Overtraining

When do you know that you've been riding too much?
My legs are getting this constant pain, and I feel like I'm hitting the wall after about 10 minutes of climbing.
I thought it was a nutritional issue at first, but I haven't been able to fix it - in fact, it's getting worse. Oh yea, I pulled my hamstring. That sucks. I keep riding on it. That makes it not better. That sucks too.
Maybe I'll take the next few days off and dust drink, instead of the usual ride and drink.

Speaking of riding - Casey (ADD Outdoors) is getting married in July and I think that we are going to get some saddle time in. Ahhhh - Indiana mountain biking....

ouch

I like Audi's... but this guy crossed the line at critical mass,

Fox Inline Glove Review

I've been riding bikes for quite some time - I've been an Expert cross country racer as well as a Pro Dh'er and have been relying on one glove for the last 7 years. The Fox Inlcine Glove.
In general - I'm not a bog fan of fox - or of "big" brands... but I can't give up this glove. Recently - I starting riding on some other gloves to try out the competition (I fugured 6 years on the same style glove was enough) - and I came to the conclusion that I'm already riding the best.

There's no padding to speak of - it vents on the top - and it's got a good snot wipe in a good spot.
I love it...

The fit had gotten a little more slim through the body over the years, which is bad for me as I've got some thick hands - and there's a little more material in the palm than there used to be... but it's pretty darn close to the same glove!

I've got to say that after you get used to riding without padding - you can't go back. You can feel the bars more, and you don't have a need to death grip the bars as there's no slippage.

I'm giving this glove a 9 out of 10... a definite best buy in my book!

Pearl Izumi Divide Trail Short Review

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. I've been on a riding rampage, been getting a ton of climbing in and trying to get my lungs back.
I'll be posting a bunch of product reviews in the coming weeks. I'm shooting for a couple of reviews per week - I've been riding on a bunch of new gear.. enough with the small talk, here's the first review.

I recently acquired a pair of Pearl Izumi's Divide Trail Short for review. The Divide trail short's name is a toss to the continental divide, and some pretty unforgiving terrain. Giving this name, I started thinking about epic 60 mile rides over harsh backcountry terrain covered in loose rock and boulders a high altitude in the Rockies.
The outer shell contruction is top notch. There are vents on the upper thighs, and no zipper or clamp for a closure system. The Vents are of adequate size - I've used them more than once at White Ranch during some of the long grinding climbs and persitant heat. The lack of a closure system (waist) had me a bit concerned at first - but the spandex construction on the upper half of the short ensures no slipping and a nice snug fit. With no extra plastic or metal - there's nothing to poke into your skin or break on you. The shell definetly looks good - black with grey (almost white) exposed sturdy stiching looks pretty good.
The liner is one of the best yet one of the worst that I've ridden. I'm a big fan of the lightweight material - and it breathes really well. No slipping, it's nice and comfy, and vents really well. The chamios is also well contructed. My problem is that the pad is not placed correctly. I've tried to move around inside the short, and I've tried riding it the way it is - but the pad is too far back. What a way to ruin what should be a great experience.

All in all - I'd say that this Could have been one of the best shorts I've ever owned - If the pad was positioned correctly. Because of this bad placement, I'll never be able to wear them and be comfortable. It's a shame that one mistake ruins the whole short - but ouch! What a mistake!

Lyons Fat Tire Fest?

Too bad I won't be around... I have a non-descript B-day trip planned (turning 30).

Looks like a good time - the boys at redstone cyclery know what therir doing, and aught to keep it real (real painful if you like climbing)

bored and aimless

Rode white ranch again - what's wrong with me? My legs hurt sooo bad.
Monday should be an easy ride for me and tuesday will be a day off - I need it

On to current events,
how'd you like to ride with this guy?


Me neither - too much fire in those eyes...

Looks like Commencal pulled off a world cup win - an it's about time. Gee was killing it on the 4x, and edged out the win... On a side note, looks like age may be catching up with Lopes? He's not racing nearly as much these days. That guy's been really fast for an unnatural amount of time.


aight - I'm out!

White Ranch Riding

got in a lot of climbing today - I think that it's a record climbing day for me (not saying much as I'm a DH'r)

Rode Belcher up (via Round Up) to Maverick,
back to Belcher (and Round Up again),
Back up to Mustang,
Out to LongHorn and back down,

Estimated elevation gain - 3,600 Feet
Estimated mileage - 13-14 miles

definetly not my longest ride - but I think it's about the most climbing I've ever done.

loving the retro racers

Man... you remember these guys? Bobby Roll talkin bout cavemen...



the 80's were sweet

I'm a Slacker

Man, it's been few days since I've posted... I need to get back on the wagon.

