Cross out Crohn's....

OOPS!
Kat climbing....

Chasing....

Jackal chasing uphill....

Jane Riesen pushing....

Steve Bullerman....

Kat....

Jane chasing Mike Johnson....

Steve over the barriers....

Richard Gilmore....

Mike chasing Brian Eppen....

John Adamson....

Andy Leuck....

Brian through the mud....

Kat going into the mud....

Jackal on his mini-bike....

John....

Check her dismount!

The Crew....

Oh yeah! A GREAT time was had by all at the Iowa State Cross Championships last Sunday....

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Jackal....

Does it hurt yet?

State Cross Championships today. More to follow.....

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Nice day....

George Wyth Lake....
A bike rack out in the middle of nowhere....
Actually, it's the trail head for a walking path
through some restored prairie. It goes out and
around an Indian mound, which is kinda cool.

The end of the trail....

This is where the new campground took over the trail.

I'm sure it'll be nice when finished.

I hope the "high end" campers don't mind bikes....

They didn't thin the trees on the west side, they clear-cut them....

No more windbreak in the winter....

Heck, no one uses the trails in the winter, right?

Slippery when wet.

It's been under water several times this summer.

The water is still high, but this section is dry for now....

This is a bike trail. Seriously.

Jackal took a picture here yesterday

and I had to go check it out. Weird!

Someone's idea of a prank?

Not the greatest paint job but it's a "real" sign....

I have to go back to work tomorrow so I thought I'd better get in a good ride today with the beautiful weather. Upper 40s and a 10mph breeze. Excellent! I rode the grass dike along Wyth Lake and then out and around Big Woods Lake on the paved trails. I also had to check out the "no bicycles" sign on the bike trail where it crosses under 18th Street in Cedar Falls. Jackal posted a pic of it yesterday and I just had to go check it out. It must be someone's idea of a prank, or perhaps one of those mothers who push the baby carriages along 3 abreast with no idea what's going on around them put it up. Pet peeve.... Ha! Not only is that rude and inconsiderate, it's dangerous for the cyclist and the little one in the stroller as well. Anyway, I got in just shy of 30 miles. Nice ride!

I talked to one of the guys working on the street this morning to find out when they will be laying asphalt. Sounds like tomorrow will be the day! Woohoo! That will take about 2 days so I suppose it will be open in about a week. I like that idea! He also told me that after this section is done they will be finished for the year. That means that from the end of March through November of '08 we will have a low traffic street again while they attempt to finish 3 more sections to complete the job. It will be interesting to see if they get 'er done.

My brain says "that's it for now....."

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

P.S. I just had a thought! Why don't they ask the trail users what they would like to see done before they go out and make "improvements" like clear cutting all the trees along the lake? Or like spending over a million dollars to build a campground that won't be anywhere near self supporting? (it will have city sewer to all campsites, running water, electricity, and cable for your television! That's not how I define camping, but hey, what do I know? To each his own, I guess) Just curious.... Perhaps I'm jumping the gun here on the tree thingy. Maybe they'll plant new ones to replace some of the old ones. Cool! I have to admit that it is a nice area. A real gem. I'm sure I'll get used to the campground, too. Someday. Maybe.

That's it. Rant off.

Chilly ride....

Sun coming up over the Cedar River....

The other side said 51. It was actually 31. New sign needs to be dialed in....

Black Hawk Park....

Sunrise.... The river is still quite high....

Changing color....

My good buddy John Fisher with his new Trek 1500....

It was still dark outside when I left for a ride on the Surly this morning. Cold, too! The local news and the internet said 31F. (The new sign at the Chamber building in CF must not be dialed in yet, it said 41. My fingers don't get cold at 41F, but they got cold this morning!) It was 36 when I got back home 2 hours later. I was surprised to see a few bikers and walkers out and about after the sun came up this morning. I saw John Adamson's bike sitting outside Cup o' Joes when I came down Main on my way back home, then I met John Fisher near Pfeiffer Park a few minutes later. All that by 8:30 in the morning! I should've brought some cash with me today. Coffee would have been good about the time I saw John A's bike outside the coffee shop! I'll store that thought for future reference.

