AM I 60 OR 40? WAS THE QUESTION WHEN I ROLLED OUT THIS MORNING.  Ya gotta love the rainy season and the nebulous percent predictions.  When the app says 60% chance of rain, I always wonder...

Will I ride in the 40% or soak in the 60%?

FunFact: when the app says 60%, it means 60% of the time with conditions like today it's going to rain... it doesn't mean it's to be dry on 40% of the ride.

Well punk, do you feel lucky?

I opted to go, and took my MTB. My road bike is too perty, and I want to keep it race-ready.  The MTB has awesome disc brakes, and I am not going to be racing it any time soon.  

But, all that got me thinking... I really should have a back up road bike, a "cheapo" that's the exact same fit as my race bike.  Fortunately for me, and a lot of riders, the bike I ride actually comes in a really affordable version. If that's not on offer, just find a Craig's List Special.  I think I'll order one up. 

I've always wanted to have a back up bike,
it's weird that I've never had one,
not that I deserve it, or I'm pro,
but, it did rain on me.
Just my luck...

(right before it poured)

MY BUDDY MIKE ASKED HOW MY BLOG WAS GOING.  Before I could answer, he said he wanted to do that LaJa ride. 

My look kept him trying...  

LaRa? 

And trying... 

LaTa, it's a ride from Wyoming to Colorado.

Oh, LoToJa... It's Logan, UT to Jackson Hole.  200 miles.

Yeah, I want to do that.

Well, you better start riding.

But, what do I do?

Read my blog (he asked).  Start with Base Miles.  Do you have a bike?

Yes, I do.

I could tell he was doing and mental inventory of his vast collection of bike gear.  He mumbled... bike, attach cleats to shoes, helmet, shorts... not shirt with long zipper...

I don't have one of those shirts with the long zipper.

We sell those (he asked, again).  So we went to our site on his iPad.  I showed him the blog.  He subscribed, which reminded me I need to start emailing posts to subscribers.

He clicked on the dropdown menu and then I realized...
How guilty I am of using code words instead of English.

Here's his interpretation of our shiny new website:

Kits... what are those bike parts?  No Mike, that's what we call the jerseys and bibs.  (Jeez, that was a huge miss on my part).

Bibs, the suspender thingies?  I'm not wearing those.  You will, once start riding and want maximum comfort.  (Another miss, not explaining how nice bibs are... and also not having shorts without braces as an option to get guys like Mike started.)

RaceDay Bags... I won't need that.  You will, if you to be organized and make your life really simple.  (Another miss?... should we re-name the bag, or just the category?)

Canopies... what are those?  He clicked and said,  Oh EZUPs.

Should I ditch the code words?... I don't think so.  I think it's cool when people like Mike figure out the code words.  They feel in the know, part of something special...

The coolest code word is the one we'll work on first,
because Lo-To-Ja is code for I'm a badass,
and to be a badass on a bike,
You need to start with,
Let's go for a spin.

I DON'T ALWAYS POST 2X A DAY, but sometimes when you are a man AND you wear stretchy pants... 

10 of us met at the corner.
7am, Golden Lantern and Dana Harbor.
It was warmer than it has been, fog had rolled in.
Our mission was to try out a newish route, something to get us ready for HUNKR OC.  

We picked up 3 more riders in Laguna Canyon... I say "riders" to hide the fact that we're all dudes.  C'mon ladies we need more of you on the road.

The talent level of these 13 riders is exceptionally high, but our fitness levels are quite varied:  from a current pro MTB racer in his prime to an athlete coming back after an achilles tear and 18 months off the bike, with a couple of old diesels in between.  That said, the ride up the coast and up the canyon was full gas for some of us and a nice warm up for others. 

What were we warming up for?  C.V.  Canyon Velo. 

CV is a ride that has turned so nasty most of the original guys don't even do it.  Not nasty in a bad way, nasty in a good way.  Nasty fast.  Nasty hard.  Of the 2 main Saturday group rides in South OC, CV features more hills and longer climbs.  

Our plan was to make it even nastier.

When we got to Sand Canyon and Trabuco we had a 8 minutes to spare.  This was due to my Nervous Nellyness which kept the pace a tad erratic... and probably was the cause of us shedding some of our posse a little early in the ride.  Whoops.

From this point, the hills start hitting then clobbering with unrepentant velocity.  One by one, the weak are knocked off.  The final hill of the first section is La Paz.  La Paz was the featured climb of the '84 Olympics.  It's not steep, it's the speed that kills.  1 mile, 5%... all out.  Peter Stetina holds the KOM at 3:22.  You won't be close to that... too judgmental?

The good news is the original CVrs put in a still-respected rest stop at the top of La Paz, at the ball park.   This is the 2 hour mark for us, which is a perfect time to re-load the bottles and unload _____.

Now for the nastiness.

The next 50 minutes the group covers 17 miles and 1300' of elevation gain... 20.4 mph, pretty darn good.  

We go all out up the final 4 miles of climbing including The Wall a heinous, 1/4 mile at 9%.  At the top of Santiago everybody cruises down to the big oak tree to re-group...

...but we don't!

We turn right, and go up Old Mojeska.  1/2 a mile, average gradient of 9% and the steepest section is 20%.  

That's nasty!
but that's what some do
when it's HUNKR time,
and you wear stretchy pants.

3 THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN TRAINING FOR HUNKRS

---

by Todd Brown

1.  First off, remember HUNKR is about your personal best over 100K.  Sure, we all want to win and we’ll have cool awards for the category winners and cash for the top finishers.   But, even the winners will be looking at their finishing times and comparing it to what they thought they could do, what they did at the last HUNKR, how they compare to their friends.

This means…

You should try and get some good group rides in.  Group rides will help you with bike handling, cooperation and riding in a pace line.  With a good group, you’ll go much faster than on your own.  It’s quite common for HUNKR riders to find themselves in great groups of guys and gals of similar ability.  The result is a lot of fun and friendship.  You can find groups on TribeFindr, Strava and other platforms… or start your own.

2.  Remember a HUNKR course is about equal in distance to most longish weekend road rides.  If you can ride your bike easily 30 miles, you’ll do great at a HUNKR.  You don’t need to do a bunch of crazy miles.

