Mother Nature has a funny sense of humor

All day today the sun was shining, the air was warm, people eating outside at lunch, etc. I figured I would sneak out of work about 15 minutes early to get a head start on my planned ride. I pull out of the parking garage and see dark skies in the direction I'm heading. Maybe it will pass by.

Five minutes later as I'm on the freeway I see the brake lights and what looks like a wall of water as we drive into a down pour. Another mile up the road and it's completely dry, no rain had fallen. I run into a light rain again but nothing at my house.

I got out of the car and looked at the ominous clouds heading my way and still think that maybe I can get the ride in. And then I hear the thunder. And see the lightning.

So off to the basement and on the trainer. Real funny Mother Nature, get our hopes up all day and wait until we leave before you start to rain.

76 and sunny (and windy)

Two days in March above 70 is amazing. I had to get out today and enjoy the shorts weather. Since today was a recovery day it was perfect to just cruise along, as long as you weren't riding into the wind which was crazy strong. But I stayed out of the wind as much as possible. On the way home I stopped and helped two turtles cross the road to get to the swamp. And the spring peepers are deafening.

The back roads had dried a lot since yesterday but the rain coming in will change all that. It may be a wet weekend as well. I don't know if I'll have my 29'er done but if everything is muddy I wouldn't be riding it anyway.

Weekend hurt

The warmer weather and rains have made riding the back roads a real challenge. They may be fine one day and a total mess the next. Or they may change within a ride as parts of them dry out. I think the ruts and holes this year are bigger than I have seen for a while, I don't know how vehicles can get down some roads. Even on a bike you are constantly switching course to try and find a line through the holes. Yesterday I almost went over the bars when I rode into one hole that was deeper than it looked.

I did what I thought was my hard ride yesterday, 50+ miles on the SS and on my hill route. I felt pretty good climbing and had a slightly faster time at my checkpoints than last week when I was riding the FS. But last week I did the route the day after my strength workout, this week it WAS my strength workout so my legs were a little fresher.

I had issued an invitation to my team mates to join me for a casual pace 50 mile ride today, up in horse country and on a route that wouldn't have a lot of big hills but still have some climbing. The only one who was able to make it was Bernie and he brought his SS for a little extra workout. I took a geared bike so I could ride a little easier.

The back roads were in way worse shape than yesterday, many of the roads were muddy or soft, robbing you of energy. It turns out the route I chose also had more climbing than my normal hill route. With the wind in our face for much of the return leg plus the soft roads made it feel like we were on a death march, just trying to survive. So much for an easy ride. But it made for good training. By the end I felt like I do at the end of a long race, every little hill hurt.

I think I will take it easy for a few days and allow my legs to recover. The weather for the next few days calls for rain so I may do easy spinning on the trainer or stay off the bike altogether. But the recovery process is essential to rebuild the legs even stronger.

Nothing new

Not much really new to report, the cold weather came back and I don't want to ride outside. I spent most of the week on the trainer or in spin class and on Saturday I was busy most of the day so I did intervals on the trainer.

Today I go out early, temps in the 20's which meant all bundled up again. I wanted to spend my time riding a little harder on the hills but I could tell my legs were spent from the previous day's efforts. I only managed 50 miles and half my planned route but I figured it was best to regroup and recover. Sometimes I tend to push too hard and then have a hard time recovering for a few days. I think it is harder the older I get.

More parts for the 29'er build have come in, now it's time to build the back wheel while waiting for the front hub. I'm still hoping to have the bike built by the end of the month but it will be close.

70+ and sunny on March 13!!!!!!!!

The first ride of the year in just shorts and short sleeves. And I had to put on sunblock to avoid a burn. It's amazing how much faster you feel without all the extra clothing.

I had to wait and put the SS back together before heading out to enjoy the weather. I switched back to the 42 tooth front ring for a better workout on the roads. I was surprised that the roads were in a lot better shape than I expected. There were some areas of standing water,thick mud, tacky soil or even dusty gravel, sometimes all within a mile stretch. The SS is the perfect bike for these conditions since I don't have to worry about all the drivetrain parts getting messed up.

