Danos Modern Life 2.0

2012-01-27T08:10:00.000-08:00

845am

846am

As this winter transpires I am preparing my mindset to ditch it. At some point, in the near future, I will wish winter (whats left of it) away. This morning the temps are already 30 at HP visit time. And you know, Im getting used to it. The beach was very comfortable for walking. The blazing sun made it feel way warmer. It felt good on my face.

No eagle but a good way to start the day.

Yesterday I received a bunch of spring\summer clothing. Remember in retail you always work way ahead of the seasons. All the new jerseys and shorts.

Then throw in my summers Madone is ready to roll. 6.5 Project One with Ultegra Di. I will have both a new set of Easton EC90aeros AND a set of Bontys new D3's. I plan on switching off so look for a comparison on them from me.

And of course I have my summers Superfly 100 elite since last fall. I already rode it a few times. So Im set for demo bikes. Cant wait to ride them. Especially that Madone.

So here it is, late Feb. Warm temps. No snow. No snow in the 10day. Above average temps all 10 days. Do I ditch and go into summer mode? Do I hold out for enough winter to groom the trails yet?

If you add up the warm temps, store getting in summer mode, summer bikes ready to roll it adds up to ditching and calling this winter a bust. Im not sure Im quite there yet but it would not take a lot to push me over the edge.

Tomorrow is the Saturday group ride and Im in. Long Haul Trucker is bike of choice. At some point Im going to hang all the rackage back on the LHT and put it back into tour mode.

Im headed for some time on the spin bike this morn.

Have a great weekend.

DLD

Yelling At Myself.

2012-01-26T08:52:00.000-08:00

840am

Today was just one of those nice drives to the HP. Saw the eagle. Took a pic. Drove to the store to hit up a bike ride.

Today I had planed a ride. Its pretty warm out (near 40 later) and had the Long Haul Trucker ready to go. I picked the LHT over the Pug. I just wanted to lay down some road miles. Its been like forever since I did that. But on the way to the store from the park all motivation was lost.

And then you end up arguing with yourself. More like yelling.

Whats is wrong with you? You have only one outside ride in like three weeks! Its warmer out. Sun coming out in a bit. And you ditch? Shame. Shame on you! I don't even know you anymore!

And then I feel bad for yelling at myself. I feel sorry for myself. Wait! Theres still time where I could go... if I hurry, and get back to the store. That time elapses and Im past the point of no return before the store opens. Huge guilt. How could you let that window of opportunity go? When will you get another chance to ride outside with temps above freezing (everyday the way this winter is going).

So, I punished myself. One hour on the spin bike. I did it for real. First time this winter. Its kinda like getting ready for an outside ride. You struggle with all the prep but once in the saddle you wonder what the struggle was all about. An hour on the spin bike was not as bad as I thought. Greenday blasting in my ears helped a ton. Loud. Very loud. Good music always helps when you ride the devil.

The devil.

I think I could do this again.

And so spring training starts today.

Bring it on.

DLD

DANO's Modern Life!

2012-01-25T08:50:00.000-08:00


Its hard to believe that a guy my size was a certified spin instructor. From 2004 until I opened the store in 2009 I did classes from Oct to May. Several a week. I got paid 13 bucks a class to do it. Back in 2008 I did 78 classes that winter. The pic above is the studio from 2008. Im sure its changed now. I miss doing spin classes. You dont get quite the workout while teaching cuz you gatta talk but still. Over the winter that was quite a few calories burned that I dont burn anymore. Its kinda weird that I did this because Im basically a shy person in crowds. In fact I avoid large crowds altogether. Thats why I dont spend a lot of time at Interbike. Too many people crammed in. No sir, I don't like it. But I felt comfortable in front of a spin group. All 250 pounds of me. I would like to think that it was my bigger size that maybe put some at ease as opposed to some skinny tri person trying to rip their legs off. But my forte' was the music. I always matched cadence to the song. That made it a little more fun I think. And I was very good at putting a mix together. And I used everything I had. From Avril Lavigne to GunsNRoses and everything in between. I hope to start up again someday. I always have toyed with doing something like this in the store but it would be tough to do financially. Maybe someday when Im independently wealthy. But again, I really miss it. DLD

2012-01-24T08:24:00.000-08:00

855am

These guys thought I didn't see them. 910am

Still a little upset over the snow loss. But getting over it. Nothing one can do about these things but move on. Looking at the 10 day: No snow. That puts us one week into Feb so this entire winter might be a bust. 4 weeks from now the sun is higher in the sky and on average the temps start to rise. Snow comes and melts the next day. Thoughts turn to bikes, dry woods and clear roads.

Speaking of... I have been on a bike once in the last 3 weeks. Its ether been below zero or warm and raining. Once again, I have the spin bike set up right behind me in the office for going on three weeks now and have not touched it. Im experiencing a bit of a weight gain with the lack of movement. And of course the lack of sunlite.

I find it extremely hard to ride a trainer. I know it will do worlds of good for me right now. But I just cant. To me its mentally painful. To the point that it ruins my day. Several years ago I was a spin instructor at a local gym but that was different. It was social. Spinning in a corner of my office is different. Its brutal.

With the warmer temps and sunshine called out this week I will get out. On the pug. And plan on riding the group ride Saturday.

I will try to throw in one hour on the spin bike.

Wish me luck with that.

DLD

2012-01-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

Sad. 845am

Depressing. Thats all I have to say.

Saturday spent 5 hours grooming the trails in my Happy Place. Laying down a good base now that we had sufficient snow. The trails were in pretty good condition after that groom. All skiable.

Sunday I grabbed some ski's and got out for the first time this year. Sad to say that on January 22nd. But had a good time. Trails were in good shape.

Woke up around 3am to let the dog (Gizmo) out to pee and saw that it was not just "misting" but downright pouring out. Raining hard.

The visit this morn to my HP was not so H. Trails are gone. The ones I spent 5 hours on just a day and a half before. Brown grass and water puddles. I really dont know what to think. Do I ditch winter altogether at this point? Turn my thoughts to warm weather, road bikes and short sleeves?

Im just so frustrated.

DLD

2012-01-20T08:52:00.000-08:00


Young Bald. 845am

Nice visit. Immature eagle. Bald eagles do get bald until around 5 years old. Still -2 this morn. We seem to be stuck on that temp for the last 3 days. Its going to get warmer everyday for the next 3 to 4 days. Temps getting above freezing on Monday. Hope not too much above.

Snow coming. Looks like about 3 inches here. And with that I will ditch the group ride in the morning to go groom the ski trails in my HP. I hope to get on some ski's this weekend at some point.

So...........

Yesterdays rainbow deal had many people emailing me. And I did some research.

It looked almost exactly like this. Wiki foto.

What I saw was called a "Sundog".

This was the first time I have ever seen this or even heard if it. But Im pumped to at least get a crappy camera pic of it. It must be very uncommon. I was told its more common at sun down than sun up. Anyway, its something I assume I will never see again.

Today is going to be a busy day in the store. Skiing is getting better and better with each small 2 or 3 inch snow. We seem to be creeping up on good skiing conditions. Better late than never I guess.

The snow is here just in time to put all the ski stuff on sale. Which is whats going to happen next week. As for the weekend, Saturday will be grooming and skiing, Sunday should be a Pug ride.

That sounds like a good weekend to me.

Bring it on.

DLD

2012-01-19T07:47:00.000-08:00

815am Neg 2 for temp.

Today was a good visit to the HP. Its been a few days and it was really cold so I had the place all to myself. Both yesterday and today have been below zero in the morn. That just makes the morning coffee seem all the hotter. And yes, I do walk on the beach wearing shorts in any temp. Wearing shorts every day year round for 10 years ongoing has my legs oblivious to the temp. I dont even feel it anymore. No eagle today. But there was something this morn.....

Camera pic does not do it justice.

I wish I had my real camera cuz that is a ice crystal rainbow. There was another side to it on the other side of the sun. That is not the sun there, the sun is far to the right of the pic. The phone camera does not do it justice. Its was awesome! This was the first time I have ever seen this. Its got something to do with the cold dry air over the lake pulling up moisture. Behind it is blue sky. In fact there was not a cloud in the sky besides those clouds that form on the lake when its cold. You can see the steam rising off the lake. Again, it was a full rainbow with two sides. So you can imagine this guy on the beach, in shorts, running around taking pics with my camera. Almost in a panic. That was me.

The crappy pic to the left kinda shows the rainbow on left, sun on right.

Again, I wish I had my real camera. Could have maybe got both sides in one pic.

Anyway,this is just another reason to fall in love with my happy place. I feel very fortunate to live next to this lake. Its like a friend thats always happy so see me. And I have been visiting its beach's ongoing for about 40 years now ( Im 51). In my early teens I used to walk the mile to the shore with a buddy and camp for the nite. My parents would always leave the door unlocked just in case. My dad had some real cool lightweight camping stuff (light for 1973). That was my first real memory of the lake and me.

Wish I could turn the clock back to that time in my life for many reasons.

Living next to one of the Great Lakes never gets old.

But I think I would trade it for some mountains.......

DLD

2012-01-17T08:44:00.000-08:00

Its snowing again!

That means I'll be on the groomer in the morn. I have yet to strap a ski on myself but that will come most likely this weekend.

Also tomorrow comes the yearly thing in the retail world we call "inventory".

Yup, gatta count everything in the store. All part of year end reporting.

That sounds worse than it really is as we have a handheld scanner that costs a million dollars to walk around the store with. Modern technology. I have it.

Not sure what bike Im going to ride ongoing now that the roads are snow covered and salted. I think that takes out the Long Haul Trucker. Need to keep that one nice and will be turning it back into super tour mode. But with a new drive line. Im thinking Sram Apex. I would be going full 105 but I cant stand the 105 shifters. They are just too big for my small hands. I have them on Pinky now but will most likely be selling them off.

While Im glad to finally get snow I cant stop thinking that its going to switch into full riding mode in less than two months. In retail you think way ahead which makes it sometimes hard to enjoy the day when you have to work so far ahead.....

I try to do so as little as possible.

DLD

2012-01-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

835am

A strange weekend of sorts. With Fridays snow and grooming the trails were minimal at best but that didn't stop a run of rentals skis at the store. Bout time. Just shows that people were ichin' to get out on it. I still need to.....

Saturdays ride was non existent. Just me and Gene H. We did manage a few miles of icy beach.

I decided to ride Pinky at the last minute since she had the studded tires. But I did not take the time to set the bike up properly for me and I paid for it. Strange seat and bar placement made for a very uncomfortable ride for me. Strange how you ride one bike so much that when you grab another thats not the same how bad you feel on it. And I felt bad. I should have put more thought into the bike switch.

After the ride it was back to the store to help out. Was good to see more people walk in Saturday than all of last week. Im glad the snow is here and this week is maybe a little more... Bring it.

Sunday was the football game. I wont talk a lot about it cuz Im not that upset over it. How could one not see this coming. Even if they did win the Packers would not have gotten much farther with the worst defense in the league. Nuff said.

A spot of snow has been called out for this Tuesday. Hope to be back on the groomer and will try to get the trails in just a little better shape.

DLD

2012-01-13T12:47:00.000-08:00

945am

Today is the big day. First groomable snow. Im pretty pumped about it!

Was out grooming by 9am. Is not the best snow for skiing but beggars cant be choosers.

Very dry snow had it hard to pack. But it was groomable so now the base is set. We need one more day like yesterday and it going to be perfect.

I only laid one set of tracks and spent the majority of time on the snowmobile making the base as wide as I could. Next time it will be good to go!

Im glad winter is here. The time we can spend on snow is so short in a normal winter let alone a bad one like this year. I was happy the snowmobile fired right up. The last time it ran was back in November when I prepped it. So game on. As for the bike....

Just not sure of the route for the group ride tomorrow. A ton of guys are going down to the swap meet in Madison to buy stuff they don't need for real cheep. I considered a table but did not have the time to organize. Maybe next year. So the ride tomorrow is the first real cold and snow winter ride. Beach should be ridable. But who knows...bike count will be down.

In any event, have a great weekend.

DLD

2012-01-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

This is how I roll. (when we have snow)

I hope to be on this thing in the not so distant future. I groom the trails at my HP every winter. I enjoy it. Its fun. I get to bomb around on a snowmobile.

This has been a bad winter for snowsports. At least since I can remember. But there were many years I didn't keep track. I really have only been skiing for about 5 years at most. I guess before that I would call this a good winter.

For me skiing is just another way to get in the woods.... Im not very good at it, I don't skate. But I love it. I wish I could do more with it but I don't really put much in it due to the limited time you can do it. Unlike cycling, when I go out I just grab a pair of rental ski's. Sure, I could get a great set of carbon classics but really it would be wasted on me. I don't ski fast. Nor do I try to. Or even want to.

So its January 12th, and the first real snow is pending. It just started.

Please..... keep going.

On another subject I officially turned down the Yellowstone summer job this morning. I was going to wait till the last minute to do so just in case. But thought it would be better not to. So.... kinda bummed.

