Man, I just looked at my last post date, I can't freakin believe that it's been so long between posts. Then again, when I think about it, I guess "time in the saddle has been a bit slow" as well. I had great plans to spend ample time on the bike the weekend after Ididaride. That Saturday, I loaded my SS in the back of my dad's beater, old-school, Nissan pick up truck and headed for the trails at Alafia. The plan was to ride solo and to ride fast; especially since I arrived at the park at 4:00 p.m., only to be informed at the gate that the park would be closing at 5:30 p.m.
So I jumped on the trails and rolled through everything (except Gatorback) without stopping. Things felt great at first, but later in ride I experienced what I can only explain as... discomfort. There was no pain involved, I just didn't feel... right. After just over an hour of shreddin-it-up, I threw my bike back in the truck and headed home to prepare for the next day's self-planned self-supported 50.
6:00 a.m. seemed to arrive way to soon on Sunday morning. Nevertheless, I dragged my ass out of bed and get my act together. Kevin and Ryan arrived at 8:30 a.m., and the three of us hit the road (literally) at approximately 9:00 a.m. I had planned what proved to be a 33 mile route along back roads, from my place in Palmetto, to the Boyette trail head in Lithia. zfirst thing I noticed, almost immediately upon starting the ride, was that my legs felt like concrete. The other thing I noticed was that I couldn't quite seem to get the boyz comfortably situated on the saddle. Again, no pain involved... just discomfort.
We arrived at the Boyette trail head, hooked up with another fellow rider, refilled the camel backs, and hit the trail; the goal was to accumulate another 17 miles of dirt. So, we set out to ride the usual along with a healthy dose of the new Canyon and Ridgeline trails. Surprisingly, my legs seemed to "loosen up" as I hit SST; the discomfort disappeared and I was back to feeling like my old self again. The rest of the day at Boyette was fast and fun. The actual mileage count at the end of the ride was just over 46 miles, and I'm pleased to report that, for me, the day was incident, and best of all, cramp free. Pleased with my ride performance and results, I headed home to refuel with some good food and good company.
It was later that evening that the discomfort I experienced while riding would return; only this time with pain. I won't go into detail as to the exact location of my "issue", but let's just say that any male reading this post would cringe to know the coordinates of the exact location. Man, was I worried; especially when the pain continued well into the week. Later in the week I decided that the best thing to do was to take an entire weekend off the bike, and to try rehabbing with some good old-fashioned rest.
The following Saturday I had the privilege of helping out our local racing guru, Harvey Minton, as part of his pit crew for the 12 Hours of Santos race. For those of you that don't already know, Harvey rides for Independent Fab., as does his teammate, Harlan Price, a very cool guy and also the overall winner of the 12 Hours of Santos Race. Unfortunately, Harvey ended up pulling-the-plug on the race just before dark set in... things just weren't adding up for him; however, his lap-times were fast and consistent. In the end Harvey earned an 8th place overall finish. The entire race experience was a blast and also a real eye opener. I got to see first-hand just how hard a 12 hour solo racer has to push if he or she is to earn a spot amongst the top 10; not to mention dealing with any potential mechanical and barring a crash issue. Congratulations to Harlan Price for his overall win, and to Harvey Minton for his 8th place overall finish.
Now, to go make preparations for the upcoming.... shh, its a secret!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
2009 Tour De Felasco Ride Review
As expected, this year's Tour De Felasco was a blast. The trails were in primo condition and the weather was fantastic. As always, the volunteers did an excellent job of laying out the ride course and providing top-notch support for all participants. So, before continuing with this write up, I wish to send out a sincere "THANK YOU" to each and every individual who devoted time to make this year's TDF happen.
Let me begin by confessing that the TDF is the ride I look most forward to each year. And who would blame me? With miles of beautiful twisty single track, long sustained climbing, quick technical sections, and many outstanding vistas that leave you wondering when (exactly) you crossed the state line into parts of Northwest Georgia, the trails at San Felasco Hammock State Preserve offer a little something for everyone.
Preparations for this year's tour officially started back in October of 2008. I began pushing a bit harder during each weekend ride, I started logging more dirt and road miles to get the ole legs ready for a 5 - 6 hour ordeal, and I modified my diet to help drop about 10 lb before the ride. Finally, as a precursor to the TDF, On January 3, 2009 I participated in the NK ride during which I (comfortably) logged 61.9 miles; I felt that I was ready, "Bring on the Tour!"
I had originally planned to do this year's ride alongside my friends Kevin (Q Factor) and Wayne (YaMon). Unfortunately, fate would simply not have it this year, and so the night before the tour Q Factor fell victim to major mechanical issues with both his bicycles. With the clock ticking away until the ride start, Q had no choice but to pull-the-plug on his ride, and just like that our group of three had been whittled down... and then there were two.
