This is totally sweet

This unknown frame manufacturer very kindly supplied a weld-on kickstand mount on the bottom of my bottom bracket on my cyclocross bike. I am totally going to put a kickstand on it.

This is totally sweet

This unknown frame manufacturer very kindly supplied a weld-on kickstand mount on the bottom of my bottom bracket on my cyclocross bike. I am totally going to put a kickstand on it.

Whew

September is just flying by. Fortunately, I seem to have avoided the illnesses that seem to be going around these days.

My work on the NEH grant is coming along, albeit with 55 hours work weeks. I love the work--I'm getting a little bit tired of not seeing my family very much, though. I hope to take a much shorter week next week, however.

Cyclocross training is coming along--I still desperately need to lose some weight, though.

That's it for now.

Whew

September is just flying by. Fortunately, I seem to have avoided the illnesses that seem to be going around these days.

My work on the NEH grant is coming along, albeit with 55 hours work weeks. I love the work--I'm getting a little bit tired of not seeing my family very much, though. I hope to take a much shorter week next week, however.

Cyclocross training is coming along--I still desperately need to lose some weight, though.

That's it for now.

Ye Old Bicycle Guide

Back in the late 1980s early 1990s there existed a magazine called "Bicycle Guide." I read it for one reason only, really, these guys loved American underground music (Sonic Youth, Bongwater, Bob Mould, Live Skull, The Replacements, the list goes on and on.) Almost every other month I remember them writing a column about it. In fact--they even interviewed Andy Hampsten about his deep appreciation for similar bands. I think Tim Blumenthal was one of the editors. He is now the head of IMBA. He was a roadie back then. (What happened?).

I don't know-- it always struck me that there was a link. Skater kids --saw Alexi Grewal win the Olympics, or Lemond win the Tour. It looked cool, and they picked up a bike and were somehow good at it. They were all over the place when I was a junior in the 1980s. I remember writing Todd Herriot an email after reading something good in his blog--I think it had something to do with him seeing Black Flag for the first time at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha, or perhaps the Sisters of Mercy in New York City. His main emphasis was--I've been around since the 80s and there definitely is (or was) a link between buying your first racing bike about the same time as buying Zen Arcade on vinyl. We also had a discussion about the legend of Hajo, but that is a different story entirely.

For some reason in the latter part of my cycling career, the soundtrack from the late 1990s and early 2000s is Stereolab, Tortoise, the Clientele, more "poppy" bands than the punk rock that I teethed on in the 1980s and early 1990s. A band from Birmingham is my favorite now: Broadcast.

Perhaps I don't have the anger I once had, which used to fuel those late in the race attacks at crits. Wait, I never made late in the race attacks in crits except when I was a Cat 4. Another story, for another time, perhaps. I'm hunkering in the back of the pack these days. The rage is gone--this is a good thing in my personal life, maybe not such a great thing for racing. Still love the music, though.

Ye Old Bicycle Guide

Back in the late 1980s early 1990s there existed a magazine called "Bicycle Guide." I read it for one reason only, really, these guys loved American underground music (Sonic Youth, Bongwater, Bob Mould, Live Skull, The Replacements, the list goes on and on.) Almost every other month I remember them writing a column about it. In fact--they even interviewed Andy Hampsten about his deep appreciation for similar bands. I think Tim Blumenthal was one of the editors. He is now the head of IMBA. He was a roadie back then. (What happened?).

I don't know-- it always struck me that there was a link. Skater kids --saw Alexi Grewal win the Olympics, or Lemond win the Tour. It looked cool, and they picked up a bike and were somehow good at it. They were all over the place when I was a junior in the 1980s. I remember writing Todd Herriot an email after reading something good in his blog--I think it had something to do with him seeing Black Flag for the first time at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha, or perhaps the Sisters of Mercy in New York City. His main emphasis was--I've been around since the 80s and there definitely is (or was) a link between buying your first racing bike about the same time as buying Zen Arcade on vinyl. We also had a discussion about the legend of Hajo, but that is a different story entirely.

For some reason in the latter part of my cycling career, the soundtrack from the late 1990s and early 2000s is Stereolab, Tortoise, the Clientele, more "poppy" bands than the punk rock that I teethed on in the 1980s and early 1990s. A band from Birmingham is my favorite now: Broadcast.