John Fisher was taking only his second ride with clipless pedals today. He told me about his first instance of coming to a stop yesterday and being unable to clip out. You'd have to know John to appreciate the way he was telling his story. He said he felt like a "big ole' redwood" as he fell to the ground. He gets excited and his eyes get big then he starts laughing. I chuckled when he was done and let him know that it still happens to me once in awhile and that I've been riding clipless for years. Who doesn't remember that never ending trip to the ground when everything is in slow motion and you can't do anything other than ride it out? He told me how he went to The Shop last night and Jackal put his rear wheel in "that machine" and straightened it out "like magic". He said that Jackal told him "we may as well do the front one too". He was impressed! John is a good guy and a cycling fool! He used to take his Gary Fisher 29er out to the park to try to chase the roadies down. He just traded that bike in so that he could do it a little easier on a "bike with skinny little tires". Like I said, you'd have to know John. :)

Well, that's it for now. I need to go check on the crew working on the street out front. Make sure they're doing it right! Ha!

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Concrete....

The cement truck arrived at 8:30....
It took less than 30 minutes....

The finished product....

They poured all of the driveways on my street today. They started on mine at 8:30 and were doing the next one at 9:00. If every crew that worked on this street were as punctual and industrious as this crew, they would have been done 3 weeks ago and could have moved on to the next section. It appears that they will re-open the street when they finish this section (the 2nd of 5) and start again in the spring. Hmmm....

I have a sore throat that's kicking my ass today so I went for a walk rather than a ride. The high today was about 52 and it's windy but the walk was good.

State CX champonships this coming weekend in Newton. I'll be there ringing my cowbell and chasing Rhea around. Should be good!

That's it for now.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Colors....

Off Airline Hwy near Aikey's....
Water over the road at Black Hawk Park....

Sweet....

I went into the park anyway....

Baby Rhea and I went for a ride after lunch....

She was excited....

Rolling along....

It didn't take long....

I went out for a ride on the Surly this morning. Mid 50's and sunny. There is still water over the East Lake Trail so I rode the dike to Greenbrier and took Airline to Cedar Falls. Once passed the Rollerdrome I headed out to Big Woods Lake via the back roads. I went around the east side then through the sand where the north end of the trail used to be. I was hoping they would replace it yet this year but it doesn't look like they will. It's about 300 yards of sand to the old parking lot and trail head. It's not bad if it hasn't rained in a couple of days and it was an easy trip today. It's torn up this year so that they can put in a "high end" campground for motor homes complete with electricity, water, sewer, and cable hookups. I liked it better when it was woods along the bike path. Must be some demand for $40 a night camping. Hmmmm..... From there I headed out to Black Hawk and rode through the park with NO automobile traffic. It was nice and quiet out here this morning. I rode out there awhile then rode back around the west side of Big Woods and into Cedar Falls. Went to lunch at Toad's with Judy, Jackal, Moo, and Baby Rhea, then came home and took Rhea for a ride in the Burley behind the Surly. She lasted about 5 minutes before falling asleep. :) We got in a bit of gravel grinding and bike path riding. The trailer pulls pretty easy....

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Saturday morning....

38 F in Waterloo this morning when I came into the plant. I think it's about 40 now. Like Chris says, it will soon be time for pics of the bank and chamber thermometers. Oh yeah!

I have to write a performance evaluation for one of my managers this morning, then I think I'll go ride my bike. It's supposed to be a beautiful weekend. 72 F is forecast for today.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Noticable progress....

The curb machine....
New storm sewers....

Almost ready to pave....

End of the driveway ready to be poured....

They made noticable progress on the reconstruction of our street this week. The end of the 8th week of this 4 week project, and it's finally looking like the makings of a street rather than a mud bog. Close. So close. I'll be glad when we can get back into our driveway. Totin' groceries for half a block is getting old.

Cross race in the Quad Cities on Sunday.

Ride safe.

Have a great weekend.

Peace out, yo!

Eduardo....

I saw Eduardo yesterday at lunch. He's still alive and kicking!

Good to see you Ed!

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Spooky Cross II....

This is cyclocross.....

I almost wet my pants when I saw this picture on Jackal's blog. I swear it gave me goose bumps! This is what cross racing is all about! Yes, baby, yes!!! It was taken at Spooky Cross II on Sunday by Amy's cousin Terry, then stolen by me from Jackal's blog. Go to his blog. When you get there, click the pic to blow it up. Look at it. See the suffering? Isn't it GREAT? It's almost orgasmic! Yesssssss.........