YaMon and I arrived at San Felasco at approximately 8:20 a.m. After quickly saying saying hello to a few new pals, Luis (Mucaro), Marcel (Sandpine), and Mike (MkSandoz), we rushed over to registration and then got suited up for the ride. I'm pretty sure that the temperature was in the high 30's to low 40's at the ride start. To put in plainly, it was a bit nippley out. Fortunately, it didn't take long to warm up, as I tried (for a while) to keep pace with Karlos (Naked Indian) and his Shaolin Fixie of Fury. My attempt, although worthy, would eventually prove unsuccessful, as I was dropped immediately upon exiting the first section of single track. In my effort to stay on NI's wheel, I had gotten way out in front of YaMon; once he caught up we began the climb across / up a section of open prairie which took us through sections of Tung Nut and eventually to the first SAG.
After topping-off my camel back and munching on a few peanut M&Ms, we rolled out and mashed our way through the remainder of Tung Nut, Odd Buck, and Ravine Trail. If memory serves me correctly, the next SAG was about 5 - 6 miles away and I was determined to ride hard through these fun technical sections (whilst) keeping YaMon in sight). My steed of choice for this year's tour was my new, full rigid (and first 29er) Karate Monkey. Gearing selection was 32x19, a bit conservative I must admit; however, this was my first long ride on a 29er SS and I wanted to be able to handle everything that Felasco might throw at me (without having to hike-a-bike).
I was thoroughly enjoying the ride on 29" wheels; let's face it, nothing beats the feel of a full rigid SS through fast single track (IMHO). Shortly after rolling away from SAG #2, I hooked up with a group of familiar looking guys on gearies who were plugging along at a good fast pace. Both YaMon and I were easily able to hang with this group. In fact, at some point, the dude in front of me moved over to the right to let me by. My chest swelled-up with pride when he said, "Holy Sh*t, you're on a SS! What gear are you turning?" Well, as they say, pride is a sin. It wasn't too long after passing this rider (shortly before the lunch SAG) that I began to feel that slight twinge in my left hamstring. With 25 miles down and 25 miles remaining, it quickly became apparent that cramping was inevitable. WTF? How could this be? I had hydrated plenty before the ride, I had logged plenty of miles in the saddle, and I was consuming the proper amount of electrolytes. My best guess is the slightly different position on my 29er vs. my geared 26er.
In an effort to fight-off the cramping, I decided to make good use of the lunch SAG. I avoided the spicy Vegetarian Chili. I ate only natural food in small manageable amounts. Finally, I made it a point to stretch each leg before jumping back on the bike. For the final 25 miles, YaMon and I decided to tag along with Anthem 1 (Scott), FACTORe (Jonathon), and Dan - o (Dan). Anthem 1 only hung around for the first few miles; eventually he got bored with our sluggish pace and decided to drop it into high gear. Somewhere along the line he grabbed on to NI's wheel, and it was the last we would see of either of them for the remainder of the ride.
The rest of the ride was fairly non-climactic; no crashes, no bonks... no major acceleration. I was able to complete the ride without suffering from major cramps, and only had to get off the bike once to hike up a climb. All in all, I must say that I was happy with my performance, although it did take longer to complete the ride than I had originally hoped.
Here's a list of things I plan to do differently next year:
Let me begin by confessing that the TDF is the ride I look most forward to each year. And who would blame me? With miles of beautiful twisty single track, long sustained climbing, quick technical sections, and many outstanding vistas that leave you wondering when (exactly) you crossed the state line into parts of Northwest Georgia, the trails at San Felasco Hammock State Preserve offer a little something for everyone.
Preparations for this year's tour officially started back in October of 2008. I began pushing a bit harder during each weekend ride, I started logging more dirt and road miles to get the ole legs ready for a 5 - 6 hour ordeal, and I modified my diet to help drop about 10 lb before the ride. Finally, as a precursor to the TDF, On January 3, 2009 I participated in the NK ride during which I (comfortably) logged 61.9 miles; I felt that I was ready, "Bring on the Tour!"
I had originally planned to do this year's ride alongside my friends Kevin (Q Factor) and Wayne (YaMon). Unfortunately, fate would simply not have it this year, and so the night before the tour Q Factor fell victim to major mechanical issues with both his bicycles. With the clock ticking away until the ride start, Q had no choice but to pull-the-plug on his ride, and just like that our group of three had been whittled down... and then there were two.