For those of you who live in Boulder County - I rode up Flagstaff Mountain last night. Got caught in a hellacious hail down pour. Starting drizzling halfway up the mountain, started to pour 3/4 the way up, and right before the summit - the hail came down with winds that might have picked me up off the ground. It was a little hairy...

I'm in need of some new DH parts... Brakes, Fork, Shock, Saddle, Grips,
I'm open to opinions.

here's the short list
Avid Code's
Boxxer World Cup
DHX Air
Bel-Air
Ruffians

I hate spending money...

On another note - I just bought my Colorado Pass for 07/08,
I thought that I was going to get summer lift access as well, but it appears that the promoted summer lift access is only for "scenic tours" and doesn't include the bike in the lift ticket. what a sham...


I'm out

Spoof's

Who likes spoofs? I do...



Who like to rag on GW?
Not just me...

Something Ominus?

Something weird gonna happen today? it might... meteors from the sky, marshmellow men running through the streets, cats and dogs getting along - it's gonna be chaos.

today's 05/06/07 - just wait until the time is 08:09:10... that'll be trippy, man.
05/06/07 08:09:10

It's raining way too much - can somebody take care of that for me? I can't ride my bike (only have a mtb these days). My legs are screaming at me - and my bike's getting pissy.

Want to read some f'd up stuff about roadies in the 80's? Long live doping!
Click here for an insiders story

I'm out...

Boonen... Oh Man

How dedicated are you? Tom Boonen's probably a little more dedicated than most.
If you're a cyclist, I'm sure that you'll figure it out pretty quick - if not, then I don't have the heart to tell you. Click the pick to blow it up and figure out this mystery.

Bearclaw Invitational

Looks like the Claw's thowing down a contest of his own,

should be good! Check it out HERE


August Road Trip Anyone??

Artsy Fartsy Bike Ballet?

Check out the Billy Bad Ass Bike Messenger types being all cute-sy

Finally Back in town, had a hell-uv-a layover in Minneapolis. At least they had a tequila bar in the airport.

ADD Outdoors

That Casey guy... what is he thinking? He's getting married soon, and I'll be one of the unfortunate souls at the wedding (groomsman = monkey suit).

We don't have a bachelor party planned, and I haven't bought him a gift yet - so I'm soliciting help from my readers...

Send me your suggestions and I'll be happy to take on the best one!

email to: pbic7222@yahoo.com
subject: the end of casey's life

Check out his blog here -
ADD Outdoors

Commencal Meta 6

yea yea -

that's right boys and girls, Commencal's putting out a 6 inch version of their infamous Meta series.
As a proud meta 5 owner - I'm pretty stocked on this! Looks like I may be buying one when the 08's get shipped state-side.

Commencal - Meta 6
Video
Envoyé par supreme sur wat.tv

Fight?

on yesterday's fight club theme... one of my readers sent me this -

Niki Gudex and Yarding

I get to ride into work following a Denver RTD bus every morning... and this used too be a painful sight - but recently Oakley bought the back of the bus for advertising and put an Oakley Women advertisement...
My Morning Commute is now better that I get to see Niki Gudex every morning.

I used to hang with her at Nat's - met her through some Kiwi's that I'd bum around the country with. She was a DH racer at the time, but it seems that she's faster at XC and is making some waves in the "women's sport" world. Good for her - I was never "friends" with her, but it's good to see some old associates making good on their dreams.


Aight - no words f wisdom today, but check out this posting at "How to avoid the bummer life"
I used to do this all the time... it's how I got my mad sprint down,
it ocured to me that these little groups seem a bit like "Fight Club"


Good Memories....

Golden Enduro

ok - I just got Jesus Camp... get to watch that tonight so I can go to bed all pissed off -
Don't have much, It's about 6:30 AM and I can't think.

Got this email from Dan, did the Golden Enduro on Saturday

From: Dan
Subject : Golden Enduro Retrospective

12 guys showed up to start at 5:14 Saturday morning, including two Pro's from some team I couldn't identify because it was too dark and I was too groggy. The race started when one of the Pro's said, "What are we waiting for?" and took off for the gate. Halfway up Belcher, where I was in 4th position and riding alone through groups of indifferent deer, only the light of the 3rd placed rider was visible ahead of me. The Pros were already out of sight, and would finish more than an hour in front of #3 (Stefan is his name), (they did it in about 7 1/2 hours. I would see them about 4 hours later as I was weaving my way up Mt. Falcon. They were on their way down.) I looked back to see a group of wobbling lights behind me. Daylight started to appear, I cleaned the entire Belcher singletrack climb, but slid across a waterbar on the descent and crashed before I passed the first "casualty", Taylor, looking at his directions, having missed the Belcher singletrack and ridden directly over to the Rawhide trail. We would end up riding the entire race together. Well, sort of. He didn't feel like going back to get on-route, so, as I was trying to explain to him where we were, another guy, Kevin, came by, and we quickly chased him down. Lights off, the three of us descended Longhorn as the sun started to rise.

