do that thing to ya

Thanksgiving come early.

The in-laws live in the sticks [literally a log cabin] and being the sticks it snowed. We had Thanksgiving dinner there Saturday, which was delightful. These fine folks are heading to Flo-Rida for Thanksgiving week. On the menu was Turkey, cranberry sauce and all the carb-packed deliciousness of the holiday season. I needed to prep somehow. They live very close to a system of snowmobile trails and I had the itch to ride the bikes. After some direction taking and deliberation, re-deliberation, coercion, and bribery, I set out. Temps were hovering above freezing and it was raining.

Overall shitty conditions

Usually I ride by myself, not by choice, no one wants to play with me. (Note: Generally it’s hard to find like minded people who can work within the limitations of my schedule) Here I am in my self-imposed fortress of solitude getting wet ass.

  Wondering if I will get to see nature  

  
It’s wet and slushy at the entrance of the trail system. The main trail starts by crossing a bridge, then there's a slight uphill turn which leads to a long flat section that is straight as rails. I’m told the main trail was once a railroad. I see red droplets in the snow, I'm no blood spatter expert but I'm thinking mortally wounded deer, could this be an omen? I look around see no deer but more importantly no hunter.
 

Graciously a snowmobile has groomed the path. I use the center track as it affords the least amount of slippage. While riding I notice a bunch of impassable off chute trails with fresh snow and decide against forging a new path. Great ride-- borderline work, borderline fun, borderline terror. So I’m riding along, both wheels slipping all over the place, mud holes every so often. Mud holes suck by the way, either your front-wheel gets slowed down to the point where you fall over or the rear-wheel gets stuck and you fall over. I try to bunny hop one of these mud holes and wipe out. Not a bad fall, could be worse, the snow is cold but soft, adrenalin is high. I get back on the bike and continue east. I think about what misfortune I could have been in if I had fallen harder.

A mile down the road I notice a tree-stand 10-yards off the trail, I wonder if it's hunting season, remember the blood spattering from earlier, also remember these people will shoot anything that moves. Do I look like a deer, I sure hope not but I have been doping with deer antler spray. Can people be allowed to hunt near these trails, signs say posted, no hunting, no trapping, I still feel uneasy. I’m 5-miles into the ride when I turn around. I will come back, maybe not this winter, but definitely in the summer. Riding bikes in the snow is fun and I want more. I just need the right tires so I’m looking at a set of Schwable Snow Studs. If I can convince the wifee, this winter will be filled with many cross-country ski trail adventures.

I usually make a turkey for Thanksgiving, so get your 5-gallon bucket and romance that bird.

Head over to Food Network for good eats.

Have a safe holiday.

~Three Bikes

got the legs blowin up on a Tuesday

It was 66 degrees on Tuesday so I grabbed the hookoo, trailer, radioflyer, and toddler and headed to the local parkway. Between feeding, potty breaks, snacks, playgrounds, naps, I was able to squeeze in 40 minutes of riding. Including the morning hour of intervals and it's been a good day. Got the legs blowin' up on a Tuesday. 

 

I dusted that kid.

That was most likely the last nice day of the year. Wednesday saw temps back to the normal temps in 30s. Yuck, northeast. Now that the temperature is back to normal it's time to put the toys away. Cabin fever is setting in. For compliance with rule 5 and rule 9 I will use the spinbike and ride the hookoo in the snow, respectfully.

Friday morning.

According to last week's post, I recently acquired a spinbike from the Internet. My livingroom-bicycle-paraphernalia-footprint went from 6ft to 4ft. That's a whole extra 2ft of prime real estate! There's so much room for activities! 

2-feet.

