9.11.2014

Gravel Conspiracy 2014/Health

I have no pictures.  Almost not worth putting anything up with zero pictures.  Have to post something if only to tell you that you should do this event next year.  Seriously.

This was a bit different thing for me than the last couple of years.  Lots of endurance riding over the summer and these stages were looking a bit less like tests of endurance and more like tests of speed.  After studying the routes I had a good idea of my time goals/pace for each stage.  Keeping up with those timelines became a major battle with the persistent headwind over the weekend.  The only one I really 'missed' was day 1 because of a road that didn't really exist where I stopped, looked around and left a huge 'tree arrow' to help others.  The stages took me 3:48 (with approximately 20 minutes of screwing around), 6:50 and 2:58.  So, a handful of minutes faster than what my pretty aggressive goal times were (3:30, 7, 3).  Feel great about that.

I'm going to race this weekend for the first time since before the Almanzo.  Could have virtually any fitness level and a couple of CX races will certainly expose whatever that level might be.

My health continues to be less of a problem.  I still have some days where I think I've gotten it wrong, but if I stick to the foods which I know are OK things seem all positive.  I have lost 12 lbs since March primarily on mexican, BBQ, thai, steak and french fries.  CX requires a lot of power at times, but also has many punchy accelerations and climbs.  Who knows!  Regardless, I'm looking forward to having fun this fall.  Hopefully building momentum which will allow me to train much more again next year and build on the base I redeveloped over the summer while not racing.


8.12.2014

Home to Copper Harbor

Folks were going to be at Copper Harbor for singlespeed USA.  I figured if I took Friday off and left early I would be able to ride there before noon on Sunday (11 am Eastern) then hop a ride back.  




































6.29.2014

Add your own dramatic romanticism

I went on a long ride yesterday.  Kim was working in central Wisconsin so I got the chance to spend the day headed that way.  It started great, then it got really hot and the wind was 20 mph from the wrong direction.  It ended with rain and an A&W where my helmet was seemingly stolen.  I tried to stay relatively efficient (except for between 2 and 7 pm in the heat where I just tried to stay alive) and didn't take many pictures, but here you go!

 North end of Rochester by sunrise
 Pretty gravel between Hammond and Red Wing
 Guess I'm rerouting a bit...
 El Paso, WI
 UFO Days!
 Not only is there plenty of gravel in Wisconsin (contrary to the belief of many( there are also roads made of compressed sand
 I'm smiling? but this was the low point of the day...  pavement, into the wind, 12ish mph and not fun
 Where that stupid paved road took me
Not exactly sunset, but this was as close as I got to a sunset picture.



Looks like I may get an opportunity to put up a bigger number as early as this Friday.

6.21.2014

Been up north a lot since the Almanzo


Sorry about loading this.  Made a trip to Copper Harbor, Ironwood, Hayward then another trip back up to Ironwood for my wedding!