Minor Blizzard Sunday Ski

Blizzard like conditions yesterday made skiing a hoot.

Vegan Vagabond goggles

Golonghardman & the Vegan Vagabond

a groomer unexpectedly caught up to us on Ridge

I gave chase in this high speed pursuit video

beauty back country trails

Jeeeeeebus . . . . that's waaay too close.

Western cabin
- had some tea and a bite to eat. We ended up having to leave as other visitors feared for their lives as Rick wielded an ax at an attempt to chop fire wood in the middle of the room, surrounded by people. He is so smrt. S-M-R-T.

Frosty, snowy eyebrows

Classic Saturday Ski

Cold classic xc ski this afternoon under sunny, but frigid skies, with Stef, Dr. Kim and Jenn. Air temperature hovering around minus seventeen degrees Celsius (1.4 Fahrenheit)
- windchill put it around minus twenty-four.

Stef and Jenn climbing up Fortune Parkway

Fortune Lake

Me

Dr. Kim. The guy has got 'walking pneumonia' and was still skiing ten times faster than we were AND staying in zone one. Sick.

Jenn spotted a big woody just off the number one.
A dryocopus pileatus pecking away at a tree.
Do you know your peckers?
Is this a male or female?

Feelings of Appreciation

At times I question why I am blogging/posting and why anyone would want to read what I write. The other day I got a very nice e-mail which answered that question. Every now and then I get an e-mail from someone who reads my blog and it's nice. Sometimes it's from someone asking me to put my clothes back on, other times it's someone asking me to take them off. It's nice to know someone finds what I am posting interesting in some form or another.

I blog for the same reason I read other bloggers: to experience and share in others experiences what is bike related. I try to keep an element of humor, share my ups and downs, tech and training, throw in some non-bike related stuff now and again, and support the companys who provide me with some kick ass products. I enjoy reading different bloggers for different reasons - some are informative, some funny, some live a totally different lifestyle than I do. For all the reasons I read blogs I come away with a new experience, which nine times out of ten I really enjoy.

Thanks for the letter Blair and I hope you don't mind me sharing . . . . I do so not to toot my horn that someone other than me reads what I write, but in appreciation of someone taking the time to let me know that they like my blog. I guess I'll keep typing away. Cheers!

Craig,

Hello. My name is Blair. I came across your blog(via Dicky's blog) and wanted to drop you a note. Your blog is great. Good reading/pics/race reports. I have been riding/racing since 91 and can appreciate your content/passion for riding. The Desalvo is a beautiful machine. Jacks is a beautiful dog and great buddy(I am sure). One of my best friends has the same dog(just a little smaller than Jacks).

I ride/race FS/SS mtn, road and cx--so I am glad that I came upon your blog. I will make it a daily read. I am always stoked to see/read the passion that people have for the simple pleasure of riding. I was really digging the BC race and North Carolina ride reports. I live in Georgia--about 4 hours south of where you guys rode in North Carolina. Western North Carolina has some great riding. Pisgah and Dupont National Forests are great!. Going to session up there in a few weeks.

Anyway..just wanted to say thanks for a great blog. Keep the fire burning. Have a great holiday and Happy New Year.
Have a kick ass race season next year too!

P.S.
Great pic of the double cheeseburger. Nothing like a HUGE protein fix--after a hard ride.

Cheers-
Blair

Naked Gear Review: The Yellow Pages

Yellow Pages? Yes, the Yellow Pages.
After Dicky pimping me out and sending the masses my way yesterday, I did not want to disappoint any new viewers looking for some semi nude photography. It now being the 'off-season', the Christmas season and my lack of money season to buy any new exciting bicycle related gear I had to think of something to review. And it was right under my nose the entire time.


I don't mean to just pick on Kurt, there's Saris, Tacx and others who offer a product (which is way over priced for what it's meant to do in my opinion) to place your front wheel on to level your bike while riding your trainer.

Save your money and use your Yellow Pages.

