CX Day One - Sir Wilhem I presume?

"I beat you with one leg."


No dab here. Also, the scene of Tony taking a beer handup.


GiveR Mod!!!


Matt P was a blur.


Cross is beauty.


I spent most the race in this position, trying to figure out how to get into my pedals.

Cross Season - Yeah!!

Shit. That reminds me that I forgot to pack my arm-warmers.

Chewing on Glass

Restless. Edgy. Angry. Tired. Pent-up. Tied down. Tethered. Impatient. Teeth Grinding. Fist Clenching. Bloodshot.
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Cross Saturday and Sunday. Hit up Velosource today. Saw the virtual course before it came down. Made a gear decision.
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Good time to let it all out.
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*****

Hunter S. Thompson would be Proud

Welcome to the Kitten Factory!!!

Bikes Belong

Now that's a parking lot.

Bicycles are so Passe

"You never thought you'd get addicted, just be cooler in an obvious way."


"I can't help but feel responsible. I always knew that you were insane, with your pain."


"Shouldn't you have got a couple piercings and decided maybe that you were gay?"

"Fah, la, la, la, la, la, lah..."

"I never thought you'd be a junkie because Heroine is so passe."

----------------------

Anyone who knows me knows that my family and friends come before everything else. As you can tell, I got selfish and broke that rule. The past two years have been a test which my crew and I have passed with loyalty and honor so, fuck it, I am celebrating.

Much love and respect out to Jeff, Corey, Sam and Johnny who helped make this bike a reality.

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Holy Cow. I had quite the grammar error rolling there. Jeez.

It's Time to Play "Where's Marko?"

Based on the children's series "Where's Waldo," this game is truly fun for the whole family. Just take out your latest issue of Velonews (Bettini cover) and turn to the first photo in 'Off the Front.' Now it's simple: "Where's Marko?"

Tired of looking for Marko? Me too. You can also play the bonus version of the game: "Where's Paddy?" Don't let the Canadian and his Rabobank jersey get away scott free, but his mixing and matching of helmet can make him a difficult find.

That's enough adject stupidity from me tonight. Maybe I will make the blog less ridiculous tomorrow.

Snob out.

Conspiracy of Snobbery

Familar with the Grand Unification Theory? Me either, but I believe it's the concept of combining theories in various sciences and potentially religious world views into one all encompassing scheme. Fuck that. All I know is that there is a lot going on and it's throwing me some curves, so Chaos Theory rules the day.

Chaos:
Apparently if you are linked on the left, you have won something recently, gotten your ass hurt, or broken a component on your ride of choice.

Mr. 24 breaks a digit. Sam goes down. YET, Rich rocks the house, Paddy stays inflated, and Joe keeps his chain on. Chaos.

Speaking of Mr. Kerkove, his post regarding what race you would rather win leaves me thinking about 2007. Nationals is a must. A real season is a must.

If several of you aren't sick of drinking beer with the Snob after 2007, I will be disappointed.

Digging for Fire

Mrs. Snob feels the title of this post should be, "Drunk and Grumpy," but....

Rode the bike to the grocery with the RadMan and didn't touch the bike the rest of the day. Why? I am not really sure.

So, someone help me out with the new class structure in Cross. I never got a Norba License because most endurance races don't require it or a one-day serves a brother just fine.

I have visited our friendly USA Cycling site for some answers and found this: "If you are a new racer, then your CX category will start as a 4. Just as in road and track events, you can upgrade to a 3 by earning points in CX races.

If you had a 2005 USCF or NORBA license, then you were issued a 2006 CX category when you renewed."

WTF? So, I am a 4? I'd appreciate it if someone could clarify this for my dumbass. I was a fiery furance to race SS Open this year and obviously didn't know what the hell was going on.

