Guest Blogger

Everyone give a warm welcome to J-No and his Tuscobia 150 experience. I stole this from a group e-mail he set out. We here at the XRC are pooling together money for him to get his own blog.

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My plan was to leave Rochester at noon on Thurs. I ended up going into work Wed overnight, so I slept for a couple hours in the am and headed out. A quick dinner, bike set up, and I went to bed at 2100. Temps at the start were about 10 deg F, lows were 0-5deg at night. The start was pretty mellow with Buffington, Lance, and Farrow taking off. I rode solo the entire ride. The trail was flat and fast. I cruised along at 7-8 mph. Much better conditions than we usually see around here.

The first 75 miles were pretty uneventful. I stayed no more than a few minutes at each of the 2 rest stops, just long enough to refill my camelbak. Mid afternoon I started to get sleepy despite having added some caffiene to my Infinit on my last order. I took a No Doz and felt better. I reached the turnaround (75 miles) in just over 10 hours. I started to think I had a shot at a 24 hour finish. At this point Buffington and Lance were a couple of hours up on me, Farrow was about 30 minutes ahead.

Three miles out from the next checkpoint (mile 88) the wheels fell off. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea were the name of the game. I took a wrong turn and realized it about a mile and a half later. It was a gravel road. I have no idea why I did not figure it out. I stayed at the checkpoint for a while, trying to settle my stomach down, ate some soup. I started to feel better and set out again. I thought I would just drink water to see how it worked out. Miles 90-100 saw more diarrhea and vomiting. I tried not eating for drinking anything for an hour, but that was not going to be a long term solution. At mile 100 I decided that maybe I needed to sleep for a few hours. I bivvied for about 3 hours and slept. My stomach felt better, but the tank was empty. I fired up the stove for some oatmeal, and started riding. It was about 4am at this point. I started to feel better and rode to the next checkpoint (mile 120). I saw Farrow's bike outside. There was a note from a volunteer stating that I should help myself to whatever I wanted, Farrow had dropped and she was giving him a ride. The next 30 miles went without incident aside from the overall fatigue from so many hours on the bike. My 24 hour finish turned into 31 hours in the end.

Most of the gear worked well. I'm not sure about the front compression sack. I had to run it length wise because of the drop bars. It obstructed my light and I was unable to see my front wheel. I found this to be a problem when I was trying to follow tracks. Farrow and Buffington used front panniers. I may try those. The compression sack is also cumbersome to quickly add/take things out of. The drop bar pogies worked fine, but are not ideal. There is no storage for food. My hands and feet stayed warm. Layering system worked well. The only thing I added at night was a vest. Temps were pretty warm, another 20 deg colder may be a different story. I will bring some heavier mittens for Arrowhead.

The only thing I did differently before I had GI distress was add a can of sugar free Red Bull to my camelbak. I was feeling sleepy and I thought it might help. I drink it all the time with no ill effects, so who knows. I am also lacking in training hours compared to last year. I have another solid month of training before Arrowhead.

There were only 7 riders who started the 150. There also were 5 runners/skiiers. I'll be back next year.

I'm planning on riding long next weekend. Arrowhead is looming...

J-No

Getting back, Tuscobia 75 miler

Tuscobia Trail Race, 75 mile recap:

They left us in Rice Lake, WI expecting us to make our way back to Park Falls, WI on our own much like you would do with a homing pigeon. The Flattop rims got moving on the Bontrager equipped 9:ZERO:7 they would say at 9:20am. Chuck Lindgren would lead for a bit on our snowmobile trail back home until a soft hill had us pushing. I ended up in front, and after awhile there was a gap despite keeping my vitals in check. Off the trail, over the road, to the motel for the first checkpoint at mile 12 and back left just a view of an empty trail behind me. The pace would slow some as the pressure didn't seem to be coming from behind me and we still had a ways to go.

Roughly at mile twenty, I called and reassured the wife that I was not going to die that day, took a couple of pictures, and day dreamed. My daydreaming would end when a soft spot of snow caused a dab, and the image of a figure far down the trial behind me appeared. Race on.

The figure would disappear as I upped my pace. Forty Six miles in and time for a check point. Off the trail, over the road, into the motel room, and back. I adjusted what I realized was a falling seat post as well. A look back soon after being on the trail I would see the figure again. Hmmm? Race on still.

With 11 miles to go my legs were hurting in spots I was not accustomed to and that is when the trail decided to crap out. Stopping 3 times to drop pressure finally saw me being able to ride the mush that was a trail. After roughly 6 miles the trail hardened some. All this time I knew my seat was dropping on it's own. Not wanting to see the figure again I refused to stop and just pushed through.

I would stop the clock sometime before 5pm. Heading into the warming hut for some food where Tim would pat me on the head and say good bird. A first place for my efforts. I would pack up and leave the parking lot 90 minutes later, still no sign of the figure.