DLD

2012-01-11T08:31:00.000-08:00

Almost everyday sighting. 845am

Im feeling better. Last nite I ate for the first time since Sunday. And while I am not even close to 100 percent I can at least function. I cant believe I went to work Monday. I was so out of it I cant remember it. Yesterday was a wash too. Today, I got to take a HP tour so things at least felt back to normal. I still cant believe how sick I was Sunday nite.

I went to the store early today because I knew it was a mess. Bikes and ski's that came in just got thrown in a corner. Quite a mess this morn and Im going to get right on it.

I spent a majority of store time in my office with my head on the desk the last two days.

Back to work.

On the weather front, 4 out of the last 5 days have been over 40 degrees. Several closer to 50. The grass here is still green. Or worse, turning back to green. Alas, winter will return finally as 7 inches of snow is being called out tomorrow and Friday. And looking at the 10 day shows no temps above the freezing mark. Thats good news.

As I always say... bring it!

But this time I will say please......

DLD

Down and Out

2012-01-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

Sunday I had a great Pug ride with Steve D and Brian W. All beach for two and a half hours. No sign of the eagle from the day before.

After I returned I just hit the couch and watched some football.

Apparently, I caught some kind of stomach virus as I then proceeded to puke every hour and a half for the next 12 hours. Im not sure if this is strange or not.... but I haven't puked in well over 20 years. For real.

I guess I just made up for time lost. That was all Sunday nite. Not being very smart I went to the store Monday. And was there by myself. I knew I was not going to make it all day and only closed an hour early, went home and collapsed in bed, not to get up until 10am today.

Today I feel a little better, but still cannot eat. I always wanted to lose weight, right?

Another long day here in the store.

Will post when things get back to normal.

DLD

2012-01-08T08:15:00.000-08:00

He was not happy with me at this time....

Saturday's group ride was highlighted by this guy.

We rolled out in the morning not even expecting to ride the beach as it was about 35 degrees at ride time. But as I mentioned before you cant predict the beach. Its got more to do with than just the air temp. Moisture in the sand plays a big part. Anyway, the beach was hard as a rock and we had no problem pelotoning at 15+ mph.

Until we came upon this dude.

Sat in a tree and waited for us to leave.

I got unbelievably close to him, not wanting to give up the good meal. Which was a fresh Northern Pike. Just a few moments sooner and we could have watched him pull it out of the lake.

This is the best sighting I have ever had in my HP (actually about 5 miles south of my HP).

Today I should be going to the Cross Nats just 100 or so miles away today and I just dont feel up to it. Im still a bit bummed or maybe the term is shaken up, about the Yellowstone thing. If there's one thing I learned in my life its that opportunity does not knock twice.

This event will consume me for for awhile.

Im getting ready for a Pug ride today. Just a few hours. The sun is out so that should cheer me up.

DLD

Yellowstone called.....

2012-01-06T09:52:00.000-08:00

915am

Two pretty awesome things to talk about today. First...

Had a very nice Pug ride over to HP this morn. 45 degrees at 9am. Of course I over dressed.

But it was a good two hours of road, beach, woods and other..... No eagle today.

Second, I got a phone call yesterday that one would not expect.

Back in 2008 I applied for a summer job in Yellowstone Park. I didnt get it but every winter they send me a email to update my resume with them. I did so about a week ago.

Yesterday they called and asked me if I would be interested in managing their bike rental shops thru out the park. From May 15th into September. What an opportunity!

While I have not said no yet there is no way I can. What would I do with the store? And no way could I pay my bills on that wage all summer. Its just not feasible....

I would have to lease the store to someone else...at least for the summer. Which is the busiest time of the year. At minimum, hire a manager that will work for profit sharing only.....

I would have to take an extension and not pay my mortgage this summer...

Most likely run up a credit card.....

Its about 10 bucks an hour. 40 hour weeks. Room and board in the park would be cheap. About 250 per month. And lots of perks. And just about the best backyard one could ask for.

Im trying not to think about it a lot. This is going to be one of those "life" things that one will regret not doing.

I know I cant do this, and its not any one's fault that I cant. But I will always wonder "what if". Right down to my last thoughts of my life.

Again, I have not said no, and have time before I officially turn them down. Which I will do.

But man...... think about it. What an awesome summer that would be!
Im not going to sleep well for awhile.....

DLD

2012-01-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

file foto

Its crazy warm out. Sun blazing. Its amazing how cold the air can be and yet out in the sun it could be tshirt weather. Feels like that this morn at the HP.

Right now all the buzz is Cross Nationals in Madison this week. I can remember being amazed at the thought of a race in Madtown the first week of January. Crazy.

Right now, now so crazy. Today and tomorrow will be in the 40's for temps. With the ground freezing every nite will make it just about as close to Belgium as you can get in the States. Mud.

I pictured wearing a snomobile suit to spectate. But I will most likley be wearing shorts.

In a crazy, last ditch attemp to facilitate the arrival of winter I put the stud's on Pinky yesterday. Maybe winter will take a hint and acually show its face.

Just looked at the 10 day forecast.

No snow.

Today I get some help here at the store at 3pm and will not hesitate to grab the Long Haul Trucker for about a 20 mile spin. Tomorrow, it will be Pug in the morn before the store opens.

Warm temps. Take advantage.

DLD

2012-01-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

945am (vintage)

Happy Place visit: check. Bald Eagle sighting: check. Take today's pic: check.

Every winter, at some point, I think of going somewhere warm to ride a few days. I know a lot of people who do. Just a long 4 day weekend. Someday I hope I can do that. I "fake" plan a trip just to see what it feels like. Really, the only time I get out of town is Vegas for Interbike in Sept. I think Interbike should be in February. That would be nicer for riding.

Yes. I know I should not have these.

Above is mementos from my two favorite canyons for riding. Only problem is that I never turned a wheel in any of them. Either walked or drove. And both are basically accessible from Vegas. At Interbike.

I had toyed with the idea of going to San Luis Obispo this winter. That was short in thought. Money was a factor.

I did come close once.

I actually had tickets to fly to Cali to watch some of the TOC a few years back. It was still in Feb then. Personal issues had me give those tics up at the last minute.

And the winter we are now having also makes me reconsider. Next few days back in the 40's. That means that I only have to drive 8 hours south to get the 50's (or more).

Or not have to leave at all. The riding is good here in Wisco. Come on up and join us!

Pray for snow instead.........

DLD

2012-01-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

915am Strange effect from phone camera. Its called "Vintage".

Nice HP visit this morn. Huge ship on the lake and caught a brief glimpse of one of the eagles. Even tho it was a quarter mile away. Good way to start the day. 8 degrees this morn. I was alone.

Am thinking how lucky the Cross Nats are going to be in Madison. Temps in the 30's all week. Maybe 40. Things could have been a lot worse and todays frigid temps are testament to that.

Like I mentioned prior. I dont have a new years resolution. But I am doing something different. Trying a different approach to weight loss and it may sound resolution-ish,but its not. I did wait till after the holidays to start tho.

Ive tried to lose weight many times but really, the attempts were weak at best. "Just eating less" does not cut it. Just keeping track of what I eat does not help me in the slightest. My problem is more mental than anything. I eat when Im stressed. I eat when Im depressed. I eat when Im angry. I eat when Im bored.

I need to learn to eat only when I need to. Which brings me to my poor eating on the bike. I dont eat before a ride. Im not stressed, depressed or angry. So I dont eat anything. Thats a recipe for disaster.Then, I blow up nuclear on the bike, get dropped, get depressed and stressed and go home and eat the rest of the day.

Ive been a big guy my entire life. So to weigh less is a huge difference that my body fights tooth and nail. I used to post a lot about my weight, even had a blog specifically for it. Its a life struggle that most cyclists do not have to mess with. Im not talking the "I gatta lose five pounds before nationals" deal. This is more like "I gatta lose 40 pounds to continue riding" stuff.

The group I ride with is almost all skinny. Several cat one's. Several who could be cat one's. Several retired cat one's.

Right behind my desk. Bring it on.

My problem has nothing to do with exorcise. Im probably the fittest fat guy you will ever meet. Heart rate levels and intensity are good. Its just I gatta carry a bigger load. I now have a spin bike 3 feet from my desk at the store. An hour a day.

So I hope for my sake this new approach works.

Bring it on.

DLD

Back To Work.

2012-01-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

915am

Since Im the only one working the store these days Im trying to not get here too early since we first open at 11am. Getting here early means a long day until 7pm.

So I try to goof off a little more than usual in the morning.

While the store is slow.... Im now busy with the books of 2011.

Doing the accounting myself saves a ton of money but its way boring to do. I'll have about 30 hours of work to close 2011. Produce all the reports. Make changes for 2012.

I had some help today. Granddaughter is not only testing PI gloves and Bontrager helmet, but also reconciling last months checkbook.

And it all starts today. And its not like I dont have the time. Lack of snow has all the skiing still on hold. With no white stuff in the 10 day forecast. Bummer.

I guess that will make all the account stuff get done all the faster.

I better get to it. Can you tell how exited I am to get at it?

DLD

Goodbye 2011

2011-12-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

2011

Im not a big fan of new years. To me, really, its another day. A few years back when I was a spin instructor I used to get a kick out of the people who flocked to the gym's and fitness clubs in early January. Only to bail by the end of Feb.

Why do they think this only during this time? And then ditch it only to do it over a year later. Resolutions do not need a date to work. You can adopt a new resolution any time of year.

For me, my new years dont begin and end with the calender, but more with the seasons. My new season begins in spring. And ends sometime during winter.

But I too have changes coming. This year I was leaning on the cross scene and it was fun. Having some bike for demos and putting on the race was a blast. But next year (that starts sometime around April) Im going back off that a little (not entirely) and get deeper into touring.

2008

As in most of my endeavors, I start big and get disappointed from there. This year I am bringing in CoMotion. Ive been a dealer for a while but will get some of those bikes on the floor this year. Touring bikes. Touring tandems. Goona offer some touring workshops and maybe even some short tours of the area with overnite camping. Self sustaining touring. Big plans.

I have some experience in this with my tour of Wisco in 2008. This summer I took a 4 day mini tour (pic above). I think it way fun and this aspect of biking will be my focus of 2012.

So there is my big idea for the next year. Starting sometime this spring.

Bring it on.

So tonite I will not go out. In fact, I do look forward to this nite as I get to have the grandkids overnite and thats about the best way to spend new years eve ever!

DLD

Why I do this.

2011-12-30T07:46:00.000-08:00

File foto. HP in July.

What does one write about when they have nothing to write about? Why do I keep this blog anyway? Facebook is so much faster and easier. I get way more responses on Facebook. I get my pics and anecdotes to hundreds instead of around 50 to 60. I do have a few loyal readers (not sure why) and I think thats cool. But really how many Pug rides do you want to hear about. They all are the same. Same bike, same route, same time of day.

So why? I have reasons.

First, something almost nobody knows is that I enjoy writing. Im not good at it. But I enjoy it. I actually have a few very short storys. Not real good but fun to write. I did most of them in 2008 when I lived alone for awhile. So everyday when I write about the same bike ride I took the day before I try to change it up and make it sound like it was not.

Pug ride yesterday. So what else is new? 1130am

Then mostly, my pics. I enjoy taking pics and unlike my writing, am pretty good at it. My Father was a wildlife photographer later in his life and traveled to far away places to do it. I still have all his work. Back in the day the format was called "slides". Its a small negative that could be used to reproduce or put in a viewer and shown on a big screen. I feel old having to explain them. I have hundreds of his slides. So I guess thats where I got it from.

Today, in the age of digital, everyone can photoshop a great pic. The art of taking a pic at perfect light is gone. I know for a fact that if this was still the age of film only that I would be making a living with my photography. Damn technology!

I still have all the shutter cameras and lenses he (and I) used back in the day.

Today, all of my pics are taken with my camera (Samsung Mesmerize) or a cheap Walmart Sony. I always wanted to get a better digital but really, whats the sense? Those machines make crappy photographers good ones. I'll stick to the crappy cameras and use my skill to get my pics.

So really, I do this blog thing for me. And if you want to read it, thats cool. If not, thats cool too. If nothing else, look at the pictures.

Its Friday and Im in the store all day.

Hopefully someone will stop in for a visit.

And then maybe I'll write about it.

DLD

2011-12-29T07:45:00.000-08:00

Its raining. On December 28th. Not snowing. Not sleeting or even a freezing rain. Just a straight up rain. How depressing is this.

What little snow we have will be gone by days end. Too wet to ride road. Beach too soft to ride. Not even sure what the woods looks like. Will try to ride when it stops raining.

Yesterday I put in a good road ride with James J. We both picked the same time to leave town and met going south. Which was pretty easy as the winds were huge and was going to be in our face on the way home. I was glad to have the wheel on the way back. He pulled way more than I. It was good to work a bit harder than I expected to.

