I Get It and Don't Plan to Forget It

Things like the Oregon Manifest show make it obvious why people love Portland. The depth of the scene is amazing.

It does remind me though of a conversation Nate and I once had. He mentioned something Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips had said once about staying in Oklahoma City. The point, as expressed by numerous punk bands as well, was to build your own scene.

We're going to keep working on our scene.

Forks out the door and more on the way.

7" Wool brown and black goodness coming for your feet.

T-shirts designed and ready to be ordered.

And lastly, Cornbread keeps threatening a War Axe interview for Lincoln Ve-Low. I told him to have some fun with it, so I wonder what he plans to ask.

Trips Trips Trips

Three's a Charm?

I've fought with the idea of doing the Granny Gear series solo for a couple of years. The cost Solo always made the decision a 'no,' but when the Evil Unicorns rode Landahl last year, all seemed very worth it. But Solo with no single speed class... I see Chris and Scott are mulling things over as well.

Maybe it's a certain series of hundred mile jaunts and a few gravel grinders instead. Mrs. Snob also suggest the EU go for the series. That certainly wouldn't be a bad way to ride through 2009.

Assorted Snobbery: "Coffee is for Closers Only"

Wasting Days

With both my back pain and fitness level in sharp decline, I took off for a couple of hours today, just because. I should probably also add blogging to the list of things in decline. I think it's time to start looking at next year's racing schedule. Time to put some goals in place to crank up the drive.

Growing Out a "Boonen."

Forgetting How to Use a Camera

Oh, Gary, flattery will get me everywhere, I hope.......

Guitar Ted conveyed that at Interbike Gary Fisher said that the Snappy Cap G. Ted was wearing was really cool and he really liked it. I am incredibly flattered and feel almost famous, well, not really.

Level of surprise that Gary Fisher would like the aesthetic of Snappy Caps: zero, considering his regular attire looks like a Snappy Cap exploded into a full outfit.

Gary, your Snappy Cap is on the house, just place your order!!!

Also, Snappy Caps is now offering its FALL/WINTER MIXER PROGRAM. You get to pick your fabric: wicking, windstop, or wool and then the brim fabric/racing strip(ribbon) combination. Ear flaps are an option too. We still have Ready-To-Wear caps and Custom Cap Service.

Curvature of my Girth

After weeks of feeling like my body was twisting a bit to the right, my back finally bent without bending back and lead my down the road to my first visit to a chiropractor. Now, instead of bleeding lungs and beer hand-ups, I'm looking at x-rays and going through the information provided to help me truly get back on the straight and narrow.

Last week, I had restarted my fitness ball routine. In the midst of an exercise, I felt a pull in my lower back which made me pause, but didn't truly hurt. However, the next morning, I knew there was a problem. My back on the lower left side was sore and my cocky strut was reduced to a bit of a hobble. At the office, sitting became a problem after an hour or so and I decided to get my back checked out.

While chiropractors seem to have a file full of urban legends, my first visit followed the course of any other doctor's visit with a dash of "let us prove to you why we aren't quacks" thrown in.
X-rays and good conversation lead to another appointment where I would be adjusted for the first time.

My appointment this morning started with me being led to a room where my films were already up on a light board. Right in front of me was a picture of my spine from the back, curving to the left near the bottom of my back then slowly arching back to the right as you moved up toward my neck. "Fuck me."

Dr. Stone entered and, though she wanted to give me a little overview of the program, I asked her to jump ahead.

"Let's talk about that and then fill in the details."
"It's not as bad as it might look..."

We again entered a land of information share where I described racing a rigid single speed and she countered with how the spine, and therefore the central nervous system, would be impacted. Apparently, banging around on a rigid singlespeed may not be the best thing for a person's back. Imagine that.

Then came the adjustment. I was surprised to find that the idea that she would be wrenching my body in different directions was an outdated concept. While there was some pressure, most of the adjustments were done by what would best be described as an air gun which looked a lot like a giant syringe.

I went from my right leg being over an inch shorter than my left, my right shoulder slightly out of socket, and that general feeling of being twisted to feeling taller, balanced and even (though a bit dopey as well).

