tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40099658833724971342023-11-15T22:10:24.488-08:00Second Hand Spokes......are Hazardous to your HealthWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-38915051131296188742013-02-21T04:18:00.000-08:002013-02-21T07:37:05.999-08:00Getting OrganizedI've been busy trying to get organized lately. Baby #3 will be here any day now, and even though we've been down this road twice already, things need to be rearranged, bought, painted, etc. Where's that crib? Oh yea, we converted it into a bed for my daughter. Convert that back into a crib, buy a new bed for daughter, paint the new head board because it doesn't match her pink and white room, then buy new dressers for new baby....and so on and so forth. Then the guest room needed to be overhauled for any guests staying with us to help with the baby. That room was long overdue for a color change........not sure why anyone thought fire engine red trim was a good idea. And I don't mean just a chair rail, but crown molding, baseboards, window trim, and bathroom trim, all red. Ugly. That's just preparations for the baby, and that certainly isn't the end of baby preparations either. Their will be more to do when he/she arrives....LOTS more.<br />
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Then I wanted a better spot to work on small projects in the warm house instead of the freezing garage. Plus, most of my tools were still in various boxes from when we moved in........3 years ago. Yeah, some boxes never got unpacked. <br />
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So I built a workbench for proper carpentry and small projects.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*This is not the finished product. The bracing for legs wasn't install here.</td></tr>
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That felt good to get finished. The whole room is now organizd and I have a lot of room to work on bigger projects. Maybe one day I'll paint that basement wall. <br />
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The next step is to convert my bike space, in the garage, to a more appropriate metal working area. I've got some plans for some bike builds and repairs and need a good area to work in. It started with removing all the small parts cluttering my workbench and emptying out the bike parts tool box. Amazing how so much stuff packed down neatly into this little organizer. For some reason I had about a million rotor bolts. The rest of the larger stuff got divvied up amongst other tool boxes. Air tools in one box, bike parts in another, metal working in another, wood working in another, and then generic/general/auto stuff in the larger craftsman drawers. <br />
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Oh and in the process of doing everything else, I got an emergency car repair thrown into the mix. Cracked heater core on my Jeep. Removing transmissions is more fun than this. It wasn't hard, just tedious. Lots of small parts and connections, but after a very long day it was finished. Never again......I hope. <br />
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Now, I just wait. Waiting for the baby. Waiting to start on my next project. Waiting to take my torch and put some bike tubes together. This is the end goal. Received a shipment of hoses to go with this torch the other day. Just need a few more adapters and I'll have fire. I'm excited!</div>
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-Wilco</div>
Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-35184996695030968452013-01-28T03:59:00.000-08:002013-01-28T03:59:38.849-08:00Don't Fear the Cold (Pogie Content)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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What a great week of riding! Temps never got above freezing and everything was solid. Sunny skys, a light breeze, and a dusting of snow. I got out to ride everyday, opting for an extended commute most of those days to take advantage of the nice weather, or meeting up for an Early Bird mountain bike ride. I already had pogies on the CX bike and the cold never bothered me once when on that bike. That's going down to 15 degrees and having warms hands. It's kind of hard to argue with that kind of effectiveness. My mountain bike was lacking pogies though, and the gloves, or combonation of gloves, just wasn't cutting it. Either the glove became too bulky and I couldn't get a secure feel for the bar and brake, or the gloves were too light and the fingers would freeze. I hate cold fingers. It was time to whip something up. </div>
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First sketch to get an idea of where to start.</div>
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Now that I had a size and design I wanted to try I drew up two patterns to play with. They are symmetrical, so I really only needed one, but I wanted to see how big they would be side by side.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fleece lining cut for warmth</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duck Cloth for the shell</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rough version to get a feel for fit and ideas</td></tr>
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I made two initially and each one had a slightly different size to give me an idea on what might be too small or too large. I also tried different buckles for attachment along with different placement of the interior velcro to attach to the bars. One also got more insulation than the other. I used them on a morning commute of 20 degrees with no gloves, about 30 minutes, and both hands were fine. They were "cool" but not cold, and the one with extra insulation was noticably warmer. <br />
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On the ride home the weather was much warmer, 35 degrees, and I took a loop through the woods to see how they felt maneuvering rock gardens and slow speeds. With the warmer temps, and slower speeds, they tended to warm up really quick. You would definitely not want to wear any gloves at all. When it was 20 degrees you could have gotten away with a light pair of gloves, but at 35 degrees a light pair of gloves would have been overkill in the pogies. <br />
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Overall, I'm very happy them. I've now got a few pairs sitting on the table waiting to be stitched together. The materials should last a LONG time and are pretty tough. Maybe in the future I'll order something a little fancier like Corudura just to try it out.<br />
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I wish I had done this sooner.<br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-43531431094917363342013-01-23T15:49:00.000-08:002013-01-23T15:49:24.516-08:00A Monster is Born<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's a marriage meant to happen. My 26" mountain bike wheels with 2.1 tires, true XC mountain bike tires, slid right in without a hiccup. The green machine has transformed into a monster......a Frankenstein.......a Hulk. Why are monsters always green? Kermit? Not sure, but I know this is a blast to ride. Singletrack, commuting, road ride.....time trial practice? </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcC72_FV4MELoETSnoAYfhXCy7dsGugT7MDB0aUEGvNCTL4cQm_rpUKTcORB8z-9Xs_rmKJx-Uk_PzcxWPqHDg-M4oMujJVACuJzZ9_IW6Bjr_YVcDrJZiwmkfOeD4tbQau2tdZldhpyO/s1600/IMAG0469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcC72_FV4MELoETSnoAYfhXCy7dsGugT7MDB0aUEGvNCTL4cQm_rpUKTcORB8z-9Xs_rmKJx-Uk_PzcxWPqHDg-M4oMujJVACuJzZ9_IW6Bjr_YVcDrJZiwmkfOeD4tbQau2tdZldhpyO/s640/IMAG0469.jpg" width="382" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's actually more clearance than what appears in this photo. A 29'er actually fit. </td></tr>
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Off to enjoy some monster CX. <br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-79075042568137314912013-01-21T15:36:00.002-08:002013-01-21T15:36:51.820-08:00Deep Freeze and GearThis is the weather for the next couple of days:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHTJzHQ-w5v8JQ5bcuBQJUtDVr-pMSJVX-3yYZez6BI8fNvIrSgjSixkuq9E-bHSO0taVbs49ErBA7RMrwUBFB29JeP9oDWwMyVUEd_JvOrv-cJWWn0FXnfZzOyY9vumLd-OvQZIsSSJj/s1600/Weather.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHTJzHQ-w5v8JQ5bcuBQJUtDVr-pMSJVX-3yYZez6BI8fNvIrSgjSixkuq9E-bHSO0taVbs49ErBA7RMrwUBFB29JeP9oDWwMyVUEd_JvOrv-cJWWn0FXnfZzOyY9vumLd-OvQZIsSSJj/s640/Weather.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Definitely going to be some chilly rides to the gym and work, but manageable with the right gear. When it gets this cold I put the pogies on the CX bike, and I'm pretty comfy into the teens. The toes are kept warm with some nice Lake MXZ302's (soon to be Lake MXZ303's) and wool socks, and then my face/nose is kept warm with either a full face balaclava or something I can slip up over my face. Any old winter cycling hat is usually enough to keep the head and ears warm. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ho473jqnmWcJzoadcbQFT4vf9kD-iIqbF0OZ85K_l4hzMJM-oY-v-AhgJaiGBlWcjw1B_xJhbxVwEpdUHwDh7xmyx8qqrLrPvHSUXuMXf22Ud-ZFkGECoZp_UvXGk2I4y_y-IzFvQtMZ/s1600/IMG_2413%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ho473jqnmWcJzoadcbQFT4vf9kD-iIqbF0OZ85K_l4hzMJM-oY-v-AhgJaiGBlWcjw1B_xJhbxVwEpdUHwDh7xmyx8qqrLrPvHSUXuMXf22Ud-ZFkGECoZp_UvXGk2I4y_y-IzFvQtMZ/s320/IMG_2413%255B1%255D" width="320" /></a></div>
