Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational 2011: Ride Report

Look for a detailed ride report soon. For now....

-13 different people attended different parts of the event throughout the day.

-The course was changed mid-route, but one person did the entire route as planned

-We all ended up with 100 miles regardless of which way was taken.

-Yes: We saw zebras.......

Thanks to everyone that came out to ride. It was a blast!

Stay tuned for more.....

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational 2011: Ride Report

Look for a detailed ride report soon. For now....

-13 different people attended different parts of the event throughout the day.

-The course was changed mid-route, but one person did the entire route as planned

-We all ended up with 100 miles regardless of which way was taken.

-Yes: We saw zebras.......

Thanks to everyone that came out to ride. It was a blast!

Stay tuned for more.....

Friday News And Views

Details On The Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: Here are the pertinent details for anyone wanting to come and ride Saturday on the annual GTDRI event. It is a self supported, no sag, gravel road ride of approximately 100 miles, give or take. Also, this is a chill paced, no rider left behind event. Racers take note...

Beautiful Iowan Landscape On The Route

Ride Time: 6:00am. Meet at the Park Ranger's building in Hickory Hills County Park north of Dysart, IA. Come to this point ready to ride.

Parking: Those not planning on camping can drive in to Hickory Hills park. Go past the Park Ranger's building which will be on your right. Do not turn at this point to the left. Go down a hill a bit, and take the very next left. This will take you to a clearing. You can park to your immediate right, down near the water, or go forward and park in the boat landing area just past the gazebo on your right.

Camping: Those coming to camp tonight, or staying Saturday night can make an immediate left at the Park Ranger's building on to a little boulevard. Then just follow the one way road around to the left until you see a gravel road going up the hill marked "Cabins, Shower House". (There is some construction work going on right here.) Follow this to the top where you can park your car. The top of the hill is all for tent campers and I will be in this area camping. There is a fee to camp in Hickory Hills, and I ask that you please pay accordingly.

Cue Sheets: Print your own off the link here.

2008 GTDRI Also Rode Out From Hickory Hills

Schedule Of Events: Friday night I should arrive to set up camp around 6-7pm. I plan on hitting the sack early and getting up by 5am. Then we will ride at 6am until whenever we get finished. I am thinking that we should be back not much later than 6pm, depending on how many times we decide to, or have to stop. (It has taken us longer to finish this off in years past on different courses. Last time we rolled out of Hickory Hills we got back just after 6pm )

After The Ride: Generally, the drinking and frivolity happened the night before past GTDRI's, but I'm not doing that again! This time, I plan on having some "adult beverages" afterward. We could go to LaPorte City, about 8 miles away, for some grub if we wanted to as well. At any rate, I will be camping whether anyone else does or not. So, it is up to you. Sunday in the morning I will pull up stakes and bug out, as I need to be back in town by 10AM.

For Everyone Else: Obviously, most folks reading this will not be in attendance, but I do plan on posting about it, and perhaps an audio-blog or two might pop up here Saturday. Might be worth listening to......might not!

Twin Six Collaborates With Raleigh: Raleigh U.S.A. does a lot of cool little projects using cyclo-cross bikes, (in general), for their platforms to do some graphic fun stuff. You might remember a few years ago how they did the Rainier Beer themed aluminum cross bike? Well, take a look at this...

The Twin Six Single Speed Cross Bike

I saw our Raleigh 2012 catalog the other day and this "Twin Six" frame was in there. I shot the T-6 guys an e-mail and asked if this was for real, to which the reply was, "Yep...."

The frame is done in flat black with gloss black and silver graphics. Some of the details on the graphics are pretty subtle, but very cool. Other features include Canti bosses and track ends with stainless steel inserts inside and out to protect the aluminum drop outs from being gouged up. Water bottle bosses, seat collar, head set, and hangar for the front brake is included.

I won't spill all the beans on exactly what everything looks like and what the arrangements for selling these will be. I'll let the respective marketing departments make their own "official" announcements here. Just consider this a "sneak peek", and look for more soon from your Raleigh dealer and Twin Six. 

So, this looks to be an aluminum framed, single speed cross bike with what looks like a carbon fiber fork. The frame is a dead ringer for the old Rainier Beer frame and fork I had a while back and gave to a certain 29"er freak out East to have and to hold. If so, don't expect to slam anything bigger than a 38mm tire in this one. Cool stuff....

Reviving The Old, Only With Bigger Wheels This Time: I've written about this before. Old models or companies bringing back familiar names from the past only shod with 29 inch wheels. Well, I saw something that took me waaaay back yesterday.

In the early 90's, GT Bicycles did a titanium framed XC race machine called the Xixang which was a bike you could buy. There were never many produced, but when you saw the mags every month, there would be Rishi Grewal pounding out some climb on one of these rigs. Now GT brings it back with 29"er wheels.

I must say, the Triple Triangle deal never really set my heart a flutter, but the new rig, with the cool curved and tapered titanium head tube looks boss. I sure hope to catch site of one of these sometime just to see if they trip my trigger or not now. At any rate, it is a cool thing to see retro and modern mixed up in a new bike.

Have a great weekend! I'll be outta here and going on the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational this weekend. Maybe I'll post an audio-blog from the field.......

Friday News And Views

Details On The Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: Here are the pertinent details for anyone wanting to come and ride Saturday on the annual GTDRI event. It is a self supported, no sag, gravel road ride of approximately 100 miles, give or take. Also, this is a chill paced, no rider left behind event. Racers take note...

Beautiful Iowan Landscape On The Route

Ride Time: 6:00am. Meet at the Park Ranger's building in Hickory Hills County Park north of Dysart, IA. Come to this point ready to ride.

