I have been remiss in posting lately and I apologize but someone has lost my camera and I feel that a post sans pictures is not worth doing. I have a pretty good idea who the culprit is but I can't get her to fess up.
In the meantime enjoy this melodic goodness for Lynette and Anthony - still thinking about you guys.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
St. Paddy's Day
In honor of the this great holiday and the fine Country of Ireland I threw every Flogging Molly song I have on my Ipod for this mornings ride. Nothing like blazing fast drums, guitar and fiddle to make the miles easy. I also thank this band for bringing back the accordion to respectability.
Enjoy a little Salty Dog before you head out for your own brand of hooliganism.
Enjoy a little Salty Dog before you head out for your own brand of hooliganism.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
24 hrs in the Old Pueblo
I have been wanting to make this post for the last couple of weeks but I have held off until my IT department could help me figure out how to upload the footage from my sweet new Contour HD camera. Well, she has been to busy to mess around with such trivial pursuits so I will give you the run down without my footage for now.
First off I want to say that the 24 HIOP was probably the best event I have ever been to. Great location, great trail, and well run. Duane and I loaded up his Dad's travel trailer and headed out around 3pm on thursday afternoon. A short 10hrs later we arrived at the camp site. I am pretty sure we woke a few people up maneuvering into a space. Sorry everyone.
The course itself is just shy of 17 miles, very smooth and full of cactus. Here's the map.
And here is a picture of the cactus slalom course.
Due to one of the team contacting Hoof and Mouth the week before the event we showed up without a 4th member, after much negotiation we a talked the one and only Gary Rock into riding for the Sons of the Red Sand. Here he and Duane are working on Duane's bike.
Gary ended up turning in the fastest lap for our team with a blistering 1:06:19. That is 13 minutes faster than my fastest time. I secretly hate that guy.
Here is the trusty Coconino in race form, resting comfortably before my first lap.
The track is so smooth that a rigid fork was the perfect choice. The SS is so simple that the only mechanic work I did the whole weekend was lube my chain.
Wrapping up the last lap.
Duane feeling the flow. "It's circular, you get on and it goes round and round." Gratuitous Happy Gilmore reference.
The end of the trail goes right thru the camp, I kept expecting a stray dog or wandering child to run out in front of me.
The support crew, who did an outstanding job of keeping us fed and the home fires burning.
Finish line.
We ended up in 8th place in the SS division with a total of 18 laps. I did 5 laps, 3 in the dark. That is not my preferred way to do it but overall I was happy with my performance. On the way home Duane announced that next year he wants to be in the top 5 next year. I guess we will see, I plan on doing this one for years to come.
I did find on the interweb a great video of the event. Much better than mine will eventually be.
First off I want to say that the 24 HIOP was probably the best event I have ever been to. Great location, great trail, and well run. Duane and I loaded up his Dad's travel trailer and headed out around 3pm on thursday afternoon. A short 10hrs later we arrived at the camp site. I am pretty sure we woke a few people up maneuvering into a space. Sorry everyone.
The course itself is just shy of 17 miles, very smooth and full of cactus. Here's the map.
And here is a picture of the cactus slalom course.
Due to one of the team contacting Hoof and Mouth the week before the event we showed up without a 4th member, after much negotiation we a talked the one and only Gary Rock into riding for the Sons of the Red Sand. Here he and Duane are working on Duane's bike.
Gary ended up turning in the fastest lap for our team with a blistering 1:06:19. That is 13 minutes faster than my fastest time. I secretly hate that guy.
Here is the trusty Coconino in race form, resting comfortably before my first lap.
The track is so smooth that a rigid fork was the perfect choice. The SS is so simple that the only mechanic work I did the whole weekend was lube my chain.Wrapping up the last lap.
Duane feeling the flow. "It's circular, you get on and it goes round and round." Gratuitous Happy Gilmore reference.
