The failures of Quinn B Larsen at Buck #3

In team Ricoh fashion, fail. fail. fail.

• Quinn B doesn't take to the pressures of work well. Process Hazard Analysis over lunch, but no lunch. Race on empty? What? Panic.
• Starting 2 min back is even more of a challange/ like starting off your back in wrestling, good. Attempt a pass on rider X to stay on wheel of a determined Triflow, into the sticks goes Quinn B with Pugs... Bad moves on passing/ matches burnt + no overdrive = Couldn't lessen gap + game over. Dangit.
• Beat by Triflow and them new skinny-fat rims. fail
• Jimmay test riding a carbon fatbike, no wheelie, comments to self/ kept mouth shut, Quinn B missed the first Fat loser free beer. fail
• Didn't bring any Dales Pale Ale/ Eddie beer. fail. 
• It's Larsen with an E. fail

Note- Will Jim take his turn next week? Says he's hanging up the Fat for the summer. I think he's just mad he got beat by the Sisters. Quinn B fill in?

'Looking for my lost shaker of salt...'

A Buck World #2

We've been living in a water world. Weather parted on Thurs for a perfect night of hot laps at Buck; RESULTS: BUCK RACE LINK

Fat for FOUR laps. First fat to finish (3 lap don't count yet in LCR world), but youngMax still got me, dangit. 33lb Pug, running original husker bricks, nothing on it is light, no secrets, no insider info, just a battering ram, I like Surly. As things break or fall apart I'd like to get under 30lb's, that's my plan.

Next week. Change is good. Bringing it. Only one at a time thow.

No wheelie can Jim do. He met his match.

Wait, I have one tech tip, run a rock ring on your fat. Much pleasure in the bash.

Levis on the brain. To do, toad road, cliffhanger, porky point, sidewinder, all backwards.

Buck World #1

Your a racer boy, or curious about the whole racing deal? Buck is the best way to cut your teeth. No doubt you will leave pleased on Thursday nights.

Every year Penn Cycle pulls off the best mtb racing in the state at the most marginal trail in the state. How is that? It's a mix of family fun, intensity, and weeknight chillax.

Results are here: RACE RESULT LINK

Penn added a 'fatbike' class at 3 laps. Only 4 people partook. There was more fats in the 4 lapper. Believe I was the first fat across the line. If they'd just run it with the 4 lappers I'd have signed on. Not in it for the podiums or prizes. It's all about the suffer fest and fighting through the chaos and bottle necks, that's what makes you faster, not your ego. 

I do understand Penn's point of view, they are trying to get more beginners/ fats out on the Buck Hill and sand. So you Fats, come on out. There isn't really any disadvantage to running your fat at Buck. 

Note- Triflow, right back at ya...

Note 2- Sunday MN Series race, St Croix Wooley. Weather looks iffy at best. Excuses that come to mind; don't damage the trails, price of gas is crazy, new chain on the bike and crazy Joel has my chain tool, something around the house is going to break this weekend, and my favorite/ I don't want to melt in the rain.

Primus is coming to town...

Refuse to DNF/ Sandwich 50

First, in my mind there is no worse taste than a DNF. When you push thru a mechanical (either bike or body) it's just as rewarding as any podium. Today was one of them days.

First legit ride on modified Mama had me riddling in many facets. Eventually I paid the price, was riding somewhere 5-7th, lap 4 (2hrs +) shooting breeze with fast guy Caleb, shifted late on steep up and 'crunch'. Spent 5 min thinking it was the RD, walked a bit insted of bending that RD, the next 5 trying to get my rusted chain tool to work and 20 min breaking and quick linking the chain. Way too long, but I was not going to walk it out. No way. Nope.

Got going again, pleased to be 30 min down but on the bike. Reeled in a bunch including the 'Ice Champ'. Not sure where I finished (9th?/ 19th?/ 29th? something with 9), only thing I looked at on the results was Horn'd DNF'd off the start. He would not be denied. Drove back to Kris-tol, got other bike, went to Hillside with his paper plate #666 and got his fix. LCR gave him the sickness. Point.

I had said less effort in this blog. Token Pic. Chain is now scrap.

Hat off to Crazy Joel. Going out for lap 7, threaten the Mayo'ians 'you guys going to be here when I finish right!' Refuse to quit. Worthy.

Kurke/ Tri-Flow/ Volunteers (Gal freezing behind the computer)/ Roch Velo- 'thanks for the beatdown'... Great trails, chili, brats, Iowa wind, and swag. Very Hillside like but tighter and just as much junk to ride. I rode all of what caught my eye. At race pace, even more consequence with failures, bliss.

Mama Swap

Finally retired the original 08 Mama frame for the backup 11 Mama frame I've had collecting dust for the last 2 years. I didn't give the 08 Mama enough credit when I found a nice sized dent in the down tube [1], let alone the bond streak everybody took for a crack back in 09. Then the mass exodus of Mama frames. I didn't want to deal with the warranty run around plus the bike was good at chopping wood. You don't worry about cosmetics when all you do is chop wood.

One ax for another

I will miss the 08 Mama. 5 plus years of splitting wood. She finally gave out when Young Max told me  a new RD and hanger wasn't doing the trick, she still wasn't square. The rear drops/ triangle have morphed. But you know what, she went down with a fight, not a cosmetic bond streak...

Note- This blog will see even less effort. The stories aren't great, I'm no fast guy or 'look at me' type, long winded training plans/ nope, unfolding paragraphs of race details/ boring, or somebody people should listen too because I know all things bike. I'm just a hack that gravitates to the misphits and ricoh suavey's of the bike cultured. I do like to suffer tho, and laff at/ with my sisters, and those that speak the language, I'll type about that...

Picnic anyone? Eat bread at a Richy Race, or head to the Mayo district of Iowa for a bacon sanwich in the city park wit a few Shifties.  Then on Sunday, don't forget your Mom, not to be confused with a biked Salsa Mama...

[1] Integrity of dent, if it acts like a pop can, you can't trust it. If no flex, ride on. Check for flaking paint as well. I have a bike known as 'the pop can'. The Goat will tell you the story, in person only, ask her about electronic comm and she gets angered.