Parking: Those not planning on camping can drive in to Hickory Hills park. Go past the Park Ranger's building which will be on your right. Do not turn at this point to the left. Go down a hill a bit, and take the very next left. This will take you to a clearing. You can park to your immediate right, down near the water, or go forward and park in the boat landing area just past the gazebo on your right.

Camping: Those coming to camp tonight, or staying Saturday night can make an immediate left at the Park Ranger's building on to a little boulevard. Then just follow the one way road around to the left until you see a gravel road going up the hill marked "Cabins, Shower House". (There is some construction work going on right here.) Follow this to the top where you can park your car. The top of the hill is all for tent campers and I will be in this area camping. There is a fee to camp in Hickory Hills, and I ask that you please pay accordingly.

Cue Sheets: Print your own off the link here.

2008 GTDRI Also Rode Out From Hickory Hills

Schedule Of Events: Friday night I should arrive to set up camp around 6-7pm. I plan on hitting the sack early and getting up by 5am. Then we will ride at 6am until whenever we get finished. I am thinking that we should be back not much later than 6pm, depending on how many times we decide to, or have to stop. (It has taken us longer to finish this off in years past on different courses. Last time we rolled out of Hickory Hills we got back just after 6pm )

After The Ride: Generally, the drinking and frivolity happened the night before past GTDRI's, but I'm not doing that again! This time, I plan on having some "adult beverages" afterward. We could go to LaPorte City, about 8 miles away, for some grub if we wanted to as well. At any rate, I will be camping whether anyone else does or not. So, it is up to you. Sunday in the morning I will pull up stakes and bug out, as I need to be back in town by 10AM.

For Everyone Else: Obviously, most folks reading this will not be in attendance, but I do plan on posting about it, and perhaps an audio-blog or two might pop up here Saturday. Might be worth listening to......might not!

Twin Six Collaborates With Raleigh: Raleigh U.S.A. does a lot of cool little projects using cyclo-cross bikes, (in general), for their platforms to do some graphic fun stuff. You might remember a few years ago how they did the Rainier Beer themed aluminum cross bike? Well, take a look at this...

The Twin Six Single Speed Cross Bike

I saw our Raleigh 2012 catalog the other day and this "Twin Six" frame was in there. I shot the T-6 guys an e-mail and asked if this was for real, to which the reply was, "Yep...."

The frame is done in flat black with gloss black and silver graphics. Some of the details on the graphics are pretty subtle, but very cool. Other features include Canti bosses and track ends with stainless steel inserts inside and out to protect the aluminum drop outs from being gouged up. Water bottle bosses, seat collar, head set, and hangar for the front brake is included.

I won't spill all the beans on exactly what everything looks like and what the arrangements for selling these will be. I'll let the respective marketing departments make their own "official" announcements here. Just consider this a "sneak peek", and look for more soon from your Raleigh dealer and Twin Six. 

So, this looks to be an aluminum framed, single speed cross bike with what looks like a carbon fiber fork. The frame is a dead ringer for the old Rainier Beer frame and fork I had a while back and gave to a certain 29"er freak out East to have and to hold. If so, don't expect to slam anything bigger than a 38mm tire in this one. Cool stuff....

Reviving The Old, Only With Bigger Wheels This Time: I've written about this before. Old models or companies bringing back familiar names from the past only shod with 29 inch wheels. Well, I saw something that took me waaaay back yesterday.

In the early 90's, GT Bicycles did a titanium framed XC race machine called the Xixang which was a bike you could buy. There were never many produced, but when you saw the mags every month, there would be Rishi Grewal pounding out some climb on one of these rigs. Now GT brings it back with 29"er wheels.

I must say, the Triple Triangle deal never really set my heart a flutter, but the new rig, with the cool curved and tapered titanium head tube looks boss. I sure hope to catch site of one of these sometime just to see if they trip my trigger or not now. At any rate, it is a cool thing to see retro and modern mixed up in a new bike.

Have a great weekend! I'll be outta here and going on the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational this weekend. Maybe I'll post an audio-blog from the field.......

The Ultimate All-Terrain Vehicle?

A Cool B Road On The 2011 GTDRI Course

On Wednesday, I needed to do some final checking on a potentially closed B Road in Tama County that is part of the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational that happens this Saturday.

I decided to take the Snow Dog for the job. Yes- a fat bike. I have an idea that the fat bike might be the best for B Road explorations since B Roads in Iowa can present certain difficulties that normal gravel road riding doesn't. Things like ruts, for example. And not just any ol' ruts either.

Another reason I took it was because I might have run into some wet areas, (I didn't), and my thought was to test the bigger tires on the sticky clay. I still have not gotten to do that yet, but that day will come. I did get into some sticky wet gravel the last time I went down this way, and those bulbous tires did alright. Sure did.

What I didn't think of was silty dust and sand. Yes, I did run across this and the fat tires were great on it. The best part was that I left minimal impact on the road. Only the little Larry tread block pattern, and nothing more was left by my passing. The next decent gust of wind will hide that in a heart beat. Cool!

Wild Flowers In Tama County

What is striking me about having the Mukluk is that this just might be the "true all-terrain bike". While it isn't fast, nimble, or probably a choice many would consider at first, (I know I didn't), I think people would be pleasantly surprised by the format's capabilities. While I have not done this, my friend Ben Witt says that the fat bike tires do really well on big rocky terrain where one would normally think of a full suspension mountain bike.

I do know that places I thought were "off-limits" due to the difficulty in traversing over the terrain are now sought out because of the fat bike. The floatation of the tires, and bump absorbing qualities come in handy.....most of the time.