This means…

You should look at your HUNKR course and work in some similar terrain.  If it’s a flat HUNKR, work on your flat speed, if it’s a climbing HUNKR work on your climbing.  Get as specific as you can in the weeks leading up to your event.

3.  Remember to test out your food.  For the faster riders, they’ll be fine with 2 bottles.  Some of you will need to make a stop, and we’ll have aid stations for you.

This means…

If you think you’ll be needing to refill your bottle, be sure to check out our drink sponsor and try their product in advance.  We’ll also have quick snacks for you to munch on.

4. Remember to get your FUNKR team of 5 together and registered.

5. Have fun!  You’re going to do great out there.

I'VE GOT TO GET THIS OFF MY CHEST, BECAUSE 90% OF BIKE RIDERS ARE PLATEAUED OUT:  they simply haven't grasped what constitutes base miles.  While I hate to give away my hard earned secrets, I know for a fact that 90% of the 90% won't apply this no matter how simple I 'xplain it.

Most of us start here - short and low... easy efforts, and it's lots of fun... as it should be.

We progress to here - fat middle... we realize if we ride a little more and a little faster it's even more fun... plus we can keep up and even be faster than our friends.

The problem is we get all geeked up and go here.  This is just human nature, being greedy... just because a little more riding and a little more effort made you faster, it does not mean more of each and none of what go you here is better.  In fact, it's worse, a lot worse. 

Because you wind up here - broken pieces... and outta the sport, fat and on the couch again.

What you want to do is this... spend the vast majority of your time at conversational speed, cruising with your friends, feeling the pain of a hard day spin right out of your legs.

You'll add some tempo without trying... and I heartily recommend you do all you can to avoid tempo.  You're going to get it anyway, and it's not very useful.

See what this gives you?... a great big giant base of easy, pleasant miles.  You're rested, so that when it's to time get after it you can really get after it in ways you never thought possible.

I know what your thinking... trust me, you're going to screw it up anyway and ride too much tempo and too much intensity.  I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible for you... so you can get a lot faster and KOM everything in site... I believe in you, do you?

That's what base miles are,
the foundation for greatness.
No base, no greatness

__________

Corollary:  You can apply this to anything:  work - clean up lot more, get organized then execute on the good stuff; dating - romance a lot more, open doors, bring flowers, just talk into each others eyes, then the special times are truly special.

__________

ON OUR WEEKLY SOCIAL RIDE, THE TMWC, THERE ARE A FEW INCLINES GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU CRY.  The killers come and go through the years, those riders that rip your heart out, but the dead keep coming back - zombies lead to slaughter.

As a zombie, my confidence ebbs and flows... as it does for the entire TMWC Zombie Nation - did I mention we ride year round at 630am?

But, occasionally one of us will do something and gain some confidence... which is what is happening with Big Mike On The Mic...

... which I find quite disturbing and upsetting
Who does that zombie think he is?!...

He's Big Mike because he's gigantic, not for bike a rider but for a man.  He's well over 6' and 200+ lbs of pure muscle.  His broad, college swimmer shoulders push through the wind like a real diesel and his massive, college swimmer lungs suck the air out of the neighborhood.

... he has no business blowing passed me on the climbs ...

When I first came back to the road, Mike and I would duel on the Thursday night RnR shop ride.  But, then I lost weight and committed to the road mainly to see if I could stay ahead of him.  And for the last 5 years, it's gone my way.

... now, I'm not braggin... I'm just sayin' ...

He's On The Mic, because he's been shooting video for the last 4 months or so and documenting how the group is doing with very insightful comments:  look at HUNKR guy spin, Jorge always wears pink socks, etc. 

... But, the comment that really gets me... just irks me
is
There's Todd ...

It didn't used to bug me.  It pumped me up, because it followed with me disappearing up the road.  But not now, now it's...

... There's Todd going backwards ...

Somehow that damn mic has given him confidence.  First, he confidently hung on until the A Loop.  Then, he hung on over The Wall,  Now, he's riding the A Loop and making it over The Wall...

... and my confidence is shattered.
Kinda,
and, kinda not shattered.
I'm stoked for BMOTM to get faster...
... and confident, if he can do it so can I ...
Which is why I love being a Zombie.

(For those who want my drama too)

I RODE MY BIKE YESTERDAY.  

The 250 or the 400?, I asked my moto-loving little bro.  

The pedal one.  

No way!... What the heck? (he got married, had two kids since our last ride)  Must have been a New Year's resolution?

It wasn't necessarily a resolution. I was driving and saw a guy on a Ritte... sped up and it was Mike.  I told him to head to my house.

How was it?

I'm fat and slow.

But, that can change..

I know, and it's going to!

We chatted some more, and it got me thinking...
if my brother starts riding again,
and my son starts riding again,
and your friends and family are riding again
well, Happy New Year!

_______

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

168.8

BY TODD BROWN | PEDAL industries

January 2nd, 2018

AS NEWS SPREADS AROUND THE WORLD OF CHRIS FROOME'S MASSIVE OVER THE LIMIT TEST RESULTS OF THE DRUG SALBUTOMOL, fans and haters alike want to know where is his race bag and what does he keep in it?

We took extraordinary results to contact the Froome/SKY media machine and we received the following statement.

  The contents of Mr. Froome's bag are classified.  Our team of professionals as well as Mr Froome himself are in complete control of what goes in the bag and what comes out of the bag.

  However, there are times when all of us forget what we need to pack and so we are researching the market place for a new bag for race day.

Upon reading such news, this reporter selfishly, self-servingly and shamelessly shares the following link -> https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-bags.

Like all cycling clubs and teams, Team SKY is highly encouraged to send their artwork to PEDAL Industries in for a free mock up of a RaceDay Bag (tm).  Upon doing so, Team SKY and Mr. Froome would see that each pocket of the bag is clearly labeled thereby averting a disaster the likes of these professionals now face.

Rumor has it many teams even get their first bag free.

