Top 8 of 11 (not just bikes)

8 things that come to mind from the year, chronollogically typing.

• Pivot Cycles, got me one. Nice bike, spent alot of money, doesn't levitate or like getting a car wash, but flings well and is a full suspension lover's full suspension. Wanna buy it?
• Heath going to greener cat water. I was/ still am sad. But he still swims home to where he belongs w/ the Goons.
• Fogo De Chao with my Honey. Go meat
• Motorhead and Clutch at First Ave with Ricoh. Couldn't hear for a week.
• Richy Race/ Fat Bike Fest, got beat by Hollywood... What the??? (But not Jack) Richy was ready for shennanigans... Ha!
• Mesa AZ visit with Folks, bike with remaining time. Held hands with Habs some. My 6 hour loop (Hawes/ Wild Horse/ Pass Mtn), Habs gave me "the look" in the end. POINT
• Song/ album of the year--- not much for video's but this is Ricoh.

• Ragnorok 111, took wrong turn for too long to recover. Didn't cheat myself, still got my 111. But off the finisher list. "*" like Barry Bonds? 
• Soundgarden comeback, but no visit here!??
• CHEQ100
• Spent more time on the interweb and this blog time soak, than in the Word. Need to reverse that.
• North Shore Trip with Dawn and sKids. Great time along the shores, classic weather (went from 40's to 90's in one day), died a fun heat infused death on 1.5 mcdonalds pancakes at Du Lac. Just finish baby.
• UP Trip with the Pirate. Copper Harbor bro-mance, Michigan Tech Trail ride in the rain, and the carbin XTR RD destruction. Trail called "Time Trial", that has to be the fast/ easy section I thought. Ha, rt!
• Fall Trip to Chequamegon Land with folks, Lon/ Rebecca, and my Honey. Became 2 time Ricoh President.
• Bittersweet hunting with my Honey! We found the mother load.
• Bones Jones. I think he'd beat Silva and all others on the planet in hand to hand combat. I bet Goat could still get him in a wrist lock.
• LCR "team" additions. Some good "my guy's" brought in to the fold. Maybe a dud or 3. Speak the language/ kick back to figure-8 out. I think Jack would rather us be LCRT. ha.  
• Cunyua trip with Jimmmay. Those rocks on top were good flings. James got the Gold, he'd been practisin for that day.
• Fighting Sioux! Fighting Sioux! Fighting Sioux! 
• Newt. The Bones Jones of politics. Hopefully the elephants stop bickering like Ricoh.     
• All the fat bike hype. Bike companies still can't figure out the supply/ demand concept. Everything sold out again this year. Why is that? I say too many insider headset adjustments... 
• Vikings collapse topped with AP getting knee destroyed. I'm still sad
• Lack of snow. Good thing we have the river and all the odd ball riding that my kind gravitates too.
• Comment of the year- At river yesterday ran into Prahmann, he said "you don't ride in a straight line do you..."  

Yeah, I can't count and I'm an engineer, but 8 is more than a number.

Tonight- Alistar or Lesnar?

Endo-Wreath

A while back I was wondering what todo with a worn out Endo...

Riddle this...

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a beatdown on the bike!!!

Beaver Dominion Over The Bottoms.

Riddle this...
Jus riding along, at first I noted the work on the tree still standing, then caught the backdrop and it all made sense. Impressive. This work is towards the Ferry end, he's got hard workin buddies in the Youngblood section, and a cousin in Black Dog.

They leave the sharp stumps for us to avoid and laugh at along the trail. We call them punji's, nobody has landed on one (yet). But every beaver has it's day.

Snow came and went, Nates are still on, louder and even harder to think. Not always bad.

Double Nate's- The anti-motorboat effect

First fatride ever with knob's on both front and back. Thoughts, riddles, and reflection from Murphy.

Pro Nate's-

• Can lean the corners, handle a bike like summer riding
• Traction on the steep ups, they bite like that porcupine climbing the pine at Levis 
• Figure 8's, turn radius gets smaller, making the 8's tighter
• Going for the flings, rear wheel takes a bite first plant, no spin (but second bite?)
• More resistance = Increased beatdown
• Fall line drops, back and front end stay planted, no yardsales (so far)
• Tread proportional to air pressure ran

Con Nate's-

• Less Motorboat effect. 
• Less tree to tree in granny 3.
• Can't hear yourself think (not always bad)
• Dragging a plow when trail is over groomed.
• Second bite on the fling is questionable.
• Time between traction and spin out is less, and more violent motorboat 
• The skid don't whiplash. 

First and reverse tracks on log skinny. 1 whole week of snow with no tracks. They all act like it don't exist I guess.  

Can brag about 1st tracks on wood skinny, but plastic skinny did me in good. Biked away knees shaking just glad to have bike and body functional after crash. No witness though, don't count.

NOTE- LCR winter rule, you don't clean the snow off any trap, just RIDE IT.

Did you enjoy today's lovely southern headwind? Whaat a treat.

Farm Team Hospitality!

Great combo last night. 3 hour tour/ challange session, then festive winter mexi cheer courtesy of Farm Team original Scotty Too Hottie and his better half Deb... Red Squrl with the corned up bread offering... Thanks all!

To add animation, pic of multiple Farm Teamers attached- Barry Too Scary present and accounted for... Got Kipper Snacks? FD, Ringer, STH, and multiple double agents.... But no Habs.

LCR Levis 2007 Beatdown Fest

Farm Team in Michigan? Get serious. There can be only 1, and it started in Chaska around a fire pit.

Dirt

Recently rediscovered this Dirt, via pounding in gravel headwind with vision of what's going up on 4-12-12...

The rediscovery of thawed inorganic dirt by 4-12-12 is a mystery. I'm betting on conditions like year 1.

I have to makeup for my self DQ last year. Still got 111 miles in, just not per the tulips. Didn't cheat myself so was content. Got to get over the curse of the Zumbro Falls have a picnic check in... 

Layne Staley was Ricoh. If he'd have found bikes, maybe he'd have exchanged the poison for punishment and still be alive. AIC circa 1994, the experiences you never forget.