Todays bike of choice, if I do get a ride in, will be Pug. The Pug is now going thru some kind of transformation. Every day I walk in the store there seems to be another carbon part on it. So far just bars and seatpost. Not sure how this is happening and even if I could stop it Im not sure I want to.

If it gets out of hand I'll do something but for now lets just see how far it go's.

How long till a carbon frame fatbike?

DLD

2011-12-27T08:32:00.000-08:00

915am

Another beautiful spring day in Wisco. Another beautiful HP visit this morn. Once again my mind swings to todays bike ride. I was planning on the Pug today but the mild weather just might have me back on the road.

Yesterdays ride was not as long as I had planned. It was one of those goof off rides. I stopped quite a bit and hung out at places. A majority of that time in my HP. It was one of those rides that I take to think about stuff. It was a two hour ride with less than 30 miles on it.

Its been since October that I even rode a road bike. And this was really Pinky disguised as one. I was kinda turned off by the harsh ride of the aluminum frame and 120 psi skinny tires. Im used to the LTH (long haul trucker) with the 26in wheels and rubber. Way smoother ride. So the LHT will be the bike of choice today. Yesterday I spent some time at my HP's fishin' hole. They just put that in last year. And of course I hung out on the beach for some time too.

It was near 45 degrees but windy. Im pretty sure I could have rode with knee warmers but those are already in the basement waiting for spring (the real spring).

As I prep for today's ride Im thinking that I almost feel retired. While I am concerned about my personal finances, it kinda takes a backseat to my goofing off at times. While thats not the best thing to do it sure is fun. Money is nice but not my top priority. I also feel retired in the fact that all my rides are alone. Like Im out when everyone else is working. It feels weird at times. Sometimes all these solo ride do take a toll on me mentally. Just like that creepy friend that is way too clingy, you can also spend too much time with yourself. And on the flipside, you can spend not enough. I do my best to balance. Not always succeeding.

But I'll have about 30 miles today to try.

DLD

2011-12-26T08:14:00.000-08:00

845am

I survived the weekend. And it was a battle fought on many fronts. First, almost all the snow we received a few days ago is almost gone. Todays expected high of 45 will kill all that remains. So the HP is back to a lot of sand. All snow is melted off the beach. Back in summer mode.

Saturdays ride was not like this. Snow melting, then re freezing on the beach produced ice that had me hit the ground hard. Twice. Within 10 minutes. I hate those kind of falls. You are riding on lots of ice and you know it could happen but when it does you think "what the hell happened?". You lose your front tire so fast that you hit the ground still with your hand on the bars. The only issue I had is that nobody else fell but me. And I fell twice. But thats the way it go's in winter I guess. I do have studded tires down in the basement and thought of them often Saturday. But, overall, it was a good ride even tho my hip is still a little bit swollen this Monday morn. I'll survive.

Then.

On to Xmas day and it was a house full all day. Kids and grandkids in morn. Her side at nite.

I think I stepped outside once for about two minutes all day. For me, thats a killer. All in all its not bad. Just a bit straining for me to sit in one place for so long. I survived.

Today feels like late March outside. Sunny. Temps about to skyrocket.

I will take advantage. Really, I should send everyone home and man the store myself but when you get a day like today you take advantage. I am very good at taking advantage.

So I will ditch the store for a road ride. A 50 mile road ride. Under a bright sun, 45 degrees on Dec 26th. Maybe I should just put the ski stuff down in the basement and have a bike sale.

Time to ride.

DLD

2011-12-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

841am

Pugs love snow. Snow loves Pugs.

Another awesome HP visit this morn. 12 degrees! Needless to say I was alone. Todays thoughts are of yesterdays Pug ride and when and where and what am I going to ride today.

Yesterdays Pug ride was the third in three days. And the first in snow. Even if it was just a little. This time I threw the bike in my car and drove the 6 miles to the woods. I learned yesterday that you should not ride a fatbike on a slushy wet road. Your back get soaked from the huge rear tire. Lesson learned.

As usual I spent the first hour in the woods, and the second on the beach. While I would not use this bike on one of our group rides, its now the bike of choice going solo. Im waiting to get full winter use once the rivers and lakes freeze, when ever that will be. Today Im riding the Long Haul Trucker cuz Im running some errands. Actually, Im using it to do my Xmas shopping today.

This will be the last post till next Monday with a busy weekend planned. Saturday Im closing the store. Its a decision that I went back and forth on but it would have been open just a short time anyway. Hope to do the usual group ride Saturday morn, family over Saturday nite, kids and grandkids by me Sunday morn, more family over Sunday nite. What can I say, its the Holidays. I always said we could make a movie about my family on the Holidays. Its got all the right characters. Including me.

Have a great one this weekend.

DLD

2011-12-22T07:33:00.000-08:00

815am today.

As if my cries for snow were heard, we get a couple inches overnite. I knew it was snowing before I got out of bed cuz I heard a plow drive past the house last nite.

You can imagine the look on my face as I hung out in the HP this morn. You could not smack the smile off my face with a two by four. Although the snow is not deep enuf to groom, its just enuf to give us hope that there will be skiing in the near future.

But wait.

This tree is just out the back door of the store.

Highs next week Monday\Tuesday once again are predicted to hit 40. And sunny. This snow will be short lived. All we can do is enjoy the scenery today (which I will be doing soon on the Pug), take lots of pics (doing that) and pray it happens again soon.

Gonna finish my coffee, suit up and grab the Pug.

I will document the ride with pics.

DLD

Lets Talk About....

2011-12-21T08:25:00.000-08:00

Yesterday. 115pm The pic from the HP this morn is just too depressing.

This is one of those mornings that you cant crawl out of bed. Dark. Gloomy. Rainy. Yup, Dec 21st and its 35 degrees and raining at 9am. The few days here between posts had me out of town for my day job (truck driver) and now Im off of that until after Xmas. Let talk about....

1) SNOW: Or the lack of it. Looks like a green Holiday season. That bums me out. And Im not even taking in consideration the impact to the store. No... just imact on me. Im a big fan of winter. Have been my whole life. As a teenager it was snowmobiles. Then as a father it was sledding with the kids. Today its of course skiing but also bike riding in the stuff. Those who know me well know about my albums of snow pics. Hundreds of them. The sun and white background just makes me feel better. Not dark and drizzly like today. Its a bummer. Green grass on Xmas is just wrong in Wisconsin.

Miss this. HP file foto

2) HOLIDAYS: I used to love the Holidays back as a kid and once again, a father. Today, I recognize it at best. I still enjoy getting together with family and friends during this time. But I really dont pay much attention to it until the day of. Not a big fan of jumping on the bandwagon just after Thanksgiving. Even still, with xmas just three day away this crappy weather has me still not feeling it. Its will come. Most likely Saturday at some point.

3) HEALTH: This is the time of year that we all put on some weight and I could be the poster boy for that. As much as I have been struggling with my weight (my whole life) there is going to come a time that I just give up. Not sure when, where or how but as I get older I care less and less about it. I have a lot to gain by losing. Health issues I now have will go away or at least get minimized. My riding would improve to the point of not getting dropped so much and that would of course carry over to my racing. I have so much to gain and nothing to lose that you would think its a no brainer and for the most part it is. Its the execution that I fall short with. Next month Im starting a new plan and getting help. Its like nothing I have ever done before. Its expensive and deals more with my head than food. Im going to give it my best shot cuz this might just be the last time I try.....

Today I will try to get out on the bike but only if it stops raining.

And the sun comes out.

Is that too much to ask?

DLD

Pug and I.

2011-12-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

130pm yesterday. Geese ahead.

Sometimes I think the Pug was built for me exclusively, or at least with me in mind. It has just opened new doors for me. This bike is enabling me to ride down to and in my happy place any time of the year. Its letting ride down the beach on days its when the sand is not even close to being froze. Its like Im cranking out a winter ride anytime. For several years now my favorite ride has been a cross bike down to the park I hang out in (all day) but besides the mix of road and woods you throw in some beach. The Pug makes a great ride even greater. Im hooked.

Rolling in the woods 115pm

Yesterdays ride was about two hours. Theres about 5 miles of road to get to the beach depending on where I want to jump on. In between where I jump on and the park is several miles of woods. Same woods I ride during my cross bike nooners. Same woods we ride in during the Saturday breakfast ride.

Riding down the road is where I get the most stares and questions. People pulling along side and asking what the hell Im riding. Its about a 25 minute road ride and Im usually talking to people pretty much all the way there.

Then, I'll jump in the woods. Those big tires really smooth out the trails. You roll over stuff you just dont feel at the handlebar.

Then of course, I hit the beach. Thats when the magic happens.

All you hear is waves crashing and yet you consider it quiet. Its such a soothing noise that you dont consider it a noise at all. On wet sand I can ride comfortably at around 10mph. Im alone with my thoughts, happy to be peddling a bike, iPod in my ear(soft), in my HP. It just does not get better for me. I think about stuff. Work stuff. Home stuff. Family stuff. Its times like this I make all my best decisions. I look for the eagles. And pet all the dogs I ride up to that are out with their owners.

Plenty of sand in the HP. 150pm

After about two hours my life's batteries are recharged and I head back to the store. Im always feeling way better than when I left. I like it. I like it a lot.

Im pretty much telling everyone in our group that sooner or later, you will get one. I ride many kinds of bikes. Road, cross, MTB, track and touring. And now Pug(fat tire). Im not going to say which is my favorite, I like them all. But the Pug will see a lot more action than a few of those others. At least during this time of year.

And everyday I hear of another fat tire event. A race, a ride, national fat tire championship?

Even a ski resort offering fat tire rentals.

I can see Rec. areas grooming trails just for fat bikes.

I say bring it on.

A plethora of info here.

DLD

So Far...So Good....Today.

2011-12-15T08:46:00.000-08:00

845am Flying away after I bothered him too much.

Always a great way to start my day. Eagle in my HP this morn. In the same tree that I have taken many pictures of them. This pic is from my phone as I left the good camera at home today.

So far this day is looking positive. And I need a positive day.

Of late thing have been on the downside for me and when that happens I just seem to hunker down at wait till it passes. And that where I have been the last few days. Waiting. Laying low.

I have not even been in the store since Monday. Just got here now.

Same tree. 2008

I try not to put a lot of personal stuff on this blog. And I try not to put a lot of store stuff here either. And that really restricts my writing and makes most posts hard to come by. Most likely about my last bike ride, or my next one. I'll get a little personal today.

My last two bike rides were awful. One solo and one not. Its no new story that Im a big guy living in a small guys world. And as hard as I try to fit in with that respect sometimes Im brutally reminded of my body size. It just gets old having to have everyone wait for me on rides. A couple times is OK but when its the entire day one's self worth can take quite a hit. And its also no new news that I sometimes deal with depression. Its comes and go's.

But sometimes I get hit with a double dose and if I happen to be struggling on the bike at the same time can be incredibly painful. Ive always dealt with it unmedicated. Back in the day, growing up it was always thought if you took meds for depression you were "nuts" and the medication back in those days was very crude. Ive always dealt with it on my own and now even today when so much advance has been made in that respect I still deal with in my own head. I guess its just the way Im used to doing it. As I get older, its getting harder to do. But, Im still somewhat successful at it still so I let it ride. Moving on.......

Today is a better day. Sometimes something as small as a perched eagle can bust my out of jail (as I call it) and Im good to go. And that just happened. Done and done.

At the store front, the lack of snow is a concern. Last year at this time we were skiing full on. Last week Saturday it was 9 degrees at ride time. Today is now the 4th day in a row over 40 degrees and that not good. While it may make the riding a bit more pleasurable its not what supposed to happen in Wisconsin in December.

On the bike front Im planning a pug ride in a few hours. Pug is once again needed for the beach as nothing is froze anymore. Im going back out to my HP to look for that eagle again.

That sounds like fun to me.

DLD

Weekend Update

2011-12-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

Weekend Update: Not the best. The prior mentioned beach riding has grinded to a halt. We did get a ride in Saturday. Being that it was 9 degrees at ride time (8am). But as I mentioned last post, you must take advantage of the situation as best you can. 24 hours later it was 45 degrees and just as fast as it came, the beach riding is gone (unless your on a Pug).

Sunday had me on the MTB back on the trails. Singletrack was still frozen and fast but I struggled to keep up. Not sure why. Just one of those days where I was not at my best as far as performance go's. So I just rode solo. I was a little bummed about it but I cant hold everyone up just cuz Im slow. We wont get into that here.

Looking forward, no snow in the 10 day forecast and thats not good for the store. I have almost 10k worth of ski's and ski stuff in the store and snow is needed. There's a chance of a green Holiday this year. And its due as we have had really good skiing snow here for 3 or 4 years. I guess a crappy skiing winter is overdue. Several guys in our group have already drove 500 miles north to get on some snow. Here its still dirt and grass.

Well, that will hold the riding over for a while longer.

I guess.

DLD

More Beach

2011-12-08T10:11:00.001-08:00

1035am On the bike. In the HP. Best of both worlds.