LAST WEEK I SET A GOAL TO RIDE 20 HOURS FROM CHRISTMAS DAY TO NEW YEAR’S DAY.  I had seen the Rapha challenge 500 kilometers in the same time period.  Kilometers are a tad silly in ‘Merica, but I’d say a distance goal is even sillier.  The equivalent distance goal is about 300 miles.  For a pro, that’s 15 hours or less.  For average Joe, it’s more like 20 hours.  But if you’re a mountain biker it could be 30 hours, and if your snow bound it could be… 3 months ’till you ride outside again.

Hours are so much better.

20 hours, however, turned out to be pretty darn hard.  That’s about double what I’ve been riding.

What did it take?

First, it took a ton of time… obviously, but it’s less obvious than you think if you’re already busy.  I already work hard to carve out my ten hours.  The only way it worked is it was a light week work-wise.

It took commitment.  There were days I didn’t want to do the time.  Thursday was particularly hard, I just looked at my mountain bike arguing with myself for an hour on whether or not to go.  At that point I’d ridden 8 hours from Mon-Wed and I was tired.  But, today, New Year’s Day, was the hardest.  I was really sick of riding having ridden 18.5 hours from Mon-Sat.  To make up for spousal neglect,  I’d promised Surfergirl to take her paddle boarding first thing… we paddled 6 miles in 2 hours… heading out for the last 90 minutes of bike time was dreadful.

It required a singular focus for the week.  No time for lifting weights, which I really missed.  No time for TV.  No time for surf… and there were some good days.  No time for resting.

What did I learn?

I learned I could do the Swami’s Wednesday ride no problem even with nearly 7 hours the previous 2 days.  I learned the Bus Stop ride is a fun ride in Newport.  I learned 20 hours is too many hours in a week for me.  Even though I made every effort to ride easy it was still very tiring.  Mainly, I learned I prefer 10-12 hours.

Did I lose any weight?  Nope.  Woke up heavier today than last Monday.  NYE!

What did I gain?

Well, I’m not entirely sure.  That’s why I’m going to have to deconstruct the week with Coach Paul… stay tuned for that.

(the pic up there… that’s my shadow, about all that was left of my passion for 2 wheels.)

THE COLLEGE KIDS ARE HOME.  But, not our kids.  Our kids are gone, but their friends are down from the frozen north for New Years… and AirBrownNBrown is always open.

These kids are so fun to be around, happy and energetic and on the cusp of life.  When I graduated high school, I remember making a promise to myself not to be old.  Having young friends certainly helps.

Steven is sharing his family custom of writing down things they are ashamed of from 2017.  He blurts out… crashing out myself, my dad and my brother at LoToJa is definitely on the list!

… bike riders
and our secrets…

All of them have been willing to play a round of chess on my new magnetic board.  The best part about this is they have no idea how the game is played and I’m undefeated, #winning.

We’ll be watching YouTube Live so we can go to bed early, and they can arrive at the real party knowing how the night ends.

We’re gonna rise early with the sun,
Load up the paddle boards,
and paddle south.
It’s a New Year,
Make it count.

_______

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

170.2

EACH DAY AS I SIT DOWN TO WRITE I SEE “ENTER TITLE HERE” IN THE BLOG SOFTWARE.  Sometimes the title hits me when I wake up, others on my ride, and a few exit my brain when I see that command.

Many of your ride titles this week on STRAVA have referenced the end of the year with accents like Great Year!, Mission Accomplished!, Made My Goal of X Miles or Y Vertical.

You inspire me.  Flicking through your posts, is always motivating.

Early risers who finish at dawn.
Mid-day lunch blasts,
Snowbound Zwifters,
Young parents getting it done after bedtime.

Squeezing in the rides from Monday to Friday, often alone, staying fit and sane.  Weekends turn into rolling meet ups and life updates, and occasionally legs are ripped off… but, what are friends for?

I ride alone often, mostly on the “easy” days, at a ponderous pace.  This is precious time to reflect on how our kids are doing and if the trophy wife is becoming a bike widow (this has been a super selfish week – so yeah, guilty).  It’s also time to think through what I’m reading… and I read a lot.

This year I read more to learn than be entertained, and I think I’m better for it.  Here are the top 4: Basic Economics.  It’s a giant book that breaks down how our economy works and why it is so efficient vs a centrally planned economy.  I read two autobiographies:  Steve Jobs and  Walt Disney.  These books helped me better understand creativity and the importance of perfection.  The most profound book of the year was A Short History of Nearly Everything.  It’s hard to put into words the effect this book has had on me.  Let me try in one sentence:  whether we are here on Earth by chance or providence, our being here is fragile and miraculous.

There are a lot of good titles out there.  What’s your favorite?

_______

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

169.4

For those who prefer to watch

WELL, GOTTA SAY I’M JUST SUPER STOKED ON 2017.  We made a lot of new friends and created some new game changing products.  I hope you can feel the stoke in this video.

Ride with us tomorrow, if you’re around: https://www.strava.com/clubs/294012/group_events/256203

THERE’S NOBODY LIKE YOU GUYS.  I hear that a lot.  It’s not a huge mystery, it has a lot to do with our history.

We make stuff, and we’ve been doing it for a long time.

It’s the focus of the last 5 years on cycling that has us where we are today.  It’s saying no to the projects that take us off mission… this is much, much harder to do than it looks because those off-mission projects can be sooo profitable.  It’s staying true to cycling.  It’s creating what we want to use ourselves and not trying to compete.  It’s caring more about you and how we can best serve you.

But, that’s also the best way to bring out your ultimate cycling self.

You do it for a long time.  It takes 3 years to find out what kind of rider you are.

You focus.  You say no to activities and food that take you off mission… this aint easy, heck I’ve put on 3 lbs this month by letting my guard down.  It’s staying true to cycling.  It’s creating your vision of how you want to ride.  It’s caring more about you, not to the detriment of all other relationships and pursuits but to enhance your entire life by being the ultimate physical specimen you can be.

Without our health we are nothing.
With our health we can do anything,
If we care more.

_____

Our new website is so close I can’t even sleep any more… just days away from fully operational, I just had to post a screen shot.

Here’s the link for Tomorrow’s Ride

I’d love your thoughts on this video… y’all are awesome!

I’LL NEVER HESITATE TO INVITE A FRIEND ON A BIKE RIDE.  The part I question myself on is Will this ride be good for this friend?  As a good host, I try and match the pace and route to my friends’ abilities.  But, when I post up a ride we’re doing on social media I have no idea of the ability a rider who wants to join us possesses.