If we had a few more days like today the roads would be in great shape, other than the potholes. It doesn't look like the weather will cooperate though.

I received a bunch of parts for my 29'er build tonight but nothing so that I can really start to put the bike together. I'm waiting on the rims which should be here on Thursday and the front hub and fork. I also have a few parts showing up in a week or so. We are taking all the team's drivetrain parts to a sponsor, Future Technology Services, that does metal treating. It is a process that hardens the metal and makes it last longer. I hope to have the bike pretty much together before the end of the month so I can have a few weeks on it before the Cohutta race.

Finally

The weather finally broke with warmer temps starting on Friday and it is supposed to continue through Tuesday before turning colder again. Probably every cyclist who has a blog will be writing the same thing, it sure is nice to feel the sun and warmer temperatures. The switch to daylight savings time came at the right time.

The warmer weather meant the snow melt and thawing roads turned the back road into something better left for mud boggers. I stuck to the pavement to avoid totally trashing the bike. I felt like I had wings, the pavement seemed to make the miles fly by on the mtb, at least compared to what I had been riding on all winter.

Friday was an easy ride and I ended up riding with a few other guys I know for part of it. Saturday was strength building doing big gear intervals for a total 3:15 ride time and 52 miles.

Today was my endurance day so I wanted to start early and get in around a 6 hour ride. I couldn't start as early as I wanted because I had to wait for the ice on the roads to start to melt. The melting snow from the previous day had formed frozen puddles or sheets of ice where the water running across the roads had frozen.

Even when I did finally start out I had to be careful since it was still below freezing but the sun was out, melting the ice. I did multiple laps at an industrial park, Chrysler HQ, and Oakland University before riding over to Stony Creek. There were a lot of cyclists out at Stony taking advantage of the weather. I managed to hold off some of the roadies but others just flew by me on their skinny tire bikes. I ran into some of our team members as well that were just getting started.

I ended up the day with right at 6 hours and 96 miles, averaging 16 mph. Not too bad for a fat tired, full suspension bike. Maybe not a lot of elevation change but the idea was to get the saddle time in. I know the last hour was the slowest as it was more up hill and into the wind. Of course, save the worst for last.

Out and about

I spent part of Saturday at the Bicycle and Fitness Barn in Port Huron where I gave an informational talk on sports nutrition and race fueling strategies for Hammer Nutrition. I was invited by Team Sandbag and the shop to get the team and the general public ready for the race season. The event was well attended and the store owner told me as I was leaving that he had sold enough product that day that he was going to have to reorder, and he had just gotten in his shipment that morning!

Getting home late in the afternoon it was too warm to ride outside. Sounds strange but sunny skies cause the back roads to become a mess of mud and slush. I had planned on doing some big gear strength sessions so I opted to spend three hours on the trainer grinding them out instead of on the roads.

I made sure to get out early this morning while the roads were still frozen, having switched my studded tires over to the geared bike. I'm glad I did since the roads were very icy and the potholes and frozen ruts would surely have caused me to fall on more than one occasion if not for the studs.

I was also glad that I decided on a full suspension bike due to the poor conditions of sections of the dirt roads. Twice I was able to pass vehicles that were crawling along, trying unsuccessfully to dodge the holes. I got a kick out of sailing past an expensive SUV that was negotiating the craters. I could pick a line around most of the holes or sometimes right through them without too much problem.

I rode the first half of my hill training route, not so much for hill strength but to use them to practice getting into a rhythm with out putting out maximum effort. My time for the route was much slower than the last time I rode it in the fall but I attribute that to several factors, heavier bike, resistance and weight of the studded tires, winter clothing, and the poor road conditions. The very first hill on my route was through the state park on an unplowed road that had me down to walking speed while riding most of the length of the road and the hill. It was good training though for Tennessee.

Here is the text from the nutrition seminar advertisement.

Sports Nutrition, Hydration & Electrolytes Seminar Presented By Hammer Nutrition, The Bicycle & Fitness Barn, and Team Sandbag

When: Saturday, March 3rd What time: 11:00am to 1:00pm

Where: Bicycle & Fitness Barn, Port Huron, MI

Steve Kinley with Hammer Nutrition will be presenting on the role of hydration, fueling (prior to, during, and after exercise) and electrolytes. Additionally he will discuss how Hammer Nutrition products can help you maximize performance and minimize problems like dehydration, bonking, and other conditions that not only ruin your day, but are also hazardous to your health.

