It's Monday

I will be open regular hours this week. I'm sure there will be a rush of holiday shoppers eager to take advantage of the great deals at Recycled & New Bicycles. Seriously, I will sell all new bikes at any price, as long as I can cover my costs. Come and see me. Or, call me.

Results and points have been posted from this past weekend's cross races. I placed a solid 5th in Saturday's race. That puts me in 6th overall in the single speed class. Racer Gibson is in 5th overall. It is mathematically possible that I could catch him, but highly, highly improbable. He has been faster than me the entire series until last Saturday. I also have to mark Ryan Ashbridge. He could easily move in front of me in the points standings (he has done 4 races, I have done 5). I have never beaten him, although I was only seconds behind him on Saturday. Next Saturday, I am going to ride fast. Nice mantra, no?

A Long Day

I was out the door this morning before 7:30. I drove to SLC for race #8 in the Utah Cyclocross Series. All day yesterday I continued to tell myself "I am going to ride fast, I am going to ride fast, I am going to ride fast." It's all mental. I did some research about the course and found out that it was "fast." I went to the shop last night at 10 pm at put on a bigger gear, 46/20. That's a big gear for me. I got there early and did the Men's C race as a warm up. In the single speed race, I worked hard to turn over my big gear coming out of each turn. It was probably my best race this year. I have no idea where I finished, but I know I could not have gone much faster. I was not really racing the top 5 guys, because I know I can't keep up with them. I was racing me, the guy who had to be forced to sprint out of each corner. My lungs burned. It hurt to go that fast. When I got off the bike, I felt no pain at all. Next week, "I am going to ride fast." It's all mental.

I opened up the shop today at 2 pm. I had only one customer all day. So, I put all the bikes back in the shop and came home before 5. Like the note on the door says, "if you need anything, call me, I'll be right in."

And Then It Snowed

All morning I kept looking to the northwest for a line of dark clouds. All I saw was Easter-egg blue. At lunch I looked out the window, and there it was, snow flurries. It came from the east, wrap around effect, from the low pressure center that went northeast of us. The Bear River Range mountains were covered in gray clouds and white snow. Still, the northwest sky was clear and blue. Neat-o.

I may have sold a Mono Cog and a Conquest today. Really neat-o. Other than two maybes, the bike business is really slow.

I finally have my bike set up as a single speed using the magic numbers 44/20. Half link, vertical dropouts, perfect chain tension, and no derailleur. It took a new wheel without a 10 speed free hub body, but now it's right. I will be racing in SLC on Saturday morning. Magic numbers will work on any bike. You can learn more by looking at this Magic Numbers site. Feel free to ask, if the fix me up site does not make sense.

Today's Haiku

The forecast said snow.
Migrating raptors float south
In a clear blue sky.

My Weekend

Like most weekends, mine went by really fast. I closed the shop and we spent most of Saturday looking for a place to live. House hunting falls into a familiar pattern. I see a lot of houses I do not want, and probably don't really know what I do want. The pattern repeats as we always ask ourselves "how long are we going to be here, and what is the probability of Patty getting a permanent position?" So, Saturday did not include a bike race in ID.

Yesterday I did get out for a good ride with Paul. We spun through Providence, Millville, and Hyrum, and then pedaled hard up Meridian Road and to the top of McMurdie Hollow. We turned around and coasted-wash boarded down to Paradise. We had a tail wind all the way home. After the ride, Patty and Amy got in a little spin before dark.

I will be back at the shop on Tuesday. Even if no one comes buy. I am willing to sell everything in the shop for some great deals. The end of the year is coming fast. I will probably close up for winter on December 15. That will be the last day. Then, the long drive to Florida for Christmas and most of January.

Cyckel

The Cyckels have been ordered. Who knows when they will get here. Until then, check out the picture and specs. Nice bicycle. Want one? OK, the above link does not work. Try this one and then click cycles, then click urban, then click cyckel. I wish they would just let me copy the picture.

