Gravel Ride Picture Report

I thought about ranting on the gubmints suggestions to cut spending for bicycle infrastructure and alternative transportation, but I figure that no matter what they do, I'm gonna ride my bicycle. So, instead of getting all worked up about that, I went for a ride out on the gravel.

Today, I'm going to just do mostly images, and few words. Here we go....

One bike, One speed, Open road.

You know, I just figured I would go out for a nice spin on the gravel. It's nearly always vacant, and folks out here will actually wave at you and smile, for the most part.

Mount Hope Church on Mt. Vernon Road

So, I wheeled along the rollers and went where ever I pleased. It was hot, humid, and I just stuck it on a steady pace. I felt pretty dang good too. I have to admit, that surprised me.

Tiger Lillys In The Ditches

Wild flowers are out now in droves. I will always appreciate summer because flowers are one of my favorite things about this time of the year out on the gravel roads. I picked these roads to ride now because I know there will be flowers.

Humid Haze

It was one of those days when any breath of wind was greatly appreciated. In fact, the breezes were really quite nice. However; when they died down from time to time, you could feel the heat press in around you.

A Weathered Old Farm House

I went by an old farm house I really like. It sits up on a grassy, tree lined knoll and has a great view of the land to the east. It just seems attractive to me, although it is absolutely enormous. Way more house than I would ever need! It's fun to find these cool old homes out in the country.

The road's namesake

I decided to stop a bit at the corner of Big Rock Road and Sage Road. Yep! There is a big rock here. An enormous erratic sits right on the corner, like it was planted there on purpose. What is amazing is that its position just happened to be where the surveyors laid out corner on the original grid for this part of Iowa.

Leaning Against The Big Rock

Well, I ended up getting about two hours in of sweaty, steady single speeding. I was pretty pumped to find out that Saturday and Sunday's riding had no ill effect upon the knee. I think I am over 90% on it, maybe 95+% of normal or slightly better.  That's good. I still can not kneel on it, and it feels tender right in the middle of the knee cap if I push down on it, but hey! It works yet, and I'm getting around just fine.

There. That was much better than some ol' rant now, wasn't it?

Hope ya'all had a great weekend too.

Gravel Ride Picture Report

I thought about ranting on the gubmints suggestions to cut spending for bicycle infrastructure and alternative transportation, but I figure that no matter what they do, I'm gonna ride my bicycle. So, instead of getting all worked up about that, I went for a ride out on the gravel.

Today, I'm going to just do mostly images, and few words. Here we go....

One bike, One speed, Open road.

You know, I just figured I would go out for a nice spin on the gravel. It's nearly always vacant, and folks out here will actually wave at you and smile, for the most part.

Mount Hope Church on Mt. Vernon Road

So, I wheeled along the rollers and went where ever I pleased. It was hot, humid, and I just stuck it on a steady pace. I felt pretty dang good too. I have to admit, that surprised me.

Tiger Lillys In The Ditches

Wild flowers are out now in droves. I will always appreciate summer because flowers are one of my favorite things about this time of the year out on the gravel roads. I picked these roads to ride now because I know there will be flowers.

Humid Haze

It was one of those days when any breath of wind was greatly appreciated. In fact, the breezes were really quite nice. However; when they died down from time to time, you could feel the heat press in around you.

A Weathered Old Farm House

I went by an old farm house I really like. It sits up on a grassy, tree lined knoll and has a great view of the land to the east. It just seems attractive to me, although it is absolutely enormous. Way more house than I would ever need! It's fun to find these cool old homes out in the country.

The road's namesake

I decided to stop a bit at the corner of Big Rock Road and Sage Road. Yep! There is a big rock here. An enormous erratic sits right on the corner, like it was planted there on purpose. What is amazing is that its position just happened to be where the surveyors laid out corner on the original grid for this part of Iowa.

Leaning Against The Big Rock

Well, I ended up getting about two hours in of sweaty, steady single speeding. I was pretty pumped to find out that Saturday and Sunday's riding had no ill effect upon the knee. I think I am over 90% on it, maybe 95+% of normal or slightly better.  That's good. I still can not kneel on it, and it feels tender right in the middle of the knee cap if I push down on it, but hey! It works yet, and I'm getting around just fine.

There. That was much better than some ol' rant now, wasn't it?

Hope ya'all had a great weekend too.

Wet Air, Dry Earth

This time of the year is sort of weird in my mind. The difference between Spring riding and Summer riding here is pretty radical when you think about it. Early Spring brings dry, cool air, but wetter trails. Summer time brings wet, humid air, and rock hard, dry, and fast trails.

It's as about as green as it gets out there now, but it is also about as dry as the trails ever get too. The two things are rare together.

I was up at the Camp's South side to test out the Velocity wheels. There was a rare sight in the primitive lot when I got there. A Toyota truck was sitting there with its end gate down. Hmm..... someone else to watch for, for once. Then, something even odder happened.

Another Toyota pulled up, and it was a guy I knew. Eric has come into the shop a few times, and he was all ready to go riding. So, now I had someone else to ride with! We took off and soon were blazing down the single track. The dry conditions were just right for great traction.

The trails were super clean, weeded by chemicals, (by the looks of it), and cleared of any dead falls in preparation for the upcoming race on July 31st. If the trails stay this way, they are going to be really, really fast. Eric and I were able to go as fast as we dared ourselves to go, and having him there encouraged me to push it harder than I would have. It was good for me, and good for finding out a few things about the Velocity wheels.

Oh, and that other rider? Didn't know who he was, but I ran across him after Eric and I got a lap in, and he went on, while I went in for some images. Well, whoever it was, it was great to see more folks out there enjoying the trails.

Wet Air, Dry Earth

This time of the year is sort of weird in my mind. The difference between Spring riding and Summer riding here is pretty radical when you think about it. Early Spring brings dry, cool air, but wetter trails. Summer time brings wet, humid air, and rock hard, dry, and fast trails.

It's as about as green as it gets out there now, but it is also about as dry as the trails ever get too. The two things are rare together.