YaMon and I arrived at San Felasco at approximately 8:20 a.m. After quickly saying saying hello to a few new pals, Luis (Mucaro), Marcel (Sandpine), and Mike (MkSandoz), we rushed over to registration and then got suited up for the ride. I'm pretty sure that the temperature was in the high 30's to low 40's at the ride start. To put in plainly, it was a bit nippley out. Fortunately, it didn't take long to warm up, as I tried (for a while) to keep pace with Karlos (Naked Indian) and his Shaolin Fixie of Fury. My attempt, although worthy, would eventually prove unsuccessful, as I was dropped immediately upon exiting the first section of single track. In my effort to stay on NI's wheel, I had gotten way out in front of YaMon; once he caught up we began the climb across / up a section of open prairie which took us through sections of Tung Nut and eventually to the first SAG.
After topping-off my camel back and munching on a few peanut M&Ms, we rolled out and mashed our way through the remainder of Tung Nut, Odd Buck, and Ravine Trail. If memory serves me correctly, the next SAG was about 5 - 6 miles away and I was determined to ride hard through these fun technical sections (whilst) keeping YaMon in sight). My steed of choice for this year's tour was my new, full rigid (and first 29er) Karate Monkey. Gearing selection was 32x19, a bit conservative I must admit; however, this was my first long ride on a 29er SS and I wanted to be able to handle everything that Felasco might throw at me (without having to hike-a-bike).
I was thoroughly enjoying the ride on 29" wheels; let's face it, nothing beats the feel of a full rigid SS through fast single track (IMHO). Shortly after rolling away from SAG #2, I hooked up with a group of familiar looking guys on gearies who were plugging along at a good fast pace. Both YaMon and I were easily able to hang with this group. In fact, at some point, the dude in front of me moved over to the right to let me by. My chest swelled-up with pride when he said, "Holy Sh*t, you're on a SS! What gear are you turning?" Well, as they say, pride is a sin. It wasn't too long after passing this rider (shortly before the lunch SAG) that I began to feel that slight twinge in my left hamstring. With 25 miles down and 25 miles remaining, it quickly became apparent that cramping was inevitable. WTF? How could this be? I had hydrated plenty before the ride, I had logged plenty of miles in the saddle, and I was consuming the proper amount of electrolytes. My best guess is the slightly different position on my 29er vs. my geared 26er.
In an effort to fight-off the cramping, I decided to make good use of the lunch SAG. I avoided the spicy Vegetarian Chili. I ate only natural food in small manageable amounts. Finally, I made it a point to stretch each leg before jumping back on the bike. For the final 25 miles, YaMon and I decided to tag along with Anthem 1 (Scott), FACTORe (Jonathon), and Dan - o (Dan). Anthem 1 only hung around for the first few miles; eventually he got bored with our sluggish pace and decided to drop it into high gear. Somewhere along the line he grabbed on to NI's wheel, and it was the last we would see of either of them for the remainder of the ride.
The rest of the ride was fairly non-climactic; no crashes, no bonks... no major acceleration. I was able to complete the ride without suffering from major cramps, and only had to get off the bike once to hike up a climb. All in all, I must say that I was happy with my performance, although it did take longer to complete the ride than I had originally hoped.
Here's a list of things I plan to do differently next year:
- Be a bit more assertive about passing slower riders.
- Spend less time at each SAG; perhaps skip the first SAG altogether.
- Plan a solo ride; riding in a group is fun, but it's time to start focusing on my own ride.
- Lose more weight / get lean.
To sum it all up, "I had a blast... can't wait until next year!"
Thursday, January 8, 2009
NK Ride Report
61.9 Miles of asphalt, pavement, dirt, sand, loose gravel... you name it, that's what my man Karlos (The Naked Indian) cooked up and threw my way this past Saturday, and I loved every minute of it.
First, I gotta send a shout-out to Karlos for hosting this event. It's not often that we come across a person such as NI who is gracious enough to organize a ride like this; free of charge! Beyond this, in an effort to ensure that each participant had the opportunity to "rest up" (and party a bit) after a long hard ride, the man opened up his home to old friends and new friends alike. Although you wouldn't know it buy speaking with Karlos, or by reading his blog, it was apparent that a great deal of time and effort went into planning and bringing this thing to life. I haven't known Karlos very long, but I consider myself a good judge of character, and its clear to me that the Naked Indian is not one to complain. "Thank you for being such a gracious host my man!"
Although the actual start time for the ride wasn't until after 9:00 a.m., for me the journey began at 5:00 a.m., as I awoke early to make final preparations for the long drive over to Deltona. Shortly after 6:00 a.m. my man Ryan (Tread29) arrived at my place, and we hit the highway; we arrived at the rendezvous point with a few minutes to spare before the riders meeting at 8:30 a.m.
The ride began at a more brisk pace than I had originally expected. Ryan and I had planned to set an easy 10 m.p.h. pace and to not follow the lead group; however, it didn't take long for us to realize that the group had other ideas for the ride pace, and so, in an effort to not spend the entire day trying to find our way back to the starting point, we abandoned our original plan and did our best to stay with the group.
