One and Done

Kathleen and I got home today after visiting her family in Saratoga, New York. After a week of basic inactivity, I got home today and skate skied one loop at the Highland 9 Hole. I was planning on doing some skiing in New York but a bad cold kept me on the side-lines. I did manage to get in a 12 mile bike ride on Sunday when the temp there hit 45F. Otherwise, I watched TV and hung out with the in-laws. Check out the Cobro's (common law brother in law) beater GT mountain bike. The shock is totally shot...

Training On Snow

Since my last post a week ago, I've cross country skied five times. Last Saturday, I skate skied with Johnny Wyland at the Highland 9 Hole golf course. On Sunday, I went to Como after the football game. Wednesday after work was back at Como for some more skate skiing. There weren't too many other skiers on the trails. Yesterday, I went back to the Highland 9 Hole and skied over three laps plus I helped coach some of the Cretin High School kids with Tommy Bengel. Today, I went out to Sunfish Lake Park in Lake Elmo. I skied with Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, Tina Olson and Bill Stuber.

On Snow!

I got the cross country skis out for the first time this season yesterday. One of the best places around for snow so far is just a mile from my house. The famed and storied Highland 9 Hole golf course in Saint Paul... I skied a lap and then played keep away with the Tom Bengel coached Cretin Derham Hall High School ski team. I followed that with a couple of double pole sprints with the Central High ski team. After that, I skied another lap. Before the snow arrived, I rollerskied the neighborhood loop on Monday.

Stripper

I've got a few workouts in last week. On Tuesday the 1st, I rode 16+ miles on the Stone Arch U of M route. Wednesday was a skate rollerski session on the neighborhood loop. Then, on Saturday, I skate rollerskied with Tom Bengel, Jerry Engen, Lori Belz and Barry Torgerson. We cruised the roads of Lakeland and Stillwater. I am still working on the next bike project. It's another single speed. I stripped the Tunturi frame and have it ready for painting. It will be a theme bike. Check out the pictures.

Jay T's Thanksgiving Ski Camp '09 Sunday

Another highly successful Jay T's Thanksgiving Ski Camp is in the books. Today, I cleaned out the garage...

Jay T's Thanksgiving Ski Camp '09 Saturday

We had another successful day at Jay T's Thanksgiving Ski Camp. The plan was to do some highly specific ski training so we rode the bikes on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails for a total of 30.75 miles. Tommy Bengel, Bill Stuber and my neighbor, Steve Prast joined me on the ride. Earlier, I dropped off some furniture at Bridging when a guy leaving some stuff off asked if they take bikes. They don't but I told him I did... I got a sweet Schwinn Continental from the guy. It's in great shape! The size is about a 25" which is way too big for me but I'll convert it to a single speed and sell it...

Jay T's Thanksgiving Ski Camp '09 Friday

Jay T's Thanksgiving Ski Camp started off today with a couple of bike rides. Some Thanksgiving Ski Camps are on snow but not this year... The nice weather is great though and it could last a while longer as far as I'm concerned... The first ride of the day was a 2 mile round trip to Now Bikes and back. I had to show Ambrose (the mechanic) my Bottecchia fixed gear bike that I built. The second ride was 16 miles down Summit, River Blvd, West River Road and the Greenway and back. I sandwiched the rides around working on my next fixed gear project involving the Tunturi frame pictured to the left. The finished bike will be for sale.

All Things Italian

Got a mixture of biking and roller skiing in over the last week. Sunday and Tuesday were roller ski workout days. I got on the Schwinn Peloton on Wednesday and Friday for a some cruising on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenileworth Trails. Today, I rode the Niner on the Lake Elmo Park Reserve trails woth Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, Tina soon to be Olson, Ron Belz, Barry Torgerson and Rob Belz. The three rides totaled 55 miles. Plus, I finished the 1960s Bottechia Frame build. I found it in a basement and built it up with black components. It's a single speed/fixed gear with a flip-flop hub.

3rd

I got out rollerskiing for the 3rd time this season on Sunday. The arms aren't in shape but the snow isn't here yet... Jerry Engen and Barry Torgerson joined me as we cruised the hills of Afton. The group of loyal and devoted followers were rollerskiing Afton as well.

Missed Again

The weather has been great this month so I've just been riding. Usually, I rollerski about ten times before the ski season to get in shape. The two times I've rollerskied so far were two months ago and two weeks ago. I rode the bike for 22 miles on Tuesday taking the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. Yesterday, I rode 18 miles through parts of Saint Paul and Minneapolis along the river. Anyway, I did go pheasant hunting on Monday in the east metro with Jerry Engen. We only jumped one rooster but I missed again. He was pretty far away but I had to take a shot...

Sunday Drive

My neighbor Steve joined me on the shakedown cruise of the Schwinn Peloton. We rode the Greenway west and then took the light rail path to downtown. After getting through there, we hooked up with the Kenilworth Trail and then took the Cedar and Greenway Trails back home. We got in 22 miles. The frame pictured to the left is a Bottechia from the 1960s. Made in Italy, it's my next bike project. I already cleaned up the frame. The plan is to make it into a fixed gear single speed.

Biking, Building, Riding, Racing

It's been a busy few days building, riding and racing bikes lately. I finally got the Shimano 105 black crankset to finish the build of my 1998 Reynolds 853 steel Schwinn Peloton frame. The theme is all black components for the blue frame. I used Shimano 105 black brakes, shifters, front and rear derailleurs and crankset plus Ritchey WCS handlebars, stem and seatpost. I've got a bid in on a set of WCS wheels which I'd like to add to the bike. I cobbled the headset together out of Cane Creek and Aheadset parts. Anyway, check out the picture to the left. As for riding, I got in a 22 mile cruise on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails on Thursday. I would have gone longer but the sun sets pretty early now. Friday, I spent more time working on the Peloton and only had time for an 11 mile ride on Summit and River Blvd. Yesterday, I did the Velocross cyclocross race at the Velodrome in Blaine. I got 18th out of 30 in the M45+ race. Those placing in front of me included the usual suspects Paul McKinney, Greg Goblirsch, Dave Ludwigson, Rob Belz and Dan Meyer. John Stamm and Todd Trembley got me this time too. I stayed in front of Mike Lyner, Stu Benson, Mike Brumbaugh and Mark Rathbun. I got in 15 miles with the warm-up, race and cool-down.

Storm Front

My neighbor Steve and I got out for an after work cyclocross ride on the roads, trails and single track of Roseville and Saint Paul's North End. Steve has lived in Minnesota for one year and it was his first time riding those trails. He used to race bikes in high school and college back in Indiana. Anyway, he's into classic, mountain, road and cylocross bikes so he's a good neighbor to have. His cyclocross bike is a Felt. He also has a Motobecane single speed 29er. We got in 16 miles with the storm front on our western flank the whole ride. When we turned on to our street for the half block ride home, the rain started...

Cold Weekend

I stayed away from the cyclocross races this weekend due to a cold. It's pretty much a head cold right now. I probably could have done the race today but instead, I went for an easy 1:20 rollerski with Jerry Engen and Barry Torgerson. We cruised the roads of West Lakeland and Bayport Township.

Chasing The Sun

There isn't a lot of daylight left after work these days. I did manage to get another day on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. This time, I brought a red tail light for the ride back. Lots of other riders out including a guy on a nice steel Merckx. I got in 31 miles.

World's Greatest Bike Race Announcer

I'm proclaiming myself the World's Greatest Bike Race Announcer after my excellent performance at the Green Acres Cyclocross Race Sunday in Lake Elmo. Thanks to Bob Sumada at Now Bikes (the race sponsor) for handing me the microphone. It was a blast! My competition for World's Greatest comes from Matt Anderson, Hollywood and Dave Towle. Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin don't count 'cause they're from another planet... Thanks to Robbie Halvorson for the picture on the left. Anyway, today, Tommy Bengel joined me for part of my ride on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. I got in 31 miles. Could be getting a cold though...

