MARCH 3 WNBC ride about 4 miles,, ha.
commute all week 1st-6th getting warmer, tired of the studded tires. 40* on Saturday
Sunday 7th , rode the CK for 14 miles in 52 minutes including cool down lap around downtown.
out Ellis into the wind along the river heading west to Morgan Creek and then back on E to down town. Felt good, good pace, 34*F pushed hard, face all red when I got home. carbon shoes, fleece windproof jacket and paisley jersey and black sweat pants, light spray from road, sand, most ice is gone, wet spots on road.
then went to Moe in davenport with John and Angie.

February roundup

looks like nothing happened the first week of February, I did commute 4.5 days and it looks like it was 4* on Wednesday morning.
Sunday Superbowl, I rode around and it was snowing and john said he was going to Harris' to watch game, I rode out thereon the bike trail to Hiawatha and the whole family was there and no one seemed to be in a good mood. I played with the dog outside and watched through the window and went to O'malleys for second half.
Monday 8th- Dark Star Orchestra with John, the snow held off until about 5:30 and then it started to get bad we went anyway and had a good time, only the lower level was open and we went down and got 3rd row seats.
commute 5 bike and 5 commute, 3.5 miles each way.
Sunday 14th, out for a ride and went by Jones park to check out conditions and sledders. I want to get over to Roosevelt sledding hill. I was not going to play as there was 3 inches of powder on top of at least 6 inches of packed snow. JK called and said he was on his way, I refused to play, but we ended up playing about 15 holes. I was wearing bike shoes and thin summer bike crew socks, It was about 23*, It was sunny, To Al's Blue toad for potato nachos then off to see UV hippos at Parlor, they canceled so it was Bryce Janey group, I then went up to Mahoney's for Daddy'o funky posse.
14-28 rode every day,
Monday checked out Deanoz with john, jk and then Tommy D and Gretch stopped by,
Tuesday went down to IC with JK and tommy D for euforquestra at pizza on Dubuque acoustic show, then over to Deadwood for some Fat Tuesday celebration bucket punch and some Dave Bess solo, home early.
thursday, back to IC, with Ryan and then John met me and we saw euforquestra at ICYC, pinball, icycles and pita pit, and back home.
Friday 19th went to Hacienda for margs and chips with JK and then to the Londoner, 1 beer and then home.
Satuday 20th, work... rode home....nap.... parlor city for DR Z's. Tornado's for sara cram...then off to Cocktails for Dave Bess solo, jk wasted, shelly DUI. I rode back to Mahoney's for last call. good night ride.
Sunday 21st , went for a ride late afternoon into darkness, rode out otis road and by the entrance to the Sac and Fox trail and found some four wheel trails between the tracks and the river by the roller dam, lots of snow riding, then off to Chrome Horse for LAMBA party. watched video and drank fat tire, missed the music this week,
24th WNBC, post said dress warmly, I did and I was the only one to ride, it was about 6*, but it felt even colder. about 15 people showed, I was the only rider. Only had to go over to the Londoner, new fishy fried place on centerpoint road. took trail, most everyone else had been on CRABFART on Saturday, I should have left work early and met them, there were tons of people and they lasted until two A.M.
Friday 26, woke up running late and took fixie over to bus stop, could not get the damn rack down on the front until some guy got off and we figured it out. Truck was here waiting when I got to work at 11:02. rode fixie home.
28th Sunday, afternoon ride 32* rode out Ellis past 94 to 80th street and rode some gravel into the wind and up soggy hills. 20 plus miles and then back to West Side lounge to have a couple of beers with Dad, Canada beat USA in Olympic Hockey 3-2 in overtime. Then rode over To Mahoney's by 6 for the start of palnet Pluto with craig erickson and natalie on fiddle. , then out to Kaji for BF burt with daddyO , dj, gibby, etc.
Mileage so far 287 for 2010, plus about 5 on fixie.

