Back in the swing with the Singlespeed

So it's been 2 days of sleeping and eating loads of comfort food after the Humbler. Seriously think I could have easily consumed 20,000 calories a day if I didn't stop myself.

Yesterday I pulled out the Singlespeed and headed over to glenwood in Geneva to stretch the legs a bit. Temps were cool and comfortable and the trail was in great shape. I had the 32x20 on and was a little bit overgeared for the place. I like the 32x19 a little bit better there. But it was good as I just needed to spin and keep it easy. It was a fun ride to just sling around the trails solo and whip out some laps. I felt really good physically, but didn't feel like going hard at any point.

I did however realize upon inspection that the front fork is bent and the wheel is mis-aligned. Tomorrow I'm going to swap it out with a Origin8 Black Ops Carbon Fork!

Tonight I'm going to pull out the roadie, hit up the group ride, and then get some xtra ride time in with the lights on the roadie.

Farmall Rain Out

I showed up at Farmall on tuesday night, slightly unaware that it was going to rain. Conditions had called for rain possibly later in the evening, but en route, I realized was going to be a massive thunderstorm.

I kitted up, and took the singlespeed out for a few laps on the slightly slick course as it was drizzling a bit. It made for an interesting course. The course is tough enough geared, because if you lose traction you're walking. I did feel a little bit overgeared with the 33x19 and just planned to dismount and run the 3 sections I couldn't conquer.

The few of us that were brave enough to start headed out on the course. I took the early lead into the singletrack, getting off to run. Only to find the off-camber side-hill was unrideable and unwalkable. We pretty much all fell on our asses trying to just walk up the hill. I had a slight lead after the first lap, and was overtaken halfway through the 2nd. I was really struggling on the climbs and could feel the previous days efforts in my legs. About the time we rolled through the 3rd lap, I'd decided I had enough. The super slick unrideable and even unwalkable sections had taken their toll. As the group of us hit the woods, the heavy, heavy rains came down. It was absolutely pouring, the wind kicked up. The trails became super saturated and I actually felt great. I kicked it up a notch and was ready to really race at this point. It was one of those really intense rainstorms where, it's you vs mother nature. As our group rolled to the line, we were yanked off the course.

I headed back to the car, thunder and lightning cracking all around. It was coming down so hard, I had to pretty much change outside and risk my clothes getting soaked, rather than opening the door and flooding the car! I guess I'll be back next week, and with some gears!

Hopefully, the Superfly will arrive by Tuesday. I got word from Fisher that they are getting a replacement out asap. I'll have to pull out the Supercaliber for this weekends marathon race down at Ski Denton. Looks like a good fun course and should be a good test of fitness prior to next weeks NYSERS Finale at Suicide Six.

Meanwhile, that gives me some time to perhaps replace the CD's in my car. I've got a 6 disc and the same ones have been in their probably a year or more. I just hit play and the small amount of driving I do, I let the swap themselves
They are:

• Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
  
• The Editors: An End Has a Start
  
• Dinosaur Jr: Beyond
  
• The Twilight Singers: Blackberry Belle
  
• The Kooks: Inside In, Inside Out
  
• The White Stripes: Icky Thump
  

Singlespeed to Superfly

I headed down to Hollister-Spencer on Saturday to burn some laps on the singlespeed. Conditions were typical Spencer. Muddy in sections, but fully rideable. I felt a little sluggish on the SS. I went out and did a road crusher Friday after work and was still feeling the effects of that. As a result, I only spent an hour on the trail as I was having a hard time and struggling just to turn over the 33x19

My prize for the 24 hour Victory


Sweet Singletrack at Holister-Spencer


Lizzy Enjoys the Run

At least I got lizzy out and she enjoyed the the run and subsequent puddle baths that she could find.

Naples Solo Session

Yesterday I headed down to Naples on the Superfly. After running a rigid steel singlespeed for a week, the Superfly felt like a cushy dual suspension. I ripped it climbing up Stid hill and trailed the tower Drop. (I need a helmet cam to capture how cool that descent really is).