Marine Life

I got a few rides in the last few days including the Bikery Cyclocross Race today. The rain and mud splattered all over my cross bike on Tuesday as Rob Belz and I rode around the trails at Lake Elmo Park Reserve for 10 miles. It was cold too... On Thursday, I took the Gitane out for a 10 mile ride on the Summit, River Blvd, West River Road, return to Summit loop. I rode slow enough to talk to Todd Johnson while he was rollerskiing. The Bikery Cyclocross Race today in Marine on Saint Croix was excellent. What a course! Maybe I should say, what a course for me... Firm ski trail after all the recent rain plus a nice long asphalt section where I time trialed my way back to the ski trail. The course was long with three barriers including a hill run-up after one of the barriers. There was one other short, but steep hill that I rode up all six laps. Anyway, I placed 14th out of 27 in the M45+ race. Among those finishing in front of me were the usual suspects including Greg Goblirsch 1st, Paul McKinney 2nd, Mark Engen, Dave Ludwigson, Paul Schoening and Dave Herbert. I sprinted against Jeff Colbeth for 14th and got it. He was getting tired because he did the 4 lap race earlier. Some of the riders placing behind me and Jeff were John Stamm, Rob Belz, Rob Ogren, Mike Lyner, Todd Trembley, Tom Bengel and Tim Power. Other peeps raced too including Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, Tina Olson and Stu Benson in the 4 lap event. Three Loon State Teammates did the Cat 3 race including Tom Manderfeld, Shane Kullman and Dan Cleary. Thanks to the Bikery for the great race and thanks to them for the picture at the left.

Another Day On The Road

With nice weather yesterday, the road bike beckoned. I've been riding the cyclocross bike and the classic Gitane lately. The rain has kept the riding days down for October so I've only had a few road rides this month. Anyway, I took out the white Specialized Allez and rode the Greenway where I ran into Dan Kueffer. We rode together on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. After negotiating Downtown Minneapolis, we took the path next to the light rail back to the Greenway and Saint Paul. As usual, I got in 31 miles.

Cross Nutrition

I found out today that it is a bad idea to have a chocolate covered doughnut, two Hersheys with almonds and a Coke one hour before a cyclocross race... I was doing okay for a while until the big bonk hit. I have to re-think the pre-race meal... Anyway, I sucked but some of the other Loons did well including Rob Belz, Mike Lyner and John Stamm. Andy Frye looked pretty good in the Cat 3 event. I got in 10 1/2 miles with the warm-up, race and cool-down. Props and thanks to Dave Meyer for finding the thorn in my tire and fixing the flat before the race.

Road And Trail

The weather hasn't been great lately but I did get a couple more rides in since my last post on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I took the cyclocross bike out for some training on the dirt trails around Como Park. The front tire had a slow leak but by the time I was done with the 14 mile ride, the tire was almost flat. Today, I got back on the road bike. Tom Bengel and I planned to do a 20 mile ride on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. However, I got a flat when a thorn went through my rear tire as we were about to reach Hennepin Avenue. I fixed the flat and then we rode back to the Freewheel shop on the trail where I put some more air into the tire. We rode back to Saint Paul from there and got in 16 miles.

Another Day On The Gitane

Riding the Gitane is pretty fun. It's your basic late 60s early 70s Euro, steel, lugged bike. The ones shipped to the U S were set up for 27 inch tires. With the long fork rake, wide tires and steel frame, it's a very comfortable ride. Anyway, I took it out for a 7 mile spin after work today on Summit Avenue.

Crossing

It was the first cyclocross race of the season for me today. The event was held at Theo Wirth and it was a tough course. About a mile and a half long, there was a log jump, a tricky downhill, a monster stair climb and several other U-turns including one at the bottom of a hill. There was only one set of man-made barriers. The race went pretty well for me. At the start, Rob Belz got around me but I was ahead of Mark Kowali, John Stamm, Dan Meyer, Todd Trembley and a bunch of other guys. Things were going well until I dropped my chain on about the third of seven laps. Kowali had already passed me becuase he's a tough racer. While I was trying to get my chain back on, Gary Friedell, Stamm, Trembley and a few others passed me. I was able to catch and pass about three or four of those riders but Friedell, Stamm and Trembley stayed in front. All in all it was a good effort even though I got lapped by the top three guys in 45+ including Paul McKinney, Greg Goblirsch and Dag Selander. The total miles including warm-up, race and cool-down were 16. Lori Belz did the women's Cat 4 race and did pretty well. Rob Belz had a decent race finishing fairly high in the standings. Other Loons racing included Dan Cleary and Don Schmeicel in the Cat 3 and Chad Macy and Kent Throlson in the 1 - 2. Framebuilders Curt Goodrich and Erik Noreen were at the race as was newly hired Team Radio Schack rider Bjorn Selander. Thanks to Tommy Bengel for the hand-ups. I grabbed the water bottle on every lap.

Freedom Of The Road

Freedom of the road began for me when I was fourteen years old in 1972. Before that, I had a typical kids bike with clunker tires and a heavy frame. We used those to get around the neighborhood. When I was in eighth grade though, my oldest brother, Mike, got a brand new Fuji Finest with tubular tires. He had a white twenty four inch Peugeot U08 that he gave to my brother Tom. Tom then gave me his blue twenty three inch Peugeot U08. It was the typical Euro import of the 1970s. Ten speeds, twenty seven inch tires and drop handlebars. They were all the rage at the time. My buddy Dan Schroepfer had a Gitane and my buddy John Osen had a Batavus. Those bikes were the ones that started Schwinn's downhill slide. Instead of buying heavy Schwinn cruisers, Collegiates and Varsitys, people started buying the much lighter Euro bikes. They had Simplex, Sachs and Mavic components. France, Belgium, Holland and Italy were where all the hot bikes came from. Peugeot and Gitane were French and Batavus a Dutch brand. Well, the three of us did a lot of cruising around on those bikes. We went all over the place and rode for miles at a time. The fun lasted through eighth and ninth grade and on into tenth before we all got our drivers licenses. Fast forward to today, I bought an early 1970s Gitane twenty three inch off a guy for $75. The Gitane, Peugeot and Batavus bikes are going for over $300 on eBay now. I'm not planning on selling this one though unless someone offers me a lot of cash... After I picked up the bike, I started to clean it up and bought a leather saddle from Ambrose at Now Bikes. When I got it home, I took it for a 3 mile ride wearing jeans with a rubberband around my pant leg to keep the grease away. That was exactly the way we rode them back in the day. Check out the picture.

Another 31

Another dry day and I couldn't resist 31 more miles on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails after work. It was cold though. I wore shorts, tights, a base T, long sleeve jersey and windbreaker. The way out was into the wind and I was starting to get a little warm with the sun out. I planned to take the windbreaker off on the way back with the wind but the sun was setting and it was blocked by some clouds. My toes got cold on the way back which is something I usually don't have a problem with. Maybe regular bike socks were a little too thin at 46 degrees. During lunch, I stopped into a couple of bike shops. I always stop at Erik's Bike Shop to check out the Specialized stuff. Then, I go over to the Bicycle Chain to buy or order any of the Specialized stuff I thought was cool over at Erik's. It's just window shopping now though... My straight commission sales job isn't the best in this economy...

Waiting For Better Weather

I got back on the bike today for the first time in a week. The rain keeps me off the bike but next time, I'll have to check out some parking ramps. The only day I would have rode was Sunday. Spending the day moving a friend's mother kept me from doing that. Anyway, Tom Bengel and I rode the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails for 31 miles. I did a couple of speed pick-ups.

Crossing 3000

I crossed over 3,000 miles for the year yesterday by doing my first cyclocross training ride of the year. The course was the usual place on the other side of the river. Anyway, I got in 12 miles with two climbs each of of big stair sections and three climbs of a short hill.

Into The Woods

Saturday was an outdoors day as I got up in the morning and drove north for some grouse hunting. I worked a couple of wildlife management areas and a state forest. The first wildlife management area I hunted was by far the best place. Several others were hunting the place so I went to the eastern section of the 159 acre area. There were tons of small birch and aspen trees which are really good grouse habitat. I didn't flush any but I heard a few shots so someone got the birds up in the air. Check out the picture of the area I was hunting. When I got home, I took the fishing boat out on one of my favorite east metro lakes. I caught one sunfish but came to the realization that the 70hp Mercury is too big for the 14 foot modified speedboat... Anyway, today I got in 31 miles on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails.

