Why bother racing?

Q: Whats the point of racing when you are going to get destroyed by a large crew of strong cat 1s and 2s?



A: Because its fun.

Steel City Showdown

cool shot from 3/4^

I guess I can do a race report. Even Dave Steiner is doing back to back race reports, so I might as well.


First of all I just have to say that the city of Pittsburgh is pretty nice.

Okay on to the race. I signed up for 2 races, because if I'm gonna make the long haul out of state, I might as well get a killer workout in.

3/4 race- Had 80 pre-regged. So somewhere between 80-100 starters. Very large field. It seems by lap 2 we had 60, lap 3 40, and soon we were down to maybe 20. On the final lap that I could use a free lap a bag flew into my drive-train, It took me and a camera wielding spectator what seemed like forever to fish it out of my pulleys. Bell lap comes, remain calm, didn't feel like Kamikaziing a whole lap, though that may not have been a bad idea now that I think about it. Final climb up the hill and I put the Gwatts down. Had to tap the brakes for just a second as a rider came a little too close to squeezing me into the very sharp bridge supports. Got back into Gwattage mode, and had it. 2 guys knicked me at the line. And I guess 1 was up a few seconds. So I ended up in 4th. I'll take it. I need points, and I need money. I really need to work on my bike throwing skills.

1/2/3 race- Was pretty beat after the previous race. Lined up planning on tailgunning it. Which is pretty much what I did. The race was slightly different. There was a crash 3 seconds in from the start- no exaggeration. Again the field got shattered pretty good in the first few laps. I held on for dear life and dropped out with 8 laps to go.

hanging on for dear life in the 1/2/3^

Introducing the Gart-Lobster

I decided I wanted a cx racing frame.
I decided I wanted custom.
I decided I wanted aluminum.
I decided I wanted Rock Lobster(Paul Sadoff) to build it
I decided I wanted the Scandium Team frame.
I decided I wanted a shorter top tube.
I decided I wanted a BB30.
I decided I wanted it in blue.
Then I decided I wanted it in Mint Green.

Paul specializes in no BS cyclocross racing bikes. This will be a fast bike. Hopefully I can justify riding it next season.

Can't wait to build this thing up!!

Nicknamed the Gart-Lobster by my fellow knucklehead lake effecters:




sorry for the cellphone pics.

FOR SALE

THULE T2
2 bike
1 1/4"
lock included
$250 obo - spread the word.

I am now so euro by default

I now have had my SIDI ownership increase to four pairs. I am now uber-euro by default.

I just copped some new Spiders for cross/mtb. These have cyclocross designed in them. They have a reinforced toe box, and replacable tread.

my weekend of different excercises

I did a few new things this weekend.

Friday I participated in a game called 'gold sprints'. This game was quite a bit more fun than I thought it would be. A sweet new Specialized Roll was on the line. I made it to the final round, where I was defeated-no whooped by Pete Dy.

Saturday I participated in my power testing. Hit 197 bpm. Felt like puking, never really hit that level of exertion before on the bike. Power numbers are locked up in a high-security number-dungeon.

Sunday I participated in the Run with your Heart 8k trail run. One dude just took off and ended up winning by about 5 minutes. I was in 2nd and 3rd position with this one guy for the first 1.5 miles, than I dropped him hard on the climb. On the final downhill around mile 4.5 he caught up. It came down to a finish line sprint for 2nd. And just like my sprint on the bike i suck. Ended up in 3rd. I am now retiring from running.

i rode my bike today

long boring nothing to do with bikes or anything post

So Hey Scott! How have you been?

Oh, not bad, I haven't had my car since before Thanksgiving, but its cool.

Why's that?

FFFFFUUUUU.

Okay. Well my car has been running perfect since I've owned it the last 65k miles. I just had a small suspension issue that needed to be taken care of. (axle)- couple hundred bucks, whatever. My dad says he'll take it into his work- an an-named dealer, and maybe save a few bucks. Well, the parts been back ordered a couple times, okay, about 2 weeks later its supposedly done. Maybe. Paid 600 already.

