trans Iowa

I am starting to contemplate this race, the trans iowa race, put on by jeff kerkove, although it seems like it would be quite crazy to do. The time of year is perfect and the experience alone would be great, I am sure it would be an uphill battle on a single, but then again it could be just what the doctor ordered, 310 miles of suffering and navigation, it might be the perfect buildup for the Kokopelli race that Curiak puts on in May, I would like if he would sure up the date for that so that I would be able to know if I will have enough time to recover between the two races. I think this would be an epic experience, full of highs and lows and plenty of fun and suffering, a great training ride full of new experiences and bonding. Thats all for now, I have been taking some days off from training as I have not been that motivated and have yet to really take a break of any sort since I started training for the current season last December. Lots of reading and relaxing mixed with a little work and not much else. MUch needed, but I want to start skate sking soon to keep my fitness. Next week I am going to Auburn to ride some trails that I have not ridden before. Peace.

errands in the slush

Today I knew that I just had to get out and ride the bike, the fixed gear, which is the bike I have been riding now and for most of the year to do my errands and just to add extra miles to the training. At the begining of this year I decided that I just had to do something other than just complain about how high gas prices were so I did, I made a pact with myself to not drive my car in reno, I was just going to drive my car to work, which is in Tahoe, and over a very large mountain pass, it would require about 5,000 ft of climbing on way to get to work on a bike, so I made a pact to not drive my car in reno and have stuck to that pact for the whole year, am I going to let a 6 inches of snow ice and slush stop me, hell no, I am going to keep on keepin on, it is also unusually cold here for this time of year I think it was under 30 degrees all day long, but a pact is a pact is a pact so I did my errands and spent about 3 hrs out on the bike today in the cold, toughens me up and keeps me honest, that said carrying 20 - 30 lbs of groceries on my back is quite a chore, but I love it and do you know how many crazy looks I got today, it was great. I also have more hatred for motorists than ever, I almost got put in to too many snow banks today by motorist in a rush and wanting trouble, in fact at one point in time I paced a front loader so as to mess with one irrate old man in a big truck who kept honking at me, but I had no where else to be, what do these people think we dont belong, that bigger is better, screw them, I was laughing the whole time I was doing this time trial next to the front loader, he ended up slowing down so that the crazy old man could get through. Mom always told me to play in traffic, look at me now mom. I love to ride my bike and what doesnt kill me will make me stronger the more I ride in adverse conditions the more dedicated I become. Thats all for now. Nat

Snow in Reno

Hello to all I would like to be out riding my bike, or at least I think that I would like to be out riding my bike, my body after a long hard season my not be feeling like being out there, but I sure do love ridding my bike. Reno recieved a bunch of snow in the last day, about six inches and it has stayed cold enough that the streets are a mess. Now mind you I know that six inches of snow is not all that much, I did spend some winters in Tahoe and I grew up in Vermont so I have seen snow, believe you me. However six inches of snow in Reno has a way of slowing and I mean slowing everything down, they just dont know what to do with it. Lucky for them though the sun is very strong here and has a way of melting it for them as long as they are patient enough to wait for that to happen. I wonder what the last cross race of the season looks like today, I'll have to call Scott and ask him how it all went out there at hidden valley. Thats all for now, I will have more soon.

29 er 1st ride

Today was a day I had been waiting for for a long time. Is that proper grammer? Anyways after being sick for the longest time in history that I can remember, one thing to the next to the next for me, I have been thinking that I may need some time off the bike but now with a new arrival I am too amped to ride and seeing that I just built up my new 29er from Vulture its time for some serious rides to see if I will bite the 29er bug. Now mind you I am not the tipical 29er rider, I am short 5'7" so I had needed the standover not to be incrdibly high or I would rack my member on the top tube. Both Wade and Derek at Vulture are great, super friendly and Derek is a master with the paint, wait till I post a picture of this beauty on here it is according to Wade on sexy bike, I think it is like now other that I have seen. Vulture specializes in single speeds so why wouldnt a man such as myself go to them, I have nothing but good things to say about these guys.
Back to the 29er set up, I went rigid for the time being a new experience for me, I am not an old timer so I have never ridden a rigid bike, my last single speed was my first hardtail, I started riding Full suspension and progressed backwards, or digressed or whatever you want to call it. Disc brakes are a must, and the eccentric bottom bracket also a must if you ask me. I am also riding the jones h bar, a very good bar, so many hand positions. I took the bike out and loved it, Wade did a great job of making it not feel overly big, I did notice a little difference, but the ride felt very similar to my Cannondale 1fg, although it did seem more stable and I had a rigid fork, which felt similar to the head shock on my other bike. I had a great time, traction is endless. I am impressed after my first ride, however it was wide open fast, which plays to its stregths. My first impression is that it felt good, I look to have more on it after tommarrow when I go ride the wonderful trails of Nevada City again. Caio for now.

nevada city trails rule!!!!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of riding the fine trails of Nevada city. We could not have asked for a better day in any way shape our form. The trails were rollercoaster fun and sooo tacky and bermed out and perfect. We had a blast. We rode parts of the pioneer trail and the omega trail and a whole mixture of other trails that didnt have names or if they did I dont know them. I had the thought that this would be a really good place to hold a 100 mile race as the possibilities are endless, I dont know if logistically it could work, but as far as trails go they got enough of them to easily ride 100miles if it were desired. WE finished the day of with pizza and beer and all around it was a very good day.
Since I ride my fixie everywhere, except to work because it would involve about 5000 ft of climbing one way and I dont have that kind of time, I have the pleasure of seeing and witnessing things that many others dont simple because I am out there. I think that more people should be out there riding and becoming part of the fabric that makes up our society and brings color and excitment in to all. That is why I ride because I feel so alive that and the fact that gas is so damn expensive that I need to plan for the end since we are fast approaching the begining of the end. Thats all for now more later.

This is all so new for me

This is something, I mean this is going to be a learning experience for me so please bear with me through what I am sure is going to be a rocky start, as I am not that much of a computer person, so I hope we all have fun with this. I imagine by the time the season is up an rocking I will have this all figured out and it will be smooth but until I figure it out it will probably be somewhat rocky. It will probably be somewhat of a bare bones sight with mainly text in the begining, but I hope to bring photos and links and such in good time. Learn with me or laugh with me or at me whatever it takes.
My hope is to provide a forum for the endurance athlete and the single speeder, those not talked about in the glossy mags and not in the fore front of all that is taking place in the world of cycling. I think that the endurance scene is just one big family and so is the single speed family. I am going to attempt to marry the two and provide info and insights in to the mind of the so called pain freaks of the planet. Both these endevors make me feel so alive and part of all that it means to be human. Enjoy.