Sunday ride 1-31-10

Went out south on the CVNT cedar valley nature trail. Trail was clear and took a short video. I didn't get out of the house until almost 4. slept in and ate, took a nap. Once on the bike, felt great. You know that part about getting up off your ass and actually out the door is the hardest part. I received 4 phone calls on this ride, which equals my cell phone use for the whole week. After watching Lakers/Celtics shoot back to back 3 point airballs, I knew I had to get out. I took a small video while riding the path. I am smiling with a full beard, the kind of happiness you can't fake. Still tons of snow on the ground. It was about 15 degrees and sunny. I rode the motobecane fantom cross with studs. The tires are heavy, I really don't notice them until i try and stand on the pedals, and the bike kind of grinds against the pavement and really doesn't accelerate like I am use to. Fenders are hanging on by zip ties and duct tape. Went passed the turn off for the Shack about a mile before I realized it. 4 mountain bikers by the dump. Turned around and went back to the New Shack Tavern turnoff. Went passed the shack and there were 4 or 5 bikes there, some 700c commuters with small bags and one giant HUGE mountain bike. I kept going all the way passed Cheyenne park out into the country side. Lots of older people along the river looking for eagles I guess, they just stop in the road and look around. I saw my eagles before I left the downtown riverfront, over by penford. I made my way back to Cheyenne park and took a quick glance at the BMX park and then into the lot by the dog park. Then up to the end of the street, on total ice, with ruts, not much fun. Kind of scary at times. at the end of the road is a pile of trash. I had my camera and took a picture of all the junk laying there that had been dumped, christmas tree stands, plastic tent like dog tunnels? old carpet etc. I also took a picture of the bike out in the country with a long shadow. Heading back formthe park, the house on the corner has a whole yard full of dogs barking and running around, The first time by I was going downhill and there was a car, so they had no real chance, but on the way back it is up hill and they could see me coming for about a half mile. Two little tan rat dogs came out first, running at full speed toward me going down hill I sped up and headed for them and veered at the last second, they tried to stop and turn around and bumped into each other and tumbled out of view. I kept some good speed up as I saw number 3 dog coming out of the driveway. He was bigger and white, I had to yell and he moved off to the side and one of the rat dogs caught me and was keeping pace, I looked down and he started to move his mouth toward my leg and I swerved, yelled again and had to stand on the pedals to escaped tiny teeth. I now had a headwind and it was getting near dark, stopped at Shack for a drink, crazy prices on Fat Tire, $1.25 shell, $2.50 pints , $3.25 mini pitcher(which I had first then a couple of shells later) and only $5.50 for a large pitcher, the same pitcher would cost $16-18 at Mahoney's Some crazy lady saw me and told me I was cute and tried to start up a conversation. Then Abar showed up in his Denali all shiny and everyone was looking at it out the window. Same crazy lady wanted to have sex in it. He said it was his dad's and he had to get it back to him. ha,!
gloves were wet with sweat, on to Parlor City for benefit for Doug Chadima, suicide. I didn't even want to go in, it was completely packed with 50-60 year olds all dancing and what ever.

forzen

I was hoping that el nino was going to help this winter be warmer than usual. especially this morning, I was hoping for 20 degrees and only got 4. The beard is helping? it tends to have frozen dingle balls hanging in it. My eyes water under 5 degrees.

Bought a new bike, redline D660 with mostly xtr and a white bros fork. paid $750 shipped on ebay.

It arrived on Monday, barely packed with just a piece of cardboard between the front wheel and frame, some plastic bits to keep sharp parts from poking through the box. The front skewer was missing. I am happy with the bike so far. It is cold and snowy out, so only a test ride around the block on plastic pedals, I have multi-colored spoke nipples. I added up all the parts and it would be about a $3000 bike to build, $600 fork, $600 wheel set (list) about $250 in discount catalogs.
XTR crank, shifters, derailleurs. Chris King red headset ($130) avid juicy brakes($250+) titanium bar and thompson post and stem.