Steve is an avid racer who has used Hammer products exclusively to win the CPS series the past two years as well as finishing first in the 2005 Fun Promotion Endurance series. Last year he also finished second in the Master's class in both the Mohican and Lumberjack100's.

There is no cost to attend so please join us and bring a friend. The program will be beneficial for everyone from the avid racer to the recreational enthusiast. Free snacks and beverages / Hammer Nutrition samples / Discounts on Hammer products / Prize Drawings

A new year, a new bike.

And so it begins again. For the 2007 racing season I will have another weapon to choose from in my Cannondale lineup. I am hopping on the 29 inch wheel bandwagon and building a Caffeine 29'er from the frame up. I rode the stock version at the Iceman race and liked the way the 29" wheel bikes handled the sand and the singletrack. In stock form as a complete bike it is a little heavy for serious racing so I will add my own parts to suit my preferences.

I will be using some parts from the hardtail it replaces such as Marta brakes and XT cranks but I will have to get a new Lefty for this one, the old bike used a Headshok that will not work with the larger wheels. I will stick with SRAM XO shifters and rear derailleur with an XTR front.

The wheels are the second largest investment and will be using the new Stans Arch rims with the Hope Pro II hub in the back and Lefty hub in the front. Not the lightest build available but I want these to last as I plan on using the bike in several of the 100 mile races. No place to stop and swap wheels in these races.

Cannondale has been great to our team, and they build some outstanding bikes. Now I can choose from the new 29'er, the Scalpel for a little rougher trail and the Rush for all out comfort. All three bikes have their advantages and disadvantages depending on the type of race and terrain. I am lucky to be able to pick from multiple bikes.

No doubts that this is a 29'er frame

Made in the USA

Nice to Ice

Saturday was the perfect day for getting out on the roads and the trails. The snow melt left the trails still packed from the snowmobiles and I was able to travel almost as fast as when they are dirt. Some of the corners were a little slick and icy but otherwise the trails were the fastest they have been all winter since the snow came.

The plan for the day called for big gear intervals so after a short trip around the trails I exited onto the roads for some slow cadence, big gear work. The roads were mostly dirt but in some places you could see the ice peeking through. I tried to stay in the big ring/small cog as much as possible and stayed seated for all of the efforts. I eventually wound my way over to Chris's where I joined him and two more for a couple hours on the roads. I rode most of the ride in a big gear to keep up the strength work. Not many big hills around here and the first race in Tennessee is only 8 weeks away.

We headed back toward my place so they could ride the trails before they got too soft. The surface was slightly soft but I didn't have any problems with the wider tires I was using. By the time I finished the day I had almost 5 hours in. My legs felt pretty good in spite of the workout and I would have ridden longer but I had promised to be home by a certain time.

Today it was spitting rain, sleet and snow off and on. The side streets were covered and looked slick so I opted for the SS with the studded tires. Once rolling out the driveway I could tell I made the right choice in tires. No need for a repeat of last weekend.

After I was out for awhile the sleet started up again and the glasses became useless. Then it turned to rain and back to harder sleet that stung. I didn't get to ride as long as I wanted to but at least I was riding outside.

On a work related note people have been wondering what has been going on with my company, DaimlerChrysler. They announced over a week ago a turn around plan (again) and subsequent staff reductions. The most ominous part was the comment that they were considering all options to make the company profitable.

Most took that to mean a potential sale of Chrysler. A lot of press was generated and it looks like there is some interest from potential buyers. Everyone at work is just waiting to see what is going to happen. We don't know anymore than what we have read in the papers.

As far as reductions go we should be OK due to the announced buyout packages reducing the employees to the required number. I am not eligible for a package and I imagine a lot who are will take it. I know I would look at it pretty hard given the uncertainty of a sale.

Stay tuned for more info as it happens but you will probably read about it in the papers before we know anything.