Sure, the tires and wheels are heavy, and the steering is a bit sluggish, but with the right attitude, one can climb stuff, go over stuff, and have more fun on terrain that challenges a "normal" mountain bike, or stops them dead in their tracks. You work harder going up, but not that much harder. You just gear down, and crawl, instead of powering over,or getting knocked off-line, perhaps. I don't quite know how to put it other than you have to ride these with a whole different attitude than a normal mountain bike, or cross bike on gravel, B Roads, and where ever else you fancy going. That sand bar along the river? You bet. Got a mud bog to cross to get to the other side? Go for it. Snow? Well.....of course!

A Barn For Jason B

 And About That Course: Yeah, well I got turned around and lost for awhile yesterday. (Remember my post about Adventure?) It turned out okay, but in the process I found a stunning gravel road that with a bit of re-routing would be a great addition to the GTDRI course. So.....I'm changing the cues again! 

I'm sorry, but this road is worth it.  It eliminates a chunk of boring, narrow paved blacktop. It climbs the same ridge, but does so in a more serpentine, interesting, and rustic way on gravel. Plus, if we are as lucky as I was Wednesday, we'll spy a zebra. Yes- an honest to goodness zebra. It eliminates about a half mile of pavement overall too. (Well, more if you count riding on the shoulder, and we're going to.)  The downside? We'll have to ride on the shoulder of HWY 63 for a mile and a half north out of Toledo. It is a wide, gravel shoulder though, so it shouldn't be an issue.

I've got people coming from Michigan for the ride even! Talk about floored. It will be fun to see everyone that shows up. I can't wait. And no.....I won't be riding the Mukluk! (Although it would be better on the B Roads!)

The Ultimate All-Terrain Vehicle?

A Cool B Road On The 2011 GTDRI Course

On Wednesday, I needed to do some final checking on a potentially closed B Road in Tama County that is part of the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational that happens this Saturday.

I decided to take the Snow Dog for the job. Yes- a fat bike. I have an idea that the fat bike might be the best for B Road explorations since B Roads in Iowa can present certain difficulties that normal gravel road riding doesn't. Things like ruts, for example. And not just any ol' ruts either.

Another reason I took it was because I might have run into some wet areas, (I didn't), and my thought was to test the bigger tires on the sticky clay. I still have not gotten to do that yet, but that day will come. I did get into some sticky wet gravel the last time I went down this way, and those bulbous tires did alright. Sure did.

What I didn't think of was silty dust and sand. Yes, I did run across this and the fat tires were great on it. The best part was that I left minimal impact on the road. Only the little Larry tread block pattern, and nothing more was left by my passing. The next decent gust of wind will hide that in a heart beat. Cool!

Wild Flowers In Tama County

What is striking me about having the Mukluk is that this just might be the "true all-terrain bike". While it isn't fast, nimble, or probably a choice many would consider at first, (I know I didn't), I think people would be pleasantly surprised by the format's capabilities. While I have not done this, my friend Ben Witt says that the fat bike tires do really well on big rocky terrain where one would normally think of a full suspension mountain bike.

I do know that places I thought were "off-limits" due to the difficulty in traversing over the terrain are now sought out because of the fat bike. The floatation of the tires, and bump absorbing qualities come in handy.....most of the time.

Sure, the tires and wheels are heavy, and the steering is a bit sluggish, but with the right attitude, one can climb stuff, go over stuff, and have more fun on terrain that challenges a "normal" mountain bike, or stops them dead in their tracks. You work harder going up, but not that much harder. You just gear down, and crawl, instead of powering over,or getting knocked off-line, perhaps. I don't quite know how to put it other than you have to ride these with a whole different attitude than a normal mountain bike, or cross bike on gravel, B Roads, and where ever else you fancy going. That sand bar along the river? You bet. Got a mud bog to cross to get to the other side? Go for it. Snow? Well.....of course!

A Barn For Jason B

 And About That Course: Yeah, well I got turned around and lost for awhile yesterday. (Remember my post about Adventure?) It turned out okay, but in the process I found a stunning gravel road that with a bit of re-routing would be a great addition to the GTDRI course. So.....I'm changing the cues again! 

I'm sorry, but this road is worth it.  It eliminates a chunk of boring, narrow paved blacktop. It climbs the same ridge, but does so in a more serpentine, interesting, and rustic way on gravel. Plus, if we are as lucky as I was Wednesday, we'll spy a zebra. Yes- an honest to goodness zebra. It eliminates about a half mile of pavement overall too. (Well, more if you count riding on the shoulder, and we're going to.)  The downside? We'll have to ride on the shoulder of HWY 63 for a mile and a half north out of Toledo. It is a wide, gravel shoulder though, so it shouldn't be an issue.

I've got people coming from Michigan for the ride even! Talk about floored. It will be fun to see everyone that shows up. I can't wait. And no.....I won't be riding the Mukluk! (Although it would be better on the B Roads!)

So, A Couple Questions About Cyclo-Cross Bikes

Cyclo-cross season is soon to be upon us, and many folks will be hitting up the shops, websites, and forums looking to find a new rig, or just to geek out on some hardware to get stoked on the season.

With that in mind, there are a couple of questions I have in my mind concerning cyclo-cross. I need to put out a bit of a disclaimer here first though. Right up front, I will admit that I don't race cyclo-cross, nor do I care to. Hey, it looks fun and all, don't get me wrong. However, paying to do an hour ride on a course I'll not get to check out again for another year, (maybe), doesn't appeal to me all that much. Just sayin'. I don't hold anything against ya'all that want to compete. Have at 'er folks! I am just curious about the bikes and the marketing of them.

My Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross"

Clearance Clarence: I see all kinds of marketing done to show the cross guys how much "clearance that frames have for mud", and I have noticed that yes; the forks have a ton of clearance but the frame? Usually not so much.

