Keeps

Inside all of the chaos I look for the order, my blanket, keeping me happy looking for the ink in the sky and tracks across the ground. If I found it, I'd probably stop looking for it. I always enjoy the search more than the find.

Spring

The pale skin finally warmed a bit. Finally an afternoon where gloves and a hat were optional. Amazing how good the legs can feel when the sun is out. Any chance at a training camp is long gone but after a day like that, I feel a little throat thing coming on next week.

Cement

This was before the 8 inches of wet cement snow came down. It was even better early this morning.

Meat of the Curve

This was in the front yard of a house as I was riding yesterday, I wondered just what the people were trying to accomplish? Were they clowns? What is it that they were saying with a giant inflatable jester in their front yard- WTF???

I would have enjoyed being pro, real PRO. Just to have been able to travel and train in cool places that were warm(er). I do like that I put in the time without a check. I have been happy to be out there on the bike getting in the work, I had a photo from the 90s with the whole bike iced up, it didn’t shift or brake or anything, roached, the whole machine but the two hours I did that day couldn’t have been better. But I managed to ride and finish right in the meat of the curve.

Wet

It's been snowing heavy and wet, thick, late winter snow. Not January snow when it’s super cold and it's just part of the colder season. Inside a cloud of snow, almost whiteout, with the kind of squinting that never gets you a clear view. Wipers on the glasses like a cartoon could only help for a second but then the ice and snow builds up, then wipers do nothing. Not really an issue as I don’t have wipers on my glasses. Late winter changes the training a lot, fenders are needed, especially if you plan on riding between 9 and 6. Mid winter is different. Less sloppy, better traction too.

7

They installed new light switches in the rest rooms at work. They have motion sensors that only leave the lights on for about 90 seconds. I was doing my thing while texting and before I knew it I think I was sitting in the dark for about 5 minutes. Odd, meanwhile I am looking for a new vice, who knows what it could be, none of the usual ones seem appealing. Maybe one of the 7 deadly sins? Are those considered a vice? Greed-Gluttony-Lust-Pride-Envy-Sloth-Wrath, I mean they all sound good, not all at once but certainly an option.

Draw

Nothing like a bike thought on a snowy winter morning, never enough coffee on days like this.

Action

I am ok. at least that's what I tell myself. slow & out of shape comes to mind. the fact that my brittle bird-like bones will shatter if I fall should slow me-more. Not the best eventuality when it comes to riding over snow and ice. I look for the clarity I lack. Maybe it's ADD-another bullshit excuse for not paying attention. I am enjoying the smell of diesel and mag chloride.

Crisp

I don't know if the useless cunt in the Mercedes even saw me. I felt her mirror clip my jacket. The wind died at the end of the day as the sun set. Made me happy to pedal.

Error

I can't have the time but I have the clarity to see the scene laid out in front of me. Like rolling up to a rock garden and having the line appear highlighted through it. It used to be time not quality, now it all ends up a ball in my stomach, whether I did enough or not, it's not.

Simplify

The simplest thing is to write what you know, I know very little that anyone would want to read about. Lots of useless facts, minutiae, that only serves to keep the useful information from getting in and out onto the page. Every time I start to feel a string thoughts worthy of the page they float out into the ether. Pushed away by the minutiae, far away from the important-ness. I need to record, I type like crap. I want to get the useful stuff down on the page. In the coming weeks I'll try a bit harder to get less crap and more of the better words. They're there, somewhere. I know a bit about bicycles, and, I really like those-maybe, well, you can pretty much count on a lot of words on bikes. Rapha Rides The Tour of California from RAPHA on Vimeo.

Thai

No leftover Thai from last night. Somehow I'm still stinky, I think Yoga loosened something

Yoga

I left yoga tonight feeling a little taller. I should yoga more or whatever verb I should use. I also pulled a Knoxville, a little mid-pose gas relief.

I wasn't going that fast, it was cool riding through the whiteout across the Dam. 50 km/h winds bit. I feel better now. Well, better than I did before.

Let us pray

I think the motorists were more interested in the crazy priest dancing on the median strip than me riding my bike. We did have similar blinky lights going though. It makes my ride go smoother if they drowsy drivers are aware of the clowns that are exposed, whether it's a lunatic priest, or an OCD-afflicted cyclist.

Free

Free to pedal, just watch your ass.

1.7

Icy roads made the smooth dirt feel that much better. 

The studded tire tire only added to the security. 

Almost home as it's snowing harder than it was, perfect timing.

Putting glasses on like a sweater

Skating across the ice-thick and strong

Winter clears the snow-sometimes.

Lux-RIP

Lux Interior of The Cramps called their style "Psychobilly" whatever it was-it was good. I saw a little parallel between The Cramps and White Zombie. The B-Horror movie stuff and Americana. Watch a little of it...Lux was 62, not bad for a punk.

I stole the photo from here.

excercise

Erosion is a good thing sometimes, it can strip away the fat and allow the good to appear. Rolling across the ice isn't always stable, I need the erosion to wait a bit to keep the snow, that offers traction. Ice? Not so much. Descending long hills on a sheet makes me tune brakes every night, make sure they work when I need them to. Scrubbing a ton of speed on 50 feet of clear road before the ice restarts.

Panang

Getting into the mode is easier. It all adds up, sums aren't the totals on the balance sheet, the numbers are less exact for now. It counts differently. The pieces to finish the puzzle are underneath.

Uphill

No Hurry

It took a bit to pry open the locks, then the chain disappeared and the bike went up. Each climb after that was better. Charros at the end was like riding up a flight of steps. Getting into the place for 20-30 minutes was great. Cozy and warm like laying by the fire, instead shielded and happy, ticking over the cadence.

Whole

Getting more careful and not just putting out random efforts. Method is important, so far no breakdowns, visual, aural, clear view of the road, it's long you know? The parts are staying whole. Preventive maintenance. 

Monday thoughts

I think I can officially start the 2009 season, not that anything I do is official, it's not, really. Cross worlds were yesterday, I read a bit about the race and tried to find video but failed. Apparently Ryan hit a camera boom, that sucks-I guess being that tall you're prone to odd things. KFC had a good go (3rd is pretty impressive), The rainbow jersey will come to live in Colorado at some point. I need to unstick my seatpost, maybe a concotion of WD-40 and Liquid Wrench wil do the trick. The Kitchen isn't the best workshop, But it's all I have, I can only wash the bikes outside, working on them in 15 degree weather is a bad thing. Maybe I'll save my pennies and get a work stand. The studded tires and fenders need to go on too, that should be the first effort of the week but instead I'll get splattered because I'm lazy, but I rode to work today, different lazy, I think.

Diverse

Not enough time to hit all of it, that'll come, I think there is about 30k total, I did probably 20. Not bad but today it's the trainer. My shoulders are weak, my legs and lungs better.