So… when Sparrow said he was joining us this morning for the jaunt down to Oceanside I was stoked to meet him in person, and hopeful he’d be able to hang on the return.

Here’s what he was getting himself into…

The ride down is about an hour and a conversational pace.  Very lovely.

At the end of Camp Pendleton we meet the Swami’s group.  This is not just any group ride, this is the fastest, mostly flat ride you’ll ever do.  Ever.  Should you venture towards the front of the 50+ riders and take a turn you’ll be lucky to pull off fast enough and have the strength to get back on at the back.  It’s common for the group to average 30 mph on the flats.  But it’s not all flat.  There are a few punchy climbs which the group will attack, trying to get rid of the chaff.  Why are they trying to get rid of you?  Because you most likely are not a Pro or a Cat 1 or a Cat 2… they are, and there are lots of them and one of you.  Got it, they aren’t trying… they are just crazy fast.

Knowing all that… when I post up a ride I try and make it sound as terrible as possible.  Because I’m a firm believer in the No Drop rule – don’t get dropped.

How’d Sparrow do? … hahaha… his ride is called Ego Check, and he got 65 Cups.  But, the real story is he hung on fine.  Got to the front a few times, went backwards so fast it reminded me of two guys parachuting and one opens the chute and disappears.  This is the cool part… he clawed his way back on each time.

This Sparrow can fly.

I asked Sparrow how long he’d been riding.  About 5 years.

How’d you get into it?  When I graduated college I was living in L.A. without a car.  I had $300, so I bought a fixie.  Then, 3 years ago I bought a road bike and really fell in love.

What did you get your degree in?  Graphic arts and Kinesiology. I work at Two Wheels One Planet and get to use my degrees doing all the graphics for the store and fitting people properly to their bikes.

That’s awesome.  Thanks.  You know what else is awesome?  

What?  The RaceDay bag.  I love it.

How’d you find out about it?  You posted it, and I had to have one.

No way.  How’d you find my post?  I follow all the guys I ride with and we rode together on Food Park.

… Is there a moral to this story?
Yes, invite people to ride with you.
Try and tear their legs off, or not.
And after swap stories.

_____

I’m still playing with the live reading…

I HAVEN’T DECIDED WHAT TO CALL THIS WEEK OF CRAMMING IN 20 HOURS ON THE BIKE:  Go Big, Go Fast?  Twensanity?  End With A Bang?… ok, I’m lying.  It just hit me:

Fatness To Fitness

Because, that’s the goal… to take that thickening winter coat and burn it off this week.  One week, to go from fatness to fitness.

Today we added a bunch of miles and vert to the TMWC.

Everyday is going to be big-ish.  I’ll post ’em here the day before.  Tomorrow is the famous Swami’s Wednesday ride… lots of big names show up on that ride.

Bonus… if you complete 20 hours from Christmas Day to New Year’s Day you get a 30% off promo code for the new HUNKR Jersey.  Join the HUNKR club so we can track your time.

_______

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

170

THE CHILDRENS ARE ALL GROWED UP.  For the first time in 30 years, I woke up on Christmas Day and went for a bike ride.  Mrs Claus was getting a little extra beauty sleep… like she needs it!… so, off I went on my two-wheeler.  The MTB seemed most appropriate.  More playful.  More options.

All the Whos in Whoville were sound asleep.  The streets were empty.
But, I was awake and my heart was full.
How could 30 years pass so fast?
When our family was little I thought it would last and last.

A Christian greeted me and the sun and the homeless,
With cookies and cocoa and a warm smile.
Good morning kind sir, How’s business?
Quite well, quite well… replied the Witness

The waves to my right swept across the sand,
memories of countless Eves of assemblin’
surfed through my soul’s twinkling eye
Of times when I played the white-bearded guy

I couldn’t pedal any more, I slowed
My heart was too full to roll on
The ride of my life is going fast,
It’s Christmas, and I believe it will last and last.

Little pressed for time on this one.

THIS IS NOT A PRODUCT REVIEW, BUT I AM GOING TO REVIEW A RECENT ACQUISITION.  Since none of our loved ones dare venture into our obsession I feel pretty safe sharing this beautiful truth on the interwebs.  Because, if you’re at all like me you already bought yourself a Christmas present…

… and you had to, right?

Who in their right mind would pay what we pay for the things we love most, not the people we love most – they are priceless – but the things.  Specifically, the bike things.

Just like I would never tell an outsider that I rode my bike 80 miles yesterday because that’s just sounds so completely insane.  It’s like riding from here to Pasadena, which I would never drive in my car unless life hung in the balance…

… I also would never, ever share with someone what I paid for my new ENVE wheels…

We have this very conspicuous consumption, in plain site, and only our secret society of cyclists has the vaguest notion of what we’re up to.

Which is exactly why when your friend/mom/dad/grandparents/sibs/coworkers ask you what you want for Christmas you say either:

I’d just like to spend time with you
or
A new shirt would be great.

NowayJose am I, or you, going to let on what we are coveting at the local bike shop.  What I am going to do… is, I’m going to sneak down there sometime this month and pick up my new ________ when nobody is looking, swap it out on my bike, and pray I don’t get busted…

… Santa knows I’ve been a very bad boy…

I snagged a pair of magic ENVE wheels from RockNRoad.  It’s a fairly long story of how these wheels found themselves on my bike.  But, hot damn, I rode ’em yesterday on Swami’s Long and…

… now pay attention y’all, this is me not reviewing the product.  Why don’t I review product?  Because I don’t believe in science, I believe in the spirit of the product -> the way it makes me feel, the way it sounds, the way it handles, even the way it looks.  Some like numbers, I like results…

I rode ’em yesterday on Swami’s Long, and for the first time ever in my 30+ attempts on that most vile ride, I made it to the store/regroup with the leaders, pinging off PR’s along the way…

… maybe I have been a good boy?
… maybe Santa knew?
… maybe ______ won’t notice?
… hopefully, you scored something too?