Why? It would seem to my mind that (a) having more mud clearance would be a good thing and that (b) this would open up the user group for any given frame. Bigger tires? No problem. Fenders? Yup! Don't say it can't be done with a road drive train. (Just peek at that Orange Crush rig over there. Gotta road drive train and big tires on it. I could put "legal" sized crosser tires on and have loads of mud clearance.) Maybe I am missing something here, but making cyclo-cross bikes more like skinny tired roadie rigs seems like the wrong way to go.

Then again, maybe that's a marketing decision, but I think the commuter, adventure, "ride one bike anywhere" groups are getting the short end of the stick. Especially when you hear the old saw about "how versatile cross bikes are". Not anymore they aren't! Now they are more road, less something else, it would seem. 

Cross bikes with disc brakes like this Ti Vaya has?

Disc Brakes: Now Or Later? A lot is being made of this disc brake thing for cyclo-cross of late. Really? I ask you- Why would any cyclo-crosser put heavier brakes on a bike that may not work much better than a good, well set up cantilever brake? Yeah, yeah...mechanical disc brakes work great. I agree, but I have also seen what wet, nasty, muddy weather- (ie: The kind that seems to be the norm for cyclo-cross races.), does to these brakes, and it ain't pretty.

I wonder then: Do racers wait for "real hydraulic levers" to come out first? (Not the cable actuated, under the stem master cyclinder kludges that I've seen so far) It seems to me that disc brakes and cross are just waiting for SRAM, (most likely), to do the deed and get a drop bar hydraulic "brifter" out there before it takes root. Maybe I am wrong, but I think not.

Oh sure, there will be early adopters on the disc brake thing, but this wholesale swap over to disc ain't happening without a true-blue hydro lever/shifter unint. I don't think Shimano will lead the way here, and Campy? Ha! Not likely. SRAM, we're lookin' at you.

Well, that's my thoughts, but again, I'm just a casual observer.

So, A Couple Questions About Cyclo-Cross Bikes

Cyclo-cross season is soon to be upon us, and many folks will be hitting up the shops, websites, and forums looking to find a new rig, or just to geek out on some hardware to get stoked on the season.

With that in mind, there are a couple of questions I have in my mind concerning cyclo-cross. I need to put out a bit of a disclaimer here first though. Right up front, I will admit that I don't race cyclo-cross, nor do I care to. Hey, it looks fun and all, don't get me wrong. However, paying to do an hour ride on a course I'll not get to check out again for another year, (maybe), doesn't appeal to me all that much. Just sayin'. I don't hold anything against ya'all that want to compete. Have at 'er folks! I am just curious about the bikes and the marketing of them.

My Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross"

Clearance Clarence: I see all kinds of marketing done to show the cross guys how much "clearance that frames have for mud", and I have noticed that yes; the forks have a ton of clearance but the frame? Usually not so much.

Why? It would seem to my mind that (a) having more mud clearance would be a good thing and that (b) this would open up the user group for any given frame. Bigger tires? No problem. Fenders? Yup! Don't say it can't be done with a road drive train. (Just peek at that Orange Crush rig over there. Gotta road drive train and big tires on it. I could put "legal" sized crosser tires on and have loads of mud clearance.) Maybe I am missing something here, but making cyclo-cross bikes more like skinny tired roadie rigs seems like the wrong way to go.

Then again, maybe that's a marketing decision, but I think the commuter, adventure, "ride one bike anywhere" groups are getting the short end of the stick. Especially when you hear the old saw about "how versatile cross bikes are". Not anymore they aren't! Now they are more road, less something else, it would seem. 

Cross bikes with disc brakes like this Ti Vaya has?

Disc Brakes: Now Or Later? A lot is being made of this disc brake thing for cyclo-cross of late. Really? I ask you- Why would any cyclo-crosser put heavier brakes on a bike that may not work much better than a good, well set up cantilever brake? Yeah, yeah...mechanical disc brakes work great. I agree, but I have also seen what wet, nasty, muddy weather- (ie: The kind that seems to be the norm for cyclo-cross races.), does to these brakes, and it ain't pretty.

I wonder then: Do racers wait for "real hydraulic levers" to come out first? (Not the cable actuated, under the stem master cyclinder kludges that I've seen so far) It seems to me that disc brakes and cross are just waiting for SRAM, (most likely), to do the deed and get a drop bar hydraulic "brifter" out there before it takes root. Maybe I am wrong, but I think not.

Oh sure, there will be early adopters on the disc brake thing, but this wholesale swap over to disc ain't happening without a true-blue hydro lever/shifter unint. I don't think Shimano will lead the way here, and Campy? Ha! Not likely. SRAM, we're lookin' at you.

Well, that's my thoughts, but again, I'm just a casual observer.

Adventure: Are You Seeking It, Or Hiding From It?

Recently I was on Facebook and saw a post by someone that was musing on "what had happened to the adventure in mountain biking". The Facebook link was getting a lot of great comments. First, about how many felt the author wasn't getting it about "adventure", was being grouchy about the "new school" riders, or how we are actually living in the "golden age" of adventure cycling, and that it never has been better.

I say phooey to all of the above.

The Author On An Adventure Last Winter

Let's back up a minute. Here's a definition of "adventure" for ya....

adventure: –noun

1. an exciting or very unusual experience.

2.participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure.

3.a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

 

I will assume that if you come here often, you already know what the term "cycling" means. 

 

So, as I read the article about "what ever happened to the adventure of mountain biking?" I read how the author grouses about terminologies, definitions, and segregation of the mountain biking community and what this has done to the spirit of "adventure" in mountain biking today.  

The Author On T.I.V7 Recon- Always An Adventure!

