I took the good old road bike out yesterday for the gorgeous ride that is the Amana ride. Let me say this though, while gorgeous there is a ton of climbing on the way out to drop into the valley. Then on the way home you have to climb out of it. The you roll across some big Iowa hills to get back to Solon. I clocked it in at around 3:15 which isn't trucking, but at 61 miles for the ride it ain't bad. Oh and almost got blasted by some lady head on. That was awesome. Probably the first time I've ever flipped someone off out of anger instead of just joking around.
The old road bike is still ticking along well, but I have some money coming my way and I already have a b*tchin' new handlebar/stem setup that is going to rip. I just can't turn down a good deal! Anyways as much as I've been riding road this year it's probably time to make the switch. The Gios will not be being retired though. It is going to be "restored" as close as possible back to it's original state. I use quotations because I'm not going to use the original Gios blue. I'm going to get the original decal package and then go from there.
Anyways it sounds like Banner Lakes got the rain it needed as opposed to getting trounced which is awesome. I don't know what gearing to run, but I'm going to get out there for the am pre-ride to check it out and get an idea. I'll be heading that way after work on Saturday and staying with the Short Cake's sister/brother-in-law/nephew/and niece. I'm looking forward to racing.
Resting today with short ride into work and back, then hitting it hard again tomorrow.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Indy
Went over to Indianapolis this weekend to watch the 500. Most people look at auto racing and automatically think of NASCAR. This race is anything but. Imagine over three weeks of testing, qualifying, and racing. That's some serious business. Anyways I stayed at the farm as usual, and as usual got put to work after a late night Saturday night. We hit it off right, woke up early and then hit the yard for a couple of hours. John hadn't mowed his lawn for a week or so and it was looking long. I got weed wacking duty. Sounds easy enough, but the farm is a big place with a lot of buildings to go around.
After that I got to bust out the ladder and slap in some screens. That took about another hour or so. After that John called his friend Leo over to school Greg and I in some cribbage. Yeah yeah you're saying cribbage is for old people. Not so. Cribbage is for people looking to have a good time and drink some beer and count some cards. Probably the best card game ever.
Sunday brought around race day which brings about pandemonium. 300,000 fans and the 100th year since the inception of the Indy 500. Things filled up fast. The race was a little slow action wise for most, but I always dig it. Listening to those motors makes your hair stand on end. Easily one of the most awesome sounds ever. The only thing better are probably F1 cars or Moto GP bikes.
Needless to say I ate well, drank better, and had awesome company as usual. There is magic out there I tell you. Indy is a special place. Enough with the fluffy stuff.
Anyways that came right after a pretty intensive round of training. I hit it super hard 5 days before and could have used more over the weekend. That's life I guess. At least now the muscles are topped off with glycogen and such. The legs felt good today and I tempo'd home in the rain at a good pace. I've really been digging riding gears recently. I know that is a travesty and all, but my legs have really been digging the tempo thing. Especially at higher efforts.
Tomorrow will probably bring rain and crap. I don't know the status of the Indianola race this weekend so we'll have to see. I'm going to get out no matter what and straight blaze 2 hours on the bike. I need some super high levels of intensity. We're talking puking levels. And I don't puke while riding. I'm going to try tomorrow. I'm feeling a new road bike.
Pro SL.
After that I got to bust out the ladder and slap in some screens. That took about another hour or so. After that John called his friend Leo over to school Greg and I in some cribbage. Yeah yeah you're saying cribbage is for old people. Not so. Cribbage is for people looking to have a good time and drink some beer and count some cards. Probably the best card game ever.
Sunday brought around race day which brings about pandemonium. 300,000 fans and the 100th year since the inception of the Indy 500. Things filled up fast. The race was a little slow action wise for most, but I always dig it. Listening to those motors makes your hair stand on end. Easily one of the most awesome sounds ever. The only thing better are probably F1 cars or Moto GP bikes.
Needless to say I ate well, drank better, and had awesome company as usual. There is magic out there I tell you. Indy is a special place. Enough with the fluffy stuff.
Anyways that came right after a pretty intensive round of training. I hit it super hard 5 days before and could have used more over the weekend. That's life I guess. At least now the muscles are topped off with glycogen and such. The legs felt good today and I tempo'd home in the rain at a good pace. I've really been digging riding gears recently. I know that is a travesty and all, but my legs have really been digging the tempo thing. Especially at higher efforts.