The first 8 miles or so were a bit... misleading, as they were plotted mostly along asphalt roads and concrete sidewalks. I specifically remember thinking to myself, "Man, I can do this shizit all day!" well, that nonsense faded away as soon as we hit the first off-road sandy section of the ride. It was as if I had blinked and two (2) riders had fallen off the back. A new friend, Jonathon (FACTORe) had been off the saddle for a while as the result of a nasty crash (with multiple injuries), and the sandy somewhat uphill section had taken it's toll on him. The other rider was Morrison (Treadlight) who made the decision to drop back and ride alongside his friend to the end; and he did!
15 miles in (or so) and I was feeling great. My ass had just settled into that "sweet" spot in the saddle and I was still with the pack and riding strong. I should mention that one of my favorite parts of this event was riding alongside and conversing with a few like-minded riders; individuals I've come to admire. And what can I say about riding with the Harvster; what a cool guy! If memory serves me correctly, at this point we were back on asphalt and trying our best to negotiate an intersection currently under construction, whilst trying to avoid traffic. "Big Ups" to my amigo Marcel (SandPine) for taking it upon himself to get the middle group organized, and for offering up sound advice, "try to resist the urge to go fast, there's a lot of ride left." Once we cleared the intersection the group re-formed and soon Karlos rode by me and said, "Luis, this is a good time to eat, we're about to hit a tuff section that will surprise a few people." Man am I glad he reminded me to eat because the next challenge was a sandy uphill section which served up a hot plate of pain; my legs went from feeling good to fatigue almost immediately. I dug deep, though, and kept a quick cadence. Before I knew it the pain was over, and I had made it through, but I had fallen further back than I felt comfortable with... or so I thought.
That deep sand section had owned me for a while there, and as a result my spirit had been somewhat broken, as I feared that I'd been dropped and that it was not likely I would not ride with the pack again. But wait... just as I hit a dirt road section of the ride, I saw the group (way) up ahead. My legs had recovered a bit, so right then and there I made a decision to drop my own personal hammer and to make every attempt to reel-in a few of those lead riders; my efforts paid-off. By the end of that dirt road I had caught up with the front again. A right-hand turn followed by a short section of single track later, and we were alongside a railroad track where it quickly became clear that we would soon be pedaling through boulder-sized often loose gravel. Just before following the group along the railroad track I turned to look for Ryan, but he wasn't there. Apparently, I had become so self-absorbed in my effort to catch the pack that I had dropped my riding buddy. So, I told Karlos and Marcel that I was going to wait for Ryan and then work with him to catch up again. Ryan was not very far behind, as I caught sight of him at the end of that dirt road sooner than I had expected. I waived him down, and by the time I turned back to look down the railroad the pack was out of sight... damn!
That blessed section of railroad seemed to go on forever; too long, in fact! Soon Ryan and I decided that we must have missed a marker somewhere, and failed to turn off the loose gravel. Continuing along the railroad just did not seem like a viable option, so after looking around for a better path, we decided to cross a dry ditch and climb over a high embankment so as to reach a nice paved section of trail running through some sort of park. A machete would have come in handy as there was some super-dense brush and vines growing between the embankment and the pavement. It took us a few minutes, but we finally pushed our way through this jungle. Once we hit the bike path we set a fast pace and set out to catch up. Fortunately, the group had stopped just ahead for a non-planned sag, and so we were reunited with the pack again. Nice!
Once again we hit the trail as a full group, and this time through a nice twisty single track before reaching another section of asphalt which would lead us to the planned lunch sag destination. Somewhere along Orange Camp road several of us missed a marker (again). This little mistake added (approximately) 7 - 8 miles to my ride. So, we make a U-turn and head back to the intersection we had blown through; finally, we reached the lunch sag. Angelina's turned out to be a cool little place with a good atmosphere and some really cool people. I took full advantage of the sag; drank a mandatory brewski, rested my legs, and refilled my water bottle and camel back. Soon we were back on the road.
With nearly 1/2 the distance to cover remaining, we set out as a group again and stayed that way until Mike and Rob put the hammer down and road out of site; no one would see them again until the end of the ride. The rest of the ride took us through some really cool back country roads, and also some leg-punishing sandy dirt roads. Through it all I was able to maintain a good pace and also avoid cramping. I won't lie, I was TIRED, and the last few miles took all I had left to complete. Thanks to Marcel, I was able to overcome the (mental and physical) fatigue, as he sat back and road in the last few miles with me.
The NK was both great experience and a real challenge for me. This was my first 55+ mile ride, and it gave me a great opportunity to experiment with many things I will need to fine tune if I am ever to achieve any success in endurance mountain biking events. It was a real pleasure to ride with so many cool people, and I look forward to mixing it up with these guys in the future.