I was up at the Camp's South side to test out the Velocity wheels. There was a rare sight in the primitive lot when I got there. A Toyota truck was sitting there with its end gate down. Hmm..... someone else to watch for, for once. Then, something even odder happened.

Another Toyota pulled up, and it was a guy I knew. Eric has come into the shop a few times, and he was all ready to go riding. So, now I had someone else to ride with! We took off and soon were blazing down the single track. The dry conditions were just right for great traction.

The trails were super clean, weeded by chemicals, (by the looks of it), and cleared of any dead falls in preparation for the upcoming race on July 31st. If the trails stay this way, they are going to be really, really fast. Eric and I were able to go as fast as we dared ourselves to go, and having him there encouraged me to push it harder than I would have. It was good for me, and good for finding out a few things about the Velocity wheels.

Oh, and that other rider? Didn't know who he was, but I ran across him after Eric and I got a lap in, and he went on, while I went in for some images. Well, whoever it was, it was great to see more folks out there enjoying the trails.

Pro Road Cycling: The New Blood Sport?

Tour de France time again and with that said, I had planned on not speaking of it here while it was going on. However; being that I work amongst folks that are still big Tour fans, it is hard to ignore the spectacle for me. That is why something was brought to light to me this past week. The pro road racing scene has become a bit of "reality show T.V." Especially around the Tour.

The first week of any tour is generally a nervous, crash infested week where riders eager to jockey for position to show themselves for their team and sponsors make many risky maneuvers. Add in sketchy roads, wind, and in the case of this Tour- rain, and you have the recipe for disaster. It is what it is for the riders. Big pile ups, mangled bikes, and broken collarbones are all in a days work for European based pro roadies. This has been going on for years.

What is disturbing to my mind is the relentless pursuit of the media to bring you and I face to face with this part of cycling. The "blood sport" aspect that results is nothing less than disgusting. Really. Do I need to see blood pouring from a young man's broken body seconds after he smacks terra most-firma? No. Neither do you.

And the riders don't appreciate having their visages plastered on every screen and device this side of the Pecos either. Check out what recent crash victim, Jani Brajkovic had to say about this:

"To all media who put a photo of me bleeding, laid out on the road, half-aware, on the front page of daily news, etc…How would you feel if I was your son, your family??"


I'm betting they wouldn't like it, Jani. And we shouldn't be looking at those images either.


While I respect that "the story should be told", there are better ways of doing it than by jamming a camera up in someone's face and having some media wonk making some less than stellar commentary about it on live television. I saw Tom Boonen's wreck and it was interesting how almost within seconds of his sitting up in the middle of the road, a moto had swooped in, a cameraman had leapt off the mount, and was within three feet of Boonen feeding the "raw images" around the world. It's sick, and it is wrong.


And it isn't just the images either. We even get live audio from these scenes of carnage and we get to hear the expletives of frustrated riders. Nice. What would you expect them to be saying? This isn't news, and it isn't anything we need to be hearing. What next? Will they be "streaming" live video and audio of the peloton's "nature breaks" next?



I guess they may as well. But I won't be tuning in.

 

Pro Road Cycling: The New Blood Sport?

Tour de France time again and with that said, I had planned on not speaking of it here while it was going on. However; being that I work amongst folks that are still big Tour fans, it is hard to ignore the spectacle for me. That is why something was brought to light to me this past week. The pro road racing scene has become a bit of "reality show T.V." Especially around the Tour.

The first week of any tour is generally a nervous, crash infested week where riders eager to jockey for position to show themselves for their team and sponsors make many risky maneuvers. Add in sketchy roads, wind, and in the case of this Tour- rain, and you have the recipe for disaster. It is what it is for the riders. Big pile ups, mangled bikes, and broken collarbones are all in a days work for European based pro roadies. This has been going on for years.

What is disturbing to my mind is the relentless pursuit of the media to bring you and I face to face with this part of cycling. The "blood sport" aspect that results is nothing less than disgusting. Really. Do I need to see blood pouring from a young man's broken body seconds after he smacks terra most-firma? No. Neither do you.

And the riders don't appreciate having their visages plastered on every screen and device this side of the Pecos either. Check out what recent crash victim, Jani Brajkovic had to say about this:

"To all media who put a photo of me bleeding, laid out on the road, half-aware, on the front page of daily news, etc…How would you feel if I was your son, your family??"


I'm betting they wouldn't like it, Jani. And we shouldn't be looking at those images either.


While I respect that "the story should be told", there are better ways of doing it than by jamming a camera up in someone's face and having some media wonk making some less than stellar commentary about it on live television. I saw Tom Boonen's wreck and it was interesting how almost within seconds of his sitting up in the middle of the road, a moto had swooped in, a cameraman had leapt off the mount, and was within three feet of Boonen feeding the "raw images" around the world. It's sick, and it is wrong.


And it isn't just the images either. We even get live audio from these scenes of carnage and we get to hear the expletives of frustrated riders. Nice. What would you expect them to be saying? This isn't news, and it isn't anything we need to be hearing. What next? Will they be "streaming" live video and audio of the peloton's "nature breaks" next?



I guess they may as well. But I won't be tuning in.

 

Friday News And Views

Let's Try This Again...

Gates Redux: You may have read on this blog last year about my Gates Carbon Drive belt experiences, which weren't all that encouraging. Well, Gates hasn't been sleeping, and are working on solutions.

The latest is called "Center Track" and as the name suggests, the belt has a groove in the center that "tracks" along a ridge in the center of each cog. This has the effect of keeping the belt aligned on the cogs despite slight discrepancies caused by misaligned cogs, or flexing due to pedaling. The Center Track technology steps up the belt width to 12mm as well, which also alleviates tension issues, according to Gates.

I'm going to mount this on the Trek, Gary Fisher Collection Sawyer. Well, in fact, I did. Trouble is that due to a very limited number of Center Track combinations available now, the belt I have was juuuusssst a bit too short. It wouldn't work. So, Gates is sending out another, longer belt, which ironically enough, will be almost too long. Strike one: "The Chain"  is more adjustable than "The Belt". (But we already knew that from last time.) It's still true. More to come......