 Holy Cow! How about we just ride our bikes, have "exciting and unusual experiences", which may be "risky", and of which "we don't always know the outcome of"? (Thus qualifying for the term "adventure cycling"- get it?) 

 

I don't know about you, but I have no idea what I am going to find, experience, or whether or not I'll have a good, bad, or in between outcome most of the times I ride. 

 

Yes, really. You know why? Because I expect to find adventure anytime I am riding. If I didn't, I wouldn't ride my bicycle. Sure, you might think riding groomed trails, gravel roads, or commuting might be dull. You might think you could guess with regularity what the outcome of my rides are. But I say, you haven't a clue, pal. Not at all. 

 

 I have another way of knowing when I am having adventures, and that they are exciting, risky, and that I don't know exactly know how they will turn out while I am having them. It's when Mrs. Guitar Ted thinks about my riding, which drives her nuts some times. Must be risky looking to her, and she doesn't like not knowing the outcome of my "adventures", and especially that I can't tell her what it will be.

 

My "adventure vehicle" at The Renegade Gents Race

 I don't think "definitions" for your riding or mine preclude you or I from having "adventures". I don't think where we ride precludes us from having "adventures". I do think your attitude, and your expectations can limit your "adventures" though. And in some cases, a lot of folks actually shun adventure. 

 

You decide what an "adventure" is on your bicycle. If you were "excited", felt as though you were "taking risks", and if you weren't sure of the outcome, (and really, can we ever be sure of the outcome in life, much less cycling?), then you had an adventure, be it on a mountain bike, a tricycle, or yes, even a recumbent on RAGBRAI. 

 

So, whatever happened to the adventure in mountain biking? Easy. It is alive and well in the hearts and souls of those who seek it. It sure ain't limited by someone's definitions, where you ride, or  whatever. 

 

Go ride a bike and have your own adventure now, while you are thinking about it! See if I am wrong.... 

Adventure: Are You Seeking It, Or Hiding From It?

Recently I was on Facebook and saw a post by someone that was musing on "what had happened to the adventure in mountain biking". The Facebook link was getting a lot of great comments. First, about how many felt the author wasn't getting it about "adventure", was being grouchy about the "new school" riders, or how we are actually living in the "golden age" of adventure cycling, and that it never has been better.

I say phooey to all of the above.

The Author On An Adventure Last Winter

Let's back up a minute. Here's a definition of "adventure" for ya....

adventure: –noun

1. an exciting or very unusual experience.

2.participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure.

3.a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

 

I will assume that if you come here often, you already know what the term "cycling" means. 

 

So, as I read the article about "what ever happened to the adventure of mountain biking?" I read how the author grouses about terminologies, definitions, and segregation of the mountain biking community and what this has done to the spirit of "adventure" in mountain biking today.  

The Author On T.I.V7 Recon- Always An Adventure!

 Holy Cow! How about we just ride our bikes, have "exciting and unusual experiences", which may be "risky", and of which "we don't always know the outcome of"? (Thus qualifying for the term "adventure cycling"- get it?) 

 

I don't know about you, but I have no idea what I am going to find, experience, or whether or not I'll have a good, bad, or in between outcome most of the times I ride. 

 

Yes, really. You know why? Because I expect to find adventure anytime I am riding. If I didn't, I wouldn't ride my bicycle. Sure, you might think riding groomed trails, gravel roads, or commuting might be dull. You might think you could guess with regularity what the outcome of my rides are. But I say, you haven't a clue, pal. Not at all. 

 

 I have another way of knowing when I am having adventures, and that they are exciting, risky, and that I don't know exactly know how they will turn out while I am having them. It's when Mrs. Guitar Ted thinks about my riding, which drives her nuts some times. Must be risky looking to her, and she doesn't like not knowing the outcome of my "adventures", and especially that I can't tell her what it will be.

 

My "adventure vehicle" at The Renegade Gents Race

 I don't think "definitions" for your riding or mine preclude you or I from having "adventures". I don't think where we ride precludes us from having "adventures". I do think your attitude, and your expectations can limit your "adventures" though. And in some cases, a lot of folks actually shun adventure. 

 

You decide what an "adventure" is on your bicycle. If you were "excited", felt as though you were "taking risks", and if you weren't sure of the outcome, (and really, can we ever be sure of the outcome in life, much less cycling?), then you had an adventure, be it on a mountain bike, a tricycle, or yes, even a recumbent on RAGBRAI. 

 

So, whatever happened to the adventure in mountain biking? Easy. It is alive and well in the hearts and souls of those who seek it. It sure ain't limited by someone's definitions, where you ride, or  whatever. 

 

Go ride a bike and have your own adventure now, while you are thinking about it! See if I am wrong.... 

Hope You Like Green!

Like A Jungle, Only In Iowa

With the break in the nasty heatwave we had last week, a new weather pattern has set up. Nasty thunderstorms come in, dumping copious amounts of rain in short order. Usually this happens early in the day. Then, the sun comes out, turns the rain sitting on the ground into vapor, and we get a humid, wet, clammy, hot day.

Sound like a tropical rain forest? It feels like it, sans the cackling animals, large venomous snakes, and undiscovered cures for cancer.

We do have mosquitoes though. That we have in spades. We also have a lot of standing water and mud. So, with the return of the Mukluk and the main mountain biking spots all too wet to ride in the vicinity, I decided to do the "swamp bike thing". Off to the Green Belt.

Now, I get chastised from time to time for even dreaming about riding in the mud. One thing I need to make perfectly clear right now: These trails are not negatively affected by riding while they are muddy. The Green Belt follows the unruly, and aptly named, Black Hawk Creek, which churns the black earth and sand together at its whim and fancy. It changes course, chews away embankments, and dumps drifts of the finest sand whenever and wherever it wants to. A biker or two doesn't do anything compared to what the Black Hawk Creek can do all on its own. Multiple times per year, I might add.