Notes:
-My seatpost had dropped a full inch again by the finish
-I suspected during the race that "the figure" may have not stopped at the mandatory checkpoints, and Tim more or less confirmed that. I figured those checkpoints cost me about 10 minutes each.
-I am now the record holder for the 75 mile race (sub 8 hours), but it is only in the 2nd year. Last year Dave Pramann won on a slower course in 10:19.
-Big Buff was able to fend off the Porn Stached Orange Squeezer for the win in the 150 in 17 hours.
-J-No overcame some serious troubles to finish out the 150 in 30 hours.
-Graveyard Napper would succumb to a previous illness. His body was properly buried next to the trail, valve caps were saved and then given to his wife.
-Tim Roe puts on a great event. Stocked rest stops with food and beds, sweet finisher medals and trophies to people that placed, transport to the start, and awesome hoodie. All for not much more than an XC race.
-Thanks to Tim, Chainreaction, and the 29crew.

A ? for a ?

Is the pope Catholic?
Is a Zebra black and white?
Is Elvis dead?
Does a bear crap in the woods?

These are all appropriate ways to answer a question with a question and the point is made.

Well, what if you just want to say "kind off"? Well now you have that chance. When someone asks if you like their outfit and your are indifferent, just ask "Does Charly Tri have a beard"?

You see Tuscobia is this weekend. I'll be racing the 75 miler. I don't technically qualify for the 150 miler. Arrowhead 125 approaches as well. These both have the potential to be very cold, thus my attempt at facial hair. Check it. Not really a beard, not a goatee.
Now I know you're wondering where to get the sweet Chain Reaction Cycles/29er crew shirt. Sorry, I had it custom made for me. I am contractually obligated to show both labels in every picture of mine on the blog. There are lots of other rules, they are thick contracts. One thing I slipped in though, is every time I visit their headquarters they need to have bowls of M&M's ready for me sorted by color. Also, when I visit they need to play this video on TV no more than 10 feet from the entrance.



As always, you should get back to work.

I have 3 brothers and 1 sister.

Or maybe it was 2 brothers and 2 sisters.  Hmmmmmm?

BTW.

Riding the 907

So I have been able to take the new bike for some shake down rides and to say that I am impressed would be an understatement. The lightweight, frame stiffness, and handling are simply spot on. I was also excited to get in my first sub zero ride of the year in just the beginning of December. There is something surreal about riding for hours at a temp that keeps people from taking out the trash.

This night was after 16" of new snow. The only way I could ride the trails was with the tires almost riding on the rim from the low pressure. The trail would firm up farther down, which is where this pic was taken. Comparing the non compressed tire to the width of the actual track was something unique. Thank goodness for the wide rims, but it had me wondering about the 100's.


16 inches of snow makes for fun sidewalk single track on the way to the snowmobile trails. I would spot Kuske clearing his driveway soon after this. Deep snow is his Fargo's kryptonite. As weird as it is to say, the Fargo could have a flaw (said with tongue in cheek).


This was taken on a previous ride as the storm started. Although you can't make it out well, my shoes brushed the snow with each revolution. This section was an exercise in resistance.


The bike rocks and I would not be doing it justice if there was not a shot of the logo while riding.

So that is it, tomorrow we will discuss Grizzly Adams.

Back to work!

Ultimate snow trail rocket

So you all have been on the edge of your seat to know what my new ride is, I know, I know. As you and your friends gather to watch the latest episode of "Glee" the conversation instantly goes to "what is Jo Mama's new sponsor"? Well, question no more.

To build the ultimate snow trail rocket you need to start with wide light rims. Something in the 80mm width at a hair over 800 grams is certainly a great start. I think these may be about the lightest wide rims you can find. Both of them weighed in the exact same, 807 grams and 0 calories!!


Next, how about a super light alloy frame with big beefy tubing to make sure every watt of energy gets to the snow covered trails? The frame is first class all the way, and the third bottle mount is rare in the niche of snow bikes. I plan on using this spot for storage at the big snow dance.


So you have to fill those holes on the super awesome rims with something cool right? The banner from my daughter's first birthday party fit the bill. Light super shiny Mylar looks futuristic and cool. If you look close you can see the reflection of the rest of the wheel in the Mylar.


Now this is not a sponsor thing, but can you guess why this crazy gringo is drilling holes into his fork?


Bam! Here it is. 9:ZERO:7 frame, 80mm Flattop Rims, 2X9 set up, no front der to freeze, Old style Suntour xc pro shifter. As always my contact points (seat and bars) have to be wrapped in Bontrager as they fit so great. I love my Bontrager Evoke saddle.


Thank you, thank you, thank you guys at Chain Reaction Cycles! My 9:ZERO:7 frame and rims are awesome!! I hope to not disappoint, speaking of which I should probably go for a ride.

So there you have it. I am very spoiled. I have an amazing snow bike, 9:ZERO:7, and mountain bike, Trek/Fisher Superfly 100. My stable is stacked and I am grateful.

