Just a little reminder about Friday's fun

Tonight I started putting together the prizes for the Men's and Women's 1st, 2nd, & 3rd places of the tournament for KC Sprints at Buzzard Beach Friday.
A little something for the best Grudge Match of the night
And we are considering a SWEET grand prize for the best overall sprint time of the night.
We've got some really good stuff.
You'll be missing out if you aren't there.

Tournament sign up and Grudge Matches start at 8 PM.
The tournament starts at 9 PM.
Tournament is $5
Grudge Matches are $2 per racer.

So go do Critical Mass at 630 then come on over to Buzzard Beach all warmed up and ready to race.
Or just to have a beer, cheer on your friends & heckle your enemies.
What ever you decide its gonna be a good night and you should be there.

See you Friday!

Ahh... July. Sunburns. Fireworks. the RAGBRAI!!

Its July which means its time to head north for the RAGBRAI



I don't know Ron but I sure do thank for him the use of his 2010 route map. Strangely it was the only one I could find

I head out Friday, the 23rd, from Omaha with the Dutch .
The official RAGBRAI starts Sunday, the 25th, out of Souix City.

The Go, Dutch, Go! Plan:

Friday, Saturday & Sunday we'll work our way North East to the official route via Earling & Breda to Pocahantas.
We pick up the offical route there on what for RAGBRAI is Day 2 to Algona.
It will be our 4th day of riding.
Ah yes.... good times are a come'n

I'm really ready for a vacation. The RAGBRAI fits the bill nicely.
Its a great time that I think everyone should do once.
I think this is my 10th pilgrimage
I've made some great friends on the RAGBRAI & I can't wait to see them



Once again this year I'll be attempting to make posts from the road to my Twitter
Granted this is dependant on getting phone reception. Which in years past on the RAGBRAI has been spotty. We'll see what happens
I'll be back to file a full report next month

Day off dirt

I had Thursday off so after doing nothing all morning I pulled the trusty 29er single speed off the rack, knocked off the dust (been a bit since I've been on it), aired up the tires, lubed the chain and headed east to the Swope Park Trails.
I didn't realize until right before I headed out that a chuck of Phase 3 was now open.
After a roughly 30 minute spin of the road (the 29er is geared for off road not on so its cadence practice to get there)I dove into the trails.
I wasnt sure where the entrance to Phase 3 was exactly but it was easy to find.
I did a couple of laps. The first one was kinda rough but its hard to carry any speed when you aren't sure what is coming up around the next bend.
Over all a great ride. The HSP & ERTA gang have done a great job building some sweet single track.
The Swope Trails even made the front page of the KC Star recently, check it out & then get out to ride some best dirt in KCMO.

A little taste:

Another new bike Zeke? Yes. Yes indeed.

I've been riding a Surly Pacer for the last 5-ish years but it was a touch small. I finally sold it & have been running slicks on my CX bike for road riding.
It didn't take long before I decided that I missed having a traditional road bike so I got another Surly Pacer.
I figured I could save up some more coin and get something nicer but why? I know I like the Pacer & its a very affordable ride.
It arrived today so I went into the shop on my day of to get it built up.
Salsa Casseroll fork w/Shimano R540 long reach road caliper brake
Chris King head set
Shimano Dura Ace and Ultregra 10 speed mix for the drive train
Turned out really sharp looking. Better than I expected actually.

I had had my mind set on getting the British Racing Green version but they were sold out.
Until today when I saw the Silver Bullet paint job for the first time I wasn't sure I was gonna like it. But I really do.
I'll post some more photos as I take them over on my Flickr page
Now if only this rain would move out of the area so I could get a good test ride in.

KCSprints Season Opener Saturday night!!

Sign ups at 8
Racing begins at 9
Come Out
Come Race
Come Heckle
Come Drink
Come Cheer
500 meter sprints = 20 seconds of hell!!

Don't forget that Harlings is a CASH ONLY bar so come prepared

See you Saturday night!!

2009/10 KCSprints Sponsors:
All Hail the Black Market
Twin Six
Surly
Chrome Bags
CycleOps
Giro
UrbanVelo
Volker bicycles
Acme Bicycle Co.
Honor Vodka
The Bunker

When I dream about my next bike....

It looks like this:

Surly Big Dummy
Better start saving my pennies.

Changing things up

Decided to change things up a little bit
So my Surly Cross Check frame set is going on the action block.
I really love this bike (its the 4Th Cross Check I've owned) but its the newest so its got to go to make room and help pay for the next one.
Odds are it will be on EBay by this time next week.
Its a 60cm, less than a year old (purchased in January 2008), never raced or wrecked, and is Surly's slick Misty Mountain Gray in color. I did cut down the steer tube on the fork but not much. I will have to measure it for those that are really interested.
Thinking $320 plus shipping (MSRP is $420).
THIS IS FOR THE FRAME SET ONLY!
I am keeping the kit for another cross project.


Click the link above for official Surly specs.
If you are interested email me at zekesbiken@hotmail.com

Monday

Monday... its still cold.
I know. "Dude. Enough with the crying about the cold already."
Sorry, I fully admit to being a cry baby.
Its true.
I am just not a fan of cold weather.
I have been attempting to convince myself to get back into a regular schedule for riding the trainer.
I told myself that its either outside or on the trainer.
Either way DO IT.