That said, maybe you shouldn't ride on your wet trails.  I'm betting you shouldn't, just like we don't on most of our single track. However; the Green Belt is not one of those places. And I was on a fat bike to top it off. Less impact with the floaty tires.

Let The Sun Shine In

Well, I've been back in here with 26 inch mountain bikes, 29 inch mountain bikes, and I'll tell ya. This fat bike is the vehicle for mud around here. It still sticks to the tires, but in a much thinner coating, and clears off well. Wet mud? Nuthin' doing. It floats right over it.

The big, long stretches of 12 inch deep water on the trail was no problem either. I only got sideways crossing a water drenched ravine that was hub deep. Yep. Got wet feet there. Hard to see "the line" through when it is submerged by murky water!

Yeah, a lesser mountain bike would have done okay, but wouldn't have been better, and I would have gotten stuck more times, causing more ruts, and what not. (Again, not that it would matter after the next flood, which will come after the next heavy rain.) Sand dunes were easy-peasy. I would have dug right in with a "regular mountain bike".

And I suppose some of you were wondering about how the hub is doing? Well........not so good. It snaps, pops, and does that after almost every coast, or change in pedal pressure. Sometimes you can ride several minutes with no untoward noises. Then....pop! Snap! I thought I was going batty. I took off the old chain, checked the (nearly) new cassette, the (nearly) new chain rings, and the (nearly) new bottom bracket. All had less than 50-60 miles on them. (Most with Ben's wheel) I replaced the chain anyway, since I had heard of issues with SRAM chains on snow bikes. I put a Wipperman Connex chain on it. No change. Still makes noise. Bummer. It's the hub, again. This time I'll just run it into the ground, cut it out of the wheel, and replace it.

It's destined to become an expensive paperweight.

But back to all of that green stuff! It was a fun ride. Can't wait to do that again soon. I'll tell ya one thing- These fat bikes really give you a work out!

Hope You Like Green!

Like A Jungle, Only In Iowa

With the break in the nasty heatwave we had last week, a new weather pattern has set up. Nasty thunderstorms come in, dumping copious amounts of rain in short order. Usually this happens early in the day. Then, the sun comes out, turns the rain sitting on the ground into vapor, and we get a humid, wet, clammy, hot day.

Sound like a tropical rain forest? It feels like it, sans the cackling animals, large venomous snakes, and undiscovered cures for cancer.

We do have mosquitoes though. That we have in spades. We also have a lot of standing water and mud. So, with the return of the Mukluk and the main mountain biking spots all too wet to ride in the vicinity, I decided to do the "swamp bike thing". Off to the Green Belt.

Now, I get chastised from time to time for even dreaming about riding in the mud. One thing I need to make perfectly clear right now: These trails are not negatively affected by riding while they are muddy. The Green Belt follows the unruly, and aptly named, Black Hawk Creek, which churns the black earth and sand together at its whim and fancy. It changes course, chews away embankments, and dumps drifts of the finest sand whenever and wherever it wants to. A biker or two doesn't do anything compared to what the Black Hawk Creek can do all on its own. Multiple times per year, I might add.

That said, maybe you shouldn't ride on your wet trails.  I'm betting you shouldn't, just like we don't on most of our single track. However; the Green Belt is not one of those places. And I was on a fat bike to top it off. Less impact with the floaty tires.

Let The Sun Shine In

Well, I've been back in here with 26 inch mountain bikes, 29 inch mountain bikes, and I'll tell ya. This fat bike is the vehicle for mud around here. It still sticks to the tires, but in a much thinner coating, and clears off well. Wet mud? Nuthin' doing. It floats right over it.

The big, long stretches of 12 inch deep water on the trail was no problem either. I only got sideways crossing a water drenched ravine that was hub deep. Yep. Got wet feet there. Hard to see "the line" through when it is submerged by murky water!

Yeah, a lesser mountain bike would have done okay, but wouldn't have been better, and I would have gotten stuck more times, causing more ruts, and what not. (Again, not that it would matter after the next flood, which will come after the next heavy rain.) Sand dunes were easy-peasy. I would have dug right in with a "regular mountain bike".

And I suppose some of you were wondering about how the hub is doing? Well........not so good. It snaps, pops, and does that after almost every coast, or change in pedal pressure. Sometimes you can ride several minutes with no untoward noises. Then....pop! Snap! I thought I was going batty. I took off the old chain, checked the (nearly) new cassette, the (nearly) new chain rings, and the (nearly) new bottom bracket. All had less than 50-60 miles on them. (Most with Ben's wheel) I replaced the chain anyway, since I had heard of issues with SRAM chains on snow bikes. I put a Wipperman Connex chain on it. No change. Still makes noise. Bummer. It's the hub, again. This time I'll just run it into the ground, cut it out of the wheel, and replace it.

It's destined to become an expensive paperweight.

But back to all of that green stuff! It was a fun ride. Can't wait to do that again soon. I'll tell ya one thing- These fat bikes really give you a work out!

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational 2011: July 30-31, 2011

This Bridge Over Salt Creek Is On The Route

Notice: I did some recon on Saturday and found out a couple of roads were blocked by downed trees and impassable near Toledo. So, I have selected a slightly different route. It adds about a mile of pavement to what was already a mile and a few tenths coming out of Toledo, but there wasn't much I could do about it.

If you've made cue sheets already, you should take note of the changes. I also caught a turn I forgot coming into Toledo.

I have to check one more Level B road, and if it passes, the cues will remain unchanged. I will have re-route possibilities for all the B Roads in case of rain. (Like Saturday had!)