Ergon HE2 Gloves: Ergon, the company known for its grips and backpacks, has now branched out into gloves. The HE2 by Ergon is the one I am trying out now. It is Ergon's take on a glove for endurance riding and all mountain pursuits. I'll tell ya this much right off the bat: It ain't like any other glove you've had your mitts in.

First of all, I'll say that almost any cycling glove gives my hands fits. Too snug and my hands go numb, almost instantly. I was recently pleased to find some gloves that made my hands really happy, but the Ergon HE2 needed trying out, so I laid those aside for a while.

The HE2 fits like a second skin. Like a race jersey for your hands. The feel is startling at first. In fact, I was sure that within minutes I would be hating them for making my hands go numb. The tips were right against my finger tips, almost to the point of having the seam go under my finger nails. This was also disconcerting at first, but I gave them a tryout anyway.

After a few uses, the gloves stretched just a bit, and the feeling of snugness went away, for the most part. Still, they fit like a second skin, and you know what? My hands never went numb. Not even for a second. On the bike, they were great, almost like not wearing gloves, but better. Grip is enhanced, and of course, with that snug fit, tactile feel is top notch. In fact, these are the only gloves I've ever worn that I didn't want to immediately peel off to do something like use a tool, reach into a pocket for something, or pick up something off the ground. I could text with them on, and even operate the tiny buttons on my Panasonic LX-3 camera. Pretty impressive!

However; I found it almost radical that Ergon did not put on any "nose wiper" material on the thumb, or back of the glove. (Can it even be a cycling glove then?) I also did not like the Velcro closure, finding it too tight, short in length, and restricting. And my wrists are pretty small for a guy my size. I would like to see Ergon adopt a closure, or more appropriately, an opening that simply stretched wide for entry, and then relaxed, like the aforementioned gloves I linked to. Finally, for a rough and tumble glove meant for endurance racing, back country, and all mountain use, the lack of finger tip protection on the outside/back of the fingers, and the "euro-trash", driving gloves styling were odd here.(Note: There is a really nice "pad" of carbon-fiber-like material to protect the heel of your palm.)

Did I like them? No, not at first, but I did end up grabbing them over the others for a recent ride. They are pretty darn good gloves, as long as you can get by the snug fit, sparse features, and the quirky styling. I guess I don't dislike them, and I may end up really liking them in the end. They just are so different. Now I just have to get them and the helmet I left behind back in a Suburban in Northfield back again! (DOH!) A final review will be seen on The Cyclist soon.

Speaking of Northfield.... That criterium deal fried my legs and feet. I don't know what it was, but my legs have been like two limp meat-sticks since that Monday in the sun, and I have been super tired all week. I just hope I can recover soon.

Okay, ya'all have a great weekend, and hopefully you all get some fun, adventurous, and safe bicycling in this weekend.

Friday News And Views

Let's Try This Again...

Gates Redux: You may have read on this blog last year about my Gates Carbon Drive belt experiences, which weren't all that encouraging. Well, Gates hasn't been sleeping, and are working on solutions.

The latest is called "Center Track" and as the name suggests, the belt has a groove in the center that "tracks" along a ridge in the center of each cog. This has the effect of keeping the belt aligned on the cogs despite slight discrepancies caused by misaligned cogs, or flexing due to pedaling. The Center Track technology steps up the belt width to 12mm as well, which also alleviates tension issues, according to Gates.

I'm going to mount this on the Trek, Gary Fisher Collection Sawyer. Well, in fact, I did. Trouble is that due to a very limited number of Center Track combinations available now, the belt I have was juuuusssst a bit too short. It wouldn't work. So, Gates is sending out another, longer belt, which ironically enough, will be almost too long. Strike one: "The Chain"  is more adjustable than "The Belt". (But we already knew that from last time.) It's still true. More to come......

Ergon HE2 Gloves: Ergon, the company known for its grips and backpacks, has now branched out into gloves. The HE2 by Ergon is the one I am trying out now. It is Ergon's take on a glove for endurance riding and all mountain pursuits. I'll tell ya this much right off the bat: It ain't like any other glove you've had your mitts in.

First of all, I'll say that almost any cycling glove gives my hands fits. Too snug and my hands go numb, almost instantly. I was recently pleased to find some gloves that made my hands really happy, but the Ergon HE2 needed trying out, so I laid those aside for a while.

The HE2 fits like a second skin. Like a race jersey for your hands. The feel is startling at first. In fact, I was sure that within minutes I would be hating them for making my hands go numb. The tips were right against my finger tips, almost to the point of having the seam go under my finger nails. This was also disconcerting at first, but I gave them a tryout anyway.

After a few uses, the gloves stretched just a bit, and the feeling of snugness went away, for the most part. Still, they fit like a second skin, and you know what? My hands never went numb. Not even for a second. On the bike, they were great, almost like not wearing gloves, but better. Grip is enhanced, and of course, with that snug fit, tactile feel is top notch. In fact, these are the only gloves I've ever worn that I didn't want to immediately peel off to do something like use a tool, reach into a pocket for something, or pick up something off the ground. I could text with them on, and even operate the tiny buttons on my Panasonic LX-3 camera. Pretty impressive!

However; I found it almost radical that Ergon did not put on any "nose wiper" material on the thumb, or back of the glove. (Can it even be a cycling glove then?) I also did not like the Velcro closure, finding it too tight, short in length, and restricting. And my wrists are pretty small for a guy my size. I would like to see Ergon adopt a closure, or more appropriately, an opening that simply stretched wide for entry, and then relaxed, like the aforementioned gloves I linked to. Finally, for a rough and tumble glove meant for endurance racing, back country, and all mountain use, the lack of finger tip protection on the outside/back of the fingers, and the "euro-trash", driving gloves styling were odd here.(Note: There is a really nice "pad" of carbon-fiber-like material to protect the heel of your palm.)