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This was my set-up from last winter when I rode for 8.5 hours in temps that never got about 30 degrees. Handling an hour or two is a breeze. </div>
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This winter I've got another CX bike in the mix so I need to make another set or two of pogies, and I want to try a new design. My initial design was too small and flimsy, but it kept my hands warm. My second version was more sophisticated and much easier to use. My third version was just a small revision to my second set, and this is the set I've spent the most time using. I see some room for improvement though and with the impending deep freeze, now seems like a good time to sew some new winter gear. </div>
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Also getting added to the queue of sewing projects is a pair for my mountain bike. Cold fingers on the trails is no bueno. </div>
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I haven't run in a couple weeks. Some foot injuries have sidelined me but I picked up the slack with M&M's and ice cream. I should be in tip top shape this spring for racing. </div>
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Ok, less typing and more sewing. </div>
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-Wilco</div>
Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-81477599966426186992013-01-03T03:39:00.001-08:002013-01-03T03:39:26.379-08:00Flat Tire.......on the trainer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKCAgEnlzA9CDphy1NtTKekQgCsRnEXy7HpobYZTMRppAT-WGQgDzhfg6y9-RT9zCyEIVCfYQPTdykT3wXA2__ZSlzhJoNkE5q9fDVRu-OstC3b4Wh3zh9peKxihuU5pzN_s1Also1DDx/s1600/IMAG0448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKCAgEnlzA9CDphy1NtTKekQgCsRnEXy7HpobYZTMRppAT-WGQgDzhfg6y9-RT9zCyEIVCfYQPTdykT3wXA2__ZSlzhJoNkE5q9fDVRu-OstC3b4Wh3zh9peKxihuU5pzN_s1Also1DDx/s320/IMAG0448.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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What an annoying way to start a work-out that's suppose to be simple and quick. The whole point of the bike on the trainer is so you can just hop on and spin, or do a work out, while watching a movie, reading a book, or drinking some coffee. Changing a flat on the trainer just irks me. <br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-39999835518538492862013-01-02T04:05:00.000-08:002013-01-02T04:05:49.167-08:00New Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Got out with the family for a little Happy Noon Year festivities at the Brandywine Zoo. It was a small crowd, but always fun to look at the animals and let the kids make crafts. The Andean Condors were putting on a good show chasing each other around their "cage." I just think the male was trying to get his New Years smoochie when the ball dropped. Can't blame him. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hottie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HBi-J_sAFIXhJocRtX82bdTIIyVgcJO7QN8Umj7fAM509EzRBc9FFkR8maCTJPR93iiTrWOebRGzafMc1QtQ0mIOESiDfnwWbwihQnjDOQ0C02dUjb-jgblIKCHZbH_3JcwRfLokFkEA/s1600/IMG_3496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HBi-J_sAFIXhJocRtX82bdTIIyVgcJO7QN8Umj7fAM509EzRBc9FFkR8maCTJPR93iiTrWOebRGzafMc1QtQ0mIOESiDfnwWbwihQnjDOQ0C02dUjb-jgblIKCHZbH_3JcwRfLokFkEA/s320/IMG_3496.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baller</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50YlLgeYXovSmacsSx6iCpf23XVfnowb-Rh59ZQHfvqvtCOwxrBPLYvoSHuSqUWdU9Z-HbQvCmWA0nmZz7p2HdvAN-tneUTi8ghm0nueR9gQ-ZIt_hRdNu0DFotdo7P7cA5x6VjV9GW-t/s1600/IMG_3499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50YlLgeYXovSmacsSx6iCpf23XVfnowb-Rh59ZQHfvqvtCOwxrBPLYvoSHuSqUWdU9Z-HbQvCmWA0nmZz7p2HdvAN-tneUTi8ghm0nueR9gQ-ZIt_hRdNu0DFotdo7P7cA5x6VjV9GW-t/s320/IMG_3499.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My smoochies</td></tr>
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I was able to sneak out for an afternoon MTB ride since I was trying to avoid the roads and any potential hooligans who might have started their celebrating early. Sadly, the trails were a muddy mess and I cut my ride short. Ended up coming home and sitting on the torture device......trainer.....for a little bit. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELCU-acH1jFnuOOe4hwiEbjZ-A7ec6xNhYNZBA8-QPhxYvIAaq7tz1f8Q2eBQj1rPU5j7Bf81_NV9ADdgiKW2c8b3z53ItXumHOf7m9LftgSiwfSzkFV2OlGAor_nnVSPPmXDI3OptFXp/s1600/IMAG0442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELCU-acH1jFnuOOe4hwiEbjZ-A7ec6xNhYNZBA8-QPhxYvIAaq7tz1f8Q2eBQj1rPU5j7Bf81_NV9ADdgiKW2c8b3z53ItXumHOf7m9LftgSiwfSzkFV2OlGAor_nnVSPPmXDI3OptFXp/s320/IMAG0442.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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On New Years Day I thought I would start the year out right and got out for a quick ride on the CX bike. I had been riding my gear'd CX bike around lately with heavy touring tires and it felt good to get back on something light and fast. Any time I'm on this bike......Life is Good. I hope to have many more good times on this bike this year. <br />
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Happy New Years!<br />
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-Wilco<br />
Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-54224024714514627452012-12-30T11:13:00.002-08:002012-12-30T11:13:29.570-08:00Cookies Vs MilesI took a break over the last two weeks, and concentrated very hard on replacing my miles on the bike with cookies. I'm pretty sure I was successful as I consumed an obscene amount of cookies, along with everything else that comes paired with them. Christmas is definitely a bad time for someone who is trying to be cautious of everything they eat. <br />
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Now it's time to get a little more focused and train/ride with a little more purpose. I got out for my first road ride in a long time with a buddy, Curtis, who, despite taking it easy on me, crushed me on every climb. It's amazing what a difference there is between mountain biking and road biking. I'm just horrible on the road. One of these years I might decide to devote a whole season to road racing and invest in a more proper road race bike. <br />
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For now, I'll be getting back to what I know best*.............<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4UgxMx63p1ENwxTGAP3O3vP_UQzQaipt1GMDg-Rglpvg2N3QJyrk9gMsfyKPj4cM3smze2OoiNFfPAXF3-2qEja6bcsKkfShH28TilGOeRKNuAZZkZ8YdCAdN_zMjgeQVtERrBL0clvy/s1600/IMG_3491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4UgxMx63p1ENwxTGAP3O3vP_UQzQaipt1GMDg-Rglpvg2N3QJyrk9gMsfyKPj4cM3smze2OoiNFfPAXF3-2qEja6bcsKkfShH28TilGOeRKNuAZZkZ8YdCAdN_zMjgeQVtERrBL0clvy/s320/IMG_3491.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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*Homemade Chocolate Chip cookies still reign supreme. <br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-62722233854522502792012-12-12T04:00:00.000-08:002012-12-12T04:00:31.278-08:00Limestone CX<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5kKJRmcjDmRovnpH3NDhPJqsGFMynY6mVQzaQLMZHwZiynOJCuUvdj0OuKlfx1hAyuk7sFB6qqJe5EoD1mEMaCWp1u9tk61hjchBZ9x6XbvVLoOHeoOPov4QwQAaV6U0kqELnzMcckp2/s1600/14586.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5kKJRmcjDmRovnpH3NDhPJqsGFMynY6mVQzaQLMZHwZiynOJCuUvdj0OuKlfx1hAyuk7sFB6qqJe5EoD1mEMaCWp1u9tk61hjchBZ9x6XbvVLoOHeoOPov4QwQAaV6U0kqELnzMcckp2/s1600/14586.png" /></a></div>
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I skipped most of the season and jumped right into Limestone CX for the final event. I missed a season of warm and dry weather with fast flowy courses, only to race the muddiest event yet this year. Total mud fest from beginning to end. It was actually a lot of fun, and even though the constant power required to paddle your way through the peanut butter doesn't suit me well, the skill required to stay upright does. However, this race became more of a "what works" and "what doesn't work" for me.<br />
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I actually got two races in......."B" Men or Cat 2/3/4 and a Singlespeed only race. <br />