Motivation

It is hard to find motivation the older I get. I want to get out and ride and get stronger, but I seldom do. Yesterday it was raining. And cold. Today, well...by the time I had the time and finally talked myself into getting on the bike it was 9:30. That late in the day, all alone in the cold, it is hard to make yourself ride with any real intensity. I did an hour around and around the graveyard and the Spectrum and the HPER field. My own little cyclocross course, complete with low headstones for barriers. The dead are not easily impressed. I'm home now, and it's hard to go right to bed. So, here I am writing this for you. And me, mostly.

The motivation
To go ride is hard to find
Gray hairs are easy

Racing is the only way to ride really hard. There is an opportunity to race in Pocatello on Saturday. I may go. If I do, the shop will be closed for the day. I am looking for car pool opportunities if anyone is interested.

There's a free entry
For car pools of four racers
Four in my car? Tight!

Haiku after midnight is just as hard as trying to get in a good ride. Sorry for the lame poetry. G'night.

Positive Experiences

I've had more positive experiences in the past four or five hours than most people have had all day. Early tonight I talked briefly to Matt Chester on the phone. Matt says I am still sponsored for life, so I hope to be riding another one of his works of art real soon. Monster Cross Fixed Gear Specific! Yee-haa! I have said many times before, "it's not about the bike, it's about the bike you are use to riding." That said, my Ute was the best riding bike I ever had. Describe it you ask. I can't. I just felt like the rear end floated and it climbed like crazy. Matt knows.

I had to cut my phone conversation with Matt short and go to the Second Annual Fondue Party at Uncle Alan's house. Fun. The best part is seeing the circle of friends. That's what I call it here in Logan. When you are in the minority, the circle is small and the circle is tight. Margee's amaretto white chocolate is still the best. Logan, Utah can grow on a person. Like mold.

At 10:30 I rode down to town and participated in an Alley Cat race, organized by the Moose Knuckler Alliance. Don't ask me, just go to the website. Then come back to mine. The race was short and sweet. "Go to Old Main Hill (USU campus) and to Lee's Market, and then head back." Once I figured out where Lee's was (I've never shopped there) I was in good shape. It was a whole lot of fun with a lot of great people. I did not win the race, however.

Yes, positive experiences. I am going for a long cyclocross bike ride in the morning. In a few hours. G'night.

No Cross in the Morning

I have re-injured my hand. So, no cross tomorrow. I will be in the shop at 11ish.

What is Cyclocross?

It is about 45 minuets of pain, when every fiber in your body is screaming for you to stop. STOP! But you don't. You keep going with your heart beating just about as fast as it can go. Then, when you are just about to throw up, you jump off your bike running, pick it up, jump over two low hurdles, jump back on your bike, and ride, all at full speed, all in one swell foop.

Why do I like cyclocross? Who knows? I am obviously not very good at it. I am better at longer races that require endurance and bicycle handling skills. It has been a long time since I have done serious bicycle racing, and I have missed it. These races seem like a good place to start again.

Home Again

Is Utah home? No, not really, but it is familiar, and that is good after being away for so long. Vermont was nice, but there is a reason that half the people living in Bozeman, Montana once lived in Vermont. As great as it is, it is not the mountain west. They don't even really have mountains in Vermont. There just big hills. I do want to go back again. Next time, I will take my bicycle.

As soon as we got back to Utah late last Thursday night, we started gearing up to hit the road again. We stayed in the Heber Valley Friday and yesterday. Heber is another beautiful place, quickly being reduced to starter castles as far as the eye can see. Yes, I said reduced. I did the cross race there and got dusted pretty good. I dropped back fast and stayed there, ending up 10th out of 14 finishers. Seventeen started. I have the usual excuses: no training, jet lag, sleep deprivation, dry sockets, and a broken hand. Throb, throb, throb. I will do better next week. Probably. Maybe.

The shop will be open on Tuesday. Come on buy.