Bolton, New Shoes and Miscellany

This week I've been back to training even though the weather's been uncooperative.

Monday looked to be the warmest and driest day judging by the forecast, so I took the initiative to go for a short recovery ride.  Tuesday was cold and pouring so I rode for a little over an hour on the rollers before yoga class, then Wednesday was Bolton.

Ah, Bolton.  I posted on Facebook that I'd be climbing it, partially because I thought if I started talking about it to I'd actually do it.  My strategy worked, and I made my first trip to the top of the season. It started to rain about halfway up, and I ended up getting pretty soaked as I crept my way back down.  Amazingly enough it was still dry at the bottom and hadn't rained a drop.  

I felt pretty good and was able to stay smooth the whole way, but my time wasn't awesome.  Part of that was being tired from Tuesday's class and part of it is a result of some changes to my training this spring. 

In years past I've done a lot more road volume, but this year I'm really trying to spend more time offroad so that I can hone my skills.  It seems to be working, and I find myself riding faster, smoother, and braking less.  As a result I have a little less strength for very long, sustained climbs like Bolton, but when I consider the demands of my main events there really aren't many long climbs- they're short and punchy.

Thursday my new Pearl Izumi Octane MTB II's showed up, and I spent a few minutes at lunch getting the cleats setup.  I'll post some more thorough details on these after I have some more time on them, but so far I've been impressed.  They're light, stiff, and have a very good fit all while taking a unique approach to being a high end XC race shoe.

The less-than-stellar ascent of Bolton and new shoes were fuel enough for me to decide that I needed to do another hill climb so I made plans to do Cottonbrook and committed to doing it all in the big ring.

When I got to the trailhead I spent a couple minutes balancing like a one-legged scarecrow while adjusting my cleats on the new shoes, but overall my quick cleat setup method served as a great starting point (I'll post more on that later).  After that initial fiddling the shoes felt great and I made my way up the climb with relative ease.  I'd expected to be far more beat up from the previous day's ride, and although I wasn't setting the world on fire I did make it all the way to the top in the big ring.

My time was a little slower than my previous best this spring, and some of that was taking a deliberate pace but also I think struggling with such a tall gear on the steep sections is slower than turning a lower gear over.  I kinda knew that already, but it was interesting to see it first hand- the big ring is not always faster.

Also this week I made some strides on the next order of t-shirts.  Here's a draft version of the artwork.

The shirts are going to be dark gray heather- quite a bit darker than the background here, and the print will be a little lighter so there will be more contrast.  Cris at Factotum Design is printing them again and we should have them completed within the next couple weeks.  There will also be hoodies with the same art on a pre-order only basis.  If you are interested in either one let me know.

Also this week I've been wrestling with the intermittent performance of my aging heart rate monitor.  That may not seem like a big deal, but it means sometimes I'm flying blind without it and other times I'm just getting really frustrated that it's not working.  As soon as I can get the right battery I'm going to attempt this on an old chest strap.  It's not working now, so I really don't have anything to lose.

 

For now it's counting down to the end of the work day and getting ready for some more training this weekend.  There's still a slim chance that I might do Flower Power, but most likely I'll skip it and focus on getting some high quality riding done.

Workshop, Summer Mode

It's spring, so usually this time of year there's a balance between cleaning, setting up for summer activities, putting away winter activities and general cleaning up.  This past week I put in a fair bit of time to get the basement switched over to summer mode- bike projects await.

Last fall when we remodeled we made some changes to the basement as well.  We added several more overhead lights, some outlets and another switch.  My workbench got cleaned up and the shelves got a fresh coat of paint. 

Here it is in summer mode with the bench vise in place and the ski tools put away.  It's amazing how much quicker I can get things done when I have a clean workspace. 

My tool cart, tool chest and workstand.  I keep them out of the way until I need them, but it's nice to be able to keep tools on the cart work surface and the project on the bench.  Somewhere I found that damper cartridge so it's hanging out while I figure out whether or it will be worth keeping as a backup for my SID.

The rollers and TV are there too in case I get rained out.  It's a small house so the space gets used for a lot of different things.  After I finish installing the slop sink I'll post that as well.  It'll be great to to be able to rinse out muddy gear right before I throw it in the washer.

Riveting stuff, I know.  But this is where all of my bikes get 97% of their attention.

