Tour de Snow Globe

That is what the last 2 days felt like.  The two days were a bit different though!

Day 1:

It felt like someone left the globe on the heater.  The snow from the day before turned into slush and it made me work on my handling skills. Either way there was a ride to do so I put the studded tires on the Specialized Tricross, strapped on the fenders, and let 'er rip.  I could of used an autometic de-icer while out on the bike.  It wasn't too bad though cause the bit warmer temps at least made it fun for the day.  It left me a ton of bike cleaning to do. 

Day 2:
Nice and cold!! I left the door to -2F temps and ended up on the frozen back roads so that I was going slower and had to deal with less wind chill:

With the roads frozen it was nice to get rid of the fenders, but I had the barmitts in full use!  Do you think this is what the engineers at Specialized had in mind for their top of the line cross racer? 

Off course it is!!!

Speaking of Specialized, a big thanks needs to go out to them led by Pete and Bill.  They will once again be the sponsor of the Adventure 212/Specialized MTB Team and are coming to the plate in a big way!  Thanks so much and the entire team is super motivated and excited for the 2010 season. 

2 more stages to go!

Soggy Chamois!

It rained all day today!! On the plus side it was 45 degrees!  Since it was not the optimal weather we started running for the border!  We made it but it was no better weather wise!

Since that didn't work we started looking for other alternatives to make the day seem better, there has to be some beverage production happening in here:

None to be found so we just put out the required work and called it a day.  After all this we thought we should warm up with a nice latte since Paducah finally has a coffee shop!  Wow moving forward down here, they are no longer 20 years behind on times, just 10 or so!!!  I now have Darrin addicted to Lattes!! One in the morning and one after a hard ride.  Can't wait to hear about his withdraw when he gets back home!!  Speaking of home, headed out tomorrow!! Sounds like snow on Monday!  Where should I head next??

Kilomonster!

The thing will not leave us alone!  We keep riding and losing weight and this thing has to be to blame!!!

If it is not this guy, it is the multiple dogs that work on a network that would make any cell phone carrier jealous!!!  There are no dead spots, even on the gravel back roads of Kentucky!! Once one dog is done chasing you, the next starts right in!

Today we did lots of gravel road riding!  It seemed like every turn we would start out cruising down a nice country road then it would just switch to a gravel grinder with soft peanut butter like surface!  That really sucks on a road bike!  Darrin ended up having enough of it and had a break down on the road! 

How fitting considering the name of the trail!

Either way we trashed the bikes today!

Finally we hit some good roads and I was able to settle in and stop suffering on all of the gravel and steep low cadence hills.  Today we ended up with almost 7000 ft of climbing!  With all that climbing and another good day on the bike I had to talk Darrin out of trying out another hobby!

Sounds like I have him convinced to try it one more day before making the decision!  Therefore the Hillbilly Tour Stage 3 is a go!! 

One trailer, two trailers, three trailers, more!

Saw lots of trailers today, trailer homes that is.  Either way on the trip down I did see one of my favorite trailers, can I get this into my office to use as my daily fix?!?!?

Too bad it is really not a coffee cup.  Anyway we made the trip down here and got a good ride in.  The temps did warm up and made the trip worth while!  The wamrest that we saw for the day was 50 degrees, sweet!!  We also got some good hills in, which after awhile they started to get to Darrin.  Come on where did the happy face go?

After we made it through the hills and back on the flats we settled in and did some nice pace making with some wind at our backs.  Darring ended up bringing the smile back, not sure if it was cause we were almost home or the terrain fitted him beter?

Along the trip we ended up running through Metropolis!  Sweet!  The home of Superman.  Since this was only like 10 miles from home Darrin had felt as if he was a super hero himself!!

Day one down!  More to come tomorrow! 

Best of 2010....

Ok this might be a bit early, but I have to get this out there.  If anyone is looking for new kits this year for your team, look no further:  http://www.hiddenbaysports.com/ .They have come a long way just in the 2 years that we have worked with them and they continue to improve each year.  This is where the best of comes in, their 2010 shorts for this year rival some of the best shorts that I have ever owned.  The chamois is very comfortable and the addition of the compression band at the bottom of the shorts vs. the elastic makes for a comfortable fit.  Check them out!

In the mean time, sneak peek of our 2010 team design.

On another note, I am otta here tomorrow!  After sufferring some werious wind burn on my nose and checks I am off in search for warmer climate!  I leave in the morning, stop to pick up Big D and the plan is Kentucky right now!!  If that is not warm enough then further south we will push!