Perhaps I don't have the anger I once had, which used to fuel those late in the race attacks at crits. Wait, I never made late in the race attacks in crits except when I was a Cat 4. Another story, for another time, perhaps. I'm hunkering in the back of the pack these days. The rage is gone--this is a good thing in my personal life, maybe not such a great thing for racing. Still love the music, though.

cyclocross

Man I love cross. Check out this video sda posted on his blog. It really shows the essence of the sport--fun times on a bike. You might want to turn down the music, though.

http://www.outdoorsinc.com/News-and-Events/Events/cyclocross/2002-Cyclocross-Video.cfm

cyclocross

Man I love cross. Check out this video sda posted on his blog. It really shows the essence of the sport--fun times on a bike. You might want to turn down the music, though.

http://www.outdoorsinc.com/News-and-Events/Events/cyclocross/2002-Cyclocross-Video.cfm

First Grindstone cx practice

Nothing more fun than practice out at Grindstone last night. It seems the dogs had cleared out, and it was less bumpy than I remember. I think I did 3 or 4 dismounts, clumsily, the rest Josh and Nate and I just pedaled around the loop, with a few hard efforts thrown in for good measure. I was on my mtn bike, not sure if that made it harder--I think it did on the inclines, though. There was also some comedy as we saw this guy beating his tiny little schnauser dog, I mean he was just wailing on the poor thing. It was both grim and completely comical. Time to call animal control on that one.

Hope to get my cross bike built up by the weekend. Josh has probably the sweetest cx setup I have ever seen--Ridley Crossbow that is way lighter than my road bike. Its going to be a fun season this year.

First Grindstone cx practice

Nothing more fun than practice out at Grindstone last night. It seems the dogs had cleared out, and it was less bumpy than I remember. I think I did 3 or 4 dismounts, clumsily, the rest Josh and Nate and I just pedaled around the loop, with a few hard efforts thrown in for good measure. I was on my mtn bike, not sure if that made it harder--I think it did on the inclines, though. There was also some comedy as we saw this guy beating his tiny little schnauser dog, I mean he was just wailing on the poor thing. It was both grim and completely comical. Time to call animal control on that one.

Hope to get my cross bike built up by the weekend. Josh has probably the sweetest cx setup I have ever seen--Ridley Crossbow that is way lighter than my road bike. Its going to be a fun season this year.

Frankenbike

First off, Lucy is almost walking--pushing her Care Bear cart around, saying "Cat" and "Ball" with a cuteness factor well off the charts. Its hard to head out on a ride when she's doing this, I could watch her for hours.

I reveal my new cx bike, nearly built, to the world. Its pretty funky. The frame is from some relatively unknown manufacturer from New York City that might, or might not, sell a direct supply of strange-looking-down-tube frames-with odd-sized-seat-tubes coming in on a boat in the middle of the night bicycles. But what the hell? Its light, its aluminum, and its cyclocross season and the wheels and components are strong. It was also free. Notice the Ren and Stimpy sticker on the fork. I'm still trying to find a seat post that will work for what looks to be a 29.6477844 size seat tube. Hard to say if I'll find a clamp that size. Aside from that, the f-er is built. Oh, and I need a new seat and stem.

Sda mentioned using the giant washer technique to put in the headset and it worked like a charm! Its funny how being your own bike mechanic is highly rewarding when you don't mess things up, like my brother did trying to put a headset in using a hammer and screwdriver and a piece of two by four. Don't try that at home.

Finally, butthead is having his Grindstone pain-fest Wed-- I will be there!

Frankenbike

First off, Lucy is almost walking--pushing her Care Bear cart around, saying "Cat" and "Ball" with a cuteness factor well off the charts. Its hard to head out on a ride when she's doing this, I could watch her for hours.

I reveal my new cx bike, nearly built, to the world. Its pretty funky. The frame is from some relatively unknown manufacturer from New York City that might, or might not, sell a direct supply of strange-looking-down-tube frames-with odd-sized-seat-tubes coming in on a boat in the middle of the night bicycles. But what the hell? Its light, its aluminum, and its cyclocross season and the wheels and components are strong. It was also free. Notice the Ren and Stimpy sticker on the fork. I'm still trying to find a seat post that will work for what looks to be a 29.6477844 size seat tube. Hard to say if I'll find a clamp that size. Aside from that, the f-er is built. Oh, and I need a new seat and stem.

Sda mentioned using the giant washer technique to put in the headset and it worked like a charm! Its funny how being your own bike mechanic is highly rewarding when you don't mess things up, like my brother did trying to put a headset in using a hammer and screwdriver and a piece of two by four. Don't try that at home.

Finally, butthead is having his Grindstone pain-fest Wed-- I will be there!

Non-cycling content

I apologize for the non-cycling post of yesterday. The only thing remotely interesting I have to add regarding cycling is the fact that my cyclocross bike is currently half built up. I need to install the fork, which will be sort of a pain in the ass.

I also see someone outside the window who looks like Metzdorf, but actually isn't him.

Non-cycling content

I apologize for the non-cycling post of yesterday. The only thing remotely interesting I have to add regarding cycling is the fact that my cyclocross bike is currently half built up. I need to install the fork, which will be sort of a pain in the ass.

I also see someone outside the window who looks like Metzdorf, but actually isn't him.