Did I like them? No, not at first, but I did end up grabbing them over the others for a recent ride. They are pretty darn good gloves, as long as you can get by the snug fit, sparse features, and the quirky styling. I guess I don't dislike them, and I may end up really liking them in the end. They just are so different. Now I just have to get them and the helmet I left behind back in a Suburban in Northfield back again! (DOH!) A final review will be seen on The Cyclist soon.

Speaking of Northfield.... That criterium deal fried my legs and feet. I don't know what it was, but my legs have been like two limp meat-sticks since that Monday in the sun, and I have been super tired all week. I just hope I can recover soon.

Okay, ya'all have a great weekend, and hopefully you all get some fun, adventurous, and safe bicycling in this weekend.

The Next Thing On The "To-Do List"

Well, now that I have gotten past the 4th of July thing, and the total blur that was June is done and gone, I must buckle down to getting the next project done: Reconning the GTDRI course.

Lots Of Roads To Check Out!

It should not be all that hard. I have a route planned out already that is just over 100 miles. Some of it I already know, but some of it is new road to me.

I hope to knock out a good portion of it this weekend. Not sure if that will be by bicycle or not yet, but I'd like it to be. I think the knee is ready for it.

However that all works out, I do have the finer details on the scheduling figured out. So, here is what you can plan by for this year's Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational.

• Ride start will be at Hickory Hills County Park (Click link for detailed info on this park's location, etc) We will leave from the tent camping area.
• The GTDRI will start at 6:00am or shortly after. (I'd like to leave at 6:00am.)
• We will try to stick together as a group, unless a lot of folks show up, which I doubt, but ya never know....
• This is a self-supported, self guided ride over demanding, hilly terrain. It will likely be hot, humid, and windy. Be prepared!
• There will be a few pass through towns with convenience store opportunities at Traer, (approx Mile 20), and in Toledo, (approx Mile 60). There are a couple of smaller towns that are unknown to me, but hopefully recon will reveal more. 
• The route is approximately 102 miles in length. 
• The route ends back at Hickory Hills County Park
• Cue sheets will be provided for by an on-line link later.
• Ride held rain or shine, unless there is severe weather. 
• This ride is free.

The date for the ride is July 30th. I will be camping overnight on the evening of the 29th at the park. Anyone wanting to sleep there in their own tents are welcomed. (There is a fee to camp) After the ride, I plan on camping overnight again, and I encourage anyone coming to do the same.

Hopefully we will have a fire and merriment after a tough, dusty century ride in beautiful Tama County. Look for more details soon..........

The Next Thing On The "To-Do List"

Well, now that I have gotten past the 4th of July thing, and the total blur that was June is done and gone, I must buckle down to getting the next project done: Reconning the GTDRI course.

Lots Of Roads To Check Out!

It should not be all that hard. I have a route planned out already that is just over 100 miles. Some of it I already know, but some of it is new road to me.

I hope to knock out a good portion of it this weekend. Not sure if that will be by bicycle or not yet, but I'd like it to be. I think the knee is ready for it.

However that all works out, I do have the finer details on the scheduling figured out. So, here is what you can plan by for this year's Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational.

• Ride start will be at Hickory Hills County Park (Click link for detailed info on this park's location, etc) We will leave from the tent camping area.
• The GTDRI will start at 6:00am or shortly after. (I'd like to leave at 6:00am.)
• We will try to stick together as a group, unless a lot of folks show up, which I doubt, but ya never know....
• This is a self-supported, self guided ride over demanding, hilly terrain. It will likely be hot, humid, and windy. Be prepared!
• There will be a few pass through towns with convenience store opportunities at Traer, (approx Mile 20), and in Toledo, (approx Mile 60). There are a couple of smaller towns that are unknown to me, but hopefully recon will reveal more. 
• The route is approximately 102 miles in length. 
• The route ends back at Hickory Hills County Park
• Cue sheets will be provided for by an on-line link later.
• Ride held rain or shine, unless there is severe weather. 
• This ride is free.

The date for the ride is July 30th. I will be camping overnight on the evening of the 29th at the park. Anyone wanting to sleep there in their own tents are welcomed. (There is a fee to camp) After the ride, I plan on camping overnight again, and I encourage anyone coming to do the same.

Hopefully we will have a fire and merriment after a tough, dusty century ride in beautiful Tama County. Look for more details soon..........

The 11th Annual Northfield Criterium Report: The Flagger's View

The Archer House Inn, Northfield, MN.

As mentioned in yesterday's post, I was in Northfield, Minnesota for the weekend of the 4th to help my friend Ben Witt out with his promotion and organization of the 11th Annual Northfield Criterium.

This is my event report. You won't get any gripping racing sufferage descriptions, no pictures of carnage, and no reports of glorious winning. Heck, I don't even know who won any of the several races that occurred that day.

No, this is about a grunt helper and nondescript corner flagger. (I hesitate to use the term "corner marshal", as that implies some modicum of higher learning, authority, and position of which I have none of!) Yep! Just a peek behind the scenes as to what it takes to put on one of these here fancy road racin' deals. That's all.

The whole set up for Mrs. Guitar Ted and myself was out of the Archer House Inn, an establishment dating back to 1877. It was recently remodeled, and we had a room reserved for the weekend there. I recommend the place as a great way to escape "corporate motel-suck" that usually passes for lodging these days. You want character? Charm? Warmth? Nice restaurants and a tavern? Go to the Archer House. Nuff said....

The "Central Block" Bldg, Downtown Northfield MN.

The criterium's main drag is right down Division Street, (read: Main Street), where all the historical buildings are, and from whence Northfield derives its charm. It really is a quaint, picturesque little Mid-Western town that somehow didn't manage to get blown away in a tornado, burnt to a crisp, or become blighted by a Mall Wart. In fact, it has a varied, if not somewhat struggling local based economy. The variety of shops was pretty amazing to my mind for such a community.

Of course, being close to the Twin Cites, and being host to two private institutions of higher learning may be to blame for that, but I wouldn't hold that against Northfield! It still seems to be a place where their feet are still firmly attached to terra firma, and not far out of touch with reality. Oh yeah! about the race set up.....(Sorry! I got carried away there!)