Also, special shout out to Matt at Rochester Cycling and Fitness. Sure I work there, but he never winces when I work late into the night after hours on my own stuff. First class shop, top bikes!

Less bloggy bloggy, more worky worky.

For sale: the Super Pugsley,

SOLD!!!




My new bike is a hair's breath from done, but here is the 18" Pugsley that is for sale (missing cassette in picture). It is much better in spec than what you can by new, and most of the parts are new or close to it. Much lighter than the stock spec and you get a custom 100mm fork with dual bottle mounts on the back with custom superlight racks(all recently powder coated). Are you looking to do an adventure? This is your bike.

$1,350 with racks, $1,200 without.

About the 100mm front fork. The idea of 2 rear wheels sounds great, but in practice the "other" rear wheel never gets used. Using a standard front wheel you get a much lighter set up and can install it on a fork mounted rack without adapters.

charlytri (at) yahoo (dot) com

I bolded the upgrades you would find over stock:

Frame	Surly Pugsley , Surly 4130 CroMoly steel. Main triangle double butted. TIG-welded. Purple. Custom removable rack. Frame Saver applied.
Fork	Custom 100mm front fork with dual bottle mounts and custom removable rack. Frame Saver Applied.
Seatpost Clamp	Surly Stainless , 30.0mm. Black
Drivetrain
Crankset	TruVativ , 22/32/44t. Black, BRAND NEW
Bottom Bracket	FSA DH, more durable than the Truvativ, BRAND NEW
Cassette	Sram (forget the model)
Chain
Front Derailleur	Shimano LX E-Type , FD-M660. Topswing, dual pull
Rear Derailleur	Shimano Deore , RD-M591 SGS Top Normal. Black
Components
Headset	WTB Greaseguard
Stem	Bontrager , 1-1/8" threadless. Forged. 31.8mm clamp
Handlebar	Cannondale house brand, small rise, pretty wide. New
Grips	Pro lock on grips NEW.
Brake levers	I forget, something basic
Brakes	Avid BB5, Cable-actuated disc. 160mm rotor
Seatpost	Truvativ Team Issue
Saddle	Bontrager Race Lite
Shifters	Shimano XT, Older style.
Wheels
Front Hub	100mm Shimano XT
Rear Hub	Shimano XT
Rims	Surly Large Marge DH , 32h. Custom Drilled saving 100's of grams, but still more than enough strength.
Spokes	DT Comp, Double Butted
Front Tire	Surly Larry , 3.8" Black, Brand New
Rear Tire	Surly Larry, 3.8" Black, Brand new
Tubes	I forget, not those heavy Surly's though.

Goodies are a coming!

So, 6:30 this morning my "package" got scanned at the local UPS. I don't think it will make it out for delivery today, but tomorrow I am sure. Then it is build time for the ultimate snow bike.

Edit: "Out for delivery." Nothing like getting here early!!

Here is a little preview.



BTW

I don't smoke pot,

but I roll fatties. We finally got some snow which meant I finally got to take the fat tire snow bike out in the white stuff. We got 8-10 inches of which I got in a fun ride mid snow dump (with my feet scraping the snow with every pedal stroke) and a few snow machine trail rides after it all settled. The fat tires are sure nice when the snow gets soft and hard to ride.



Snowmobile trails were shown who the boss is. Those would be custom drilled large marge rims on my "later this week" for sale Pugsley. The blob on the right is a water bottle on the custom fork. Thursday comes the new goodies, and Thursday night is BUILD NIGHT!!



The bad picture from my phone does not do these neat little snowflakes justice. These collected on my poggies during one of my rides with Kuske. It was weird to get in a 3+ hour ride again when the temp hovers close to 0 degrees.

You may think the boss does not know you are blog surfing, but it is known. You should get back to work.

Bullet point updates.

-About this time next week you'll get some pics of the new ride. Clues? New complimentary sponsor, light, fast, fat, ideal. Excited would be an understatement. People at Arrowhead will shake in fear.

-Until the new goodies come I will be prepping my 18" Surly Pugsley to sell. Think XT components, custom fork, custom front and rear racks, ie. good stuff. Pics and official spec/price to come early next week.

-I realized now why I have been having such a hard time on the bike recently. With the recent drop in temps my asthma has kicked my butt. A refill of the 2X daily inhaler last night and my breathing is already showing improvements. I am supposed to use this set up when my breathing gets really bad, like recently. I'll get back to full strength and good to go. This asthma stuff is still new to me.

-My tenure as a Indoor Cycling instructor at the RAC has come to an end. The last few years I only taught in the winter. There was a 50% increase in dues with Abi turning 2 and now we are considered a "family membership". It was already not cheap, but a switch to the YMCA is really saving us some cash. It is really hard to spend $50 for a 2 year old that doesn't even come in.