First road rash of the year

I managed to earn my first road rash of the year today. And actually on the road. The weather has remained cold with occasional snow which means the back roads have been snow and/or ice covered for several weeks. I don't remember them being frozen for so long, the snow just hasn't melted off of them. But that could change next week.

But back to today's ride. I got out mid morning to get in a couple of hours on the SS after doing a 4 hour ride yesterday while grinding out some big gear intervals. I planned on taking it easy and checking out Bald Mountain South to see if the trails were rideable. I thought the snowmobiles should have it packed down but I got in to the trail all of about 50 feet before turning around and continuing down the road.

It started snowing fairly hard while I was out but then the clouds gave way to sunny skies but it was still only in the teens. I was enjoying the ride, being careful whenever I came to a downhill corner to avoid sliding. I would slip at times when going uphill and even when just cruising on the flats if I got into an off camber groove.

I was coasting down a grade leading to a stop sign when the next thing I knew I was sliding on my left side. I hit on my shoulder and hip and my head bounced off the ground. I got up quickly and brushed myself off, not really hurt but more surprised. It reminded me of my days road racing motorcycles, except no leathers or full face helmet. I do have a nice bruise on my shoulder and a little broken skin. I was only doing about 15 mph and hadn't touched my brakes. It looked like I had gotten into an icy stretch caused by cars hitting their brakes as they approached the stop sign.

So last week I fall trying to stand while going up a hill. This week I fall while riding down a hill. I'm afraid of what will happen next week.

In fact, next week the weather is supposed to start warming up which is both good and bad. it brings about a transition time when the roads start to get muddy during the day and freeze overnight. The trails may set up nice and firm though provided you get out on them early in the morning. I ratchet up the intensity a notch so it may be easier on most days to do the intervals on the trainer, and safer too.

Team meeting, MMBA annual meeting

This weekend was set aside for annual meetings. First our Cannondale Midwest Racing team meeting and dinner held Saturday night and then the MMBA meeting and swap meet on Sunday.

I didn't get a chance to do any riding on Sunday but I did get in a 3.5 hour ride on Saturday morning. The back roads for the most part were still snow covered but worn down, even icy in spots. On one hill that seemed to be mostly ice I lost traction on the way up and when I put my foot down it had no traction either so I fell over standing still. In fact I had trouble even walking up the remaining portion of the hill.

Saturday evening most of the team gathered over at the Scurr's for our annual team meeting where we get a chance to see all the old team mates as well as greet new members. We also go over the various sponsorship requirements and place some initial orders for parts. This year we are changing uniform colors and logo for the first time in 4 years so everyone got a preview of what the new uniforms will look like. I think they will be pretty sharp. A lot of the work for the layout and design was done by team member Joel Miller.

Sunday's MMBA annual meeting and swap meet brought together mountain bikers from all over the state to check out the swap meet and the vendor expo area. I set up the Hammer tent and sold product and answered questions on their product. Robin and Shari Scurr along with Chris Werth assisted me in handling the crowd. There was a good turnout as bike enthusiast use the event to kick off the season, or at least help get rid of some of the cabin fever for those who haven't been riding much yet. Sort of like the boat and camper shows that are also going on this time of year.

I met the guys for Team Sandbag that will be putting on Nutrition Seminar in March that I will be helping them with. They had flyer's to help advertise the event that were pretty impressive. But for the record I don't work for Hammer, just help out at some of the shows and events.

The MMBA annual meeting usually has an interesting guest speaker every year and this year it was none other than Gary Fisher, considered one of the founding fathers of mountain biking and also the manufacturer of his own bran of bikes. Gary is known for his unusual attire and today was no exception, he wore a purple leather suit.

One of the final event of the day was the awarding of the race series awards from the last season. The top three winners of each category were given a trophy. Cannondale Midwest Racing was well represented, the first six winners in a row were all from the team. I received my award for 1st place in the Sport 50+ class. This year I will be moving up to the new Expert 50+ class. I don't expect quite the same results this year as last, plus I may not do enough races to qualify for the series.

Ok, now it's cold out

People are always asking me how I can ride in the cold. It's no different than when it's warm, just a lot more clothes or at least clothes of a different type.

