friday

It was gorgeous out today. As a result I knew all day I just wanted to go out for a nice long ride, so after doing some errands I got home had a snack packed a lunch and hit the road for Big Falls.

It was the first time this year I've gotten to go out and do some real riding and despite a persistent headwind it was an awesome ride.

I got out to Big Falls which was totally flooded and stopped for a quick lunch before heading back into town.

I love riding my bike.

fff

Not going to be riding the next couple TNR's. Because Found Footage Festival is tonight, and next week I've got plans. This is just an excuse to post a clip from the FFF.

we're still alive

It's been a few days. That's because it was nice out for a few days, which nessecitated being away from stupid computers and riding bikes all day. Sunday I celebrated Chocolate Rabbit Day, and then went out to Northwest Park. The second I got their Magyar called me and said he wanted to ride, 13 minutes later he was out there schooling me on the trails. If you have yet to go out to NWP, once it gets nice again do it. Apprently it's still a baby and their is much more trail making to come, but it's pretty awesome, and it's just a quick ride from downtown. There are a couple 3 or so minute downhills, but just be prepared to do a lot of climbing back to the top of the hill.

Afterwards we ran into Kristof and Andreas and milled about until burritos started calling my name. Speaking of Andreas and Co. there is a new edit up on the NO10 site from Menomonie. See for yourself

Seems like a strange place for a Lucero track, but digging it anyway.

Thats all, I'm off to work.

happy easter

season

Monday I got out of work early and felt like total dirt. However I knew it was going to be the last nice day in a while so I took a nap got up and got on the Bianchi. I rolled around Otter Creek, and around town, but most of that stuff is old and I really wanted to go hit up Lowes Creek. I sent a few texts and got no reply so I headed home for a while when Matt called me and asked if I wanted to go out with him. What followed was a perfect session of trail riding. I've never been riding at Lowes before, and now I can see why people like it so much. Anyway, I can't wait for summer to really get here.

Magyar has also been in full MTB mode as evinced by the above video he took at Levis. I want to go to there.

lunch break

green door

A while ago Jen asked me what I could possibly have in my bag that made it so heavy to lug around all the time. It's not the first time I've been asked that so I figure it's time for a breakdown. Like most of us I tend to live out of my bag, so I usually have an abundance of stuff in it that I deem "essential" whether it is or not.

Sunglasses, notebook, marker, valleycat flyers, and usually an extra pen or two.
Basic first aid. Band-aids, gauze, ibuprofen, alcohol wipes, ear plugs (nothing bothers me more than being at a super loud show and not having ear plugs)
Survival kit. Emergency fire starter, matches, hand warmers from Japan, and baby wipes.
Tubes and pump, I use the Topeak Roadmorph G because everyone was gushing about it and now I know why.
Gerber tool and lighter
And finally my tool kit. Tire levers, patch kit, spare hardware/chain lengths, mutli-tool, adjustable, chain tool, trixie tool, cone wrench, duct tape, 15mm, and a corkscrew.

This is obviously without going in to the extra layers that get carried around depending on the season. And in case you were wondering this is what I use for a bag. They suck, don't get one unless you have an expert tailor with an industrial sewing machine at your disposal.

bc

A nice little piece of snail mail came the other day from Tyler Edward Rockingham Adolphus Sixfinger the Third for Scott, Andy, Myself, the cat, and Steve's ghost. Along with a heartfelt correspondence the above stickers were enclosed. They were made by Bomb City, or friendly neighbors to the west in Menomonie. And while not being totally factually accurate(the UP was never part of the Wisconsin Territory, actually Wisconsin was part of the Michigan territory until something like 11 years before statehood. History major.) I think they are fun and figure it is worth giving them some promotion here.

Get some now.

Also, while on the topic of Menomonie, a recent study by UW-Stout Professor Jim Papadopoulos and some other folks is making news on the international blogosphere including fixed gear freestyle taste-maker Prollys blog. Learn more here.

through today

ritual

What we do is secret...

The Valleycat is in the air. Get ready.

from the vault

More from olden days.

Two pictures from my place on Grand Ave circa 2006-7. This house is where the picture above my profile came from. The road bike is my first "fixed gear," a welded together hub on an old Schwinn World Sport. I rode it as a single speed for a while after the derailers got all messed up and as soon as I found out about fixed gear via what ever fixed gear media was out at the time I wanted it, and made it happen. Looking back I'm surprised I didn't kill myself. No bar tape, insane gear ratio, no straps, and an all around crap build. Live and learn.
The triple-tall bike circa 2006(obviously). Coupled with my rock and roll long hair and impeccable fashion sense this was obviously not my most shining moment in the social scene. But that is why we have bikes.
Tour d'Franzia.
Another tall bike in the pole shed of my Dad's house. This is where many bikes were built with his massive old Arc welder(visible left through the door slots) and test ridden in the day. Most of my working technical knowledge of bikes comes from tearing them apart and putting them back together repeatedly. Something that freak bikes was good for. It didn't matter how well they operated once they were put together, just as long as they worked. Needless to say you can only commute on such a thing for so long before wanting something a little simpler. Then finding yourself later longing for the impracticle fun of the tall bike again. Pretty sure this is the bike I took to Chicago the first time I hung out with Rat Patrol.
My first real real fixed gear, my Windsor. Hit by a car, abused, and stolen. Again, you live you learn.