_____

For the non-readers

_____

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

170.2

ME AND THE BOYS HEADED DOWN TO SWAMI’S TODAY.  Swami’s is a terrible ride.  Fast, fast, fast.  But, there are a few added bonuses for guys like us.

First, I’m the only one of the 6 of us that’s done it enough to vaguely know the route.  So there’s the bonus of finding yourself at the front of the group as you rotate through and they go left while you go straight… yep, we had a rookie pull that move.

Second, not knowing who the players are you can get gapped out pretty quickly.  I spent the first half of the ride battling Team Openthegap.

Third, and this is the best one.  No respect.  You’ll get none from the regulars.    You have to fight and claw for every single position.  If you’re not careful you’ll be spit out the back wondering What happened?

And that’s what makes it so darn fun.

The battle.

If you manage to make it to the store, occasionally one of the regulars might actually – accidentally – say Nice riding bro.  But, to get that you’ll have to go full asthamafroometatcular.  There’s no other way… unless you’re actually fast.  You earned it… so way You too dude.

The other thing you earned was the rollercoaster back to the coast.  It twists and turns and rolls up and down for miles on end.  One of the funnest, fastest 20+ miles ever.

Sooooo… join us next time. (We post the rides in the Pedal Industries Strava Club).

My deets: https://www.strava.com/activities/1324654999

_____

For those of you who can’t read

Did you ride your bike today?

HEY, WHAT KIND OF BIKE DO YOU HAVE?  It came from high on the hill on the opposite side of our street.  A man, unknown to me, had yelled it.

Harmless enough?

I wasn’t so sure.  We’ve had a number burglaries in our neighborhood, and we have a few “halfway houses”.  Plus, not long ago people were being stalked on Strava after posting their amazing bike pics only to have their garages broken into.  Strava makes it so you can hide your home now, where your rides originate.  I recommend that, regardless.

Cautiously I yelled back, It’s aluminum.

No need to say I’m riding The Marvel, or Specialized, or give any hint of value.

He yelled, Pinarello Dogma.

Not, I have a Pinarello Dogma.  He knew what he was yelling was code for I’m legit.

Which followed with, We should ride some time.

Are you on Strava? I queried.

Yes.

What’s your name?

Peter Frampton (that’s not his name).

I quickly looked him up on Strava… sho ‘nuf.  He’s there.  And, I’m thinking… nice Eyetalian bike, active Strava profile…

Yeah, let’s ride some time.

I’m going for the first ride in 3 months tomorrow.  Had back surgery.  Doc cleared me today.

That’s awesome, have a great ride!

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE WATCHING THE SUNRISE.  Why sunsets are so popular escapes me.  It’s the sunrise I love.

The pre-dawn darkness that greets me and my bike lights this time of year is cold.  And, dark.  Not unfriendly, but not welcoming.  It’s me and The Marvel, and since nary a soul is up, it’s just us.

The first man and woman on earth.

Adam and Eve… kinda.

Mounted, we roll into the quiet.  In time, we see other early human shapes.  Mostly joggers.  Some walkers.  Dogs.

The air chills my cheeks, fills my lungs, and brings my brain to life.

I’m alive!… and the world sleeps.

I’m working out… and the world sleeps.

I’m invigorated… and the world sleeps.

Dawn comes.  The sky brightens.  But, before the sun shows forth there is this gigantic wave of hope that comes over me.

Hope for warmth.

Hope for things to work out well.

Hope for the sun to rise and bless us all with a beautiful new day.

_____

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

170.6

I KNOW I’M AN OKAY CLIMBER, DESCENT SPRINTER AND RIPPING DESCENDER.  I know what type of courses suit my bag of tricks.

What’s weird is I rarely work on my sprint… and a lot races come down to a sprint.

There are two parts to sprinting that I could work on:  one is science, and one is art.

The science part is pretty simple and you can do it alone.  Figure out how far you can sprint.  Then, just practice that a lot… the wind up and the knock out punch of it all.  You can lift weights and do plyometrics to build power.

But, it’s the art part that makes a winner a winner and everybody else… losers.  The art is feeling the wind, smelling the angst, sensing the posers and clawing onto the players.

The artful sprinter uses all six senses and unleashes an elegant fury at just the right moment.
Doing it with ease and calm.
All others are winded,
the artful one is the wind.

…wake up Todd, quit dreaming.  Do what you love to do, long epic rides… ride yourself into ecstasy…

… oh, wow… what a dream… which reminds me of the nightmare I have planned for Saturday:

Swami’s Long.  It’s a terrible ride.  Horrifically fast.  With fire breathing demons who give no quarter and spare nobody… specially outta towners.

Click here if you want to meet your maker.

WHATCHA GONNA WEAR TOMORROW?  Today I layered up perfect for the weather, and so I thought I should write it out for the winter is here.

>70          Jersey and Bibs, gloves optional

60-70     Jersey and Bibs, gloves

50-60     add Knee Warmers and maybe Arm Warmers

40-50     add Vest and Toe Warmers

30-40     add 2nd Jersey and Skull Cap, insulated gloves

If you use The Weather Channel be sure to check the coldest city you plan to ride through.  For us, it’s always more moderate than where we are headed.  Today it was mid-40’s, but low 30’s where we were headed.  I was super comfortable with me entire ensemble.

When it’s time to climb,
Be ready for the clime.

EYE DO DECLARE, THESE NEW OAKLEY’S ARE TRE RAD.   Eye know eye’m late to the party, BST is how I roll.  But, eye’ve finally arrived with the sweetest pair of Jawbreakers.

Why so sweet?

Eye love the massive field of view, way bigger than standard dual-lens set ups.

The full-frame wrap keeps the lens in place and protects my beautiful skin… eve’ve seen a naked lens turn into a slice-o-matic on impact.

Airflow was awesome this morning, no fog build up… plus, plus, plus more of my handsome face was covered and protected from the 34 degree wind eye battled.

Even eye can easily swap out the lenses, which means they’ll stay pristine.

And get this, the stems are adjustable for misshapen heads like mine.

K, best part ->  Eye got the polarized PRIZM lens.  Which means eye can head out early in the dark, cold, lonely morning… ride through a stunning sunrise… into a beautiful California day… with the same pair of glasses.

