Yearly Archives: 2014

Redlands / New Bike / Crotch

This entry was posted in Comments about Cycling on by .

Pretty late for me to post today. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to ride Redlands without just going there next Sunday and ride a Cat. 1/2 criterium while the real race is going on up on the Sunset Loop. I sent a couple emails last week and finally tried to contact some teams individually to see if they have an extra slot on their roster, but so far, no luck.

So, waiting for replies, I put most of the finishing touches on my new Eriksen. It went together pretty flawlessly. I understand the “despise” some people have for electronic shifting, but let me tell you, it is so easy to adjust and works perfectly. I didn’t even have to adjust the rear derailleur at all.

I’m going to suit up and go for a ride and try to forget about the Redlands deal. First rides on new bikes are always a blast. Sometimes it takes a little tinkering, but I think I have this one pretty well dialed in. I don’t tape the bars until riding it, just in case I want to move the levers or something.

I’ve been riding pretty hard the last couple weeks and would like to do a bigger race to check out my form. Redlands would have been perfect. You have to ride on a team, but the there were too many teams for the number of entries. The Boneshaker Team, from Texas, didn’t get into the race. They have Heath Blackgrove and Logan Hutchings, plus a lot more good riders that deserve to race the event. I talked to Heath and he says he thought he had a shot at winning the race. If he said that, I believe it. I hope he found a ride on another team, it’s been a week since I heard from him.

Okay, below are some photos of the new Eriksen. Check out the welds. Crazy nice.

The welds are unmatched anywhere in the world.

The welds are unmatched anywhere in the world.

I tired to bundle up the wires to look a little cleaner.

I tired to bundle up the wires to look a little cleaner.

Just another shot of beauty.

Just another shot of beauty.

I put the sprinter shifters on my bars. I don't sprint much on the drops, but might have to start if the shifters are that much of an advantage.

I put the sprinter shifters on my bars. I don’t sprint much on the drops, but might have to start if the shifters are that much of an advantage.

I've been riding so much, I've got a small saddle sore issue. I had a jar of Donkey Label chamois cream with me, but can't find it. So, I went with the next best thing.

I’ve been riding so much, I’ve got a small saddle sore issue. I had a jar of Donkey Label chamois cream with me, but can’t find it. So, I went with the next best thing.

Like a Chicken With My Head Cut Off

This entry was posted in Just Life on by .

I remember reading somewhere about why Lance said he decided to come back to racing. It was something like the life of a cyclist is very regimented and the normal life distractions seem less important when you’re 100% committed to the bike. I obviously disagree with some of Lance’s views, but this one I have to agree with.

When I’m on the road, life usually seems relatively simple. Living out of one bag (two, in my case) and only having Bromont as a present responsibility, feels freeing.

The last few days, that hasn’t been the case. I’ve been trying to round up the last few parts to finally get the new Eriksen together. Scrambling to try to get on a team of Redlands, plus trying to put some fires out back home.

I received a code services notice for the Isuzu, which I parked behind the building. Plus another one for the vacant land I own in Central Topeka. I guess someone has used it as their personal trash dump once again and the city doesn’t like that much.

A friend, Phil Gronniger, originally for KC, now from Denver, is in town on vacation. He’s riding down from Carlbad to La Jolla to meet me right now. It is raining here in San Diego. Phil is planning on doing 4-5 hours today. If I don’t hear back from anyone about racing tomorrow before Phil arrives, I’m just going to suit up and ride with Phil and forget about Redlands. It was only for training, and I’m doing a pretty good job at training already, so no big loss.

I really don’t feel like riding 5 hours in the rain, but after I get a cup of coffee in me and suited up, I’ll be good. It is nice to ride with old friends in new places. I look forward to showing him some of the cool roads I’ve found out here. It’s not all about racing always.

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