First, I gotta send a shout-out to Karlos for hosting this event. It's not often that we come across a person such as NI who is gracious enough to organize a ride like this; free of charge! Beyond this, in an effort to ensure that each participant had the opportunity to "rest up" (and party a bit) after a long hard ride, the man opened up his home to old friends and new friends alike. Although you wouldn't know it buy speaking with Karlos, or by reading his blog, it was apparent that a great deal of time and effort went into planning and bringing this thing to life. I haven't known Karlos very long, but I consider myself a good judge of character, and its clear to me that the Naked Indian is not one to complain. "Thank you for being such a gracious host my man!"
Although the actual start time for the ride wasn't until after 9:00 a.m., for me the journey began at 5:00 a.m., as I awoke early to make final preparations for the long drive over to Deltona. Shortly after 6:00 a.m. my man Ryan (Tread29) arrived at my place, and we hit the highway; we arrived at the rendezvous point with a few minutes to spare before the riders meeting at 8:30 a.m.
The ride began at a more brisk pace than I had originally expected. Ryan and I had planned to set an easy 10 m.p.h. pace and to not follow the lead group; however, it didn't take long for us to realize that the group had other ideas for the ride pace, and so, in an effort to not spend the entire day trying to find our way back to the starting point, we abandoned our original plan and did our best to stay with the group.
The first 8 miles or so were a bit... misleading, as they were plotted mostly along asphalt roads and concrete sidewalks. I specifically remember thinking to myself, "Man, I can do this shizit all day!" well, that nonsense faded away as soon as we hit the first off-road sandy section of the ride. It was as if I had blinked and two (2) riders had fallen off the back. A new friend, Jonathon (FACTORe) had been off the saddle for a while as the result of a nasty crash (with multiple injuries), and the sandy somewhat uphill section had taken it's toll on him. The other rider was Morrison (Treadlight) who made the decision to drop back and ride alongside his friend to the end; and he did!
15 miles in (or so) and I was feeling great. My ass had just settled into that "sweet" spot in the saddle and I was still with the pack and riding strong. I should mention that one of my favorite parts of this event was riding alongside and conversing with a few like-minded riders; individuals I've come to admire. And what can I say about riding with the Harvster; what a cool guy! If memory serves me correctly, at this point we were back on asphalt and trying our best to negotiate an intersection currently under construction, whilst trying to avoid traffic. "Big Ups" to my amigo Marcel (SandPine) for taking it upon himself to get the middle group organized, and for offering up sound advice, "try to resist the urge to go fast, there's a lot of ride left." Once we cleared the intersection the group re-formed and soon Karlos rode by me and said, "Luis, this is a good time to eat, we're about to hit a tuff section that will surprise a few people." Man am I glad he reminded me to eat because the next challenge was a sandy uphill section which served up a hot plate of pain; my legs went from feeling good to fatigue almost immediately. I dug deep, though, and kept a quick cadence. Before I knew it the pain was over, and I had made it through, but I had fallen further back than I felt comfortable with... or so I thought.
That deep sand section had owned me for a while there, and as a result my spirit had been somewhat broken, as I feared that I'd been dropped and that it was not likely I would not ride with the pack again. But wait... just as I hit a dirt road section of the ride, I saw the group (way) up ahead. My legs had recovered a bit, so right then and there I made a decision to drop my own personal hammer and to make every attempt to reel-in a few of those lead riders; my efforts paid-off. By the end of that dirt road I had caught up with the front again. A right-hand turn followed by a short section of single track later, and we were alongside a railroad track where it quickly became clear that we would soon be pedaling through boulder-sized often loose gravel. Just before following the group along the railroad track I turned to look for Ryan, but he wasn't there. Apparently, I had become so self-absorbed in my effort to catch the pack that I had dropped my riding buddy. So, I told Karlos and Marcel that I was going to wait for Ryan and then work with him to catch up again. Ryan was not very far behind, as I caught sight of him at the end of that dirt road sooner than I had expected. I waived him down, and by the time I turned back to look down the railroad the pack was out of sight... damn!
That blessed section of railroad seemed to go on forever; too long, in fact! Soon Ryan and I decided that we must have missed a marker somewhere, and failed to turn off the loose gravel. Continuing along the railroad just did not seem like a viable option, so after looking around for a better path, we decided to cross a dry ditch and climb over a high embankment so as to reach a nice paved section of trail running through some sort of park. A machete would have come in handy as there was some super-dense brush and vines growing between the embankment and the pavement. It took us a few minutes, but we finally pushed our way through this jungle. Once we hit the bike path we set a fast pace and set out to catch up. Fortunately, the group had stopped just ahead for a non-planned sag, and so we were reunited with the pack again. Nice!