The "Orange Crush" in front of the Archer House Inn

Well, after all the gravel riding festivities, and a quick breakfast at Ben's place, we went to fixin' holes! It was a pretty weird deal.

You see, road bikes, what with those skinny tires and all, well they don't really take a hankerin' to cracks, potholes, and the like, what sucks them wheels in, and pitches their riders to an untimely end on the pavement. So, our job was to mix up some "Qwikrete", which is a mixture you simply add water to which turns into a concrete mixture and sets up quickly. Then we took that around in a huge plastic tub situated in the back of a van to wherever we deemed necessary to fill in holes.

This was all done in a manner that was a befuddlement and concern to locals, who are used to seeing their city government take care of those repairs. Here we were, dressed in civies, in an unmarked van, doing street repair. It was as if we were do-gooder hooligans. I mean, what could they say? "Hey! Don't you go a-fixin' that there pot hole, ya flea bitten varmint!" No, they wanted those holes fixed, but they weren't quite sure if this was a good thing, or breaking rules. I thought it was really rad. Taking back the streets indeed!

Well, that task was taken care of and then we had to wait until later on Sunday to set out the parts for the barricades. Those were actually assembled and set up the morning of the event, with a final sweeping of the course, to make sure there were no foreign objects there to cause a cyclist a flat. Once this was accomplished, almost immediately, (or so it would seem to me), the events began. Well, I saw someone at a corner ahead of me waving a yellow flag when riders were coming by, so I picked up a flag, and did the same.

There was some quick learning. I found out we had to watch for some cars and get them through the course at safe times. I had to do a bit of public information with locals, and I ended up carrying water and goodies around by bicycle to the various volunteers on course for a while. Then, Ben and I went and fetched some food for everyone helping out. After that, it was back to manning a different corner.

This was the corner I ended up finishing the races flagging, and where folks were gathering with toddlers and small children for a "Kiddie Parade" that was to be held after the criterium was over. Meanwhile, several youngsters and adults had questions about what was going on in the races.

I gave them the low down on how to spot team members, what they were trying to accomplish, and that there was strategy and tactics being used if you knew what to look for. I guess my explanations paid off in engendering some enthusiasm for the racers, because as I explained things, they got more and more into it, and were cheering by the time the final laps were winding down.

After the event, I had to break down my corner, stack up the parts of the barricades, and then get Mrs. Guitar Ted and high tail it outta town. We had a three hour trip ahead of us, and I was beat down from 12 hours of being in the sun and working the event that day. It was really good though, and I had fun. I just felt bad about not being able to enjoy some time with the other volunteers post race, and enjoy the festivities.

Next time!

The 11th Annual Northfield Criterium Report: The Flagger's View

The Archer House Inn, Northfield, MN.

As mentioned in yesterday's post, I was in Northfield, Minnesota for the weekend of the 4th to help my friend Ben Witt out with his promotion and organization of the 11th Annual Northfield Criterium.

This is my event report. You won't get any gripping racing sufferage descriptions, no pictures of carnage, and no reports of glorious winning. Heck, I don't even know who won any of the several races that occurred that day.

No, this is about a grunt helper and nondescript corner flagger. (I hesitate to use the term "corner marshal", as that implies some modicum of higher learning, authority, and position of which I have none of!) Yep! Just a peek behind the scenes as to what it takes to put on one of these here fancy road racin' deals. That's all.

The whole set up for Mrs. Guitar Ted and myself was out of the Archer House Inn, an establishment dating back to 1877. It was recently remodeled, and we had a room reserved for the weekend there. I recommend the place as a great way to escape "corporate motel-suck" that usually passes for lodging these days. You want character? Charm? Warmth? Nice restaurants and a tavern? Go to the Archer House. Nuff said....

The "Central Block" Bldg, Downtown Northfield MN.

The criterium's main drag is right down Division Street, (read: Main Street), where all the historical buildings are, and from whence Northfield derives its charm. It really is a quaint, picturesque little Mid-Western town that somehow didn't manage to get blown away in a tornado, burnt to a crisp, or become blighted by a Mall Wart. In fact, it has a varied, if not somewhat struggling local based economy. The variety of shops was pretty amazing to my mind for such a community.

Of course, being close to the Twin Cites, and being host to two private institutions of higher learning may be to blame for that, but I wouldn't hold that against Northfield! It still seems to be a place where their feet are still firmly attached to terra firma, and not far out of touch with reality. Oh yeah! about the race set up.....(Sorry! I got carried away there!)

The "Orange Crush" in front of the Archer House Inn

Well, after all the gravel riding festivities, and a quick breakfast at Ben's place, we went to fixin' holes! It was a pretty weird deal.

You see, road bikes, what with those skinny tires and all, well they don't really take a hankerin' to cracks, potholes, and the like, what sucks them wheels in, and pitches their riders to an untimely end on the pavement. So, our job was to mix up some "Qwikrete", which is a mixture you simply add water to which turns into a concrete mixture and sets up quickly. Then we took that around in a huge plastic tub situated in the back of a van to wherever we deemed necessary to fill in holes.

This was all done in a manner that was a befuddlement and concern to locals, who are used to seeing their city government take care of those repairs. Here we were, dressed in civies, in an unmarked van, doing street repair. It was as if we were do-gooder hooligans. I mean, what could they say? "Hey! Don't you go a-fixin' that there pot hole, ya flea bitten varmint!" No, they wanted those holes fixed, but they weren't quite sure if this was a good thing, or breaking rules. I thought it was really rad. Taking back the streets indeed!

Well, that task was taken care of and then we had to wait until later on Sunday to set out the parts for the barricades. Those were actually assembled and set up the morning of the event, with a final sweeping of the course, to make sure there were no foreign objects there to cause a cyclist a flat. Once this was accomplished, almost immediately, (or so it would seem to me), the events began. Well, I saw someone at a corner ahead of me waving a yellow flag when riders were coming by, so I picked up a flag, and did the same.