Trails closed to snowmobiles

Well I took a page out of the Duluth gorups play book and hit up the snowmobile trails today.  It was 10 degrees when I walked out the door so I figured I would be more protected from the wind, and the slower pace would also help.  It was good, the trails were groomed before the rain a couple weekends ago so they were hard packed and the studded tires worked out well on the cross bike.  That philosophy worked well until I hit a state trail that connected two snowmobile club trails.  Needless to say the state trail was taken care of as well as they clean the roads around here!!  There were huge ruts that you would get caught in and after a couple close calls I ended up on the road for a bit.  All in all it turned into a good day and I hit my required time.

Michelle also got some good riding in, but was the smart one and rode the trainer!

Also on the team front Mike has been working real hard in his own spin off "Project Jersey"  Things are really coming together nice, and we will have a modified look to debut for this coming season.  More to come. 

Bikes have also been ordered for mos tof the team as well, so after everyones hard work the plans are coming together and now we can all focus on training.

Miles leading to no where?

That has been the name of the game.  With the temps dropping from the nice January we had, to whatever you call this miserable below zero weather we are tending to now, I have moved inside.  This is my trip this morning, a little blury since I was shivering so bad:

Thanks to old man winter sending us this recent cold spell, you are now officially of my Christmas card list for next year!  With the temp this low I have dusted off the trusty squirrel cage!  If anyone is interested in buying a set of rollers, it gets no better than these!

I have owned a pair of these for about 5 years now and have logged miles and miles of going no where! Not the most enjoyable, but they do make the bike feel just like you are riding on the road.  With the forcast, looks like this will be the name of the game this weekend.  Yuck! 

Soaked through the layers....

Todays ride?? Well the temp was up there for January, 35 today??  The problem came in was that we had work things to do this morning which took us to Wausau for the entire morning.  By the time I got out the weather was starting to get worse with the rain really coming down, and by the end of the ride, sleet. I guess it is my fault since I did not make it in till the darkness was starting to settle in.  I am very thankful for the warmer weather right now cause with Michelle getting back into riding we would be fighting over roller time!  Ok that really wouldn't happen, cause no one in their right mind would fight to ride the rollers!!! Hard to believe I used to log 5 hour rides on those things!  Not any more though, that mind numbing mental capacity has all been used up for this life time!!

So this was my view today:

Good thing for the studded tires!! I ended up riding from 212 in Point and headed South to Almond, over to Wild Rose, then back up to Amherst.  It is usally a nice ride but the east wind was relentless today hanging around 15 to 20 mph.  Therefore I stuck to the back roads for some more cover and worked on my handling skills.  My average mph could not of been over 15 today with the wind and riding roads that looked like this!

Either way, it beat the rollers.  Now with the weather starting to turn back to norm next week with some single digits and subzero windchills scheduled, where should I head to keep up these base miles I have been enjoing???  Might be time to look on Travelocity for the cheapest flights to a warmer climate!! 

Rid'n the Denzer way!

What an adventrue today!!  So Michelle and I loaded up the bikes this morning and drove 1 hr and 45 minutes south till we ran into an intersection known as Denzer, WI!  We took a right here and found our detination not a half mile down the road in the way of the non sided farm house, sweet silo though!  We made it, the home of our new Adventure 212 teammates Ryan and Lisa Krayer. I guess Ryan has been busy riding and putting off the husband duties!  Who could blame him!!  Another 30 degree day in January!  That hardly happens in Wisconsin so why not take advantage of it and go ride bikes!! 

Today we had a group of 7 that made for some good times and loads of heckling!! 

We ended up the day with a 3hr ride through the hills of Sauk County.  It seems pretty backwoods, but they must have a bigger county budget than Portage cause all their roads were plowed!  For that reason I broke out the Seven for its 1st voyage of the year.  Hard to believe that I am starting year number 6 on the same bike.  I guess if you have a custom built bike, you better ride it till it falls apart! 

So the highlite of the trip though, besides the Twix stop, was when we stopped outside this fine establishment:

We stopped for just a second, but it was long enough for someone to come running out the door offering each of us a shot!  I could tell by his comment that he was surprised when we all took him up on it!

Cheers!!

Skinny Boards....Be Gone!!

Sorry to those that look forward to the white covered ground and the joy of shoveling, dealing with those that lack driving skills, etc....  With the temps getting above the 10 degree mark this week and actually nearing and peaking into the 30's, I have put the skis aside for now!!  I mounted up the studded tires on the cross bike and started cruising the country side!!  I have said it once before and must say it again, the cross bike is one of the best bikes I have added to the stable in a long time!!  I have not ridden my road bike since purchasing it last September!!  The other thing I like about it is there is not a power meter on it.  It is great this time of year to be going off perceived excertion, cause I already know my numbers are bad, so why discourage myself by stairing at them for hours on end!!