I'm pretty stoked about riding the route. It is pretty scenic, and the roads are looking like they should be fun to ride. There will be a mix of hills and rollers. No grueling, killer grade after killer grade, like the last two years, but it should prove to be challenging none the less.

I've seen the entire route, barring the last B Road and surrounding entrance and exit roads to it. I'll get down there to see that hopefully today, but probably not until Wednesday. (Today is my son's 8th birthday, so probably Wednesday!)

Stay tuned for more details soon....

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational 2011: July 30-31, 2011

This Bridge Over Salt Creek Is On The Route

Notice: I did some recon on Saturday and found out a couple of roads were blocked by downed trees and impassable near Toledo. So, I have selected a slightly different route. It adds about a mile of pavement to what was already a mile and a few tenths coming out of Toledo, but there wasn't much I could do about it.

If you've made cue sheets already, you should take note of the changes. I also caught a turn I forgot coming into Toledo.

I have to check one more Level B road, and if it passes, the cues will remain unchanged. I will have re-route possibilities for all the B Roads in case of rain. (Like Saturday had!)

I'm pretty stoked about riding the route. It is pretty scenic, and the roads are looking like they should be fun to ride. There will be a mix of hills and rollers. No grueling, killer grade after killer grade, like the last two years, but it should prove to be challenging none the less.

I've seen the entire route, barring the last B Road and surrounding entrance and exit roads to it. I'll get down there to see that hopefully today, but probably not until Wednesday. (Today is my son's 8th birthday, so probably Wednesday!)

Stay tuned for more details soon....

The Snow Dog Lives!

Snow Dog in Summer

Well, I think the Snow Dog is back together for a long time. At least, I hope it is. I received the wheel Friday and assembled everything back together after work. I went for a ride, and.....

No snapping, no popping, no slipping, and nothing a hub shouldn't do. That's a good sign, since the last two times I tried the bike, issues arose after the first ride.

The difference? This time Phil Wood & Co. replaced the entire hub. They re-laced the wheel, and then sent it back. Pretty good deal, eh? It would seem so, but for a few pertinent things.

First, there is the issue of over five months without a rear wheel for my bicycle. That's a lot of time I can't get back, and that Phil Wood & Co. had my hub in hock, along with my spokes and rim.

A completely new hub.

Secondly, I had to ship the entire wheel back twice on my dime. That wasn't necessarily cheap either.

So, is it a bad deal? Well.....yeah, and no. Yes, because the whole thing reflects quite poorly on Phil Wood & Co, and no, because as long as the hub works, I'm good. Yes, it is bad because it cost me more than it should have in time and money, and no, because I don't have to look for another rear hub, and build up another rear wheel.

It is difficult for me to feel good about Phil Wood & Co. but I won't go out of my way to dissuade anyone from buying their products. Maybe my situation is an odd one. It would seem so. I hope, for their sake and the sake of their customers in the future, that they treat their warranty issues with a bit more communicativeness and with as little pain to the customer in terms of time and money than they did with me.

Now it is time to ride..........

The Snow Dog Lives!

Snow Dog in Summer

Well, I think the Snow Dog is back together for a long time. At least, I hope it is. I received the wheel Friday and assembled everything back together after work. I went for a ride, and.....

No snapping, no popping, no slipping, and nothing a hub shouldn't do. That's a good sign, since the last two times I tried the bike, issues arose after the first ride.

The difference? This time Phil Wood & Co. replaced the entire hub. They re-laced the wheel, and then sent it back. Pretty good deal, eh? It would seem so, but for a few pertinent things.

First, there is the issue of over five months without a rear wheel for my bicycle. That's a lot of time I can't get back, and that Phil Wood & Co. had my hub in hock, along with my spokes and rim.

A completely new hub.

Secondly, I had to ship the entire wheel back twice on my dime. That wasn't necessarily cheap either.

So, is it a bad deal? Well.....yeah, and no. Yes, because the whole thing reflects quite poorly on Phil Wood & Co, and no, because as long as the hub works, I'm good. Yes, it is bad because it cost me more than it should have in time and money, and no, because I don't have to look for another rear hub, and build up another rear wheel.

It is difficult for me to feel good about Phil Wood & Co. but I won't go out of my way to dissuade anyone from buying their products. Maybe my situation is an odd one. It would seem so. I hope, for their sake and the sake of their customers in the future, that they treat their warranty issues with a bit more communicativeness and with as little pain to the customer in terms of time and money than they did with me.

Now it is time to ride..........

Friday News And Views

While we may be weird......

Paint Us Black: I've come across a couple troubling media stories concerning cyclists of late. Some "headlines" of sorts, that make me feel a bit concerned.

First off, I want to point out that as citizens out there we continue to pursue "getting our zoom on". Trying to cram everything we can in our craniums that is available. We seem to be fearing being "left out", "left behind", and possibly being accused of being "on the right or the left" of any issue. Instead of soaking in the whole story, or (GASP!), actually comprehending what we've read, we tend to skip over the headlines, looking for that real juicy bit we can lay on our colleagues at lunch. You know, you just regurgitate the headline, and suddenly you've started a conversation about something. This is making you feel important, like you've actually read the entire article, (when you haven't), and your colleagues think you're cool. (C'mon! We've all done this a bit at one time or another)

So, these derogatory headlines about cyclists. They are not good, because really- most folks will rarely read the entire article. 