For example, today it was 3 degrees so I added the snowboard helmet, goggles and neoprene face mask to avoid exposed skin. I have poor circulation but even in today's cold I was fairly comfortable for an hour and a half ride. If it's warmer, say in the teens or 20's I just have a head covering under a regular helmet and glasses.

I use handlebar gauntlets and change the type of glove I wear based on the temperature. For the feet I wear two pair of socks, a base wool layer and then a fleece sock over it. If it's below freezing I add a chemical warmer. I also use winter mtb shoes which helps.

I have winter tights with a windproof front that eliminates the need for extra knee or leg warmers plus keeps the legs dry if you hit the slush. The upper body doesn't need as much so it's usually a long sleeve jersey and then a light or heavy jacket. On colder days like today I add a short sleeve technical type shirt under the jersey.

I would have ridden yesterday but the wind was blowing pretty good. I decided to get out the xc skis instead. This was my first time out this year but it didn't take long to get back into the rhythm. I had the woods to myself and managed about two hours on the trails, most of it out of the wind.

I got started xc skiing about 40 years ago, back when wood skis were the only kind available and everyone had to wax their skis. It was kind of an art to read the snow conditions and pick the proper wax. You always carried extra waxes with you in case the conditions changed. It was really a pain if you went from soft snow to harder, colder conditions since the wax for cold temps is also harder and tough to apply over the softer waxes used for warm conditions. I picked up a set of newer wax type skis a few years ago but haven't used them much.

Next weekend is the MMBA expo, swap meet and awards presentation. Quite a few of our team will be picking up CPS awards. I'll be there in the Hammer Nutrition tent so if you are going be sure to stop by.

Now it's time to get ready to flop on the couch and watch the Super Bowl. Hopefully one of my squares will win me some money this year, I came really close last year. Looking back my first blog post was one year ago. So Happy Anniversary to my blog.

12/28

Not a date in December but the difference in temperatures at the start of the ride today vs. yesterday. I had looked at the forecast in advance so I took advantage of the warmer Saturday temperature to get in a little over 4 hours. I planned on checking out some of the trails after the snow we had gotten on Friday. I had two bikes lined up, the SS with fat tires and the geared bike with narrow tires. I planned on doing the same approximate loop on each of about two hours so I could contrast the tire combination on the trails.

I started with the SS and it seemed to float a little over the footprints but it would also break free on some areas where the snow was loose. The back roads are still covered with snow and has an ice surface beneath the snow. There was a lot of "brown sugar" snow, ugly brown crud that sat on top and would slide when you rolled over it if not careful. I tried to do a loop at Addison Oaks where there had been no traffic but gave up shortly after starting in to the trail.

I changed the SS for the geared bike and noticed that I was able to get better traction in most spots as the tires cut through the snow and reach solid ground. The front was a knobby design that allowed me to steer while the rear was a mud tire with minimal tread that is supposed to prevent mud (or snow) from packing. I made it up all the hills that I lost traction on when I was riding the SS. I even made it part way around Orion Oaks before heading back.

Today I only rode for two hours on the back roads. You had to be careful not to get caught in the icy grooves that had formed on much of the road. I don't know what type of machinery the county uses to clear the roads but it leaves multiple parallel grooves running the length of the road. It is quite exciting when coming down a hill and you feel the bike start to slide when it catches in a groove.

Last week marked the end of the power phase using the Compex. I was using it three days a week in progressively higher settings to simulate weight lifting. As a result my legs have been some what sore for the past 6 weeks. Just like the real thing. I have to measure to see if there is any increase in muscle size as well as test to see if my 1 rep max has gone up. Now I start the endurance phase but only two days a week. This phase uses very long muscle contractions to simulate multiple reps. Before too long it will be time to start higher intensity training on the bike as well.

Weekend update

The limited snowfall this past week has left the trails in great shape for riding. Plus the back roads have remained covered but generally in good shape. You just have to be careful to watch for icy patches.