By now you might just get tired of me ranting about the beach riding. But right now its the best its ever been in many years. Really. Like 5 or 6 years. Last year at this time we were kicked off it already due to snow and ice. Big winter winds off the lake can have the riding portion of the beach a virtual ice rink. Or big snow can just be too deep to plow thru. Or whatever.

For riding purposes the beach is fickle. The coldest days can have it soft. Or ice formations can blow in and cover the beach and make the riding look like the moon.

But none of that now.

No snow, cold temps, westerly winds have the beach super prime. Rode 22 miles on it this morn. Smooth as glass and hard as a rock. Temps 24 at start and 29 when done. Almost perfect for December. Absolutely perfect for beach riding.

So really, its go time in that respect. The window for this kind of riding is small and can close at any time. If theres anything I do best its take advantage of riding conditions.

Saturdays breakfast ride will be a cold one. Right now looking at 15 degrees at ride time (830am).

I say bring it on.

Bring me winter in Wisconsin.

DLD

A Good Day.

2011-12-06T09:32:00.001-08:00


810am Frozen beach.

LHT on the beach

Today was one of those rides . I just put the finishing touches on my winter bike and needed to ride it.. Im going to use the LHT (Long Haul Trucker). This bike hits all the criteria for a winter bike. Its technically a tour bike but it uses 26" MTB wheels so you can go fatter than a cross bike. I have 2.0's on it now and that makes it a better beach bike for our group rides this winter. And its got a old, used driveline that still works well. You dont want anything nice on it due to the sand, salt and snow its going to be exposed to. So the beach was froze and today was a good day to test ride.

Those who know me best know Im a little "emo" (If you dont know what that is ask a teenager). Things like lack of sunlight effect me more than others. I just get bummed out quicker this time of year. I felt like that waking up today.

Along lake shore in town

That is, until I rode my bike.

22 degrees had me suiting up for quite some time. This was my first ride in full "winter " mode. The coldest ride to date for me. I was kinda pumped to go as I knew the beach was frozen from my HP visit this morn. Once I was layered up I grabbed the LHT and had pretty much the best ride in a long time.

I kept thinking of that "Ride Everything" video that was going around facebook and I had a version of that today. 40 minutes of road\40 minutes of woods\40 minutes of beach.

I rode pretty much everywhere.
Had the iPod blasting. Started off with old school Greenday and ending up with Mumford and Sons. Im a pretty diverse person. When alone on the beach I'll sing along a bit. I bet that looks\sounds a bit weird. I look around a lot when I do that so I don't surprised anyone on how much of a dork I really am.

In the woods.

The woods was awesome. I was loving the wider tires on the LHT. Gives it a slightly better ride in the woods than the 700 by 35's.
But still had me rolling well on the road with 60 pounds of air.

My triple 40 ride ended me with 2 hours of the absolute best therapy I could ask for and what happens the rest of today really does not matter.
During a ride like today I think about how thankful I am for what I have and that Im even able to do this. My mind wanders a ton (except when Im on the road, then I pay attention) when on the beach or woods. I think about family and friends. I think about the store. Its truly an extension of my Happy Place ( which I was in anyway).

On the beach again.

So today is a good day. One of those days where your happy to be alive.

And if that's not enuf there's a nite ride tonite on this very beach.

Gonna ride the Superfly.

Today is a good day.

Did I say that already?

DLD

Torn

2011-12-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

Rentals waiting for snow. Mixed feelings about that.

Now that we just experienced a weekend of 40 degrees and rain Im thinking bout what I said last post. How this is a very crappy time right now. And the crappy weather this weekend amplifies it 10 fold.

This two days of rain should have been snow. Its supposed to be colder than the 43 degrees it was yesterday. Too warm for snow, too warm to freeze the beach. too cold to ride road, too wet to ride woods. So.................

Do I wish the warm weather to continue, giving us a push to keep riding more comfortably, or do I ask the weather Gods to get with the program and send snow, possibly kicking us out of the woods with the bikes, and maybe even the beach.

I would not mind riding the Superfly one or two more times on the trails.

But I do love skiing and cant wait to groom the HP for the first time.

Then again, a nice road ride on the crossbike while the roads are still clear would be good.

But it would be best for the store to get the skiing going........

On the other hand it would be nice to not have to wear $900 of clothes to ride in the cold yet.

And at the same time, am getting pumped to hit all the ski areas again.

But the warmer temps keep the group rides well attended.

Go ahead and get cold and snow... I have a Pug to ride!

So in the end Im torn between full on winter holding off for just a little bit more or hitting ASAP so we can get on with winter.

Final decision....... long pause.....

I call full on winter hitting ASAP!

Bring it on.

DLD

Bored

2011-12-03T09:38:00.001-08:00

9am

If Im typing today it cuz its rainy and no ride. Always a bummer to lose 50% of your weekend. And since I have no real life I head to the store to work.

Steady rain all day so far. I had planned on doing some MTBing tomorrow but thats in jeopardy also.

Theres a fat tire beach race also in the morn. Thats most likely the best chance I have to ride a bike this weekend but its not that important that I have to ride in 35 degree rain.

I'll ride in cold. I'll ride in rain. But I wont ride in cold rain.

The pic above is from the same spot I took it from yesterday. You can only vaguely make out my pug track. With the B ride getting rained out it just reminds me how much this should have been snow. It would have been a good start to some skiing base in the woods. But... we must again wait in limbo. Limbo being no skiing and crappy bike riding.

Its the worst time of year.

I put so much time aside for the fun stuff that when it doesn't happen Im kinda lost and forced to work. Guess I'll just get back to it.

Im bored.

DLD

B-Ride Explained

2011-12-02T06:51:00.001-08:00

835am Remnants of my ride the other day.

Todays HP visit was a good one. 21 degrees. The beach was as hard as a rock and smooth as a hiway. I wished today was our Saturday breakfast ride as the temps might slowly rise thruout the day and nite. Tonites low only 30 and that might just be too warm for good beach.

But not today.

A little background on this ride.

This Sheboygan area group ride has been going down forever. Way before I started riding which was around 2002. I could not tell you when it started but for sure 20 years ago at least. I remember seeing the group ride by one day when I was in my HP (before it became my HP) with the kids sometime in the mid 90's. Maybe it was 1994. I watched as the group, 20 strong then already, rode past on the beach. Going really fast (or I thought so back then). I know for a fact that some of those guys (and gals) are still attending today.

Its a frozen hiway! The darker sand is rock hard.845am

The ride is purely social and is a no drop ride (dont get me started on this), however, it is a ride for the fit. I have to bring my "A" game to stay in. And I dont think thats a bad thing as I need to get pushed once in a while. But every now and then I leave my "A" game at home for whatever reason and, in time, find myself riding alone. Its kinda a bummer but I try not to let it get to me. But sometimes it does. And life go's on.

Back to the ride: it is what it says. A breakfast ride. It go's on year round. Summer mode has us meeting in a lot a bit west of town on road bikes, winter mode has us meeting in a lot just south of town along the lake on MTB's Same people. Different bikes.

We ride, stop for an hour at a restaurant and eat and be jolly, then suit up once again for the ride home. In winter, the second suit up is painfull. Your clothes are sweaty wet and your belly is full and it cold out. Its a huge motivational issue but you gatta get home so you do it. Less than 10 minutes into the ride home and you feel better.

File foto. Last January.

Winter mode is by far my fave as its MTB (I usually ride cross tho) and if weather permits, its on the beach. This ride is famous for the beach riding. Hard frozen sand lets us peloton almost 20 mph with the feel of a road ride. On the good days, we hit the beach immediately and ride it about 15 miles before we get off and head inland to the restaurant. Its a blast to ride fast and easy just off the waterline of the lake. A ton of sunshine just adds to it. But the sun ultimately turns out to be the enemy. Hopefully the beach is ridable on the way home too but thats not a sure thing as the sun and temps play a huge role. Only on the coldest days can we ride it home closer to noon. There is a lot of variables that go into a good beach ride. And its not always available to ride. Even in the coldest day in January. Sometimes too much snow kicks us off. Or in the coldest of cold the ice formations move inland and make it unridable.

The absolute best beach riding is early, like right now. In November\early Dec. Cold temps and no snow. So its game on right now. This morning the beach was hard enuf to ride a cross bike on. No Pugsley needed. Ride totals are about 3.5 hours of ride time and about 35 to 40 miles.

So this is where I will be Saturday morns for awhile. And a few weekday mornings too. Also we have a nite ride Tues nites. Also on the beach if available. Riding the beach at nite lights out during a full moon is something that cant be described. Near religious.

You should join us. Do it for real.

DLD

Another Pug Ride

2011-12-01T03:20:00.000-08:00

9am (yesterday) 27 degrees

Thx to Mike J for taking the pic.

Yesterday I took yet another beach ride on the Pug. Thats like 3 of these rides since the one on Sunday. This is getting to be a fave ride of mine. This summer it was the cross bike nooner but this winter might be the same concept but on this bike. and instead of woods its beach. From the store its about a two hour ride, maybe a bit less to reach the HP (and back) on the Pug. On this ride the beach was kinda froze but not all the way, I real problem if I had the MTB (or worse, the cross) but no worries with Pug. But the firmer sand had me rolling pretty good. Way fun.

Ran into Mike J checking out the beach on his MTB. It was a no go for him. But it was game on for me.

I explained to him that he's most likely getting one of these bikes at some point. Why wait?

As I mentioned prior, the group has now another fattie. And I just sold another today. Thats three now in town (that I know of). Game on.

This bike will not work on the Saturday morn ride even tho we ride the beach when froze. Its just too slow for all the testosterone roadies in the group. Once the beach is rock hard we peloton at about 20mph for 15 miles. Not gonna happen on a pug.

But for my most loved nooners this is the ticket.

Get one. Join me.

DLD

Pug Ride

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Mukluk and Pug

So my extended weekend went pretty much as I expected. Spent Friday and Saturday on the couch. Just felt like crap. Really, when this hits me all I can do is sit indoors and wait. And I dont do well indoors and I have no patience for waiting. Sunday I woke a bit better so I called Steve D (who is nursing bad ribs) and we grabbed the fat bikes for a super slow ride.

It was nice to get out of the house after 3 days of solitary confinement. And while I did not have the energy to ride with the group yet, I did feel good enuf to crush a guy with broken ribs.

It was a nice ride of beach and woods. I love riding the Pug. Its meant to be ridden slow. And I sure can accommodate that.

Im confident that Im on my way out of this cold\flu thing and I should be ready to rumble in a few days. But for the rest of the afternoon its back on the couch.

And was happy to break up my couch time with some Pug time. I laid the bike down to take a pic and a huge wave starting dragging it out. I saved it from a sure drowning death.

And I would do it again if I had to.

DLD

2011-11-25T08:40:00.001-08:00

9am

Today is one of those days you hate to miss. A day after Thanksgiving and its going to be sunny and over 50 degrees. And Im on the inside, looking out.
Im just too sick to ride, feeling wrung out before I even start a ride spells disaster for me. For me, I need to bring my "A" game to these things or Im riding mostly alone. Let alone when Im sick.

Leaving the HP this morn I past the group I was planning to ride with, about 15 strong, and just felt more pissed off than anything. Of all the times to get sick why this weekend? Temp are to plummet in a few days and this could be the last of the sunny warm days. And Im on the outs.

Feeling sorry for myself is a past time of mine. I take it to new levels of which most have never seen before. And while I dont pout too much in public I do quite a bit. In my HP, for example. I pout there a lot and maybe thats why I go there so much, to get in out of my system before I start my day. But I dont do that everyday. Just more than I would want to.

So here I am once again at the store waiting to open it. Thinking I would rather be riding with the group. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe.

DLD

T- Day

2011-11-24T07:07:00.001-08:00

Run for your life....

A rare Turkey day post. I had about an hour of spare time before I leave out of town to visit family so I thought I would spend it at the store.

And at the HP too. With the weather still fairly mild and the next two days looking especially good I was prepared to lay down some saddle time this holiday. And I did get off to a good start yesterday as I took the MTB over to the kettles of New Fane.

Only I forgot that the annual Wisco deer hunt is on and the public is allowed to hunt on State land. While the trails were not closed, its not a good idea to ride then right now. But I made the drive over and decided to go. Shots ringing out in all directions. I literally rode past hunters that were sitting on the trail (not sure if thats legal) and I sure got some dirty looks as I rode by. But its still called a recreational area so they gatta expect that. They gatta share the land. I guess. There was one round of 5 or 6 shots that was less than 100 yards from me. Thats when I pulled the plug and got the hell out of there. Not the smartest thing I have done but not the dumbest either. I did get in almost 2 hours tho... totally worth it.

However my long weekend might be in jeopardy as I woke up today with one of my famous cold\flu thingies starting up. Running a fever and feeling really bad. If history proves I will be off the bike for a few days and that just might be the entire weekend. Bummer.

So had a great turkey day and get out side and ride, or run or whatever it is you do.

DLD

Breakfast Ride

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Had a addition to our line of bikes when we got out....