A Breakthrough, a Letdown and Power Tools

Since New Year's I've been able to get out and ski a few times, and now I'm starting to feel like I'm getting my ski legs back.

In previous posts I've mentioned how I've been ramping up my midweek activity, and believe it or not it's been easier for me to do that than to reliably get in solid workouts on the weekends.  That effort feels like it's starting to pay off, and even though I feel like I have to fight harder to keep up with my master's group I think it's worth the trade-off.

Saturday I got out for a couple hours with Spinney.  It had been below zero overnight, and after some debate I managed to get my skis waxed and out the door.  He wasn't doing much better and couldn't find his iron, then needed a scraper, etc.  It was like two old women getting ready to drive to bridge club.

Once we got to Trapp's we hit some of the usual trails and made our way down through the race course to Skater's Waltz and across to Aither for the first time this year.  That's not a flat route, and Spinney was hell bent on skiing to the cabin so after chasing him around for an hour and twenty minutes we made our way up.  I didn't set the world on fire, but I skied steady and felt like I was making solid time.  I'm not sure how much faster he was, but I stayed in contact for a good section of the climb and didn't stop at all on the trip up. 


More remarkable than that was a completely smooth descent back to the lodge- and the first time ever I made it down without falling.  It was then that I realized that this was a breakthrough day for me.  I'd never made it to the cabin so early in the season, and certainly not chasing somebody with solid fitness.  When we got back to the car it was hard to believe, and although I'd gotten seriously chilled from the long, fast downhill I was pscyched.

We piled our gear back into the car and headed home.  At that time I was still thinking that I was going to ride the rollers so I didn't actively work on my recovery plan, which was a big mistake.  When I got home I was starving, and after not eating enough immediately after my workout I was starting to get the cold shakes from getting chilled and low blood sugar.

Of course to combat that I had to eat almost everything in the house, which pretty much completely canceled out the caloric debt of my skiing effort.  This is all after Spinney was telling me to be careful about refueling if I was going to try to ski again on Sunday.  In retrospect I wasn't aware of how deep I'd dug, so I wasn't being proactive in refueling. 

After I'd crashed, rebounded, showered and gotten dressed Carrie and I picked up our replacement dishwasher and went out to dinner.  It was clear that having an enormous box in the living room wasn't going to be feasible for more than a day or two and that I had to get this thing installed soon.

Sunday morning it was hovering around zero when I got up, so knowing that it would warm up about 15-20 degrees later in the day I figured I'd take advantage of the situation and start working on the dishwasher. 

Having installed and removed one defective dishwasher already I was pretty familiar with the basics of the install- in a nutshell it's connect the water, the drain and the electric and test it for leaks.  Of course it's never quite that simple for me, but with directions in hand I got out the tools and went to work.    

Among my tools are a large number of hand-me-downs from both sides of the family.  Over the summer my Dad cleaned out his father's wood shop, and these pliers were among the twelve pairs that I inherited.  I've never seen anything else like them with the 90 degree head, but I've already used them three times this week on the upstairs electric outlet replacement, the dishwasher and the tC trunk handle.  

Also among my tools is this- a Craftsman Impact Drill my brother gave me for Christmas.  If you've never used and impact drill you're missing out- these things are awesome and not just because they make a ridiculously loud SNAP SNAP SNAP as they switch from standard drill to impact mode.  Using this to secure the two dishwasher mounting screws was the highlight of the install.

After that I decided to tackle replacing the trunk lid on the tC.  After three years of regular use, the old handle had snapped off and was only hanging onto the rest of the car by one retaining clip and the wire for the release button.  It wasn't that I wanted to keep procrastinating, but I don't have many options to get things like this done in the daylight so I decided to get it done.

The trunk handle is a story in itself, and after an extensive search I opted for a carbon one because it was more cost effective than buying one unpainted and trying to paint it myself.  After some searching on the Scion forums I found some semi-coherent instructions on how to replace it.  Turns out this is a common problem for the tC and dealers charge up to $400 to install a new one, which makes my $65 eBay special look that much more appealing.   

Overall it went fairly smoothly and my hands didn't get too cold although it was only about 18 degrees and I was buoyed by the idea of being able to use the trunk lid again.  As you might imagine it's a real pain in the ass to carry skis, boots, poles, spare clothes and water and have to put it down in the snow to open the trunk because you need to use both hands to lift the tailgate.