Wouldn’t call ’em cheap
They’re perfect for
Daybreakers and Rulebreakers

______

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

169.6

All the Ghost of Christmas Past shows me is red.  Red sells.  Red looks fast.  Red is…

RED!

My trike was red.  I remember it well.  Red paint, white stripes.  Solid rubber black wheels.  Just the thing to escape over to Jamie Figueroa’s.

My scooter was red.  It was a forerunner to the Razor.  Red platform, silver steerer.  Air filled white tires.  Stupid as it sounds, I was known as the Steve McQueen of Gnat Park.

My Big Wheel was red… I was like 14, way to old, but we’d found this giant hill planted with that crazy long grass.  First we bombed it on cardboard, but then we realized a Big Wheel was much more fun.  It lasted about a week.

My Schwinn Sting Ray started off red.  Probably put more miles on that bike than any other… rode it to school, to the store, to the beach, to my friends, to the orthodontist (hated that), to the huge drainage ditch we’d drop into and pop out of… and ride through in pitch black… and every Saturday morning to the new home construction sites with the terraced plots to jump off.  It died silver I think… we took those things apart and sanded and painted them constantly.

My Schwinn Le Tour was red.  This one was over $100, and I begged and begged for it.  I wanted to be able to ride the 8 miles from home to the tennis club, I wanted to get places.  I had no idea what “Le Tour” would come to mean later.  It was so light, and fast… even with my canvas back pack filled with tennis gear.

My final kid Christmas bike was not red.  The unicycle was silver.  I was 17, and wanted a toy.  Even though I had a red Honda Civic, I’d still ride the uni 2 miles to Sonora High School just because I could.

Pre-kids, the Trophy Wife surprised me with a red Cannondale… aluminum with giant tubes.  Rode that thing from Cat IV to Cat III.  So fun.

___

I first posted this last year,
right here.
Seemed like a good way,
to share some cheer.

____

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

169.6

YEP, IT’S TIME TO HUNKR DOWN AND HAVE YOUR BEST 100K EVER.

HUNKR IS A 100K bicycle challenge.

HUNKR IS FOR athletes focused on their personal best.

HUNKR IS NOT for winning for the sake of winning… though winning is always nice.

HUNKR IS SPECIAL because its’ a shared experience.  We all start together, race the same distance, and celebrate afterwards: great food and great awards and prizes.

HUNKR EXPOSES enthusiasts to friendly competition and reinvigorates experienced racers with a new goal – to be your best.

HUNKR IS FUNKR because when you get 5 or more friends to register as a team you have a race within a race.

HUNKR COURSES are iconic, beautiful and challenging.

HUNKR IS CHANGING bicycle racing forever.

It’s HUNKR time!

THIS REALLY HAPPENED.  Finally, after years and years and miles and miles… it happened.

How many times have a thought it would?

A gazillion.

But it never had.

There had been close encounters.  Near misses.  But no hits.

Until today…

Just before dawn, in the chilly shadows, I was riding along the bike path above Salt Creek.  Out the corner of my right eye I see a flash of white.  Then something hits my head.  There’s a golf course to my left, but nobody is that bad this early.  Plus, a golf ball would have really rung my bell.

It was a flipping seagull.

Little feller bounced off my helmet, corrected it’s flight and kept on going.

You got a long way to go Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

… now, if you follow that link you can read the plot to a famous and mostly forgotten book.  It’s worth it because of nuggets like this: begin by knowing that you have already arrived.

What else is worth it?… giving a few bucks to my favorite website, Wikipedia.

_____

HUNKR registration opens tomorrow.

169.6

I’VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST, and it works.  There’s no better time than between Christmas and New Year’s to get out and put some time in the saddle.

Here’s the challenge:  20 hrs from 12/25-1/1.

We’re doing hours vs miles, because it’s time in the saddle that counts… and that’s Time Moving, not elapsed time.

I’ll post all ride details in our Strava club.  Check that for updates and details. https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries

If you want to join us send me an email and you must post your rides on Strava and join our club.  If you email me by 12/15, you just might get a surprise for the New Year’s Ride.

You don’t have to do any of these rides to participate, but it would be fun to have you along.

So eat up, spend time with family and friends!

Here’s my itinerary:

CHRISTMAS DAY
Spin with my son Trevor. (1-2)

TUESDAY
TMWC of course… plus some extra credit then wrap up at Ellie’s Table in San Clemente. (3+)

WEDNESDAY
Ride to Oceanside with the Swami’s ride. (2-3)

THURSDAY – Special Guest speaker Paul Ruggiero will explain the training benefits after a week of training like this.
Cruise up the San Juan Trail through the campground and up to the Trabuco trailhead. (3+)

FRIDAY
Tentative… Bus Stop ride in Newport Beach. (2)

SATURDAY
Big Food Park (4+)

SUNDAY
Rest

NEW YEAR’S DAY
Ride towards the big, giant crew coming down the coast from Long Beach and ride till we’ve got the 20 hours. (?)

https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries

I KNOW IT WAS BRISK, AND I KNOW YOU WERE FEELING FRISKY, BUT THAT WASN’T A RISK… THAT WAS PURE ROOKIE MOVE.  I mean gadzooks, What were you thinking?

Was it… I know this has never worked before but I just have to try it one more time?

Or… I know this is the silliest move ever, but I really want to do this so I can get dropped sooner?

Or… ah, crud!… I’m not even going to keep listing because the reasons I would come up with would just be so ridiculous. But, not as kooky as actually doing what you done did.

I mean do it, if you’re just feeling like Superman.  Maybe you were?  No you weren’t because you dropped anchor as soon as you’d done your foolish deed.

Not me, I was dangling like a piece of dry dung on a fat cow’s swinging tail.  My jaw dropped so hard it dislocated. Surely, y’all weren’t doin’ what ya was doin’?!!

That move… it breaks my heart reliving it again… that move played right into the hands of the Monster and Red Devil.

How could you do it?

HOW

How

how…

How could you pull the those beasts up to the first breakaway in months that had a shot of breaking their stranglehold on the TMWC podium?

IT WAS A WICKED 48 DEGREES (that’s Fahrenheit for all my international readers), but when you roll out in just a jersey and bibs, in the dark… well dawgawnit, that’s pretty damn cold.