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First Race:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNgdmJOmLSUFZOf1mOYjQa_PiAyNjF9Bubl48cqln-Uq82Kwukt1vuhb_uyusHIlrcXyBmpauxQn0O4K01uFGZzEsKzflGX_oMnAdYK0Bel2nZKieIwQvh2EgNmUbxKAjR709Jww2k2Fu/s1600/147797421_eatZNmxA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNgdmJOmLSUFZOf1mOYjQa_PiAyNjF9Bubl48cqln-Uq82Kwukt1vuhb_uyusHIlrcXyBmpauxQn0O4K01uFGZzEsKzflGX_oMnAdYK0Bel2nZKieIwQvh2EgNmUbxKAjR709Jww2k2Fu/s320/147797421_eatZNmxA.jpg" width="213" /></a>Started in the very last row of the "B" men. I have no series points so getting staged in the back was no surprise. It would mean I would have an insanely tough time making up ground on this course. From the start I was playing catch up and pretty much getting no where fast. After about 2 laps my shifting was getting horrible and the bike was ghost shifting and missing gears. I hopped into the pits and grabbed the singlespeed and continued racing. The gearing felt good and it felt good to just be on the singlespeed, but there was one massive problem with the bike......file treads. Absolutely no grip!! I finished up the race, 5 laps, most of which were running up/down muddy hills, around muddy turns, and finding that super fine line of grip/no grip. Good learning experience overall.<br />
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Second Race:<br />
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The singlespeed race is a mix of serious and not-so-serious racers. Interesting mix for sure. Guys lining up to race in suits, bathrobes, costumes, and some just ready to lay down some fast laps. This was a short race, 3 laps, but it would be another fun 3 laps of file treads for me. The race was a great time and the hand-ups before the one run-up was a mix of interesting stuff. In the spirit of the race I grabbed the first cup handed to me only to find out it was syrup!?! I turned around and grabbed another and chased that down with a beer......much better! Overall a fun race and I definitely plan on racing the singlespeed more often next year. <br />
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Post race involved hosing down all my gear and cleaning the bikes in the driveway at night in the rain. I'm sure the neighbors are use to seeing me do weird things, but this may have been an odd sight. Some quick bike fixes revealed the the front spider that holds the chain rings on my gear'd bike came loose and was wobbly. This explains the horrible shifting. Also discovered my bearings in my race wheels are toast. Time for some better bearings and definitely ordering some mud tires for next year. <br />
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Next up is Christmas CX.<br />
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-Wilco<br />
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(Thanks <a href="http://dennisbike.com/">DenS</a> for the photo)<br />
Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-22407721909728418832012-12-06T15:28:00.000-08:002012-12-06T15:28:06.857-08:00Finally.....CX<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x7RcTkA4WBxaQItnGvIznV8DIXojNkesdmBsx5cg5XQjyNDcetKVwEVdGYwLipWbeAyisueowiWQIIiQH5_o7iO5ottY6RmfWOzPGvHLEDvM4k4K5mtWOUCkSWmod2xcRkgHqPSVchCG/s1600/IMAG0374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x7RcTkA4WBxaQItnGvIznV8DIXojNkesdmBsx5cg5XQjyNDcetKVwEVdGYwLipWbeAyisueowiWQIIiQH5_o7iO5ottY6RmfWOzPGvHLEDvM4k4K5mtWOUCkSWmod2xcRkgHqPSVchCG/s320/IMAG0374.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
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Just signed up for my first proper CX race of the year. It's been a scheduling conflict all season with races, but I can FINALLY get my CX fix. Just going to get it all out in one day. Racing "B" men and then Singlespeed. I'm excited!<br />
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Limestone CX at the Kiln - MAC race #8.........IN. <br />
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-Wilco<br />
Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-3240483209389606322012-12-04T06:37:00.002-08:002012-12-04T06:37:55.454-08:00New Routes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Finally got back out to explore some more of those powerlines. Lots of potential! Plenty of little off-shoots and smaller loops to link together to keep it interesting. I tried to follow the main double track to cover as much ground as possible since I was a little time crunched. At one point I was on top of an old railroad bridge/tunnel that just came out of no where. I had been through the tunnel before but had no idea there was anything on top. For some better scenery, when I have more time, I'll link this up with the Brandywine Battlefield. This little snippet is about 11.5 miles and mostly dirt with a section or two of road thrown in. I cut through Woodlawn to keep the "dirt" theme going before heading home. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5tHe3ZMyDSDSLbhpcvJD42WHATP2oj1C562H5XVrcS731uJgFn1_Tj7S7pIpOOozzk7n4wvlsuJjVCA3cSeBgj0zgpqGKgIB6jA33E-y0kvPZLwCCD9t7M3A1YSsiTbRP_nyqITIpIPG/s1600/IMAG0384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5tHe3ZMyDSDSLbhpcvJD42WHATP2oj1C562H5XVrcS731uJgFn1_Tj7S7pIpOOozzk7n4wvlsuJjVCA3cSeBgj0zgpqGKgIB6jA33E-y0kvPZLwCCD9t7M3A1YSsiTbRP_nyqITIpIPG/s320/IMAG0384.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random Train Tracks on top of tunnel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a pretty big drop down to the road/tunnel!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gas lines make for steep downhills</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading back up the Gas Line cut out<br />
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I won't lie, I didn't clear this climb on the CX bike. Traction, steepness, and a downed tree forcing me into the woods made it pretty darn difficult. I'll provide a free sixpack of Dogfish to the first person to clear it on a CX bike. Good luck!<br />
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Running: I got out for about 45-50 minutes the other day with some friends. Felt good. It was flat and casual. I also rode for an hour first to loosen up the legs. Just the normal growing pains afterwards.<br />
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-Wilco Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-16282828366137821602012-11-29T04:09:00.002-08:002012-11-29T05:30:17.069-08:00Old Knees<br />
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<br />
Still somewhat on track according to my marathon training plan. The right knee aches a little and I think I overcooked my left calf somehow. My legs really just need some time to adjust to running. Aerobically I feel completely fine, almost a little bored. I can't run hard or fast enough to really put the lungs to work. Something starts to hurt....knee, calf, heel, etc.....before I can get to that point. Just jogging in hopes that things slowly work themselves into place. <br />
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I have been lifting and doing crossfit'ish type workouts. They feel great! Throwing bike rides in every chance I can get too. That's where I get to put the lungs to work. :) Never a dull moment on the bike. <br />
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Today my training block has me running for 47 minutes. I have a feeling that won't happen today.<br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-63779186877507705752012-11-18T14:59:00.000-08:002012-11-18T14:59:02.374-08:00Ultra Running<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.udel.edu/johnmack/traildawgs/tc/traildawg_halfsize.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.udel.edu/johnmack/traildawgs/tc/traildawg_halfsize.png" /></a></div>
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Tomorrow begins my training for a trail marathon. I've got April 27th circled on my calendar for the <a href="http://www.triplecrowntrailrun.org/">Trail Dawgs Triple Crown</a> race in Newark, Delaware. I know the trails and I know what I'm in for in regards to terrain. I've got a goal of eventually running a 50k, so this will be a good start. I'll be following a training plan from <a href="http://www.yourmarathontrainingplan.com/">here</a> and I'll be working my riding into the mix as well. Having a clear goal should help to keep me focused and on track. Otherwise, I'll wander off into training la la land and just ride my bike around aimlessly.<br />
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The plan for tomorrow: Lifting.<br />
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Just need to stay injury free.<br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-10059526222512876532012-11-17T09:15:00.000-08:002012-11-17T09:15:23.040-08:00The Battle for BattenkillAnd so it begins.......but not for me. I'm passing on Battenkill this year, but it sure is fun watching everyone get excited for this race. Just battling for the ability to sign up for this race is pretty crazy. A bunch of cyclists huddled around their computers wait for the clock to hit 7:00 and then furiously join into a virtual flash mob on Bikereg.com. Overwhelming the servers to the point that Bikereg.com becomes useless. Great stuff!<br />