When I finished the handle install it was 3 PM and I was nowhere near being ready to ski.  After a protracted period of bumbling, fumbling and swearing I finally got to Trapp's and had my skis on at 4.  So much for seizing the day on the skiing front.

As soon as I set out I could tell the conditions were great- and for the second day in a row my skis felt awesome.  These Fischer RCS with Graham's base grind have quickly become my favorites.   

Although the skis were running well I wasn't- with yesterday's breakthrough/bonk combination and my extended project time earlier in the day I felt sluggish and slightly off-balance.

I did throw some Pro-35 stickers on the skis- it had to be done.

I'm a terrible classic skier, but the tracks were so fast and crisp that I found myself jumping in double poling on the flats and downhills. 

An hour later it was getting dark and went home.  It was a beatiful night, and I wished I could have taken advantage of it more than I did.  

Live and learn I guess- there's always next weekend. 

The Return of Mittwoch Arbeite

There's probably some deep-seated reason why I think German words sound so funny.  English is after all a Germanic language, so there are some similarities, but somehow most German words sound either terrifying or ridiculous.

Last year at around this time in this post I coined the term "Mittwoch Arbeite", German for Wednesday work.  For me, that means a split session workout of a lunchtime run and a ride on the rollers after work.  And of course it's on a Wednesday sandwiched between Masters' ski sessions on Tuesday and Thursday.

As much as I joke about my lack of running prowess it is a great way to get some quality exercise in a short time, and that's especially true when the weather is bad.  Running in the dark or on ice and snow is far less dangerous than riding, and a decent workout takes as little as 30 minutes.  Yesterday at lunchtime it was 10 degrees Fahrenheit (another German word) when I left for my run, and after 2-3 uncomfortable minutes I was warm enough to unzip the collar on my jacket.  

So in true Pro-35 fashion, here are some details on the gear I use for a typical Mittwoch Arbeite adventure.

Shoes.  This pair of Karhu Fluid Fulcrum Rides are a year or two old, but I have to say that the fit and feel is among the best I've found for road shoes.  Karhu does a minimal drop (difference between heel and forefoot shoe thickness) so the shoes are fairly flat and neutral.  It's not a super cushy or super stable ride, but the feel is very good and it encourages a proper mid-foot strike.  

Rollers.  My previous set were pretty haggard from years of use before they were under water, so I used this as an opportunity to get some new ones complete with an internal resistance unit.  No idea what the resistance medium is, but they feel good and the flared barrels do keep me centered better than their predecessors.

Last noteworthy component is my PowerTap.  Gauging effort indoors is nearly impossible without some measuring device, and the PowerTap makes sure I'm working hard enough for it to be worthwhile.  After having one for the last few seasons I don't know what I'd do without my PowerTap, or LeistungAbstich as I prefer to call it.

Distraction, Procrastination and Projects

In between work, Christmas shopping and some occasional relaxation I've been making my way back into being an athlete.  Last week I got in four workouts in a row- some on the rollers, some running the river loop, but all quality.  Fortunately this time of year I can be unstructured, and I'm trying to use that to my advantage.

Riding over Christmas was a bust.  After fighting to stuff the RSL into the trunk with all of the clothes, presents and miscellaneous stuff for our Christmas trip I felt like I had to actually go for a ride.  I got off to a slow start after fumbling around for most of the morning, but I did hit the trail head with the intention of riding for about 2 hours.  After 40 minutes of riding I got a sidewall cut that I couldn't repair with my frozen CO2 cartridge and walked 4 miles back to the car.


During that walk I realized my current set of mountain bike shoes really suck unless you're clipped in and pedaling smoothly.  Had I known they were going to suck so much I would have taken my chances with some Sidi replacement lugs and JB Weld on an old pair of road shoes.  That may end up my solution if I can't line something more substantial for next year, and so far it doesn't look good. 

While looking into my pageviews last week it appears that the snowboard tuning bench setup I made for Carrie is getting some traffic- if you're looking for that post you can find it here.  It's interesting given that I only really gave that passing mention in the post, but if you have some ambition and a couple 2 x 4s it's pretty straightforward.  What's also interesting is that I end that post by rambling about how I should really put some time into getting the Redline ready to ride.  Funny how some things never change. 

I've been contemplating an order of Pro-35 hoodies.  Artwork would most likely be similar to the earlier t-shirt run, though I may change the location of the print.  In case you forgot, this is what it looks like.