Saturday was another B ride for me. This is a pure social ride. Im a social guy. While the tempo does kick up a few times the group does wait every so often. Right now cross bikes rule as its 80% road until the beach freezes. Then Im looking for bigger tires to hold me up. And yes, the Pug is overkill. One needs to be able to peloton at 20mph now and then on these rides.... The main component of this ride is the stop to eat about halfway thru. Im an oatmeal kinda guy. We stop at the same place every week as they expect us and have the tables ready when we arrive. We are stopping at a new place thats perfectly about 3\4 thru the ride.

Stopping in the cold, eating, then putting on all the wet, cold stuff to ride the rest of the way home is kinda a bummer but its totally worth it. I bring extra head gear and put the dry stuff on to head back.

All in all a 3.5 hour ride for me from the store. Complete with intervals.

Just what I need.....

DLD

2011-11-18T14:36:00.001-08:00

Seem like getting a Pug or equivalent is the cool thing to do now. This bikes popularity is growing 5 fold every year. I tried to order one last winter and was denied. This summer I did the smart thing and ordered one in July and got it in a week. I haven't rode it too much. Maybe four times.

All on the beach. Its fun.

You know Im all over having another way to ride a bike. This winter Im going to call out a ride on our WORS course in Jan. Also plan on hitting some snowmobile trails this winter.

I put the bike in the window and it really draws people in.

My buddy Steve D just got a Mukluk so now there are two in town.

Need more.

I love taking this thing down to the HP and bombing the beach. Although soon it will be froze and the 3.8 inch tire will not be needed. But its still fun.
Here is a site I visit a lot.
I have even been seen in a few pics there....
Im famous like that.
Hoping to get in a bunch of riding this weekend.. Hope you do too!

DLD

2011-11-16T07:17:00.001-08:00


810am

One of the things I never mention much is the deer population in my Happy Place. Huge numbers. In fact I cant remember the last time I didnt see one there. Thats one just standing there looking at me. Camera phone pic.

And soon the numbers will swell due to the impending hunt. The smart deer congregate in the park and laugh at the hunters who cant shoot then there. But the smart hunters lay low around the perimeter of the park and wait for them to walk in. I still hear a lot of gunshots just outside.

Yesterday I grabbed Pinky for a hour and a half ride, then was going to prep for the MTB nite ride. It just so happened the my cross bike ride turned out to be near 4 hours and I had not eaten before I left and had no food (or money) with me. 50 + miles later and with most had me working hard into a huge headwind, I returned a broken man and had to ditch the nite ride as I was wasted.

No regrets tho. It was a beautiful day besides the wind. I just could not stop riding. At least mentally, physically I needed to stop riding long before I got back.

Good thing the wind was to my back on the way home as the lack of food had me bonking to the tune of a mild nuclear explosion. I made it back limping.

The weather is going to turn cold(er) and tonites low is predicted around 21 degrees. That means frozen beach? Im gonna check it on the morn. Warmer temps will keep us off again over the weekend but its coming. I can feel it.

Better get to the basement to find more winter clothes. (Amfib)

Rides will be full winter mode soon.

DLD

2011-11-15T07:04:00.001-08:00


805am

Im starting to get a handle on my fall\winter schedule. I can tell cuz Im on the bike more. Between Fri\Sat\Sun I achieved almost 8 hours of saddle time. Today, Im suiting up for two more in a bit.

Totally feeling better.

Sunday had a bunch of us on the New Fane trails. Love them.

Its been almost a month since I have been on the MTB and I again wondered why while out in the woods. While my cross rides do take on in the woods its just not the same as a MTB. And as much as I love cross bikes I gatta say there is no comparison. Bottom line is I need to do that more before the snow flies.

In fact, after my 2 hour cross ride this morn, Im gearing up for the first of several Tuesday nite rides the group does. Once winter sets in we hope to get on the beach. A beach ride at nite is indescribable. You just have to do one. A lites out beach ride under a full moon is near religious.

Things to look forward to.

So today I have a shot at about 4 hours in the saddle with two bikes.

I would have to say it just might be a good day.

Bring it on.

DLD

Return To Breakfast Ride

2011-11-14T06:23:00.000-08:00

835am Saturday

For years I never missed a Saturday breakfast ride. Years.

Then came my desition to go full time in the store and that went out the window. Now I once again work outside the store and once again now have the time to ride on Saturday. The group ride is now in "winter mode" and thats my fav. Its MTB's. Its go's right thru my HP. Right now its a little woods and a lot of road but that will change as the temps drop and we end up on the frozen beach of Lake Michigan.

The first beach ride of the season is awusome. Everyones smiling and lauphing. And its only a few weeks away. The groups then swells to over 20 riders (we had 22 Saturday) and a 20mph peloton down a frozen beach just two feet away from waters edge is just about as much fun you can have on two wheels. No fat tire Pug needed. In fact, I weight 250 pounds and Im on 35c cross tires.

The sand is that hard. And fast. Hope its soon.

But Saturday was a good ride. Its always a little more than 3 hours ride time and a stop for breakfast inbetween. I know some do not like stopping like that in the middle of a hard ride but this is tradition. Ive been riding just about 10 years and this ride has been going on way longer than that. And with me on a cross bike (what else?) and most on MTB's keeps me in the game on the road. Heck, I even pull a little now and then.

The great weather had me outside all day Saturday. Hope you got some of that too.

DLD

2011-11-11T06:42:00.001-08:00

755am

Not sure how many pics Ive taken here. Hundreds for sure. At this point its almost habit. Many times I was going to get a album together of all the various pics I took. All taken within 50 yards of each other. You would be surprised at the diversity.

It was in the upper 20's here today but the sun blasted that away quickly. Even on the coldest day I will sit here in the sun, look up and recharge. For me. its a necessity.

I gatta work the store later today, I always close Fridays so everyone else does not have to. Im a good boss in that respect. But then while they get pumped about not working late, I get pumped about not working early. Cuz that has bike ride spelled all over it.

Gonna grab Pinky and put on a few miles today. Or.... maybe grab the MTB. I have not decided but its been a month since I rode the MTB. Its been all cross or road for the last several weeks. I will decide before I finish this.

While I have been a huge advocate of cross bikes and racing, Im starting to get a little burned out. So many local races. Some weeks a double header. Throw in my day job during the week and Im pretty much done with cross dominating my weekends (and weekdays).

Now I will just focus on my riding and having fun. Most Saturdays will have me on the group ride in the morn. Sundays will be open to ride too. With my limited time during the week I need to leave the weekends open or I will get no DANO time at all. And that would make me a dull boy in a hurry. For real.

Arriving daily

So... its going to be MTB today. I need to ride that new Superfly a couple of time yet before the snow is too deep in the woods.

Speaking of.....

I have been once again appointed the official ski trail groomer of my Happy Place this winter. I cant wait to get out and lay down some tracks. This week the store get a make over into "winter mode" with ski stuff arriving daily.

I love snow. Bring it on.

Speaking of.....

I cant believe how many people facebook on how they hate the snow. Really? You live in Wisco and hate snow? You must live a miserable life. Dress warmer and embrace it.

Use it for fun.

Do that for real. Or move.

DLD

2011-11-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

825am

Another huge gap in posts.

With me going back to my day job I just cant get a handle on my life's schedule. It needs tweeking for sure and soon. Its Wednesday morn and this is the first time Im in the store since Saturday and Im not liking that at all. I hate not being involved in the day to day here and its hard to grasp what I need to do when my time in the store is so limited.

With the seasonal slowdown I thought working out of the store would be a breeze but issues have come up to at least make me re think that decision. No sir, I dont like it. As I sit here in the dark (exept for a small desk lite) Its not just the time spent here to make sure thing go well, its also the better nites sleep knowing that is happening. Once again another decision to ponder......

Todays HP visit was the first in a while and it cant be crappier out. Rain and wind has the beach's water line pushed way up. And today was the first day I was there alone. Completely. No campers, visitors or rangers. I was the only one in the park and that will happen more as it gets colder. Actually, I look kinda forward to those kind of visits. I have spent many a morning there during below zero temps alone. The HP is like a cross race. It go's down rain or shine. Warm or cold. Soon I hope to out there grooming the ski trails. Some snow is in the forecast so its just a matter of time. Think snow.

I hope to get back into a rhythm here, give me a week or two to figure it out.

Story of my life.

DLD

2011-11-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

845am

Slowly my life is getting back to semi normal. I ended the 12 day bike ride draught yesterday with a nice easy ride thru the HP. Again, had my coffee there also this morn. The sun was out and warming. Which was a good thing as it was 27 degrees.

Lets try and back up a little.

Sunday was my cross race and now thats its almost a week old seems weird to me to type about it now. Im glad I did it. It was hard in several ways as it was my first time at it. All in all it went well. Had a great bunch of guys and gals helping and could not have done it without. And now I know the few areas that need improvement and next year should be way easier to do. It did rain late in the day buy by then we only had the Cat 1\2 Pros to go. I was so busy I didn't get to take any pics. If someone has a few please pass them on to me... As far as bike count I was a little disappointed but probably would have been with any number. 108 bikes. I think it would have been better if my race was not the second of a double header weekend. I will look for a better date in the series next year.
Then as I mentioned before...
I had some work to do out of the store and it was a full week. I only got to stop in the store a few hours all week. All the race stuff, paperwork, etc, is still in a pile in my office yet today. I do get the entire day here to sort it all out. My desk is piled full. Not until after a bike ride tho... I do have priority's.
Yesterday...

yesterday with pinky

I finally got out for a ride. The first in 12 days. I could definitely feel the lack of and pretty much soft peddled for two hours. But it was a good ride with an old bike. Pinky is back in biz and am looking forward to all the winter rides she will provide. I will ride some of the demo bikes once or twice yet and then put them away for the winter (and to sell). Then its all Pinky till Spring.
Today....
Will be a road ride on the Cronus. With road tires on. Im looking for at least another two hours and tomorrow I plan on doing the Saturday group ride with the guys so that will be another 3.5 hours. It all should come back to me quickly. And I hope to get back to a little normalcy in my life. Not that anything in my life is normal.

DLD

Way Too Long

2011-11-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

File foto

Its been way too long. In many ways. Too long between posts. To long between rides. Too long between HP visits. With cross race prep last week I was booked solid. The race weekend comes and go's And no more that hours after the race I had to jump into a truck and do my day job.

I will elaborate about race day as soon as I get some time and thats looking like I might be able to take a breath (and a ride) on Thursday. I haven't even been to the store since Sunday after the race when I just threw everything in the back door and left for work.

I did not ride a bike for 10 days now.

I have not been to the HP for 8 days.

I hope to get things back on track soon.

Talk later.

DLD

2011-10-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

845am

My Happy Place is not just lakefront. Its full of very cool things like huge sand dunes. They have board walks set up in here and I use them a lot. Really, my walks out here are divided up between the dunes and the beach. Again, cant think of a better way to start my day.

The next two days will be a whirl wind for me with the cross race on Sunday.

So much to do so little time.

Almost full on attention.

I cant even type straight right now.

I'll need a couple bike rides in the next two days to calm me.

Cross bike at noon today.

I have yet to start to assemble my Madone. Its still in the box.

Thats how busy and focused I am.

Cross bike at noon today.

Tomorrows post (if any) will have me just babbling and drooling.

Not waiting till noon. Cross bike in 45 minutes.

The woods is calling me.

DLD

2011-10-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

Today started out as any other normal day. Rainy and cold. Small HP visit and then to the store for work. These days the store is a little boring as this is the slowest time of the year. Biking has slowed and its too early for skiing. So days are long right now here and I was gearing up for a dull day.

Then.... BAM!

My 2012 Madone 6.5 shows up over a month early. Holy crap!

All of a sudden today is a good day.

Its the exact same frame as last years. Same color combo but different design. Things not the same is the driveline. Ultegra Di is now affordable to most of us and I cant wait to ride it.

Also wheels. Signing a deal with Easton to provide quality wheels and will have a set on both this Madone and my Superfly. Carbon of course.

So I will stop with the advertising here cuz I always try to not sound that way on my blog but I cant help it when I get a pleasant surprise such as this.

Moving on would be talking about my cross race Sunday which I am up to my armpits in today. Four days and counting. I think Im a little nervous but should not be....

DLD

Pinky

2011-10-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend I got Pinky out of the basement. This bike has been with me thru thick and thin and is one of the few bikes I own. As Fall comes to a close I start selling off all my demo bikes one by one. And when their all gone Pinky is waiting in the wings to carry me thru the winter. She gets abused. Our winter beach rides chew up the driveline so every year its something different. Last year it was one by nine. This year its one by 10. Upgrade to 105 shifters. And Dura ace cassette. Just happened to be stuff laying around.

Running Kenda small block for tires since our winter group rides are mostly road right now anyway.

Had a good weekend. Saturday had me out to the cross race in Milwaukee taking in the festivities but mostly watching and learning for my race this Sunday. Crazy how its only one week away. This upcoming week will have me putting time in for prep. This will consume me this week.

