iRide

So, you may recall quite awhile ago, I mentioned that I was considering entering the “Counting Coup” mountain bike race next year: http://www.warriorssociety.org/events/counting_coup_general_info.html

My weight loss and subsequent improvement in climbing is what made me give it some serious consideration. Fat-Me dreamed about it but never thought it could ever be a reality.

Well, last Monday registration opened and you guessed it–I registered. The ride consists of 44+ miles and 8,000+ feet of climbing. That in itself is rather daunting. When you throw in two time-cutoff checkpoints, it gets downright scary. So not only do you have to complete the ride, you have to make 2 time cutoffs or you don’t get to continue. It’s not really a race against everyone else, it’s more a race against the clock and a test of oneself. The goal is simply to finish. It’s still 5 months away and I’m already scared.

So, I have decided to go back on the diet–I gained back 10 pounds. Not a huge deal, but I’d like to drop about 15-20 total pounds by March. I quit going to the gym and haven’t gone in about 3 months–I’m going to start going back 2-3 times a week, starting tomorrow morning before work. I will soon start some ungodly training rides with some fellow Counting Coup participants that will continue all Winter long.

I also did something that proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that I am infected by the Counting Coup sickness: I bought a road bike. Well, bought isn’t the right word. Allow me to elaborate: When my buddy Ben found out I entered  Counting Coup (he entered as well), he told me I should start road riding with him for training. I told him I didn’t own a road bike. He proceeded to tell me that a customer at the bike shop he works at GAVE him a road bike. He said the frame is old and not my size, but it had really nice, new parts on it. He said if I could come up with a frame, he would give me the parts AND build it for me. How can you refuse a deal like that?? So, I acquired a really nice road frame (nothing special) for an insanely cheap price and dropped it off to Ben. He has started the build and I will soon start road rides to train for Counting Coup.

Here’s a pic of it on the work stand at Ben’s shop:

 

Wow…I never thought I’d see the day when I would own a road bike.

So, the meaning of the title of this post: Between unbelievably long and difficult training rides, long road training rides, dieting and going back to the gym, it is going to be a loooooong Winter!! I know it will all be worth it when I cross that finish line and receive my feather. Until then, seek your bliss.

Ride lots…

 

Went on a solo ride Monday morning after I dropped by boys off at school. I wasn’t feeling the motivation (my dental issues were flaring up–ouch) but the weather was just so damn beautiful I couldn’t resist.

I got the idea to bring along the camera and see what kind of pics I could come up with using the 10 second delay setting. It worked out pretty good IMHO, as all but one of the pics below was a “first try” photo. It was quite a challenge finding level surfaces to set the camera on and then making the dash over to the bike to try to get a “natural” looking shot. I gotta get one of those “Gorilla Tri-Pods.”

My riding partners for the day:

Heading up the street to the trailhead:

End of the pavement, start of the dirt:

The initial drop-in:

Just riding along:

Tight “S” curve, didn’t quite make it:

From the exposed hillsides, down into the canopy:

Log roll–a lot bigger than it looks:

My “tri pod” for the log roll shot:

The entrance doesn’t look too bad…

…but the exit’s a doosy:

Token handlebar shot:

“Strike A Pose” shot:

Nothing like climbing 300′+ in 1/2 a mile to get home (notice the water tank from the 4th pic waaaay at the top of this hill):

Thanks for coming along on the ride with me!!