Though better, the back is still pretty tender and I've got another visit on Monday.

Best to everone racing cross this weekend and thanks to Hoss for the event last night. It was nice to see Lincoln's finest for a while and forget the fact that my back had me feeling 70 years old and not terribly wise.

RAPHA Gentlemen's Race

Unsupported. Unmarshalled. Road Racing I can get behind.



"Fun?..."
"No, miserable."

The Story...

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

Sometimes, I am not sure what to make of how information spreads online, even though one could argue my life revolves around, and in, cyberspace.

Case in point: #33 on the list, but DFL in your heart.

I see Squirrel is on here as well. Healthy lifestyles brought to you by the BKB!!

Stamps in a Passport

Harlan has me thinking... And thinking very seriously.

Boxedbee.blogspot.com

Life Is Too Important To Be Taken Seriously - Oscar Wilde

At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

Post 9 Mile I have consistently found myself in-between motivations. One day, I will just spin around, the next do intervals and the next I'll be buying Matisse prints for the house without riding at all. When racing is showing itself from the shadows, it's as much about next year and anything remaining on the 08 calendar. At least it's all too positive a mindset to be mistaken for apathy.

Maybe for me it's the simple knowledge that with cross, there won't be any racing for places and it all boils away to riding the fall, with the leaves turning, cowbells ringing and friends cheering you on and challenging you to snatch dollar bills from the strangest of places.

Sunday Morning Ant Brigade

With the Pirate's Good Life Gravel Adventure conflicting with a family event, I decided to hit another set of intervals with a dash of Wilderness Park single track this morning. While I still feel like I have the top end of Doc Holiday on his death bed, it's been fun trying to wind it up and feel the lungs expand and burn.

Generally before the cross season starts, I find myself on the ground from either an over-aggressive turn or a mediocre mount. This year was no exception as I decided to catch my saddle remounting and rodeo-clowned my way on to the limestone of the Homestead trail. Somehow though, my bike has managed to stay upright, rolling away and taking a gentle seat on the grass as I gathered myself.

I was in no hurry to get up, but a small cadre of ants on the trail beside me gave me just enough motivation to get my act together and return to my bike.

3rd Degree of Separation

Started researching NAHBS...

Watched a video with Ira Ryan...

and ended up here:

My Reservoir Dawgs

I had almost forgotten I had these...

Johnny, Sam and some guy in an over-sized tux.

Got Curb?

"Urban Struggle"

"Tonight we're gonna take my fast car

We're gonna go down to the cowboy bar

I'm gonna wait til the club is full

and I'm gonna ride the mechanical bull"

"Cowboy look is the one I sought

Can't quit now cause the clothes are bought

To be a true cowboy is my fate

I can't help it if I was born late"

"All the cowgirls in their stetson hats

and their tight-fitting jeans so they don't look fat

We'll all be listening to cowboy tunes
and stomp around like a bunch of goons"

"Cowboy look is the one I sought

can't quite now cause the clothes are bought
to be a true cowboy is my fate

I can't help it if I was born late..."

"...I know I'm a cowboy deep inside

my hat band's made of synthetic rattlesnake hide

After a couple of shit kicking cowboy movies

I'll check out the cowboy scene down at Zubie's"

"Cowboy look is the one I sought

can't quit now cause the clothes are bought

to be true cowboy is my fate

I can't help it if I was born late."

Assorted Snobbery: Travel Observations

One thing that travel often accomplishes for me is a renewed irritation for many of my fellow man. I have a few pop pyschologist opinions on the subject of travel which are likely full of holes, but here are a few items that are sticking with as I sit in the Denver airport.

People walking in crowds need signalling devices, like a car.

Watching people get sideswiped and rear-ended over the course of the past few days became commonplace. Like the white rabbit muttering, "I'm late," people seem to be walking around, heads down looking at their smart phone, or simply avoiding eye contact. "An important email? I better stop dead in my tracks to read more closely." Bamm. Spilt Starbucks. I've heard Americans make fun of traffic overseas for its chaos and rudeness. We do the same thing when we walk. After one such collision, which left paper all over the floor, I quipped, "I'm signalling for turns from now on." The comment got some laughs, then some guy typing on his Blackberry slammed into the guy picking up his papers.