It keeps your front wheel level with your back wheel sitting in the trainer. I don't find using the Yellow Pages an issue of balance or sliding off, even during hard intervals or sprints. You may need to open it up (to get it thinner) if you live in a very large city (big Yellow Pages), so to get that perfect height.

Perfectly balanced and level. Being the original big ring and doing naked reviews, the last thing I want is my saddle in compromising places.

I've been using the Yellow Pages ever since I got my first trainer - it doesn't cost anything, it's the perfect height (or I can make it the perfect height), I can recycle it every year if I want to, it's delivered to my door for free, and the best part is when I am done a work out I got all the pizza delivery shop phone numbers close at hand.

Mmmmmm, pizza.
Notice the wardrobe change?

Unfortunately, if you live in Butthump Nowhere, your Yellow Pages may be a tad bit too thin to keep you level. Some of the training/climbing blocks that you can buy have varying heights, whereas the Yellow Pages do not. Easy solution: stack your White Pages on there to simulate climbing or a piece of scrap wood, or your favourite bed time story book. It's pretty easy to save yourself some cash-ola for purchases of more worthy bicycle items.

*any bicycle related industry big wigs with loads of money they want to save for more important things (like gingerbread lattes and company jets) rather than costly advertising - send me your wares and I will review them for free . . . . naked and free!

Kissy kissy - part deux

The big man himself was over last weekend helping me set up the Power Tap. Since I'm on an ass kissing binge as of late, I may as well continue with Warren.

I haven't asked him yet, but I'm hoping he'll act as my unofficial coach for this upcoming season (I know he reads this from time to time when he's not shaving his legs). A guy with his success, knowledge and experience is someone who's brain (despite how primordial and small it may be) I'd like to pick.

Now don't get me wrong, I have no aspiration of being the next roadie racer in Ottawa - I don't have the body type or genetics to be successful, nor do I want to shave my legs. And I'm too damn friendly while on the roads - I wave to pretty much everyone one.

Can this giant make me, a middle of the pack hack, a wee bit faster?

Sounds like the making of a new reality series.
Stay tuned!

Monday morning ride to work

It rained Sunday night and into Monday morning. +5 Celsius and slushy roads.

Obligatory "proof it was me" photo.

It was pretty gross out there. Studs didn't have much to bite into as the slush got out of the way of the tire.

The ride home was MUCH better - roads were clear of all slush, big puddles though.
Crazy how it can be minus twenty-six on the weekend, then be plus seven today.
My bike is getting rustier by the day.

Two plus months to go

Chrissie is all belly (and a whole lot of boob). Two plus months to go.
Doesn't she look great!? Beau-ti-ful!
Hard to believe I'm going to be a dad soon.
Will life cease to exist? Will I hang up my bikes in exchange of pleated pants and a baby carriage?

It's a kick'n like a character in a bad Chinese martial arts movie.

Then I read this little write-up.
Jebus.

First Skate Ski of the Season

This year's first skate ski for me was pretty near a carbon copy of last year's first skate ski, only difference is I am about a week late starting. Hurt like hell to start (from P8 to P9, the North Loop, it was very soft and ungroomed), then got worse when I hit the Fortune climb, then got better when I stopped at the top. Like last year, I started to find my groove and the technique came back about three quarter of the way through the ski. My heart rate when through the roof - winter is time for base work my ass! Anyone know how to pace yourself while skate skiing??

Skate skis on fresh, near perfect trails.

Skate skis? Classic skis? What's the difference?
Skate skis are a tad more narrow, shorter, you don't use grip wax (only glide wax),
and the poles are longer. Oh yeah, I suck on both.

The trails were very nice, very nice indeed - especially from P10 (bottom of Fortune) onwards.
Anyone know this trail?

Kissy kissy

I was reading Dicky's blog yesteday morning, I read it every morning before heading off to work on my piece-O-Crap, purple single speed that shouldn't be a single speed, with a fruity (not that there is anything wrong with that) pink bell. I'm a creature of routine during the work week: get up at 6am, get Jacks out for his walk, come home, feed Jacks, coffee (two cream, one sugar please) and two slices of toast with organic crunchy peanut butter, then sit myself in-front of the computer to check the weather and surf a little. Dicky's blog is one I always go to cause I know he updates it in the morning before he goes off to work. Personally my brain isn't functioning that early in the morning to come up with good shit to write, but Dicky always manages to entertain and find something funny to write about, in a self depreciating-sort-of-way.