Still On The Road

The weather has been pretty calm lately as I've gotten in a few more road rides on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. Some guys have transitioned to cyclocross training already. Anyway, I got in 23 miles yesterday and 30 today.

Back On The Bike 3

I got back on the bike after missing the Chequamagon Fat Tire with the sore throat crud. Actually, I felt decent on Sunday and went for a 20 mile cruise of the Greenway, Downtown and the U of M. Today, I went for 30 miles on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails.

What Fat Tire?

I should have raced the Chequamagon Fat Tire 40 miler today but I got the crud that has been going around lately. Sixty bucks down the drain...

The Latest...

The last three rides I did were a 20 mile Battle Creek mountain bike event with Bill Stuber, Lori Belz, Jerry Engen, Tom Bengel and John Wyland. That one was on Saturday, the 12th. The next day, Sunday, Jerry Engen and I rode the Saint Paul Bike Tour with my neighbor Steve. We got in 34 miles and rode with Bob Sumada, Tracy, Maria and Alex from Now Bikes. Tuesday, I got in 20 miles on a trip up the High Bridge, Dodd Road, Fort Snelling and Minnehaha Park. Since then, I've had a cold...

30 Thirty

I got in a couple of 30 mile rides the last three days. As usual lately, I rode the Greenway, Cedar, Kenilworth combo on Tuesday and today. It's a good loop and there are plenty of good places to do speed work.

Holiday Weekend

I got in a few rides since my last post. Plus, I've been working on my 1960 Hiawatha aluminum speedboat. On Tuesday, I rode 25 miles which included a trip up the High Bridge, out into Eagan and then back via Fort Snelling and Minnehaha Park. Wednesday was another 30 mile ride on the Greenway, Kenilworth and Cedar Trails with numerous speed pick-ups. Thursday and Friday, I worked on my boat. Saturday was the TCBC All Club Ride. I rode with Rob Belz, Pete Thurmes, Jerry Engen, Lori Belz and Bill Stuber. That was 50 miles. On Sunday, we went to the fair in the morning and then I worked on the boat in the afternoon. Labor Day was a 21 mile ride on the mountain bike on the Lake Elmo trails. I rode with Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, John Wyland, Bill Stuber, Tina and Rob Belz. Anyway, the work on the boat is finished. I tore out the old, wooden bench up front, which was rotten. The back rest was removed too. Then, I replaced that with a new bench and added swivel seats with back rests. On the bench in back, I added a swiveling pedastel chair. Check out the pictures.

Off Road

I got in a little off road training on Saturday. The weather was cool at the start but otherwise it was perfect for some mountain biking at Lake Elmo Park Reserve and other trail systems of the far east metro. The ride group included Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, Bill Stuber, Barry Torgerson, Mark Stolpe (in from Idaho) and John Wyland. We got in 20 miles. Today, I joined Jerry Engen, Jay Wenner, Ben Popp, Pete Thurmes and others for some rollerskiing in Afton. It was my first time out this season. I went up Trading Post two times and got in 1 1/2 hours.

The Routine

I got back to the usual after work routine with a 31 mile cruise of the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. There seems to be less people on the trail as summer winds down. It was a perfect day for a ride though.

TT PR

The Withrow Time Trial was the race of the evening on Tuesday. I set a personal record on the course with a time of 32:14 which was 25.13 miles per hour. I tied for 18th out of 115 racers. Among those finishing ahead of me were Timmer, Rick Christenson and Dave Ludwigson. Finishing behind me were Steve Knowlton, John Stamm, Ben Popp, Tom Bengel, John Fitzgerald, Michael Gotsche and Piotr Bednarski. Anyway, with the warm-up, race and cool-down, I got in 31 miles. Check out the picture taken by Bruce Adelsman of skinnyski.com.

My New Boat

I got in 107 miles the last four days which included a couple of trips through the U of M and across the Stone Arch Bridge mixed in with trips on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. Today, Tom Bengel and I got in some more time trial training. On Saturday, I managed to play nine holes of golf. I shot 44 which included a triple on the last hole... Sunday, the after ride fun was fishing on one of my favorite east metro lakes. I had two northerns and a bass all spit the hook back at me... Anyway, check out my new boat...

Testosterone Fog...

Since it's been raining the last couple of days, I'll update the blog. Tom Bengel and I got in a big time trial training session Monday. We rode the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails with five plus speed segments. We jacked the speed up to 24mph to 25mph and held it for a few miles. I think the speed sessions have really worked to get the time trial speed up. We got close to 32 miles. On Tuesday, I joined the Now Bikes ride to the west side of Saint Paul and into Bloomington and back through Fort Snelling. That was a hammer fest as a testosterone fog enveloped many of the riders. I did my best to hold on... We got in 31 1/2 miles.

Crusing

Another 31 miles on the famed and storied Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. The ride started out sunny and ended up cloudy with a few rain drops. A lot of people were out on their bikes. Anyway, I rode with a steady tempo and didn't do any speed pick-ups.

Heading Downtown

The after work ride was 21 miles through Downtown Minneapolis via the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. They need to find a route for the bike trail through Downtown to where it picks up again by the Metrodome. As I said earlier, Saint Paul needs a system of trails like the ones across the river.

Blackdog A Go Go

When you do the Blackdog Time Trial, you better go fast! I set a PR tonight with a time of 16:14 but I was still 9th in the M 50+. It doesn't seem to matter if I'm thirty seconds slower, I'll still be 9th place... The usual supsects beat me including Dave Ludwigson, Gary Hrska and Rick Christiansen. I did get Steve Knowlton and John Stamm tonight. Tom Bengel was behind Stamm but also set a PR. The total miles were a little over 24.

In Synergy Now

I rode with the Now Bikes/Synergy guys tonight. It worked out well since the Saint Paul store is only a few blocks from our house. We rode out to Eagan and back with about a dozen riders. I got in 33 miles.

TTT

Time Trial Training. That's what Tom Bengel and I did after work today. We did a bunch of speed intervals on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails. The total miles were 31.

Between Storms

I got another ride in on the ________ Trail today. Go ahead, fill in the blank, you know which trail I rode. The total miles were 30 1/2 if that gives you a clue. Anyway, it rained in the morning so I held off until the afternoon. On the way back, a few blocks from home, the rain started up again... A few people were training on their time trial bikes but most were just cruising.

Framed

I went to the Minnecycle local frame builders show at the Vine Arts Center in south Minneapolis yesterday. Tom Bengel met me there after work. The show featured custom bikes from Curt Goodrich, Vincent Dominguez, Chris Kvale, Terry Osell, Capricorn, Clockwork, Freeman, Peacock Groove and Wyganowski. There were only about fifteen to twenty bikes there but it was pretty cool. Goodrich showed off a couple of his Team Issue cyclocross bikes. He's sponsoring a cross team this year. Erik Noreen of Peacock Groove had some really cool track bikes displayed plus a Pugsley sized mountain bike with a triple chain. Note, not a triple chain ring but a triple chain... Noreen gave Tommy and me a tour of his shop in the basement of the building. He's right next to Kvale. Wyganowski had a bike there with stainless steel lugs. It was a good show. Check out the picture of the Goodrich Team Issue cross bike and the Peacock drop out on one of the Noreen track bikes.

Predictable

Yeah, another day on the Greenway, Kenilworth and Cedar Trails. I think that's three rides in a row... If you want to do longer miles, it's pretty convenient. I got in 28 miles as I looped through downtown Minneapolis.

Gruenweg

Another day on the Greenway. I got in 31 miles on the fabulous Greenway, Kenilworth and Cedar Trails. As usual, there were a lot of other riders on the trails. Saint Paul could use a similar system. Right now, there's no easy way to get from south of I94 to the area north of the freeway and Saint Paul's north end.

Going Green

The after work ride was another 30 mile time trial training session on the Greenway and Cedar Trails. Lots of people were on the path.I came across Greg, one of the Endurance Athlete Trainers.

Stillwaters Run Deep

Bill Stuber and I rode out to Lake Elmo and met Rob Belz for a ride. We continued on to Stillwater and then took Stagecoach south to 10th which we followed all the way back to Saint Paul. The headwind on Stagecoach was huge so we took turns leading. There were a lot of other riders out in the area too. Rob's getting a lot of miles in as he prepares for the Leadville 100 in a few weeks. The total miles for the day were 44 1/2.