In other news, it looks like Eatough has a battle on his hands at 24hr "Worlds." An Aussie named Craig Gordon is working to fuck up Eatough's Movie and end the "Worlds" steak. Ride424 is bringing the updates. If Eatough wants it, he needs to get the lead back asap. The longer the underdog hangs around, the more he begins to believe and the harder he is to kill.

Knives out, Eatough. Knives out.

Blah Hum-Bug

Why is it that everytime I update my links, I seem to forget someone I meant to add?

New reads on the left.

Bloggerdom at its finest.
___

I like Circles.

I Got Your Fall Right Here

Damn, I love fall. Great day. Great people.

Meet the crew at Bridge A. Cruised it. Snuck away for some heavy breathing. Drug my ass back to the crew at Bridge B. Paced it nicely with Corey and Nate back out to 14th.

Noteable Moment One. As Corey, Nate and I popped over the newly made Jamaica Trail, I heard Nate say something I couldn't make out and saw some people to our far left down the trail. Once we hit 14th, Nate explained that the dude was naked and pulling up his shorts and his lady friend walked back to her bike. Ah yes, many great ways to enjoy the great outdoors.

Noteable Moment Two. Corey and I heading back up the Rock Island trail toward home and just after we passed the Y we saw two uniformed men in the distance. As we rolled up, we each had a cop standing in front of us and holding a shotgun at his side. They had gotten a call from a woman who said she saw a guy sitting on a tree stump with a shotgun in one hand and a cell phone in the other. We'd seen nothing like that, explained that to the officers (along with further "did you look here?" suggestions) and then moved along on our merry way. I didn't mention it to Corey at the time, but I thought, how wierd would it be to hear a gunshot right now? It was all good though. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Nate sticking his ass in the frame.


He's not one the phone, though it sort of gives that look.


Corey rolled up at stopped two. Welcome Big Skinny.


Nate's all about the Vogue. Strike a pose!!


Not only was it a busy day in the park, apparently it was a busy night as well.

Anti-Social Butterfly

Actually, I just needed a good night's sleep. It was get sleep or get sick. 5:30am wasn't happening. Missed the Century. Saw the Crizzuse ride. Kept it solo for three hours through Wilderness and a little gravel interval action. Dellusions of cross just won't die.

I love fall.

Mrs. Snob has Skills

Fender Blender

Break out the martini glasses. Take equal parts espresso, kahlua and vodka. Throw it in a shaker with some ice. Shake your money maker and enjoy.
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Instead of renting a fine white cadillac, perhaps a Pugsley would be more appropriate. In this race, perhaps it's best to pour beer on your chest to fascillitate the tanning process. Perhaps.
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My homeless friend sets up and tears down within a day. He's a little less cautious with each. Doomstruck. Shopping cart abandoned in the middle of the bike path. Occassionally, he will lay under it like a bag of water softener salt spilling out of the side. Pedistrians will be his undoing from fear of the unknown. Fear and Loathing.
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If I walk to the back of the line, can I start over?
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36x16. Morning. Noon. Night. Traffic. Prairie. Empty.
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"I sleep on a tall roof and scream my songs
into lazy floods of stars.
And the sounds return
pure and easy.
Ah, the city
is on
my
side."

Easy Listening

Vapour Trail

My mind is all about Cross. It's a pretty easy transition when the mtb season amounted to starting only 3 races, one of which I shouldn't have, and finishing one. Best laid plans, bitch. Best laid plans.

The Nebraska Cross Series starts Oct. 21st with a weekend of fun and pain.

The Mid-America Cross Cup is also back and, while the site has yet to be update for 2006, Maxxis has the complete schedule on their site (scroll down). The black flag that so angered Mr. Adidas is being converted BKB style.

Hit the intervals today. The fast twitch muscle fiber is MIA at the moment. I did see a red tail hawk and a stealth bomber while I was out. That doesn't happen everyday.

Executive Decision - The Endurosnob Epic is Postponed

We're going to wait for 2007.

I apologize for the brave souls who dove right in and signed up. You'll get a full refund, as you know.