Dad starts car up to see how it drives, it is fucked. completely. Misfiring, stuttering, etc. so they keep it another week or 2 and pretend to work on it. Dad gets tired, takes car across street to a mazda dealer. Mazda dealer replaces a lot of stuff. Few weeks later, get a call saying its ready. Go to pick it up, start it up and it sounds weird.... okay, its been sitting awhile. Drives weird... okay, its been sitting awhile. Total cost is now up to $3200.

Drive home stop at bike shop, car dies in parking lot. Go to autozone buy new battery, doesn't fix issue. Call tow-truck, take it back to dealer. Still there.
To make matters worse, my dad likes his job and doesn't want to lose it.

So to sum it up. It's cost $3200. Car is still in the shop. My car came in working great, came out completely ruined, and I still don't have a car.

woe is me.

So for now, I am just lusting after wrx wagons in case my car is totaled and someone 'makes them pay'

WLC2k11 update 1/3 in

0 lbs lost.

i am so fat i broke my bike

see. told you.


I was all ready to put my brand new SKS p45 fenders on for this winters riding. So I grab my bike and go to the power washer a few doors down to rid the mud from the last cap city race. Then I noticed that.... Darnit. I really liked that this trek doesn't say 'trek' a gigajillion times on it, and everyone knows red is fastest. sigh.

So me and Proppe head out for a ride on the road bike. Instead of heading out at 9:30- we decided not to due to the tons of ice covering the streets. Headed out @ 1pm and got back @ 6. Got 73 miles in. dang. Even saw the infamous PM out and about. Fun ride. But the last 11 solo miles were miserable. Made it home in time for a clif bar, chicken sandwich, soup, and a hot shower, a 45 min nap, and then 2 slices of tremont famous Edisons Pizza w/honey and some brews.

Happy New Years everyone!!

bonkers

I must be going bonkers. I just signed up to do a running race.

Run With Your Heart 8k trail race.it's winter what else is there to do

join me, why don't you?

slice like a ninja cut like a razor blade

WLC2k11

It's gonna be tough. The Bullshit weather has come wayyyy too early, and will make for my body wanting to consume fatty treats, and watch full house reruns rather than go outside in 40mph winds.

running

So due to some unfortunate circumstances I wasn't able to race at states. Thus ending my season prematurely.

I am taking the entire month of December away from the bike except for rays and the 2 cap-city races. The reason I am doing the cap city races is because, I felt like my legs were just waking up at Kirtland, and don't have that feeling of 'burnout'.

I have however started my 'cross-training'. I am running. Yes, I just said 'I am running'. I have ran 5 of the last 7 days. 4-6 miles each time. Pace between 8:30-9:30 min/miles. This long winter I plan on doing a good amount of running/hiking. Ordered some nice new Keen hiking boots to make sure I force myself into doing that rather than putting a large dent in my couch.



I have some other goals later on in this long long thing we have, sometimes referred to as a 'cleveland winter'.
I am hoping to both
1. lose 10-15lbs
2. actually learn how to use my powertap(i.e. "train") with the help of someone who knows what the f they are doing-because I sure as hell don't.

If I come through with these 2 things, I should have a wonderful season next year.

$%#&!!!!

Kirtland is an awesome course. My favorite local one. Had a good race going(atleast for me) sitting around 8thish, feeling strong. After the climb up the stairset, we took the 'belgian descent'. My tire must have felt it was a good idea to find a very large sharp object. My tire didn't realize that by doing that it would get a large gaping hole in it immediately. My first reaction was heard by the entire ampitheater. And for those with small children around; i'm sorry. Roll into the pits. grab my 70psi bald mud2-(thanks doug from ba, and nate szabo for helping out.)

Race= over. Not over, because I still finished, but over. I lost too much time in the pits, and it was towards the end, couldn't gain much if anything.


On a lighter note, we headed over to the Happy Dog afterwards and had a jolly ol' time. I'd say about 40 people or so showed, it was nice to recap the season, and eat tots.

No states for me. pretty bummed about it.

2 interesting things on my ride today

I saw 2 things of interest on todays ride.