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I've got too much on my plate for the spring with a new baby on the way. I may be able to make it, but I won't know until much much closer to the race and by then the wait list is long enough to create it's own field. So I'm out, but I'll be back.<br />
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Now I will enjoy participating in the focused training of my friends and cheer them on from a distance come next spring. Winter isn't even here yet, so we've still got plenty of snow riding to get in before I can even think about spring racing.<br />
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Happy training Battenkillers.<br />
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- WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-67738361231442001052012-11-13T04:13:00.001-08:002012-11-13T15:26:50.839-08:00Exploring<div>
Did a little exploring the other day and found some little sections of powerline that I hadn't ridden before. It's fun to find "hidden" snippets of unexplored dirt tucked in amongst populated neighborhoods. I only saw a small portion of this trail, but I'm sure there are a few miles worth checking out. Could make for a good alternative for a CX bike ride. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1x4JTZNfMBLd8_UwFHWO6NJKyTYdDigEVyJ0YLuyrmkYVwAxykzhs4Ib5ql8XP_HTOEk4E7SUhyqgmQ62qaGSDyIIMPoNxaDI2abnkGTCo4bb1JvnkmwxYVWkcn-k1pt9IMH4qLDJ0irq/s1600/IMAG0340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1x4JTZNfMBLd8_UwFHWO6NJKyTYdDigEVyJ0YLuyrmkYVwAxykzhs4Ib5ql8XP_HTOEk4E7SUhyqgmQ62qaGSDyIIMPoNxaDI2abnkGTCo4bb1JvnkmwxYVWkcn-k1pt9IMH4qLDJ0irq/s640/IMAG0340.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Off to explore more...<br />
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-Wilco</div>
Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-38102897184177455482012-10-29T16:01:00.001-07:002012-10-29T16:01:45.087-07:00Sandy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VCMFes08fFa-15Eah-f4e28_xJOU4FEPSs0AwIQI-nxhl7Z8EMJ6Zdaoh-q1_kdY7VLnz_U_0A6ImsgYBmJL7f0WjYjXrjAWNB_YG_dyETToB8vLKngOk7uR0IJibcjCOZFbYUmqMF-F/s1600/IMG_20121023_083051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VCMFes08fFa-15Eah-f4e28_xJOU4FEPSs0AwIQI-nxhl7Z8EMJ6Zdaoh-q1_kdY7VLnz_U_0A6ImsgYBmJL7f0WjYjXrjAWNB_YG_dyETToB8vLKngOk7uR0IJibcjCOZFbYUmqMF-F/s320/IMG_20121023_083051.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Due to Sandy's presence there will be no riding today....or for the next few days. Bored and bummed. I hope I can get some racing in this weekend or else I'll be crying too. I can cry on my birthday, right?<br />
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-Wilco<br />
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<br />Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-46697626158903875252012-10-19T19:32:00.000-07:002012-10-19T19:32:30.865-07:00Singlespeed MagicIt was meant to be. I was on my favorite bike, on some of my favorite trails, enjoying beautiful weather, and riding with a good group of guys/gals. Then it happened. It was fate. It may have been avoidable, but there was a hill. In true singlespeeder fashion I charged up the hill, I don't know any better, and I forced my way through a loose gravel section. I was putting my all into the pedals.....and then fate intervened. My pedals instantly froze, solid. What in the world?!!? Stopped cold in my tracks. <br />
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Fearing the worst, I glanced down to see what had happened. Apparently a stick was not happy with my assault on the hill and decided to pick a fight with my .....derailleur. Supreme victory for the stick. A one punch knock out. Yes, I was on my gear'd CX bike.<br />
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As I stared at my derailleur tangled up into my spokes and my derailleur hanger bent at a right angle, I was reminded of one of the big reasons I enjoy my singlespeed. Simplicity. No dangling fiddly bits to get tangled up in sticks. Just two cogs and a chain are all that is needed. <br />
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After some trailside McGyvering I limped my way home in one very inconvenient gear. This provdided me with plenty of time to fume and think about how to fix my bike. The OCD side of me over analyzed every possible solution to getting my bike back on the road/trails. This really should be a simple process. Just get my frame bent back into shape, buy a new derailleur and get out and ride. I'm not that simple, and I overly complicate just about everything. One thing I know for sure is that I want a singlespeed CX bike more than ever now. <br />
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Can I possibly make this work on this bike? Singlespeed tensioner? Weld in new droputs? Magic gear? <br />
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I hit up some online forums to see what gear ratios other racers are using. Then armed with that knowledge I head on over to <a href="http://eehouse.org/fixin/formfmu.php">Fixed Innovations</a> to see if it might be possible to find a magic gear ratio for my frame. Magically, there are two gear ratios that seem to fit perfectly. 40x20 and 36x16. Both ratios I would be interested in. I just happen to have a 36t ring for the front and a 16t cog for the rear. Perfect!!! Now it's time to do some calculations and determine the chainline.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KJKittgbjCUx6l2Pv807vTVRUSXfavJ9DnztnD7pcTsi1tNRuxXuZSj9FvYdTPHsv8_SKiSmpKej86COZAgus6PX27oCs847B2Yl0CU40s0iTKge9_likLosQhutv0uxqJVXrQBTsb1j/s1600/IMAG0299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KJKittgbjCUx6l2Pv807vTVRUSXfavJ9DnztnD7pcTsi1tNRuxXuZSj9FvYdTPHsv8_SKiSmpKej86COZAgus6PX27oCs847B2Yl0CU40s0iTKge9_likLosQhutv0uxqJVXrQBTsb1j/s320/IMAG0299.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">36x16....60.8 gear inches of singlespeed goodness</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAyXMrBz4iHK8Qj1gtFRftkMs8ZGiMcUiJqddp9KloIUgW_0bXlzS3LqwiMUtSQpFzTd89opJoDzkiA5TXZCJZ_wpAF5JpHGtceSqkyFumQvXiTItP9A2mEAXG0D8UfgSkptUyCewCoSL/s1600/IMAG0301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAyXMrBz4iHK8Qj1gtFRftkMs8ZGiMcUiJqddp9KloIUgW_0bXlzS3LqwiMUtSQpFzTd89opJoDzkiA5TXZCJZ_wpAF5JpHGtceSqkyFumQvXiTItP9A2mEAXG0D8UfgSkptUyCewCoSL/s320/IMAG0301.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">136mm... Should be 135, but this frame has seen many battles so 1mm is great</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-uLnDvYKQpfQ40FpOqmO7Bk4yPZFr8lL9fTz3NE4ETYngOEoa6bHwG5J3dbDR99_rLsRYb4fYexiHuafC0R-mU44E8ryGOFW01AOqbGY8b9158ToFBEMoJTHVWLaKqzog09iIR1m7m8n/s1600/IMAG0302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-uLnDvYKQpfQ40FpOqmO7Bk4yPZFr8lL9fTz3NE4ETYngOEoa6bHwG5J3dbDR99_rLsRYb4fYexiHuafC0R-mU44E8ryGOFW01AOqbGY8b9158ToFBEMoJTHVWLaKqzog09iIR1m7m8n/s320/IMAG0302.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chainline measured out to around 48mm<br />
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Calculating where to place the cog on the hub is simple math. You can figure it out by trial and error, but it saves time just to measure it correctly. <br />
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The front ring is in a fixed position with no adjustability, so the rear will have to be adjusted. The front ring measured 48mm from the center of the bike. The rear hub measured 135 mm. Half of that would be the distance from the center of the bike to the droput.....67.5mm. Simple math.<br />
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67.5mm - 48mm = 19.5........we'll just round up to 20mm.<br />
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The center of the rear cog needs to be 20mm from the dropout. Add spacers, cog, more spacers, tighten it all up. Wrap your chain around both cogs to get the appropriate chainlength. Cut the chain, then mount the chain. Easy. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtQN5YdVHxDuwH1SSuBTFxOEpXdPMwk-kQLrdRWLkcGCVxNOM-tJL6fnLhkjTzk1mBkBQKxm5P08BO6AcFYHCj7OwFLVd7AacKaPx8VkMStQ12D2YQvUJlMOlnu8tq1RfbTzjPpOdKuRi/s1600/IMAG0306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtQN5YdVHxDuwH1SSuBTFxOEpXdPMwk-kQLrdRWLkcGCVxNOM-tJL6fnLhkjTzk1mBkBQKxm5P08BO6AcFYHCj7OwFLVd7AacKaPx8VkMStQ12D2YQvUJlMOlnu8tq1RfbTzjPpOdKuRi/s320/IMAG0306.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect Chainline</td></tr>
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The chain tension is perfect. In this pic I had an old worn out chain and it had a little slack. It didn't fall off, even with the slack, but I did install a fairly fresh chain and the tension is perfect. <br />
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This just might end up being the best mechanical I ever had. Thank you stick. <br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-71644097816274982122012-10-15T18:00:00.000-07:002012-10-15T18:00:18.395-07:00Frame Bag Revisit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