Did you get first tracks on something yet??? 

Looking for something to do besides bike---  http://t.lt02.net/q/njlg23us2Vf_KJ8hOgZBGAb5HUqg1_VIzJd6-HsJVCvci_CGEtOanWl4u  

GO RING!!!

A Pickled Salsa Cowboy Fishing Cat

8 LCR's plus 3 (see above, 3 in 1 =8).

As fast as it's going to get right now. Sand is like concrete, felt cheated coasting.

The creek consumed the Pickle and eddy's Guy. The Pirate messed around long enough to freeze the jacket.

Should have waited for the Jimmmay dab. Awesome phone shutter.

You riding down by the river? Don't ignor our fat tracks into and over all sorts of sticks and traps, big and small. Tracks don't lie with fresh white on the ground. RIDE IT. ha

22 Turkey's

Many species of Turkeys, half LCR, part Cat n Fish, some 53T Coffee's, couple Birchwoods, and some non denominations...

Double Agent Heath on the skid plate, Jimmmay admiring.  Ha. Stupid humor is us.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Pass a dish, a dish of summer punishment over the long weekend.

Not so rolling now, Daryl..

Many sayings, one is "Stare at it too long and you'll find something."

Admiring this sight, after years of no knobb/ endomorph only option... Thinking to self, "wonder how knobby tire will impact the motorboat effect?"

Then I found it... Daryl is now rolling with a hop. Was it a month full of (non snow) brush bushwackin, rock flings, log piles, junk heaps, stump rides, picnic tables, concrete rubble, punjis, skinnys that wobble, train tracks, choclate chips, deadfall crossings, or just bulldozing through sticks?

Probly not. Most likely just a root, rock, or my lame air at high speed on a roady line at the river.

Homebrew rim liner showing pock marks on tube as well. Good thing it's a fat tube. Not a stretched thin 26" for the weight conchus. Scrap homebrew. You ever changed a flat at -10F??? Hands become clubs only.


Would you throw this away?

Going to miss pure motorboatin with no knob... Jack says keep it for an "endomorph only race..." That comes from the guy who took them off and ran nokians on the marges at a Richy Race... I was shocked it worked. Pt to me Pirate that day, smoked everybody if I recall correct. The pre B Moore days? ha.

LCR Turkey's Ride on Thurs... Don't forget to bring a dish to pass...

Burning Beard

Non-bike---

Bike---

• Jim devistated when bypass new log trap last night. Had excuse, validity was questionable.
• 9 last night, no guests, everybody asking "when's Heath gonna show?" 
• Sat, Jimmmmay Loop. Ride bike, watch parking racing. Go Rebecca, Lon, RS, and those I rub elbows with...  You know the Jimmmay Loop? If no, then you should... 

LCR Turkey's Day Ride- Bring a dish to pass... Same spot and same number (8) as past couple years. Looks like thawed dirt this time.

Off Bucket List, Check.

From Behind the Cheddar Curtain...

Lambeau Field, in line waiting on the elevator to go up 5 floors to get to the fancy spot. The Cheese Monitor looked at me like I was crazy when asked "where are the stairs?" "Nobody ever takes the stairs...", said the Cheddar Monitor.

SKOL VIKINGS!!! Let's go!

let's go home with pig-tails between legs that is...

New trap in minutes!

You too can build yourself one of these... In mere minutes go from a sand dune, to sand dune plus!!!

All it takes is stumps and some creativity for the line.

A JIMCO Product.

This one probly build too good. No wobbles or questionable sticks.

Next up, infomertial.

But who'd do the talking?

Scratch that idea.

11 = 8

1. Gravitate to the technical. Fitness is easier to gain then technical skills.
2. Love to make your eyes bleed... Suffer.
3. Finish. You will remember adversity more then podiums.
4. 2 types of racers- those that race to ride, and those that ride to race... Be a race to ride type.
5. Ragnarok.
6. I don't get the dig yourself a hole/ overtrain thing.
7. Ride Windows- cycling is self centered and addictive, balance life and family
8. Ricoh for life.
8. Love the technical. Push the envelope. Take risks. Break bikes. You'll gain more then you lose.
8. Bikes force you to stay young. Good thing mostly.
8. "My Guys". You gotta have some.
9. Stay connnected with your associates that are forced to leave the sport. What if you couldn't ride a bike?
10. Cheq 100. Sums up all that I seek in bike racing these days.
11. Voice of Reason would say "keep your guys down."

Some of "My Guys"

New Lines in the Sand

We've got more new, a Shingle down, Chcoclate Chip (I think Jim dirt pile), bust throught the Youngblood, and Blackdog plus and plus plus... We can't take credit for the 9 M sticks though.

Shingle down to river. Don't look like much? Ha. "Follow me..."

Social skills must be improving/ getting better at hosting guests... Freewheel this week/ Jack should have been there for this one... Stare at shoes.

Who got the Gold last night? I think it might have been one of Eddies Guys.

Sat Nov 19th, if your not deer hunting... Jimmmmay Loop to bark at champonship park racers.

17th in state.

Series awards last night... Food/ Awards/ Social/ Swag, very nice indeed.

Thanks to the people that put on races for the rest of us... Not sure why people do it, but I do appreciate each and every race I get to partake in...

2011 Series Highlights-

• Afton- anytime you get punished on the trails you made is a hoot.
• Mankato- First time I've enjoyed that place... Wasnt that hot this year.
• Red Wing- Had a good race (13th) on great trails
• Du Lac- Long weekend of family fun on the shore. Paid the price and died a very slow bikedeath, carb load? race on 1.5 mcdonlds pancakes and see how you fair... rookie FG move, Ha.
• WTR- Had Wood on the ropes only to get giant stick in back end of bike. Still amazed I didn't tear anything off. 
• Maplelag- Bike Camp. More singletrack/ trails keep getting better... 
• Jail Race- Richy on me like flies on rice. Not skipping any tech for fear of point loss. We drilled it. Young SPH Matt commented "you two are freaks on the singletrack..." Ha. We fail, but we don't like to skip stuff, especially when it's an LCR showdown. 