1. A Tesla Roadster. Pretty Sweet. Saw it in Strongsville. Sure, I see ferraris, lamborghinis, astons, and bentleys out on my rides, but those aren't as unique. The tesla ties with the Ariel Atom I saw in Berea last year for 'sweet cars seen on my bike' list.

2. A 'Handicapped Child' sign in Richfield. Someone spray painted porn underneath child. As I read 'Handicapped Child Porn', my first thought was 'what jerks for ruining public property', than i thought 'that is very rude and offensive to a lot of people', than i thought 'that was pretty crafty and hilarious'. I love having the maturity of a teenager sometimes.

see you at kirtland.

thoughts from my smart brain

Thought 1: Spins course is awesome. I wish I did better, but could have done a lot worse. Thanks Spin dudes and dudettes who put on a great event.

Thought 2: My new Smartwool Heavy Ponte Jacket is probably the coolest article of clothing that I have ever used.

Thought 3: This taillight is bananas. B-A-NA-NA-S. By the makers of my beloved radbot 1000. Instead of 1 1.0 watt led, this has 2 .5 watt leds, with an insanely awesome flashing pattern, and not as ugly as the radbot.
Thought 4: I will not be racing this weekend as for some reason I am needed to work in case we get a large mob of people wanting bicycles in November.

Thought 5: I love my tarmac. It is the best bike ever. I like my other bikes, but I don't love them like I do the tarmac. Can't wait to throw on the new shoes.

Thought 6: Ordered a Chris King headset for the new bike. Hopefully a bike I will love as much if not more than the tarmac.

LOUISVILLE

It is so choice. If you have the means to make the trip, I highly suggest it.

Got a 3rd row start thanks to signing up real early. Sucks for whoever lined up beyond 100, except for flecher who if had started 3rd row probably would have won both days.

1st day- 18th
2nd day-26th after a stupid stupid crowd pleasing fall with my wheel coming out of alignment again.

My stupid costume hasn't arrived for Davis' so Im stuck with a half ass attempt at one in the wee hours leading up to it. I'll be there Saturday, but will miss Sunday as I have been requested to work by 'the man'.

C-town puts the Beat-down

cap city race domination
1-4 place in the 'B'race all TLE members. 1-6 in the 'A' race. All said 8 lake effectists went down and all came up in the money. Nice job team.

Got a good spot in the start. Proppe took off like a bat out of hell and was off the front. Weeks and PM rode me off after the 2nd or 3rd lap. Cameron, Greg, and myself were riding together for a few laps. Cameron attacked on the paved section, and put a 15 sec or so gap on us. Greg and I rode together for awhile trying to catch Cameron. We were getting within about 5 seconds according to people yelling' only 5 seconds!' at us. Last lap my back was starting to really yell at me. Greg pulled away slowly and caught Cameron. It was a sprint for 4th with Cameron taking it. I rolled in for the last money spot in 6th. Pretty happy with my result. Nice job reppin' cleveland dudes.

NEXT UP: The best weekend of the year. (Cincy)

I even got to ride with this guy for a little bit

KINGS

It was 90 degrees all weekend! What the heck. Horrible cross racing weather. The course was super dusty and dry. Why did I crash? That hurt. Cincinnati is horrible for allergies. Maybe I'm allergic to Cincinnati. It made living horrible. Also, why did I suck both days? Damn near DFL on both days. I felt anemic during the race. Next time I come down here I best be putting the whoop on some people.

On the brighter side of things, the weekend wasn't a total waste. We met a micro-nuclear scientist who had a 'chromed' out Raleigh back home in Myrtle Beach, and I tried I-HOP for the first time in my life.

Great job to both Nate Loman and John Proppe for having made much much bigger dents into the tough competition.

I will not be able to make Stark KSU because of work this weekend. Unfortunately that may put me out of the required 6 races needed to be included in the overall series points. (not that I'm in contention for the top spots) With this weekend out, a dnf at wendy, and doing USGP over the NEOCX series im already out 3.

Keep the rubber side down boys and girls.