So why do my friends up the Rocky Mountain Way gotta be calling me wimpy on my STARVA feed?

I was cold enough to Turn To Stone on my bike ride, poorly dressed as I was.

At least I didn’t Walk Away.

This isn’t A Life of Illusion after all.  My toes and hands were freezin’.

Honestly fellas, Life’s Been Good… and I’m just glad you’re checking up on me.

Maybe it’ll be a Funky #49 tomorrow.

_____

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

170

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ROADS WITH NO BIKE LANES, DON’T RIDE HERE.

If you’re looking for snowy winters, don’t ride here.

If you’re don’t want to be tempted by sweet single track, don’t ride here.

If you’re not interested in fun group rides, don’t ride here.

If you don’t like riding with world class riders, don’t ride here.

If you don’t like racing down the coast with the wind at your back, don’t ride here.

If you don’t like punchy climbs with endless views, don’t ride here.

If don’t like short drives to Hor’s Categorie climbs, don’t ride here.

If you don’t want a velodrome nearby, don’t ride here.

If you don’t like being close to Felt, Shimano, 3T, Fox and the epicenter of action sports, don’t ride here.

If you don’t want to be in the best place in the world to ride bikes…

by all means…

don’t ride here.

http://pedalindustries.com/store/SAN-CLEMENTE

IN THE BEGINNING WAS DISTANCE, AND THE DISTANCE WAS GOOD.  All that mattered was distance, and distance was all that mattered.  We’d ride far, so it seemed, just to ride far.

Let there be time, and the time was good.  Time gave meaning to distance, and distance gave meaning to time.  We’d ride far, it seemed, just to see how fast we could do it.

Let there be mountains, and the mountains were good.  Mountains divided the flat land, and flat land separated the mountains.  We’d ride high, it seemed, just to see how high we could ride.

Let there be aluminum, and the aluminum was good.  Aluminum begat Titanium and Titanium begat Carbon.  We rode them all, it seemed, just to show them off.

Let there be aero, and the aero was good.  Aero was faster, and faster was aero.  We’d ride aero, it seemed, just to feel aero.

In the end, there was only time,

time it seemed,

for friends.

WE ALL WANT MORE TIME TO RIDE… this last quarter of the year we have made an effort to constrain our work time instead of letting it slice into the morning and then bleed all over the afternoon and evening.  The best thing we have done is focusing on automation.

The biggest step towards automation has been upgrading our order management software and fully integrating it with Quickbooks.  We went from complicated Excel documents to a beautiful and powerful online software.  This has saved us countless hours and allowed us to provide better service as well.

Next, was batching our email.  The automation here is to set the email to Out Of Office.  When people email for the first time they get an instant response that says “To better serve you we respond to email several times a day.  If your bike is on fire, call us.”  Then, we click Work Offline in Outlook and go through emails several times a day.  Click Work online, and the emails go out and new ones come in.  This allows us to focus on the bigger tasks of the day vs. wondering what the heck we got done at the end of the day.

Because we are constraining our work time, we all start at the same time and try and finish by the same time.  This means there is NO time for social media, hanging out, long smoke breaks, etc.  We are jamming full gas, but it’s more efficient because were all on the same program.  Get in, get it done, get out.

Working with a time constraint allows for massive action, kind of like that last day before going on vacation.  It requires real discipline.  It’s harder than it looks, but it actually allows us to be more productive.

Being more productive is a lot more fun.  It’s more of a game… trying to figure out various ways to get more done in our constrained time.

I won’t go so far as to call it play,

because that’s what we do the rest of the day.

HAVE YOU REACHED CRITICAL MASS?

Do your friends and family understand your commitment to a healthy life and having fun?

Have you blocked out time to ride X days/hours per week to ride?

Is that time sacred?

Is your diet reflective of an athlete?

Are you getting enough sleep?

Is your bike clean and properly tuned?

Do you know how to fix a flat?

How many riding buddies do you have?

Can you ride all day in your bibs and still have your special parts in good shape?

Do you have a big goal or cycling trip on the horizon?

Have you reached critical mass?

Will you ride your bike ’till you can’t ride no more?

I will.

I JUST LOVE THE CREATIVITY MOUNTAIN BIKERS HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO NAMING TRAILS.

Tonight we rode up Black Death,

Passed 6 Kids No Brains,

To Necessary Evil.

Down Car Crash,

To Ricky Bobby.

Took Butch’s Connector,

To Grinduro,

Back up Black Death and Necessary Evil,

So that we could drop into Hole In The Fence,

Took Sloppy Seconds,

To Frank and Beanz,

And down Drop It Like It’s Hot.

Then we rode the Cheetah Connector

Up to Dog Park,

Across Blue Chair

back to the office.

A typical MTB WDNSDAY with a Big Foot siting.

_____

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

169.4

ALL RIDE THIS MORNING THE TALK WAS ABOUT OUR LOCAL DOPER.  I’m going to leave his name out of it, but he is mighty fast… so, I’ll just call him MF.  From the 630am start to the pathetically late finish at 740, the words blew around the pack…

Man, this is an MF kinda day.

For sure, MF is going to get out today and smash it.

I’ll bet MF went to bed early last night, dreaming of KOM hunting.

MF isn’t a drugstore doper, he isn’t a mechanical doper, he’s a Wind Doper.  When the Santa Ana’s blow, that’s when he flies out his cave to attack STRAVA segments. No KOM is safe because MF – no doubt – prepares through the summer doldrums for days like today.

For sure he has a route laid out.

If the wind is out of the East, he’s going to seize every West facing KOM on his list.  It’s not if he’ll get the KOMs, but how many email notifications STRAVA will send.  The great howling across the county as in-boxes deliver the terrible news to the once proud is what drives his wind doping frenzy and what inspires his precise course.

And so as the bits and pieces of our once strong and valiant group washed into the finish and began chattering, all ears were filled with the legend of MF.

The uninitiated could only admire the wisdom of wind doping,

The experienced could only drift homeward…

ruined  by the Santa Anas,

… again.