Old Guy Class- Still Riding Bikes Like Kids

Johny Depp or Charlie Chaplin?

KYUSS LIVES!

So after 15 years in hiding they return. First Ave Nov 30th.

Jack/ Jim say Megadeth/ Motorhead on valentines day. I get point if I bring Dawn (not Don).

Guest appearance last night... No Green/ incognito. Stick crossing. Point to the guy that spent the time laying the sticks.

Less cockleburrs each week...

"Alaman Left,

dose-e-doe, grab the next stick and down youll go."

Woulda snapped a shot of the hook that took me down last night. But you know the scramble you get when you go down in instant and you got 8 lights behind you now grabbing brake?? Found out post ride audit that the hook took Habs down last week. Jim threatened to cut hook out. I say hook stays.




Stickered Goat Machine- self proclaimed "Gold" in the end. I guess taking Haaberman bypass counts. How to heard farm animals up hill? 

 9 doing curtsies last night... 2 noobs, Eddies guys. Almost had to make a new rule of no more than 1 new guy if your not going to show yourself. One of Eds guys played magic act, but was found, the other was all smiles saying "this reminds me of being 15 and stupid again!". This ain't your typical mtb bike ride/ river racer pose off, more of a goon squad square dance in the sticks. 

Looking forward to some frozen sand, boot holes, and questionable ice.
 

Monday Funday (ride time < drive time)

So everybodys been to Cunyana expect for Heath and me. So yesterday Jimmmay took a day off to show me the loops.

Highlights-

• Yawkey Rock traps on top of the hill
• Jim telling story about Jack getting yelled at by Farm Team for riding high on the sidewalls.
• Losing points to Jim on said rock traps. Endless redo's to get in the flow of the herc and jerk. Jim calls it yelling at the trail.
• Pemberton loops, fast roller downhills, screamin when you send it.
• Pemberton climbs, more climbs then I expected. Couple good grunts
• Endo alley, nice skinny between rock gaps.
• Jim telling DNR officer he don't normally wear spandex. Officer looked at him funny
• Ride time < drive time, but still worthy.

Lowlights-

• Never felt threat of getting lost in the woods/ no fear of a wrong turn
• No roots. Jim pointed it out, got me thinking, root killers.

Self pics are yag, but this is all we came back with...



Yawkey rock trap area. First attempt of many redo's. First corner is trickier than this looks. Jim cleaned first attempt. Jack said this loop was alot more difficult but people are dumbing it down. I don't get that. You scart, act like it's not there or leave it alone.

 Picture don't do this justice. Point can be lost.



Fresh Tendrils

A Soundgarden song, and what kicking off the Fall/ Winter Thursday games with the sisters means. Only 1 objective, show up to claim the point when it don't make sense.

Trail Goons, trap setting

This ride don't count (says the voice of reason).

Creek crossing w/ sticks. No threat/ don't count either. If crossing but a mudhole, different story.

Dunes at night. Hard to decode the line, mostly end up in a deadend of deadfall.

Jim and Jim's stump. 

Scotty with the gold, he had skinny tires and followed into the dunes at ramming speed. 

Good times in the sand and sticks. Bushwackin can be your friend... Interested in joining the Thursday night affair, send me a signal... 

Improv down by the river...

"It's all what you make of it..."

Usually that saying applies to kids, and bad attitudes. Well you can apply it to the River Bottoms and biking. The cliche is the river is not technical. Well, if you look up/ look around, there are many a games to be had.

Jimmays Stump. You gotta look for it off in the sticks but its there. Line will be easier to find in winter.

"The Up and Over". Don't look deadly but you'll think twice. Go up and over the berm. When iced over its a good riddle. Fast downhill in the mounds. Gotta look hard but it's there.

Black dog- Mounds- Ferry, past years it was a 3hr loop, Now it's a 4+hr loop. Thanks to the sand dune playgrounds, you can either take the path of least resistance or play in the sticks. I prefer the later, so do my sisters.

Of all the Youngblood bridges, only one is gone. His trail needs some bushwackin. The line down my one spot has no exit as well, just claw your way back out the ravine...

Winter/ snow will make the lines more easy to be had. If you see something veer off the normal, chances are it's LCR. Stumps, loose logs, rock, pointy sticks, giant mound of frozen dirt with no exit, and the best plowed frozen over snow banks,,, points to be had or lost.

Levis Trow = Ride Time > Drive Time

LCR circles at Levis-Trow. Highlights- old school trail, sand, stumps, rutts, fling pts, roots, rocks, leaves, sidewinder backwards, D-Man hanging with the pack, porky pt backwards, new corkscrew line, jimmmay with the gold (and the tapout), the badger/ porcupine blockin the trail daring us to follow his line up the tree.

We had guest appearances. Many were absent for various reasons, but not forgotten. Good to see Rocket, Heath and D-Man, Jimmmmay and His guy, Eddie, Horns, RayOsow, Gonzalez and His guy, Magic and His guy, Mick the PC, and Dr Pete.

Ricoh Personified- Magic and his guy.

Boa/ Ride a bike when most don't

Rewind the clock 7 months... Lake Winter Shoe Boa buckle lace broke on last ride of winter season. Finally got around to dealing with it, found out Boa warranty is more then fair (thanks to Charles/ Behind Bars). If you need new Boa buckles or your lacing broke check this out.

http://www.boatechnology.com/guarantee/

Securing the laces to the spool is a puzzle. Don't forget to have all laces correctly routed prior to tieing the knots on the spool. Don't cut the laces too short either. I had to redo 4 times before I got it right... =8

Can't wait for that January -10F day singletrack. When all you hear is snow crunch and sticks snappin. Thorns have extra tensil strength, fear the flat...

LCR Levis Beatdown Fest 2007 (Many factions partook in this clan rally)



2011 Game awaits... No idea who's in and who's not... The LCR way... No clue.

"On the run from johnny law, aint no trip to cleveland."