Sunday I blasted about an hour and a half in the woods on the Superfly. Nothing too fast as I was mostly scanning and planning the cross course with Steve D. Afterwards I hit the store for some paperwork but ended up grabbing the Cronus for a 30 mile road ride. That bike is close to sold so one more ride and Im now off it for good.

915am

Today the HP visit was nice. Cool but sunny makes a great time out there. With me starting to work out of the store soon will limit my HP visits. So I savor everyone that I can get.

I still visit all winter of course. Below zero days no problem.

Today tho is sunny and almost 60 so its gonna be a nooner bike ride for me. On Pinky.

Little woods, little road, little (more)HP.

DLD

2011-10-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

Just a bit of a gloomy day. This morn I headed into my basement and went thru all my cold weather clothing. Some I could not find. A few articles I forgot I had. Im gonna ride today.

Yesterday I put in over 12 hours of work so I could take it easy in that respect today.

I am getting ready for winter. My trusty winter steed, Pinky, has been pulled from the basement once again to be resurrected for crappy weather riding. This years version is a 1x10 complete with new 105 levers and Dura ace rear derailer (I know thats not how thats spelled) and cassette.

And then I will stop riding my Superfly and Cronus, and its all pinky till spring. Gatta sell those bikes anyway. Next week I will set up a post about Pinky. This is one of the only bikes I own and has been in many configurations. Winter bike, cross race bike, touring bike. Its the bike I used to tour back in 2008.

Its been with me thru good times and bad and I would never sell it. really, its not worth much money anyway. But is like gold in memories.

Waiting about an hour to see if it will get past 45 degrees, than will pick thru my clothing and go for a ride. 2 hour solo for today. Then.....

Will be working on my cross race that's just about a week away. Goona make some barriers today. How fun is that....! Also planning on attending a few cross races this weekend.....

As long as it does not interfere with my riding...... that comes first this time of year. This is the time of year I try to fight off weight gain. As mammals we go into a pre winter weight gain program. I do my best to fight it and a step up in riding helps. But its hard to do when that first blast of fall temps hit. Less sunlite has me easily depressed and that does not fair well with my eating habits either.

My only defense is ride more. So I try to do just that. In fact Im going to do just that right now.

DLD

2011-10-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

850am

Its a bit tough to see but those are about a million geese coming over the lake. Had to use super telephoto on camera to get this. They were far away.

While the trees still have leaves on, the geese always tell me (not literally) that fall is coming to a close soon. Days like today always bum me out.

Cold and rainy. Dark and gloomy.

While Fall will be my bestest time of year it does not come without some bummers. Soon I will have to leave the store full time and work outside of it. Being a truck driver by trade. Ive been here full time since March 1st and in two weeks I will no longer pull my salary out of the store, keeping one full time employee. Dont get me wrong, the store is fine but when it slows one need to make adjustments and quickly to avoid any problems. I knew this day was coming all summer.

Not geese.

I'll still be around tho..... just not paid. At least not in a salary..... I will still be reaping all the benies of owning a store and I hope that March 1st will come around pretty quick.

But not until we sell a ton of skiis first.

So today as I sit here in my office in the dark store my thoughts are a bit on the sad side. Being diagnosed as a "emo" I tend to have days like this but I dont talk about it as much anymore. In the past I got a bit too personal here and it got me in trouble several times.

Its hard to believe I have been doing this blog in several different forms since 2004. Back when blogs exploded on the scene and everyone had one. Now...the blogs heyday has come and gone and the only ones left are the people who can really write and the weirdos like me.

There are a million blogs like mine. Telling everyone what they did last weekend. Thing is, it was the same thing they did for the last 100 weekends. I talk about my Happy Place a lot. Almost everyday. That because Im there almost everyday. Its a big part of who I am.

I would compare my HP to a blog of a pro bike racer that explains in detail how their race went. But really, if you put them all together would sound the same. Just a different day.

I really dont write this blog to be read. I only have about 50 to 60 who do (who are you guys?), and out of those only about 20 are still reading this now. Average blog visit is about a minute and a half.

I write this blog cuz I like to do it. Sometimes its just a bit of therapy to put your thought into words even tho you cant lay it all out.( I keep a private blog as a diary, you should read that thing!)

I'll stop here cuz Im goona start doing store stuff, and I am going to see how much clothing I have with me in the store today and ride in the wet and cold. Not long. Just a little.

If your still here thanks for listening. Even tho I say I dont care I do a little.

DLD

Weekend of Firsts

2011-10-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

A Motley Crew. Sunday @ 1130am

Sunday had me attending my first organized Pug ride. These guys and gals have been doing this right in my HP for some time now. I insisted they let me in the exclusive fat tire club. After much debate they decided to include me in all their Reindeer games.

Fat tire bikes are still in the cult stage but really you all need to get one. Its once again, just another way to ride a bike. Once accepted in, I was just like one of the guys(or gals some would say) and I had a great time.

We rode the very same beach that we ride in winter, only it wasn't winter. The bikes really do ride well on the wet sand. And pretty good on dryer sand too.

This group does have a leader. They call him Gomez (which is short for Gary). He organises all this stuff. He's the guy on the way left. Notice Im on the way right cuz he scared me a little at first. But once you get to know him its safe.

My first pug group ride was a good one and there's more coming this winter. Participation is highly suggested. Get your self a fat tire bike. I insist.

845am. Remnants of yesterday.

Saturday had me attending my first Beechwood Blaster. A low key race put on by low key guys in a low key setting. The only thing not low key was the course. High key climbing with high key difficulty. I had a blast riding it but did not do well racing it. A DNF for me. Actually, I just stopped racing it and started riding. It was more fun for me that way.

Great time with some good people.

This morns HP visit was sunny and that always go's well with my coffee. Still could see our pug tracks in the sand from yesterday. Im planning a ride at some point today but the wind is telling me to stay in the woods. Thats not a bad idea since I have a new MTB. On my way out of the HP I spied a freighter out on the lake. Every year about this time they travel closer to shore for safety and you can see them almost everyday. During the summer they stay in the middle of the lake and you never see them.

So I had a great weekend and now its back to work.

Son on a..........

DLD

2011-10-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

Not today. Last week.

Today ends the stretch of 11 days of sun we had. Its drizzling. After a spell of weather like we just had its tough to complain. But I do..... and will.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Had my first shake down on the new Superfly. For the most part I cant say its better than last years but in time I should know more.

There are many differences tho.... from a Fox fork to a Sid. I never got along with Sids. But its been 5 years since I had one so Im open minded. 2 hours on the trail last nite and it was so far so good. The bike is lighter. In the 22 pound range which is extraordinary for a 29er. Carbon wheels will enhance that.

One thing that all you high end riders will experience is the 15mm front skewer. Closed dropouts (actually no dropouts). This is the future so you better embrace it. Its coming across the board soon. You will need all new wheels (hubs) and adapters for your fork clamp roof rack. Its seems to work great as far as wheel on-wheel off.
Other stuff is the carbon seat rails and XX instead of XO.
Gonna give it a go again Saturday morn. Hope the rain stops.

DLD

Sundays Race - Tuesdays Bike

2011-10-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

2nd.

Sundays race went well for me. I didn't fall, didn't take last and past a few bikes on the last lap. I know I always say this but I wish I was as much a Clyde as the winner. But 200 plus is 200 plus. And as far as my age category (40+) I am the oldest at 51. So Im happy to be on the podium being the oldest and biggest of the Clydes. In fact Im thinking of getting a series number next year and doing a few more races. I used to do them all back in 2002 to 2004. But got burned out and cut way back. Some years doing none. Then it seems 3 or 4 a year was good for me. So who knows.... maybe I'll get the store more involved next year.

2012 Superfly Pro Im hooked up!

So as I mentioned, I sold my Superfly Sunday. As a store owner I was once told to never fall in love with the product. Well I did with that Superfly. The 29in wheel works with me. But alas, I put it for sale Sunday after my race and it was sold in two hours. Demo price.

So after the dude picked it up, carbon wheels and all on Monday, I called down to Waterloo,WI to see what my options are.

I told the guys that I sold my demo and that I had the Beachwood Blaster on my schedule this Saturday and I was bikeless!

I even tried to make it sound like I was crying a little on the phone. Well, less that 19 hours from the call this 2012 Superfly Pro shows up in the store unannounced. Thanks guys! I hugged the UPS guy and scared him a little but I think he will be OK. People ask me why I sell Trek. Of course their a good bike but there is lots of good bikes available. Its because their service and dedication to their dealers is unmatched in the industry. Absolutely unmatched.

So Im back in biz and am walking out the door for a shake down as I type.

Its going to be a good day.

DLD

Bikeless

2011-10-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

Selling stuff....... workin' it.

No post since last Thursday means I was crazy busy. As I type this morn I am wasted. I cant think straight or walk straight. I cant even type straight. Not that its a bad thing. Actually good.

This was of course our race weekend in town. And its just a crazy time for me. With arranging all the store stuff to vend there, I try to help with the race as much as I can although its nothing near what I did in the past and sometimes I feel bad about not being able to help as much as I think I should. But I do my best. Thanks to my wife and kids for helping with the tents so I am was able to race.

The store did well Sunday. Tshirts, glasses, socks, hats and even 2 bikes went out the door.

And I have mixed feelings about that.

I sold my Superfly demo.......

Not that thats a bad thing, just bad timing as the best MTB weather is upon us and I loved that bike. It was by far the best MTB I ever rode and I was hoping to hold on to it for another month but when the demo sells it sells. Sure, I will order a new one but getting a bike under the demo program take a bit more than just ordering it. It will be a month before I get a new one. Thats in November.

And strange as it sounds I do not have another MTB to ride right now. I will not grab one off the floor to ride for just a few weeks. So I hope I do not miss out on too many MTB rides.

All I have left is the cross bikes... which will be sold soon also.

845am

So now my Madone and my Superfly is gone. Both bikes were the best I have rode in my life. As I sat in my HP this morn I was thinking on how fast this summer is winding down. The trees are at peak this week. Leaves are falling. Really, our MTB race is kinda like the official end of summer for me.

By the way, I had a good race yesterday too but I'll save that for tomorrows post.

Have a good Monday.

DLD

Very Tired

2011-10-06T07:13:00.000-07:00

805am

In the past I always have taken a little pride on how all my pics were taken with a cheap Walmart camera. Of late I have one up'd that and have been using my phone. Todays HP visit was again short due to my large amount of stuff to do at the store since I ditched it most of yesterday.

Pretty full lot of MTB'er for 4pm on a Wednesday

Yesterdays riding was off the hook starting with a two hour session at Evergreen from about 10 to noon. Then.....

Another quick cross ride out to the HP (again) but was mostly road.Then....

Back out to Evergreen at 4pm for another 2 plus hour ride.

Total ride time yesterday was 6 hours 49 minutes. 3 shammys and 2 bikes.

Needless to say I am moving a bit slow this morn.

The huge amount of other riders at the park kept me rolling. Since most of my riding is solo it was cool to ride with so many different people yesterday. Being the social butterfly I am I was hopping from group to group all day long. At times there must have been 50 riders in the park. And pretty much all day long. I guess I only stopped cuz it got dark and I had no lights with me.

Today I will cut back to 2 hours of ride time as I need to prepare the store for the weekend. Lots to do and plan.

Decisions like what product to take? How many bikes? Tents, tables and chairs.

More than likely several trips of stuff starting Saturday around noon. Sunday its gonna be out to the park at 6am to set up. Its always an exhausting weekend.

And I'm planning on racing too....

I think I need a few days off after this weekend.

DLD

2011-10-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

yesterday

Fall is in full swing and its game on as to who can get the most riding in till the leaves fall and I intend to win. Yesterday had me rockin' the Greenbush trails, then crusin' the Evergreen trails. Total 3.5 hours.

I had planned on a cross ride after but ran out of time. This time of year I travel with no less than two bikes and four full kits in the car. For real. I also have a road wheelset fore the cross bike if needed. Im prepared to do Oct right.

This is how I roll this time of year.

The Greenbush trails were not the best. Many fallen trees had me off the bike quite a bit. Along with a lot of sticks that were just asking to jump up in my spokes and driveline. And I went down pretty hard. Along with two saves. While the trail is fun to ride, its not my fav. Just way too many rocks have popped out in the trail. Its white knuckle all the way. Especially with the leaves down. You get your bar yanked out of your hand many times.....

But then......

I hit Evergreen, our local race trail, and it was in just about the best shape I have ever seen it. Smooth and very fast.

Only problem here is that Ive been around them about 1000 times in the last few years so I guess Im spoiled a bit, but its just same ol' here. But again, in great shape! Should be a very fast race Sunday.

One of the bummer's of having some extra time in Oct is the fact that nobody else does. Im pretty much alone in my adventures during the week, with the weekend usually filled with race or races.

Speaking of.... the Sheboygan WORS is this weekend (I'll mention that a lot in the next few days) and its the biggest for me in the vending dept. I will have a lot out there. Bikes, clothing etc... And its going to be about three days work for me.

