So Little Time!!

Holy Moly, it's been over two weeks since the last post!

So much to do, so little time. No time at work to prat about blogging and at home everything is still upside down from the move north.

But seems to have been plenty of time to ride my bikes so can't complain (too loudly). Managed the first night ride in Mi - hard runnin' Mark, he of the fast marathon and National level orienteering also turns out to be an experienced Adventure Racer. Has his first 30 (count them 30) hour race in Sept so some nocturnal mtbing is on the cards. Got himself a new light and wants to check it out. Well........ as I have found the local trails that look "nightridable" (from the trail run the other week), and have checked them out again on a trail run with Daughter #2, who has taken, somewhat kicking and screaming (or at least moaning vaguely), to middle school cross country. Seems like a plan.

Meet up with Mark at the appointed time and place - pretty obvious that his light will be a limiting factor - and hit the trails. Ride round, get lost, get stung by some bloody huge nettles! Oh I'd forgotten the delights of nettles living in Md (none down there, out of the ocean anyway). Nettles so bad on one trail we just give up and head back the way we came! But on the whole the trail has potential - need to think about a bit of trail building to add some spice but the basics are all there. Short but might be a life saver!

The the weekend comes around and I have my first ride with "Smilin' Bob" a neighbor who mtbs a lot but I haven't managed to ride with before. Sunday morning and I skip my usual date with deities to worship the trails (I know where I'd rather be). We absolutely bloody blast round Birchfield, neither wants to give an inch so we crush it. Bob even shows me a new section of trail I've missed in the past and which is the most similar to back East I've seen here - nice log overs and tight twisty. After one lap too much fun!! So we do a second, blasting away and inevitably tiredness takes it's toll! As fatigue mounts mistakes creep in and we both taste dirt before we are back at the cars. Spec-freakin'-tacular! Get home to find LW has only gone and bloody well won her age-group at the local 5 miler road race!!! First individual gold, she is psyched as a psyched thing.

Thursday and back to Birchfield (followed by beer) with Kevin - all is well with the world.

In between times the Mi 1000 is slowly progressing - up to nearly 800 miles and still a vague chance of success before winter sets in. First really miserable ride this week, heading home in the rain, mid 50's and a decent West wind that had me leaning at 20 degrees into to stop me blowing over - fantastic fun! Scaring car drivers and the occasional dog walker with my off key rendition of Song Two (by Blur). Guess it must be a bit disconcerting if you are out in the rain walking the dog and some idiot blasts past you on a bike screaming "Woo Hoo when I feel heavy metal!". Just happens to be my go to song when life is at it's best (i.e. toughest) on my bike!

Till we meet again


DB

Weapon of Choice

Weapon of Choice (1987 Specialized Rockhopper)

Since moving up north my allegiance in terms of my weapon of choice has shifted. Back in dear old Md the Redline Monocog 29er was the preferred beast of burden. Big wheels better for taking on the logovers and rockgardens of Patapsco. But when move to Mi I left the Monocog behind and hit the trails on the old 1987 vintage Specialized Rockhopper SS conversion. Though the Monocog has now made the trip north ain’t seen a need to go back yet! Trails up here are tight and twisty, more suited to the compact feel of the Rockhopper and none of the technical bits (such that they are) really require the advantage of wagon wheels to make them ridable.
So the old Rockhopper is still the weapon of choice. Gone are the dropped bars previously featured (that was simply too silly an idea even for me) and now she is proudly sporting a Batman figurehead. Batman is my favorite of all the “Marvel/DC-era” superheroes cos he was the only one that didn’t have superpowers to fall back on when things got dicey. He was just a multi-millionaire with a flash car and a proclivity for wearing spandex strides! I am neither a millionaire nor do I drive a flash car (sorry Bolluxmobile) but I do probably spend more time than is healthy wearing spandex.


"Batman, Dinner Dinner Dinner"




The Rockhopper has various idiosyncrasies chief among them are the rear U brake housed under the BB (who thought this would ever be a good idea?) and the beloved Biopace chainring. With the SS conversion it only has the middle 38 tooth chain ring (originally it had a rather eccentric - by today’s standards 28/38/48 chainring combination. During the conversion process the Biopace chainrings scared the young guy at my LBS, where I’d taken it cos I couldn’t free the ceased chainring bolts. The poor lad was convinced he had torqued the bolts so hard during the removal process that he had “ovalized” my chain rings. Despite my assurances that they were supposed to be that shape he wouldn’t be convinced, and even refused to accept payment in some unshakable belief that he had destroyed my “vintage mountain bike.
She still rides strong though, and hopefully this week might even be party to a little nightriding fun, such that hasn’t been had since leaving Md. We can only hope.

Biopace and U brakes! Oh Yeah!!!

Cheers

DB

Labor Day and more Runnin'/Bikin'

So all of a sudden lots of stuff seems to be happening. Guess we are just getting more “plugged in” here in sunny Okemos.