-Before I left the RAC I noticed the temps were starting up. The temps? They are the people that work out for a month or so until they get burnt out. They come every year, January being the biggest infestation. Some ways to identify them include; new fancy workout outfits, lifting gloves when working on simple weight machines, special non breathable tops designed to make you "sweat off the pounds", doing a 10 rep set on a weight machine and then sitting there trying to look pathetic for 4 minutes until your next set, bouncing up and down doing the "touch the toes" stretch, hitting the ab machines especially hard until you realize that it hurts after a few reps, constantly looking around to see if others approve of your ability to work out, and spending half your time fumbling around with you ipod. Do you have other ways to identify the temps?

-Christmas is coming. I guess I am hard to get a gift for as I only want bike stuff and usually get what I need. Getting presents mean very little to me. I enjoy giving them and the family time. Two years back I got almost nothing at one gift opening (for a special reason) and did not even notice the lack of gifts. It is just time to hang out with family members, and I hope all members on both sides of our family make it a point to come out. Moral of this story, everyone can just send me cash.

btw

Rolling dirty

You saw the bat signal, and now the ride. Low 30's, rain, and hours on gravel equals ideal ride conditions. We talked, we rode, we stopped to pee a lot. I ended very wet and cold, the fat bike is dirty. Shout out to Kuske and J-No, Juicy Peach was a no show.


BTW

Bat Signal

The call is out. 7am, tomorrow, driveway of the "state penn". Be there or don't be extreme.

Ragnarok 105

T-minus 5 months until I try to defend my title. I really like this race and look forward to lining up and conquering the forces of crushed rock with a hundred of my friends once again.

Until then, I dream of winter, cold, and fat tire racing.

BTW.

Fatty.

Do my 3.8" tires make me look fat?

BTW

And we ride.

The XRC symbol flashed across the sky. All available members mounted their steeds. My fat bike with 29er wheels unleashed it's fury, and gravel the was tamed.

On a side note, my fat tired snow bike should be for sale soon enough. Details to come when available.

BTW

BS

If you haven't read...

Bullcrap here.

Petition to right it here.

Sign the petition unless you believe there is an income threshold for having to pay for your actions.

BTW

It started.

XRC ride #1 in prep for the big winter carnival has been completed. Topics of discussion included the Slurpee Summit in hopes of peace in the midwest, Arrowhead and using downed bodies for warmth much like Luke Skywalker, drop bar poggies, our 29'er wheels rolling in the fatty frames, cold, heat, mancaves, and not riding by accident.

A pic from our future cold adventure. Last year we started at -22 degrees.

I want to play a game.

In a tradition that spans many years Becky and I met some friends in LaCrosse to watch the latest Saw movie. If you are not familiar, Saw prides itself on having the most gory and visually horrific scenes out there. The thing that stands out the most from the movie was not the movie itself. It is the 5 very large young women that thought it was appropriate to bring their 3 kids that looked about 2, 5, and 8 years old. According to the theatre, as long as the kids are accompanied by an adult there was nothing they could do. So there you go, the latest candidates for parents of the year.

BTW

When Mom is away...

...the kids will play. Yes, she is doing a full 360 in the air.

BTW.

Snow and slurpees.

When it comes to the land of snow biking, things are not always what they seem. I new development in Jo Mama's world has him giddy with excitement. Details to come when more is know.

Speaking of snow biking a Slurpee Summit is being arranged. This would consist of XRC, DBD, snow, and camping. With talks commencing and the peace pipe brought out. If all goes well we may see peace in the Midwest once again. If not expect to see attempts made on the DBD's well being.

And since everyone loves a picture...

Teaching'em young

She keeps wanting a Superfly 100 like her Daddy's.  I have been able to change the subject so far, but her desire for the bike only grows.  Remember parents, when you praise something greatly, your kids will want it as well.

Cabin Special?

It is a little cool, but looks to be nice and sunny at the cabin this weekend in Cable, WI; a great place to use a launching point for many great mountain bike rides. Running a special for this weekend if anyone wants it. $100 for Friday/Saturday night. The picture is from one of the nearby hikes past some waterfalls. I plan to be up there the following weekend rocking out on the trails as it is just so much fun and plentiful.

Round 1 goes to Charly

They came in droves in the red and white clothing, but no matter, I took care of them all. Next year, at this same, time they will strike again. My belly will be ready, and my teeth primed. You are no match little ones, so bring it on!

Push it real good.

I wonder how many people have middle ringed Red Wing's manhandler on a 35ish pound fat bike? A few hours there of fall fun is good times.

BTW

Races I won't be doing, as if you care,

So endurance races are fun. They really are. Riding, pushing your body to the limit for stupid long periods of time is a true test of your mettle.

Well, in my hours of meditation that I do every day I came to an epiphany. Not all races are created equal. Some are more fun then others. A common thing I find with the endurance races I enjoy is time vs. distance. There is something about racing for 100 miles that is just more fun than riding laps on a course for a set 12 hours.