Trails by the jail- Richzilla glued to my rear wheel, both us spinnin crazed (but neither skipping the tech lines), like two cons just exscaped from prison running from coon dogs. Ever seen the movie Bottlerocket? If ever turned to a life of crime, the Lawn Wranglers is the where its at. Need you one of them yellow jump suits? I have.

No yellow jumps suit here, but blue-yellow lacra is close enough

photo circa Skinny Ski

Dodged an RZ bullet yesterday. Pirate woulda been upset and used it against me at will... Ricoh vs Misphit. LCR, it's all about the intra-team factions. Outside world is secondary.

Up next- Couch/ Vikes/ practise my YAG cx moves in the local park. All I really want to achieve is bunny hop 18" high like RS once did. I'm scart.

Bike season in about 3 months. Lookin forward to frozen camelbacks, vaseline lubed toes, and dud heaters... Jack, we ever get a sponsor for them heaters?

Taking Back the White Hous

Oath of Office- Speak the language, defend the office, collect points, hide.

Cheq40- More to come later, but it's good to be president.

Congrats to all riddlers that partook. Specially those that haven't toed any line of late (Habs, Brendan O), my Bro for taking it on with a bad wing, my Sister for the podium effort, and Fitz for leading the Rebecca train to the finish. Thanks to Dawn, my folks, and the Barsness family for use of their cabin.

Pic has nothing to do with Cheq, but a reason I like riding gravel.

                                        On top of the world- A Goat, and his guy

"Stare at it too long...

... and you'll go blind." (Whata smart phone will do to you- ask the Bike Hermit)


                A Goat, not The Goat.

Maplelag/ aka Laddies Loppet/ aka Series race at Callaway/ aka Richard's Family opens up house and home to mtb racing.

Many visits to Maplelag. Last two years have been very enjoyable... Dawn and sKids had great times. This year nogo with big first days of school looming...

Trip up this year with Eddie/ team socialite. We got a good preride in, short track heckle, family style meals, and the wander aimless/ run into people/ chat/ continue to wander... Learned how to use wi-fi as well...

Race plot- 1:30PM takes forever... Off start hung out in back, mistake. Hit the lake drops and some that never ridden were surprised. Result was got hung up and a gap developed. Tried not to tweek, knowing it's a long 2 laps. Rest of lap legs were like spinning squares. Didn't care that I was giving up spots, due to the great trails that Jay Richards has developed. It's tight, twisty, root infested, old school trail. Makes you either ride with a grin, or a death grip.

Lap 2, got warmed up, ended strong (passed some, got passed by none). Finished with some gas in tank.

Allinall, no matter how you race, the great trails make the ride worthy. I think I was 19th place, mid pack, wanting a 3rd lap.

Fast forward to yesterday. WTR. Thurs night race hosted by KORC. Showed up 5 min before start. Ha. Go! Off start from no warm up, legs responded. What? The entire 1.5 hr race eyes bleeding/ legs gave it. Was even able to reel Barry T back in... 3rd to Barry and Fisher. Huh. I need to do the none warm up, go, more often I spose.

Got some quality time with RW Memorial today. Stairway to Heaven, really loose and sketch, what a treat. Canada's downhill trail backwards, Ricoh style.

Up next- (For sures) Presidential Election, St Cloud, LCR Levis Beatdown Fest.

Qpete, tweek on...

"If Ifs And Buts...

...were candies and nuts, it would be a Merry Christmas all year long."

My slogan for 2011. A year of good riding, but way too many IFS and BUTS.

Allgood. Just being able to ride a bike, must appreciate that and not get all balled up in the racer boy hoopla.

Border Battle- Not sure it qualifies as a battle, for a MN/ WI thing it couldn't be milder. At the line I barked out a "go gophers" even though I'm a Fighting Sioux. Didn't get any sort of bucky badger comeback...
Overall- was pleased with fitness, BUT didn't take advantage of it (branch in rear end somehow didn't tear off the rd, lame crash/ classic, and the best excuse the bottle blunder with my Honey/ Ha! now but not then... Ha.)...  Shoulda been a fifth lap. 36 place of more than 60 Cat 1's...
Got to thank the KORC (local trail group) guys for building and maintaining that trail that came from nothing just  few years ago...

                                        Token photo...

Up next... Not sure on the race front, but will find a way to self punish on a bicycle... Election in 3 weeks, I think I'm eligible again.

Hey Jimmmay, wonder if a 4.7" is overkill? Can't even run it in the back. From no fat options to too many options = 8.

UP: Ride Time = Drive Time

Thoughts, Speculation, Riddles, and Facts-

• Copper Harbor only has 25 Miles of trail, but everything runs both ways
• Boreal Forest/ exotic ferns grown in the Keweenaw peninsula 
• We didn't have to swat at one bug while in Copper Harbor, but there are weeds Jimmmay
• The new titled Copper Harbor "Flow Trail" downhill makes good use of 400' of vertical, taking 10-15 min
• The Red trail is the gem. 
• Hobs would like going down Pauls Plunge, but coming back up I'd get the look... 
• The MTB folks of copper harbor are adding another 16 miles of out and back trail along the lake, meaning 32 miles
• Horse Shoe Bay, couple miles east of Copper Harbor, get there by bike via dirt road/ hiking trail for swim, rock picking, pics, wandering around in lacra

• Pasties? What? Decoded- Must eat fresh with rutabaga next time
• Houghton/ Hancock has a mini-Duluth vibe
• There are more skinny's/ wood traps in 4 miles of the MI Tech Trails then in MN/ WI combined
• People that live in the Keweenaw have no desire to leave the Keweenaw. UP thing?
• Fancy carbin XTR rear derailleurs can not hold up to the technical hammering and mud = Downgrade to upgrade
• First time to visit a car wash to spray off a bike in last 11 years. 
• Hurley, Wisconsin is a good spot
• The eastern time zone needs to move farther east!
• Another fancy XTR riddle- when your 10 speed chain breaks, a 9 speed sram power link works just fine
• Pivot Company should change name to Pivot Creek Company.
• Lake Namekogon SP Campground has many a memory for the clan
• Wanted to ride the new stuff north of OO, but we were already cooked
• Rock Lake- finally was able to do the hildebrandt loop backwards with the Pirate. He got a fling PT on me
• When your car key/ ignition wont turn (worn out tumbler), tap on it with something. But not too hard...
• Wonder who's Pivot creeks louder Richy's or mine?
• 5 days, 15 hours of driving, 15+ hours of riding. Mission complete

                                    Pirate playing with the Copper Harbor bird...