The end of the trail goes right thru the camp, I kept expecting a stray dog or wandering child to run out in front of me.
The support crew, who did an outstanding job of keeping us fed and the home fires burning.
Finish line.
We ended up in 8th place in the SS division with a total of 18 laps. I did 5 laps, 3 in the dark. That is not my preferred way to do it but overall I was happy with my performance. On the way home Duane announced that next year he wants to be in the top 5 next year. I guess we will see, I plan on doing this one for years to come.
I did find on the interweb a great video of the event. Much better than mine will eventually be.
24 Hours in the Old Pueblo from Vladimir Chaloupka on Vimeo.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Hardcore birthday
Occasionally my wife pays attention to my ramblings, this was evident this past week when for my birthday she purchased the ContourHD helmet cam. I was really surprised that she had remembered an the obscure reference that I had made to wanting a helmet cam.
This is the entire setup, no wires or battery packs and it weighs less than my cell phone.
The good news for you faithful follower is that my posts will now include video highlights of good times on the trail. Congratulations to you.
I was also able to procure a rigid carbon fibre fork for the SS. The suspension fork I have been using has been acting hinky so I sent it back to the factory for a retooling. I was a little nervous as to how I would make my bike rideable for an upcoming event in Tucson so when I found a friend with one I could use/ lease with an option to buy I was uber stoked. I have been wanting to try a fully rigid bike for a while so this give me a good opportunity to give it a go.
After one ride I have to say that I don't hate it. I have never had to pay so much attention to a trail before, if I just tried to pound thru stuff like I normally would I could end up in a bad way very quickly. There is no room for error without the extra cush, but on the silver lining side it climbs like a scalded monkey. The two lbs of weight savings is also very noticeable on the climbs so I think I will keep it on for now and and see how it goes. Maybe I will grow to love it and never go back to squishy forks, I have to admit the simplicity is intriguing.
I have had a number of people, (to be honest everybody I have spoken to but one,) ask me the same question...........why would you do that. I have no real answer other than "because I feel like it, so shut your face." but I think Jack Black said it best -
"To be hardcore you have to live hardcore."
This is the entire setup, no wires or battery packs and it weighs less than my cell phone.
The good news for you faithful follower is that my posts will now include video highlights of good times on the trail. Congratulations to you.I was also able to procure a rigid carbon fibre fork for the SS. The suspension fork I have been using has been acting hinky so I sent it back to the factory for a retooling. I was a little nervous as to how I would make my bike rideable for an upcoming event in Tucson so when I found a friend with one I could use/ lease with an option to buy I was uber stoked. I have been wanting to try a fully rigid bike for a while so this give me a good opportunity to give it a go.
After one ride I have to say that I don't hate it. I have never had to pay so much attention to a trail before, if I just tried to pound thru stuff like I normally would I could end up in a bad way very quickly. There is no room for error without the extra cush, but on the silver lining side it climbs like a scalded monkey. The two lbs of weight savings is also very noticeable on the climbs so I think I will keep it on for now and and see how it goes. Maybe I will grow to love it and never go back to squishy forks, I have to admit the simplicity is intriguing.
I have had a number of people, (to be honest everybody I have spoken to but one,) ask me the same question...........why would you do that. I have no real answer other than "because I feel like it, so shut your face." but I think Jack Black said it best -
"To be hardcore you have to live hardcore."
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Rain rain go away.
It has been raining here in the StG for 5 straight days, I hate the rain. I don't hate the rain in it's falling state, maybe I hate it when its just water laying on the ground turning the trails to mud. So I guess I hate mud and I just blame the rain for its role in the transmutation.
Living in So. Utah has made me a bit soft when it comes to inclement weather. The local tourist board touts that we have 364 golfing days a year, they obviously find themselves quite clever.
I continue to tell myself that if I had the right clothing I would ride in the nasty stuff. Sarah scoffs at this logic and of course she is right, I am never going out when precipitation is falling from the sky.