2000

I hit 2,000 miles for the year on Friday with a ride down to the U of M, north on West River Road, through downtown Minneapolis, over to the Cedar Trail and then the Greenway Trail home. That was a little 22 miler. The highlight of the day though was my trip to Lake... Wait a minute, I'll just say one of my favorite east metro lakes... I caught this big Northern Pike on a jig in about 10 feet of water. I should have gotten the tennis ball out of the picture so the fish would have looked bigger... On the other side of the lake I missed a big one about 1 hour later... Anyway, a Loon flew overhead, an Eagle dove down for a fish and a Great Blue Herron was standing on a dock.

Every Black Dog Has Its Day

I've gotten a few rides in lately wrapped around having guests in town and hanging with them. Anyway, I can't seem to get out of 9th place in the M50+ at the Blackdog TT. Tonight, I had my second best time trial of the series with a time of 16:30. One guy who finished in front of me just got back from riding in Colorado. Maybe I need to do a little altitude training. I got in 22 miles with the race, warm-up and cool-down.

Dodging Rain Drops

I joined my Loon State teammates for the Wednesday Stone Arch Ride. I started late because of the rain so I rode down to Shepard Road where I joined up with The Red Lantern, Painman, Throlson, Belz, Kullman, Bolinsky, Olson, Delaney, Jens, Cobra and Paidosh. Anyway, I was there for all of the tough stuff like the High Bridge/Smith Avenue climb, the Maria Climb, the time trial section along the river, up the big Ohio/Cherokee monster and then up Ramsey Hill. I got in 23 miles. Today, I did another time trial training session on the famed and storied Greenway, Kenilwurth and Cedar Lake Trails systems. The total miles were 30.

Chasing Bikes And Trains

I rode my second best Blackdog time trial of the year on July 15th. I posted a 16:38 but that was still a long way from the 16:17 I did a month ago. I need to race and chase a little faster... Anyway, the total miles with warm-up, race and cool-down were 26. Saturday was my next ride and it was a long one... I got in close to 6 miles as Kathleen and I celebrated our anniversary with a neighborhood cruise. We spread mulch next to our new patio earlier in the day. Sunday came around and the Tour featured a mountain stage plus the final round of the British Open was on. I watched Contador put Lance in his place and then watched the Open until the playoff started. I had to get in a ride so I headed out to Lake Jane and back. The public access at the lake is pretty small now as the water level is way down. The total miles were 33. Today, I got in another time trial training ride on the Greenway and Kenilwurth trails. I chased a train on the way out. Actually, it blew past me because it was really flying... On the way back, I got a flat only to find out that my spare tube was patched and it wasn't holding air either. A young guy gave me a tube. I went straight to the Freewheel shop along the trail and bought a couple of tubes and a CO2 cartridge. I got in 30 miles.

In-Laws And Out-laws

It's been a long time between rides... 6 days to be precise. I got in 38 miles last Tuesday at the Acapulco ride in the East Metro. Today, I got in a 30 mile time trial training ride. In between, the in-laws came into town including my divorced father-in-law and mother-in-law and my two sisters-in-law. We went to Eau Clarie for the weekend for Kathleen's cousin's daughter's wedding. I did manage to get in two rounds of golf while there and I added two pounds with all of the food and beer...

Lance! Lance! Lance!

I've had enough Lance crap from the Versus network. The guy got away with juicing in the TDF for seven victories imho. How do you beat a juiced to the gills Ullrich, Basso, Vinukorouv, Mancebo, Landis, Hamilton, Pererio, Heras et al without being on something yourself? Now, he's trying his comeback as a clean rider. Cancellera, Contador, Wiggins, Kloden, Evans, Leipheimer were among the nine riders who beat him in the opening time trial... He probably thinks he's team leader after today's stage when he was in the right place at the right time. Wait until the first mountain stage. Bruyneel better not tell Contador to ride for Lance. Contador should attack Lance up every mountain and finish the guy off for good... Anyway, Tom Bengel and I got in a 31 mile time trial training session on the Greenway, Cedar and Kenilworth Trails.

Party Time

We had the annual Fourth of July party on Saturday. I got a few rides in and even a race over the weekend. However, last Wednesday I raced the Blackdog Time Trial. I had my worst time of the year at 16:51. I went out easy to save myself for the second half of the race. It didn't work. I always suck after the momentum killing turn-a-round-cone. I'll have to rethink that strategy... Anyway, I got in 17 miles. After that, I did a 32 mile time trial training ride on Thursday and a 17 1/2 mile ride Saturday. On Sunday, I went to the Chippewa mountain bike race in Eau Claire with Tom and Lee Bengel. I placed 7th in the 50-54 Sport event. The total miles Sunday were 19.

Another Move

I got in a few short rides over the weekend. On Friday after work, I rode the Lake Owasso loop from Saint Paul. That was 25 miles of nice cruising on the Specialized road bike. Moving day is what they call Saturday on the PGA Tour. That's when the good golfers seem to make their move to get into contention. Well, for me, Saturday was an actual moving day. My brother Tom and I moved the last of my mom's stuff from her condo to Saint Thereses' in Hopkins. I did manage to get in a short 11 mile road ride on Summit Avenue after the move. Mountain biking was the theme on Sunday. Bill Stuber, Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, John Wyland and I rode the trails at Battle Creek. They've got a couple of new trails there along with some more log jumps and a rock garden. We got in over 12 1/2 miles.

Working It Out..

I got in a 20 mile ride after work by going east on Summit, up the High Bridge and then over to Fort Snelling and Minnehaha Park. I did a couple more time trial pick-ups and tried to go fast up the High Bridge. Climbing the High Bridge Fast is tough though because you always have to watch for glass.

Not Much Riding Lately...

I've been busy lately with all kinds of stuff that has kept me off the bike. Yeah, if I was really serious, I would make time... I know, I know... Got a 20 mile road ride in Saturday evening then had the family over for Father's Day on Sunday. What happened Monday? Rain? Tuesday I was all set for the thirty six mile TCBC Acapulco ride when Kathleen informed me we had the neighbor's birthday party to go to... So I decided to get in a quick ride around the neighborhood. Yeah, it was quick. I made it one mile before the rain started. I turned for home and got in a total of 2 miles... Today, I got in 21 miles on the time trial training bike with five speed sets. I rode the Greenway and Kenilworth trails plus the trail from downtown south to the Greenway.

Paying For Speed

Speed can be achieved in bike racing via many methods. Training, racing, buying the best equipment, bike position and hiring a coach are the most common. I paid for time trial speed by getting a time trial bike, disc rear wheel, deep section front wheel, skin suit, aero helmet and lycra shoe covers... However, last night, I paid for speed a different way, I went out way too fast at the Blackdog TT and paid for it on the way back when it seemed I was barely moving! Two weeks ago, my time was 16:17. Last night it was 16:45. That was one second slower than my first Blackdog TT of the year... I'll try to TT at a more even pace... Anyway, I got in 19 miles last night at the "Dog". Tonight, I got in a little over 20 miles by going up the high bridge and then west to Fort Snelling before heading back to Saint Paul.

Riding, Training, Volunteering, Spectating

I've been getting some decent rides lately and I did some volunteering for the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Tom Bengel and I worked the Downtown Saint Paul Criterium as Course Marshalls on Wednesday. Paul McKinney helped us on the corner of Wacouta and 6th. As usual, I did most of the work. Tommy spent about half the time talking to the Kueffer family and others. McKinney stood on the lamp post the whole time except for 10 seconds... Thursday I rode and did time trial training on Lillydale Road. Friday, Tom Bengel, Rob Belz and I were NVGP Course Marshalls for the Uptown Crit. We rode our bikes over from Saint Paul and worked the Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street corner. The new phrase when closing off the street crossing is; "Shut uhr down!" Saturday was a medium length training ride. Tom Bengel and I rode to North Oaks and back for 32 miles. Yeah, I've spent too much time with Tommy B lately... I'll ride with some others for a while... After two days of volunteering, Tom Bengel, Rob Belz some MNJRC kids and I rode to Stillwater for the Chilkoot Hill Criterium. We had fun watching the race. I threw on a NVGP vest toward the end and helped Big Paul with crowd control. It got a little crazy. They needed more Course Marshalls. With the ride home, we got in 51 miles.