I got out for about three hours Thursday and was able to be the first one on the trails at Addison Oaks and Bald Mountain. The snow wasn't deep but crunchy, it takes a little more effort to pedal through it but not too bad. It was dark by the time I finished the trail and headed home and it started snowing/sleeting on the way home which caused my glasses to ice up. I had to peer over the top in order to have a clear view. It got me to wondering how well cars could see and in they could see my blinky rear light in time. With snow covered roads I don't imagine they would have quite the ability to stop in a hurry. I may leave the rides on the roads in the dark for later in the spring.

Yesterday was just a couple of hours on the trails and rail trails, I switched to a narrower tire to cut through the crust and get traction on the trail. They worked great until I got to the rail trail where there had been a lot of foot traffic. The tires were forcing their way through the hardpack instead of staying on top. Fatter tires would have been preferred.

Today I had almost 4 hours in, mainly on the various connected rail trails. During my ride there were dozens of joggers but in that whole time I only saw five other bikers. That's OK, I like to think that my competition is sitting around the house as well but I know better. I've come to the conclusion that I am about 25-30% slower in the winter, especially on snow covered ground and roads. I think it is due not only to the snow and cold but the extra layers of clothes I have on.

It looks like we have pretty much the same weather pattern all week, with some snow included so I may spend more time on the trainer than I have been. So far this January I have more time on a bike than January of last year but less time on a trainer.

Look Ma, no brakes!

Did you ever touch a frozen object with your hand and get stuck to it? Or remember the scene in Christmas Story where the kid gets his tongue stuck to the flag pole? Well ice cold wheels are like that when they go through wet mud. The frigid air causes the mud to freeze to the rims. No big deal when you use disc brakes. But my SS uses rim brakes so in no time I was left with no brakes, or very little braking power anyway, for the rest of the ride.

I started the ride heading through some trails since I figured they would be frozen. For the most part they were except for the occasional puddle. The branches were bent down in many spots due to the ice, my helmet was constantly being hit as I made my way through. It was very pretty in the woods with everything covered in ice and the sun shining. It looked even better once out on the back roads and I had a panoramic view.

I started the ride with the temperature in the high teens and I could feel it dropping as I rode, especially once the sun started to dip behind the trees. Even with toe warmers and cold weather clothing I was getting slightly chilled so I headed back to the house after an hour and a half an finished my workout on the trainer. I guess I get colder easier on the road than on the trails. I'm not sure what I'll do as the temperatures continue to drop; split my workout or just stay indoors.

Spinning by candlelight

The perfect gift for romance on the trainers. Buy it now on CD at a bike shop near you. At least that's what I was thinking as I was sitting on the trainer in the basement late this afternoon. I was literally in the dark except for the glow of a kerosene lantern, spinning away and listening to my MP3 player. No electricity in the house other than a few lights (and the coffee pot) running off the generator.

We lost power this morning at 7:15 due to the overnight ice storm. I bought a used generator a few years ago but we don't have the ability to hook up the furnace to it so I ran out to the local store this morning and bought a kerosene heater which kept the main part of the house warm. We use the generator for lights and TV or a few other appliances where necessary and we use a camp stove for cooking.

Since I had the day off from work I hung out at the mall for a while and caught the new Bond movie. Sorry, while the new Bond is good nobody can beat Sean Connery. I was really hoping the power would have been back on before I got home but no luck. So off to the basement to spin for an hour and a half.

While down there I couldn't help but think about the ESPN commercials that show Lance Armstrong on the trainer powering up the TV studio. That might not be such a bad idea for days like today. Get a workout at the same time as keeping the electricity. I found that the lack of visual stimulation while sitting on the trainer allowed me to get in the zone pedalling to the music. If you have ever seen a Johnny G spinning video you know what I mean. I was listening to the Afro Celt Sound System. As their name implies they are a cross between African and Celtic music with a little techno thrown in as well. Great music for spinning and a lot of their songs are on the longer side.

The power finally came back on about 7:20 so we were without it for just over 12 hours. Hopefully we don't get more ice or a big wind to cause it to go out again.

Going uphill while pedalling down

Today's ride was a long uphill ride, whether I was actually going uphill or not. Last night I switched over to the studded tires in anticipation of the icy forecast for today. I was hoping to get in four hours and figured I would have to be out on the roads to avoid the soft trails. I was out for a few hours yesterday and had to be careful of the ice as I was using regular tires.

