Fix Me

On Sunday, Corey felt that my booties were due to be replaced. You be the judge. (I wonder why I get accused of wearing gear into the ground?)

In case you're wondering about the Post Title, Yes, I have been listening to Black Flag.

Hand Me That Axe

I sent my registration in for the Lumberjack today. I love that area of Michigan and am really looking forward to racing there. We have stayed in Onekama, which is just a half hour north of Manistee, for a week nearly every year for 10 years. I've always ridden solo and certainly never raced.

I'm feeling optimistic about 07 and it's off to a great start. A lot of good people are already going to Ouachita and my prediction is TransIowa sees weather just brutal enough for a handful of finishers and more epic stories than you can read safely at work.

I am thinking about adding another 24hr race to the schedule, but am unsure of which one. Suggestions?

The only thing I am not feeling good about right now is the Ohio State Buckeyes. Come On, Godfrey!!! WTF?

Assorted Sidebar: The Snob says Screw the BCS. Boise State should be National Champs.

Six Hours of Wind

Started the day at 6am with Mr. Avey. We started out on gravel but the wind and cold pushed us back toward town where we did a little dance with several patches of black ice before heading back. 8am Jeff rolls to a Triathlon clinic and I meet Corey, Wills and MG for windly gravel love out to Brached Oak and back. Corey and I ended the day at Meadowlark for a coffee just as Marc and the Lincoln Plating crew headed out for a ride. We laughed at the fact that it looked like we would be joining them when we had already been out for six and four hours respectively. That's actually not a bad plan as the Sunday rides get even longer.

Good day. Six hours in saddle. Dog tired. Sleep required. Hopefully a good night's sleep will also equal a descent post.

Beholder

"Sugar, he's going down swinging"

My construction avoidance commute takes me by a new coffee shop called the "Tin Cup." Several weeks ago I had noticed a lovely Vanilla frame outside its doors. Today I paid more attention and noticed they have bikes hanging from the ceiling inside. Any locals been inside this place or know its story? Seems like it might be a good place to grab an espresso.

Speaking of Vanilla, Molly Cameron is currently in Europe racing cross against the Belgium elite. His posts are good reads if you have the time to visit (and since you're bored enough to be here, I know you do.)

Editorial Note: I can't read, apparently. The coffee shop is called simply, "The Cup."

High and Dry

The holidays are over and I couldn't be happier about it. Some people like the change of pace the holidays bring, but I like my humdrum life and am happy to get back to it.

I did take my mtb to Indiana over the holidays. 50s and 60s. Wool Jersey. No cars but a lot of free-ranging dogs. One little mutt followed me for over 5 miles. I kept waiting for him to hit that unknown turnaround point all dogs seem to find, but I don't think the little man had one. He had worked up a good lather and his short legs had problems keeping up on the downhills, but he hammered back on when things flattened out. I thought he would make it the entire distance back to my brother-in-laws. Unfortunately for the little guy, we encountered a pack of six dogs laying in the middle of a gravel section and the game was up. I hope the pup had left something in the gas tank because the pack followed him into the woods when he scampered off.

Paddy says June in Manitoba is beautiful.

... And to All a Good Night

Early to Rise

Early to a Rockstar energy drink.

Killed some time on the bike with Mr. Avey this morning. As usual, the conversation excelled and spawned the Swiss Army Knife comment, "Just read a Kafka novel and shut the fuck up." That one's got multiple uses, (at least in the mock arguments I invent in my mind.)

In less surly news, it's fun reading how many Friends of Snobbery seem to have some product behind them this year, even if the news has only been hinted at so far. Congrats everyone.

Finalized my shopping for Mrs. Snob yesterday and the last store I entered was playing the Pixies instead a Christmas music. I had to thank them warmly before I left, but they said people had actually been complaining about it five minutes earlier.

How can you not love shopping to the music of the band who gave you SurferRosa?

Ikea Home Nesting Instinct

I am a victim, but not of the Ikea type.

Spent most of the evening trying to get the new house organized. Funny how that started with organizing cycling clothing, gear, and trying to decide if the shop is in the basement or the garage. (Basement won after little thought.)

Gary Salutes the BKB.

Dan Jansen Reviews beer (per Joe.)

2007 Year of the Beer

Two down. TransIowa and Ouachita are booked and confirmed for 2007. Friends, Bloggers, countrymen also seem to be confirming left and right. I've said it before and I will say it again. 2007 is the year of post-race smiles and tilting a few back with friends. Gnawing of teeth and grinding of flesh to be followed by laughs and tales of divergent paths.

I'm not excited yet, but I am smiling.

I Heart Headwinds

Just under five hours of ride time.

Welcome to Elmwood, NE.