Timing It...

The rain kept me off the bike for a few days over the weekend. I did manage to get in some training with an 8 mile, rain shortened time trial training session on Monday. Yesterday, I raced the Withrow Time Trial. Either I have to race flat courses only or get in some hill training. The hills aren't big on the course but they come at you the last half of the race. Anyway, I got in 21 miles which included posting a 33:48 in the 13 mile time trial. I placed 25th out of 79 and wasn't too far out of the teens. Among those who beat me were Rick Christiansen, Dave Ludwigson, Alex Dahlquist, Benn Popp and John Stamm. Placing behind me were Dan Meyer, Mike Lyner, Dave Haerle and Steve Skarvan.

150

The ride of the day was 25 miles from Saint Paul over to the Greenway and Kenilworth Trails in Minneapolis. Tommy Bengel joined me as we took turns leading some speed pick-ups. Anyway, the picture is a Glastron speedboat, trailer and 70hp mercury I picked up today for $150. I need the motor for my other boat. I'll fix up the trailer and sell that for more than I paid for the whole package...

I'll Take A Masi

My 1972 50hp Evinrude "dun blow'd up." Copyright SCTV. As a result, I need to raise some cash for a new motor... Something has to go... My loss is your gain... I'm selling my Masi Coltello Track Bike. It has a fantastic aero frame and is very fast. The frame is worth over $500. I'll sell the whole bike with cranks, wheels, saddle, handlebars, seatpost and stem for $500! The wheels are standard track wheels and not the ones in the picture. Frye got the disc...

Course Record...

I've been riding more lately now that the swine/bird/ebola thing seems to be gone. On Monday, I got in 8 miles on the time trial training bike. I wasn't going to ride but my wife needed her car moved from the ramp to the courthouse. Summit to downtown Saint Paul was the route I took to get there. Tuesday was my first Acapulco ride of the season. I got in 40 miles on the bucolic roads of Stillwater, Lakeland, Afton and Lake Elmo. Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, Rob Belz and John Wyland joined me on the TCBC ride led by the legend, Bob Hoffman. Wednesday was the Blackdog Time Trial. Tom Bengel and I drove down to the start. I went off as the 16th rider and set my new personal best with a time of 16:17. Those who finished in front of me included Dave Ludwigson and Alex Dahlquist. Among the riders I beat were Skibby, Steve Knowlton, John Stamm, Dan Meyer, Bill Kosfeld and Tommy B. I got in 20 miles for the night.

Afton Avalaunch...

Jerry Engen and I rode from Afton over to Afton Alps to watch the Afton Avalanche mountain bike race. It's a really tough course. Lots of big climbs with way too many rock gardens at the top and some real hard single track. Tommy Bengel, Rob Belz, John Wyland, Stu Benson, Bill Stuber and Super Rookie were among those in the Sport Event. Anyway, Jerry and I got in some riding on the trails too. Check out the picture of Tommy B climbing to a rock garden.

Little Lori Has A Nice Bass

Saturday's ride was an easy 26 mile cruise from Lakeland north into Grant and then east to Stillwater. Jerry Engen, Lori Belz and Rob Belz joined me on the ride. We came across Jay Wenner going the other way on the Gateway Trail. When we got to Stillwater, we stopped at the Bikery. Rob bought the giant Brownie so we all ate it. Tim Power and Randy Moses were there after their Bikery ride to Scandia and back. Later in the day, I took Jerry and Lori out fishing on one of my favorite east metro lakes. I caught twelve sunfish, Jerry caught a couple of small bass and Lori landed a nice bass and a couple of other fish.

Riding With Kids Part 2

I joined Tommy Bengel and the MNJRC kids for a 31.97 mile ride on River Blvd, the Greenway and Kenilworth Trails, through Downtown Minneapolis and back to Saint Paul. Their goal for the evening was to send one person up the road and then chase the gap down. It worked pretty well... We did that about ten times. Now I need to get some more time trial training in...

21

Twenty one is the legal age for drinking. I was fishing on one of my favorite east metro lakes yesterday when three young guys in a canoe were paddling around, drinking beer. I asked them how old they were and they all said twenty one. I didn't care that they were drinking. There were two bikini clad young women rollerblading down the road who stopped at the boat launch, took off their inline skates and proceeded to lay out on the dock. I told the young guys they better paddle down there to meet the girls. When I got back to the dock after fishing, the guys were standing there but the girls were gone. In fact, the guys said the girls were gone when they got there... I told them they should have paddled faster. Then, I thanked them. They said; "For what?" I said; "For helping me take my boat out of the water!" They thought that was pretty good so they helped me. Anyway, today I got out for a 21 mile ride up to Lake Owasso and back. I'm still not ready to go fast or go for a long ride. The swine/cold thing is winding down but I have a lot of crud in my nose and lungs that is draining out via projectile nose blowing...

Big Miles...

After 8 days off due to the H1N1/Bird/Swine mix and stir combo, I finally got out for a ride. My eight day old sore throat finally went away while playing golf in the Wednesday night hurricane... I think it blew the cold right out of me. I'm sure the two beers after the round helped too... Anyway, I got in 9 miles tonight. I rode east on Summit, up the High Bridge and then half-way up Smith Avenue before I had enough and headed home.

H1N1 Anyone?

I've been knocked out by this cold/H1N1 deal I have going on. No, I haven't gotten that diagnosis by a doctor but I've had the sore throat, stuffy nose, cough and headache that tell me it's something other than the common cold. It showed up last Tuesday. I was going to race the Opus Crit but the sore throat made me stick to registering racers only. On Wednesday, I did go out for an easy spin but even that didn't feel too good... I did volunteer to be a course marshall for the Synergy Time Trial. I was going to do the race but once again, the crud got in the way. It probably wasn't a good idea to be in the cold, windy weather working the corner of County 15 and County 4 on Saturday morning either. Jerry Engen and I had to deal with orange cones flying away in the wind and then we had to protect the racers from a couple of hundred motorcycles going the same way as the event... Sunday, I had to cancel the niece's college graduation party at our house scheduled later in the day. I Didn't want to give anyone this crud. I watched the Erik's Spring Cup mountain bike race too. I would have raced that event if... Well, you know... I know, complain, complain, complain... Today, I've been hacking up a bunch of stuff from my lungs and blowing a lot of crap from my nose. Also, I've been taking some Advil D since Saturday. It's one of those things you need to sign a release form to get. I had to show my drivers license and promise not to make meth out of it before they would give it to me...

Cold Play

Cold Play has a few good songs. Viva La Vita isn't too bad. The cold I'm talking about though is in my throat and nose. As a result, I've altered my weekly training. I took yesterday off the bike and today, I rode an easy 18 miles on Summit and River Blvd. I didn't climb any hills either... Although, I usually avoid those anyway... There were a lot of people out riding. One guy had a Pinarello that was lime green... That just shouldn't be allowed...

Hammering

It was more time on the time trial training bike after work today... I got in 17 miles doing the Timmer ladder routine. River Blvd has a few stretches where you can get time in at speed without having to stop. Minnehaha Avenue in Minnehaha Park is pretty good too.

93

The weekend included a 39 1/2 mile ride to Lino Lakes and back on Saturday with Bill Stuber. We hammered into the wind on the way out and had a nice tailwind on the trip back. Since it was the fishing opener, I grabbed the 10 foot john boat with my 6hp Johnson and headed for one of my favorite east metro lakes. The motor wasn't running very good the last time I used it. In fact, it was going really slow. On the way to the lake, I got some more 2 cycle motor oil and a can of Seafoam. When I got the motor started, I had the boat ripping across the water! I must have hit at least 20mph. Back to fishing, it wasn't great. I caught one bass. Sunday was pretty busy with Mother's Day but I did manage to get out on the famed and storied Highland National Golf course. It was my first time golfing for the year. I shot 49 on the front and 44 on the back for a 93. That wasn't too bad for the first round of the year... Anyway, the picture on the left is where I caught the bass.

Get Off Your Bike...