We are past the first of the year which means that if I want to be in any kind of riding shape come March 2nd, it starts now.

March 2nd is the first mountain bike race on my schedule.
Heartland Sports Promotions XC#1 at Landhl Park in Blue Springs, Missouri.
I am not one for training. The goal is just to make sure come race #1 I am in better shape than was last spring and hella better shape than I am currently.
First thing first, dump the extra that I acquired in the just passed holiday season.
I am not the only factor the needs to be different for this season. I need the weather to play along so Race #1 is not my first MTB ride of the season.
I had a pretty dismal showing in the 2007 HSP XC series.
Weather and work did not help.
More than half of HSP races were postponed and moved to different dates thanks to weeks of rain and standing water in the trails.
All the rain dates I miss do to job commitments.
I ended up the MTB season with a DNF at the Perry XC race, a 5th place Duo finish at a 6 hour race.
2 races... oh boy.
Pretty sucky compared to finishing top 5 or better every XC race of 2006. It was the come back season after the accident. I have apparently slacked off a bit since then.
My Cyclocross season wasn't really all that spectacular either.
I came off of RAGBRAI feeling strong on the bike.
Once again I let things slip and I was back to fighting for fitness.
Can't let this happen in '08.

I can't control the weather but the body I do have "some" control over.
My busy spring through fall work schedule cuts out alot to ideal "training" ride hours. This makes it more essential that I don't slack off on the commuting in '08 either. Not only is it just a good thing to do, it automatically gives me 2+ hours a day on the bike. I think taking the long way home should get even longer this year. More often than not the pedal into work turns in to a 15 mile time trial. Racing the clock to avoid being late to work. Hope the cars around me aren't doing their own AM time trial.

I sat down the other day, made a list of my bikes and what if any repairs or part changes they needed during these cold months while they are on break.
Besides a couple of items I would like to change on the Karate Monkey I think my fleet simply needs to be tuned up. Maybe a couple of new chains but everything is pretty set on them.
The KM though I need to throw some money at before March.
I would like to get a new fork. Not suspension, that's not my style, but something that isn't the stock fork that can beat the snot out of you. I have my eye on a Orgin 8 Blak Ops carbon disc 29er fork. I have head good things about this fork, it has no weight limit unlike other forks I have looked at, and the price is right.
I also need to get new axles for my Surly/Salsa 29er wheels. I need to switch from bolt on to quick release. Nothing more frustrating than getting a rear flat with a bolt on wheel. Kiss your race good bye. I could (possibly should) pick up some new disc hubs of some sort (have my eye on a nice set that have been taking up shelf space at the shop for too long) and lace up a set a new set of wheels. Go tubeless too. I had considered getting a whole new 29er all together (eyeball'n the Specialized Stumpjumper 29) but everything in my stable (with the exception of the CRB XC) is steel. Plus new frames cost $$, and I really need to stop giving in to my wants for a while. I have attempted to tell myself that I am NOT buying new bikes in 2008.
Now nothing NEEDS to be changed on the KM. It works fine the way it is and has for a couple of years. The fork and the wheels should be considered "wish list" items since they are not required. It sure would be nice though.

OK. Time to quit. My mind has started to wander and I have spent the last several minutes staring into space listening to music.
No links no photos, boring post today.
5 minutes left in Monday, I got to go.

Horray! The Cross Check arrived!

My new Misty Mountain Gray Surly Cross Check arrived today.
Its purdy.
I was worried that I wasn't gonna have time to even start building it.
95 bikes from Specialized arrived today as well. Which means counting, receiving, and hand writing bike cards for all of them... its not fun but it is part of the job.

But Big Grin came to my rescue.
BG- "Dude you want me to start on your bike?"
ME- Na, that's cool I will get to it.
BG- 'You sure?'
Me- Yeah.
BG- 'Are you sure you are sure? You got alot to do.'
Me- Well if you wanna put in the headset... I will do the rest at home tomorrow but I don't have a headset press.
BG- 'OK... what about the rest?'
ME- Nah....

Next thing you know Big Grin has my whole box of parts out of the van and on his work bench.
He built the whole thing.
I would have felt bad but since it was his idea... how can I?
Gotta love that guy.
I still need to cut the steer tube (doing that Monday) but other than that it is ready to ride.
I think with the frame color combined with the white cable housing, orange Chris King headset, and Profile 'natural' cork tape really makes it pop!

Speaking of Big Grin (AKA Team Sexy Pants) I pulled this clip from his blog when I was setting up the links.
Don't fuck with bikers... you never know what will happen.

Is it 2008 yet?

I started out thinking that I was gonna write something about 2007

and how it ended.

A recap if you will.
But looking back...

Over all 2007 wasn't nearly as good as it could have been.
Too many conflicts with work, racing, weather, and attitude problems... mostly mine.

Combine that with the recent loss of a few friends over *differences of opinion (*the polite version of what happened) and 2007 can suck a fat one.