About a year and a half ago I made a pretty rough partial frame bag. I made it out of "rip-stop" nylon and I didn't reinforce any seams....only a matter of time before it fell apart. How long would my roughed up bag last?</div>
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I made a pattern so I could repeat the same bag but with some proper construction and materials. I would do the zipper differently next time, and make this panel out of multiple pieces instead of just one. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHR7notMCxlZ9Oukw74DWY8tiOfFJZLBhwDwOWf2xImcRAItv8dXdciO8V6q3YWP7IvjRBmBJSkUOH85qsYp-M_B4EXPwTD2U9oGJsxuKDDi7sMxMcvjD_iFQHM4xSzlnzMyGai1LHmRFZ/s1600/IMAG0126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHR7notMCxlZ9Oukw74DWY8tiOfFJZLBhwDwOWf2xImcRAItv8dXdciO8V6q3YWP7IvjRBmBJSkUOH85qsYp-M_B4EXPwTD2U9oGJsxuKDDi7sMxMcvjD_iFQHM4xSzlnzMyGai1LHmRFZ/s320/IMAG0126.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Initial fitting.......pretty happy with the fit</td></tr>
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Over the last year and a half the bag has taken a pretty harsh beating. I really forget how long it took for something to go wrong, but eventually some of the seams started to fray and rip. Ever the crafty fool that I am, I put some classy Christmas duct tape to good use. Duct tape is magical....just like Christmas. <br />
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I finally had enough of the fraying and instead of making a new bag I decided to just stitch up the old bag. Let's see how much longer I can push this thing! This is now officially the Frankenstein of frame bags with some new baby blue stitching to go with the duct tape, which I left in the bag for emergency purposes. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFUQKIYygD9hSVHBR7TvMQlRxVSu2Vsv5V7o730mbCCF4EYXHj3YL5aKFJu0Azsg_kg49HQk7zgRcKk_gykz497w6i5qDSmyQd1-XfbjgXPtruhwF6lofQs4qU4R5Gn08OrL0tLHTJdDu/s1600/IMAG0297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFUQKIYygD9hSVHBR7TvMQlRxVSu2Vsv5V7o730mbCCF4EYXHj3YL5aKFJu0Azsg_kg49HQk7zgRcKk_gykz497w6i5qDSmyQd1-XfbjgXPtruhwF6lofQs4qU4R5Gn08OrL0tLHTJdDu/s320/IMAG0297.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Frame bag version 1.2 finding new life on the Green Machine. If I can get another winter out of this thing I'll be happy. I've got a few other winter projects in store. Time to warm up the sewing machine.<br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-17747133872197487182012-10-11T20:45:00.000-07:002012-10-11T20:45:14.928-07:00Iron Cross X<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0iVKfJBV727pz_-nZ-9Y1oPIavey3vmXZmPrcrZy2BOLpm-wEGinj-crrJtatYb84SyKByFfL7mg1EXW59emKWwD8VZPKB226n52DRmwvxOJVK881twO02wKOiUw1jAOKEkneRIZ6mE/s1600-r/ironcross+60+percent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0iVKfJBV727pz_-nZ-9Y1oPIavey3vmXZmPrcrZy2BOLpm-wEGinj-crrJtatYb84SyKByFfL7mg1EXW59emKWwD8VZPKB226n52DRmwvxOJVK881twO02wKOiUw1jAOKEkneRIZ6mE/s1600-r/ironcross+60+percent.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is the 10th year of Iron CX and it is my 4th. Every year it has been sunny, and the temps have never really been that bad. Could this be the year that 9 years of perfect weather catches up? The weather man had been predicting epic rainfalls for Sunday, and every racer was keeping an eye on the radar. This is the pre-race email from the promoters:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<em>This weekend is going to be tough. It is a day for hard men and hard women. It is a day for you.<br /> <br />We like to joke around about our event and ourselves, but bear with us here because we're about to get all serious.<br /> <br />Prepare well. Iron Cross was already going to be hard. A cold wet day will make it that much harder.<br /> <br />Temps are forecast for the mid-upper 40s and 70-80% chance of rain.<br /> <br />This is hypothermia weather. <br /> <br />Dress appropriately. Take more than what you need. You can always shed layers. You can't get more layers once you're on course.<br /> <br />Waterproof and warm is what you need. Do not underdress.<br /> </em><br />
<em>Some great advice I once heard is that when it is raining dress as if it was 10 degrees colder than the air temperature. In this case you'll be dressing for winter riding. Mid to upper 30s. Wet. <br /> <br />You'll be out there for 4-7 hours.<br /> <br />Be sure you are staying on top of nutrition. In these conditions it is vitally important to have the energy to keep moving and staying warm. You have to eat and drink to accomplish this objective.<br /> <br />Please watch out for your fellow competitors. Pay attention to what checkpoint staff are telling you, particularly medically trained staff.<br /> <br />Go get a space blanket and put it in your pocket or camelbak. A few years ago I did Breck Epic and it was mandatory to carry a space blanket the whole week. They are cheap, small and light and will fit easily onto your person. If you don't need it perhaps someone else will.<br /> <br />Get dry and warm after the race. Bring plenty of warm clothes, waterproof gear, umbrella, etc.<br /> <br />4-7 hours of riding in this weather should not be taken lightly.</em> </blockquote>
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"What in the world am I getting myself into?!?" was all I could think. Racing in the cold is great, but racing in cold rain is a nightmare. Hypothermia? Space blankets? Seriously?!?! Iron CX X was about to get epic! And worse, I've talked some friends into this madness. Could this be the end of some friendships?<br />
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Tackling this course for my 4th time, and I again set my sights on a target of 5 hours. 3 attempts so far and 3 failures. Each year my time progressively gets worse, and last year was one of my worst races of all time. I was a nutritional mess. I bonked early and hard and soft pedaled my way to the finish line in a time of 5:46. This year I was setting the same goal, regardless of the weather. It's my time to finally conquer this monster of a course. I've learned a few things over the years and I was hoping to put all that knowledge to use.<br />
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Sunday morning was cold, as expected.......but the best news of all was the rain was now expected to come late afternoon. Great news! Let's just hope I'm done racing before the afternoon. I hate cold rain. This will be my incentive to keep moving, the race against the clock AND rain. <br />
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Race: I get my butt to the front of the mass of riders, sitting about 4th or 5th row. Awesome! We finally get the signal to "GO" and we're off. I'm stuck like glue to the front pack and I'm just being sucked along. This years race has a little more flat road sections in the beginning and being with a group is critical. I'm by no means fast, but just leaching off of the first few groups is right where I need to be to accomplish my goal. This is a race where "roadie" tactics are essential. I'm flying along and conserving my energy all at the same time. A few miles in, a teammate, Webb, catches up to me and starts to lead me up the first long climb of the race. This climb is about 3 miles long and not really steep so the pace stays quite high. Webb, the eventual 50k winner, is flying and I have no business going that fast so I slow it down and watch him race off up the hill. I'm tapping out a nice little rhythm when a female racer I recognize comes pass. I know she's fast and I know she knows what she's doing so I make sure I get on her wheel and just follow her pace. The 3 miles just seems to fly by and we're passing riders left and right from the shattered front group. <br />
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After the long opening climb it's a bunch of flat dirt roads and big rollers on some paved roads before finally heading pass checkpoint 1. From here it's a somewhat flat road that follows a ridge until we enter the first big landmark of the race. Lippencote Trail. <br />
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I love this trail, it's true single track. It has a quick little climb at the beginning and then it's all down hill for about a mile. Rocks, logs, washed out drops, roots...it has it all. I'm in my home turf and despite being on 32c file treads I actually make up some ground on a bunch of racers in this section. I come out on the road, no flats, feeling good, drinking fluids, eating well. Right on track. Great!<br />
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I link up with a few guys and we seem to make the next few miles zip by before hitting the next big landmark of this race. This is the famed Wigwam Run-up. Words do not express how insane of a run-up...walk-up...this really is. It's hiking straight up, over rocks, logs, grabbing trees to stabilize yourself and all while carrying your bike on your back. No way you can push it. Maybe you can drag your bike? Still no rain. Only the rain could make this hike more painful. <br />