Just yesterday, I was pointed to this article from a Philedelphia news source that had the following headline and sub-title:


"Philadelphia Cyclists Finally Get What’s Coming to ‘Em
More policing of maniacs on two wheels brings hope to city drivers"

And this isn't limited to news print media either. Recently I read about two radio disc jockeys that announced a program saying they were going to discuss "these cyclists who are like a religious cult".
Seems like since "cyclists" are not of one certain race, creed, or color, that it is okay to denigrate them upfront. I mean, they are open game to be ridiculed, and who wouldn't agree? They are just a bunch of weirdos anyway, and the reading and listening public will eat this up. (You know- ratings, sales, numbers. The Boss just loves that stuff when they go up)

To be fair, and to further illustrate my point, the author of the Philly based piece actually had a great point about cyclists not obeying the rules of the road. A point we as cyclists should all take to heart. But the author didn't get to that good point until well after halfway through the article, and not until the author had fully pushed all the "hate cyclists" buttons that could be pushed. Nice. Hope the efforts gained you some nice sales of that rag. (NOT!)



Master Frame Builder Ishigaki-san started the Toyo Frame Company in Japan in the 1970's The factory went on to produce some classic BMX bicycles and mountain bikes early on, and also does work for Rivendell Bikes. If you've got time to slow down and read something, (hint!), check out this story on the Frame Builder's Forum about Ishigaki-san and Toyo.

I was pointed to Toyo's Facebook page and saw this awesome, beautiful rigid 29"er that happens to be joined in my favorite technique, (fillet brazed), and in one of my all-time favorite colors. You should go through the Facebook album of this bike, where detailed photos show the bare frame, and you really get a sense of the skill and efforts that went into this beauty of a 29"er.

Now, I'm not one to get all wobbly-kneed about the "artistry" that many frame builders claim to have, because many are just fancy paint jobs over "good work", not necessarily "art". However; I do think that it can happen where "art" and a bicycle frame come together, and this one is a fine example. Maybe the most outstanding fillet brazed bike frame I've been made aware of. Enjoy!

Thanks to those who responded to the Death Ride Cookie Count. There is still time to get on board with us for the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational. The ride is on July 30th, and should start about 6am. Hit the link for details, but if you decide you are coming, please leave a comment here saying so, and I'll add you to the "Death Ride Cookie Count". (Gotta have yer munchies!)

Also, the GTDRI site has a link in the right hand margin for the 2011 Cues. If you are coming, get these printed off if you want cues. I won't be bringing extras! Once again, we'll be heading out of Hickory Hills County Park in Tama County.

Have a great weekend! Take pictures! Ride yer bikes!

Friday News And Views

While we may be weird......

Paint Us Black: I've come across a couple troubling media stories concerning cyclists of late. Some "headlines" of sorts, that make me feel a bit concerned.

First off, I want to point out that as citizens out there we continue to pursue "getting our zoom on". Trying to cram everything we can in our craniums that is available. We seem to be fearing being "left out", "left behind", and possibly being accused of being "on the right or the left" of any issue. Instead of soaking in the whole story, or (GASP!), actually comprehending what we've read, we tend to skip over the headlines, looking for that real juicy bit we can lay on our colleagues at lunch. You know, you just regurgitate the headline, and suddenly you've started a conversation about something. This is making you feel important, like you've actually read the entire article, (when you haven't), and your colleagues think you're cool. (C'mon! We've all done this a bit at one time or another)

So, these derogatory headlines about cyclists. They are not good, because really- most folks will rarely read the entire article. 

Just yesterday, I was pointed to this article from a Philedelphia news source that had the following headline and sub-title:


"Philadelphia Cyclists Finally Get What’s Coming to ‘Em
More policing of maniacs on two wheels brings hope to city drivers"

And this isn't limited to news print media either. Recently I read about two radio disc jockeys that announced a program saying they were going to discuss "these cyclists who are like a religious cult".
Seems like since "cyclists" are not of one certain race, creed, or color, that it is okay to denigrate them upfront. I mean, they are open game to be ridiculed, and who wouldn't agree? They are just a bunch of weirdos anyway, and the reading and listening public will eat this up. (You know- ratings, sales, numbers. The Boss just loves that stuff when they go up)

To be fair, and to further illustrate my point, the author of the Philly based piece actually had a great point about cyclists not obeying the rules of the road. A point we as cyclists should all take to heart. But the author didn't get to that good point until well after halfway through the article, and not until the author had fully pushed all the "hate cyclists" buttons that could be pushed. Nice. Hope the efforts gained you some nice sales of that rag. (NOT!)



Master Frame Builder Ishigaki-san started the Toyo Frame Company in Japan in the 1970's The factory went on to produce some classic BMX bicycles and mountain bikes early on, and also does work for Rivendell Bikes. If you've got time to slow down and read something, (hint!), check out this story on the Frame Builder's Forum about Ishigaki-san and Toyo.

I was pointed to Toyo's Facebook page and saw this awesome, beautiful rigid 29"er that happens to be joined in my favorite technique, (fillet brazed), and in one of my all-time favorite colors. You should go through the Facebook album of this bike, where detailed photos show the bare frame, and you really get a sense of the skill and efforts that went into this beauty of a 29"er.

Now, I'm not one to get all wobbly-kneed about the "artistry" that many frame builders claim to have, because many are just fancy paint jobs over "good work", not necessarily "art". However; I do think that it can happen where "art" and a bicycle frame come together, and this one is a fine example. Maybe the most outstanding fillet brazed bike frame I've been made aware of. Enjoy!

Thanks to those who responded to the Death Ride Cookie Count. There is still time to get on board with us for the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational. The ride is on July 30th, and should start about 6am. Hit the link for details, but if you decide you are coming, please leave a comment here saying so, and I'll add you to the "Death Ride Cookie Count". (Gotta have yer munchies!)

Also, the GTDRI site has a link in the right hand margin for the 2011 Cues. If you are coming, get these printed off if you want cues. I won't be bringing extras! Once again, we'll be heading out of Hickory Hills County Park in Tama County.

Have a great weekend! Take pictures! Ride yer bikes!