I'm considering a slight color change that's in keeping with the 90's-era Mavic pallet seen above.  That means I might swap the pink for the green found on the Mach 2 CD rim shown below, but the jury is still out on that.

Unfortunately there is no shortage of things to spend money on this time of year with ski gear, cycling season pre-orders, and the various winter costs of extra fuel and propane just to keep things interesting.  This idea might not get off the ground, but the t-shirts were a hit so I'd like to do something long sleeve to go with them.  I might do zip up rather than pullovers, but there again it depends on cost, and if I can't get afford quality shirts I'm not going to do it.

For some 'cross season is still rolling, and the remarkably mild fall and winter have made that exceptionally easy this year.  Embrocation has some really cool 'cross articles including an interesting recurring feature about Jeremy Durrin found here.  It's worth a read as it's not just the usual "I went to Belgium and got my ass handed to me" race report that you find from Americans racing in Europe this time of year. 

Now that 'cross is mainstream there's no shortage of content, but I've found myself interested in some of the more retro stuff.  Things like this fan card of legend Klaus Peter Thaler for instance.

 

I did in fact get some 'cross fan cards of Albert Zweifel and Roland Liboton and I fully intend to display them in the basement once I figure out a clever way to do it. 

Of course mention of anything retro 'cross would be remiss without mentioning Alan.  A few years ago I was fortunate enough to race as part of the Alan grassroots 'cross program, and it was cool to represent a brand with such a rich history in the sport.  The US distribution has changed hands since then, but the bikes are all still handmade in Italy.  Around the time of Klaus Peter there were few companies who actually made their own 'cross bikes, so Alan made them for almost all of the European brands like Guerciotti and Colnago.  Almost all of the greats at that time rode Alans, and I can vividly recall BMW-ProFlex sponsored Henrik Djernis riding the '96 worlds on a bonded carbon/aluminum frame.   

Here's a shot of Don Myrah's Guerciotti-badged Alan 'cross bike that he still uses from time to time.  I'd be remiss to not mention his palmares either as a national 'cross champ and '96 Olympian in mountain biking. 

And of course when I do get back to competition I am going to get my ass handed to me.  I've been semi-active for too long, and now I need to put some effort into rebuilding my overall health and fitness so that I can achieve some sort of meaningful progression in 2012.  I felt like I got close in 2011, but was still just a half-step away from really kicking ass.  I was close to guys I wanted to beat but I just felt like I was slightly off the pace- and I want that feeling back.  There's no France trip to jump start my season this year, but maybe Wayward and I will get together for some ski-centric masochism to get ready for the riding season. 

Maybe tonight I'll actually get the shop setup instead of just talking about it.  Of course that will happen after I ride the rollers for a couple hours, so all bets are off. 

Recovery

 

During my recovery ride yesterday I realized I'd been missing the point.   

For most cyclists the recovery ride is a training staple, although spinning along without the need to achieve anything is uncomfortable for some people.  After a 4-7 hour race it's not like I have any matches to burn anyway.

Leading up to the Hampshire 100 the main point I focused on was getting my head in the game, or more accurately staying in the moment.  Right now these rides aren't because my legs that are tired, but the mental focus of staying on task for 6 hours and 44 minutes took quite a bit out of me. 

Now it's time to relax, rebuild.  Preparation for the next event starts as soon the previous one ends.

World Cup Geekery (As a Distraction)

In 2009 I watched Geoff Kabush ride away from the rest of the elite men's field at the Bromont round of the Mountain Bike World Cup.  The race was held in an absolute downpour, and everyone was having mechanical trouble as a result.

 

Immediately after the event I snapped some shots of Geoff's setup- taking careful note of his drivetrain and tire choices.  

The course was punchy with short power climbs, and for that the single 32 tooth chainring (first used in the World Cup by Adam Craig and later Julien Absalon) was a great choice.

Larsen TT for the front tire on an XTR wheelset.

 And a mud-specific Medusa out back.

At the time XTR 970 was the current model, and as Shimano sponsored rider Kabush ran a full Shimano drivetrain.  In my mind the 970 vintage XTR was Shimano's most complete and durable offering, though I haven't spent much time on 980 yet.


So why does this matter now in the days immediately before my biggest event of the year?  One word- distraction.  I need to relax, and geeking out helps me do that. 