I am pleased to say the spinbike is getting used. It's comfortable and quiet. I'm able to hop on for a fasted workout while the kid is still sleeping. Did you noticed that I'm sweating all over a carpet remnant? I'm thinking about procuring a purpose built sweat mat. Are these any good? In my search for one I found this, wtf!?! I guess if I was still training on the roadbike, I'd need one. I do miss the brifters and wonder if I'll be able to get into the drops after riding indoors all winter. Whatever, it works. The wheelbrake brings back memories of my first CAAD with downtube shifters. I'm also able to ride with headphones, something impossible on the road. I'm listening to a lot of Pandora in the mornings [Drake 0-to-100 station]. What's strange [and maybe not strange to you Pandora aficionados] is that there is no lag in songs in the mornings. But in the afternoon there is an occasional delay between tracks. Sup wid dat?

Am I ever going to talk about food? Nah, it's beer-thirty here in Siberia. This is a Blue Moon Ginger Bread beer, replenish dem carbs.

Madd head.

See you next week. Cheers.

~ Ed [a.k.a the man with no pants]

Eat, Sleep, Ride, Repeat.

This is my second official blog post and since I have mistakenly deleted the first, I feel I should re-introduce myself. My name is Ed, I’m into my 30’s, I like to ride bikes, eat good food and drink good drink. My plan is to become an amateur photographer and semi-professional blogger. I will share my bicycling adventures paired with pre-present-and-post-ride-eats-and-drinks, for your amusement. People say I'm known to randomly go off topic. Cheers.

So I went on a bike ride with my brother-in-law Saturday and I had nothing to give. Let me explain.

It’s November, average highs in the 40s; I haven’t spent any serious time on the bike for maybe 3-weeks. During this cold dark season, I put my bike [Cannondale CAAD10-5] on a Cyclops trainer in the living room. I haven’t touched it. It sits there mocking me. I’m getting fat and lazy from not laying down the “V”. Also, I was out of town on business the last couple of days, eating like crap, not sleeping, and I hit the hotel gym way too hard. I went for a 3-mile run, worked in some sprints, and squats-- I’m still sore.

The morning of the ride, which I was not planning on, I ate breakfast with my son and dad. Three generations converged onto the Tim Horton’s. I ordered a turkey sausage sandwich, coffee-black, for myself, Milk and maple oatmeal for the toddler. Dad ordered a breakfast sandwich, coffee, and a chocolate donut. After sitting down to eat I noticed there is a bold coffee offering, which I would have liked to know before ordering; thanks Tim. I help with the oatmeal and we all split the donut. Did I say I’ve been eating like crap? We go back to my dad’s house and I surf the bike section on Craigslist. I have found my salvation on the Internet.. A SPIN BIKE! It’s quite enough to use when the kid is sleeping, [I tell myself this is the main reason for not riding the trainer]. I email the guy and we arrange a 10:30 meet-up.

Suddenly I get a call from my brother-in-law, “want to go for a bike ride?” Well, I have excuses which include picking up the spinbike, my soreness, the coldness but he convinces me anyway. We meet back at my house and go pick up the spinbike together. The buddy system is a best practice when it comes to responding to Craigslist ads. We show up to the guys house, nice neighborhood, the bikes in his basement. Pay the guy, get out, get home, tear down the trainer, set up the spinbike, mess with it for a while, put cold-gear on, fill up tires, and go.

We decide to ride to Green Lakes State Park. A mere 17-miles away. There would be 666 ft of elevation in the last few miles. Some decent climbs there in Fayetteville. Here’s a picture of our route, 34-miles total.

I was a dog, could not keep pace, Nick pulled me the whole time, I was dehydrated or bike wasn’t working right, or just weak. Anyway we finished up that ride. And it was time to eat. We are both starving and need calories stat. I whipped up some tuna fish sandwiches quick and paired that with Ovaltine; more Ovaltine please.

Recipe makes 2-sandwichs:

2- Cans of Bumblebee Tono in Olive Oil
2-Tbsp of Hellman’s Mayo
4-slices of whole wheat bread
Decent helping of whole leaf lettuce
Pepper to taste

475 calories, 37g protein, 29g carb, 22.5g fat – per sandwich

Hopefully I make a swift recovery, get some training and kick some ass up those hills next time. Thanks for checking out my blog.


Peace, I’m outta here.


~Ed [a.k.a three bikes]