For those folks who were interested but couldn't quite pull the trigger. Feel free to let me know what would have tipped the scales either by email or in the comments. I know a few of the reasons, but am completely open to everyone's thoughts.

Special thanks to those that did sign-up, CreepyFriendly for the killer artwork and Butch and Rick for the Recon help.

Snob out.

The Story Behind the Pictures

The Epic Recon was, if nothing else, a hell of a lot of fun.

Rock D, Butch and I set out for Valentine on Saturday morning with three maps, a truck load of gear and bikes and one informed "I am not sure about this area here" view of the map from Butch's father in law. Before we left, we also grabbed a shovel. Ah yes, shovels are good.

We started at the Valentine Park, sign pictured in the last post, which is a perfect place to start. Overnight camping for a 5 spot, picnic tables, shelter, and a steep as hell hill to climb out of the place come start time.

The early road section was scenic, rolling and telling, as it was a lonely road very quickly. Without premeditation I turned to Butch and asked, "So if you are racing, what are you thinking at this point?" Butch replied, "That this is gonna be sweet. And that I hope I have enough water."

When we turned off the pavement, I felt some excitement. We were getting into the unsupported area and knew that here, the maps could only tell us part of the story. As we drove, the quality of the road kept diminishing, buildings became fewer and fewer and we discussed the windmills which popped up every so often which pumped out water into a catch.
Soon the road turned into two ribbons and then faint lines on the ground.

Along the way, we experienced a few navigational pauses. At one point Rick chatted with a local farmer who clearly thought we had a screw loose, but let us know the way continue down the "road."

Why is road in quotes? Because from that point on, there wasn't one. It may be on the map, but to say it exists is a stretch. We went with it anyway, following bent shafts of grass and the occasionally sand-stuffed tire track. At some point, I asked Butch for a racer's mindset again and he said, "This is still really sweet."

We made our way through a cattle guard and knew that a lake we saw on the map must but close. We were into rolling hills, without a clear way to get the truck through and got out to walk, scout the terrain and make some choices. I crested a hill to find our hidden lake nestled in the rolling hills below. Nothing around but birds, sandhills, and a surly black bull outlined against the grass on the otherside of the lake.

The problem was that we couldn't see a safe way through. Then our farmer friend showed up. Rick jumped into his atv and the farmer, with his kids in tow, showed us the route down to the lake.

We dropped down near the lake shore, relaxed as we negotiated its northern side and promptly got stuck.

Things got a bit worse before they got better. We intially used Thermarests under the tires to try to get some purchase, but they weren't enough. As Rick and Butch dug and thought through a few angles, I walked a few hundred yards to a cattle-guard and brought back some logs from the surround fence. We then jacked the truck up, returned some sand to the void beneath the truck, topped that with the logs, laid out our thermarests again along with a board from the back of the truck and Rick spun the truck back out of our sandpit and back onto driveable ground.

We looked at each other and Rick said pointedly: "We're not out of this yet."

With weather now rolling in, we made the decision to backtrack, it was nearing5pm and the sky looked questionable at best. We turned the truck around only to discover that we couldn't go back the way we came. The sandy ridge we had dropped down from would never hold enough to get the truck back up. The only choice was to move forward.

The question was to move forward onto what? No road was to be found and we ended up in an open field. After a lot of mental and physical back and forth, we found a cut path following the contour of section of hills. Just as the road had disintegrated earlier, it regained life as we went. Soon we were back on gravel, comfortably driving along the route.

We had to call the day there. We drove Butch back to Valentine. I drank a Rockstar and drove Rick and I back across Nebraska, listening to the game and watching lightening pour down from the sky.

If you are ever going to get stuck in the middle of nowhere and put yourself in a spot. Take Rick and Butch. No drama. No worries. Just thinking things through and getting it done.

Oh, and if you'd be smart enough not to get stuck in the first place, all the better.