After dropping our lights off at our cars, we took off for Chimney Gulch. Actually, they took off. I was still fishing through my pockets looking for some food. I re-caught them at the base of Chimney Gulch after descending through Golden. We rode the first half of the climb together, but after the first road crossing, Taylor, whom I had dropped early on Belcher, started riding away. Right then, an hour and a half into it, I realized I wasn't having a very good day, and I was going to suffer for the rest of the ride. There was a brief moment when I thought I was going to catch him before Lookout Mountain, but I crashed hard on my hand. (Yes, going UP the climb.) It would start cramping about an hour later, then go numb for the last three hours. The organizer's dad was standing at the second rode crossing, he told me I was in 5th place.

After descending Apex, I finally caught him again on 40. Kevin, who apparently never stops for anything, happily cruised by us at the Red Rocks parking lot. (Someone had to take care of some business there. By business I mean poo.) But we again quickly caught and passed him. The climb wasn't too bad, but Taylor dropped me as soon as it got steep. Somehow I managed to catch him at the top, but all that effort was wasted when he crashed into a pile of rocks on the descent. Nothing broken (besides the snapped spoke on his rear wheel he started with), so we took off again.

Mt Falcon was torture. Taylor dropped me immediately. The climb went on forever. It started to get hot. The trail, after about 45 minutes of climbing, finally leveled out before we hit the loop at the top and descended. But then came more, steeper, climbing. I walked all the steepest parts. Near the top, where Taylor was waiting for me (he had lost his directions), an old couple hiking asked us if we had started at the bottom parking lot, I replied "Yeah, the bottom parking lot of White Ranch." It's location apparently didn't register with them. On the way down, I almost crashed into a picnic bench in a gazebo. This needs no explanation, nor will you get one.

At about hour 5, we stopped in Morrison for water. I hadn't drunk half the contents of my Camelbak, but decided to fill it, and the water bottle I had, completely. I think this was a mistake. The trails, bike paths and roads from here to Golden, besides the climb up Green Mountain, weren't too bad, but Taylor decided we still had to pedal, and my ass really started to hurt. To compensate, I was tensing up my back muscles and triceps to get the weight off my saddle, and they started cramping, too. I was a little dazed by this point. From the bottom of Mt. Falcon to the bottom of Table Mountain (again excepting Green Mountain where he dropped me yet again), I didn't do anything but stare at Taylor's back wheel.

If you're heading south on 93, just before the turn to White Ranch you can see Table Mountain on your left. It doesn't look like much. We first made our way up a road from Golden to get to 93 and then over to the entrance, but as soon as we hit the service road leading to the top, I couldn't pedal anymore. I walked the entire road. Halfway to the top, I saw Kevin behind me, turning off 93 onto the dirt road and thought, "Shit, I have to walk faster." 2 minutes later, I looked back again, and saw him dismounting and starting to walk. I slowed down.

It took me about 20 minutes to walk to the top. Taylor, who rode the whole way up, was coasting down in the opposite direction. Had he already ridden the loop? He stopped in front of me and said, "I'm lost." After a sigh, I pulled out the official directions. "Right onto the North Table Mtn service road. Right on doubletrack. Descend the singletrack on the east side and follow this around to the north side." We looked up, saw doubletrack to our right and started pedaling towards it. A few minutes later, some singletrack appeared heading east. After 5 minutes or so of smooth, fast descending, we came to the top of a cliff. People were climbing on it. We later found out that we were supposed to go down the second doubletrack. Of course, how could we have been so stupid? The directions were generally terrible, but this was aggravating, and the end of my mental stamina. (I never would've found my way from Mt. Falcon to Green Mountain if it weren't for Taylor.) 8 1/2 hours into it, we were both too upset to turn around, so we portaged down the cliff, then down a trail that was impossible to ride, descended through a neighborhood and ended up halfway back to Golden. So, back up the road...

By the time we made it to White Ranch, it didn't matter that we had gone off-route 5 miles from the finish. We had ridden [and walked] ~72 miles, with ~11,600ft of elevation gain, in just under 9 hours. I hurt for the last 7. But just so you don't think I'm soft, I did Super Walker yesterday.

White Ranch

Had a great ride on Sunday - rode White Ranch from the lower parking lot, got in almost 3,000 feet of climbing. I'm a little worked this morning from yesterday's ride, but I felt so good that I'm going to ride again after work today.
According to the Map, the initial climb from the parking lot is 1740 feet in 4.4 Miles. That's no joke... DOT won't build roads that steep. I think for the first 1500 feet I had to take take a short breather (otherwise known as getting off my bike to prevent hurling puke all over the place) - but I was fine the rest of the ride. My legs were strong, and lungs felt good.

Ok - enough with me being all happy with myself...


Today's Words of Wisdom -
bitch it bro