Once again we hit the trail as a full group, and this time through a nice twisty single track before reaching another section of asphalt which would lead us to the planned lunch sag destination. Somewhere along Orange Camp road several of us missed a marker (again). This little mistake added (approximately) 7 - 8 miles to my ride. So, we make a U-turn and head back to the intersection we had blown through; finally, we reached the lunch sag. Angelina's turned out to be a cool little place with a good atmosphere and some really cool people. I took full advantage of the sag; drank a mandatory brewski, rested my legs, and refilled my water bottle and camel back. Soon we were back on the road.
With nearly 1/2 the distance to cover remaining, we set out as a group again and stayed that way until Mike and Rob put the hammer down and road out of site; no one would see them again until the end of the ride. The rest of the ride took us through some really cool back country roads, and also some leg-punishing sandy dirt roads. Through it all I was able to maintain a good pace and also avoid cramping. I won't lie, I was TIRED, and the last few miles took all I had left to complete. Thanks to Marcel, I was able to overcome the (mental and physical) fatigue, as he sat back and road in the last few miles with me.
The NK was both great experience and a real challenge for me. This was my first 55+ mile ride, and it gave me a great opportunity to experiment with many things I will need to fine tune if I am ever to achieve any success in endurance mountain biking events. It was a real pleasure to ride with so many cool people, and I look forward to mixing it up with these guys in the future.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Weekend Ride Report
For those of you who care...
Saturday, December 20, 2008... 43 mile road ride, 2:55: 37
Sunday, December 21, 2008... 20 mile "fun ride" at Alafia
Saturday, December 20, 2008... 43 mile road ride, 2:55: 37
Sunday, December 21, 2008... 20 mile "fun ride" at Alafia
Friday, December 19, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
29er Karate Monkey Ride Report
So far I've only had the opportunity to ride the new 29er on two (2) occasions at Boyette. From the moment we set out to the trail head for SST, I knew that this ride experience would be different. Then, once we actually hit the trails I finally understood the hype... bigger wheels = more momentum = better ability to handle trail bump and to power through sections which normally require a little more "work" on the rider's part.
Now, as my new friend El Mucaro recently pointed out, I realize that 29ers are not magical. They do not possess some sort of mystical power which makes one a better rider the moment he or she's ass touches the saddle, and they do not sprinkle magic fairy dust on the trail which automatically smooths out rocky, rooty, more technical sections. As I've said from the very first time a close friend suggested that I make the climb from 26" to 29" wheels, "I'll have to see how 29" wheels are beneficial to others before making the change myself." As an individual who has two (2) years experience on a full rigid, 26" SS, I feel that I am somewhat of an authority on how 26" wheels handle climbs, descents, rocks, roots, sand, mud, and the like. I'm here to tell ya, 29" do offer the more of the one (1) thing which is your friend in most of the aforementioned environments; MOMENTUM... me likey the SPEED through technical sections!
Please, let's not get into the debate about wheels with a heavier rolling mass, or slower steering, or whatever. I'm not here to tell you that 29ers are better, I merely wish to share my experience with you. I still love my 26" bike and I am a firm believer in the expression, "to each, his own" so shut-up, stop your whining, go out, and RIDE!
PEACE!
Now, as my new friend El Mucaro recently pointed out, I realize that 29ers are not magical. They do not possess some sort of mystical power which makes one a better rider the moment he or she's ass touches the saddle, and they do not sprinkle magic fairy dust on the trail which automatically smooths out rocky, rooty, more technical sections. As I've said from the very first time a close friend suggested that I make the climb from 26" to 29" wheels, "I'll have to see how 29" wheels are beneficial to others before making the change myself." As an individual who has two (2) years experience on a full rigid, 26" SS, I feel that I am somewhat of an authority on how 26" wheels handle climbs, descents, rocks, roots, sand, mud, and the like. I'm here to tell ya, 29" do offer the more of the one (1) thing which is your friend in most of the aforementioned environments; MOMENTUM... me likey the SPEED through technical sections!
Please, let's not get into the debate about wheels with a heavier rolling mass, or slower steering, or whatever. I'm not here to tell you that 29ers are better, I merely wish to share my experience with you. I still love my 26" bike and I am a firm believer in the expression, "to each, his own" so shut-up, stop your whining, go out, and RIDE!
PEACE!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Year of the Monkey
Well, it's official, I'm a sellout! Yesterday I traded-in my old 26" full rigid SS for a new rig complete with 29" wheels, and man, am I ever pleased with the end result!
I originally made the decision to go "big" a few weeks ago; however, I did not think that the change would occur so soon. Thanks to a couple of good friends, I managed to scrape together enough parts to build my newest steed; a full rigid pearl coffee (brown) Surly Karate Monkey.