The overnight snow/sleet had left about an inch of accumulation and as I left the house this morning the sleet was changing to huge snowflakes. Later in the ride it would change back to sleet and then to rain. I stayed on mainly paved roads but the icy slush combined with the heavy studded tires was slow going. If the road was clear the metal studs on the wet pavement was still not a secure feeling.

I hadn't changed the SS gearing to make it easier so the entire ride was pretty much a struggle. It was good resistance training but it also meant my legs fatigued earlier than I wanted. I didn't get in the total time I was shooting for but I think the resistance made up the difference.

I got what I asked for, that will teach me

The mercury dropped and the snow fell yesterday, something I had hoped for in my last blog posting. I went out for a two hour ride in the afternoon and the wind chill was down to the coldest it's been all winter. Have you ever had a brain freeze after eating ice cream or a Slurpee too quickly? My face and brain felt that way for the first 15-20 minutes. The pain eventually subsided, or maybe my face just went numb and the rest of the ride wasn't too bad if I wasn't riding into the wind.

The rail trail and road were harder than they had been for a while which meant a faster and smoother ride. Still some wet sections but overall a lot better. Anyone notice how much colder you are when you have to go to the bathroom? Fortunately there is a bathroom at the rail trail parking lot that I stopped at on the way back. But on the way to it I kept looking over my shoulder for other users of the trail in case I decided to stop on the side. I had to use my lights on the way home and since I hadn't brought my clear glasses it was a little darker than normal. I didn't want to take off my tinted glasses since they were keeping out the wind.

Robin and Shari have decided to make the trip to Tennessee with me for the Cohutta 100 so we will be travelling two weeks in a row. Robin will race the 100 and Shari will do the 12 hour the following week. I may try to find a team to get on for the 12 hour instead of a solo effort after doing the 100 mile race the week before. That would at least give me a better chance at the Ft. Custer race the next week.

I hope to be able to build up a new Cannondale 29'er prior to the Cohutta, I hear the race has a lot of fire roads where the bigger wheels might be the ticket. I may end up using this bike for the Mohican as well since it has a similar ratio of trails and roads.

How long will this weather last?

I was able to take advantage of the lack of snow to get out for a few hours on Saturday and for another three hours today. Yesterday I stayed on the pavement due the rain and for a change it stopped raining half way through the ride. The sun even came out for about 10 minutes before ducking behind the clouds and the wind picked up.

Today I met Chris and we headed out on the back roads to the north and east of us. They were fairly dry, certainly a lot better than I had thought they would be. We were finished by 1:00 which is a good thing because this was on the radar, it looks like a white blob is about to attack our area. I don't recall seeing a snow circle completely surrounded by an icy mix line. I think wet and snow is in the future for a while now. In fact, looking out the window I see the first of the wet snow starting to fall. I just hope it gets cold enough to freeze.

When it rains it pours

Seems like each of the days I've been doing extended rides after work I get rained on for the last hour. Yesterday was no exception, it started raining right when I got to the trails at Addison Oaks. That will probably be the last time I can ride them until it freezes. Riding home in the dark and rain is an adventure, it builds character. I'm glad I've got my lights to see and be seen. At least I missed the really hard rain that came later in the evening.

They announced the races for this year's National Ultra-Endurance Mountain Bike 100 Series, now called NUE for short. Included in the seven race series is the opening race which will be in Tennessee on April 21. Great, but I signed up earlier this week for a 12 hour race in Tennessee on April 28! When it rains it pours. They have also changed the rules so you don't have to do a western race in order to qualify for the series awards. It looks like I may do both Tennessee races but I could use some company to share expenses and driving. I've got a brand new minivan that can hold four bikes on the roof or two inside but fewer passengers. Any takers?

The week of the 28th I am set and driving with Robin and Shari. I am looking forward to this race as we always have a good time together. They may question my taste in music but at lest we can laugh about it. Two possible weekends in a row in the (hopefully) sunny south in April. Every Michigander's dream.