Things I also discovered is that certain races I would like to do conflict either with other races or family events. So instead of giving you my race schedule, here are races I am sure not to be at next year; Transiowa, Almanzo, 12 hour races, and 24 hour races.

One race I hope to take part in next year is Transwisconsin. Self supported, 600+ miles on a mixture of gravel, dirt, and pavement just seems like a lot of fun. If TransMN gets off the ground I won't be able to help take a long hard look at that as well. The Levis 100 and Ragnarok 105 may see me back to defend my titles. First things first is the frozen race "up North" at the end of January. I am signed up. I got me a snow bike, and I am looking to rumble.

Alright, the I got work to do, and so do you.

Crossing the fatty

Alright, so I have a 31+ pound fat tire bike. In bags I am carrying tubes, tools, and food for long rides. Four large bottles (3 filled to the brim) adorned the bike thanks to special mounts on the fork. The bike has to be pushing over 40 pounds.

So what to do, what to do. Well, show up for the local Thursday night cross event of course. Now some people do this kind of thing on their super light mountain bikes only to be pack fodder. Me, I can't be satisfied with that. So with a huge field showing up we set off. The sets of consecutive barriers and run up proved that my 4" wide tires were not optimal, but after a lap I was riding in 2nd, not far from Drew W. I knew at this point if I could keep it up, the result would be great for my career. Round and round we went. Drew eventually pulled while Joe M. and I duked it out like samurai warriors. Attacks were launched, new high limits were created on our red lines, elbows were thrown, and feelings hurt.

On the last lap emerged a rider on a bike meant for the snow. Yes, I won my first cross race of the year. I am still on a high. I couldn't sleep last night and I gave the big bike a kiss good night. She did well. I only hope that Joe and I can mend our relationship as we both put everything we had out on the course that day. It was WWIII out there.

BTW, the picture above is from Transiowa last year. I just happened to run across it and remembered the crappy roads we encountered.

And now you should get back to work.

Things I have learned lately

Watching TV is the only way to truly learn I have found. Unfortunately, I mostly just listen to it as I go about my business during the day. Right now political ads seem to be abundant. So here are some things I have learned through passive listening.

-Nancy Pelosi is not someone you would ever want to meet in a dark alley.
-You will lose most of your money if you put it in the stock market.
-Healthcare is bad.
-Everyone is for working families. I am a stay at home Dad at the moment, so not one politician is for me.
-The national debt is huge. They probably put money into the stock market. I think it is pretty much instant loss of money.
-If you are a millionaire you are a bad guy. I am not sure why yet though. Does that mean the poorer you are the better the person?
-There are people out there that want to bankrupt seniors. Leave old people alone!
-Some politicians are hell bent on sending jobs overseas, while others are here to create jobs. This confuses me as I didn't think the government was the HR department for companies, and why would anyone want to ship jobs away?


I am concerned. There is obviously good and evil running for government. Do you realize that you may vote to end all health care, raise the debt, have everyone lose there jobs, support the rich and thus hurt the poor, bankrupt seniors, or support the horrible and terrible Nancy Pelosi? Please, this November do not vote for these things.

Of course there is this as well.

OK, BTW.

Forgive me Gary, for I have sinned.

It has been many years since my last confession.  For years I followed the path of the mountain biking Godfather.  As I have evolved, so has my riding.  Cold winter days of mine have been filled long rides in the snow and plans to make those rides more enjoyable.  I found limits to your current bikes and for this I have found myself in a self questioning downward spiral.  I have always thoroughly enjoyed making dirt tracks with my big Fisher wheels.

Well, with head held low, I beg your forgiveness.  I am spending time with another.  I have adorned her with many of your Fisher approved Bontrager parts.  Please forgive me as I embark on making a mark on the snow racing community.

I understand what my penance is.  Please look forward to a daily blog post through November.  Yes, I know that is severe, but I feel it is deserved.

Humbly yours.

Gett'n extreme at the Chequamegon 40

Wisely, I rejected an offer to ride super fun single track so that I could pace line with 1,800 of my closest friends on 20 foot wide paths. Leading up to the race I was fighting a cold. Saturday morning and the wife asks, "You don't want to race do you". "Nope", was the response. I just felt like poopy. Last year I ended up with 26th place and the nagging thought that I had more left in the tank. I had wanted a top 20 place before the day of the race.

Off we go at the start. I took up my standard place at the back of the preferred start area and somehow was falling back during the neutral lead out. The race to the grass hurt and I was hoping that back ending a stalled tandem a mechanical would take me out. No such luck. I limped along dry hacking all the way. I rode the first 10 miles on the side of trail as to let others pass easily, and boy did they take advantage of that. Gobs of riders made their way past my already disappointing position in the race. I contemplated stopping and waiting for the wife so that we could ride together.