Buck Raiser/ PugBuck/ Fanatics in town

Buck 2011 closes out with some great fundraising... Thanks to Penn Cycle, Ames Construction, and my Honey Dawn for their efforts to make an impact on cancer. I have been blessed to not have cancer take someone from me until I met my Honey and her story. I haven't looked up the stats, but I'm sure almost everybody gets touched by the cancer killer. As a person of Christian faith, you ask yourself "why", and you lean on what you know is true. You lean hard on it in these situations.

Dawn and Penn Cycle Pat- efforts raised over $3K which will go to family...

Pug Buck- so in classic LCR fashion some show, some don't, some bring the fat, some don't. Disfunction is the function, but the clan stepped up to support the paragraph above...

Good to be back on the Pug. If I had to pick one bike, it would be the one. Racing fat was fun, with the Hillslide not so good of day, needed to make eyes bleed and maintain. Was able to roll the 34lb clown bike pretty good. Don't know the physio lingo, but the higher power ratio/ watts burn helps with the heavier load spin.

Weekend full of Fanatics in town. My boy and his Pops from college days at UND/ Fighting Sioux territory back in town. Back to back Twins games with some catch up on life...

When I say fanatics, I don't jest. Jay'd run through a brick wall to see the Purple on top. For me, 1977, 1998 and 1999 still freakin hurt.

              Jay, Benny, and Kirby Puckett!!! (where's jim's bike?)

Duluth Lester race WAS the target... But all the action of Fri/ Sat and the UP trip coming up gave me a valid excuse to punt... I don't like to punt much, would rather turn it over on downs... Say la vee.

Hillslide... Got a match?

Whaat can I say other than another day of beating meself with a stick... This time it was combo, part mechanical + part ran out of matches.

Day prior, rest and relax on the lake (good sign). Morning of, no hunger (bad sign). Drive up, wondering why (bad sign). At Hillside had new agenda, assist in flyer distribution and word spread for BUCK THURS BENEFIT RACE, so racing was secondary (good sign).

On line, the always quiet and too serious tone split by me and me mouth saying "BUCK THURS BE THERE FOR BENEFIT". Some dood of Freewheel gets offended saying "one race at time", huh??? Young Jack was ready to pounce on dood. Young Jack will be LCR one day.

First lap and half was filled with using up matches to get back after 4 dead stops (bottle fall, RD pop, ting ting, and more ting ting). Had no 5th match, light went dark. Time for survival mode and hold off oncomers.

Problem is, Hillside/ Richy Trail is fun, and the tech makes it more fun. In anti fast guy form I give up time for riding the rocks, teeter, skinnys, flings. It's a Ricoh/ LCR thing. I ain't the most skilled but I will not bypass.

Finished off race head down stairing at front wheel... Many excuses/ poor result. Ha

Allgood. Always another book of matches coming up, just don't know how many sticks in the book.

Anybody guess who this riddler is??? He was the top of the LCR food chain back in the day... He is missed among the OG's...

THURS BUCK... BENEFIT FOR FAMILY TRAGEDY (CANCER SUCKS)- RACE/ RIDE/ FAMILY FUN.

Anytime you can ride a bike and it's about more than just riding a bike, that is a good thing.

Bring out the 4" fats... No snow, sand will suffice.

June Bug (in late july)

                                                     Team Ricoh Candidates

All quiet on the riddle front,  just like King Buzzo herre.

June BUg- you thought I meant some sort of roadie sickness excuse for my poor results, nope.

Thurs last Buck Hill Race = fund raiser for a little boy with cancer. Be there.

To talk yourself into DNF, or not???

Question- on those days you don't have it, would you rather quit, or finish it off no matter your result?

Opinion shop open for business- youll remember the times you beat yourself down to will yourself to just finish more then the other days. I'll remember Du Lac more than any of the previous 2011 series races/ results... Got nothing + don't quit = ricoh 

I'd rather dig a hole then talk myself into throwing in the towel and walking away from it... Maybe it's the wrestler mentality or maybe it just being Ricoh, or both... Funny how some that decide to quit try talking others into it... I came across 2 guys talking each other into dnf'ing. And these guys had dropped me 15 minutes earlier... They tried luring me into it, but I just mumbled something and marched on...

Duluth trip highlights (mix of fun and fear)- Dawn/ kids and I with some epic cabin adventures... Lester Trails/ Split Rock/ Gooseberry/ Witness deer jump into car window (driver ok, deer not)/ Canal Park and ships and 4 wheeled bike/ Piedmont in the mud (section 8A)/ Witness car break in at Lester river (punk kids)/ Lake Superior swim and rock hunt (lake aint that cold QPet...)/ Explore French and Knife Rivers/ Du Lac preride- Mark taking a huge digger riding high speed into some rip-rap and walking away from it (POINT), DHer in the making?/ Momma no panic attack when walked up on with child in difficulty/

Last and least Du Lac- Climb off start went into woods top 10 then gave up 10 places real quick as vision spun but not wheels, race highlight- Rocket called out riding the mini DH jumps and 3 LCR do em while catfish and loon and silverwood go around (POINT), then Rocket calls ride the bench on side of trail got that too while in haze. Got caught by Mayella Ewell only to see said person skip trail, too funny. Atticus Finch got it right...       

Thanks to my 3 amegos (Dawn/ Mark/ Madeline) for the support at Du Lac... Kids would rather hang at the big lake, but they were good soldiers helping me push on when the tank was empty/ see pic below of 6 year old WALK ALONG giving me pep talk for lap 5.

                                                             Race pace??? ha.

                                                        Bicycle built for 4...

