morning - chamois time is training time right?) zolder was fucking insane. sven eating it on the pavement there at the end kind of sucked for him, usa dudes weren't really anywhere close to the top, but big boom was there and did well until he must be racing on my plan - blow up and drift way back.

after zolder i took a nap. got up ate a pumpkin brioche -was supposed to bring them to dinner yesterday, oops- made some more coffee, stuck my thermos mug, a water bottle and phone and stopwatch in my jacket pockets and headed out.  rode around from 12:15 until Syl showed up at 20 of maybe. he had to be home at 1 so i took him around the course.  his big fat 29er tires hooked up much nicer in the loose sand than the cx wheels but the course has plenty of power flat straight stuff where the cx bike is an advantage.  we did the course a few times, then burke showed up a few minutes late, syl left and burke and i did a handful of laps some faster than others, went and rode the other course across the bike path and i headed back home.

that was it. carl who said he would absolutely be there bailed. solobreak's threat to invade the house afterwards -it was ready for the old fart invasion- was an empty one...

i knew few if anyone would show up. but to be honest i was surprised kind of how disappointing it was to not have more than chris and syl show up. more so because it just brings up the old feelings i've tried to bury. having a party and no one showing up...  yeah everyone is busy, hanging with their kids, at their parents house, recovering from the day before or what not.  it is what it is, i didn't really expect anyone to show up.  it is in rhode island for fucks sake, no one leaves the greater boston area to come down here for a  bandit race.  that's silly.

the course is awesome, i'm sure rooter or myerspace would tear it up w/o any challenge, but i've been doing this cx thing for a while...  and i had fun with my course, it challenged me in areas i need work on -turning- but also played into my strengths of sprint, turn sprint turn sprint turn sprint turn with a couple good high speed pavement sections.

so i may not bother trying to do this again, can't take the let down, fuck it, i'm too fragile and emotional, for this shit.  but i'll be out there turning laps when i can... maybe not this year...  definitely next year.  maybe i'll even try and put together support and permitting to make it happen this time -on a saturday or sunday- next year. at least then if there's a bikereg thing i'll know in advance if people aren't going to be there.  it is like my brithday parties that no one ever came to. probably best that i didn't actually get to plan my own birthday party...  that wedding saved me from the let down and realization that all my good friends live too far away to show up for something like that

getting kind of grumpy about not going to nationals. sure i have no shot or prayer at being anywhere of any significance in any race there, but, it is nationals... worlds too.

i also realized that usac is getting money from a bunch of cx racers who would normally wait a few more months to renew their license.....  moving nats to jan gets them more cash sooner.

working desperately hard to stay positive with moderate success. laying out the course, practicing the turns, tweaking it, was a hell of a lot of fun. i can selfishly revel in my creation and keep it all to myself and i will

besides if people actually show up to a bandit race... well i'd get my ass kicked. as long as no one shows up i'm king of my course, no one can beat me.

heddwch
g

pre-ride post raking

When all ya got is oak trees and piles of leaves...  you make it work

Merry Christmas Everyone

I wish everyone the best.  It is cold and sunny here today on the eve of Christmas...  Good day for reading, playing with legos, snuggling with the dog and being a lazy bum drinking coffee and farting around on the internet (current activities of the house at the moment).

Nadolig Llawen
G

'bandit' CX racing?

well why not...  the one person who was "NO QUESTION I WILL BE THERE" is now sort of waffling, but i'll be there. 1pm. Haines Memorial Park in Barrington, over by the boat launch (look at the sat image in maps and it will be pretty clear where we're talking about).  A couple options depending on who shows up as far as courses and what not.

Dec 26th.  1pm.  Haines Park boat launch.

might just be me, but ya know what? i'm cool with that

No prizes, no medals, no categories, no fame, no press, just bikes... (I will say i kind of like the course I've laid out)

also only a few cones some raked up clean lines - planning a few laps at warm up pace to get a feel for the course... then we'll see what happens

this is cyclocross

just watch it in full screen...



This makes me want to order a set of FMB super muds... makes me want to train... makes me already look forward to next season, despite what is almost a full season left for the Pros.

great video from a consistently great source...

Last year...

hit full screen... sit back...  it was fun.

Thank You

I have been distinctly filled with gratitude this week.  For all my friends and family.  Cyclocross Family and the normal kind too.  For new friends and for the old friends who some how still keep putting up with me.

I can't really express my thanks enough other than just to say

Thank You.

all of you.

if you said hi, yelled/cheered my name while I was race, read this thing, thank you.

My life and journey on this planet, this short brief glimpse of time in the grand cosmic scheme of things has been made better by everyone around me.  An all inclusive thank you.

heddwch
-GeWilli

So much

To say, to write, to get down.  After a couple weeks of not the best sleep, stress and other stuff things feel different.  They aren't much different though.  Car is now broken again and the parts are pretty hard to find (rear spring for a wagon in a 2 year USA model run).  But it will work out.  No races to go to for now.

Couple things since I don't have time to write a proper introspective pile of words that no one really cares to read....

After this weekend you've got a Wonder Boy and Nasty Man taking turns standing on the top step of the podium on two of the most epic true Cyclocross (why we love this f'n sport) Races.

That video just seems freaking so appropriate now, both had been written off as washed up BOOM (yeah he showed up and got crushed - but BOOM for those two).

First Check this link.

Then this one.

I'm dying laughing at the second one with the first one setting the stage.  So funny...

Oh and in between WATCH OUT FOR THAT... doh! (smart horse)

One more...

After a bit of twittering last night Chip said something about his wife coming into the garage like she was driving the Millennium Falcon.  No way his wife would drive something that ratty looking.

The quote from Star Wars (i ain't calling it by that new fancy rename, it will always be Star Wars to me) "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid."  (Han Solo to Luke).

