scratch that itch

scratch that itch
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

freewheel shelved yet again

monday ramblings

back in the saddle
back to work
dark morning pedaling slowly turning light again
a hint of promise on the horizon
wind still whipping around
after yesterdays tornado warning
debris toys with the notion of jamming my fenders
dodge and weave
first race of the season this saturday
four hour four person team relay
fifteen minute hot laps around a twisty loggy course
no race week taper for me
gotta get to work
and pedaling makes time behind the desk bearable
wrenching to be done as well
and a night of dirt riding would be preferred
as the road leaves the skill set rusty

cross training

cross training
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

manual labor does a body good

cruising along

cruising along
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

evey likes her crocodiles

patterns in the sky

patterns in the sky
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

seen from my window at work

cinelli cork

cotton tape could not be saved after a rainy ride home thursday. flipped the stem, moved the levers down, cut fresh cable and housing, wrapped the bars in cork, and finished it off with green electric tape. ran out of black. not sure if the green will stay or not.

well rested

8:30pm passed out on the bed
up at 10 to get undressed
out cold again till 4:30am
do the math
that's 8 wonderful hours of sleep
and on a weeknight too none the less
felt oh so good
I have a wonderful wife

bicylce related
re-taping the pacer bars tonight
too much saddle to bar drop
stem needs to be flipped to plus 6 degrees
lever angle and reach also feel all wrong
should be able to salvage the cotton tape
but longer cable and housing are due
lesson learned
don't shortchange comfort just to get the job done
tried denying fit was off for a couple of days
body will adjust right?
but slight discomfort in 14 miles
equals big pain when breaking the century mark
doing it right and proper tonight

workload ramping up

workload ramping up
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

might be a little quieter around here
long winded rambling posts will have to wait
work requires attention and nurturing
glad to be busy vs. other scenerios

_____

sub freezing morning temps return again
sigh
valve core blows out before i can even add a few psi
sigh
split open my thumb when the tire lever slips
sigh
all before 6 am
good morning monday

so damn tired

saturday nights amount of sleep almost equaled sunday mornings ride time. rock n roll lifestyle plus a restless baby tests the mental and physical reserves. solid 4 plus hours on the bike though. ride to the ride, then ride home is how i like it.



group of eight with usual pauses at trail junctions and crests of hills for regroups. jamming the pedals in between though to make up for it. smooth thru the rocks leading out the dual squishies more often than not running a soft yet suppl 28 psi . first to the top too as the lone gear forces a certain cadence. fun ride but reminds me of why solo spins feel so good too.

aluminum, stainless steel, and cotton

in the garage wrenching

in the garage wrenching
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

stoudts double ipa

new schedule

spring arrives
snow fell last night
another early morning
of darkness and silence
will become the norm
mandatory overtime at work
can't stay later
alarm clock has been recalibrated instead
batteries will be charged
reflective gear donned
at least it's getting warmer
and i'm not salaried
so compensation will be provided

ssshhh listen....

big yellow moon looms above
looks dirty and tired covered in overcast haze
out the door earlier than normal
neighborhood is silent
only interrupted by the whir of my derailleur
rolling
just like yesterday
but it's not like yesterday
warmer air
chirping frogs are louder
traffic is still in bed
legs not as dull
a mundane commute?
only if i let it be

classic

stolen from dick who gave proper credit

too sleepy to eat

too sleepy to eat
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

bread, kale, sweet potato, tofu, and carrot were all snubbed for rest instead. eating has been going well though she insists on feeding herself. stubborn and cute all blended together.

jb mountain bikes team kit

now if only we could get some custom overalls like eddies. or at least bibs.

whlie others are asleep...

dawn patrol riding thru a dark cold city
gaining elevation on the road
switchbacks lead to gated fireroads
roots, rocks, downed trees to hop
unfamiliar to this weekday commuter roadie
rusty but skillset is still intact
redline the first dirt climb
while trying to think of a route
one thing at a time
focus on picking a line
trail options abundant
weave around the tech familiar goodness
clean sections just to botch the next
focus
can't just blindly pedal like on the road
doubletrack cruising
freshly groomed singltetrack spur
don't remember this one
eventually connects to known dirt
couple of new old trails found today
i've never rolled them or seen them before
but logs show seasons of chainring abuse
soils actually loamy after last thaw cycle
keep looking for a soft tire
drop down to antietam lake
just to climb right back up
giving ergon grips a shot
missing my barends on the steeps
forearms dieing off before legs
more trail time required
clock is still ticking
start pointing for home
false flat cruising
up the road behind the firetower
ridgeline rock tech skill test
then drop off the side of the mountain
but pinch with less than 50' to go



quick tube swap
ponder stans tubeless setup for a minute
then city to burbs to home
surprisingly cooked for just 20
more dirt practice needed
road mileage tunes the legs
but does little for the rest of the body

ouch

this thing finds knots in muscles like magic.
holy shit are my legs tight and bound up.
and my shoulders.
and my neck.
this devise is called the stick.
just got it but it seems promising.
trying to get into a preventative maintenance routine.
pretty sore right now after the first session.
i've got work to do.

