creepyfriendly

A misdirected super feeling.

It's just long enough to revamp the motivation before mother nature proves her individuality. I've been out for a hand full of good pushes including a couple pre plowed routes that quickly reminded me that you have to hurt. These rides aren't the longest but they prepare you for the long outings soon to come. I sense my body going through the necessary changes as the season approaches. I'm at a point where the mind agrees with the movement and both are contributing instead of taking from each other as they so often do.

Along with enjoying the short spurts of warmth I've managed to work the cardio on the coldest days. With the wind-chill averaging negative on a daily routine I managed to pick up a case of frost bite. If there's any proof to how powerful the wind has been its the charred and dead skin cells on my hips. I've been throwing in a run or two for good measure and am hoping for some circulation regeneration. Physically the run hurts but does wonders for the mental or gives you a genuine appreciation for the bicycle. You pick.

With my consistent high bowling scores in the world of Wii I thought it would be interesting to bring the skills to the lanes. Due to Brets last night in Madison and an appearance by Pupy Costello the Badger Bowl only made sense. Before tickling our ears with some fanatical honky tonk we threw two rounds of ten pin. The outcome? Thanks, I'll stick to this single speed gig. The Wii skills didn't appear to carry over as I was D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D in both rounds by AOM and Amanda. Defeated badly.

It won't be long until these balmy days lift and we're back pedaling trail. I'm super stoked to get the new team bikes along with a killer matching kit. Design dominates the winter months as I've been cranking out the projects and developing a new website which I'm hoping to launch within a week. My mouse is on fire! Nothing burly, just a place to stable current and old work that is easily navigated. With each passing day our race schedule becomes more legit. We've recently swapped another WORS event for the Mohican 100. While this type of event is foreign to both Marko and I we've always been intrigued.

Need an excuse to buy something? Check out the gents over at Twin Six. The sort of spring four day sale has launched and ten percent of proceeds go towards a good cause. Get some.

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Stay alive at -20...

Or die trying. A wise man once told me: "Shit's a process." The thought and planning that goes into a sub zero ride is a process. The act of pedaling through the sub zero ride is a process. A process allows you to start the process. My modus operandi consists of layers: 2 wool, 1 nylon/spandex, and 3 polyester. Doesn't sound like much but it's a process in itself and doesn't include the appendage protection. I have an exceptional heater, the core does the work for me. My toes give me complications but in perspective they're fine until 15 degrees. The abandonment of the ride is an option but that wouldn't lend guidance to 2008. After all, happiness is taking the long way home. Here's to reviving consciousness in my toes.

This little gem is about enough to get me through the cold spell. Yep, I searched myself. Turn up the volume, I'm still baffled by the outcome. I'm a geek, or as the wise man would say...

1.17

1.15

Swap Meet Louie.

As T-da rolled up the sight of falling flakes in his headlights re-assured me that the swap was the right thing to do. Just days before I would have thought to pedal the opposite direction of the bike bit carnival but after further evaluation of the bike lab it was once again time to unload. Unload is exactly what we did... leaving with a jam packed element and returning with nearly nothing. Plenty of friendly, familiar, unfamiliar, faces greeted us as the doors of the alliant energy center opened. It's a sight to see the first paying customers come through the door. The stern look on their face, a brisk pace, scanning tables for the couple items they've been yearning for months. By this time I was already rolling hot since the ebay buyers scavenged any clothes I had. Egg beaters were a big seller as were twenty niner wheels. I brought my 520 townie which snagged plenty of lookers on the woodie fenders alone but once again is forced to the depths of the basement after a long day on the floor. I came out ahead, far far ahead. I spent ten $'s on lunch and traded T-da a rivendell hat for a jacket. Success!

Sunday was back to the shop for a day behind the wrench. My extended morning commute was enough to put me back in bed. The flakes that fell the day prior deceived me until I was miles out. A headwind hindered the pace as I began to sweat. I was guided by an endomorph track, Marko's to be exact. I'd find later that I trailed him by fifteen minutes. I dug pretty deep as I reminded myself of 2008. It will be a busy year on top of the raddest bikes around. Making room for the new can be heartbreaking but rewarding. I'm saying bye to an old friend. Honestly, it's a size to big. It's my first rig, the SSWC05 rig to be exact. When I was riding gunnar I rolled a 19ish which didn't fully translate to Fisher's. Its justified yet mortified. Goodbye old friend.

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Convince yourself you're necessary.

Any remnants of the previous conditions was apparent once we hit the route. Sporadic ice patches kept the T-da and myself in white knuckle mode as we stomped pedals through midday. The mild temps and steady cadence was a warm welcome to my sluggish reflexes leftover from the day prior.

I felt the tickle last week. It was early morning and easily confused with the seasons cold temps and dryness. It worked it's way from the inside out and approached briskly enough to disregard until it was to late. By the next morning it spread to my nasal cavities and invaded my forehead. By night I was tossing and turning in hopes of dodging the fever. I gave in by nine pm and didn't get out of bed until noon the next day. Conveniently or inconveniently, depending on how you look at it the ailing fell on my two days off. The two structured ride days of my week. I spent the afternoon answering e-mails at turtle pace while sucking down tea and over the counter pills. By nightfall I was coherent enough to lay some graphics down for a store project which was enough to propel me out of the slump. By morning I was prepared to make the best of my already hindered two days. Can't complain with 3hrs of outdoor saddle time in January!

Filling voids.

The warm temps are a welcomed change to my routine. Just last week my drunken legs met hub deep drifts as temps hovered around zero. Fitness is around the bend. Getty up.