I have been riding in the cold, and when I say cold I mean cold for me. Cold to me is under 30 degrees so to all you tough guys that ride in sub 0 weather with rain and snow I admit you are infinitely more ProCore than I. My question to you is why do you live there?
Monday, January 11, 2010
NFL
Mainstream America understands these three letters to represent the #1 spectator sport in the country. To me they stand for something different, we use them to designate an area of caution- NO FALL LEFT. Then some bureaucrat comes along and feels the need to dumb down the trail and put up this sign.
Do they think that a cyclist can not see the huge gorge into which they may fall?
Tough to miss the huge hole in the earth.
Here are a couple more photos, strictly for entertainment value.
Lastly a short and choppy clip of a local celeb. (read SS and frame building guru) He actually cleaned this climb on the next attempt. I show you the dab because I am petty and have never made this climb.
Do they think that a cyclist can not see the huge gorge into which they may fall?
Tough to miss the huge hole in the earth.
Here are a couple more photos, strictly for entertainment value.
Lastly a short and choppy clip of a local celeb. (read SS and frame building guru) He actually cleaned this climb on the next attempt. I show you the dab because I am petty and have never made this climb.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Chance of shower
This morning after I finished another great ride with good friends, good trails, good weather and great views I headed in to wash off the current layer of So. Utah.
I like my shower, I like it a lot. No door that I have to clean, 2 shower heads and travertine as far as the eye can see, including the ceiling.
Everybody has a shower routine and mine starts with shampoo. As I reached for it I realized that there were 2 different kinds, now I am used to that because my quite fetching bride gets tired of one type before the bottle is empty and she leaves it to me to finish it off. The same goes for conditioner and shower soap/gel. I really think it's a fine arrangement. However, this morning I started counting how many different materials where lined up in my shower. Here is the list;
2 shampoo
3 conditioner
4 body washes
2 loofahs
1 back scrubbing brush
1 bar of Irish Spring (that ones mine)
3 facial cleansers
2 razors
1 non abrasive shower cleaner complete w/ scrub brush
Now I ask you, does your shower look like that or is it just mine? I don't need all that, I do appreciate the cleanliness and all the fragrant deliciousness, but I have showered before with just a bar of Dial soap. It's a little harder to work into a lather but it will clean your hair in a pinch.
I guess I should just be glad that I have got the girls to stop interrupting as much as before, just suck it up and finish off the bottles like a good lad.
Next time maybe we can discuss the "nails on a chalkboard" effect I feel when you see how toothpaste is squeezed, spilled, left uncapped and corrupted at my place...... good stuff I know.
I like my shower, I like it a lot. No door that I have to clean, 2 shower heads and travertine as far as the eye can see, including the ceiling.
Everybody has a shower routine and mine starts with shampoo. As I reached for it I realized that there were 2 different kinds, now I am used to that because my quite fetching bride gets tired of one type before the bottle is empty and she leaves it to me to finish it off. The same goes for conditioner and shower soap/gel. I really think it's a fine arrangement. However, this morning I started counting how many different materials where lined up in my shower. Here is the list;
2 shampoo
3 conditioner
4 body washes
2 loofahs
1 back scrubbing brush
1 bar of Irish Spring (that ones mine)
3 facial cleansers
2 razors
1 non abrasive shower cleaner complete w/ scrub brush
Now I ask you, does your shower look like that or is it just mine? I don't need all that, I do appreciate the cleanliness and all the fragrant deliciousness, but I have showered before with just a bar of Dial soap. It's a little harder to work into a lather but it will clean your hair in a pinch.
I guess I should just be glad that I have got the girls to stop interrupting as much as before, just suck it up and finish off the bottles like a good lad.
Next time maybe we can discuss the "nails on a chalkboard" effect I feel when you see how toothpaste is squeezed, spilled, left uncapped and corrupted at my place...... good stuff I know.
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