on the upswing

feeling pretty good today
mind is clear as are the lungs
think i fought it off
before it set in for an extended visit
track bike into work
pushing the legs
they agreed
movement was swift

thoughts have turned to racing again
hooking up with jb mountain bikes
mass focus but still want to see michaux as well
and crush the commonwealth of course
tentative schedule over there on the right
gotta ramp up the dirt miles
weekend early morning sessions to commence shortly

maladies

> slow simmer cold working it's way thru me
> in my head and sinuses over the weekend
> now in my lungs
> no hacking
> no mucus
> little wheezey
> a cough now and then
> ridings been ok but keeping the effort in check
>
> disease rampant at work too
> to my right I've got a cold and possible sinus infection
> to my left, out the past two days, antibiotics and maybe flu
> further left, straight to the shitter, couldn't even fire up the computer
>
> i never worried about getting sick before evey
> sick kids are no fun
> so far she seems ok
> just some boggers

a monday in march

the clocks have changed
but my mind is still lagging
not a hint of light darkness at departure
warm though
grocery store run for the weeks coffee
wet roads hiss and fenders defend
dark feels close
tight winding roads seem smaller
always chasing that spot of illumination
brief shower passes
just enough to cause concern
as layers aren't condusive to wet warmth
winding out the gears
drop to a smaller cog
enjoy the increasing tailwind
motor along pacing with traffic
last rise in elevation then done
cool down laps in the parking lot
start of another week

friday night ramble

it was a simple plan. ride, beer, ride. last minute battery charge and stuffing jersey pockets. mid fifties and a bright moon. knee warmers and bare arms. singlespeed rolling for the first time in weeks. swing by marks house and we're rolling. thru the park. thru the burbs. thru the big box shopping district. onto dark tow path. temp drops along the river. easy pedaling on semi-soft gravel. house lights peek around trees. cross pavement onto new section of trail. like soft wet sand. slow and trudging. pedaling the downhills savoring the momentum. finally reach the stilling basin at blue marsh. two cars and a campfire in view. incoherent shouts. climbing. left hand onto unofficial route. mud and off camber. lots of body english as steering isn't optimal. mark borrows my handlebar light as his helmet ones dead. parking lot and up the paved road. red line it as it's points straight up.





reach the road traversing the ridge. light traffic with a pub ahead. near empty parking lot. scanning the cooler of beer to go. forty or a quart? coors light is the only option. lets get cans. tall yellow boddingtons pub ale cans. fit snugly into jersey pockets. little gas charged widget rattling inside as i pedal. enough of mud and opt for road. aero tuck downhill and break forty mph. right hander onto path. immediately pull over and enjoy the ale along the river. shivers hit me so time to roll again. backtrack hunting for marks broken taillight. more flat path rolling. one last beverage break before re-entering the world of pave. 28 miles and three hours elapsed. this ride should be repeated.

summer plans

> dirt bicycle racing.
> i've done it before.
> and may do so again.
> on a team even.
> mass series is pretty local.
> michaux series is a little farther away.
> ctc is it's own seperate beast.
> staying on the singlespeed.
> no fixed gearing like last years stoopid fiddy.
> daily commuting = daily training.
> rest and sleep are overrated anyway.
> more later if this all pans out.

ten degree flat

ten degree flat
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

cold and windy roadside repair
second flat in three weeks
both punctures in the rear vittoria randoneur
bombproof fixie not so bombproof
thinking a schwalbe marathon xr
did I mention it was cold?

false predictions

it's cold; twenty one degrees and dropping. the snow is light and fluffy. easy for the wind to grab and blow around. and that wind; steady from the nnw both helps and hurts my progress. upwards of nine inches called for originally. then revised to six. heading to bed flurries and sleet were falling giving the impression of the storm overtaking the area. fast forward a couple of hours and little more has fallen.

zoning out watching the radar and debating my bike options as i eat breakfast. time didn't allow for mounting the studs sunday night. fenders aren't on the fix either. sleet is falling and snow is on the way. kerosene heater could allow for warm hands while mounting tires but the clocks still ticking. dress and leave. geared, fendered, skinny tired pacer will have to do.

wet roads where salt lingers but snow lays as well. as traffic lessens road cover increases. half inch of surprisingly grippy snow allow for climbing out of the saddle. fenders begin to fill with slush and perpetually scrap against the tire. with no where else to go, snow begins to spray out from the fenders sticking to my legs where the rain legs don't cover. glance at the back wheel and see the same scene as the slightly wet precipitation takes hold of my bike.

out of the protection of the hills, the wind is quite noticeable. fender drag and deepening snow hold me back as well adding to the mental frustration. actual resistance is no doubt less than perceived but i can't be convinced otherwise. head down pedaling. just getting to work at this point.

buy the ticket take the ride and less than fifteen minutes later i'm at work. comfortably warm and dry. bike still shifts and brakes fine. not even really late. yet still a little frustrated; guess the novelty of snow commuting wears off after a while. lacking quality sleeps doesn't set you up for calm mind either.

now three hours and a couple of inches later roads are completely covered. light snow still falling too. have the feeling it'll be a small ring ride home. winds still kicking so drifts may make it interesting too. studs and fenders will go on the fixed xcheck tonight. right tool for the job = smart.

february wrap up

february wrap up
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

orange = ride to work (18 days, 486 miles)
yellow = drive to work (1 day)
blue = dirt or road ride (4 days)
year commute stats = 37 days, 999 miles

to the hills

view from the saddle
snow still covered the roads at higher elevations
climbing was fine for the most part
rolling hot into white corners makes for tense moments however



a hair under 16 miles
2800 ft of climbing
about an hour door to door
a couple loops of this would constitute 'training'
good thing i don't train