Three photos from the "Boneshaker Halloween Bash" Oct. 2007. Prompted this blog according to me in 2007. Really one of the first times I met a lot of the people I consider close friends now. Andy and I in photo one, me tall bike jousting (and losing) in photo two, a crowd photo three.
Fin.

these days are made for us

I slept in late this morning kind of dreading thinking about a lot of the responsible things I needed to get done today, but the second I got out of bed wen downstairs and opened the door to sun and warmth that changed. I hammered out the things I wanted done and in the process biked all around town enjoying the weather. Came home chilled out then went for a nice long run, came home again long enough to shower and then took the Bianchi out.

I almost forgot how much I love early summer and today totally reminded me of how amazing this part of the world is this time of the year. I can't wait for the rest of the summer, its going to be amazing.

lending hands

We want 100 racers at this years valleycat to make it the biggest best most insane bike race this part of WI has ever seen. Help out by printing flyers and telling your friends. Seriously, do it.

http://valleycat.110mb.com/

wheel world

WQOW is apparently going to have a series of videos on the "Wheel World" over the next few weeks. Details are scarce, but heres a quick snippit in which they get their bike tuned up at Anybodys. Not the most riveting journalism, but hey, at least they are covering bike stuff.

http://www.wqow.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?vt1=v&clipFormat=flv&clipId1=5738135&at1=News&h1=In the Wheel World&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

the projects

I have a hard time leaving projects once they get started. Especially when I know I have everything I need at my disposal. That said here is the outcome of the post I made earlier. One of the best things about summer(and toe clips) is being able to just hop on your bike and ride. It's nice to just have a nice easy going ride around town some days, and this is my bike for that. Schwinn World Sport mish-mash of stuff I had laying around, Suntour, random Campy Record Front wheel I came across some time ago, random rear MKS, Origin-8, oury and all that other lazy goodness. Way too much fun.

up grades

New cruiser/grocery getter coming soon. The original Schwinn had all old Suntour crap so I swapped everything out for newer mid-level Suntour I had laying around. No matter what I swapped out or took off (wheels, bars, stem, derailers, kickstand, etc.) the thing still weighs a ton though, can't wait.

Also finally rebuilt the drive-train on the Miyata. So clean, so fresh.

all this

Yesterday Magyar and I went out to Menomonie for the Stout Cycling Club Alleycat. It was a gorgeous day for a bike ride and I was feeling really jazzed about getting to go race in another city. One of the best parts of alleycats is getting a feel for a city you never ride in and get to find out what people in that city ride every day. Anyway Magyar and I got there, wandered around campus for a bit before running into the race planner paying registration and getting our manifest. The race was set up like more of a scavenger hunt than an alleycat which was an intersting change and opened up a lot of possibilities for knocking out multiple stops at once.

I pretty much took a back seat to the routing and let Magyar take lead. Not only is he super fast, he is better at reading maps and routing than most cartographers. I think it's fair to say that any time you're not sure what to do in a race and you see Magyar it's a safe bet to get behind him and hold on because he usually has a plan and legs to carry it out.

Cut to the chase, the race started I tailed Magyar and we hit some nice tail winds out of town, cut across the highway and ditched a tail while we hit up two more checkpoints on the other side. Went back through town and with two checkpoints left Magyar said he was going to open up and go for the win. Needless to say that was the last I saw of him until the finish in which time he opened up a six minute gap on me. Magyar rolled in first, six minutes later I took second, about five more later I'm pretty sure a guy on a 29er took third.

During the race we got some help from our boy Trevor who moved to Menomonie and helped us find a dorm we had no idea about. Then promptly had his frame break at the seat stay. No good deed goes unpunished.

After all was said and done we hit up the Log Jam with Trevor and got some much needed refreshments, including three shots of Maker's Mark purchased for us by a fellow cyclist at the bar rocking a really nice Nature Boy.

The race was pretty short which was kind of nice because it meant I still had plenty of energy for the rest of the night which pretty much entailed hanging out at the house with Mags and Hughs picking up Jen then coming back home and hanging out with Andy and Scott having a few beers and eating apples till bedtime.

Thanks to everyone in Menom for the good time and hospitality. Check out the Valleycat this year and we will repay the favor.

Next stop on the EC Velo Tour of Destruction Durand, April 16.