At some point my body got use to the constant hacking and rising pain in the throat. At the same time others in front of me started to slow. I must have passed close to 50-75 people between there and "OO". After that I continued to work my way up, even passing 9 people in the last 2 miles. Never did I stop hacking, never could I breath all that well. I ended up 64th overall, which surprised me as I didn't think I was in the top 100 after falling back so far.

I want to apologize for those during the race and after that I could not talk to. My throat was in severe pain and left my voice non-existent. Oddly, the only thing that loosened it back up to the rough "you have a cold?" voice was the Gu2O energy drink at the finish. So no, I was not snubbing you. I just couldn't talk. The one positive was that I never noticed the pain in my legs as the pain in my throat took precedent.

Fire ensued that night back at the cabin and stories were told by fellow Rochester racers. Abi slept soundly back in Rochester as her parents enjoyed a weekend up north without there child.

Next year I am sure I will be back for more "fat tire" fun and the elusive top placing.

From the last 2 miles, taken from skinnyski.com.

BTW

E-mails with Paul B.

This is part 2 of my series with Paul B. Part 1 can be found here. That infamous day I remembered Paul mentioning that he had bought a Gary Fisher Cronus that day as well. Well, eventually I found the craigslist ad. After being able to find out that it was legally purchased I started a conversation with him as the asking price was $500 over retail, a red flag.

Go ahead and read our exchanges, starting at the bottom. It is not hard to find his ad, so DO NOT use this info to harass the guy. If you want to investigate his honesty I will not hold you back, however. He is already getting the snot kicked out of him on this, so don't be take this any farther. If you are interested in his bike then certainly go at it. It is a very nice bike.

So again, start at the bottom and read the interesting story on this bike.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thu, September 2, 2010 2:17:49 PM

RE: Bike.

...

From:	Paul B
To:	Becky

---

I understand that you know that I am in a world of hurt. My options are slim. I am in a corner with a bike that I cannot afford, and being tried as a felon. Maybe that is what I need to change. I will change the listing. Bottom line, this is not the person I want to be. I do have a good family, but from their love I somehow fashioned nothing but a life of detrimental ways. I hope to look back at this point in my life and say those guys at the bike shop changed my life for the better. For now it just hurts. But thank you for assisting me in fixing my life.

~Paul

---

Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 10:38:21 -0700
From: Becky
Subject: Re: Bike.
To: Paul B.

Oh I see, I was wondering how you were going to do that. Well, here is the deal Paul. We are watching you. We know about the stolen bikes that you are being charged criminally for. We also know the "stories" you gave as to how you acquired them: ie your brother, girlfriend, found in a ditch, etc. We also know that you bought your Cronus at Brone's bike shop (a great shop btw). I simply wanted to see why you thought you could sell a $3,500 bike for $4,000. I guess you could casually and easily make up lies in conversation, why not e-mail?

Here is the deal, you are a con artist, and we have been following you and documenting. I will give you 2 options. One, you can bring down the price of your bike to a logical number and tell the truth to people as to what it is and where you got it. Option two, you can continue to try to defraud people. You have a large group of people in the bicycle community licking there lips that you choose option two. With that option you will see all hell reign down on you in legal and ethical ways (something you are not use to doing yourself). We are just giving you an opportunity to follow the right path.

I am not sure where you decided to become such a punk (sorry, I couldn't think of a better word to describe you). Was it running track in High School? Maybe when your Mom would drag you to St. Mary's Assumption? Maybe at Ironman WI? Wait, we both know that was a lie as well. Maybe it was something your sister did? She seems so nice, even picking up your car when you were in jail, so I doubt that is it. Your Mom seems nice enough to bring down the car keys from Arkansaw as well. Hmm, I don't know. Either way here is your chance to change.

We will continue to monitor the sale of the bike. If we still see falsehoods, than expect the worst. If not, than good luck selling your bike to pay for your attorney's fees. I suggest changing the craigslist ad first, and doing it soon.

From all of us to you.

---

From: Paul B,
To: Becky
Sent: Thu, September 2, 2010 11:35:08 AM
Subject: RE: Bike.

Hello there Becky,
No I did not sell the bike yet. I have another guy that is going to be looking at it on the 10th. So if you decide to buy it before him then it't yours. He is still willing to pay 4,000, but i gave you a different price being that you are giving it as a gift. But I will be going out of town for a week being that the 7th is my birthday. Perhaps I can have my sisters fiance meet with you. If that would be ok. If you want the bike, I will sell it as low as 3,750. I hope all is well with you.

~Paul

---

Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 06:33:57 -0700
From: Becky
Subject: Re: Bike.
To: Paul B.

Paul,

Did you get this last e-mail? Did you sell the bike already? Please tell me you didn't.

Becky

---

From: Becky
To: Paul B.
Sent: Tue, August 31, 2010 12:41:19 PM
Subject: RE: Bike.