Where the Buffalo Roam

Road Trip

Rock D and I will be heading up to Valentine this afternoon to meet Butch. We'll be driving the Epic route, riding some Chadron single track and generally rocking it Road Trip style.

Photos of Western Nebraska.

I will try to send some shots and reports from the road, as well and channel the spirit of HST.

"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over." - Hunter S. Thompson

Case of the Jimmie Legs

At the end of August, I went back to the three-a-day ride schedule. Before work, quick lunch burst and post work. (Cross prep and Death Sentence for EnduroChub). Now, I am sitting here with a case of the Jimmie Legs. Things just aren't functioning quite like they should. Close but not quite. Zig when I want to zag. 'Y' functioning as a vowel.

Example. I was working on the Cross dismount skills the other day and tried to pull of the dismount where you bring your swing leg between your frame and off leg so you can literally hit the ground running. Well, I hit the ground alright. Rodeo Clown style. I did roll up to my feet and raised my arms in mock gymnastic fashion, but the scores were low, even if the Russian judge screwed me over.

In other news, I am now accessible 24/7. The corporate juggernaut has issued me a blackberry. I got it Friday and kept it boxed through the weekend, but had it at least sync it up as week began. Well, today I took it out on my lunch ride and, in the middle of gravel road nowhere Nebraska, found that my email was updating and that I could ride and work if I wanted to do so. Geeky cool. Corporate scary.

I was hoping that the evolution of our company would go from Minor Threat to Fugazi to, at least, Green Day. Now I am wondering if we aren't just Sting.

Status of the IF

Joe said to Jeff, "It's being welded today."








Jill looks the workorder over and thinks, "WTF?"

Threats and Empty Threats...

... of rain kept this weekend off-balance but fun.

Sat down with Jeff and ordered up the bits and pieces needed to complete the cross bike, along with a Bianchi Axis for Mrs. Snob. I believe I now have her convinced that we will be calling the bike the "Axis of Evil" so really, my weekend was complete then and there.

Ran in the rain on Saturday and went out for intervals Sunday. The intervals were short lived though. I broke another right pedal climbing with my eyes crossed near the end of one hard effort. I am convinced it's because I pull up and out instead of pedalling full circles. Maybe someday it will be smooth.

Nursed the bike to the shop where ZDogg dove in and helped a brother out. Picked up a pair of egg beaters to tide me over until the candies can be repaired and was back out the door.

Hack Attack

Thinking of Cross so I try to visit Jonathan Page's site and got this.


What are the chances you find that site unless you follow cross?

Endurosnob Epic Update

October 15th will be the Registration Deadline for the race. The long story short on this is that we currently have six people registered and if that number doesn't rise, it will be difficult to hold the event. I will simply see how registration goes through Oct. 15th and will make a decision as information warrants.

On the positive side, we're still working on this thing like it's going to happen. Course Recon is set for next weekend. The Jolly-Roger flags are in the queue and the course looks gorgeous and painful. We'll provide reports, photos and updates during the weekend so you can see what's shaking.

Sometimes the middle-of-nowhere is the place to be.

Thanks everyone,

The Snob.

BKB Sighting - Elk Rocking It Out

Absconded from Harlan's site.

Labor Day of Love

Corey really loves Labor Day. Really.


Mr. Matt Wills and Butch.


Rollin'.


Experimental Over-the-Shoulder Shot. (Lucky.)


Experimental Graham Watson Shot.

Single Speed Platte Train

Woke up at 4am having cashed in a mere two hours of sleep to ride to Platte with Big Skinny and Mr. Matt Wills. Despite a little sleep deprivation and passing on a lap at Platte due to questionable trail conditions, we had damn good time. The gravel was good, the buffet as tasty as ever and the conversation was out-fucking-standing.

It was a little foggy as we started out.


"So... there I was... in the Congo."


Pinkie looking as fly as ever.