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I slowly complete the entire stretch of Wigwam and finally reach CP2. The awesome volunteers grab my bottles and refill'em and I stuff a PB&J in my jersey pocket along with a handful of pretzels. I down a quick cup of Coke and hit the road. Just banging out the miles of rolling dirt roads, still feeling good, but definitely fewer riders around to draft off of. Some riders pass me, and I pass a few. At about mile 35 I hit a climb I've done before and I know it's not super long, but it's a little steep and I have no intentions of killing myself to get up it. I just grab an easy gear and spin it out. Suddenly, a buddy, Mike aka Mr. P, catches up to me. <br />
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Me: "Mike! What's up buddy? Don't wait up for me."<br />
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Mike: "Nah, it's cool. I'm having fun."<br />
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Me: "Yea, but I'm climbing slower than a turtle. Don't ride my pace." <br />
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Shortly thereafter Mike took off.<br />
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Alone again and just banging out the dirt miles before finally hitting CP3. 6 miles until CP4. Oh yea, in between that is a series of massive rollers that starts with a 2 mile climb that gets pretty steep. For me, this part is tough. I continually get passed on the initial 2 mile climb. Singlespeeder after singlespeeder just crawls on pass me. What in the world!!?? Where do all these singlespeeders come from. I figure if I can't beat'em then join'em, so I start to do a little more out of the saddle climbing to help match the pace of the single cog'd whackos. This works out much better and by the time I hit CP4 I'm feeling good. I grab some water and a few snacks and keep on trucking. It's petty much singletrack for the next 10 miles. Back in my element. <br />
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This section of singletrack is pretty flat, and the miles fly by. I hit another rocky "run-up" and haul my bike up this rocky stretch and continue on. I'm flying down a section of trail when I hear a possessed human up ahead yelling a string of profanities. Uh oh. Come around the corner and I see what all the fuss is about. A bike upside down in the brush with the rider cursing his flat tire back to the depths of hell. I stop to see if I can help.<br />
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Me: "Mike! What's going on?"<br />
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Mike:.....let's just say he wasn't happy with his tire.....it had flatted.<br />
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Me: "Don't forget, we're just having fun Mike."<br />
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Mike: "Yeah, I know. I'm having fun."<br />
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Liar. It's never fun to flat when you're kicking butt, and he was flying. I'm pretty sure Mike won't be back on those tires next year. <br />
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I take off and Mike's shortly behind. Just 5ish miles to go. Just a few log overs, a mild run-up and a quick stop at Larry's Tavern for the best tasting PBR I've ever had.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Q4cwcnHwUmOZhQ9NJbfafA1RDtUwuSXYz4wfwkY_NzZ0KHVZt7fNdngikrNvQhMFKr3wu15BptB43vswaIp1HO3RyKMLZWb46St5cDiakWVCIqvbu9I_p_qOVBqp6vbSIIiZdrAGCa3z/s1600/p1181471264-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Q4cwcnHwUmOZhQ9NJbfafA1RDtUwuSXYz4wfwkY_NzZ0KHVZt7fNdngikrNvQhMFKr3wu15BptB43vswaIp1HO3RyKMLZWb46St5cDiakWVCIqvbu9I_p_qOVBqp6vbSIIiZdrAGCa3z/s320/p1181471264-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larry's Tavern....open til 5</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Larry" hooked it up with a little re-hydration</td></tr>
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Feeling good and only a few short miles from the finish we head out towards the finish. We hit the paved road and way up the road I see a guy. It's a race afterall and I'm looking to chase anybody down!<br />
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Me: "Mike, we can catch that guy!"<br />
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Mike: "No....you can."<br />
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Me: "Alright I'm going to give it a shot."<br />
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I take off. I know the finish line is not far up the road, and I really think I'm going to run out of real estate before the line. But I've got my head down and I'm drilling it and I'm inching closer and closer. He rounds a 90 degree turn, and I come flying around the turn shortly behind him. My momentum takes me pass him and he quickly latches onto my back wheel. At this point I sit up and soft pedal and he comes around me to take the last turn before we hit the final 100m stretch to the line. He comes around the turn and starts his sprint......there is no way I'm going to lose this sprint! I'll turn myself inside out if I have to. I open it up and come around at full speed and he can't match the final acceleration and I come across the line in a time of 4:48 for 28th out of 108 in my class. I earned another pair of socks (Expert Lar....where's your finisher socks?) and another pint glass.<br />
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What was suppose to be the nastiest Iron CX yet ended up being perfect racing weather. The course was fast and everything just felt right this year. I finally hit my target time. <br />
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Now that I've achieved my sub 5 hour goal I can move on to my ultimate goal.....joining the ranks of the unicog nut jobs. The goal for 2013 will be sub 5 hours on a singlespeed. I love this race. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to Relax</td></tr>
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-Wilco</div>
Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-36356036041116712862012-10-03T19:03:00.000-07:002012-10-03T19:03:27.232-07:00Iron CX PreparationsJust a few days away from Iron CX and I'm starting to get my gear ready. The drivetrain got a healthy cleaning tonight and the tires were loaded up with some fresh sealant. I'll be on tubulars, so I'll be relying heavily on the sealant to take care of any punctures. Any serious slices in the sidewall and my day is done. It's a gamble, but my tubulars are much lighter than my tubeless set-up AND the file treads just roll much faster on the paved and gravel roads. Ideally, a file treaded tubeless set-up would be perfect, but I don't have that set-up available so I have to go with what I have. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnfBYFEy_H78FnsdNUs58ZLY1zJfKr7N0nODrBvg9zZVT1bCOqic2aVTVhdvr3Thg8a99ouEPZq5_l2rjtVwqvsFQXQ9MHBJqFqH7iSktCrdjSHRhYgQ0ck3joK2J-uv03eWBa7oBhE9e/s1600/IMAG0262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnfBYFEy_H78FnsdNUs58ZLY1zJfKr7N0nODrBvg9zZVT1bCOqic2aVTVhdvr3Thg8a99ouEPZq5_l2rjtVwqvsFQXQ9MHBJqFqH7iSktCrdjSHRhYgQ0ck3joK2J-uv03eWBa7oBhE9e/s320/IMAG0262.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade Sealant</td></tr>
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Homemade sealant is where it's at. It's not a secret recipe, it's widely available on the web, but I tend to add some glitter because it really helps fill in the punctures quicker. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoeR4u0H8hNOBWD4Lpe3upwo3j44lPE612mB781H_SBLht_JyzVttHWk_2IDr5LlK2NqtMI-3VqdKucfWSbfgaN5CUY2S_UkKQoilHaTGDyVu7yiZE1HGBe_VsMiqcdeLoWOoWI9vqiOq/s1600/IMAG0270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoeR4u0H8hNOBWD4Lpe3upwo3j44lPE612mB781H_SBLht_JyzVttHWk_2IDr5LlK2NqtMI-3VqdKucfWSbfgaN5CUY2S_UkKQoilHaTGDyVu7yiZE1HGBe_VsMiqcdeLoWOoWI9vqiOq/s320/IMAG0270.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My little helper was willing to give a hand with this state of the art bike cleaner. It worked great!<br />
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Some garage CX practice. Have to treat your little helpers to a little fun or they won't be little helpers in the future. <br />
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A clean bike and a very tired little helper. Win Win!!<br />
