Well, thanks to M&M I have new cranks and a seatpost coming. It's gonna be SWEEEETT!

Friday night was the Rochester Cycling and Fitness Party. It was to celebrate the end of the year with Velorochester, Women On Wheels (WOW), and select customers. It also included the awards for the local road time trial series.

And a pic of the winners

From left to right: Winner of the stock catagory-Me, Winner of the aero catagory-Mark "Can Erin and I have some food" Carey

And the podium girls

Becky "look into the camera" Tri and Erin "can Mark and I have some food" Carey

Peace out,

Kip

Bling, Bling

Well, I hinted, now here it is. My first foray into product support/sponsorship. I got it built up and rode it last night. I had to borrow a crank as my BB will not work in this frame, and the seatpost is borrowed as well. I need to get those replaced and dial in the set up, but this this can rocket!! Just 1 part of my 2 pronged attack on the endurance racing scene next year.



My new Gary Fisher Paragon. Did I mention we are a Fisher dealer now?







A more dramatic view.

So I got a new toy yesterday. I am going to work early to assembling. Pictures will soon follow!!

Little cold, a little hot.

Becky is in process of training for her 5th (?) marathon. Today she was wanted to run 13 miles as part of that. I decided to run with her the last portion. I met her at one of our rentals after showing it and we did a 4.5 mile loop. This morning when she started it was cold and drizzling. By the time we got done with our loop it warmed up and I was dying to get the rain jacket, gloves, and hat off. We then did another 2 miles. I ended with 6.5 miles, at around a 9 minute pace, and sweaty. She ended with 13.6 miles at an 8:50 pace.

Is 9 minutes good, is 6.5 miles good for only my third run? I don't care. I just needed to get in a workout and I like hanging with the woman, but this running thing is getting easier. She thinks I have a secret desire to run a half marathon. Oh, she is so misguided.

Nina ran the whole thing with her mom. She started with a jacket that was soaked and then removed. Her legs were all dirty from the wet gound. You know what that means...

A BATH!!! This is very far down the list on Nina's favorite things to do.

Reasons to be positive.

Well, I am 5 days into the quest to kick ass next year. Last winter was the "comeback" from letting myself get way out of shape over several years. I dropped about 20 pounds and committed to a workout schedule. It payed off with great results. This winter is the "blow last year away". I am working with Coach Sugar Daddy, Mark Consugar. Also, I am starting a little earlier with my training and I am almost 15 pounds lighter and much fitter than this time last year.

So, I have my fingers crossed and determination set.

I'll be hitting the weights this month and spending my cardio time off of the bike.

In the mean time I have been attending rallies. That is me in the back holding up the orange sign.

Breaking News!!

Did Jo Mama just pick up his first sponsor? Stay tuned...

Get'n huge

Time to go to the gym and get ripped. I want to put on 50 pounds of muscle for next years racing season. I just hope 50 pounds is enough.

I think next week I am going to go to Vietnam and rescue POW's while using maximum force.

Get to work!

I ran, I ran so far away

Soooooooo, I did my second run tonight. Getting prepared for the onslaught of riding this winter. 5.5 miles with an under 10 minute average. I am getting to think that I have a lucrative career in marathons. Just gotta be able to hold my all out sprints for 2+ hours.

Just me, the wife, and Nina this time. Becky always did the running with Nina and Logan, now it is just the little one (see previous post).





Logan on the left, Nina on the right.














YAWN! It is time to go to bed.

Happy halloween.

Becky, Nina, and I are all set with our costumes!!

Cross Training

So the wife runs, her friends she meets run, and I don't. Well the winds of change are a foot (pun intended). No is the time of the year where one wants to get off the bike, but still be active.

My running in the past consisted of "the mile" in gym class and getting chased by the po-po. Well, Becky and I were planning on taking me running when her friend Erin calls to go running as well. Becky lets her know the plan for that night and Erin invited her self over, with her husband Mark, 2 dogs, to run with us, eat our food, drink our beer, watch our tapes, and eat our cookies.

A good time was had by all. Nina gets a little skiddish sometimes with the 2 bigger dogs in the house, but no problems.





Erin, are you alright?












From left top:
Mark, Erin, Becky, and Me.

From left bottom:
Emma, Greylee, Nina





This boxing match was lopsided. Greylee's reach far exceeded Nina's. Nina was hungry for the win (notice the snarled lips), but it went to the scorecards. Graylee won.







We ended with 4 miles ran, 2 episodes of "The Office" watched, Curry Chicken consumed, and many cookies devoured. Running is alright, but it is not biking.

Well, I have to see what the future holds. But, if I had to choose, which bike is in my future of fighting the 24 hours monsters?





One of these to add to the one I own?









This would have more squish, but is it overkill? It would prove to be the better value.








This would be the dark horse for a couple of reasons, but oh so tempting











FTP

Cha-cha-cha-changes

Notice something different? I thought this new background was a little more reflective on my life as a vagabond that refuses to travel.

