MT. of destruction

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/volcanoes/vmtvesuvius.html

last chance

Climbing along the almafi coast absolutely stunning views today. One last mtn top finish for the "killer" to make a move. with only a flatish stage and a 12 mile TT left, this one is almost in the books. Looks like a nice day to be on the coast. Wow. A place I will plan to travel someday.

Perfect Paceline

Harmonious train of pain, a cycle of cycles. I wish people in cars new how to do this on the highways. a thing of beauty to see 10 riders work and recover and work again, mind focused on keeping the pace and working together that is until the shoot out.

cycling tip #10

Save the race for race day. One way of judging your speed is by the comparing your ability, but first off, nobody likes the yo-yo sting affect. If you are on the dirt and the trail is thin what is the point of ramming into each other? If you are on the road and want to go off alone, what's the point of the group. I like pushing the pace, especially by gravity and gyroscopic assisted power, but the real judge of the ability is race day. There is no hiding, no stopping and regrouping and no one to beat but yourself. So save your power for when it counts. That is why a ride is a ride and a race is a race.

Phone pics

Memorable Memorial day. Nice weather. Skin tone has changed. Summer is nearing, My road bike saddle is a rock. Definitely not in shape. Back at work. Need some rest.

Giro

Defies the standards of the tour, and for that reason it is unexpectedly more intriguing. I don't want to imagine doing a TT for 1:40 and know for a fact that course would take me well over 2 hours. Let just say a suffer fest. I must say that watching a full peloton is more appealling to watch on the tv set, but in personl that constant queue of riders keep the entertainment cycling thru. I would much rather be a tifosi drinking a lemoncello than putting the hurt on like only a race of truth can.

Bad ride

Well, I guess I am due. I am riding on a set of hayes that are 7 years old. At granogue I had very little front brake. Didn't matter because there was mud to slow ya down. Anyway. So the pads were shot. I had the entire bike cleaned and apart since the race. Threw it all back together for the Wednesday Victory ride. Even with new pads the brake was not there, so I quickly bled the system. Felt the brake. it has some bite, but then went soft. oh well ride anyways. down the first hill and the brake was gone, but luckily the rear had bite and new pads, so only the real steep downs were going to be trouble. I also noticed a wheel wobble. I actually had noticed it at granogue, but thought it was just the mass of mud. At a re-group stop I found a loose spoke. I was going to tighten it when I noticed that the flange of the hub had broken. wobbly wheel, no front brake and a broken hub. Oh well wen to the back and kept riding. next thing on a very steep up, my wheel came loose in the drops, it slid forward in the horz drop and the tire rub on the frame. Stop told other just to move along and I will catch up. Straighten the wheel, tighten the bolts and back under way. Survied the rest of the highly accelerating ride with little other adversity. But upon wearing my sun glasses this morning I also noticed that the rubber piece on the arm had been lost. Should have stayed home and went to the boys baseball game. now I have to find out what is wrong with the brake, try and get a replacement front hub which entails taking the wheel apart and putting it back together, and look for some lost legs(honey don't worry that is a cycling term for lost power).

Jonny law

pulled me over on my bike tonight around 9:30pm. Said I made an illegal right on red. Forced me to go home because I had no rear blinker. Went home came back out with a blinker and was night riding a county park that closes at night, a state trooper slows and spots me. I turn out to the road to talk, and he slowly kept going. Went to Marsh and did a nice loop. legs felt fresh until the road ride home. Man, can't a guy just get out for a peaceful spin. First guy told me I had to follow all the traffic laws as a motorist. I said well they sure don't treat you like another motorist out there. Not like I am going to stop at lights from now on, look both ways double check and go! No sure how a ticket can be enfororced when there is no way to identify a person. I wish I recorded the stop.

Cinco De Mayo

Yes, today is the day, that Americans celebrate Mexico's whatever. Why, not so sure. When it started, also lost along the way. I must admit any reason to drink tequila and eat burritos is a good reason to me.

So, too much of this Rain in putting a damper on this "On the Rocks" . I might as well just call it because I don't think people are recovered yet from this Granogue. So the call must be made. Alternate date is August 16, and actually the course may be better because we will be starting from a different spot.

I will leave you with this from my morning commute. Cycling tip # 9 don't be late. The quickest route is most surely not the best route.

Messed and Mudded

Granogue turned into the sloppiest, messiest mud I have seen. As written before on this blog, when the mud turns to recycled peanut butter, and I have to walk my ride turns south. not sure I could have power for 4 hours regardless, but that workout was hardly cycling. Pictures to come when ever they pop up on the web. Still cleanning the mud out of the eyes. Place is like a moment frozen in time, when the Dupont came out in aristocratic pre-industrial attire, 20 coaches with horses, wagon, trumpet and marksmen.
Took apart the entire bike to clean and get the water out of the steel frame. Two shot bb bearings, and disc pads. Everything is sitting on top of news paper with a spray of lube. frames hanging on the stand. 32 20 was fine, course had some hills, but the walking in mud with the mud clinging to the bike is what halted me. dam bike must had been fifty pounds. When a saw a junior hoisting his bike, I thought that thing must way twice his weight. Congrats to all that indured that slog.