There was some quick learning. I found out we had to watch for some cars and get them through the course at safe times. I had to do a bit of public information with locals, and I ended up carrying water and goodies around by bicycle to the various volunteers on course for a while. Then, Ben and I went and fetched some food for everyone helping out. After that, it was back to manning a different corner.

This was the corner I ended up finishing the races flagging, and where folks were gathering with toddlers and small children for a "Kiddie Parade" that was to be held after the criterium was over. Meanwhile, several youngsters and adults had questions about what was going on in the races.

I gave them the low down on how to spot team members, what they were trying to accomplish, and that there was strategy and tactics being used if you knew what to look for. I guess my explanations paid off in engendering some enthusiasm for the racers, because as I explained things, they got more and more into it, and were cheering by the time the final laps were winding down.

After the event, I had to break down my corner, stack up the parts of the barricades, and then get Mrs. Guitar Ted and high tail it outta town. We had a three hour trip ahead of us, and I was beat down from 12 hours of being in the sun and working the event that day. It was really good though, and I had fun. I just felt bad about not being able to enjoy some time with the other volunteers post race, and enjoy the festivities.

Next time!

The Goodbye Blue Monday Route

This past weekend felt like a whole week's worth of activity was compressed into three awesome days. While there were several highlights, the best cycling one was the gravel ride on Sunday morning with Ben Witt, his mechanic, Curtis, and Gnat.

The route was to be one of their favorite routes and would start in front of Goodbye Blue Monday, which is a great coffee shop in downtown Northfield, Minnesota. Since these guys have done this a bunch of times, I dubbed it the "Goodbye Blue Monday Route". It started and ended there, and that just seemed so right, it deserves that name. (Well, I thought so anyway!)

Gnat descending on gravel

The loop is about 25 or so miles, but as Ben says, not a single mile is wasted on uninteresting terrain. The roads were a bit more curvy and undulating than my typical routes.

We were clipping along at a pretty good rate too. Something I am not accustomed to, since I usually ride alone. The group dynamic would be a good thing for me, but my schedule, and my local community doesn't dovetail in with that sort of deal for me. Oh well! All the better reason to really enjoy this route then, eh?

Bluebird skies opened up as we approached Valley Grove. It was really a bit off the route, but since I had never been there, Ben and Gnat thought I should stop and check it out. So, we did. I sure am glad we did too! What a beautiful spot on a beautiful day. Following are some photos from this awesome spot.

From the road going by Valley Grove

Bike line up along the fence outside the grounds.

Ben and Gnat

Massively Ginormous Oak Tree

This oak tree, which is just so picturesque in its beauty, was struck by lightning some years ago. The folks surrounding the church wanted this oak saved, so it has cables and chains running every-which-way tying it together, since it was literally split down to the ground. Amazing! The tree continues to grow, and in fact, has grown around the chains a bit.

The view from under the Giant Oak

Curtis, (L), and Ben, (R)

Well, as all good rides should do, this one continued onward. We went over hill and dale, through cool valleys shrouded by the canopy of hardwoods lining either side of the road, and down narrow lanes lined by fences.

The weather, which had turned fine and hot by the time we reached Valley Grove, had become less brutal with the thin covering of clouds that came in for the second half of our ride. I was sure glad for that too, since I was on my first long-ish ride post knee bashing.

The gang back at Goodbye Blue Monday

Also, as all great rides should do, this one came to a close, right back where we started. We all sat down with another cuppa-joe, something nice to munch on, and had some great conversation.

It was so good to ride with these guys. I really enjoyed that part of Saturday, and I was just getting fired up.

The next task was getting some holes patched in the street to make ready for the Northfield Criterium, which Milltown Cycles sponsors/puts on. We worked with Ben's dad, Mark, and got some concrete mixed up, and we were rogue street patchers! Boy, did we ever get some looks from the locals. They didn't quite know what to think.

After this, we had some down time. We ate a great lunch at Ben's parent's house, then Mark and I went out to ride around in his classic cars. He has a '64 Vette coupe which we rode around in first. Stopped at the Stanton Airport for a bottle of soda from a vending machine, and then cruised to a lake and sat around on the shore soaking in rays. Then it was back for car #2.

That one was a '67 Mustang convertible. Mark even let me drive that one! What a great time. The throaty growl of a V8 is a great smile inducer, I don't car who you are! Then, Mark threw in a modern rig, and we drove his  Acura TL. Whoa! Super nice as well. That thing can flat out fly! (Cue "I Can't Drive 55", if you need a hint on what we did in that car!)

And there was more until it got late on Sunday evening. We had to shut it down, because Monday was the criterium.

And that's a whole 'nuther story!

The Goodbye Blue Monday Route

This past weekend felt like a whole week's worth of activity was compressed into three awesome days. While there were several highlights, the best cycling one was the gravel ride on Sunday morning with Ben Witt, his mechanic, Curtis, and Gnat.

The route was to be one of their favorite routes and would start in front of Goodbye Blue Monday, which is a great coffee shop in downtown Northfield, Minnesota. Since these guys have done this a bunch of times, I dubbed it the "Goodbye Blue Monday Route". It started and ended there, and that just seemed so right, it deserves that name. (Well, I thought so anyway!)

Gnat descending on gravel

The loop is about 25 or so miles, but as Ben says, not a single mile is wasted on uninteresting terrain. The roads were a bit more curvy and undulating than my typical routes.

We were clipping along at a pretty good rate too. Something I am not accustomed to, since I usually ride alone. The group dynamic would be a good thing for me, but my schedule, and my local community doesn't dovetail in with that sort of deal for me. Oh well! All the better reason to really enjoy this route then, eh?

Bluebird skies opened up as we approached Valley Grove. It was really a bit off the route, but since I had never been there, Ben and Gnat thought I should stop and check it out. So, we did. I sure am glad we did too! What a beautiful spot on a beautiful day. Following are some photos from this awesome spot.

From the road going by Valley Grove

Bike line up along the fence outside the grounds.

