Baby's got a new pair of shoes...

and pedals. That is right a few weeks back I wanted to post that about this but never got around to it. While out riding the Tiger Mountain trail my friend Keith and I got to the Preston loop singletrack and began our descent. Lucky for me there was a short 15 foot steep pitch to navigate and as I came around the corner and applied a bunch of pressure to the pedals I snapped the spindle of my Crankbrother's Candy pedals in half. Keith took pictures to prove it and all, but he is the forgetful type, I am afraid he would lose his head if it weren't attached. I will get those pics up, because a pic is worth a thousand or more of my words. If it had happened a bit more down the trail it could have been disastrous, the speed and the technical features of the trail would not have been kind to me, think rocks, roots, trees and speed all rolled in to one giant fun descent. As upset as I was, I was glad, so we went back the way we came and rolled down the fire road. I got a first hand idea of what it might be like to be Brett Wolfe, he is truly amazing.
I am in the process of getting myself a I quickly made some calls to friends got new pedals on the way of the XTR variety and since I needed shoes as well, mine have seen better days, with little sole left and barely any heel, I felt it was time. While I was in the spending mood I went ahead and got new skewers, a seat post, tires and I am working on getting a tubeless wheel set as well.

In other news I went for a nice off road fix the other day. I even hit some jumps.

I have been really tired, Creampuff is going to be an experience. Goal to finish and not be totally and utterly spent, have fun, and enjoy. I'd like to finish right around 11 hours, but no pressure. I will be running a 34x22 drivetrain for the day. I finally bought a 22 tooth cog. It is black and tuff looking. ohhh. Work has taken a bunch of my time that would otherwise be devoted to other things, that and all the work around the house.

this just arrived..

My dogs started barking and the door bell rang, look what the postman brought me. Now I just need to start killing dreams right? Keep up with the rest of the team here. is calling and I am scared. Big miles and elevation to be had there. Life just hasn't let me train like I want. It will still be fun. I just ordered a 22 tooth cog. I'll leave you with my best tough guy Went on a good ride out at Tiger yesterday, can I tell you I am glad to have a suspension fork up front, on the downhill it didn't feel like my fillings were going to be rattled out of my head. I will go back to a rigid fork in the fall for the winter months. I know I am getting weak, what next gears? maybe on the road for awhile. After all I am only human, I don't have my mutant card, still working on it. This weekend is full with work events, have to get another dirt ride in next week. Creampuff is the next race on the agenda: oh and the great divide race has started keep up to date here.
my best tuff guy impersonation:

so i got a mud bath

Sunday was the Test of Endurance, a race near Corvallis, OR. Going in to this race I was worried to say the least. I just hoped to not come out shattered, with the Creampuff coming up I wanted to see what the legs were up to. They behaved alright, my fitness not being what it used to be and my legs feeling a bit dead. To say I don't have race legs is an understatement. In the days leading up to the race I joked about just sitting in and having a good day of riding, knowing full well that when the race starts I would punch it and see what happened. Well I did just that, and the group splintered I stayed near the front for the first half of the first lap, then I decided that it was time to settle in and pace it out a bit.
The weather called for a few showers, the day before it poured buckets all day long, so I knew I was in for some mud. Good thing I was running Nanoraptor tires, they work great in the mud. ha ha cough sputter. Probably the worst tire, but then again I don't think any tire really mattered with the mud that was encountered. When it was raining steady the mud was alright, when the sun came out for 20 mins caked up, then it rained again. The weather was as confused as a 13 year old girl on the cheerleading team who is really a tom boy. Pardon the pun. The fact that I didn't have a fender and no glasses wasn't working in my favor either. To say I had to deal with some adversity is putting it lightly. The kind of mud that there is no stopping in, no using the front brake unless you want to crash, just mud surfing and a whole lot of body English to keep it up right. Check out my flickr. Or the OregonVelo site for more evidence.
As for the course, I would have liked a bit more single track and from a Single speeders perspective there was a lot of rolling to flat road sections that made it monotonous at times. The director and the vibe were great and the certainly, unlike a lot of other races, honored, recognized and took care of the single speeders. We had our own raffle, awards, etc. They said that they are continually adding trails to get around all the road sections, and add more single track in the future. I don't know that i will go back next year, as I like to keep finding new events and courses to ride, but the race is well executed. My hats off to them for making it happen in such adverse weather conditions.
I finished under the time I set for myself so i have to be happy about that, but I would have like to feel a bit more powerful. nuff said. as always keep pedaling. To those who gave encouraging words thanks so much. I will leave you with this parting shot.......

searching for my legs...

My legs and health seem to be in question, at least to me. For those faithful readers who have been around since the beginning you may recall that I got ill. It knocked me out and left my body and mind in pieces. As I ready myself for the Test of Endurance this weekend in Oregon I have some doubts, concerns and to be honest I am down right scared. My body and mind are not cooperating right now, not to the extent that they did a few years back, but I have been a bit tired lately. I am left wondering did I try to get fit too fast, did all those long rides set me back instead of making me stronger? shit. Well I plan to race/ride this 50 miler this weekend with the end result being a finish. I don't have my race legs, I haven't really been racing, just a lot of riding, commuting etc. Race fitness maybe next year, I just want to survive this year without putting myself in the black hole. Some people may call it perspective, some may say I worry too much, some may say your crazy for even attempting this race and the puff in a few weeks this soon after such an incredible fireworks show a few years back. I search for reasons and direction and meaning in it all. Am I headed down the path of self destruction again, or am I just hanging on to the past and looking for reasons why I am not as fast. Is it all real or imagined. This beast that we call fitness, what does it really mean. My goal is to be healthy and happy, sure I want to be a mutant, freak, but like I said above it all comes down to perspective, and healthy and not a freak is better than just burned out. My goals are to finish, I would like to finish in under 5 and 1/2 hours, the record to beat is 4 hrs 40 mins. If for some reason my body shuts down then I will deal, and reassess with the focus being to be healthy.

I have been resolved to this. It is temporary and lasting way to long for my liking, but what option do I have than to be in the moment weather that is good or bad, resisting the flow may cause it to last longer. The plan has been laid and now I just have to be ok with sticking to it, win or lose I am along for the ride. They say life is a journey not a destination, words of wisdom in this mad world. Wish me luck and good energy. as always keep pedaling.