Gear: Elcyclista Kit

This week my Elcyclista kit arrived.  It's an understated yet stylish Capo kit in black and white with just the right amount of pink.  So why the crappy cell phone pic?  My camera broke this week, although honestly my meager photographic skills are more to blame than the equipment.  

Elcyclsta is blog that blends cycling and style elements without being smug or self-righteous much like  Peloton Magazine.  It's on my short list of regularly visited blogs, and it should be on yours too.

Check it out at elcyclista.com.

Review- Kenda Blue Groove

The Kenda Blue groove is one of the many tires options in Kenda's John Tomac signature series.  I really like the Small Block 8 and Nevegal, so I was eager to try out the Blue Groove.  I wasn't disappointed.

Reviews for wider tires abound the web, but I haven't found many focused on the 26 x 2.0 Stick-E version.  Although all sizes share similarities, a 2.3 all mountain tire does not necessarily translate well into a narrower, lightweight 2.0 for XC applications. 

My XC endurance racing needs usually dictate that I run tires that are 1.95" to 2.1", and the Blue Grooves fall squarely within that range.  The casing is square-ish like the ever popular Nevegal, but instead of having ramped knobs the main tread features a two-step leading edge.  These two attributes and moderate volume give the Blue Groove its unique characteristics, and foreshadow its on-trail performance.

As I've mentioned in other tire reviews casing shape has a lot to do with the way a tire performs.  A parabolic tire like the Small Block 8 only places the very center of the tread in contact with the ground until it's leaned over in a turn.  Round tires like the Karma put a little more rubber on the ground when riding in a straight line.  A square profile like the Nevegal makes a much wider contact patch that contributes to a very stable feeling with smooth transitions from outside edge to outside edge because of the amount of tire in contact with the ground. 

The square profile makes the tire stable, but the downside is that it can make the tire roll slowly because of the amount of rubber it's pushing along.  In cases where the terrain is soft or loamy, this profile does well because of its stability, and the square-edged two step knobs accentuate that.  Rounder tires may have less rolling resistance, but it's often so soft and slick that their lack of grip makes them irrelevant.    Those conditions are also muddy or sticky, and the open tread on the Blue Groove does well to stay clear.

With all of that in mind, the tire does well where I'd expect it to, and favors soft to muddy conditions.  It's not a full-on mud tire, and although it excels in mud it is much more versatile than many other mud-specific options.  

With the amount of rain we've gotten in Vermont I've been running these tires a lot.  Amazingly there are still some places where the trails are dry and rocky, and in those instances the Blue Groove was sufficient, but I could feel that it was rolling more slowly than a true hardpack tire like the SB8.  The square edged lugs didn't squirm, but the square leading edges tended to slip on rocks and exposed roots.  The volume was also fine but didn't offer the same confidence-inspiring centering bounce that comes with a wider casing. 

Overall these tires do very well in soft conditions, and offer great stability and traction.  In my mind these are a great addition to the quiver for days when you're sure to have mud but still need a reasonably fast rolling option.  They're also more versatile than a standard mud tire and won't let you down if the terrain is firmer than you'd expected.  When things dry out and firm up they can still run, but they're outpaced by faster rolling options with more volume.

In my race tire quiver the Blue Groove sits on the outside of the range covering moderately soft to full-on muddy conditions.  The round profiled and higher volume Karma with its slightly shorter knobs sits in the middle as the versatile all-rounder, and the Small Block 8 is the hardpack speed demon.  

On the scale both tires weigh in exactly at their claimed 460 grams, and their light weight belies their relative toughness and great climbing ability. 

The Blue Groove is a great tire, and damp trails are in the forecast it is my weapon of choice.  For more information visit www.kendausa.com. 

It's Here- Moots Mooto X RSL Mountain Bike

The new Pro-35 race machine arrived today in the form of the all new Moots Mooto-X RSL 29er hardtail.   We had some trouble tracking down the exact crank/bb setup I was looking for in the BB30 configuration, but the rest of the parts are here so I should be able to start building it shortly.

Here's a quick rundown on the build spec:

Sram XO shifters, derailleurs & brakes
Rock Shox Reba SLT 29er fork
Truvativ XX BB30 156 Q crank
Steel press fit 30 bottom bracket
Chris King ISO disc hubs
DT Competition double butted spokes
Stan's Crest 29er rims
Kenda Karma 29 x 1.9 tires (for now) 
Ergon GX1 grips
Moots RSL 30.9 Ti Seatpost

And of course I have some tricks up my sleeve.