The after work ride was a 26 mile loop through the U of M, West River Road, Downtown Minneapolis (where a couple of guys told me to get off my bike, I didn't...), the Kenilwirth Trail, Greenway Trail, River Blvd and Summit Avenue. Tons of riders were out including several training groups.

The Dog Bites

The famed and storied Blackdog Time Trials returned last night. Tom Bengel and I drove over to the usual parking spot. We took the Specialized TT bikes out of the truck and checked out the course. The road keeps getting worse every year... The potholes were more numerous than ever (is that redundant) and many were over six eight inches deep. In fact, it was tough to find a good line in some places. The good news is that they are starting to patch it up with fresh asphalt. Whoever is doing the repair is using the old "dump the asphalt in the hole and let the cars run over it" routine. That makes for an uneven repair but it's better than nothing. Anyway, I finished 9th out of 18 in the M50+. Among those in front of me were the winner, Charlie Townsend, Dave Ludwigson and Steve Knowlton. Some who finished behind me included John Stamm, Mike Lyner and Tom Bengel. Dan Casper won the men's overall and Timmer placed third on a fixed gear. My time was 16:44 for the eight mile course. I got in 22 miles with the warm-up, race and cool-down.

First Race Of The Year

As usual, I worked registration at the Opus Crit. This time though, I decided to race the Cat 4 event. We did 9 laps of the course. Brian Carlson, Brian Loecken and a couple of other Loon State guys were in the field. I didn't try for any sprint points. Instead, I just rode along with the pack. Mainly, I stayed toward the back. It was easy watching everything unfold from that vantage point. I noticed a couple of close calls with guys about to go down. I made sure I had an exit strategy for any of those situations. With the warm-up, race and cool-down, I got in 20 miles.

Working For The Weekend

I got a couple of decent rides in over the weekend. On Saturday, Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, Bill Stuber, Rob Belz, John Wyland and I rode the TCBC ride from Larpentar and White Bear Avenue out to Lake Elmo, Lakeland, Stillwater and back. The ride out was fun with the wind but coming back was right into the teeth of a gale... We got in 37 miles. The Sunday ride was 18 miles and four loops of the Salem Hills mountain bike course. Erik's Spring Cup is a few weeks away on that course so it was good training. Joining me on the ride were Tom and Lee Bengel, John Wyland and Rob Belz. Rob hammered because he can... The rest of us did our best to keep up.

Getting Specific

I've been doing a lot of training lately on the time trial training bike. Not because I'm getting a lot of miles in... Actually, I've been real busy with other stuff lately like brake jobs and moving furniture... Since I'm planning on racing some time trials, I thought I'd use my limited time on that discipline. I got in a couple of days of ladder intervals which went pretty well. Today, I got out on the road bike and went 24 miles around the Owasso Loop. I talked to a guy who was pulling his 1954 Pipestone fiberglass speedboat with a 1958 Johnson 35hp motor. Check out the picture.

Ahead Of The Front

I got out for a 29 miler today ahead of the approaching cold front. Yeah, it was still nice and warm as I finished the after work ride. The route was a tour of Saint Paul area lakes. I rode past Phalen, Gearvis, Vadnais, Owasso, Emily, Bennett and Como. The brisk wind out of the northwest was tough on the way out but was a blast (no pun intended) on the way back... The good news is I wasn't mugged when I rode past Phalen... Still some glass on the roads. It's time for Saint Paul to get the street sweepers out.

Give Me Twenty

I got in 20 miles after work before I had some other stuff to do. I rode east on Summit, up the High Bridge and then south on Dodd to Marie. From there, I crossed the Mendota Bridge to Fort Snelling where I rode on the west side of the Fort over to Minnehaha Park. There was a monster tailwind out of the south so I kicked it into high gear and avgeraged 28mph all the way through the park. I followed River Blvd and Summit back home. Tons of people were out on the roads.

Big Numbers

Wow! What a night at the famed and storied Opus Crits. We had overflow numbers for all of the races. Loon State will be able to build there own velodrome if we keep getting numbers like that... Anyway, I time-trialed my way out and back for a total of a little over 32 miles.

Ready For Battle

The Saturday morning ride was a bunch of loops at Battle Creek with Bill Stuber, Stu Benson, John Wyland, Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, Rob Belz and me. It was my first mountain bike ride of the year. We did the new trail along Highway 61 plus the usual routes there. Everyone rode their geared bikes except for me. I rode the Teginator Specialized single speed with a 36 x 18 gear. We got in a little over 12 miles. Friday after work, I got in a quick 14 miles before Kathleen and I met friends for dinner. In other news, check out the picture of the new boat, motor and trailer. I'll be able to battle the big fish with this rig. It's a 1960 Hiawatha 14 foot aluminum speed-boat with a 50 horse 1972 Evinrude motor and a nice trailer. I got the whole thing from a customer of mine for $350. Now, I just need a classic early 60's Chevy pick-up truck to haul it... That would be sweet! The old school stuff doesn't end there. I got a 1973 Ski Doo 340 TNT snowmobile for $200. I'll do a little fiberglass work on that one but it runs good. Back to the outboard motors... Kathleen and I helped one of her friends clean out her father's old house which got sold. Her father had a 1951 Scott-Atwater 7 1/2 hp outboard motor. No one wanted it so I grabbed it. A little steel wool, polishing and a little paint and the thing will be a beauty.

More Time Trial Training

I got in another time trial training session on the Greenway Trail in Minneapolis. I did the Timmer ladder sequence 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, two minutes, 1 minute. Man it was tough! The first minute was at 27mph. I got the average to 25mph for the 2 minute segment. Then, things fell apart... I did get back to 25mph on the last 1 minute segment though... The total miles were 24.

Back To Opus

The Big Opus Crits started up again tonight. Rob Belz and I rode out there and back from my house for a total of 36 miles. I worked registration and Rob worked one of the corners. The bike I used was the time trial training bike. I spent a lot of time in the time trial position and at time trial speed.

Achilles Part Two And Happy Easter

Happy Easter to everyone! I went out for a bike ride today and only made it 6 miles. My left Achilles tendon is still really stiff from all of the riding I've been doing lately. Climbing some of those big hills probably hasn't helped either. I think I need to give it a rest...

Last One To The Top...

John Stamm organized a big Loon State ride from Afton down and over to Prescott and back through Hudson on Saturday. We got in over 63 1/2 miles that included a very fast pace and some monster climbs. If it hadn't been for the guy with the busted bottom bracket that sounded worse than a dying rabbit, I would have been the last one up the big climbs... I was fine once we got up the hills though... Only to get into oxygen debt up the next one... Among the many riders were Dan Meyer, Shane Kullman, Big Russ, Mike Lyner, Bob Rolle, Troy, Barry Tungseth, Tim Lewis, John Fitzgerald, Dave Ludwigson, Rob Belz and me.

Frame Master

One of the other things I did on Good Friday besides fishing, was a visit to Curt Goodrich's bicycle works. He's got a cool location in Northeast Minneapolis where he builds custom frames. Curt makes great frames. He is the guy who built the Tim Isaac, Match Cycles Schwinn Paramount frames in the late '90s. His brazing on lugged frames is spectacular. There's a cadre of frame builders in the USA who are known as the "Keepers of the Flame." Goodrich's cyclocross frame-set won the top prize in the category at the North American Hand Built Bicycle Association awards this year. In fact, he's sponsoring a cyclocross team this year that will compete in the local races. The picture is of one of the frames he's currently building.

What A Fight!

I had Good Friday off from work so I decided it was time to get the big 10 foot john boat and 6hp Johnson Outboard on the water. As usual, I went to one of my favorite east metro lakes. First, I did some drift fishing casting twister jigs with a spinner. That part of the lake didn't work so I went to another hot spot. After a few casts there I had a big fight with a nice three pound bass. He had a lot of energy. I tired to get him into the boat quick so I could release him fast. Check out the picture...

Achilles Heel

Everyone has an "Achilles Heel" which is a metaphor for something that gives you problems. For some cyclists it might be climbing hills. Others might have problems riding a pace line. Time Trials can be tough for some riders. My "Achilles Heel" is actually my Achilles Heel... It's been really stiff since last Friday. All those miles at the Loon State Camp aggravated it. I've had problems with a stiff Achilles for years. I should really stretch it once in a while... Anyway, tonight I rode down to downtown Saint Paul and then went across the Wabasha Street Bridge to Plato. I turned left on to Ohio and went up the steep climb, turned right to the climb up Cherokee and then went left and up the big Smith Avenue Hill. On the way back I rode up Ramsey Hill. I got in 14 miles.