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The weather forecast for Sunday is cold and rain. Time to get this thing muddy!<br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-69292157717727150022012-09-26T18:44:00.000-07:002012-09-26T18:44:38.214-07:00Solo Ride<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsA4vI1N3W5NVcAUCV763XO4DqCJep6XxRkpIcJtwMgqzbBUUFqyKFqOCZwbczZjUu0TFrL42FNmTobktFuMXFCI0JhRgAsVczW6U1MhLTcG7sNkZoU1jNzIrYVkZFOCBFOXGREdPSnUdH/s1600/IMAG0223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsA4vI1N3W5NVcAUCV763XO4DqCJep6XxRkpIcJtwMgqzbBUUFqyKFqOCZwbczZjUu0TFrL42FNmTobktFuMXFCI0JhRgAsVczW6U1MhLTcG7sNkZoU1jNzIrYVkZFOCBFOXGREdPSnUdH/s320/IMAG0223.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overlooking Ramsey Farm<br />
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Seems like everyone is sick, injured or busy right now. It just happens. It's life. Fortunately, I'm in good health and my injuries aren't enough to keep me off the bike. So I got out for what is traditionally a Wednesday group ride as a group ride of one. Just me and my bike and some great weather. I don't have any complaints and I hope everyone gets better soon so we can get out for some good old mountain biking. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper Ridge<br />
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I saved my favorite sections for the end of the ride in pitch black darkness. Always fun to tackle the rockgardens with nothing but some bike lights. <br />
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2 weeks til Iron Cross. Yikes!!<br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-90060832918829816722012-09-16T18:44:00.000-07:002012-09-16T18:44:14.515-07:00My First Video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwySnpfvMQ64047yXlhBYcs7-m-wQe2Dp6_1S0BFyHlm49LmHaqIhg-WsbJt9xVshd0IWD3hTOwWXtasIEjTw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Got out for a quick spin to help the legs recover from a Crossfit workout. Felt good to get the legs loose, and despite every muscle in my body being sore, it was relaxing to be out on the bike. I decided to play around with the windows movie maker and this is what I came up with. Amazing how much video gets tossed to make a 1 minute shot. The last shot was when my phone was just about dead and the quality went down the drain. These "smart" phones sure do take some nice video! <br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-66130497851589362482012-09-15T10:49:00.000-07:002012-09-15T10:49:12.814-07:00Seasons<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdkFOGmhPajYpYNi2WbbzSsiaZOPRr4V3OMMIsyvX0GANrS2oNZr4TQzWje19TWeqxGgjaFMTs6DvgBum8RMMmM0Ly8amIm6K5I7fRxhaQPRmvbK0gQN5ermn5UDTGHFxXHpEU7ySX5ur/s1600/life-is-good.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdkFOGmhPajYpYNi2WbbzSsiaZOPRr4V3OMMIsyvX0GANrS2oNZr4TQzWje19TWeqxGgjaFMTs6DvgBum8RMMmM0Ly8amIm6K5I7fRxhaQPRmvbK0gQN5ermn5UDTGHFxXHpEU7ySX5ur/s400/life-is-good.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I love this time of the year. The anticipation of the coming changes gets me excited, and now that we have had a steady week of cool temps I want absolutely nothing to do with warm weather. A telling sign of the goodness that awaits is when I'm shivering a little on the way into work and wondering if I should have worn my arm warmers. I also rode to work every day this week....without sweating....boo ya. College football is on, I'm preparing for a CX race, and the windows in the house are open with a nice cool breeze. This is great! <br />
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My lights are charged all the time now and almost all my mountain bike rides are ending in the dark. Hitting the singletrack at night at full speed with a bunch of other cyclists with high powered bike lights is about as much fun as you can have on a bike. Most people will never experience this, and not because they can't, but because they won't. That's unfortunate. Even getting out for a night run is a blast, and doesn't require anything more than a simple head lamp. Fall is the best. <br />
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I rode every day this week and that is good for me. I also got a quick swim in AND I worked on my running. Iron CX is only a few weeks away and I feel like I'm starting to hit my stride. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I'm ready to have some fun in the mountains of central Pa. I just want to ride well and feel great. Give me some beautiful fall weather, mountains, dirt roads, and knobby tires and let's ride and smile. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iron CX set-up in front of Bud's Memorial</td></tr>
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-5439920959579694842012-09-06T20:11:00.000-07:002012-09-06T20:11:16.300-07:00Ride Less, Ride Better?<div>
I've had a good two weeks of just being active, and I spent some of that time thinking about my training approach. Am I training too little? Not enough intervals? Not enough long rides? And most importantly....What's the goal? I'm not really sure what the answer is to any of them. Trying to recall information and opinions from the vast amount of forums, blogs, and conversations I've had with folks has led me to wonder if maybe riding less, could potentially make my riding better. I've heard...."I'm riding less, BUT I'm riding great!" ......from countless riders. What's the deal???</div>
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Just looking back at my training over the last few years, I would say last fall/early winter was some of my best riding. What changed for me? I started doing other things besides riding. I was swimming a lot more and running. Also lifting weights a little. When I did ride, it was more focused. The legs felt a little more fresh, and the endurance just seemed to be there despite not putting in huge hours on the bike. I was riding less, AND riding better. When spring came around I went back to riding the bike as my only workout. Boring. I think most of my rides turned into junk miles. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4wPUCNwkvAiLaxJ0QWBBdGiJ8pQbM3BGWixLAz1_uZ_DpR10-PEdjb5yh7Hc5e3w6T5kAybXmyxoG8qZXuwKffPDX48FqLbQ_Kn8cXz3c06KuoXFnbFgsfeDLZ4F0xkCdv4kh7aeKsn3/s1600/IMAG0179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4wPUCNwkvAiLaxJ0QWBBdGiJ8pQbM3BGWixLAz1_uZ_DpR10-PEdjb5yh7Hc5e3w6T5kAybXmyxoG8qZXuwKffPDX48FqLbQ_Kn8cXz3c06KuoXFnbFgsfeDLZ4F0xkCdv4kh7aeKsn3/s320/IMAG0179.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torture Device</td></tr>
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Can I repeat that process again and get the same results? Maybe. I always believed, and still do, that triathletes are some of the most in shape and focused people I know. They train for 3 disciplines! There is little time to mess around. I kind of took that approach last fall. I wanted to mix it up, and I wanted to "get focused." You are always looking forward to the next workout, and it never really gets that boring since you are doing something different every day.....sometimes 2 things in one day. Just riding the bike day after day after day can get boring. You don't look forward to swinging a leg over the bike. The drive to push and train just seems to grind you down. When I would throw in a swim it would be a great way to change it up and keep the legs loose without really killing them. </div>
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So yeah, I really do think there is something to this riding less, riding better......with stipulations. Your riding has to be structured, and it has to be focused. Not just riding around without breaking a sweat. You have to use your time wisely, after all there will be less of it. I also think you need to keep physically active when not riding the bike. Keep the blood flowing, keep the body moving, and keep the mind fresh. Riding 2-3 hours a week probably won't cut it. I don't know what an ideal block of hours would be, but my goal for now will be 10-12 hours total for all my workouts. That includes running, swimming, biking, and lifting. That's what worked last fall, and that's what I'm going with. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time Crunched Cyclist Plan - I roughly follow this</td></tr>
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What about my goals?? I'm still working on endurance. I like it. It's challenging from a mental and physical persepective. I want to keep at it and get better at it. Iron CX is my next challenge. Exactly one month away. I'm hoping that by riding less, I will be able to run more, and the end result will be a much faster me. If anything, at least all this extra non-cycling training will help improve the anemic cyclist arms I have. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Testing out the tubulars</td></tr>
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Current training status.....got out for 32.5 miles to test out my glue job on the tubies. I haven't decided if I'll use the tubeless or tubular set-up for Iron CX yet. Might be a game time decision. </div>
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-Wilco</div>
