Another weekend...

First and foremost,  new frame, new bike build. 2010 Salsa Chili con Crosso Put in around a hundred miles on it over the weekend. Mud, cold, 4500+ feet of climbing. Grit, grime, and gross.

Still waiting on a few parts, so I whipped the SS dropouts and did that for the weekend. First thought.... solid. And once I covered the blue and silver paint job with mud, I didn't mind looking at the frame. I'll finish the build this week.

The front end is light and solid, and the frame, for being aluminum, isn't that brutal. I was very happy with nearly zero road chatter from the canti brakes, too. Being the first cross frame I've been on, I can't compare it to much. But I'm satisfied, and I look forward to putting gears on it-- I've grown tired of the 46x17. It's like a constant TT.

I'll need to pull about the rear hub to recover from the grime. 

The day turned into a muddy mess and 75 miles became grueling with drivetrains crying and my grumpiness growing. But what can you do?

Dirty Bird (not actually bird)

Here's a gallery from the previous weekend, and a short one from this last weekend as well. Dig it. If you need more grit, check out out out the Mod-Spot.

Gallery 1  | |   Gallery 2

Somehow Bryan ended up in the first gallery.

Blokes in images: Let me know if you want copies of your
individuals or maybe I'll just post them.

Worthless Hunk of Metal

Thanks for the info...

I came across this almost interesting computer recycling page via Apple. Simple really: Punch in your computer, specifics, and how well it still works. Boom! You have a quote that is either depressing, amusing, or possibly informative (but not likely). 

The image was the outcome of my 2002 PowerMac G4. Over the years, I've probably put close to $5,000 into it with hardware upgrades and gadgets. It was a super workhorse for quite a while, but then technology exceeded it's usefulness, and now it stumbles on webpages and the lot. 

I guess it all went downhill when the video card went out. It was nearly impossible to find a upgrade for a Mac video card for a college boy and I made due with some random card, but it turned into a dismal effort and I moved on. 

Now it only gets powered up for searches for older files and perhaps sentimental jaunts into the past. And that only happens via remotely connecting to it. It's not even good enough to use as a media center. 

I got a giggle from the "zero-dollar" value. I've got a few other Apple laptops and they didn't fetch more than a 100$ a piece. And my current Powerbook chimed in around 400. Sometimes it'd be nice if technology wasn't constantly eating it's own tail. 

More worthless by each fiscal quarter.

Being a bit of a wiz, you can still get use out of these piles of advanced techno junk. Media centers, bathroom web browsing, lonely bedroom video watching (no not like that), digital recipe books for the kitchen. 

I'm in the market for a new machine. I know what I want, but validating it within yourself can be tough. This is coming from someone who can legitimately tell himself that a set of bike wheels that are $1,000 are a good deal. 

What it boils down to is passion for me. Do what you love, and love what you do. Put value on what you do and excel at it to the best of your britches. Enjoy your hobbies and be happy that you have them -- there are those out there that have never found something to truly love. Embrace it -- embrace it in 3k carbon weave, statin finishes, lighted keyboards, AMOLED digital screens, machined 7075 aluminum,  and solid state hard drives.

Gravel Goodness and Goldsprints

[G A L L E RY]

Brisk ride through the Loess Hills proving that there is nothing flat about this region of NE/ IA. Weather in the teens, cold enough to freeze feet and water bottles - now I have a reason to buy whiskey.

Ice beards were in full effect via Mr. Neve and your's untruly. My condensation stalactite was also in full effect for everyone's viewing pleasure -- probably the closest I will come to having a tusk or horn. Dang you mystical creatures and your awesomeness.

Looks like I missed a good snow ride today (sunday), but I'm just as happy that I didn't go. Hope everyone came back with all the digits they left with.

I'm growing a bit tired of the single speed as my only form of vitamin G riding. The slack geometry of my lugged red frame is great for comfort, but the steep pitches gravel brews are not providing much but a loss of breath. I'm still waiting on my Salsa Chili Con Crosso... and will be. Until it arrives.

......................

Friday found familiar faces at the Pizza Shoppe in Benson for some Goldsprints provided by Greenstreet Cycles. The crowd was great, and the competition fierce. My exhaustion met with my exasperation as I began breaking down in the tournament. I think I "competed" at least 5 times to get into the finals, where I set my fastest time on my 3rd go. Kyle McClellan made his debut into Goldsprints and all but destroyed the rest of us with his speed pushing down into 22 seconds for 500 meters. Great job.

Photos of pain, glory, cat tattoos, whipping hair back and forth, and pedaling.

Next in the Greensprints Series falls in Lincoln February 3rd.

Ride into the New Year

If you can get 12 people to ride on a sub-freezing day in the winter, there must be something normal about it. Right? People are motivated to meet, and ride almost 50 miles of snow laden gravel. It's good, normal fun. That's what I'm sticking with.

Let's see if I can make the blog thing churn again too. New year, new leaf, new changes, new newness. Have a good one.

Image gallery of the beautiful day.