Along For The Ride

Rob Belz and I rode down to the Loon State Stone Arch Bridge Ride from my house in Saint Paul. Among the others were Jay Wenner, The Red Lantern, Tim Lewis, Kent Throlson and John Stamm. No Cobra. No Jens. No Delaney. No Frye... Anyway, The Red Lantern and Lewis hammered the pace. The rest of the us were along for the ride. Yeah, I was the last one up the hills but I wasn't too far back... We got in 34 1/2 miles.

Loss Of A Legend

Steve Cannon, one of the greatest radio show hosts the Twin Cities has ever known, died yesterday at age 81. This guy transcended generations. His 3 to 6pm time slot on 830AM ran from the late 1970s to 1997. He's the guy who, when asked why he doesn't take phone calls, said; "If you want to be on the radio, get your own show!" We'll do a short feature on Steve Cannon on Sunday's Bike Radio program at 5pm 91.7fm or www.macalester.edu/wmcn. Anyway, the after work ride was 14 miles on the time trial training course. I did some good time trial pace work. My legs were still pretty stiff from last weekend's Loon State Camp though.

Deep Section

One of the things I've learned the last couple of years is the value of deep section carbon wheels. I first started using them on the time trial bike and then I bought a pair of Hed Jet 60s last year from the Bicycle Chain through a deal with the Loon State Team and Hed. They came in handy over the weekend at the Loon State Spring Camp. While they didn't help on the big climbs, they were really fast on the downhills and the flats. I race time trials but I'd recommend all road racers get a set for their events. The closing speed with the wheels is tremendous. If you slip off the back of the pack for whatever reason, you can chase back on much easier than with conventional wheels. They say that deep section carbon wheels are faster than conventional wheels at speeds over twenty miles per hour. I would agree. The picture is a set of Flashpoint wheels.

Big Climbs Big Air

The Loon State Spring Camp lasted until today but I left for home after yesterday's big ride. Once again, we climbed massive and steep hills Saturday as part of our 76 mile route through southeastern Minnesota. Some of those climbs had to be 600 vertical feet or more and lasted longer than two miles! I wasn't the last one up the big switchbacks but I was far from the first. Bill Stuber and a few other guys showed up to join the rest of us. The rain stayed away and we had perfect weather for two days. Anyway, my legs were pretty tired today. Yeah, I could have gone for a ride but my left Achilles is really stiff so a day off the bike felt pretty good. The picture to the left is of me at the mic during today's Bike Radio Show on 91.7fm or www.macalester.edu/wmcn from 5 to 6pm. My sidekick, Ambrose Riegel took the shot. We talked about the Tour of Flanders, Pari Roubaix, the book; "Paris Roubaix, A Journey Through Hell" and some of the various bicycling magazines available.

What Hills?

I rode with Johnny Wyland, Rob Belz, the Red Lantern, Painman, Skibby, Shane Kullman, Mike Delaney, Andy Frye, Jens and a ton of other Loon State guys today at the big spring camp. There aren't any hills on the route, THEY'RE MOUNTAINS! Wyland and I got in 70 miles, Rob got 93 and some of the guys went over 100.

Three Days Of De Off

With the Three Days of De Pan bike race ending today in Belgium, I thought it would be a good time to get back on the bike after Three Days Of De Off... I only rode 14 miles because I had to get to work on some bike stuff. I did climb one hill though...

Each Journey Begins With A Single Step Or Twelve

To all my friends and fans, I'll be entering a rehab facility and beginning a 12-Step Program for alcohol, gambling, anger and shame issues in the next week. Through therapy, I realize all of my problems started when I became a salesman in my mid-twenties... Yes, I should have chosen a different career path. Everything would be different then... Hindsight is 20/20 though. No use crying over spilled milk. Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Don't look back, someone might be gaining on you. It is what it is. It depends on what the definition of is is... Hey! I just realized it's April 1st...

Riding With Kids

The ride of the day was 35 miles with the MNJRC kids. Rob Belz, Tom Bengel and I left with the juniors from the Bengel house in Saint Paul. We rode east along the Mississippi River to Highwood Avenue where we went up the big climb into Maplewood. We continued on into Woodbury and then turned for home.

TCBC Bike Swap

The Twin Cities Bicycle Swap took place today at the Hopkins VFW. Tom Bengel, John O'Connell, Bill Stuber and I had a couple of tables of stuff to sell. We all did pretty well selling stuff so we can buy more bike gear... Check out the picture from the swap. That's me on the left, John sitting down and Bill on the right.

Spinning Around The Lake

The after work ride on Friday the 27th (would have been my Dad's 89th) was a spin down Summit, through the north-end of Saint Paul and around Como Lake for a little over 12 1/2 miles. I rode the cross bike and spent time trying to find a new north crossing. The place I usually cross has a new chain link fence in place to keep bike riders and others out. Last time that happened a couple of years ago, a pair of cable cutters was found next to the fence and there was a cut allowing riders to pass through...

Skibby's New Tatoo

Skibby's New Tatoo...

Winds Of March

The winds of March were back today after calm conditions yesterday. That didn't bother Jerry Engen, Lori Belz, Rob Belz, Tommy Bengel and me though. We rode from West Lakeland into the wind on our way over to Hudson. From there we headed north through back-roads to Stillwater and then back to Jerry and Lori's house after a stop for some baked goods at the Bikery. We got in a little over 27 miles.

If One Is Good, Two Is Better

I finished the build today of the Specialized Allez frame with the carbon stays. This one is red. I built up a white Allez last year. Anyway, I took the parts of my Specialized Roubaix and put them on the red Allez frame. I'm selling the Roubaix frame and will try to get a Tarmac frame at some point. Specialized bikes are great because they're special... After finishing the build, I took it out on a 34 mile shake-down cruise to Lake Elmo and back. Check out the build pictures including the finished bike next to my multi-colored truck...

Cool Ride

The temp was 47F, the sun was out and a monster wind was coming out of the northwest. It was still pretty nice for a ride. Tom Bengel and Rob Belz joined me for a ride up to the U of M, through southeast Minneapolis and east into Roseville. We got in 20 miles with a stop at the Bicycle Chain. Yes, Dave, Tim and Alex were giving me a hard time about a recent thread on the Loon State page.

Flying With The Loons

I joined Mike Delaney's Stone Arch Loon State ride this evening. The ride used to take place on Wednesdays. I didn't ask him if Tuesday was the new day but with Opus coming up, it probably isn't. Anyway, I met Delaney, Brian Loecken, Kermando and Scott Olson at the U of M and then rode with them to Downtown Saint Paul. I headed for home at that point but got in 23 miles.

Spring Cleaning

With the great weather today, I took the Specialized Roubaix road bike out for the after work ride. My route took me up to the south side of Lake Owasso and back for 21 miles. I should have done some spring cleaning on the bike though... The cassette needs to be cleaned, I busted the knob off the rear tube and the crankset was really loose. After trying to tighten the crankset, I realized I need to figure out what went wrong...

Touring The Lakes

Another great day for riding with temps reaching the mid fifties. Rob Belz, Jerry Engen, Lori Belz and I rode through Lake Elmo and Stillwater. Our route took us around Lake Jane, Lake Demontriville and Olson Lake. The total was a little over 24 miles. Anyway, the picture is the Specialized Allez frame I bought. I'm going to swap out the parts on my Roubaix to this frame and sell the Roubaiz frame.