Yeah, I would be looking at the 7th. I would prefer someplace public. I could do the McDonald's on 55th st at noon? Do you mind if my husband's friend comes with? He understands bikes a lot better than me as he works at a shop here in town. He just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to get taken for a ride, which I told him things were fine, but he worries. He just is suspicious of anything used. He just busted some jerk who had stolen 2 bikes and was trying to trade them in. I guess the guy got arrested and charged with a felony. Too bad being stupid is not illegal as well, huh? It disappoints me that there are jerks like that out there in the world, but he had a lot of fun getting that guy arrested! Chalk one up for the good guys. Anyways, I look forward to meeting you. Thanks! Becky --- On Tue, 8/31/10, Paul B.> wrote: From: Paul B. Subject: RE: Bike. To: Becky Date: Tuesday, August 31, 2010, 10:35 AM well last year when I did it I finished in 9:42:45 which won my age group, but i couldnt walk the next 4 days. It is a grouling race. That is why i bought the Fisher, to further increase my time, but school is tougher than any race I have done. So I guess winning this race would be a 4.0 so I gotta keep going at it. Tuesday the 7th? Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:35:35 -0700 From: Becky Subject: RE: Bike. To: Paul B. I want to see it when I have the money, which looks like next Monday. Can you meet on Tuesday? How was the Ironman triathlon? Was it hard? How long did it take you? I am really curious as it sounds like a really hard event. Becky --- On Mon, 8/30/10, Paul B. wrote:--- From: Paul B. Subject: RE: Bike. To: Becky Date: Monday, August 30, 2010, 7:40 PM Haha, no this bike has not been riden in france. The opportunity came via my brother being friends with Lance, although Lance is not allowed to ride any other bike, but the Trek Madone basically. Funny huh. And from being sponsered I have other rights that most dont ie getting a bike specifically made for me. Only here in my hands has it been riden. Since I was there when it was being put together. A cross bike means that you just have to buy differents tires and rims for the bike and it can go "off road" so to say. I bought this bike specifically for the madison ironman triathlon. All that is necessary for converting it for a time trial would be aero bars which are take 2 mins to screw on and they are cheap like 40 bucks. so when would you like to meet to look at the bikes. ~Paul Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:09:24 +0000 From: Becky Subject: RE: Bike. To: Paul B. Wow, this sounds like a really cool bike. You actually got this through Lance? That is so cool. I suppose it wasn't ridden in France was it? Ha, ha. What is a cross bike, btw? Just one last question. Would this bike work well for triathlons? He has been talking about trying those as he already runs and bikes. Becky --- On Mon, 8/30/10, Paul B. wrote: From: Paul B. Subject: RE: Bike. To: Becky Date: Monday, August 30, 2010, 12:36 PM Sorry or being so vague. Basically a prototype is one of the first made and they are made with the best of components. So the bike that I have is a cross between the frame of the Ultimate with the components of the Pro. That is why i paid so much more. My brother rides with Lance Armstrong, and my brother caught wind of the new line coming out so he contacted me and i got ahold of the source to design me this bike specifically. That is why it is so nice, especially for the height of 5'8. So you are not missing anything. YOu are correct that the comercialized Cronus Pro does cost 3,695, but that is not what this bike is. It is the best of both worlds with a cheaper price. sorry i replied separately. ~Paul Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:28:18 -0700 From: Becky Subject: RE: Bike. To: Paul B. Paul, That is great that it is the right size! I have been looking for something used for awhile. It looks like it is in great shape as well. I would like to come and look at it sometime next week. I don't understand what you are saying about Lemond and Trek. This is a Gary Fisher correct? I found this bike on their website and it says it sells for $3,659. Am I missing something? Thanks, Becky --- On Sun, 8/29/10, Paul B. wrote: From: Paul B. Subject: RE: Bike. To: Becky Date: Sunday, August 29, 2010, 9:48 PM Here are some pictures for you to look at so you can at least see it because it is different than the ones online and sold in stores. Bike VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL ADD MORE PHOTOS This online album has 5 photos and will be available on SkyDrive until 11/28/2010. --- On Sun, 8/29/10, Paul B. From: Paul B. Subject: RE: Bike. To: Becky Date: Sunday, August 29, 2010, 9:36 PM Hello there Becky. The Gary Lemond Cronus Pro PRESENTED by TREK is not the version that my bike is. My bike was one of the prototypes of the brand new line. Therefore higher density of oclv carbon. Better geometry than most biks. It was hand-made here in the US unlike the others even those from Waterloo are scetchy. Finest of grades for this product. If you are really interested, I can drop the price for you perhaps. As long as you believe that this is the bike for your husband. This is a bike that I would never get of rid in any other scenerio than this. I am sure he could give the love that this bikes deserves of course not taking of from yours. So for $3,650, which is the base price of their base model final sale on any website, is what i would sell it for to you. I am 5'8 and the bike was designed specifically for my height of 5'8. SO the height seems perfect for your husband. If you would like to talk to work something out like to ride it or inspect it, you can call me on my cell at 555-555-5555. Thank you Becky ~Paul Share your own slide shows with Hotmail Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:35:48 -0700 From: Becky Subject: Bike. To: sale@craigslist.org ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html Hi, I am looking at buying a road bike for my husband. I am really interested in you bike, but have a few questions though. What height would a 54cm fit? My husband is about 5'8". Also, you say you bought it for $5,200, but it says on fisherbikes.com that it sells for $3,569.99? Am I missing something? Thanks, Becky this message was remailed to you via: sale@craigslist.org

Afton recap...finally.