My day this morning has been listening to interviews at the 24 Hour World Championship (http://www.bikelights.com/News/Headline_more/worldsvideo_06.htm). It's cool to see these guys ready to get down.

Last night I spent modifying this site. It took a loooong time as I am no pro at this. The wife spent the same time working on a scrapbook of recently deceased Logan. Logan was Nina's best friend, and mine as well. He died at the age of 5 because of complications from his cancer treatment. His death hit us hard, but we try to remember him in our own little ways. I keep trying to post a pic, but it doesn't want to work.

Oh well. You feel like getting back to work sometime today?

FTP

Just a pic of riding in Crested Butte this summer with the wife. I believe this was on the lower loop trail. Note the sweet 12 year old Cactus Cup jersey. Yeah, I'm bad!










I know, I know. It sounds better than what you are doing right now. Hey, I'm right there with you, but can't be on vacation all the time.

You here that? Sounds like your boss wants you to get back to work.

Back to the future!

So ya gotta admit that that back to the future made an impact on all of us. I mean seriously, who hasn't imagined getting that Dolorian up to 88 mph and watching that Flux Capacitor do it's thing. Well here is a funny clip of "Biff" singing. http://www.break.com/index/biff_sings.html

Here is your bike tip of the day:

There is an equation for the amount of bikes a person should have. It is

(x+1= Ideal number of bikes you should own)

The variable x is defined as the number of bikes you currently own.

Until I see you in the future, try to get some work done.

So I am finally starting to feel better. The bird flu looks like it has run its course. Just in time to as I am about to start the training road map in one week. I sat down with Daddy de Sugar to outline a game plan for next year. I believe that with the help of said Sweetner, I will acomplish many of my goals for next year. This weekend was spent just chilling. Went to a movie (The Departed), watched one at home (Ray). Both of those are good flicks.

Right now I am also trying to get together a sponsorship proposal. I have never done this before, but I believe I can make an impact on the endurance scene next that may or may not warrant company support. We'll see.





Here is a pic of my dog Nina and her new friend. The weiner dog is Becky's sister's. I have spent the last couple of days driving Becky nuts by trying to rename our dog Jonie.









Get back to work!!

Weak, so weak.

Work is for the weak.

Well, I have been sick the last couple of days. Started Tuesday with a sore throut and then in the middle of the night a semi must of run through our house and over me, cause I felt like I get hit by a truck. Poop, poop, poop is how I feel. I did post a new update yesterday, but it did not take for some reason. I am so, so sorry.

Here is a recap of a mtb race earlier this year. I posted these on the team's website (www.velorochester.com) and I stole it back for my site. So with out further typing...


Event Name Afton Alps

June 18th, 2006

20 Miles

Event Description

After winning the comp division at Steeplechase by 5 minutes, I came to the conclusion that when I raced my next mtn bike race it was either going to be on a single speed, or in expert. The next race in the MN series was Afton, and with the wife unexpectedly out of town I decided to whip out the trusted old singlespeed. Mind you, I have been able to get out on it once for 30 minutes on pavement. I was in the parking still dialing in my brakes when I heard the annoucement that the race would start in 2 minutes. I lined up at the back of a 50+ comp feild, nervous about what I was doing. You see, Afton is the hardest course on the series. You do about twice the climbing as any other race. Riding the single speed for the first time in a race that is VERY demanding was a recipe for pain. The gun went off, and I spun like a I was in a hampster wheel. There was a small hill before we narrowed to single track. I was able to pass enough riders on that to get in about 10th. Then we started to hit the hills...OUCH!!! My gearing was way to hard, and I thought I was going to be done after the 1st lap. We had 4 laps to accomplish, a feat that I was sure not possible for me and my singlespeed. I just concentrated on making it up climbs to see how long I could last. Well, after the 2nd lap of pain Gary Gross said I was a 1 miute 20 seconds back of first. He then sprayed me down with cold water. That made me feel dirty like Ben Moore when he enters those wet-t contests on Spring Break. 3rd lap went by uneventful, same pain. 4th lap I was starting to hurt BAD. I was spinning up these steep hills in a hard gear at a whopping cadence of 5. I lost a couple of minutes and was passed by Mike from War Time Coffee. I ended up with 4th overall, 2nd age group, 1st in single speed. The race was 2 hours long, about 1/2 hour longer than it should have been. Had I had gears, I am confident I would have been at the front, but hell, I was the first single speeder in the hardest race in the series. Thanks to Gary Gross for the spray downs, Gary Moore for the hand ups, and God for having the Gary's out there.

Tommorrow I'll recap the criterium I did, the very next day.

Now get to work and I'll try to figure why I can't upload pictures.

Feeding your need.

So I didn't post last night. It seems that I really made some people upset by not posting since, gasp, Friday. I hope your supervisor at work didn't fire you yesterday as you went through symptoms of withdrawl. I tried to include extra pictures for you to stare at.