Ben and Gnat

Massively Ginormous Oak Tree

This oak tree, which is just so picturesque in its beauty, was struck by lightning some years ago. The folks surrounding the church wanted this oak saved, so it has cables and chains running every-which-way tying it together, since it was literally split down to the ground. Amazing! The tree continues to grow, and in fact, has grown around the chains a bit.

The view from under the Giant Oak

Curtis, (L), and Ben, (R)

Well, as all good rides should do, this one continued onward. We went over hill and dale, through cool valleys shrouded by the canopy of hardwoods lining either side of the road, and down narrow lanes lined by fences.

The weather, which had turned fine and hot by the time we reached Valley Grove, had become less brutal with the thin covering of clouds that came in for the second half of our ride. I was sure glad for that too, since I was on my first long-ish ride post knee bashing.

The gang back at Goodbye Blue Monday

Also, as all great rides should do, this one came to a close, right back where we started. We all sat down with another cuppa-joe, something nice to munch on, and had some great conversation.

It was so good to ride with these guys. I really enjoyed that part of Saturday, and I was just getting fired up.

The next task was getting some holes patched in the street to make ready for the Northfield Criterium, which Milltown Cycles sponsors/puts on. We worked with Ben's dad, Mark, and got some concrete mixed up, and we were rogue street patchers! Boy, did we ever get some looks from the locals. They didn't quite know what to think.

After this, we had some down time. We ate a great lunch at Ben's parent's house, then Mark and I went out to ride around in his classic cars. He has a '64 Vette coupe which we rode around in first. Stopped at the Stanton Airport for a bottle of soda from a vending machine, and then cruised to a lake and sat around on the shore soaking in rays. Then it was back for car #2.

That one was a '67 Mustang convertible. Mark even let me drive that one! What a great time. The throaty growl of a V8 is a great smile inducer, I don't car who you are! Then, Mark threw in a modern rig, and we drove his  Acura TL. Whoa! Super nice as well. That thing can flat out fly! (Cue "I Can't Drive 55", if you need a hint on what we did in that car!)

And there was more until it got late on Sunday evening. We had to shut it down, because Monday was the criterium.

And that's a whole 'nuther story!

Happy 4th!

It's the 4th of July. Here is what you might consider doing.

#1: Thank a veteran of our Armed Services. They serve to keep this country free, like it was meant to be. Some Veterans died in the past and served you with their lives. Remember them....

#2: Spend time with the ones you love. Tell them how you feel/appreciate them.

#3: Go for a bike ride to celebrate your freedom and your country.

#4: See something cool, like fireworks, flowers, or some awe inspiring scenery.

Have a joyous, happy, and safe 4th of July!

Happy 4th!

It's the 4th of July. Here is what you might consider doing.

#1: Thank a veteran of our Armed Services. They serve to keep this country free, like it was meant to be. Some Veterans died in the past and served you with their lives. Remember them....

#2: Spend time with the ones you love. Tell them how you feel/appreciate them.

#3: Go for a bike ride to celebrate your freedom and your country.

#4: See something cool, like fireworks, flowers, or some awe inspiring scenery.

Have a joyous, happy, and safe 4th of July!

Blue Monday Route

Well, Sunday will be a "Blue Monday" route on the gravel around Northfield Minnesota. Should be a good little group of guys riding along.

Saturday I got to ride around Northfield and actually did a mini road loop out into the countryside. (Yes- road riding. It's all good folks.) I also got to poke around the town, see some sights, and got to ride with Mrs. Guitar Ted which is a rare deal. We even got lost! It was a lot of fun.

Later we had supper with our friends and then rode around with Ben some more in the waning rays of sunlight over the hills of Northfield's streets.

It's been a great trip so far. We're staying in a hotel that was built in the 1800's, and right downtown. Pretty cool stuff. More later.

Hope ya'all are having a great weekend.

Blue Monday Route

Well, Sunday will be a "Blue Monday" route on the gravel around Northfield Minnesota. Should be a good little group of guys riding along.

Saturday I got to ride around Northfield and actually did a mini road loop out into the countryside. (Yes- road riding. It's all good folks.) I also got to poke around the town, see some sights, and got to ride with Mrs. Guitar Ted which is a rare deal. We even got lost! It was a lot of fun.

Later we had supper with our friends and then rode around with Ben some more in the waning rays of sunlight over the hills of Northfield's streets.

It's been a great trip so far. We're staying in a hotel that was built in the 1800's, and right downtown. Pretty cool stuff. More later.

Hope ya'all are having a great weekend.

Charging The Lights

"Orange Crush" will be comin' along as well.

Well, this weekend is the big trip to Minnesota, and no- we hadn't planned on camping!

What I have planned is to just be of help, and hang out with my friends Meg and Ben as Ben will be busy putting things together for the criterium on Monday the 4th of July.

I'll maybe get in a post or two, but likely I'll be busy and hopefully, somewhere I'll get the chance to get out with Ben, and do some night time gravel. Should be interesting, at any rate. Ben always has something cooking up there, and lots of cycling related goodness to share.

After I get back, it's full on business. I have a lot to do with testing, and doing some logistical work for the GTDRI, which will be coming up real soon.

Have a great weekend, ya'all!

Charging The Lights

"Orange Crush" will be comin' along as well.

Well, this weekend is the big trip to Minnesota, and no- we hadn't planned on camping!

What I have planned is to just be of help, and hang out with my friends Meg and Ben as Ben will be busy putting things together for the criterium on Monday the 4th of July.

I'll maybe get in a post or two, but likely I'll be busy and hopefully, somewhere I'll get the chance to get out with Ben, and do some night time gravel. Should be interesting, at any rate. Ben always has something cooking up there, and lots of cycling related goodness to share.

After I get back, it's full on business. I have a lot to do with testing, and doing some logistical work for the GTDRI, which will be coming up real soon.

Have a great weekend, ya'all!

Friday News And Views

Transition Bikes Bandit 29

Take Another Name Off The List: For several years now, it has been easier to name who wasn't making a 29"er than who is. Take Transition Bikes off the "Who Isn't" list. They just announced a full suspension 29"er they are naming the Bandit 29.

