Chapters

Alright, so this post comes in 4 completely separate parts.

Part 1
I plan on racing Arrowhead again next year. Great people, beautiful course, and pushing it to the extremes; ie, a recipe for fun. I am not a man of deep pockets so a true winter bike will hopefully be built over the course of this summer. Closeouts will be scoured, and begging will be common place. My buddy Chris Strout (formally of World Bicycle Relief and now at Cane Creek) got me off on the right foot by hooking me up with some sweet product (and no begging needed!). Now, people go on and on about Chris King headsets while my basic Cane Creeks pound out long quiet hours without a whimper. I have always had a problem with the pedestal the the King's have been put on. To make a point, CC knocked out the 110 headset. A warranty that lasts 110 years? Sounds like the first piece in the snow bike puzzle as all my other bikes are outfitted with Cane Creek IS headsets already. Thanks Chris and Cane Creek!!


Part 2
J-No? Check. Start in the dark? Check. The XRC/DBD/ABC/LMNOP rides are back on. Meet at 6am, this time with J-No and the man that we'll call the Great Gazoo. We all plan on tackling Ragnarok and Transiowa. They roll on studded cross tires and single speed cross bikes, me on my studded 2.1's and Fisher 29er. Hills are the name, gravel was our game. Pulled up to my side door with over 6 hours in the legs and wondering how much those tires weigh as the last hour I swear they had gained 10 pounds each (they actually weigh 2.42 pounds each). Kuske made his face shown towards the end, not a true member yet of the exclusive club, but his status can be upgraded down the line with the proper paperwork and training.

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Part 3
Gravel grinding. I am sick of the term and new races popping up everywhere you look. Everyone and their brother is putting on a race or is in one, two, or a dozen. My prediction is we'll see a peak here this year or next and a big decline. Seriously, sweet ribbons of dirt, or long boring roads of crushed rock? Yeah, yeah, yeah, entry costs you a postcard, but you still have to ride it. Now, some courses are worth it. Ragnarok 105 is 'da bomb' because of it's awesome terrain. Transiowa? Well, Transiowa and me have a score to settle from last year and it's first iteration. Beyond that, if it were in the summer, you probably would not see me there. Heck of the North is on my radar for similar reasons as Ragnarok.

Part 4
I watched 2 movies this weekend with the wife and I had guessed the ending of both before they even started. The Ugly Truth was a movie that the wife snuck in on our Netflix queue (note to self: change the password on Netflix). I wasn't going exactly out on a limb when I called the end of that flick. Oh, and for the Men out there, avoid if possible. Then Shutter Island was a very good movie, but again I guessed the entire premise before buying my ticket.

Am I just so amazing that I know everything or are movies too predictable? Seriously, which? No, no it is not my good looks. That was not a choice. They have nothing to do with the question. I think it is a little of both, not my good looks.

And with that, I bid you BTW and thanks for reading.