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo

More Spooky Cross....

Starters line up for the 3 & 4 race....
Jackal....

Pete Basso....

Steve Bullerman....

John Adamson....

Peace out, yo!

SPOOKY CROSS I....

Baby Rhea takes a drink from her Twin Six bottle....
John Adamson clearing the barriers....

Sydney Brown into the downhill....

LOVE Jackal's new Cannondale kit....

Mike Johnson raging....

Steve Bullerman....

Jackal....

Clearing the barriers....

Oh yeah!

Something spooky happened to Andy Leuck's bike....

Paul Varnum....

WYF? Jackal had a drive train problem. A tree limb in his gears....

Sydney is focused and fast!

Thad Neil warming up....

Carey Fry and Kat Porter....

Carey....

Kathleen....

The chase is on....

The leaders in the 1's and 2's....

Andy got his bike back!

Great racing in Des Moines this weekend. Judy and I came home Saturday night so I don't know how the very wet races turned out on Sunday but I can say that Saturday's were most excellent! Strong fields and very fast riding on a tough course.

Sydney Brown is FAST! Very fast. She took 4th place in the men's Cat. 3 & 4 race then immediately went back out and clobbered the women's field. WOW!

I rode the surley in the rain today. I had to get out!

Nitey nite time....

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

In the woods....

Cement mixers....
Fuel truck....

What is now known as the Hartman North Unit used to be an area of quarries owned by a local concrete contractor. It's now a nature area. That's where these pictures were taken this evening. My grandfather used to take me fishing in these sand quarries when I was a kid and I can remember catching sunfish and bullheads and filling buckets with them. It was awesome! The gravel road that cuts through here used to be open to traffic, though no one but fishermen used it. It's one of the first places that Grandpa let me sit on his lap and steer the car. A 1961 Plymouth. He bought a new Plymouth in '65 so I had to be about 9 years old at the time. George Wyth Park, then known as Josh Higgins Park, also had a gravel road going through it and I drove that old Plymouth out there too. I remember a big tree growing in the middle of the road just inside the entrace to the park from Cedar Falls near where the Highway 58 bridge crosses the river now. You had to drive around it and I always thought i'd hit it. Back then you crossed on the Main Street bridge, which used to be part of Highway 20. Things have definitely changed from that time. More people. Asphalt. New shelter houses. It's different, yet still the same. I'm not sure where this was going, and it doesn't matter.... It's good. :) I'm done for now.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

2000 miles....

Gobble, gobble....
2000 miles....

54F and out on the water....

Lets see..... I put the green Surly on the road on the 19th of September, 2006 and just turned over 2000 miles on it tonight. Not bad for a bike that I don't "ride that much".

I was heading onto the trail that goes around (kinda) Big Woods Lake tonight when I saw the turkeys in the first picture. There were a slug of them just cackling away. On my way back through the south side of the same trail I saw a couple in their kayaks. They must have wanted to get in another trip before it gets cold. Good for them, I say! That's something I hope to do in the next year or so. It has to be good for building upper body strength, eh? Plus, it looks like fun. I loved being on the water when I was a kid and have been thinking of getting a kayak for several years. The only problem is that it would take away from my cycling time. Kinda like xc skiing does in the winter. I've thought about starting to run again, too. Nothing serious. Just a couple of miles a day. Ahhhh well. We'll see. Judy and I are heading to Tablerock Lake in southern Missouri in a few weeks for some fly fishing. The trout down there are awesome to catch. She reads while I fish. It's all good!

That's it for tonight.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Mud....

Today's rain made lots of slop in front of the house....

Happy Birthday, Rhea!!!

Her cake....
The "look"....

More cake....

Today is Baby Rhea's first birthday. The weather put a damper on the original plans to have her party at the Island Park shelter in Cedar Falls but the show went on! The party moved to Amy's mom's house just down the road. Lots of people and lots of presents for the young lady. She even got a new Gyro bicycle helmet so she can go riding in the Burley. She had a ton of fun!!!

Looking forward to number two!

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Sunday....