So here is my shot from yesterday.  It is like riding through a big tunnel when the banks get higher than the bike and all you can do is stair down the road in front of you!!  Not good for me, I love to look around as I ride!!

 Anyway, another 3hrs yesterday and looking to some more this weekend with the warmer temps!!  The start of the 2010 season is here! 

b1rkie???? Don't think so.....

Well went out for another XC ski today.  Made it around the Blue loop at Iola.  Not sure if this is a good course for a beginner?  The course either goes up or down, no real straight, flat section to work on technique.  Either way it is just an aerobic workout for me so I do not really care.  It is interesting though, I feel like I am going all the way back to the sport days of racing bikes.  I am once again the slower person on the trails needing to be patient and yielding the trail to faster skiers.  I sure hope I do not have the same attitude of some of them while I am out on the trail though, especially in a non race situation??  If so smack me the next time you see me to wake me up. 

Today we are having a get together at our place for the Packer Game, so if you are around stop on in.  After last weekends game should be interesting to see how far they go in the playoffs.  I usually do not pay much attention but Michelle likes to watch and it is a reason to eat bad food and drink some beer in the offseason.  Like I really need an excuse!!  Speaking of the offseason this is the longest that I have ever had to just chill.  I know that I am active and still doing something, but usually by now I am training pretty hard gettitng ready for the March races in California.  Unfortunately after my experiences last year with Team "Blow" Air running the series I have a sour taste left in my mouth from a sponsor stand point and will not be supporting the series.  Anyway this is not the place for that.  Just wish we could get things together on a National front.  For events though, after travelling everywhere to ride/race, we are very lucky with the job Don does with the WORS series.  Antoher great series is the NUE 100 series.  Both are very well run and make it easy from a racer stand point with great competition.  Yeah there are a couple things that could improve, but overall, we are lucky in Wisconsin! Therefore you will see more of me this year and a switch in focus from years past.  Should be fun and the team is going to make it a blast with all the personality!!  I love racing bikes!! 

Personal Training with the old one.

The Old One!  Today he was with myself this morning getting our butts handed to us by an evil readheaded Personal Trainer.  They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  Well some mornings with her I would rather be dead!! Or should I say mornings after when you are sore and rolling out of bead.  Those are the morning that the espresso machine goes into overdrive!!  Speaking of the espresso machine, here is where every morning of mine starts!

Who would of thought that two small cups filled with a frothy liquid that resembles mud would be the excitement of so many peoples mornings!!  Especially the pairing of this and cycling!!  I always say that cyclist are addicts, just addicted to things that are good for us!!

Tomorrow I am headed down to Madison for the Bike Swap.  Should be a good time.  Making the drive down with Scott(Old one form above) and Mark.  Cant wait to cram the old one into a car for 2hrs there and 2 hrs home and listen to how sore he is from today!! Good times!

Im sailing.........

To quote an awesome flick "look at me everyone, I'm sailing!"

So that is what XC skiing was like today!  In my own world I think I finally got it.  The lesson was definetely a good thing and in a matter of a couple hours Susan showed me how to V-1, V-2, and to open field (I guess those are ski terms!?!).  I am so glad that I did not try to get through this on my own, cause I would of picked up every bad habit in the book.  Not to say I still wont when I try it without someone correcting me everytime I start down the wrong path!  Now the next question, to Birkie or not??  If I choose not to I will never here the end from TSP!  On the other side it is not till the end of February and I have never been away from the bike for that long before!!  Plus team camp would come very fast as we are looking at the 2nd week of March and I do not want all the teammates dropping me in the endless hills!!  More to come on this!

As for team camp, things are coming together.  We meet next week to hopefully get things rolling with the bikes, thanks to Specialized again!!  The jerseys are also being worked on as Mike fine tunes the graphics and gets them ready for Hidden Bay.  As for the camp it looks like we are going to do Solvang, CA, again this year.  Everyone out there treated us so well and gave so much support that we thought it only made sense.  We plan to rent a house to put the team in and just ride for hours on end.  Also with going in March it is 3 weeks later than last year so hopefully we can avoid some of the rain and have some warmer temps!!

Till then lets hope that winter becomes a bit milder and we start seeing more temps above 10 degrees!!

XC.2

Wish me luck, I am going to give this one more try tomorrow.  This time I am taking some lessons.  Just in case this doesn't work I did put the studded tires on the cross bike!! 

In the mean time, still have the epic for sale.  Will make a great offer to anyone that makes me not deal with paypal, ebay, or shipping! 

XC Skiing........

Yup this is what it was like!