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Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-10652180562306877802012-08-22T19:09:00.000-07:002012-08-22T19:09:51.226-07:00New Shop Ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev3rIDZtvE_CW6DjW7KP8nnV8fhXaZL3psNzRHWDnDJycVgVTvenlYRR1ZGgH7wLS-u5yaQQ-TUzTRk_5rV66qRPTMJTY7oAJLL1Gq1BbmAOBrRwKR3AOhm7JckOwsA8f6vjkdQe9Xm4M/s1600/381482_190300877720238_1555190279_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev3rIDZtvE_CW6DjW7KP8nnV8fhXaZL3psNzRHWDnDJycVgVTvenlYRR1ZGgH7wLS-u5yaQQ-TUzTRk_5rV66qRPTMJTY7oAJLL1Gq1BbmAOBrRwKR3AOhm7JckOwsA8f6vjkdQe9Xm4M/s1600/381482_190300877720238_1555190279_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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The new <a href="http://www.woodenwheels.com/">Wooden Wheels</a> store is open and tonight was the first shop ride from the new location. Great time and a lot of good folks were out tonight. Met some new people and had a blast (minus one bee sting to the forehead). This is also the first ride of the season for me where I needed my lights. It's just about that time of the year again. I've got both lights charging right now for an early bird ride tomorrow. :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not bad for Alex's first MTB ride at B-wine - Roadie :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nancy Rocking the Champions Jersey</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWnxyfVGnZeHZjSot7o89yqek53pash-Npczuyg01524AuQu2HVD5OJasdwBWIJCcg_xQz5DDGeOgAGDz4NyqgdDI9iafFl2eEUC-AxKlef3hfaUFUY5IT1VU7AtUGNy9SzOZ7bDlSQnl/s1600/IMAG0156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWnxyfVGnZeHZjSot7o89yqek53pash-Npczuyg01524AuQu2HVD5OJasdwBWIJCcg_xQz5DDGeOgAGDz4NyqgdDI9iafFl2eEUC-AxKlef3hfaUFUY5IT1VU7AtUGNy9SzOZ7bDlSQnl/s400/IMAG0156.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dish on that sweet Scalpel 29'er</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikv_YRUeGfb6e4J4nfE43g9PGEheUemz6jrK60XDLRNvPjFahrcP_pCzxXuL3mP-Gjqi8yyTINZXmlbZahM2YiEtjCBp90wE-_iG062CSul4ZeMrAeArhWPTk24Jk47N7DU8ZAsShfOZ4f/s1600/IMAG0157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikv_YRUeGfb6e4J4nfE43g9PGEheUemz6jrK60XDLRNvPjFahrcP_pCzxXuL3mP-Gjqi8yyTINZXmlbZahM2YiEtjCBp90wE-_iG062CSul4ZeMrAeArhWPTk24Jk47N7DU8ZAsShfOZ4f/s400/IMAG0157.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting of the Minds - Mr. P is still in the wrong kit - just sayin'</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fwFzFUuLvFh7tBgIQmFJjsNS3-SKyboUqucvqfTvCvvp-0AMLYQDPqGCbDtER1xvWoeQ1yr0KSGl960q0MSLbJq7WsJVs64r4qhxxr3xwfrF18I0UyrJn50xmdAh0U0huM6e6n8ShitL/s1600/IMAG0158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fwFzFUuLvFh7tBgIQmFJjsNS3-SKyboUqucvqfTvCvvp-0AMLYQDPqGCbDtER1xvWoeQ1yr0KSGl960q0MSLbJq7WsJVs64r4qhxxr3xwfrF18I0UyrJn50xmdAh0U0huM6e6n8ShitL/s400/IMAG0158.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heather and Disco Papi</td></tr>
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Good times! <br />
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-WilcoWilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009965883372497134.post-43904851622199438672012-08-21T21:01:00.001-07:002012-08-21T21:01:50.841-07:00Vacation's OverI spent a week at the beach enjoying the sun and having a good time with family. I had intentions of riding....a lot....but that didn't happen. I rode twice. Once was in a surrey for an hour, and the other was about a 25 mile ride up the coast. 12.5 miles with a direct headwind (miserable) and 12.5 miles with a direct tailwind (awesome). Had some good views though of the ocean.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6jmf3B14b5FLORH8lEGrpF99ejPgAdzxfd09BahWc3oIk573b0pdD7mJTkX2RWmEywkokQybUBjEz5vZlPWEsJjTZNVNBL3veWS0M6lrtkvfH4QeToVVi-L_YNQySz35QNVK0X2P8Osp/s1600/IMAG0123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6jmf3B14b5FLORH8lEGrpF99ejPgAdzxfd09BahWc3oIk573b0pdD7mJTkX2RWmEywkokQybUBjEz5vZlPWEsJjTZNVNBL3veWS0M6lrtkvfH4QeToVVi-L_YNQySz35QNVK0X2P8Osp/s400/IMAG0123.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surrey Ride</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjveFZ4SCVXaWAY0QGa2hRVofrW_Tf3VTo2ZxEiq-B0nQh9F_ZgymgCO0-Xe5h6wmH5OvLgI3WdB4nYc6DQ1XhWIS78UtzL_iw-oZou9bqgflOrUXOLlDY0JILd6adOpEze3UAhbjcnLo4O/s1600/IMAG0125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjveFZ4SCVXaWAY0QGa2hRVofrW_Tf3VTo2ZxEiq-B0nQh9F_ZgymgCO0-Xe5h6wmH5OvLgI3WdB4nYc6DQ1XhWIS78UtzL_iw-oZou9bqgflOrUXOLlDY0JILd6adOpEze3UAhbjcnLo4O/s400/IMAG0125.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ocean View on Bike Ride - Corson's Inlet</td></tr>
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This inlet looked like a blast to mess around in. If you have a fat bike, you had plenty of beach to ride on. Or there were sandbars spread throughout that you could have taken a nice swim too. Maybe a couple hundred meters max from sand bar to sand bar. Just watch for boats and wave runners. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQmMH2JzX_LtqOd95d_FXzrZzecj1P3iYjejNBi6dJM_w8I_56rvl67UkhbjY-ue0zcWqMzIhD8RR9dLb9RhRjHeAuH3pddhtlS4zDOkO7Gf8CJY5Mny2T3zyqis7dj09D0hNRzh86qoy/s1600/IMAG0470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQmMH2JzX_LtqOd95d_FXzrZzecj1P3iYjejNBi6dJM_w8I_56rvl67UkhbjY-ue0zcWqMzIhD8RR9dLb9RhRjHeAuH3pddhtlS4zDOkO7Gf8CJY5Mny2T3zyqis7dj09D0hNRzh86qoy/s400/IMAG0470.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thief!!!</td></tr>
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This seagull swooped in from behind and stole Colton's cheese. Crazy bird, and crazy that I got a picture of it. Sea gulls have no fear! <br />
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I might not have put the milage on the bike like I wanted to, but I got plenty of milage on the old feet. We pretty much walked about 4 miles everyday. Some of which included carrying these two knuckleheads around. Walking, eating, playing in the ocean, and just being in the sun really wears you out!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6-YicoetdUYWR6FIWUJTSgKFTfMTuVTddZuJsW9LdocMCvYLMOl09jcab4VRfpSF99ZGZAO4wi-Cd5N5IdspOEsr8kTYbKET1l7oe-SseWubzCFVoyoNfsEPLJqC5XR4oXjFb6JSrl68/s1600/IMAG0469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6-YicoetdUYWR6FIWUJTSgKFTfMTuVTddZuJsW9LdocMCvYLMOl09jcab4VRfpSF99ZGZAO4wi-Cd5N5IdspOEsr8kTYbKET1l7oe-SseWubzCFVoyoNfsEPLJqC5XR4oXjFb6JSrl68/s400/IMAG0469.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also spent a little time kayaking and I finally gave stand up paddle boarding a try. The board I rented was pretty wide so it was very stable, and seemed darn near impossible to fall off. I only went out for an hour, but it was a whole lot more fun than I thought it would be. I'm pretty much hooked and looking to get (or make) my own board now. The workout was good, and the peacefulness of just being in open water was great. Pretty pumped to get back out. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NlHheDMyRjQTiF2kA_z8cU-odMoZVE2Gbb6K01zQ0JmF-dcPY9eHZywRIajGpIgMtXM1j5H0lLdIFCpXYKbhdRFd_XHOo92OQ54pT-9SU19Z-tpQY39ZIxhtPKk0csRmSJ6itMWaP3Ig/s1600/IMG_3090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NlHheDMyRjQTiF2kA_z8cU-odMoZVE2Gbb6K01zQ0JmF-dcPY9eHZywRIajGpIgMtXM1j5H0lLdIFCpXYKbhdRFd_XHOo92OQ54pT-9SU19Z-tpQY39ZIxhtPKk0csRmSJ6itMWaP3Ig/s400/IMG_3090.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQmiq7m__OP01MbCcXFFVAJ6uXz1Gd0Gn1tscUByzp-AGt1xXCNifMNombK1rETrZ-A06wzNOxFqYIhoHShYK2ol9kSjLa8Tfhob6lDJrGWM4Mhn4W7Asv4Wx3n49pFHVehjq_-te0BP6/s1600/IMG_3095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQmiq7m__OP01MbCcXFFVAJ6uXz1Gd0Gn1tscUByzp-AGt1xXCNifMNombK1rETrZ-A06wzNOxFqYIhoHShYK2ol9kSjLa8Tfhob6lDJrGWM4Mhn4W7Asv4Wx3n49pFHVehjq_-te0BP6/s400/IMG_3095.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piece of cake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWW-Dspf95GblX-5XjL7aNXQL797frzmn0nlVMDCcibU7syOGUHVfYqCpsljzZnPJp5TRijvSh16Eao-iImxxGfr9xw8N0V8AvxvlEcB1mg4Q7fWxgwCtjTOvrGCsjNFks0xBjVPskJKMT/s1600/IMG_3089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWW-Dspf95GblX-5XjL7aNXQL797frzmn0nlVMDCcibU7syOGUHVfYqCpsljzZnPJp5TRijvSh16Eao-iImxxGfr9xw8N0V8AvxvlEcB1mg4Q7fWxgwCtjTOvrGCsjNFks0xBjVPskJKMT/s400/IMG_3089.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I seriously could have napped on that board</td></tr>
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Vacation is over now. Mountain bike season is over, and road season is over for me as well. CX season is just around the corner, but most of the races don't seem to fall onto good weekends for me. My next race may be a 4 hour CX relay, but after that my next race will be Iron CX......the big race of the year for me. Time to start seriously training and putting in longer rides. I feel that I should be hitting 10+ hours a week for the next couple of weeks to prep. Maybe I'll start training next week, I'm still in vacation mode. :)<br />
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-Wilco<br />
Wilcohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15926438773197138707noreply@blogger.com0