Gear down

One of the first things my father taught me when I was learning to drive off-road was to gear down. He said,"you can rarely go to slow, and the last thing you want to do is kill the engine because you're in too big of a gear. If you kill the engine you'll stop, even lose ground, or slide off the trail, and maybe even end up stuck. So, gear down and take your time." Not race advice, but sound point A to point B training strategy.

Well, that's all well and good, as long as you have enough gears. Today, I didn't have enough gears. I haven't been on the bike in four weeks (vacation in SE Asia, followed by a forced vacation thanks to something I brought back with me), and today I got back in the saddle. I took the cross bike out and its been raining for days. Some of the trails here in Skeggs are covered in a peanut butter mud. Its sticky when you don't want it to be and slick the rest of the time. Today, this mud was actually my savior. About the time I realized my ride was about to turn into a single speed grind- the mud got so slippery it essentially gave me a few more gears. I could just sit and spin in my 38-25. Sure, I wasn't going anywhere, but I wasn't killing my engine. It may have been ruining my fuel efficiency, but after four weeks off the bike you better believe I have a full tank with some junk in the trunk that will probably burn pretty hot too and for quite some time. 

If felt good to get on the bike. Three days ago in the depth of my illness I thought taking a dump was exercise. 

Number Six

We finally added another nitwit to the blog, John Blackwell. He rides bikes 'n shit.

Base miles

To many cyclists, winter means short days, crappy weather, and long hours. Motivation is hard to find when ze program calls for a bunch of miles spent staring at a spot of pavement lit up by only a headlamp...but we all make it happen anyway. I personally think we find the ability to get out there in the elements because winter, even here in Norcal, makes us feel tougher than we actually are. 

Every car that passes reminds us that there's an easier way. Each time we ride and see no other cyclists on the road makes us feel alone...which can be a much-needed stroke to the ego when there are no finish lines to sprint for. This kind of riding also reminds us that we're not doing it for anyone else.

There are also plenty of little things about riding in the elements that you just don't get to experience much the rest of the year:

• The satisfaction of pulling off sopping wet cycling shoes
• The misery of having them still wet when you pull them on again
• The type of rain that calls for the glasses-or-no-glasses decision
• Fenders...yes, I love fenders
• Dreading the coming descent
• Keeping your fingers off the brake levers because it makes them cold
• The point at which you literally cannot get any more wet
• Discovering your lights are still on when you finish a ride after sunrise
• Enjoying a commute bag because it keeps your back warm
• A dirty road bike
• Hairy legs

Still, I can't wait for April.

What Would Pre Say?

I found this scan of Steve Prefontaine's notes from a speech he gave in 1974. Let's run down how I'm doing on the ole checklist.

• My diet consists largely of alcohol and Mexican fast food
• I'm sleeping in the living room of a home that calls itself "Casa de Chaos"
• I skipped half my workouts so far this year

w00t.

The Camel goes Corporate

Just in time for the new year, one of us snuck a little camel toe into his corporate ID badge thinger. Here's the proof...we'll see if it squeaks by the graphic design people:

Also of note, counting Darren as being half employed - we're now down to a 10% unemployment rate. Isn't that down near the CA average?

CONGRATS are in order

so, remember that guy on our team who spent 3 months of the fall in a neck brace smoking cigarettes and contributing reviews after breaking his neck at Downieville? well, turns out it didn't hurt him much. or perhaps those "nicotine" patches weren't what he said they were. regardless of how he came back from such a horrible accident, they fact is he came back, and came back well. Kirt raced a bunch of Single Speed cross races this year. He made it to 4 of 5 of the BASP series races and did damn well too. So well, that he took home second in the series. Congrats Kirt.

ps- can you get me some of those patches?

A view from the sidelines

This blog's been a bit silent...but the camel is stoked for cross. More than other disciplines, it requires a full combo of fitness, skill, solid bike setup, luck...and being fired up.  As Skirt has shown, the only one that you can do well without is fitness. Nice work at Livermore!

I spent the entire road/mtb season racing...and waiting for cross. The intensity required beckoned me during long mileage days. Any time I spun out the big ring on my mtb, feeling a high-cadence flow on some stretch of dirt...cross. Hell, I even did some running. And now, after an accident during a recent night trail ride, my season looks shot with only two (marginal) finishes. I've been trying hard to decide whether to aim my PT and training towards late season races, ala Andy Jacques-Maynes'  example...or punt and focus on road season next year.

This last week, a couple of the Altezza guys forwarded me a video from one of Norcal's "Peak Season" races...our only hope at proper muddy cross. I dare you all to watch this, and not get excited. For everybody that has the ability to get to a cross race this weekend, and next, and the one after that: do it. This stuff only comes around once a year. I'm stoked, and I can't even walk right now :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdPwUZcByIY&feature=related