Up next... More circles... Maybe farther West for a bit in Aug? Would like to test Pivot where it belongs.

TDF- Go Cuddles go... Wonder if Hushoff can ride singletrack? I heard/ read Schleck bros got no skill. Bet Contidor don't like weeds and bugs just like jimmmmay. Jim don't even know who Contdor is...

XTR 2x10 CRANKS 40-28T 175mm- brand new still for sale... I'm not good at selling stuff on interweb.

Part Do...

Riddlers Pit Part Do--- Same spot, got a few more to explore the attempt to dig out of a hole... I tell you whaat, there are more stories digging out of a sand pit then there are starting on the fast(er) line to the left... Now we just need to get the holdouts to move down and in to the trap...

Up next--- House chores... Maybe a firecracker or maybe back to the pit for a Sunday Buck. I've spent more money on less...

TDF month- More couch time then ride time? I want to see a cat fight mtb vs pure rodie... Cuddles vs Pistol Boi. Got to go with Cuddles, he at least was mtb world champ. Hedjsdal mtb champ- would beat all in hand to hand combat. Levi won leadville, that don't count.

Repeat- XTR CRANKSET FOR SALE. NEW. NEVER USED. 2x10. 175MM 40x28T. BEST OFFER. I can't afford to keep toting this gizmo around...

Random... Do you know either of these riddlers??? Or the location???

ha.

Riddlers Pit

The guy with the load of sticks on his back... That's  Team Ricoh.

Those in LCR just get it, those not, don't. It's all about the disadvantage, fighting your way out of a hole, being last makes you first, winning isn't everything, remember Underdog? Besides Popeye, that dude ruled Cartoon land circa 1978...
"Riddlers  pit". The Buck starts are down low, LCR (besides Eddy) gravitates to the worst possible sand trap spot to tow the line= riddlers pit. Why? See above...
Last week start off riddlers pit, D-man led out, his Pops would have been proud to witness, but ARS don't start in riddlers pit with us these days... It was humorous start, no complications other than passing 30 people in 200 yards...
This week, was expecting the same. But didn't compute that riddlers pit was now DRY. Off start, spun out within 5 feet, second attempt futile, no mo to dig out of trap, run bike to hard ground, start was in bottom 5. Sweet. New game, time to fight out of almost dead last see where it shakes out. Worked my way up some, but then pushed off trail in first little singletrack, me blocker (yag on my part), jimmmmay helps me out.
Lap 1 picnic in the heat. Come up on a LCR sister in long sleeve and fancy pants, it's RZ. In heat infused high tone squeel "Zilla coming up!!!" RZ goes elbows wide, kids me to the weeds thinking me the enemy, ha, jack would be pleased, POINT. Somehow got weeds wedged into rim/ tire bead. Thwacking against fork, lasted for a lap. Challange- avoid mind riddle to stop and pull weeds, just ignor. Then on to rubbed elbows with D-rider, a little back and forth tellin me he ain't sandbagging- nice, he'd be LCR if pickles had no juice.
Lap 2- up some more to fast start Eddy and his new guy Steve... Get by on backwards climb only to get chain wedged between cranks and frame, can't ignor that. Off bike to decode. The handfull I just passed now have to redo effort. Burn another match. Sweet.
Lap 3- Get by Ragnorok Champ Brandon Mankse and fellow OG Ray Coyle. Good to see both these guys giving it.
Lap 4 brought in a handful more including gravel grinder Ted Loose, he did me in on sprint finish at Rag 2 years ago, Nice. He'd be a recruit, but Wookies have more sophisticated riddles to us lower on evolution chain.

In the end- burnt 7-8 extra matches/ stall out/ chain wedge/ weed eat in 4 laps was able to fight back for 12th.

It's not the final result you remember, but what it took to get that result...

The racer boi in me says go start to the left/ no riddlers pit sand trap next week. But my LCR sisters will call point if I avoid the disadvantage.

For 1 hour on a bike, too much to say, didn't stick around just went to hang with Honey...

To Friday-
Spent 3+ hours on new bike at Levis Trow yesterday. Heat infused singletrack bliss. Goat Dancer- wanted my fancy phone and the Goat. Sidewinder both ways (backwards easier). Toad road twice, had to redo the challenge spot, almost fell off rocks from heat, ha. Cliffhanger, no propedal required, pin it but dabbed on slick limestone rock line, "point" in my head. Porky Point, stopped and did ladder drop backwards (aka climb the drop) for my sisters. Went to cap off with Snodgrass for Stoener, but trail was closed- swamped. Jim- i thought of you getting the reverse teeter point on me when doing the stunt trail... Oh, new skinny in Dead Turkey- consequence is ankle deep mud... ha.

Hope you were able to get full 7 minutes of song. Bonham's drumming non compare, many copy.

"When the levee breaks momma you got to move..." Led Zep playing the blues

Mark(ed)/ Red Devil

Maybe you realize this, maybe you don't--- Theory- everybody that rides a bike against other people for time is either marked or marking. To be a mark can be compliment, and it's also a scare tactic. To mark others makes your game faster, on flipside can make you hate your bike... What about those that are at top of game, who do they mark? I gotta ask #1 that question next time we are doing circles... For rest of us, it's just mark and be marked.

10+ years ago, when I took marks and racing more seriously/ more irritated, one of my marks was the Red Devil... You know the Red Devil? He was a 40+ racer and riding buddy that consistently made me and my team ricoh clan look like hacks (which we are still today)... Once in a blue moon we'd lure him out and collect points. Suck him into a trap and heckle. Even though Red Devil refused to wear LCR colors (yag- tonka cycles) what made him one of us is he'd fight back/ refuse let us get best of him/ look for the beatdown and a Moab burndown. Red Devil is still kicking, not racing, but remains a mark.

Time flies. Now I'm 40+ and some younger crowd looking to get past old guy, "don't get beat by that old guy, he don't look fast"... Just remember you can mark, but you'll be marked. ha.