Frame weight out of the box is 3.54 lbs for a 19" frame.

I'll post more pics as I get it built up.

L'équipement

I blame cycling.

Before I started racing I never touched caffeine and now I can't live without it.  At first it was innocent enough.  Tea was my gateway drug, and I added it to my water bottles for a late race kick.  It tasted awful, especially when the teabags ruptured and I'd get a mouthful of energy drink and need to chew my way through the leaves, but it worked.
 
Later that fall I contracted mono and attempted to get through finals by propping myself up with increasing amounts of caffeine.  In many ways that was the beginning of the end. 

The nature of endurance sports can lead to a dependence on caffeine.  Long workouts lead to fatigue, and for most of us life doesn't stop when we get off the bike- we have to power through when all we want to do is take a nap.

The latest additions to the Pro-35 stable actually live in the kitchen in the form of my new burr grinder and stainless French Press.

So yes, I'm now essentially freebasing coffee, and I blame cycling.

The Message

 Last fall, I decided that I was going to make the effort to get my elite racing license.  On paper, I race in one category below the elite riders.  Although it seems like a small step, in reality it's a huge difference.

After I made the decision, I  told a handful of friends and family members about it.  Everyone was supportive and enthusiastic, but I think few people really knew how hard it would be.  I'm not even sure that I knew myself. 

One of my friends who did know was John.  In college he put a massive amount of energy into his racing career, first on the mountain bike, and later on the road.  Through his own mix of analysis, determination and work ethic he worked his way up through the ranks and won some big regional events. 

A few years and several new responsibilities later John is still riding, but not actively competing beyond an occasional cyclosportif.  When I visited him earlier this year there were some very obvious ironies, primarily that  John had the fitness while I had the goals.  When we rode together, John was always stronger, especially on the uphills. 

It wasn't that I was terribly out of shape, as I'd spent the winter skiing.  All things considered I felt pretty strong, but in early March I clearly didn't have much mileage under my belt, and certainly not outdoor mileage. 

During my two-week trip we did a ton of riding, roughly 300 miles with over twenty thousand feet of vertical gain.  I've posted many pictures from those rides and I'll remember them for years, but what the pictures don't show is what really happened during that trip. 

Whether knowingly or not, John pulled me along for most of those rides.  I never bailed or gave up, but I certainly didn't set the world on fire.  He'd ride ahead, and I'd push myself to keep up.  The power files reveal that the pace wasn't entirely above what I was capable of, but it was a stretch, and that was the point.  If I wanted to get faster I had to push it and ride at a pace above what I thought I could handle. 

I didn't put it all together until I'd gotten home and had a few days of rest before getting out for a ride on familiar roads.  More than anything else I felt fast, and I felt purposeful. 

The feeling of being "in form" is hard to articulate to non-cyclists, but it's basically  the difference between having everything go right compared to feeling like you can't get out of your own way.  You don't feel invincible, and you don't even necessarily ride that much faster than normal, but inside your head there's the incredible feeling that things have fallen into place and you're being rewarded for all of your hard work. 

This past Thursday I did one of my normal mid-week training loops.  My original intent was to do the loop at a reasonable pace and make it home before dark.  As the miles slipped by I realized that at I was flying along while staying within my predetermined pace and within striking distance of my PR for the loop. 

By my calculations I took over a minute off of the mark I'd made six years ago when I was arguably in the best shape of my life.  I've had other good days on the bike and have set other benchmarks, but when I think back on that ride it always seems like it was a fluke.  One hour and twenty-seven minutes were possible for a mostly flat 28-mile loop, and it meant an average speed over 19 miles an hour, solo, on a standard road bike with no aero equipment.  That's not Herculean, nor barely average for any self-respecting middle category road racer.  For me it's a big deal, and a step in the right direction as I slowly prepare to compete this spring. 

Although I didn’t realize it at the time, John's message was clear--you can do this, but you need to work and you need to push yourself.  All at once it was encouraging and supportive, but delivered with an honesty that I'd shielded myself from when I looked in the mirror.  More than anything else, it was what I needed, and it's not something I will soon forget. 

Toulon, Ride #3

Today the plan was to do a short ride to preview the first climb in tomorrow's long ride.  Long and short are relative considering this is my fourth ride outside this season.