Labor Day weekend was action packed. Tired legs from the weekly commute and I was all up for a lazy weekend, fat chance.

Sunday and off to Sleepy Hollow State park for a bit of MTB fun with Hard Runnin’ Mark and MLW. Mark as well as a damn fine runner is a pretty competitive Adventure Racer, so his biking isn’t too shabby. Hit the trails at Sleepy Hollow at a fair old clip. Mark still sporting his early 90s Specialized Stumpjumper (Biopace chain ring – a thing of great beauty) and I am on my current weapon of choice the late 80’s Specialized Rockhopper SS conversion (also sporting a Biopace chain ring) – we are the throw back twins.

We scoot along and it is the best aerobic workout on the MTB in a while. Trails are not technical but are rooty enough with sections of quite long grass and some half-decent climbs to keep it interesting. For brief sections I am totally “in the zone” just focused on staying on Mark’s wheel as he tears through the narrow and rooty single track. Not an epic but trails that are certainly worth another visit. Only downer is my rear wheel flats (again) jumping a small log about a mile from the car. Third time in a few weeks – something up with the wheel, needs sorting. So end up running with my bike the last mile hey it’s a workout! Loop was probably around 7 miles and plenty of stuff we didn’t hit this time.

"Hard Runnin' Mark" and MLW at Sleepy Hollow

Monday and it’s time to hit the trails running! Hook up with MLW’s running group at a very local trailhead (just off Dobie Rd not 2 miles from our house). Neighbor mark also joins us and we head into the woods. Trail is actually three trails in separate park areas but makes a sensible 5 mile loop. Lots of stopping and waiting for the group to gather at forks but plenty of good running. Last couple of miles is a fun fest as mark and “Yours Truly” race Dakota – the dog that accompanied us – back to the car. I suspect she would have beaten us handsomely if she hadn’t stopped periodically in the middle of the trail until she could hear her “Mommy’s” voice behind us.

Running group in Okemos Mi

Trail is certainly worth checking out on the bike too – maybe even a night-ride venue?

Tuesday and back to the commute and track club – Wow, legs are a little frazzled.

Lots going on – making the best of what is available and trying to get into some kind of shape before winter comes along and chucks a great big stick in the spokes of MTB-fun. Ho-Hum just have to stay flexible with plans and see how things pan out – an adventure if nothing else.

Mi 1000 update! Up to over 700 miles now - cutting back to 2-3 days a week commute - will be a "nail biter" to see if I can get the "1000-fixed" done before year end.

Till next time,

DB

Ridin' Some, Runnin' Some

Despite the new car and some initial doubts the fixie-commute continues and I must admit I am enjoying the road riding on my faithful fixie as much as anything!

Mountain biking (in the words of Borat) "not so much" - in a bit of a downer at the moment, last three weeks and the weekly ride at Burchfield has been a bit below par. Mind and soul just not in it at the moment. Ride with a Canadian guy three weeks hence, technically and physically a bit of a nightmare! Flat within a mile of starting, my mental state exemplified by the fact that I was happy to call it a day and just go to the pub. Erin (for that is the Canadian guys name) is mor up for it than me and once back at the car he fixes the flat and we head off again. BAD CHOICE as it transpires! Half way through "Annie's Playground" and Erin is crushing it, fastest ride so far "oop north", then disaster Erin - first ride for several years - misjudges a small log (yes I know i claim they don't have the up her - but believe me it is a pretty small log), and drops his front wheel on, not over it. Down he goes - in that "I'm a forty year old man and I don't bounce like I used to" fashion - and managed to tear his rotator cuff!!!!!!

Damage isn't immediately obvious - won't be til next morning - but confidence is shaken and with a tire that is still leaking air we cut the ride short - only doing the first half of the loop. Back to car, quick beer at the Crystal bar (almost my local now) and home. Next day Erin ends up at the doc's - MRI later and thankfully no surgery but 6 (count em - 6) weeks of physio and no MTBing! Bugger.

Mr "Busted Shoulder" Himself

Next week and "hard runnining" Mark is my partner - various screw ups timing wise leave us only 30 m in to ride - quick aerobic workut over first half of trail and we are done! this week me an MLW do similar half loop before stoping for beer/wine. Need to change up something, getting a bit stale. Might be time to think about running fixed?

Fortunately what Mi lacks in decent Mtbing it makes up for in running! Tok MLW to "track club" for first time - three one mile efforts with short rests tough workout! Then I hooked up with "hard running" Mark for a spot of road running. Saturday morning and a 14 miler planned - furthest I've run since the Washington's Birthday Marathon. Now Marks a bit of a runner! A 2:40 marathoner - basically well out of my league! I try and just stick with him, 14 miles in 1:35 kin ell - I'm sore till Wednesday!!!

Cheers

DB