"Uh, it seems your in my seat" or Squatter's Rights

This may be a weird creation circumstance, but it's happened to a lesser extent on others, so I am rolling with it. On all but one leg of my flights, someone decided to hunker down in my seat since they didn't like theirs. Each time, when I politely asked for my seat, the offender gave me a look like I had just screwed him over. Yes, I paid a bit more for my seat, made the effort to get the aisle and now, simply because you've sat there, I am the bad guy. Got it. I guess they do say that ownership is 9/10's of the law.

Rube Goldberg Flies.

Suddenly leaning your seat back blindly on a plane is likely going to negatively impact someone, and that someone could be you. I've never seen synchronized seat back leaning before, and I hope it doesn't make the Olympics, but I have to admit, it has entertainment value. On the other side of the aisle during my flight home, two people leaned their seats back without looking simultaneously and all hell broke loose. Both the aisle side and middle seats came back while beverages were being served and, while I can't explain the physics involved, a coke and a water were catapulted into the air, spraying various parties and making a general mess. Quick to follow were heated exchanges and stewardesses scrambling to restore order and bring peace to the middle of the cabin. Then, after 15 minutes of uneasy calm, the aisle side offender dropped his seat back again without looking, coming inches away from the guy behind him. The near missed caused the man who had narrowly escaped to look around stunned as if to say, "Can you believe this shit." I made a face of sympathy in return, then, looking at close the "leaner's" head actually was to the guy behind him said, "Flick him in ear. That should send a message," then put a big grin on my face. To my surprise, both guys turned and grinned at me. It was unbelieveable.

Man, am I happy to be back home.

Dinner's View

Even in San Diego

The poor guy on the right flatted on his way to work and was so
stressed out that I almost yelled down to him to tell him to relax.
It reminded me of my first race flat where I started to panic and
fumble everything in sight. Calm down and get it done. It's easier
that way.

Dead Canary in a Coal Mine

With the cross season in mind, I spun South to the Homestead Trail to attempt a few highly unscientific intervals in what will likely prove to be a futile attempt to avoid falling apart the first 600 yards of 60 hard minutes.




In the end, I'll be glad to have started now, but after the first minute of hard effort I was trying to recount how many times I'd truly tried to top out my heart rate this year. Aside from the two early season XC races I tried, I couldn't think of any and found myself more and more occupied with the seconds slowly ticking past on my watch.

Aside from three or four groups of turkeys I passed, very little was happening on the trail. With the football game capturing the attention of the 'Husker Nation' there were only wild life and a single recumbent to break up boredom of limestone.

With the legs a bit like jelly, I rolled gravel home and wondered how I would feel tomorrow. With a flight to San Diego late in the day, I'd like hit it hard again before I sit and watch 50 new companies take three minutes to convince the world why they're the next great technology worth watching.

Some People Are Just Show-Offs...

.... Take the proprietor of Snappy Caps, for example.

Cross Dressing

Last year, someone was kind enough to gather nearby cross race schedules in a single post and since I was going down that road today, I decided to do the same.

September 27 and 28th: Pleasant Hill Cyclocross (Des Moines, IA)

September 28th: Diamond Blackfan Cyclocross Challenge (KC)

October 4th and 5th: Omaha Cyclocross Weekend

October 12th: Criss Cross (KS)

October 25th and 26th: Smithville Cyclocross Festival (KS)

October 25th and 26th: Spooky Cross (Urbandale, IA)

November 9th: Veterans Cross (KC)

November 16th: De Stad Cross Cup (KS State Champs)

November 22 and 23rd: Nebraska (Lincoln) SOBE No Fear Cyclocross Weekend (State Champs on Sunday)

November 29th and 30th: Jingle Cross Rock (Iowa City, IA)

December 11th - 14th: Cyclocross Nationals (KC)