We're All In

Per G-Ted on the TI blog:

"... we wanted to err to the side of having the lottery than not, but........it looks as though we do not have to have the lottery! Yes, that means you all got in. We are still processesing the roster info at this time and we will have it posted up as soon as we possibly can. Stay tuned and congratulations."

Game On.

Trick Question

Perhaps by winning the lottery?

I sent only one postcard. Mistake? We shall see.

Paddy says if his name is pulled, he's coming. Can you win your own preem? If so, I suspect he'll share.

CreepyFriendly sent a card. MW sent something early. (I never know what blog to link to with MW.)

Who else has applied? Anyone else just through out one card?

Knowing my luck, there are 101 cards and I am the runt dalmation who'll get left at the side of the road.

Tagged.

I was wondering if this would work its way to me and Syd has apparently taken care of it. Six interesting things about the Snob that most people don't know (but yet I am willing to blog about.)

1. One of my degrees is in Creative Writing, but while I often think of things to write about, I rarely write. For a short period of time, I sent submissions to McSweeney's. After getting a few efforts to their "Open Letters" section glowingly reviewed but rejected, I sent a submission to the "Letters" section and they took it and only made one major edit. (If you do a find on page for 'Cronin,' you can see it.) I haven't submitted anything else anywhere since.

2. I suffer from a ridiculous duality of both not caring what people think and occassionally taking things far to personally, even if it's pointless. For example, if someone were to say behind my back, "Don't talk to him. He's the enemy." You will have likely just earned yourself an enemy who's happy to assume that role for you, even if I don't really know you in the first place and you may have been joking anyway.

3. I am adopted and my biological mother is currently in an aslyum.

4. The two fictional movie characters I identify with most are both played by Matt Damon, which creeps me out a little.

5. I am a hypocrite when it comes to forgiveness. I believe that most people lack the strength to truly forgive and I have a hard time forgiving them for that.

6. When I lived in Chicago, I would occassionally hustle people on DePaul's campus by playing them in basketball for money. One of the standout lines from those days was some guy on the sidelines yelling out, "He Dan Marjele'd (sp?) that MotherFucker!! He Dan Marjele'd that MotherFucker!!" after a little 5'9" white kid went up over a much taller guy for the score and game ender.

There are lots of people I would love to know more about, but I am not going to tag them. The way this is going, it will happen anyway.

Large Ass Tree

This is the large tree in the family Snob's new front yard.
The weekend's stats look something like this:
Hours on Bike: 7
Boxes Moved: Not Enough.
Projects Found: Too Many

"Hell No, I'm Not Stopping" - Endurance Cyclist of the Year

Craig Gordon - Wrecked himself at "Worlds" to bring down the reigning king, Mr. Chris Eatough.

Mark Hendershot - To quote Joe P yet again, "old, bold, lewd and tattooed."

Dave Harris - Killed it at the KTR. Got folks riled up regarding 26 vs. 29. Check out his 2006 Visualized.

Nat Ross - If he's in it, he's in the top five. His CyclingNews journal tells the story.

Harlan Price - Won the National Ultra Endurace Series. 20th at the Ruta. Rocks the IF and hangs with Elk.

Matt Wills - Never met a long ride he didn't like. Kanza finisher. G-Ted Death Ride aristocrat. Local Ruler.

Lynda Wallenfels - My recommendation is to visit Lynda's blog and look down the left side. You'll notice a lot of this: 1st, 1st, 1st....

Rich Dillen - Viking on parade. TR SS. "Worlds" Victory. Nominations in every category.

Engima Code One-Eight-Seven

I've been mildly obsessed lately with finding artwork for the new crib. What you see on the right in the one item I have already picked up. I am considering trying to get in touch with AOMIII or Steve Smith. I've got the perfect wall to try to fill in.

Rode for just short of four hours today. I believe when I left the windchill was sitting around 20, but aside from my feet, I felt good. Saw PC early in the ride and KW near the end. Perfect timing. One made me happy to be out and the other motivated to finish thiings up as planned. Now, if I can actually get to sleep at night things will be golden.

One pixellated Paddy post-card has hit the mail. I haven't felt very clever lately.

"You Can Feel Anything You Wanna Feel...

... And call it real."

Everything falls under the category of "in-process." New house, restructured gig, and trying to prepare for 07 in 06.

So, of course, the best way to mull things over is to stay up very late, listening to Sebadoh, Firehose, and Iggy & the Stooges.

There's also sitting on a trainer and discovering your left leg has arguably the worst pedal stroke on the planet.

"I can't complain though I racked up in chains. I can't complain."

Brillant, eh?

The Genius of Jeff and Mark is apparent yet again. MW, can I get a leadout? Send your Postcards to the Edge by the 15th.

How about Founder's Ale at the halfway point for Joe?

"Take the Damn Thing Already" - Photo of the Year

Blogger made me work for it, but here are the photos chosen for 'Photo of the Year.'

A.

B.

C.