From Interstate 94 to Prescott

Big Bill Stuber and I rode from the Oakland Middle School in Lake Elmo north of Interstate 94 on Manning Avenue to Prescott, Wisconsin and back. I thought that was a 25 mile route but it was actually only 20. Anyway, we rode into a big headwind out of the south as we took Stagecoach all the way there. The big climbs we rode included Indian Trail, the Coulee, the big climb north of Afton State Park and the steep climb south of Afton State Park. After that, it was hammer into the wind. When we got to Prescott, we stopped and had breakfast at a local restaurant. On the way back, we had the big climb on 21 right out of Prescott and then up the big climb south of the state park. Next up was the south side of the Coulee and then the climb out of Afton on Stagecoach. Realizing we were not going to get fifty miles in, we kept going north on Stagecoach to 30th north. Then, we went west on 30th, up that big climb to Oakgreen and then west to Lake Elmo Blvd. From there we went south to 10th and then back to the school for a little over 50 miles.

Nord bei Nordosten

The after work ride was an 18 miles spin into Northeast Minneapolis via Summit Avenue, River Blvd and the U of M. The roads were fairly dry. I rode the Redline.

Bike Radio Link

I put in a link for Bike Radio in the Links Section. The show runs live from 5pm to 6pm on Sundays.

In The Peloton

I try to avoid most road races now because I broke my hand in a crash a few years ago. I was in the main pack or peloton when it happened. The peloton that I prefer now is the Schwinn Peloton road bike made from 1998 to 2000 by Match Cycles for Schwinn. The Reynolds 853 frame is hard to beat for a comfortable ride. I got this blue 56cm frame about a week ago. So far, I've added an Ultegra rear derailleur, 105 front derailleur, carbon fork, combination Aheadset and Cane Creek headset, Bontrager OS handlebars and an Ultegra right side 9 speed shifter and a 105 left side double shifter. I also put some Mavic Cosmos blue wheels on the frame but I think it will look better with black wheels. I wouldn't mind building it up with all balck 105 components either. Check out the progress so far.

Chasing Cars

Chasing cars is never a good idea. Throwing stuff at cars doesn't work too well either. I remember throwing stuff at cars when I was a kid. My buddies and I would launch various items and then take off running. My Uncle Roy use to throw rocks at cars when he was a kid. He got in trouble for that a few times. Anyway, Rob Belz, Bill Stuber and I were out riding the roads of Lake Elmo, Stillwater and Lakeland today when we came across a German Shepard lying in a ditch south of Lake Elmo. The dog had a red collar and he wasn't moving. I'm guessing he was either enjoying a rest, playing possum or more likely, was dead from chasing and getting hit by a car. Dogs that chase cars usually don't last too long... After passing the dog, we continued on and worked our way over to the Bikery which is a bakery and bike shop in Stillwater. Dave Ludwigson was inside after going on a Loon State early morning ride. We talked to Dave for a while and then continued on our way. The total for the ride was a little over 31 miles. Check out the picture of the Redline after the ride. It's pretty clean because the roads out there are dry.

On Dry Roads

I could have ridden the bike in Saint Paul after work but the roads were pretty wet from all of the melting snow. Instead, I threw the Redline Conquest in the truck and drove out to Lake Elmo. The roads out there are always dry way before those in town. That was the case today. I took off from the Oakland School parking lot and went through a neighborhood that has a big climb. Then, I cruised into downtown Lake Elmo. From there, I rode east on 40th to Stagecoach. I continued south on Stagecoach, crossed I94 and took Hudson road back to Neil. Next, I went north on Neil and then left on 10th and back to the parking lot. I got in a little over 20 miles.

On The Course

The after work workout today was an hour of skiing at the legendary Highland 9 Hole Golf Course in Saint Paul. Tom Bengel and John Wyland joined me for the classic ski. We want to get on the bikes again but we'll have to wait until the roads clear.

New Frame And Bike Radio

I picked up another Schwinn Peloton frame. I had one of these a few years back but that one was yellow. This one is blue. The only reason I got rid of the last one was because I needed the money. Like the last one, this frame was made for Schwinn by Match Cycles between 1998 and 2000. They made Schwinn Paramounts and Schwinn Circuits during that same time span. All three frames were made with Reynolds 853 steel which is gives really smooth riding. The Paramounts had beautiful external lugs and were made in the USA. In fact, the frmae builder for Match Cycles was Curt Goodrich who now makes custom frames and frames for Rivendel right here in Minneapolis. The Pelotons and Circuits were made in Taiwan toMatch Cycles specs. The Paramounts had Dura Ace, the Pelotons Ultegra and the Circuits used 105. I'll build this one up as I accumulate parts. Check out the picture. Anyway, we had the second episode of Bike Radio today on 91.7fm, www.macalester.edu/wmcn at 5pm as usual. Today, we talked about all things Italian and we did a book review of "A Dog In A Hat." Next week we'll talk about bike movies and do another book review.

Back To Classic

With all of the fresh snow, the workout of the day was 1 hour 45 minutes of classic skiing at Lake Elmo. I'd rather be biking now but the tracks were really good so skiing was a good option. Tommy Bengel, Bill Stuber and his brother Joe joined me for the skiing. Jerry Engen and Lori Belz skied too but they went at their own pace. Bike Radio is back on tommorrow from 5pm to 6pm. Tune in at www.macalester.edu/wmcn. Click on the radio to bring up the live streaming.

Between Seasons

Today, the after work workout was a 22 mile ride through West Lakeland, Lake Elmo, Bayport, Lakeland and Afton. I rode the Redline Conquest on those east metro roads. Unlike riding in Saint Paul right now, the roads were clear. This time of year between the ski and bike season is always interesting. Snow one day, clear a few days later...

Bike Radio Begins

We had the first episode of Bike Radio yesterday at the famed and storied Macalester College Radio Station aka, the Mighty Mac. Ambrose Riegel and I covered several topics including Electric Dura Ace, singlespeeds and spring bike maintenace. Next weeks show will be about race officiating so make sure you dial in at 5pm Sunday to www.macalester.edu/wmcn for all the fun. Just click the boom box and the station will come up. Oh yeah, if you live within three blocks of Macalester, you can tune in to 91.7fm.

The Big Birkie

Saturday the 21st was the American Birkiebeiner cross country ski race from Cable to Hayward, Wisconsin. I started out next to Tom Bengel and Mike Brumbaugh with a few other guys around us like Craig Ruud and Ron Lowrie. When the cannon went off for the first wave we took off on our way to Hayward on the skate course. Mike and I passed Tommy fairy early and then skied up and down the powerline to the first feed station. I grabbed a feed but Mike kept going. That was the end of me trying to hang with him. Right after the feed, I caught up to John Fitzgerald, Dale Thompson, Jeff Arndt and Andy Wood. I skied with those guys all the way to Double OO which is the half-way point. They were kicking my butt up the hills but I always managed to catch back on on the downhills. I was pretty much at my limit. Those big hills the first half of the race really are hard on me. Andy Wood and Jeff Arndt got ahead of me before Double OO. Once we got past it though I skied the kilometer to the top of the big downhill. Fitzgerald and Thompson were with me at that point but once we got down the hill, I took off and left them behind. The second half of the race suits me much better as the hills are smaller, more rolling and there is a lot more downhill. I caught up to Steve Sands and followed him for a few kilometers. We caught Andy Wood's group and drafted off them for a while which was fine with me. Then, Sands went around them so I followed him. I was happy to draft off Sands until a lone skier passed us. I decided to follow that guy and thought Sands would follow but he didn't. I followed that guy and was with him when Mike Meyers and Bjorn Daehlie came by leading the classic race. We couldn't stay with them but we kept going. I followed him until the Mosquito Brook feed station. I got a feed from Henry Wisnewski before the feed station so I kept going. Past the feed station is another big climb. I got up that one and then passed Jeff Arndt who was struggling along. Next up was Bitch Hill. I did my usual single sticking to the top and passed Clay Diggins who was slowing down. I kept hammering to the next group and decided to draft a while. About thirty seconds later, another guy comes around us so I went with him. We paced ourselves up the last big climb and then I passed him on the downhill run to Lake Hayward. I hooked up with a couple of Wave 2 guys who were cruising along. Hey, I'm an elite skier on the lakes! I followed them and passed John Jerecek and then a few more skiers on Main Street to the finish. My time was 300:56 and I was 591st. Last year I was in the 700s so dropping seven pounds from last year really helped. Dropping ten more pounds would get me to the weight of my fastest Birkies several years ago. Not sure how much the extra years of age would slow me down though. Check out the picture taken by Bruce Adelsman of www.skinnyski.com. Maybe I should get a new race suit...