Friends Make the Best Models

Case in Point

Nebraska State Cyclocross Video aka Day Two in Lincoln

Susan put this one together. Not sure why this is so blurry when I have the same camera as Corey, but I hope it brings a smile anyway. Thanks to everyone for a great time and congrats to those who got some socks.

A View From Hooligan Hill

Did Someone Say 'More Cowbell?'

Earned in KC but ready for the Weekend

'The Michael Johnson'

Snappy Caps has this policy of letting people review photos of custom made caps and then, should the customer decide they don't like the cap, allowing them to simply say, "No, thank you." and walk away from the purchase without so much as paying a dime.

Recently, sometime this fall, some took advantage of this policy and, as I was walking down our hall, looked down to see orphaned lid sitting in a small box.

"What is that?"

"A cap someone didn't want."

I laughed and said, "I can see why..."

Immediately, I thought of one man. Michael Johnson, the 200 and 400 meter speedster.

Shoes of a champion

Today, I threw the cap now known as "The Michael Johnson" on before Mrs. Snob and I cruised through Wilderness Park. I thought I was taking the ugly duckling out for a walk...

... now I love this damn thing.

It's one of the few caps that actually stay put over the Euro-Mop that has now become my hair and, let's face it, after pink and black finger nails, a gold cap under a grey helmet is pretty subdued.

The Profile

The Close Up

"They never end in Lincoln, Nebraska"

Good stuff from Daniel Wakefield Pasley: French Broad River

Turnaround Time

Expecting a pithy post about getting my fitness back? My apologies.

Sam's on a roll (or, as Corey might say, like Butter.)

Malcontent

You're right. It is almost as if we don't want people to know what's going on in the World of War Axe, but now Sam has gone ahead and interrupted our silence. Don't be surprised if, for some reason, updates over there start to become a bit more frequent.

Really?

Really.

Another Word For Therapy: Wilderness

Two hours with near complete focus on the trail. Bring the leaves, mud, wonderful weather and just concentrate on riding and enjoying those moments where the bike is just flowing around corners and your heart and lungs are just humming along and all the static in your head just boils away to nothing.

Motivations Old and New

It's always interesting to me to see what drives both my friends and myself to stay in some semblance of shape over the winter. Usually, it's a race. Sometimes, it's being a fat-ass and other times I seem to just go.

This off-season is already proving itself to be a reinvention yet again. I've managed to somehow get involved in an indoor soccer team which is comprised of the fathers from Seven's soccer team. What began as a little cross training has turned into my typical urge to go harder and improve, so much so that I found myself on a treadmill after arriving home last night in order to loosen up the legs before dinner and tapping a ball around with Conrad in the living room before he went up for bed.

The race scene is offering it's usual carrots but, even though I have a 'plan' to try the NUE series this year, it's one single race that slides into my mind while out riding in the last few weeks... Dirty Kanza.

Here You Go, Sam: "Rookie On Rollers"

Droppage Time

After a couple months spent for essentially off the bike, this week marked getting back into the swing and back in shape with an eye toward building up for next year.

A D Street ride was the order of the morning as I haven't really seen a lot of my friends in that same amount of time. With a 9am start, the ride seemed a perfect way to get going again. It was also an eye-opener as I found I'd lost a bit more fitness than I had hoped.

Syd and Corey leading through the park

In many ways, it was a typical gravel jaunt, but the fall weather was perfect so I didn't mind slowly falling off the pace then, at almost the appropriate time due to my failing fitness, turning and heading for home solo. Hopefully, next Saturday I'll be a bit better and actually hold a conversation and a wheel.

Uh, Corey, that's not a smile...

Assorted Snobbery: Who Are 'The Better Beatles?'

While we were in Chicago, my buddy Mike had this little gem.

Like An Well-Drawn Espresso to Start Your Day

Bad puns aside, this blog's clearly not immune to the cycles of life and this time of year, I always seem to only pay enough attention to keep the thing on life support. Yet, as thoughts of next year's race schedule and ramping up the fitness again start of rise up in my mind, so does maintaining this little section of the web.

In the midst of fall break, the crew and I went down to KC with little agenda and after a short time I find myself in front of LatteLand. With scads of places to get coffee, this particular LatteLand was on the only one with bikes parked out front. With the bikes all of the fixed variety, one was offensive in its construction which included an obscene negative rise (term?) stem leading risers bars mounted to, I assume, slightly mimic bullhorns... but not really. I stood above the bike trying to figure out how I would ride it, but was stumped, so I strolled inside.

The bike above, I have to assume, was owned by the guy who took my order. His Kansas t-shirt a perfect match for the Jayhawk on this top tube pad. Mustache, smiles, pleasantries and quality espresso lead to a pleasant 20 minutes of decompression, followed quickly by a desire to grab a napkin and jot down a cycling related things to do.

With no pen, I left the list mental and will start today. Sam wants roller laughter and I might as well deliver.

Flat Tire Ration Card

If anyone can guess where I saw this, I will be stunned.

Strange Light

There are several reasons to think very little of the photo below. Obviously, it's blurry, off-center and the subject matter is questionable at best.

There are a couple of reasons to think highly of it too. You'll notice, simply, that it's a cyclist who has ridden to work. I imagine one who hasn't ridden consistently for quite some time. Despite looking a bit to serious in the moment, I suspect there's a bit of quiet satisfaction hidden there as well.

Of course, he could also be an ass who would refer to himself in the 3rd person, reading an email which has him annoyed before he even sits down at his desk. It's hard to know.

Assorted Snobbery: Chorus for a Friday

Quiet Satisfaction

I started rolling home from the office a bit after 5:30 last night. With darkness easing in and a light, cold rain coming down, I was enjoying a lot of the tiny details that sometimes you're ready to see and other time you aren't; deer on the trail, rain drops in a puddle, a bike path to myself.

When you wait through an extra turn of lights at the cross walk, either the therapy session is working or you need another hour out. Sometimes, maybe it's both.

Channeling Steven Wright

You know that feeling you get when tires slip, your bike starts to go out from under you and you think you're bound for the ground...

I've been feeling that way all day.

Have You Noticed the Lull?

I'm not sure how casually Mod meant to toss the idea out, but then there it was and all that was left was to scoop it up and make it my own.

"It" is the Vapor Trail 125. I toyed with the idea a couple of years ago and, with a new other NE rock stars excited at the notion, it seems like a road trip is inevitable and in-order.

Speaking of order, it's time to get some back. The treadmill is cleaned off, the softgoods are organized, the post-it notes are ready to count some calories and I am more than ready to get back to business.