Behind Door #3 - Bacon


I thought you had it. No, you had it.


Almost home.


Two hours of sleep, up at 4am, nearly 80 miles. Tired is a state of mind.

Everybody's Asshole: Take Two

I'm not sure what to think about all of this. I thought I had expressed my side without being one of "those guys." But, apparently, I'm That Guy.

Check it out: MTBR Thread.

Big Big Bummer

also could be titled the "Squeeky Wheel - No Grease" post.

Just before 9 Mile was the first time I ran the larger XR tires on the Niner and there were a few times during the race when I heard a strange sound from my bike. A rubbing, not quite right kind of sound. I checked the bike post race and saw that, not only is there bare metal showing on the left chain stay, but there is a groove/crease as well. The scandium had been worn and grooved because of the tire rubbing.

Time to put Team Over-Analysis to work. The Cycleworks crew, including at various times, Jerod, Tony T, Matt P, Z-Dogg, Rock D and of course, Jeff all pondered and looked at the bike with me. We were thorough and frankly, I was waiting to see what I had done to jack up my bike. Jerod double checked Niner's recommend spacing. I was good there. He then thought to check the frame alignment. It was off. Not by a ton, a few of mil., but enough to balance out the space I was suppose to have minus a bit more. Ah, there's the rub.

So, Jeff chats with Niner and finds out that clearance had been a challenge for them with their earlier batches of bikes (which mine came from), but that they have since then adjusted/corrected the clearance in subsequent batches. Jeff then offers to double-check the bike and send some photos. Everything comes out the same in the double-check. We also checked the dish of the wheel to see if it had contributed to the problem. It's a Mohawk hand-built, so I felt it was solid and, of course, it was. Jeff attaches the photos to an email and sends it across.

Their response was to say that the portion of the chainstay in question was very thick and "should not" break. They would cover the frame if it broke. They then went on to explain how some of the tires, like the ones I run weren't available when thier early frames where made. They explain how they adjusted and that later batches had more clearance. My other option from Niner is to exchange the frame for a price of $200. The do not explain why the frame is out of alignment.

My reaction? I don't think so.

There was no mention in their response about the frame being out of alignment. An acknowledgement would be nice.

Based on all of the information I had, I did everything according to Hoyle. Had I know I actually had less clearance, I wouldn't have run that tire. Had I put my head up my ass and ran a tire beyond what they say you can run, I would have accepted it and ate my mistake.

If I jack something up, it's on my tab. If you and I jack something up together, I'll split it with you. I'm not going to pay an extra $200 for a frame I should already have.

I'm sure as hell not going to buy a SIR anymore. Nor any other Niner frame for that matter. Full dismount.

Maybe I should have G-Ted add scandium to his current discussion. Will Scandium sudden give as the groove gets larger? Do I feel like chancing it? Nope. Do I feel like paying a $200 "insurance policy" to make sure I am not on a frame that will break. Fuck no.

I'm working to have some class about this, but I'm pissed and disappointed.

I'm ready for my IF to get here. I hear they make a 29er SS.

Little Bummer

Looks like the Snob will not be racing the State Champs. The recon for the Epic is that weekend and it's now time to dial things in and put together a race people enjoy and feel good about riding in.

Worst Fear: Having people come away bummed because of something I could have controlled. (which makes me waver about riding it myself or running the "command center.")

Working on some cool news in conjunction with someone who's a great part of the endurance freak community. Stay tuned.

BareKnuckle's and Beer. Yes!! (BareKnuckleBeerBrigade?)

Moderation...

... is masterbation.

Considering a fixed gear project of sorts. Niner SIR. Fixed. Mary Bars. Why? I need a New Kind of Kick.

Victory salutes to Mr. 24 and Paddy*Naomi.

So, if you're considering a suspension fork for a 29er, what's your choice?
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Clarification. The suspension isn't in regard to the fixie. It would be used in solo 24hr situations only.