I usually do not get to race but this year I will have a lot of help there so I plan on it....

Its going to be the best weekend ever!

DLD

Big Day Planned.

2011-10-04T07:47:00.000-07:00

835am

I know I say this too much but Im still amazed on how many pictures I can get from one spot.

Todays HP visit was brief cuz I have a big day planned on the bike (bikes).

Saw this on way to HP. Very impressive job!

In just a few minutes I'm on my way to Greenbush for a big lap around there, then on the way home I'll hit up out local Evergreen trails cuz the race is this Sunday and there's always someone out there riding.

Then I think I'll hit the store and grab the cross bike for a tool around also.

I need to take advantage of this beautiful fall weather and I fully intend to do so.

Tomorrow too.

Join me and lets do it for real!

DLD

Sun and Coffee

2011-10-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

805am

This mornings visit was awesome cuz of the sun. Even if its a chilly morn the sun offsets that and you can sit out in a tshirt when its in the low 40's.

Just another reason to love the HP.

Starting ones day with sun and coffee is just about the best way I can think of.

Better than sex.

I had some good riding this weekend. Saturday had me out on another cross bike ride.

Over the river and thru the woods. Since Im not racing I'll rock my Eastons with tufo tubulars cuz I would have no other reason to ride them.

A bit over two hours solo.

After going to see The Lion King in 3D (I love that movie) Saturday nite I woke Sunday to a MTB ride at our local park. Almost 20 riders strong in the woods. Another 2 hours and then it was a quick trip to the cross race in Kewaskum. Stayed long enought to have a beer and watch two catagorys but the Packers were on a 3 so I cut out before the 1\2's pushed off.

Its that time of year for our yearly MTB race. Its coming up this Sunday so this week its not all about cross or cross bikes as my attention will turn to all MTBing.

Im not as involved with the race itself anymore. I help as much as I can but not its all store oriented stuff. Will have a couple tents out with stuff to sell. Maybe 8 to 10 bikes. While vending takes up a lot of my time I will try to race also. All depends on who I have to watch the tent at that time. If I cant its no big deal as technically Im working anyway.

Saturdays ride.

I see the weather is going to be awusome for the next week. That means game on right now. Will be planning out some MTB rides at several locations this week.

Gonna do it for real.

Hope you can take advantage. Play hooky from work, thats what I do....

DLD

Mean Lake.

2011-09-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

mean lake. 845am

Todays HP visit was a loud one. You would not believe how loud the lake was. Huge waves pushing 30 feet higher on the beach. Another crappy riding day. Too windy on the road and a all nite rain washed out the woods. Today is the kind of day to try and work ahead in the store. Set up next weeks orders today to set up riding on Monday.

This weekend is the start of Wisco's cross scene with a double header weekend on tap. I will show up at some point this weekend but want to make sure I get some riding in too.

Sunday looks like the best riding day so I will shoot for that.

At this point Im not even sure our Saturday morn group is still swinging on the road. Many have switched to MTB's with the race coming up in a week.

So Im on the fence as to what I want to ride this weekend.

Something......anything.

Have a good weekend.

DLD

Cross Bikes Not Just For Racing.

2011-09-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

Future home of the Sheboygan Company Classic.

You never know when one of the best rides of the summer hits. Yesterday I just jumped on the Cronus and rode 30 miles in and out of several city parks and even one State Park. (HP)

In the background of the pic above is the wide open spaces to be used in the first annual Sheboygan Bicycle Company Classic. Coming your way Oct 30th.

Bad karma.

After bombing around some city parks I did some singletrack at the local MTB course. Kinda a bit tougher to do with the Cronus as opposed to the Superfly.

I even visited the spot that I got pasted by a car last year. While the damn iPod was a factor, I still had it in my ears today but made sure I looked both ways when I hit the street.

All in all a great ride. 3+hours. 30 miles and various parks and points of interest visited. I made sure to do a few laps around every park I hit. Even a little bit of rain could not dampen my spirits. But I did notice I was not feeling as good as a few weeks ago on the bike. Its weird how fast you lose that feeling. With the Vegas week followed by my crappy week last week my bike riding was at a minimum the last two weeks but I did feel better the third hour today as opposed to the first. So as fast as the feeling leaves, it returns.

817am Sun shining out there but not here.

Once again this morn its dark and rainy. I think the MTB ride tonite is in a bit of jeopardy due to the almost three days of rain. I know some people are riding it but I dont when its wet. Especially when our MTB race in is two weeks. Todays HP visit was a short one. Its been well over a week since I saw the otters and believe they have moved on to their winter spot, wherever that is. Bummer. I was hoping they would stay.
At least I did get one pic.

Since Im thinking of ditching the MTB ride I might just get another epic cross ride in.
Or both.

DLD

Gloomy Ride

2011-09-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

845am

Still gloomy out. Still drizzle on and off since Sunday. Its amazing (it least to me) how lack of sun hits me like a two ton heavy thing. Im feeling a little poopy today.

Soon I will turn my frown upside down as I just put the Eastons cross wheels on the Cronus and I plan on going for a long one.

They are tubulars so I get a little nervous about getting a flat but I bring some Tufo sealant along. Its kinda like stans. You have to screw off the valve core (its got a little thinige for that) and its in a little bottle that you use to squirt it in tire. Then spin and inflate.

Today on my HP visit I noticed some trees now turning color. Its crazy how fast time passes. My Grandma used to say that when you get old days go slow and years go fast. I kinda feel that way now. Im old. But we are still on the front side of fall and its truly game on right now. Need to get out and do stuff. There's still a lot of bike riding to do. With a heavy emphasis on MTB. As soon as it drys out tho. So Im minutes away from the cross bike.......

And I just remembered I dont have any cold weather riding stuff here at the store. Bummer. All my warmers and vests are still home in my basement from spring.

Hopefully washed before I store them. But no guarantee's on that.

DLD

USGP Weekend

2011-09-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

Day 2. Mud.

Driveline destroyed.

These guys had it figured out.

This past weekend I had the USGP on the back of my mind but was going to try and ride at home both days instead. But it was an option I oped for both days. Saturday had some good racing going on. Sunday was a mudfest.

The course was way fast Saturday. Sunday was another story as the rains moved in early morn and have not stopped yet as of Monday morn. I really don't like racing in mud. And Im not a big fan of watching a mud race either. Its just not real bike racing. Yes, I understand the element and for sure some riders are better in it than others.
But really, after you see a few riders slip and fall on their ass, the other 40 times it happens is kinda boring. Even in cross racing, if you gatta run with the bike just to get around it no longer looks and feels like a bike race. And what is going to happen to that park? It is trashed. Its going to cost a lot of money to put the grass back. Im sure these big events have a game plan for such a thing.

So it was no riding this weekend for me. Just a lot of standing and watching. Almost 500 miles of driving to and from. And eating and drinking. Very expensive weekend.

Wished it was two days of riding instead. But I'll take it as these riders are not around too often.

910am

Today its dark and gloomy but not gloomy enough to put a dent in my HP visit. In fact days like today Im almost guaranteed of having some alone time there. And really, thats what this time is for anyway. Today the strong east wind is making the lake very loud. I remember leaving my bedroom window open just a bit even on the coldest nite, just to listen while I fell asleep.

With last week being kinda crappy for me, I pretty much pushed off all my duties at the store. And today I am going to pay for that. Going to be a busy few days for me. I really hope the rain stops so I can ride a bit. I really could use a few miles soon.

And with the two days of steady rain it looks like not on the MTB.

DLD

One of Those Weeks

2011-09-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

955am

Its just been one of those weeks that one would like to forget.

Minimal visits to HP. Snuck in a nice Saturday visit this morn tho. Rain cancelled any riding. And am gearing up to leave for Madtown to watch the USGP.

Back in the day I would post about all my personal problems and this has been a week that I could do so but I learned ( the hard way) that that is not in any ones best interest.

I will say before I leave that theres not a lot of people in this world that get me and leave it at that. And I try to be super nice to the ones that dont to no avail.

Moving on.

Its been a long time since I have had a 2 post week. Maybe a year. With Vegas last week it seems like forever since I posted.

So I might have been down but Im never out.

See ya Monday.

DLD

Interbike\Crossvegas: Part Two

2011-09-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

So once Crossvegas is over, on Wednesday nite, its time to get the hell out of vegas. I usually plan a road trip to do so. Last year was Zion National Park. This year it was Death Valley. My first time in Cali ever. Its less than 3 hours to the south end of the park. So Thursday morn it was in the rental car and we headed west. Its a good park to visit once. Many of the points of interest were 40+ miles apart so we put a ton of miles on the car. But its got a ton of cool history in all of it. It was hot.

Sand Dunes

The driving looked like this all day.

Walking the salt flats. 105 degrees.

The locals called it a "cool" 105 degrees that day. Thats below average. Its usually around 110 this time of year. Lots of sand dunes and salt flats. We stopped to eat in a town right in the middle called Furnace Creek. Lots of people there along with the parks headquarters. Not sure how people can live there. I surely could not. This took up all of Thursday. We got back around 10pm

Then all we needed to fill was Friday. And since we needed to get at 4am to catch our flight we unfortunately spent it in town. Man how I hate Vegas. Its awful. You cant walk 20 feet on the strip with some guy asking if you want to fly over the canyon or join some time share or want to spend some time with a hooker. They just dont leave you alone. We spent all day bumping into people on the sidewalk and in the stores. The only time you are at peace is when eating at a restaurant. I could not get out of this city fast enough. We flew home Saturday morn.

Im sure I want to go to Crossvegas next year but Im going to try and figure out a way to do it without too much vegas. Maybe just fly in one day and back the next, or stay the one nite in vegas and head out completely until we fly back.

Or something.

Ive got a year to work on it.

DLD

Interbike\Crossvegas: Part one

2011-09-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

I could write a book on this but will try to condense it down to just two medium sized posts.

We left on Tuesday nite and after checking in at the airport, checking in at the car rental and checking in at the hotel we were about 6 hours into the trip. To my advantage it was unseasonably cool with highs only in the upper 70's. Nice. First stop on Wednesday was Interbike. This year I was there almost 5 hours before I had to bolt. We did several laps. But after bumping into people trying to get around there fort that time period I almost ran out of the place screaming. I thought I did pretty good at 5 hours tho... Dont get me wrong, there were some cool things to see. And I saw, so I left. End of bike show for me at about 3pm Wednesday.

Besides, I had to get back to our room to rest up for the real reason I come out here. Crossvegas is the biggest bike race I have every attended. As far as crowd numbers the only race to come close is maybe Downer Ave crit in Milwaukee. Close.

In the past they advertised about 10 thousand fans. This year it was closer to 12k.

under the lights

Every year we get VIP passes from the director. It lets you into a area where its all the food and drink you can handle. And while the pro races were the main event, its the "regular" guy races that are fun to watch. 175 bike mass start on a cross course is a spectacle to see. With about half really trying and the other half not. Lots of goofing around. Lots of beer hand ups.

The pro race was as expected. The usual group of 7 or 8 took off. But the pro of the day was Danny Summerhill. He was right in the group, even pulling a few times when he got taken out or just fell on his own. Not sure cuz it was the other side of the course. Then, he proceeds to start goofing off. And that brings me to another phenomenon. People started throwing dollar bills out on the course for riders to grab. Thats the first time I saw that at crossvegas. Dollar bills everywhere. Of course the front runners would not take the time. But after D Summerhill was off the group with no chance he started grabbing all the dollar bills he could. When the dollars bills were gone he started taking beer ups (is he even 21?) It was crazy to see the back markers so focused on racing, then have a Garmin\Cervelo pro stopping for the money. The crowd was going wild. And rightly so.

At the end of that day we saw some crazy stuff and great racing. Only downer is that the race was won once again by a foreigner. Some u23 kid from the Netherlands riding for Rabobank.
But when a race reaches this status you gatta expect this sort of thing.
Over all the best Crossvegas ever.
My calender is already marked. Sept 19th, 2012
At the end of the day I was wasted. With the show and the race I must have walked 20 miles and was feeling all of that. I limped back to the room and it took me about 30 seconds to sleep.
Tomorrow was going to be a big day as we planned on driving to Death Valley in Cali.
More on that next.

DLD

Leaving on a Jet Plane....

2011-09-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

115pm

Cross bike is close to full race mode. Had an awesome ride yesterday. About an hour on the road and an hour in the woods. Behind the bike is the river where Im watching the otters play. They did not show on this vist but thats OK as I got that pic in the morn.

I little on this bike.

I thought my green Madone was light at 15 pounds 10 ounces.

This Cronus is at 16 pounds 1 ounce as it sits here.I will throw on a carbon bar and stem top get this bike sub 16. A cross bike sub 16! Thats nuts.

Its unbelievable when you hop a barrier and pick up the bike. You can notice the lack of weight pretty easy. I am in love with this bike. But keep in mind its going to be sold in a month. Demo pricing.