The new Karate Monkey frame arrived late Monday afternoon, so that evening I spent an hour or so applying a generous coat of J.P. Weigle Cycles Frame Saver to the inside of my frame. For those of you that have never used this stuff before, I have just a few simple words of advice, "Apply this product in an extremely well ventilated area!" After nearly 19 hours dry-time, I grabbed my frame and fork and headed over to my buddy's place for a bike tear-down / rebuild party. Tearing my 1x1 down took no time at all, as my buddy has as many (if not more) tools than most bike shops. We made sure to inspect everything taken off the old frame for excessive wear; pleased to report that every single component was in tip top shape!
Putting the new bike together was a blast, in fact, I had forgotten how much I really enjoy tinkering on my bikes. After cutting the steer tube to the proper length, and installing the headset, we moved to the FSA BB and Middleburn Cranks. Next, we installed the rear wheel and adjusted the chain line. We got lucky on this one, as there was no need to shim the rear cog; everything just fell right into proper alignment. This was followed by re-tensioning and truing both wheels (before final installation on the bike). Lastly, we hung the old-school first generation HOPE MINI hydraulic brakes. Shimming the brake calipers was probably the most tedious task involved in the build, but fortunately my buddy Kevin has become a whiz at "finessing" these calipers into their optimal position, and so far there is no brake drag!
I originally made the decision to go "big" a few weeks ago; however, I did not think that the change would occur so soon. Thanks to a couple of good friends, I managed to scrape together enough parts to build my newest steed; a full rigid pearl coffee (brown) Surly Karate Monkey.
The new Karate Monkey frame arrived late Monday afternoon, so that evening I spent an hour or so applying a generous coat of J.P. Weigle Cycles Frame Saver to the inside of my frame. For those of you that have never used this stuff before, I have just a few simple words of advice, "Apply this product in an extremely well ventilated area!" After nearly 19 hours dry-time, I grabbed my frame and fork and headed over to my buddy's place for a bike tear-down / rebuild party. Tearing my 1x1 down took no time at all, as my buddy has as many (if not more) tools than most bike shops. We made sure to inspect everything taken off the old frame for excessive wear; pleased to report that every single component was in tip top shape!
Putting the new bike together was a blast, in fact, I had forgotten how much I really enjoy tinkering on my bikes. After cutting the steer tube to the proper length, and installing the headset, we moved to the FSA BB and Middleburn Cranks. Next, we installed the rear wheel and adjusted the chain line. We got lucky on this one, as there was no need to shim the rear cog; everything just fell right into proper alignment. This was followed by re-tensioning and truing both wheels (before final installation on the bike). Lastly, we hung the old-school first generation HOPE MINI hydraulic brakes. Shimming the brake calipers was probably the most tedious task involved in the build, but fortunately my buddy Kevin has become a whiz at "finessing" these calipers into their optimal position, and so far there is no brake drag!
The entire process took about 3-1/2 hours, and then she was all done. At 9:00 p.m. I threw a leg around my new 29er Karate Monkey and took her for a spin down my buddy's long driveway; I must have looked like a little kid riding his new bike on Christmas morning, cause that's what I felt like.As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." So without further ado, I present to you the newest addition to my collection; my first ever 29er.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Quest Update #1
178 lbs is my current weight, and I gotta tell ya, I'm feeling good! Now, I realize that this is only a 2 lb drop since the first weigh-in (Nov. 23rd); however, it is progress, and I'm pleased that things are continuing to move along in the right direction... another 13 lbs and I'll be at my personal goal of 165 lb. Although things are progressing slowly, I can tell you that there is definitely a transformation taking place. To date, I've dropped at least one pant size, and, as is common with a shrinking waistline, my love handles are beginning to melt away. I am also enjoying the benefits of an increased energy level, and I seem to be recovering better on the bike; (so far) my legs are cramp free during longer rides.
As part of my training for the upcoming two (2) endurance rides I will participate in, I am making every effort to ride longer distances whenever possible. Yesterday I rode just over 31 miles at Boyette; the original plan was to ride 40 miles, but my riding buddies had both had enough by mile 28, so we decided to settle for just over 30 miles, and so we headed back to the parking lot. The important thing is that I felt extremely comfortable during the entire ride, and I am 100% confident that I could have easily completed the 40 miles with no cramping issues... bring on those 50 miles!
So, what's next? I still have 13 lbs to lose by January 10, 2009, and at this point I firmly believe that it's going to take a little more effort than I had originally thought. It's time to get a little more serious, to start watching portions, and to stop having a nibble or two here and there of those things I shouldn't be consuming. A new riding friend / mentor recently turned me on to this great blog which is dedicated to better living through diet and exercise; http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ take the time to check the blog; it may change your life.
Since learning about this blog I've become a loyal follower, and I've also come to believe that the author is really onto something. A recent post suggested a system cleansing, if you will, through eating only fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and drinking plenty of water, for a period of 7 - 10 days; my cleansing begins tomorrow!