After that I climbed the road up to OCP. I took a nice little lunch break, then dropped the Finger Lakes Trail. I railed the descent again, and climbed up to Cutler where the 24 hour race was a few weekends ago.



Worked up a good sweat climbing up to OCP


Dry, Fun, tech awaits


The Pallets sections (yup I cleaned it)

Cutler and pretty much all of the trails all day were in awesome shape. The rainstorms hadn't hit yet (it poured later in the evening). I had a blast and cleared my head and readied myself for the upcoming month of hard training.

View from the Orange Trail in Cutler


This downhill looks 19x familiar


Looking back at Cutler (what I just came down)

After ripping down the road to the backside of Bristol, I chugged along up one of the tougher climbs around. Gnarly, rocky slate greets you after the first 1/4 mile of off camber, ultra-steep, 1 line climbing. The climb seems to go up and up forever, but nonetheless it's one of my favs.


Climbing the backside of Bristol Mt


About halfway up...

Still Climbing


This looks like the top

Once at the top I hit the road and down to the snowmobile trail. A nasty wide open fire-road descent. Lots of shale, incredibly steep and fast swoopy corners. A little too much speed here = instant cheese grater style crash. I managed to make it all out safe. Had a blast and felt great.

After that I headed up and visited my nephew at the hospital. Little buddy is doing awesome!

Currently playing in iTunes: Back to Your Heart by Dinosaur Jr

Solid Week off

No riding, no racing, no training. This past week was my mid-season refresher. I caught up on a few things, had some barbeques, slept alot and ate anything I felt like.

Tonight is my return to the grindstone. Some tough weeks ahead as I look forward to the 6HOP and then onto my next 24 hour effort. I'm undecided between Hot August Nights in Canada, and 24 hours of Great Glen. I'm sure a group is going to Canada, so that may be where I end up.

On the horizon is this...... Just depends if I can raise the fundage.

I'm going to put the raleigh XXIX to the test tonight as I'm going to run it at glenwood with the GBC for the monday mountains. Should be interesting and fun. I've done singlespeed before, but never rigid. Could be the turning over of a new leaf, maybe I'll race it a few times if things turn out well.

Currently playing in iTunes: Altered Beast by We Are Scientists

Morning Road Ride

Got out for a nice early road ride with Mark and Suzanne Hartman this morning. What a beautiful morning it was. It felt great to get out and stretch the legs, especially after last night Glenwood World Cup. I rode the Single Speed again and Mark was on his new Blur. He was pretty much a blur to me the whole ride as I was pushing as hard as I could to keep up with him. But that's par for the course, especially when Betty shows up beforehand.

Tomorrow is my brothers bachelor party, going to play some golf in the morning then hit up some good food and fun that evening. We'll see if I behave myself completely or not. I have a feeling this is going to be one long week with all the family and friends in town for the wedding next weekend

Sunday hopefully I won't be hurting too bad and can put some time back on the road bike again with maybe a nice century or so...

Currently playing in iTunes: Bones by Editors

Shindagin Hollow

Yesterday, was a nice ripper of a day down at Shindagin Hollow. Mark, Suzanne, Chris, the dogs and I bailed on our original plan of pulling a century around Cayuga Lake on the road bikes and hit the trail instead. It was a cool, crisp and wet day. I rode Mark's Singlespeed (Fisher Rig) for the 1st time. Somehow I lost a crankbolt on my ergomo so the Supercal is down for a bit.

Trail conditions were incredible even though it was pouring. Ripping it up on the singlespeed was just so much fun. Plus going back to a hardtail was pretty cool. I think I might just have to go get me one of those :) . I had a full on blast. I kinda love those conditions where its sopping wet, but the trail is just perfect riding. I haven't had that much fun on a bike in a real long time. I think there was a permanent grin splattered with a little mud on my face the whole ride. Lizzy was having a blast too! She is for sure tired from it today though, as she hasn't moved. Same with Cadence, she never even made it upstairs to bed last night!

My racing is on a little hiatus with my brother getting married on the 14th. But I'll be swinging back in time for the Dryer Rd Time Trial on the 21st. That should be some fun.

I'm out for now...