Fighting off the Halloween Candy Binge

I haven't been too successful fighting off the Halloween candy binge. I waited until today to buy the candy so my wife and I wouldn't eat too much. Anyway, I got home from selling and took a count. I went through 15 junior size candy bars today. Twix, Crunch and Butter Fingers... At least I grabbed an orange and ate it when I got home. There goes the doorbell... Better cut out the candy with more cross races coming up.

Bringing More Riders to Loon State

We need more riders so I got three buddies of mine to join the Loons this fall and I've got another one ready to sign up. Rob Belz is 42 and is a fantastic road sprinter and mountain biker. He's also been really strong in cyclocross where he keeps improving. Jay Wenner used to race in Eau Claire and Wisconsin in the 1980s. He's 46 and is one of the best cross country skiers in the area. Jay is very tough on the mountain bike and will likely be doing cyclocross. I think he's going to get into time trialing too. Bill Stuber is in his mid 50s and likes mountain bike racing and cyclocross. These guys should be good additions to Loon State. Belz and Wenner have the potential to be very fast.

Loons on the road

I was out for spin on Summit and River Blvd today when I ran into fellow Loon State rider John Kortbein. He was riding back to Northeast Minneapolis and I was heading there so I rode through the U of M Campus, West River Road and the Broadway Bridge with him before he headed for home. On the way back, I came across another Loon State rider heading north on River Blvd but I couldn't tell who it was. It was a pretty nice day for a ride.

Hammering at the Red Barn

I had my best cyclocross race of the year at the Red Barn event at Taylor's Falls, Minnesota yesterday. The course was perfect for me as it was very flat and fast. I missed out on some good series points though when I hit a barrier while carrying my bike. My chain came off and I bent the derailleur hanger on my Redline. About four or five people went around me while I was trying to get my chain back on. Among those were two guys in the B2 category like me. Anyway, the race was a blast. I got pretty sloppy jumping the barriers so I need some more work there. My overall place was 29th and I got 8th in the B2 so I got points...

Bike Projects

The bike collection is pretty large right now and I could stand to get rid of a few to get some extra cash. I've got a couple of projects to get done over the winter. 1) I'd like to get rid of my Jamis Dakota 29er frame and Rock Shox 29er fork. The plan is to swap the parts on to a lighter frame like the Niner EMD or something similar that is much lighter than the Dakota which is a tank! I'll add a carbon fiber straight fork too. 2) The second project, build up an aero track frame with deep section wheels. I've been checking out a few frames including the Giant Omnium, one of the Masi models, Specialized Langster, or maybe a Trek. If the cash is running out, I might check into a Leader...

Chasing CRY Points

The cyclocross scene in Minnesota keeps getting bigger every year. I started out four years ago and the fields were much smaller. As a result, It's harder to get CRY points now. Add in the fact that someone who's 43 with a December birthday gets to ride B2 (45+) and guys like me get pushed further down the results sheet. I turn 50 in December... I think they need a 50+ Category in the B2... How's that for some CRYing? I have several options; 1) Convince the faster guys to ride the A race. This isn't too likely. 2) Get in better shape. Might be tough if everyone keeps bringing beer to the cross races. 3) Train more. That could lead to a divorce... 4) Cheat. Take EPO or better yet, crash out the competition on the first lap.