Tomorrow will probably bring rain and crap. I don't know the status of the Indianola race this weekend so we'll have to see. I'm going to get out no matter what and straight blaze 2 hours on the bike. I need some super high levels of intensity. We're talking puking levels. And I don't puke while riding. I'm going to try tomorrow. I'm feeling a new road bike.
Pro SL.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Today = 25.
Today I turn 25. What does that mean? A quarter century down and no significant change to the world's policies, beliefs or anything else for that matter. I'm getting "older" and don't give a flying crap one way or the other. If by older it means getting stronger, then I'm all for it. I've been working my butt of to get fit, stay fit, and train within bounds my body has never reached or felt.
One thing about cycling is time is a great factor. If you keep riding you will get faster. There will be times when you are slow. There will be times when you are fast. If you keep riding and training year round you will ineveitably get stronger. You will get more comfortable. I am on an upsweep that started 4 years ago and is still moving forwards. My legs aren't all there yet. Mentally I feel great.
Last night I got dropped off of College Green group ride so hard that some would probably shell out and quit. I mean bad habit. I mean guttered to the 'enth degree. Yoyo'd off the back. Making the dumbest decisions on which wheels to grab and not being able to do anything about it. My legs were toast. This came after 4 previously rough days of windy (both pronunciations of the word) roads and two days of big gear SS mountain bike riding. I saw that the old Creepy was rolling a similar gear up at Iola. Maybe I'm getting a little stronger. Maybe a little dumber.
Either way cheers to all of those hitting the grind and the pedals today. This is to you oh Biker Guy who rides his bike everyday. Keep getting on that saddle and riding. It'll only make you stronger. Maybe. Or dumber.
Life lesson of being 25- Riding mountain bike fixies with huge gears can be the dumbest decision you ever make. Think long and hard before you do.
Hair cut.
One thing about cycling is time is a great factor. If you keep riding you will get faster. There will be times when you are slow. There will be times when you are fast. If you keep riding and training year round you will ineveitably get stronger. You will get more comfortable. I am on an upsweep that started 4 years ago and is still moving forwards. My legs aren't all there yet. Mentally I feel great.
Last night I got dropped off of College Green group ride so hard that some would probably shell out and quit. I mean bad habit. I mean guttered to the 'enth degree. Yoyo'd off the back. Making the dumbest decisions on which wheels to grab and not being able to do anything about it. My legs were toast. This came after 4 previously rough days of windy (both pronunciations of the word) roads and two days of big gear SS mountain bike riding. I saw that the old Creepy was rolling a similar gear up at Iola. Maybe I'm getting a little stronger. Maybe a little dumber.
Either way cheers to all of those hitting the grind and the pedals today. This is to you oh Biker Guy who rides his bike everyday. Keep getting on that saddle and riding. It'll only make you stronger. Maybe. Or dumber.
Life lesson of being 25- Riding mountain bike fixies with huge gears can be the dumbest decision you ever make. Think long and hard before you do.
Hair cut.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
H1N1
Not to be confused with M1A1. My computer got itself some swine flu. A dose of me f'ing with it for a week and sucumbing to taking it to the shop got it better. That and a half gB of RAM never hurts. Not much going on in my world other than theorizing the impending zombie apocolypse stemming from this outbreak of swine flu. Umbrella Corp is behind it and I know it. Too much Resident Evil 5 and Zombie Strippers for sure.
The computer is better and everything in bike land is feeling great. The 'Fly is well and now a new carbon project is being cobbled together in my head. Let me drop the hint that I'm glad I switched when I did.
Drank some PBR and GB Premium tonight. Rode my bike with no lights in the dark which was sweet. I am on a imposed 3 week fixie recovery plan as well. I read a mind breaking article on single speed bikes/riding a couple of weeks ago which went along with my early season/new bike assumptions. The beer thing is a humongous plus. Thanks GTed. And that BA guy from Twin Six.
Glad to be back.
The computer is better and everything in bike land is feeling great. The 'Fly is well and now a new carbon project is being cobbled together in my head. Let me drop the hint that I'm glad I switched when I did.
Drank some PBR and GB Premium tonight. Rode my bike with no lights in the dark which was sweet. I am on a imposed 3 week fixie recovery plan as well. I read a mind breaking article on single speed bikes/riding a couple of weeks ago which went along with my early season/new bike assumptions. The beer thing is a humongous plus. Thanks GTed. And that BA guy from Twin Six.
Glad to be back.
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