Week of circles on the clock---
Thurs the work day leading up to Buck was good... Mental weardown was minimal. Good night to ride a bike... No other trails open, go ride Buck... The wetter the better... Smaller crowd, allowed the ("he don't look fast old guy") to crack top 10/ 7th. Went back and forth with Ed Alpasa, always a treat to trade blows with guys you been racing with for a dozen years... Seems like more 40+ crowd coming out this year, I'd bet it's fatherhood window opening up... Fun night on a bike, exert level was an 8 pushed up to 9...

Red Wing MNSCS on Sunday. Conditions perfect, 70's overcast, little rain for some slick... Warm up wasn't warm, not much time, 40+ back stiff, wanted to have a picnic instead. Line up laugh- some not local "pro" pushes through asking where do pros line up, like he's special coming from subru cup... Whatever dood. Wanted to practice a guillotine choke hold.

Off start, just sat in lookin to feel what legs were like... First lap hung out getting flow of race course. Trail route different this year, I bet it's the 30 minute lap requirement. Some fun stuff cut out at bottom, but we got ride a minute of DH trail... Wish I was behind RZ and him doubling those jumps... I just shook my head as I took sally lines, fear of a pop can and energy conserve...

Highlights- Lap1- just riding along at a level 7, Hollywood get cute tries to pimp me in corner, ended in sticks and wrong gear, heard chain popping, yell back "rookie move", never saw again. Climb up stairway, reminds me of Amaza Back/ Moab. Lap 2- after first time around/ warm up pick up pace to level 8-9, legs respond trail flow understood. Lap 3/4- Was able to push to level 9 with a bit of 10... Not often do I get any 10's, but when I do it's a treat... Push as hard as possible, recover, push again. Eye's bleed is the feeling. Was able to catch Matt Kurke/ ride with for duration, doesnt get cute/ pins the singletrack/ guns it when possible- good guy to ride with. Roch has some stronger riders/ team...

Finished off for 14th place... Legit 14th? Negative, who am I trying to fool/ quite a few were absent. But the 40+ crowd did represent in numbers... Made me think back 10+ years ago to the then OG's that smoked me, see Red Devil refrence above... I can only aspire to be old guy target nobody wants to get beat by... ARS Pro so his old guy status hidden...

THANKS TO MY HONEY for not only supporting me and my bottles but for taking on the better part of the LCR continegent bottles as well, and no panic attacks...     Good job Honey!!! Also to Chopper, Question Pete for coming out of hiding for a day of roasting me while I'm circlin...

Courtesy BEHIND BARS--- Results TBD. Alot of money to get jacks rock ring to fit.
Want to buy the XTR cranks (40-28T, 175MM) that came with bike? New, never used. Best offer.

TargetField-Shakopee-Afton-Hudson (Stage Race)

Who needs Subru Cup, Nat Valley, Tour day Swiss... I got my own personal stage race...

You've got yours too if you think about it... The stuff that's on the schedule, and then fit in a bike race... If that ain't stage racing I don't know what is. FGs of the world know what I'm talking...

Lookin back-
Friday highlight--- Pat Neshek (team ricoh candidate) pitching against his former team and surviving the inning. Hanging with Dawn/ Kids/ Uncle Paul/ Sean, 3rd base behind visitor dugout 12th row- courtesy Ames Construction.
Saturday- done in by the TEA CUP at valleyfair, don't fear tower of power or wild thing, but caution when it comes to spinning the wheel on the TEA CUP. Down. I was down after that. Out of medals. Jack and the Goat would be pleased seeing me green and down... 
Saturday (cont.)- Asked Dawn to marry me... I love her, she is the yang to my ying... PTL!!!

Sunday--- Afton is your friend (or I thought). Years of trailwork and helping with the race course brings no personal advantage, it's still a kick to the shin. Race was difficult, heat/ humid/ swamp... All good. First 3 laps  felt like I was dragging a plow on those stupid 29" wheels. Lap 4, after handful of endurolites and a carrot up ahead, shook off the funk and finished not getting cheated (even though no manhandler climb).

Then Hudson to celebrate Mom's (Lyn) birthday, Father's day (DeWayne) and some good fellowship with family (fiance Dawn shruken Hulk and Wonder Woman)... PTL x2!!!

Finished off night with a 1.15 hr lawn mow into darkness...

Jimmmay got the big point... on film no witness required.

SuperHeat Plug to Buck

This week the mental workout was 4 superheat plugs... Identified leaking during a hydro... Now what? Gasket replacement futile, no plugs this side of new jersey... Awesome. Then to Buck, I liked the start... Found the lowest spot in the sand to dig out of... Start was like kicking an ant farm up... Frenzy. Found a spot mid pack and just looked to know my role... End of lap one was feeling like my plug leaking boiler... Popped. No gas, just survive the hour and wish I had a second hour goal... Made a stupid move on the ski hill cross track, should have just sat up... Back and forth with Sandberg and SS COC guy... Honey and Jimmmay in fast corner barking, couldnt look or be eatin sand... Ha. Not sure what my number was in the end, but eyes bleeding goal was achieved.

RZ Worldwide Production- Photo by Jim

Next up... Afton is your friend...

Talk Jim into racing in Sun...

Wooley -> Eddie Podium

Eddie no flat. I repeat, Eddie no flat! Eddie Podium. Eddie 1st or 2nd in SS?, don't know, just saw him grin standing on log, he got a custom saddle for feat.

The unknown of new trail to race is a good riddle. No idea what comin at you til it's staring you in the face... The pros- new trail, new location, new people with the addiction. The cons- if not on game your in the sticks and in wrong gear.

Feeding off Thurs Buck comes a Wooley on Sat... Me and my Honey got a nice drive up WI side to arrive at St Croix Falls 45 min before start. Decided to go with camelback (2 lapper), but was told 3 7 mile laps, means late to switch back to bottles, who cares rt? A few familiar faces and some new faces as well... Grass loop prolog start, felt good, into school side singletrack thought I'd take it easy lap one and maintain pace but lead (Tungseth, Trek Maury, Sova, Anikin and others) group not out for a rec ride...