I must digress here to add a little blurb about the main reason I enjoy the sport of cycling so very much, as it ties-in with part of the philosophies discussed on the aforementioned blog. As I see it, the "Primal Blueprint" is reconnecting with our ancestral selves. Food, exercise, and a connection with nature were each a vital necessity; the key to survival. I believe that (at least) some of you would agree that we as a nation, as a people, have become a bit complaisant these days; a nation of instant gratification of sorts. And why not? A fast convenient meal is just a phone call or a few key-strokes away. Why spend time outdoors when we have everything we need within the comfort of our homes; the kids can entertain themselves with the new Wii or XBox 360, and I can always hit the gym on the way home from work tomorrow... or the next day.
I realize that no one is asking; however, since this is my blog I wish to express my opinion that many of us are lacking something today; something elemental. Ask yourself this question, "When was the last time I was compelled by something?" Can you remember? Sadly, for many of us, the answer is, "No".
As part of my training for the upcoming two (2) endurance rides I will participate in, I am making every effort to ride longer distances whenever possible. Yesterday I rode just over 31 miles at Boyette; the original plan was to ride 40 miles, but my riding buddies had both had enough by mile 28, so we decided to settle for just over 30 miles, and so we headed back to the parking lot. The important thing is that I felt extremely comfortable during the entire ride, and I am 100% confident that I could have easily completed the 40 miles with no cramping issues... bring on those 50 miles!
So, what's next? I still have 13 lbs to lose by January 10, 2009, and at this point I firmly believe that it's going to take a little more effort than I had originally thought. It's time to get a little more serious, to start watching portions, and to stop having a nibble or two here and there of those things I shouldn't be consuming. A new riding friend / mentor recently turned me on to this great blog which is dedicated to better living through diet and exercise; http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ take the time to check the blog; it may change your life.Since learning about this blog I've become a loyal follower, and I've also come to believe that the author is really onto something. A recent post suggested a system cleansing, if you will, through eating only fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and drinking plenty of water, for a period of 7 - 10 days; my cleansing begins tomorrow!
I must digress here to add a little blurb about the main reason I enjoy the sport of cycling so very much, as it ties-in with part of the philosophies discussed on the aforementioned blog. As I see it, the "Primal Blueprint" is reconnecting with our ancestral selves. Food, exercise, and a connection with nature were each a vital necessity; the key to survival. I believe that (at least) some of you would agree that we as a nation, as a people, have become a bit complaisant these days; a nation of instant gratification of sorts. And why not? A fast convenient meal is just a phone call or a few key-strokes away. Why spend time outdoors when we have everything we need within the comfort of our homes; the kids can entertain themselves with the new Wii or XBox 360, and I can always hit the gym on the way home from work tomorrow... or the next day.
I realize that no one is asking; however, since this is my blog I wish to express my opinion that many of us are lacking something today; something elemental. Ask yourself this question, "When was the last time I was compelled by something?" Can you remember? Sadly, for many of us, the answer is, "No".
Nature is a mighty compelling force and it's out there waiting f0r us. In a single moment, and without even thinking about it, we are moved by the way a ray of sunlight bounces off the tree tops, or the way a distant mountain top glistens with freshly fallen snow. Experiences like these are out there waiting to be had, but they are missed when we spend our lives indoors; tucked away from the sunlight which is so vital to life. So there you have it, cycling is my way of reconnecting with nature; be it a long ride down a twisty single track, or a road ride along a stretch of back county road. There's an entire world just waiting to be explored, so get the entire family involved, grab your bikes, or your backpacks, or your fishing poles, or whatever your fancy and go get you some!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
Finding the time to ride and train has been a chore this week. With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us and Christmas right around the corner, it's been difficult to avoid being caught up in the typical holiday hustle and bustle. No regrets here though, as I love spending time with my family, and this time of year always seems to bring us together.
As for holiday weekend training, well, let's just say that I have a plan, but I'm not going to stress if things get a bit side-tracked. Here's the schedule:
Thanksgiving morning:
30 mile road ride.
Friday Morning:
Boyette (to field test recent wrenching on my SS)
Saturday Morning:
Tour de Boyette (with some cool cats from SWAMP Club)
Sunday:
Jump rope, stability ball, and weights.
Well, I'm off for my road ride this morning. I wish you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
As for holiday weekend training, well, let's just say that I have a plan, but I'm not going to stress if things get a bit side-tracked. Here's the schedule:
Thanksgiving morning:
30 mile road ride.
Friday Morning:
Boyette (to field test recent wrenching on my SS)
Saturday Morning:
Tour de Boyette (with some cool cats from SWAMP Club)
Sunday:
Jump rope, stability ball, and weights.
Well, I'm off for my road ride this morning. I wish you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 24, 2008
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