That rusty race wagon with the busted rear spring...  yeah Chewbacca here (me) fixes it and keeps it running.  And yeah, it will make your ears hurt when it pulls into a race, and lay down a bitching smoke screen in the winter for a geataway (stops smoking after it starts driving, don't worry - Chewy is working on the fix for that).  But man it still has a decent top end for an old girl.  Motor purrs along.

The Rattling Rusty Race Wagon is now here by Dubbed: The Millennium Falcon.

And yes.  I did see Star Wars, IN THE THEATRE, the first time around.  At the Tacoma Mall.  I still remember it.

post race portrait

post race portrait, originally uploaded by kristof ramon.

And that's how it look like it feels after a race like that (or so I would imagine)

Tim Johnson post race

Tim Johnson post race, originally uploaded by kristof ramon.

TIMMIE

Jonathan Page post race

Jonathan Page post race, originally uploaded by kristof ramon.

now that looks like he was in a Cross Race.

challenging combo

Today with the 20 mph sustained winds gusting to close to 40 mph right exactly dead on as a head wind, coupled with the trailer made for a ride that wasn't exactly what I normally plan for a day before the race. 10 mph, 159 HR, on flat level ground (not the whole thing but there were a good handful of miles like that). Got a few recovery sections with the downhill sheltered from the wind but that was about it.

Stopped to grab a few shots of the blue blue blue water... and tired a self timer shot.  First attempt the camera blew off the fence post.  Second and third I stuck it down on the grass looking up against the fence post. Crappy results.  Ah well.

Pretty amazing day out there. Really.

Beethoven's Birthday is today.  So I'm making an attempt to listen to his works.  But my pretty solid Beethoven CD collection is still on CDs, and at home.  Pandora is sort of working, Spotify helped with the Emperor, King.org wasn't as much help as I had hoped.  They are playing Kodaly's Symphony in C right now.  not quite Beethoven.

A change from the regular audio emanations in the office.

Sleep still has been elusive lately. Probably not the greatest sign for Saturday, but hey, maybe tonight will be different.

here are the shots from this morning...

one more

One more official race on the calendar for me.  Not a hugely packed race, only 14 of the baby masters, but a decent representation from front to back, reg doesn't close till tonight at 5pm, and there will probably be a few more that sign up.  Weather looks to be actually cross like too, cool.  A bit of rain today to make sure it isn't dry and dusty.  I didn't race there last year (was in Seattle for the Concerts). I'm not headed out west this year, and even though I missed last weekend (Ice Weasels and DAS Beer Cross) I can't wrap it up yet.

Just have to race again.

Not sure how much I like the segregation of the races, going to miss hanging out with folks that only race the races on Sunday, but I can't make Sunday so that's not much of a factor.

The commute the last couple days have been focused hard commutes. And actually enjoyable.  We'll see if the trailer lasts through the winter though.  Already have blown out one zipper in the back.

But the whole missing the Seattle concerts seemed like a good idea, stay home, be with the family, the girls just finished a crazy week of Nutcracker, wife's working on Sunday, being gone from Thursday until Tuesday with Christmas as close on the heals of the weekend just didn't seem like the right thing to do for this side, and the last trip out there was for the wedding and that was a bit of stress which is probably still residually (sic) hanging on.  But now, now that the choice is made, I'm having some regrets about not going, these concerts me a lot to many many people, (many thousands actually).  But then I haven't pulled out the violin in a while to practice.  But then that's where the whole talent comes in.  Natural ability and muscle memory don't usually fail me.  I can't play like my sister the Pro plays but like with everything else, I don't suck...  and people appreciate musicians who don't suck.

Look for an announcement for a few bandit CX "races." Officially not races, mostly because i don't think i'll have an official permit for the use of the park, and there'll be a few cones and course that Paul Curley would win because there won't be stakes or tape and he's just skip the beach run, the stairs and probably turn a tree or too sooner.  BUT.  Honestly it should be pretty f'n fun.  Might not be a 7 min lap for the 'pros' but it will be more than 2 minutes and incorporate everything.  Sand, barriers, turns, pavement.

First edition is looking to be the 26th.  Probably around mid-day (can't miss the live Euro CX race that morning).

If it goes well there will be more, Sundays likely.  Until we get kicked out (and then I'll find another spot).  And now that I've added the beach and the stairs there is a touch of elevation and...  actually potential for a totally baller real race.

Okay - got some introspective shit coming up about art and impact and other stuff that came out of a meeting yesterday...  want to write about it but, well we'll see what happens.

heddwch
G

Tonight

Same spot as the last one.

No racing this weekend, lots of time to think.

There's good and bad to go along with that, esp for an over-thinker.

Great ride home...

That park bench I propped it on seems to be a bit closer to level than the railing angle I tried last time.

Pretty spectacular sky.  Would have been amazing to grab a shot with the lighthouse in the foreground but, nope, besides, we've all seen that a few times before (here).

Ride home was good, wicked hard a few places.  Motor pacing with the trailer isn't easy.  But that's the point.  I've got at least till April to make it easy.  Discipline.  Trailer = weight training.  Focus.

Focus.

Maximize every second on the bike.  Make each pedal stroke count, make it mean something.  But never.

EVER

ever forgetting that riding is pretty damn awesome.

Signboard meme today:

You can't buy happiness. 

But you can buy a bicycle.  

And that is pretty close.

yes it is, it is pretty close...

heddwch
G

Stem angle

remember me and cranking about the stem angle?

yeah...

guess what?  I looked at some pictures from Ice Weasels last year.  Stem was up.

And then I remembered.

I f'n flipped the damn stem before that first TT I did on the CX bike this summer.

And...

I

NEVER

FLIPPED

IT

BACK

such

an

idiot

*facepalm*