So....

What is on tap for 2008?

That would be nice to know... I don't and I did I wouldn't tell you, at least not with out cash up front.

As for day 3 of the new year... so far so good.

I haven't ridden, worked out, been drunk or been on a date...

But I did order a new Surly Cross Check frame set today.

I don't NEED it, but I do WANT it.

It will be the more all purpose rig than the Jamis Eclipse it is replacing.

It will be a geared:

gravel road banger

commuter

training tool

CX pit bike

I couldn't decide for a while what to get.

I started out with the CC but then started considering other options.

But I came back to the CC.

I couldn't think of a good reason not to get it.

Steel (good)

Color (good)

Geometry (good)

Price (good)

Versatility (good)

This would be my 4th Surly Cross Check (my 10th Surly overall).

I know how they ride and I know that as soon as its built it will be comfy and familiar.

I won't have to re-learn how the bike handles etc.

Good stuff.

Speaking of this being my 4th Cross Check.

In May of 2002 I destroyed my very first Cross Check. It was Bean Green and set up as a fixed gear.

I hadn't had it for very long and had already decided that it was my favorite bike.

I wrote a write up about the crash at the time and sent it along to Big Jonny at Drunkcyclist dot com.

At this time Drunkcyclist had only be around for a few years and Jonny was gaining readers daily.

The posts about bicycles, beer, racing, riding, politics, beer, and drinking along with a healthy does of porn got the attention of people in the cycling community.

I was checking the site almost on a daily basis.

These days the porn links are gone but Big Jonny is still cranking out the good stuff.

He posted the below for me on Thursday May 9 2002

From: zeke
Subject: Bike paths are safer than the streets?
Check this shit out...
So Saturday night I was on my way home from work on a local suburban bike path. I was just about dusk I was still cruising along with my sunglasses on. At a little less than the half way point the path crosses under eight lanes of highway (435 west). I was cooking right along when in the semi dark of the tunnel I suddenly found my self flying off my bike and slamming face first in to the concrete and skidding along on my forearms and chest for about 10 feet. Ouch!
As I lay there attempting to suck air into my crushed lungs I noticed a couple of positives...(1) I managed to keep my head (and my scared yet pretty face) off the concrete...(2) for the most part it appeared that my forearms (or what is now left of them) sucked up the brunt of the blow.

What caused this horrible crash you ask...apparently some worthless FUCK (sorry mom) decided that it would be cute to set a 2'x3' 300lbs boulder in the middle of the tunnel. This rock was huge!! When I finally got up, and Schuster finally stopped laughing, we attempted to move it off the trail. It was so heavy that we had to slowly scoot it off the trail.

Now the real down side... my bike died that day. The favorite of my stable. My bean green Surly cross check set up as a fixed gear died at the moment of impact. the head tube is basically separated from the top tube... and the down tube/head tube connection is crushed. Damn!

So much for the idea that the bike path was safer than playing with cars.
zeke out



Zeke, my man, I don’t know how you do it. You never cease to amaze and astound with your trials and tribulations. You’re like the fucking Barnum and Bailey circus for Christ’s sake. I’m glad to hear your still alive after that one.

And if anyone from Surly is reading this and feels like throwing ‘ol zeke a little lovin’ go ahead and email me.

*The comment at the end is the best. "You never cease to amaze and astound with your trials and tribulations." I don't recall what else I had told him about before then but the comment strikes me because it was a full 3 years before the bike VS car accident that created One Eyed z. Nutty eh?

Big Jonny even posted the follow up:

Saturday May 11 2002

Remember a couple of days ago I posted a letter about a guy trashing his Surly by running into a rock someone put out on a bike path like a big "kill a cyclist" trap? Well, he’s getting some lovin’ from the fine folks at Surly. Just one more reason they fucking rule.
Here is the word from Zeke.

From: zekeSubject: RE: Bike paths safer than the streets?

Hey man thanks for the listing on your site. the dudes at Surly fucking rock! Dave set me up with a sweet deal on a crash replacement frame and fork. I built it up last night and rode it around. it kicks serious ass. And here I was worried that I wouldn't have any wheels for ragbrai. No longer a problem. I got an Underground race and a ping owe (pub crawl/derby) Saturday night and I am stoked to put the new machine through its paces. Great new color too...blood red.

Surly makes a great bike. My man the slugster Casey rocks one and the gnome is gonna get one. I’d ride one myself, but I’m about balls deep in Kona right now. Or, are they balls deep in me? I can’t tell anymore. Like most things in life, it is better to give than to receive. That included pipe.

*Some where I have a disc with photos of the damage to the original Bean Green Cross Check. Somewhere

Oh man, its all been down hill from there. My Cross Check has done everything. RAGBRAI, Cross racing, fixed gear, single speed, commuter, and single track ripper. It will be nice to have another one. The ol' BFM (Bloody Fucking Mess... name given to the Cross Check due to the color and how I always seem to ended up like on it) has seen lots of riding. It is high on the list to pull out of the stable for a ride. Heck, I rode it a bunch over the holidays. Fenders, fat tires, fixed gear. Good stuff.

Alright enough. Time for dinner