So it has been a long time, the wizard of pain has come and left. Hmmm, so in order to stop being harassed, here is your recap.

The 24 Hours of Afton/Salsa Fest was not on my radar this year. I had no plans to race it, much less solo. An e-mail in early July set my mind in motion and I decided to do it again. Now leading up to the race my mind was not in full "Rocky Prep" mode. Long rides were neglected, and things like the Thursday night Buck races and Tuesday night Rochester TT's were put on the front burner.

A quick note about the course. It is about 7.5 miles long and over 1,000 feet of climbing per lap (I am not sure exactly, but I think it may be over 1,100 ft). On this course you are typically grinding up a steep long climb, or flying down one. This course has about the same climbing as Moab, but in half the distance.

Set up went fine the day of and I found a lot of heavy hitters. Those that I knew of for sure were Dan Dittmer (3 time winner), Cody Larson (3rd overall in MN series in Elite), and Chris Schotz (several time WI Endurance Mtn bike series winner). My plan was to ride the first lap like I would ride the later laps. The granny gear was used liberally on the first lap. Although I was most definitely not worried about it, I think I held the lead for the first several hours. Chris seemed determined to sit on my wheel for as long as he deemed necessary.

The temps that day were very high. Add in the fact that most of the climbing is done in the open and you have a hot time on the bike. This ended up taking its toll on most people as I soon saw Chris and Dan in the pits looking for relief. I too would stop with heat and nausea problems for a little bit, but I figured I would just walk climbs if needed. The theory was that at least I was still moving forward. Cody would take the lead at this point with Ben Popp (unknown to me, but a very accomplished endurance racer, including RAAM) in second. I would roll for a long while in third, I think.

Night time came and the cooler temps were much appreciated. I started to stop for shorter times and felt better and better after suffering in the heat. The cramp pings stopped and I always love riding at night. Somewhere around 2ish in the morning I would head out for a lap telling Mark (Super Pit Crew) that the witching hour was upon us and things can always fall apart for people. Well, I didn't think that would be me as I felt pretty decent. At this point I was told that I sat in 2nd with Cody about 10 minutes up on me. Ben was about 30 minutes behind me.

I was close to half way through the course when Chris Fisher would pass me, helping his team in their domination. We exchanged a few words and he was on his way. At the same time I was thinking about how I was really going to have to stop at the pits and get some food in me, calories were needed and the gel was not going down well. I was not worried as I had this happen several times already and was able to ride out the lap fine. Right then my light prematurely died on me. My back up light (small 3 led camping light) batteries were "luckily" almost dead and reverted to an emergency mode. I had about as much light as you would see with a bic lighter, if that.

So as I very slowly fumbled through the dark with hunger pains setting in I hoped to come across another rider. Finally another rider came by and I latched on. Well, I latched on up until I crashed really hard into the hillside. I sat there hungry, tired, and determined just to get back to the pits. Back on the bike I found myself on the bottom of "manhandler", which I would walk for the first time, slowly; very slowly.

Somehow I made it back to the pit, and with the desire to eat a greasy burger. Well, my food variety sucked. Mark lent me his pasta salad that I nibbled on, and then I scavenged the Trekvelolag camp for food. My stomach was in extreme pain, extreme hunger, and heavy nausea. More pasta salad would be consumed one bite at a time with a long pause to allow the stomach to settle. I was in need of calories, but could hardly eat.

That essentially is how the race ended. I couldn't eat enough to safely get back on the bike (mental note, lots of cooked bacon would have been perfect). I am pretty sure I was dehydrated and that contributed to the problem. So, I spent about 17 hours on the course. Usually after a race like this the next couple of days are spent consuming everything in site to help the body resupply and recover. Well, my stomach was so messed up that I could not eat a full meal for almost 3 days. Needless to say my recovery has been slow even though only my stomach and sleep seemed to be really effected by the race. The legs/back were not that bad off.

Congrats to Cody for taking a well deserved win, Ben for toughing it out on a 26" hardtail for 2nd, Jeff for being consistent to take 3rd, Dan for rallying to pass me for fourth, and the rest of the riders. My laps gave me 5th place for the day. My Superfly 100 was perfect that day.

So there is you're recap.

Get ready for tomorrow. I had an e-mail conversation with Paul B. that is sure not to disappoint. Letter to Paul B. part 2 to come.