Corn standing tall near Hudson....
Stopped in Dike....

Picking corn north of Dike....

Still wearing shorts in October....

Got caught in the rain....

I took off for a ride on the C50 this morning not knowing where I would end up. I headed south to Hudson and then west on the Zanetta blacktop. I figured I'd get to the top of Mother F**ker hill and then head back and get in a good 30 mile ride. When I got there I was feeling pretty good so I kept heading west knowing that the strong south wind would give me a boost on my way into Dike. SWEET! Heading north out of Dike was still sunny and I felt something wet when I hit one of the joints in the road. I thought it must be my water bottle spraying when I hit the cracks.... Nope! It was starting to sprinkle and I had 18 miles to go.... It wasn't uncomfortable and it was off and on so I just kept pedaling. I turned east on 27th and could see the road was wet up by Hillside Cemetary which was about 2 miles ahead. By the time I had done the 8 or so miles to Cedar Falls I had been in and out of the rain about a half dozen times. Weird. I took Union Road north to 12th and then headed east into town. It was sprinkling almost all the way. It felt kinda good! It started raining harder when I got to Hudson Road and I kept scooting until I got across town to Pfeiffer Park where I stopped beneath the overhang on the bathrooms for a few minutes. The rain slowed and I took off for the final 2 miles to the house. Overall a good ride. 42 miles. I haven't been on the road bike since the 23rd of August. I put the Green Surly on the road September 19th of last year and will click over 2000 miles on my next ride. I like that bike! I like all of them. :)

Today is Baby Rhea's first birthday and we are going to have a party in a couple of hours. That deserves a post of it's own, I think. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEETIE!!!!!

Check out this post for more regarding the Landis "doping" debacle.... It's worth reading.

That's it for now.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

The Queen's carriage has arrived....

The Queen's carriage....
"This fits fine, G'pa!"

"Where should we go?"

We'll go lot's of places, Sweetie. First though, we have to get you a helmet and a Red Blinkie. Then we can pull the Burley with the Surly and all will be right with the world.

Baby Rhea's Burley Solo arrived today. She was all smiles when she sat in it to check it out. It even has a pouch inside for her Twin Six water bottle and her crayons and her Pooh Bear and pretty much anything else that she needs to take along. I'd bet you could even handle a cooler with some refreshments in it and still have room for a blanket. I wonder if she'd like gravel grinding? Hmmmmm.......

The Burley is well designed, well built, light weight, and compact. I have a feeling that we'll put lots of miles on it....

Life is good!

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Post #300....

Ms. Rhea, Queen of Cross, says "GO DADDY!!!"....
"I'm leading the race. What more do you want?"....

Barriers are good....

Really good....

John thinks so too....

As does Thaddeus....

Face plant! OOPS!

Ummmm yeah, that's the tube hanging out of the rear tire....

Blew the tire off the rim....

Landon Beachy sufferin'....

Steve Bullerman flying on his Surly.....

Mike Johnson tearing it up....

Lindsay says "girls go fast too"....

Landon suffered through Saturday's race in Newton in great pain. Not only did he hurt his ankle, his lower leg turned out to have a fracture also. He finished the race and started Sunday's race as well. Tough as nails. Heal up quick, Landon.

Great racing all around.

Baby Rhea is the indisputable Queen of Cross. Oh yeah, she can ring the cowbell with the best of them!

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

All crossed up......

Ms. Twin Six, Queen of Cross....
Michael Johnson gettin' it on....

Jackal rippin'....
John getting back on after the barriers....

Cross races in Newton, Iowa this weekend. Oh yeah!!!!! I have a ton of pictures to go through and I'll post more when I've done that.....

It was good! Jackal won a prime in Sunday's race and took second overall after a sprint finish. He finished in 8th on Saturday after leading the race then flatting on the third lap. Big problem..... He was riding my disc equipped Cannondale (2 sizes too small for him) and didn't have a spare wheel. He went from dead last and 2 laps down to finish in 8th place overall with a borrowed wheel and no rear brake. Sweet! Way to gut it out, Carl!

He had huge support from all of the Bike Tech folks who were at the race and plenty of friends from other teams. Awesome racing! I love CX!!!!

More later!

Welcome home from Interbike, G-Ted!

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!