Trainer Season

Okay, so winter doesn't officially begin until December 21, but it sure feels like winter to me. There was a slight frost on the grass this morning for my bicycle commute to work, and I just can't get warm. The weather for tonight doesn't offer any relief with a frost warning and a low of 29. To make matters even more depressing, There isn't enough daylight to enjoy once I get home from work.

It's time to break out the trainer and the Metallica CD.

My New Favorite Website.

I have a rather goofy sense of humor. Okay, I have a juvenile sense of humor. I admit it. TV programs like South Park and The Daily Show crack me up, especially South Park. While I really don't watch all that much television, I do often surf the internet for entertainment. You just never know what you'll find out there. With this in mind, I offer my new favorite website. It's a spoof of Wikipedia, the popular online encyclopedia, only this site is a collection of famous people who are ... well, dicks.

Be warned and enjoy! :)
dickipedia.org

Black & Blue

The CycloCrunk race was apparently rougher than I first realized. I felt fine after the race and even felt good yesterday. However, today is a different story. I have a large bruise on my right shoulder and a slightly smaller bruise on my right elbow. My calves are painfully stiff and my thighs hurt.

CycloCrunk

If you missed CycloCrunk, you missed 40-minutes of race in the dark madness at Tobey park. The event kicked off with a LeMans-style start that had around 50+ participants dashing for their bikes. I managed to reach mine rather quickly for a good start. However, my lighting situation was anything but optimal with a cheap Wal-Mart bike light literally duck-taped to my handlebars and a small LED headlamp I borrowed from Jon. I was fine for the first three laps, but became progressively blind as the race went on and had to slow down more times than I wanted. Try racing toward a wooden barrier you can barely see.

The course featured 5 barrier groups: two double barriers (one set on a small hill), one triple barrier, a single barrier and a four barrier run with each barrier a different height. There was also a 10 yard sand pit. At some point during the race, someone smashed into the triple barrier and it was taken down because it couldn't be repaired in the dark. No one complained. The course also looped around a field, through a baseball spectator area, around an off-camber corner on grass between a chain-link fence and a metal light pole. Big fun!

I felt pretty good during the race and actually passed a lot of people in the various barrier groups. My big problem, other than not being able to see, was getting up to speed on some seriously rutted ground after one of the barriers. I really wanted my mountain bike on that section.

I asked the promoter how I placed, and he said I finished somewhere in the upper middle, probably between 15th and 18th. That's good enough for me.

National Mtb Championship pics.

Cyclocross Events

Shame on me for missing the first CX event of the season. Fortunately for me, I have an opportunity for cyclocross penance. The events marked with an asterisk are the ones would "like" to do.

2008 Cyclocross Events
10/19 - Prattville, AL
11/2 - Tuscaloosa, AL
*11/9 - Birmingham, AL
*11/16 - Memphis CX Championship, Memphis, TN
*11/22 - Anniston, AL (night race!)
11/30 - Montgomery, AL
*12/7 - Cullman, AL

2009 Cyclocross Events
*1/3 Columbia Cyclocross Series #1, Columbia, TN
*1/4 Columbia Cyclocross Series #2, Columbia, TN
*1/17 Columbia Cyclocross Series #3, Columbia, TN
*1/18 Columbia Cyclocross Series #4, Columbia, TN

Pumpkin Time!

It's October and time to put out the Halloween pumpkin! I'm not sure what kind of pumpkin I will make this year. I'll just have to wait and see what inspiration I find in the pumpkin patch.

Here are a few of my pumpkins past. Enjoy!

The Commutant

With the economy going down the toilet and gas eating an ever-growing slice of most household incomes, I am doing my part for America by commuting to work via bicycle on days with less than a 30% chance for rain. My commute to work is slightly less than a 10 mile round trip and takes slightly under 20 minutes each way, which is only 6 to 7 minutes slower than the same commute in my car.

My best guess has me saving about $3.50 to $3.75 per week on gas and taking around 17 pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere per week just using my bike to get to and from work. I save more per week when I use my bike for other commutes like going to the bank, trips to Kroger, and other errands in town. I know saving slightly less than 4 bucks a week may not sound like much, but I do have a very fuel-efficient car. Someone with a gas hog for a car will save much more.

I actually enjoy commuting to work on my bike and always arrive at work in a rather good mood. Over the past several months, I have noticed more people using bicycles as alternate transportation. This trend is not only good for the pocketbook; it’s also good for the country and the planet.

Lazy Sunday

I woke up this morning and thought about going over to Birmingham anyway for the cyclocross race. However, none of my racing gear was in order. I also removed the pedals from my 'cross bike and put them on my mountain bike the night before.

Since I didn't have time to sort things out, I decided to just ride my mountain bike and save the gas money and entry fee. I also decided to not drive out to the Clear Creek trails and just ride the trails here in town. I spent around three hours tooling around on the trails and enjoying being outside.

I'm home now drinking a cold green tea and listening to Neil Young.

A Change of Plans

I've decided not to race in Birmingham this weekend. I'm just not in the mood to race, and I've already fulfilled my contractual agreement with the team on events. I had originally planned on making a weekend of it. There is a Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at the Birmingham Museum of Art that looks fascinating. I had the privilege of seeing a da Vinci in Memphis a few years ago and it was amazing. The man was a genius on so many levels.

Instead, I think I'll go out to Clear Creek on Sunday and do a few laps.

As for tonight, I'm just content to stay home and listen to Sarah McLachlan.