It is a 130mm rear/140mm front bike that should be interesting, given the way their 26"ers have gained a lot of notoriety for being great handling trail/AM/DH rigs.

But it is interesting from another standpoint. Transition Bikes has a rather vocal, passionate fan base that always thought, (much like I did), that 29 inch wheeled bikes would never be great at 5 plus inches of travel, and certainly would not work as Down Hill/All Mountain rigs. Brands like Transition were places riders were enjoying not having to hear about, much less think about, 29"ers.

Now that they do have to consider the possibility, some of the riders on their Facebook page are saying they "sold out".

Wow! I never thought I would see the day that 29"ers were considered a "sell out". That says something about big wheelers when riders are saying and writing those types of comments. It's as if 26"ers were.....well.....I don't know. I just think that comment makes it seem the folks thinking this feel threatened by something. Hey. It's a bicycle. Ya know?

All Mountain hard tail: Kona's Honzo

29"er Geometry 3.0: Then there is this beast. Kona's Honzo steel hard tail 29"er. Kona takes a page from 26"ers and recent small company 29"ers and mixes it up with what comes out as a steel frame with a slack 68* head angle with a 120mm fork. Short, 16.3" chain stays are tied to the seat stays with sliding drop outs, which make for an easy single speed set up. Oh yeah, big tire clearances meant no front derailleur can be mounted here."1X" set ups only if going geared.

My take on these bikes and the full suspension, 130mm travel rigs coming out is that they represent a new change in 29"er geometry. Gone are the days when head tube angles that were 71 degrees were considered "slack" for 29"ers. Now we're taliking about XC racing bikes with 70-71 degree head angles and full suspension bikes are considered too steep if they wander above 69 degrees head angle.

Anybody remember the first generation Mamasita with the 73 degree head angle? Whoo boy! Them's old times now! (And that was just 5 years ago!) That was 1.0 geometry. Then we got the longer fork offsets, and head angles pulled back a degree or two. That was 2.0 geometry. Now we're entering the era of 3.0 geometry, and anyone holding on to steep-ish head angles and long-ish chain stays will be "off the back", as they used to say in roadie parlance.

Kona's Satori 130mm travel rig

We're Gettin' There Now: I have to say that I think this 29"er full suspension geometry is headed in the right direction. I felt it with Fisher's Rumblefish, and now that would be considered a "steep" full suspension trail bike. I felt it on LenzSport's Lunchbox, which really opened up my eyes to what a "slack" bike could ride like.  I felt the old geometry was wrong with my Big Mama. Too XC-ish, which was made plain to me on my wreck-shortened Texas ride.

That's why I find bikes like these to be very interesting. I think we're headed in a very good direction, and I am thinking the bikes are getting refined to become very capable rigs for the rough stuff.

Well, I'm off to Northfield Minnesota for the weekend. I hope ya'all have a great Holiday weekend, and that you are safe, and that you all ride a bicycle.....a lot!

Friday News And Views

Transition Bikes Bandit 29

Take Another Name Off The List: For several years now, it has been easier to name who wasn't making a 29"er than who is. Take Transition Bikes off the "Who Isn't" list. They just announced a full suspension 29"er they are naming the Bandit 29.

It is a 130mm rear/140mm front bike that should be interesting, given the way their 26"ers have gained a lot of notoriety for being great handling trail/AM/DH rigs.

But it is interesting from another standpoint. Transition Bikes has a rather vocal, passionate fan base that always thought, (much like I did), that 29 inch wheeled bikes would never be great at 5 plus inches of travel, and certainly would not work as Down Hill/All Mountain rigs. Brands like Transition were places riders were enjoying not having to hear about, much less think about, 29"ers.

Now that they do have to consider the possibility, some of the riders on their Facebook page are saying they "sold out".

Wow! I never thought I would see the day that 29"ers were considered a "sell out". That says something about big wheelers when riders are saying and writing those types of comments. It's as if 26"ers were.....well.....I don't know. I just think that comment makes it seem the folks thinking this feel threatened by something. Hey. It's a bicycle. Ya know?

All Mountain hard tail: Kona's Honzo

29"er Geometry 3.0: Then there is this beast. Kona's Honzo steel hard tail 29"er. Kona takes a page from 26"ers and recent small company 29"ers and mixes it up with what comes out as a steel frame with a slack 68* head angle with a 120mm fork. Short, 16.3" chain stays are tied to the seat stays with sliding drop outs, which make for an easy single speed set up. Oh yeah, big tire clearances meant no front derailleur can be mounted here."1X" set ups only if going geared.

My take on these bikes and the full suspension, 130mm travel rigs coming out is that they represent a new change in 29"er geometry. Gone are the days when head tube angles that were 71 degrees were considered "slack" for 29"ers. Now we're taliking about XC racing bikes with 70-71 degree head angles and full suspension bikes are considered too steep if they wander above 69 degrees head angle.

Anybody remember the first generation Mamasita with the 73 degree head angle? Whoo boy! Them's old times now! (And that was just 5 years ago!) That was 1.0 geometry. Then we got the longer fork offsets, and head angles pulled back a degree or two. That was 2.0 geometry. Now we're entering the era of 3.0 geometry, and anyone holding on to steep-ish head angles and long-ish chain stays will be "off the back", as they used to say in roadie parlance.

Kona's Satori 130mm travel rig

We're Gettin' There Now: I have to say that I think this 29"er full suspension geometry is headed in the right direction. I felt it with Fisher's Rumblefish, and now that would be considered a "steep" full suspension trail bike. I felt it on LenzSport's Lunchbox, which really opened up my eyes to what a "slack" bike could ride like.  I felt the old geometry was wrong with my Big Mama. Too XC-ish, which was made plain to me on my wreck-shortened Texas ride.

That's why I find bikes like these to be very interesting. I think we're headed in a very good direction, and I am thinking the bikes are getting refined to become very capable rigs for the rough stuff.

Well, I'm off to Northfield Minnesota for the weekend. I hope ya'all have a great Holiday weekend, and that you are safe, and that you all ride a bicycle.....a lot!