Yes, I know what you are thinking . . . . despite sounding like I love Dicky, I do not . . . . .agggrrahhhhhhhh!
I cannot tell a lie. I DO LOVE DICKY! I DO! I WISH I WERE HIM OR HIS BEST'EST FRIEND EVER.

Where's this going . . . . oh, yeah . . . . so like I was saying, I was clicking over to it and saw that he did this big overhaul on his blog. What caught my eye, cause I'm totally ego driven, wasn't his new fancy pants blog header, spiffy new sponsor logos or even his short and concise blog tag-line, but his blog linkages. On his old site I was listed, but in a seemingly sea of other bloggers - many very entertaining and very, very famous in the world of blogging - the who's who of the blogging world. If you saw the list you'd probably would have missed my name all tucked away down yonder. BUT NOW, holy cow! I'm like in a list of 27 other bloggers (still tucked away down yonder)! But Whoot! It's like I've been called up to the show. The entire list probably is the same list, but now there are new subheadings. I'm in the second group of bloggers who, and I quote:

Suffering from regularity issues: What can I say? I would love to get these folks on some Metamucil so maybe something would come out of them on a daily basis. Some of their blogs are updated regularly, then go on a few day hiatus, then post a photo and a sentence for three days, and then spill their guts like they took a dose of sodium pentathol and drank a six pack of Corona. Lotsa folks fell into this category, which leads me to believe that they actually have stuff to do that's more important than writing about the stuff that they do.


Suffering from regularity issues? I guess I should have gone on to tell about the rest of my *routine after I surf each morning. It hurt that I didn't make the "A" list (Daily Doses) because I almost always blog daily in some sort of fashion, but I'd have to agree with Dicky and especially as of late (to be explained in a sodium pentathol sort of way in the near future). So from now on I am going to work like hell and blog, blog, blog until I make that "Daily Doses" list; to be called up to the big show.
Just between you and me, I think the only ones on that list are those who are deep and personal friends of Dicky's, and those slipping him some cash-ola to increase their blog hits. I can only offer Rich this song, tips on doing naked-reviews, how to finish races in the middle of the pack, personal grooming tips, and two cross country ski lessons absolutely free.


* for those of you wanting to know the rest of my morning routine after I surf, including my 'regularity issues' and the order in which I wash in the shower (cause I shower the same way every day), please e-mail for an unsensored video description.

What was wrong?

What was wrong with yesterday's picture of my commuter?

The correct answer was a single speed using a cassette. Though not common practice, it can be done. It's a seven speed cassette run with a nine speed chain, which is narrow enough to fit between cogs so not to be affected my the ramps on the teeth (that are used to help change gears). I'm using quick release axle which needs to be kept very tight. I've had it jump once or twice, usually because the rear wheel has slipped. Is it an ideal ss set up? Nope, but it's a simple commuter bike that gets me from home to work and back, built out of old parts.

I would have also accepted, as 'the peanut gallery' pointed out:

• it's an old Northland frame
• pink'ish girlie bell
• riser bar with bar ends
• there is a left hand brake lever!
  

What was missed:

• powerbar sticker - that's just wrong because they suck
• it's purple - that's so early 90's
• it's missing the front light (mount is on the bar)

That was fun! Didn't you have fun?? That was fun!! Let's do that again sometime - a 'Where's Waldo' type post. Next time, maybe it will be during a naked review - which will force some of you to stare at my killer bod for some hidden surprise (I know Jason does that anyway). Ewwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!

Nobody caught it?

What's wrong with this picture?

First XC ski of the season

A must for every ski season: matching boots and skis!
Got these babies at the Chelsea used ski sale a month or so ago.