What... So my fun race turned into eyes a bleeding on lap one, couldn't hold the string, popped. Rode with Duluth Nicoli, seems he and I are about same pace right now (yo yo'd at Mankato). Impression of trail, some good rake and ride, nice section of rocks (like = Rock>Grass), grass field death march...

Laps 2 and 3 got into trail flow... Swoop single, dump to grass/ doubletrack/ pave sprint, back to single... Duluth Nicoli and I went back and forth for duration, he made move and stuck it to finish for 6th/ 7th place. Went with the hammer squeeze gel bottle, tweeked when full flow didn't occur. No delays allowed, back to disposables...

Hung out for nice social/ awards/ give away (grass roots hospitality was excellent...) then to St Croix Falls for a little shop and tweek waiting for food at Wine house... Tweeked hard. But laughed with Jacks adopted guy Dmac. 

Then home to chores and recovery 1.15 hr lawn mow...

Next up... More Buck if work allows, then Afton and a hill or three...

Give Jimmmmay a call...

Bluff Charge- Use to be hotter... + a Buck

The drive is a once a year or every other year deal... South to Mankato. Two things the same- the trail, and not much shade. Changed, the race was moved up in schedule... That means the july heat turns to june heat. Hot this year but not as hot as the year Pirate and I wanted to hide under the pirate ship...

Rode down with the Stairmaster (aka Cellular Cowboy aka Eddie). He show, I was ready to load his stuff in my car, he couldn't decode the reload, so he drives and I load. ha. POINT

Skip drive chronollgy, said above. First series race of year. Have to decipher all the pre race puzzles, plus add in a few tech tips... New riddles, eat an orange just prior. Pop salt pills http://www.hammernutrition.com/ just prior. More time for warm up (old man needs more time)...

At line, plenty of experts showed... Large field good, less time in no mans land. Off start was routine, up first hill, watchout for potholes. First lap was slow, rodies in the tech downhills were blocking- level 7. Lap 2 pushed and felt eyes bleed, pass more then passed me so plus, up to 8-9. Lap 3 sort of popped and recovered, back to 8. Lap 4 Weyrens (hat off) reeled me in and pass as I was pushing to pass a lapped Comp crashed and tweeked the shifters/ brake lever, stayed 8 tried to get to 9. Lap 5 game was forget about mechanicals brewing and just push forward, brain riddle kept me at 8...

Recap- Mankato is the same but different. Earlier in year means less heat. The 3 old school type downhills per lap were a treat. Roots, cupped trail, moon dust, and straight down fall line... Nice.

Hope this number of experts shows for season... Less no mans land, more carrots...

Hope Series gets there database straight. Beyond confusion when names aren't correct or missed. Believe or not little things like that keep people from showing...

+ a Buck-
This week same theme as last, only now it's a steam turbine base out of alignment. The turbine powers from steam and drives a rather large induction fan to properly keep boiler temps in check. Well years of vibration cause stuff to misalign, and thats no good. Good news this week is I have plenty of experts to keep me from messing up. Then to Buck, old man body feeling better of late, recovery from mankato was good, transfered into good push at buck... Had best start in years, on the ARS for a lap, then faded a bit, went down in a sand wash for the Sandberg to get me... Kept telling him to leave Comp alone, he belongs where he use to be back in the day...  Finished it up wanting 4 more laps... Was a 9 exert for 10th.

Still no pics. Hope to have fancy phone figured out to snap those on bike poses like the cool dot com riddlers do...

400# Steam Silencer then to Buck...

(got time on hands at mazda dealer) The test is a combo... Mental workout for 11 hours at employment, then turn off brain for an hour at Buck...

Ever heard of a 400# Steam Silencer before??? Neither had I, but in one day I have to become an expert... We are in midst of annual turnaround of one of our boilers... When you make excess steam you need to vent. Steam has a crap ton of energy. Think steam powered locomotives... Well when you vent you need to control the energy and attempt to deaden the noise... Well our noise and energy controller aka silencer is end of life... Meaning its junk. We need a new one... The thing is 30 years old and we don't have drawings to make good decisions... Thus the whole mess gets dropped in my lap... Yay.

Take that days worth of riddles and then shift to a Buck Hill. The test- Can I turn off brain from day of Silencer not silent, and push the body to level 8-10? No idea, and wasn't thrilled to try. But trying to be more strategic and data collection, learned from an ARS. I would rather of stayed at level 6 for 3 hours then 8-10 for an hour. But only way to improve on weakness is shake hands and wrestle...

Lineup for start has advantage to those that take it serious. I got in about 3rd row. Off start to first hill was about 30th, went to test climb, felt good- level 10, passed a bunch, brain turned off. Buck is about position, finding your spot then working up a few or down a few... I found spot at level 8, no idea where I sat. Goal was to stay at 8-9 and not get reeled in. Lap 2, started to lose level 8... Popped a gel, reminded self to turn off brain and regained 8. Lap 3- maintained 8 and passed 2. Lap 4- maintained 8 pushed to 9 passed that one guy (name?), he stayed on wheel, when lapping Cory Gross he said keep it up your in 9th... Naw? Better keep it up then. Well, up the tar, guy pimped me on inside move, then female lapped stalled us on downhill allowing another wheel to get on... Sprint to finish- made mistake of trying to shift and miss fired allowing wheel to pass. Came in squeezed my Favorite, she said I did great, I just grunted... Meaning test passed.

Decoding day of riddles... work stress/ no good diet prep/ no mo = turn brain off = level 8 + 9 = 11th

That Alaskian Ale was tasty... Wonder if Hobs ever drank it?

Mongo error- No pics of silencer... Think car muffler x200.

Cave phone end of life too... Got me a smart phone... Riddle on.

Lurk no more...

With no ARS as conduit, time to come out of cave for a moment...

Raganorok- check pt 1 and roadie tactics did me in again.

Cheq100- Ride too much is my mantra... Couldn't get past level 8. So dropped down to 6 for 3 hours, then got back to 7. Finish on 8 thanks to a Honeystinger energy bar that pulled me out of seeing the wizard.