This is the view from John's balcony.  The RC Toulon Rugby stadium is in the center of the frame.  Note the stuffed tiger and Lay-oh-pard (that's for you, Andy Schleck) in the window on the right.  Not sure what's going on there.

We headed out with Matthias, a Swede who's working on a doctoral program in town.

Matthias on the left in the green kit, John on the right on the Hinacapie development kit.  John's asking Matthias what he prefers for his post-ride Aperitive.  

This was pretty much my day- riding behind two skinny guys trying not to get dropped.

Tourists.

Alright, I took a picture of it, too.

Somehow after feeling like I turned myself inside out for 5 hours I still have little to show for it on the power tap.

What's so interesting about that?  Nothing, other than almost 3,000 kilojoules of work, which for March is unheard of for me.  Normally this time of year I'm skiing, riding the rollers as much as I can stand and trying to avoid Carrie's chocolate chip cookie dough stashed in the fridge.  That's usually all on the same day.

The Lunchbox Has Landed

Yesterday my first shipment of race fuel arrived from GU.  I wanted to call this post something like "It's GU-Mas!" or maybe "OMG-GU!"  Thankfully I was able to refrain.  That could have been embarrassing.  

It was a very heavy box full of Chomps, trademark GU gels and varieties of Brew for exercise and recovery.  Here's a peek into the second layer.

Race food is something that's easy to take for granted, but paying attention to my nutrition has really helped improve my performance.  There is a short list of things I consider my semi-secret weapons, and GU Brew Recovery is one of them.

My spirits were slightly dampened by the state of the box upon its arrival.  Most of the time my packages arrive in pretty good shape, but this one looked like it had suffered unnecessarily at the hands of the delivery company.  Surely these fellows must get packages themselves, and they would want them carefully shepherded while in transit, no?


Fortunately everything in my box is sealed from the elements and made it through the luggage chucking gauntlet unscathed.  GU-Mas will be going ahead as scheduled.

The Hampsten

Maybe this is the weekend that I finally make it happen.  

I read Will Frischkorn's Velo News Fresh 'Korn segment in 2009, and since then I've been preoccupied with the workout he describes in this post. 

http://velonews.competitor.com/2009/01/rider-diaries/fresh-korn-swapping-bike-for-boards-in-a-blessed-boulder-winter_86537

When Boulder resident Andy Hampsten was preparing for the Giro, one of his winter workouts was to ride his mountain bike up to the local XC ski center and then go skiing.  The ride was mostly uphill, and on a mountain bike the speeds were low enough to stay warm.  

Trapp's is a reasonable ride away, and it's perched atop a sizable hill.  I happen to have more knobby tires than I know what to do with, and several bikes at my disposal.  The yet-to-be-released Moots Psychlo X RSL would be perfect for this, but I'll have to wait and save for a few more months.  

Winter of 2009/2010 I even put together a beater mountain bike with the express purpose of riding in bad weather.  On my few test rides I hated the bike and sold it shortly after I got it built. 

With any luck this is the weekend that I can make it happen.  It's mainly an issue of lining up the logistics with favorable weather conditions so that I don't freeze on the bike portion.  Making this happen requires a staggering amount of gear, and if I can put it all together I'll be sure to write it up. 

The Workbench

Somehow this photo makes my 6 foot, 300 pound workbench look about the size of an end table. This is mostly how it looks in the summer with the exception of the bench vise being missing. You can still see the four holes for it on the right side. The wooden top is made from 2 x 4's standing on end and makes up most of its heft.



Here it is full winter mode with the nordic form clamped in place. I couldn't bear to have ski wax ruin the surface so I covered it with sheet plastic to protect it. A workbench is a tool, and tools should be used, but I have a special respect for this tool that goes beyond simple utility. For over fifty years it was in service in the barn on my grandfather's cattle farm. After he moved to a retirement condo in 2000 in sat mainly unused in his garage until he died in 2007.

This summer I picked it up and brought it home. I had to remove the top from the legs and take the basement door off of its hinges to fit it down the stairs and into the basement. With the help of a friend the whole ordeal took three hours.

With the history this bench has I feel compelled to use it as much as I can, and last week I used it to build a snowboard tuning stand. Carrie needed a place to tune her board, and it only seemed fitting to make it work for her, too.