Sat was "Take a Kid to Steeplechase and Go Mountain Biking in the Hopes that they Continue to do it as they Get Older Day". After running back home and getting my bike, oops, and then getting lost during a "shortcut", I found my way out to Steeplechase. The weather that day was in the high 50's, but it felt much
colder than that witht the wind that you were exposed to on the top of Steeplchase ski area. The trails out there are great and there were obstacles set up for the young'ns to try.








After hanging out for a bit I caught up to Al "thanks for the frame" Schmidt (top) and Sugardaddy (throwing up gang signs). The 3/4 of an ugly mug is myself.













I took them exporing for new trail. We ran into this set of three logs and I was proud of the fact that I was able to ride over them. Three cheers to me!










Right here, Sugardaddy is questioning the logic in following my exploration.















After watching 5 year olds run up and down this teeter totter all day MC Sugar finally got the nerve to try it. It took many deep breaths, and he was calling out to the spirit of Oprah Winfrey for help, but Mark (and about a dozen elementary school kids) did conquer this wild beast. After which he kissed the ground and went to change his pants.





Sunday was my Grandparents 60th, that's right 60th, anniversary party. Fun times were had by the 50+ children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. After that Becky and I headed over to Red Wing and rode at Memorial park. We had tons of fun despite Becky taking a low speed fall and bruising her hip. Sorry, no pics. I forgot : (


Well, that is it for now. I hope your boss appreciates the fact you are in a more chipper mood today.

Hey, I got work to do. No time to post, but I will post tonight. Some fun happenings this weekend to talk about.

Check me out tonight, I will.

Another day, another house.

Well, you pretend to work, and I'll take one more step in owning all of Rochester.

Today we close on our third house. It is a duplex that is fully rented out. It is all systems go at 4:00 today. You can see a pic of the house in a previous post.

I forgot to mention that Tues I went out to the cyclocross practice. I pulled up just as they were about to go, so the other 4 riders waited for me (MC Sugar, "Super" Mario, "Too Tall" Carl, and Gary "Mr. Energizer Bunny"). Sugardaddy (www.pinch-flats.blogspot.com) led the group at a modest pace. The first lap took us a couple of minutes, so I thought that was a perfect warmup, ha! I went to the front the second lap and turned it up a notch. All of a sudden it was me and MC Sugar out alone. I could tell he was not maxed out and I couldn't push it too my max as I was coming down with something. We spent the next 5 laps building on our lead. I was in front at the end of our laps so I guess I won? Damn, I kick ass!

As soon as we stopped riding I got a HUGE headache. The next day I would go home sick. Aughh.

Thanks to Mark for waiting to drive out of the park while I got my stuff in the car. There was a big white truck that had pulled up next to me and I think he wanted to be a friend with benefits. Mark kept with in eye sight in case he had to intervene with his bulging biceps. Eastwood park is kinda creepy.








Me in the white jersey. The 24 hour flu in the blue.

or

Mark in the blue jersey. The guy in the white truck in the white jersey.

or

Me in the blue jersey. Mark in the white jersey during cross practice. Ha, ha, ha.













Seriously now, get to work!!

Another race recap

Find some time in your day to hide from the boss and read this recap.

I decided to recap the Steeplechase cross country race I did instead of the full 24 hour race. Figured I would go in sequence. This was the weekend after my big victory in th 12 hour race, News Updates on Jo Mama: Just getting started....


Many years ago I raced Expert, but since then they added a new catagory just below that called Comp. Well, I did one of these last year and took my fat ass straight to DNF row ( I am 20 pounds lighter now). I decided to enter the same field again at this race considering my previous endeavor and the fact that many of my previous Expert rivals were now in Comp as well. The race started off with a 3/4 mile prologue before dumping you off right into the singletrack. My goal was to get to the singletrack in the top 3 as not to be bogged down. With 30 seconds to go I pulled up to the back of the field from my shaded hiding spot (it was hot that day). The "gun" went off and I instantly started working my way up the side of the peloton. By the first of four rises I was up in the top 5. At the bottom of the second rise there was one rider in front of me. Then I thought, "what would Jo Mama do?". That is when I passed the dude in front and charged ahead, leading the field. When I came to the fourth rise I looked back and saw I had a big gap. I built that to 15 seconds going into the singletrack. From there I just went into time trial mode. I started to pass the tail end of the Experts half way through the first lap. That was how the rest of my race went. Giving it what I had and passing Expert racers. Except for some skinny bald guy screaming, "go faster pussy!", each lap was like the other. I won the overall race by 5 minutes and by 10 minutes in my age group. It was mentally easy going hard that 1 1/2 hours after riding 11 1/4 the previous weekend. Special thanks to Gary Moore for the bottles, Ben for the celebratory cookie, everyone in the Comp class for going slower than me, and the Linda for showing me her new grill. And yes, several people already called me a sand bagger already.

Here is a pick of that 4th property I am looking at. Of course the front needs some work. Those cement pylons have got to go. Doing that will increase the value temondously on that place.

Now go play work.