150: Ride till you Yak.

photo courtesy Brian Ellin

Before I start...if you have not taken a look. Go over to Cool Hunting and check out the little interview that I did with Brian Fitchner. Great people over that way, thanks for the props guys...

I thought there should be something really dramatic about the 15oth post of the year.

Would it be about the experience in the mud last weekend? Or the Thunderdome that Dylan and his Yakima crew erected in the middle of P.I.R.? Or how CD swung from said Thunderdome like a half naked Chimp throwing Marshmallows at people's heads?

Or Maybe it should be something product related... how nice the Edge Wheels handle in the Mud (seriously, those Cubus tires - the jam) or how the Edge Bar and Stem combo rattled the teeth in my tiny head (size small helmet) in a good way. Maybe how I just kept hitting the Ridley Cross bike and it just kept hitting back? So good, so functional, so great looking.

It could also be an analysis of the Single Speed Worlds. I mean, Brian (from Raliegh) and Virg (from Shimano) helped me, but I got a pretty kick ass little single speed going for this race. I only lasted about three laps and then I got a piece of someones skirt, or wig, or maybe it was the bacon handup (no joke) but either way I could not take any more of the circus act (I was bonking hard) so I just stopped. Somehow that seemed like an ok thing to do at that point...

Check out Brian's photos from the race. He shot them on his Yashika T5. And I officially want one of these now. So, if you feel like sending me a camera. I will put it to good use photographing people and hoping that they turn out this good. Seriously, I am ready, hand it over.

In the first photo is Ryan from the Veloshop. Seriously, I want to hug this man whenever I:
a) see him.
b) hear his shouts from across the course.
c) look at my bike.


My only question is this... what is going on behind these two beautiful ladies? Eyes up my man. Keep moving, nothing to see here...this is a married woman and her sexy (also taken) friend. I get why you might be doing what you are doing, but keep an eye out for the cameras. The nerve of some people. And you there in the Red. Why are you hugging yourself like that? It just looks weird. No one else is doing that...

In any case, look through his Flickr as there are some really great photos and captions there. My favorite is Dr. Dinosaur and the Seahorse Captain. Whatever that means. Go have a look. Then, when you are done looking there. Take a look at a couple other sites that B runs. Both Race.cx and The Cyclocross News.

And that, my friends was a pretty great little race day we had there. I did get some photos of the Thunderdome as they were putting the finishing touches on it. I know they are around here somewhere...

147: Morning Mud.

I like to start you out with a little video now and again even if it is not all that interesting. Few things to note with this one. One, it might be the last ride with this camera it got so covered in mud. Two, my Cateye light is futuristic and amazing, and rechargeable, and amazing. Thanks Ellen. And three, does Forest Part look like that scene in Return of the Jedi to anyone else? I love it for that and every time I head in there it makes me smile. This was in fact the route that made me want to move to Portland. Confirm.

I think that my Superb sticker looks pretty hot on the ol Igleheart. Check out there most recent blog post to see the little collaboration that these two have put together. Looking forward to checking it out in person sometime soon. Whats that? You miss me Boston? I figured.


I forgot about these photos from last Friday's ride. It was a good one, nice and muddy. I apologize that they are a little out of focus, I think that happened because the whole camera was covered in mud before I actually knew what happened. Apparently it is tough to focus a camera that is covered in mud.

So, this is what Joe looked like when we crested Germantown Road and were about to head off into the woods via Lief Erickson trail. Calm, collected and most importantly, clean. Very "fetching" as they say in head to toe Embrocation Cycling Journal garb.

BEFORE

Then, about twenty minutes later he turned into this. Now, I know initially when you look at this photo you think, well, that man does not look very happy. Could not be further from the truth. This man is in fact quite happy when he gets muddy. He is quite happy being muddy. It makes him feel like he is doing something bad (I just made that part up.) Only thing is I wonder what he does when he gets to work at least with all those muddy clothes? Maybe they make them into Nike Cycling spots. Or maybe not.

AFTER

This here is Kyle. He is making some sort of an Urban hand gesture that I do not recognize. It looks something similar to the traditional "peace" sign but flipped upside down and placed remarkably close to his groin area. My guess is that it means something like "These two legs here are about to do some bike riding." Again, I could always be wrong. I will do some research and see what I come up with. Also note that Kyle is riding a Flatbar Single Speed bicycle. We will come back to that.

BEFORE

DURING

I don't know how he avoided it, but he did not get that muddy. Joe speculated that it had something to do with the fact that he was out front the whole time and therefor did not experience the backlash that was our tires. I think it had something to do with the sweatshirt that he was rocking. Somehow his lack of cycling gear and choice of bicycle allowed him to magically avoid all the mud. Will look to try that out this week.

Seriously. How the hell did Kyle remain that clean? Look at him back there laughing it up. Maybe the hand gesture was some sort of a signal to the gods? Something that said "hey gods, protect me from the forces that be." Possibly?