I know, I know . . . . I could have been on the skis yonks ago (what can I say, I've been very, very busy - more on my handy work in another post). In fact some were on them back in October, though that first dumping of snow did not stick around. Since then, there has been pretty regular skiing to be had for the past three or so weeks.

So last night King and I headed out for a short, easy ski from Gameline up to Pinks - a week later than last year's first ski. It was frigid cold for December (-22 Celsius with wind chill, that's 7.6 Fahrenheit for you Yanks). Conditions weren't bad, but weren't stellar. With Gameline being the closest point in the park to Ottawa, and at lower altitude, there is not as much snow as further on in the park. As a result, the tracks were not the best - groomed down to some icy spots, remnants of a few snowfall/rainfall cycles ago. Albeit, it was very nice to get out - actually my first exercise session since this day. Yep, it's been that long - again, I've been super busy (and again, more on that in another post - stop bugging me to talk about it!). The only thing that I've done since, which would be considered a form of exercise (is walking to the fridge exercise?), has been going to one kettle bell class, which by the way left me sore and stiff for about a week after an "easy" class.

King waxing up

Reminds me of this:

"I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."

frosty

Put a bra on your face

I've got my studded tires ready to roll. Used them a half dozen or so times so far this winter. Haven't turned a pedal stroke since I hurt my back last week.
Found this option for winter riding:

If it's that cold out, you probably need one of these:

If you are el-cheap-o (and if you made your own winter tires you probably are), you can make yourself one of these:

Try stealing one from your 'significant other'. You're in bad luck if she is 'challenged' in that area and risk the chance of freezing exposed skin. I guess you could go buy one or steal one from your neighbours laundry line. If you play for the other team (not that there is anything wrong with that), a jock strap would probably work as well.

Getting ready

Standing doesn't hurt my back as much as sitting or laying down, so I took advantage of the pain killers and anti-inflammatory pills and got to work on some skis Sunday afternoon. Had some visitors too.

Misty's Dumb Tag Game

If you read the one and only comment on my post yesterday, you would have seen Misty 'tagging' me? WTF! It's Jackie Boy's birthday - she could have at least wished him happy birthday.

I hate shit like this. E-mail chain letters, soppy stories of some one's long lost family member being reunited with them, a telling tale of wisdom being passed along from one generation to another, animated e-mails with some 'moral of the story' bullshit . . . . I'll have nothing to do with any of it. As soon as my original big ring spidy senses start tingling, I hit the delete button.

Alas, I cannot pass up an opportunity to make fun of myself. So I'll play your game Misty, I ain't going to go tagging no body else though.

Here's the deal: If you're tagged you have to list six random things about yourself that most people do not know, and then tag six other bloggers (but like I said, I ain't doing that second part - that just pisses people off). Here you go:

One: I get hit on by the ladies all the time.

Two: I like to take baths. Here I am in the smallest bath tub in all of France this past summer.

Three: I like to dress in women's clothing.

Four: I really do like my hair this way.

Five: I'd like to grow a kick ass mustache like Magnum P.I.

Six: I'm shy. Really.

Notes on me:

• Photo # one - yes, I am sticking my belly out as far as I can, I actually weighed 183lbs in that picture.
  
• Photo #2 - is the one real thing about me here - I do like taking baths!
  
• Photo # three - pre-tattoos.
• Photo # five - that mustache is really some of Jacks hair all rolled up.
• Photo # six - I really am shy. Honest. (see photo #2 foot note)
  

Happy 8th Birthday Jacks!

It's Jackie-Boys 8th birthday. Happy Birthday Buddy!

Jacks makes it to the blog from time to time. Those of you who don't know him, he's a Bernese Mountain Dog. He's just a wee fella. He's got the best disposition that you can imagine, he loves everyone and everyone loves him. He's gentle and patient with kids and loves to play chase with them. He's got no idea about personal space and thinks that he can sit on your lap at the dinner table (and he does!), sofa, bed, front seat of the car, and so on. Sometimes I can't believe that I've had him this long. Time flies when you've got an amazing dog. He's been with me through some hard times and always there for the best times.

Don't know what I'd do without him.