My thoughts are elsewhere today as Im leaving for Vegas this afternoon. I am pumped to able to attend Crossvegas tomorrow nite. But really, thats about it. Vegas is not my kind of place. Strangely Im kinda bummed. Just not feeling the Vegas excitement that most would. I'll go as far as to say I hate Vegas. Not a big fan of the Interbike either. Most of you might not understand that. How could you not like a huge convention hall filled with bike stuff? I dont know. Its just too big. Too many people. Your fighting for every inch in that place. Product reps pulling you here and there. Theres a booth 30 yards away you want to see and it takes you 20 minutes to get there. After some time of this I bail. You dont learn anything. Its too much in such a short period of time. Overload. So Im not as pumped as I was other years and would not have minded skipping this trip.

If it wasn't for Crossvegas.

Whenever someone asks my about Crossvegas just watch my eyes light up. Anybody who is somebody in the cross circuit is there. Euro teams send riders. Ten thousand people watching. Pro riders from every genre are there. If not racing then watching. I sat on a grassy hill next to Willow Koerber last year. Im kinda buddys with the directer, Brook Watts. I get VIP passes every year. Even if you are not a fan of cross you will be after attending this race.

I hear its being broadcast live on some site (not sure where). Racing this event is high on my bucket list (yeah.... Im old enough to have one of those...). I'll post a ton of pics from my phone on facebook tomorrow nite.....

But other than that race.........

I always get a rental car and try to get out of town as much as I can. A drive thru Red Rock. Maybe a drive to the Dam. They have a new bridge I want to see. Its huge.

Gonna be home before noon on Saturday. Leaving the computer home so its all facebook till then.

Later

DLD

Otters\Race

2011-09-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

810am and I did take this pic.....

Today I did get a pic of the visiting otters. One of the best things about my HP is that theres always something new to see or do. I'll be keeping an eye on these guys, hope they stay. Saw three today. I had to stand with the camera ready for a few minutes to get a pic. They resurface then go back under quick. One came up just 20 yards from me but I missed. Otters are awesome as they always play. Their jumping on each other and racing around without a worry in the world. Im jealous.

Some times they notice me, give me a quick look, then resume goofing off.

As it turned out I decided to hit up the WORS race Sunday. I had several fun things to do but I after the last race I was really intrigued as to how I would do on a ski hill. I dislike ski hills. In comparison to other courses, this is one of the hardest. Lots of climbing with very tight singletrack in between.

Right from the start is what seems like 5 minutes of climbing, and that puts a 250 pound guy behind the eight ball from the get-go.

As it turned out a venue like this does scare away some of the Clydes. We had nine of us. I never seen much of the others as the massive climb at the start pretty much sets the pecking order and separates us immediately. After that, I didn't see much of anyone. Seems the only one to get away on me was our local guru and race directer Jon H. I saw him only for a few minutes, then he was gone. Jon had a great race finishing over three minutes up on me. But I did have a nice race as I completed my 3 step criteria for a good race:

1) never unclip 2) dont finish last 3) pass somebody (anybody) on the last lap.

On the top of several climbs I was ready to puke and if I didn't back off Im sure I would have. Also, this is a hard race to do blind. I did race this once several years ago but pretty much forgot and there are many spots that could hurt you if you were not paying attention. Many times I choose to follow another bike just so I would not blow thru an unsuspecting corner. I pretty sure I could have gone faster in the singletrack but it was not worth the consequences of a mistake.

So it was a good race for me. 2nd out of 9

I did, in fact pass the third place guy on the last lap, while climbing. And the guys who joined me on the podium looked like Clydes. And Im sure fun was had by all.

Turns out the guy I was following at the end of the last lap took 5th in my age class (not Clyde).

Its been a long time (years) that I did two WORS races back to back.

And I really miss it. Really, its where this cycling obsession of mine started about 10 years ago.

DLD

Rare Saturday Post

2011-09-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

File foto....

Ive been watching a pair of river otters in my HP for the last week. Ive seen them four times now. Very cool and almost impossible to photograph. They dive under and might not surface for several minutes...40 yards away from where they were. I hope they stay but most likely will not. These guys travel a lot.

Im alone in the store all day today. Its Saturday morn and it just beautiful outside. And that means traffic will be slow as everyone is outside doing stuff. I hope to get on the bike right after the store closes.

Most of my riding group is up in Door County for the century this weekend. Thats such a nice ride and the weather is great to boot. I would have loved to be there but its just a little pricey for me to do. So tomorrow I have two choices. One is to do the MTB race in Lake Geneva, the other is take the wife up to Peninsula Park and have a day of casual riding. I guess you will find out Monday.

Get outside. I insist.

DLD

Just Another Friday

2011-09-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

855am

Its just another Friday. When you dont have a real work week Fridays are just another day. And with all employees out of town this weekend (all planned) I will be covering the store alone tomorrow all day. I dont mind. Makes me feel a bit less guilty about goofing off all week.

Rode over 3 hours yesterday. One the road. Big winds. Rode 20 miles back in a head wind that held me to about 9mph. As usual I forgot to eat and I suffered the rest of the day.

Today its MTB again. Maybe 2 hours. With working on Saturday Im thinking of hitting up another WORS race. This one has climbing for real and I would not do quite as well. I almost never go to a MTB race on a ski hill. But I must be feeling better on the bike if Im even considering it. Will be a last minute thing Saturday nite.

I just got an email from one of my west coast Trek buddy's this morn that there's a Cross Clydesdale National in Bend, OR. Now thats interesting. Make me think crazy thoughts. Now that Im in the best riding shape of the summer. If they do age categories I will consider it. Need more info. More on that later.

Right after the weekend thoughts will be on Vegas. Flying out Tuesday and home Saturday. Like last year, the only thing planned it of course Crossvegas. Other than that I play it as it comes. Including Interbike. I'll go if there's nothing else better to do. 4 hours max. Then, when I return, Im thinking of another small tour. 4 to 5 days. Then.........

Ive got some time on my hands and Im not afraid to use it. Have a good weekend.

DLD

Hiatus\Cross stuff.

2011-09-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

740am

Todays HP was a very long visit. The sun was just so strong on the beach.

I was just thinking about my planned hiatus the next few months and what can I do with it.
Today I am going for a bike ride.

Later then I will cut my grass.

I do need to get to the store to put in a late season bike order that should last me till December, pretty much two of everything. That will be about an hour.

Last nite was the first Wednesday MTB ride that Im trying to bring back from the dead. 8 showed up and fun was had by all. The trails are really in good shape due to the Xterra tri their a week ago. Im feeling pretty good on the MTB and will maybe consider another race or two before its all said and done. Especially with the next two months open for a little training and weight loss (with the latter going pretty good but wont say to much to jinx it).

And I met with a USAC guy yesterday and went over my cross course for approval. Theres a lot of red tape with a cross race. Twice as much as a WORS race. Between getting USA cycling permits, course approval and club registration could be a bit too much. But I spent the last few days getting it done all at once and its over. Im good to go.

Ive must admit Im a little bit bummed by the lack of interest in the clinic\demo scene. But thats OK as I always think big and work down form there. really, the cross scene is pretty much south of me. In the bigger city's. Milwaukee and Madison have a ton of races to choose from. I most likely will put the demos for sale before the WCA season starts and that contradicts what I was planning but I do need to sell the bikes. I'll pull back on the reigns in regards to that stuff but will take what I learned and apply it to next year.

I still believe in cross. I still love cross bikes. Im gonna ride one today.

DLD

My Time to Shine!

2011-09-06T07:29:00.000-07:00

813AM

Todays HP visit was a nice one. Had the heater on during the drive over. It was a bit on the cool side but was warm on the beach when in the sun. I have a lot to think about today being the day after Labor Day. With the kids in school and most vacationing done the store will see a bit of a slowdown. So that means time to cut hours and staff. The formula here is better too early than too late.

So its business stuff that fill my brain today. Both at the HP and during my ride later.

This is my favorite time of year and you will hear me say that a thousand times in the coming months. And for several reasons. The weather cools off and thats not so much for me as I do not mind some heat but it sure is comfortable. A\C is off at the store.

But really I wait for the trees to turn and then its game on. Do as much as I can with what summer there is left. Good thing the store does slow as I will be ditching it quite a bit. My riding actually increases when the store slows. I put in a few more hours at the store in the summer and do lose out on a few rides but now its my time to shine. There will be a time where I will go back to my real job for the winter, driving a truck now and then but its now that I act on goofing off for awhile. At least two months worth of foolishness.

The store will be busy enough for me to stay but still can be handled with one employee.

So Sept and Oct is go time for me and I plan on taking full advantage.

Another short tour in three weeks, a couple century's in two weeks, Crossvegas in one week.

And rides everyday this week. Some are road trips!

Putting in 10 hours a day at the store and saving my money during the summer is coming to fruition and I totally pumped for the next two months. Pending cross season is a plus.

Join me.

DLD

Pending Long Weekend.

2011-09-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

815am Actual HP. I was not alone. Dude on a sailboat drifted past.

Yesterdays ride took me a few miles south of my Happy Place. While my true HP is a specific stretch of beach, I do enjoy the scenery at any point. The winter rides will have us riding past this point on the frozen sand. Yeah..... that time is not so far away.

I did stop at the true HP of course. Saw a pair of otters there for the first time. I get pumped when I see a new thing at the HP. It makes my week.

My last post was a little personal and I dont do that much anymore. I found that one should not show one's true feelings on a public forum the hard way. And Im surprised that no one commented on any of my statements good or bad.

But last nite one of my past customers stopped in and thanked me for that post. Im not sure how she even got it. She just started riding after 12 years, has a comfort bike, and like me, is overweight.

She thanked me for the post.

And if she was the only one who read it, thats OK by me. Its stuff like that that makes my day. Getting a entire familey out on a bike is just about the best feeling I can get in the store.

Really, its why I do this for a living.

Moving on, tomorrow the group is planning a near century for the Saturday ride. And I will think about joining. But 1: they are starting at 7am and I would need to roll out of bed by six, and 2: I need to be back at store not much later than noon. So if by chance I do get out of bed, I might have to skip breakfast and roll back solo.

So thats not a for sure deal.

Sunday will have me rolling with the same peeps but at a very social pace. That will be a nice ride. I'll acually be able to talk on thqt ride.

And Monday Im sure I will ride a bike at some point so the long weekend looks good.

Looking forward to it.

DLD

Perspective

2011-08-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Rays of hope. 824am

Lets talk a little bit on how bad my perspective was pertaining to my time on the bike. And how it almost made me ditch bike riding altogether. Yeah.... that almost happened. Its tough to admit, even more so cuz I own a bike store but I'll post this just in case others are at the same crossroad.

Its no secret Im over weight. Have been my entire adult life. Its kinda weird, I never lose, nor gain any more or less weight. Im always right around 258. Yes, I know I can lose. But weight loss for me is not easy. In some way I dont understand, Im not normal in that regard. What works for most does not work for me. Anyway.... weight has always been a challenge for me.

But what is a bit hard for me is that I am a fat guy living in a skinny guys world. For the most part, I make it work. I do my best to live with it but still get the comments or strange looks behind my back. Even at the store. Who is this fat guy telling me how to ride a bike?

In the past I have lost weight, and felt the impact it had on my riding. It was wonderful. It was fun to ride fast. And climb fast. To pull the group for extended time. To nail down rides at 20+ average. But the fact is that I suffered greatly to lose that weight and do not have the lifestyle to support it. It really hurt. So it was short lived.

Now that Im back to what I call "normal" weight I feel better, and strangely, my fitness level feels better, more power for sure, just with extra weight. But my mental issue is that I ride with some pretty fast guys and gals. Cat 1,2 and 3 riders. And I know Im going to struggle. And I do. Badly. I get dropped like a sack of dirty diapers.

And that was all good in the past. Cuz I always had a "B" group to fall back on. But this year I have not rode with the "B" group. Its been all "A" group. So with the battering I took from these people all summer my self esteem on the bike plumetted. Keep in mind these riders could win a Cat 1 race at any givin time this summer. And worse was the routes that led us to the hills.

I was pounded in the ground and dropped ride after ride. Then I stopped trying.

Then..... I almost stopped riding. I was making future plans to ditch the bike, bike riding, even the store. Time to move on another chapter. I was miserable.

Then I came to my senses. Getting blasted on the group rides sure was disheartening but I had to remember who they were. Fast bike riders. Maybe the fastest within a 30 miles radius.

While in the back of my mind I knew that but it still didnt make me feel better to have to ride alone 40 minutes into a group ride. Then... enter Sundays race. Sunday I was put back in the fold of riders that in the past I gauged myself to. And was plesantly suprised that really I was not that bad on the bike. Self esteem was taken up a notch. And I feel much better now.

Now, when riding with the Cat one guys Im back to at least trying as hard as I can.

I hear others complaing about their bike fitness but please keep in mind you must compare apples to apples when you are struggling.

I cant belive how much better I feel on the bike compared to a month ago. And I gatta belive its more mental than physical. Zone 5 hurts just a little bit less now.

I think Im going to be OK.

DLD