IF YOU’RE LIKE I WAS, YOU HAVE A TRUSTY DUFFLE BAG FOR RACES AND RIDES.  Basically, a big open hole with a side pocket for shoes.  Everything goes in there, and depending on the importance of the race you may or may have a checklist when you pack.  Which is the reason your duffle has the potential to be the difference between success and failure.

Reason #1  Wasting cognitive energy.

The old school duffle bag may be working, but it’s also robbing you of energy.  Because after you’ve loaded it up you put it in the car or by the door only to wonder… do I have everything packed.  Well, do you?  You better check, and double-check, and triple-check…

Just like your legs only have so much energy, the same goes for that computer between your ears.  That’s why you need to sleep before a big race, and that’s why you probably perform your best work when nobody or nothing is distracting you.

Reason #2  Stress.

You arrive at your destination grab your bag and everything is a mess.  You can’t find your glasses or your gloves or your Advil or whatever it is you’re looking for.  You go through the entire contents, multiple times… and sadly there are times you can’t even find your… bibs!

Can you afford to miss a key move in a crit?  What if you react a little too late on a fast and rocky single track?  It’s hard to know, but we’ve all been there at the end of day wondering how we missed something so simple that wound up costing us the victory we were seeking.

Which is why I created the RaceDay Bag.

Because I’ve pulled my car over to go through that unsearchable mess hole and be sure everything was loaded.

Because I’ve raced in my surf trunks and a t-shirt, borrowed a sweaty and stinky helmet, raced with one glove, purchased $350 shoes halfway to Leadville, etc.

Because I’ve returned from the big day and found my nasty bibs smothering the inside of my helmet.

With the RaceDay Bag, 6 clearly marked and separate pockets act as a check list.  All my gear is easy to locate when I need it or just want to be sure I have it.

My mental energy is saved for the fun stuff, the racing and riding.

I have no stress, because I know I have all my gear and it’s easy to find.

Learn more: http://pedalindustries.com/store/raceday-bags

I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN A DAY OFF.

My body, mind and soul need rest,
and I find a walk to be best.

Each step,
massages my feet.

Each step,
eases my mind.

Each step,
cleanses my soul.

No riding, no shopping, no working… not a disconnect,

but, a reconnect.

With myself, my family, my friends

on the sands of our town.

THE STORY OF I.M. SMOKED IS A SHORT ONE.  It begins on a beguiling Saturday in December, 2017.

Why was it beguiling?

Because, December in Southern California is a beautiful time of year to go for a bike ride:  the air is clear and crisp, the sunrise is a little later and the roads are tourist-free.  The short days mean there’s pent up energy and fitness for the weekend.

Because, I.M. had a particularly rough week.  There was work stress and family stress that needed to be released… and what could be better than a spin with the posse?

And so it began.

The weekly Big Loop, 80 miles and 4000′ of vert.

It started with the fellas riding to meet the Food Park group ride,  I.M. and the others moved along at a good clip up the coast.  The ocean on the left, the mountains on the right.  Normally I.M. would wheel suck all the way up, but not today.  Today I.M. was feeling frisky and leading the charge.

The 19 minute majestic ascent to the top of the world was chopped to 17 minutes… PRs for I.M.

Now the Food Park group ride isn’t just any group ride:  it’s the most nastiest, the most adrenalinist, the most elbowrubbingist group ride in the county… maybe the state.  It started out tame enough this fine morning until the group hit the new Tesla To Tesla Loop.

Previously, Tesla to Church was the most terrible 3 mile segment known to man.  It’s not steady, it’s pitchy and will pop a rider off the back quicker than a finger-tweezing teenager in front of a mirror.  Terrible, terrible, terrible…

Tesla To Tesla is a whole other kinda terrible:  11 miles with 500′ of gain and a surgey group averaging 25mph.

But, I.M. was still chugging… and truth be told, this is the perfect loop to fit I.M.’s weak super-powers.  The runaway train up the canyon was shedding cabooses over every bump, pitch and turn… until it was just the big engine from CBS Cycling and a couple of little engines that could, including I.M.  Steam was shooting straight up and bolts were flying off, but they were clear… long gone.

It was the kind of glory only a cyclist in need can appreciate,

Just a few moments at the front of the train,

With the lead cars,

Taking pulls.

_____

Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

170

MY SON STOPPED BY TONIGHT ON HIS WAY HOME FROM SANTA MONICA TO HIS IN-LAWS IN TEMECULA FOR A GAME OF CHESS.  I said Bring it on, I’ve been playing the best players in the world on Chess.com since you moved and I’m ready to whack you.

That’s the kind of love we share… he drives out of his way to console me and I want to give him a beat down.

There are a number of weaknesses in my BeatMySonAtChess Training Program:

1.  I’m playing 10 minute chess, so my moves aren’t too well thought out because we are rushing.

2.  In 10 minute chess you can win just be having more men left when time runs out.

3.  I rarely win.  Mostly I get annihilated by faceless players in the ether, learning nothing in the process.

And that’s why virtual playing is virtually worthless… because my son is a very strategic thinker, with lots of patience, and he can read me like a book when I think I’ve got him cornered.

Tonight he won 2 out of 3 games… which sounds better than he won the two games we played.  He told me to take solace in having a smart kid… I never get that kind of wisdom on the app.

If you’re going to be good at racing your bicycle, get out and race.

Zwift is convenient.

Strava is social.

Racing is real.

TO GET FAST, you have to ride slow.

Slow down.

Slower.

Softly pedal.

Let your legs spin smooth and free.

Beach-cruisers cruise by.

Skaters skate by.

Walkers walk by.

Peace.

Power.

Strength.

Flow in…

… and then you’re free to soar,

forever more.

Bye Dad.

WANT TO SEE SOMETHING REALLY COOL?… Go shave your legs.

The lower leg is easy, peasy.  Just go crazy, whipping that blade quickly up and down.

The upper leg is pretty simple to.  You can see 80% of it, and what you can’t see is smooth with no sharp points – like the shin or achilles.

But those knees… oh boy!

Shaving the knees is so revealing.  Here you can kinda get a grasp at how marvelous our bodies are:  there’s the knee cap that seems to sink as you straighten your leg and rise as you bend it… trying to shave this area is tricky, yet I’ve never nicked myself there.  The skin in this area is so pliable and wonderful.

I prefer the shower shave, but when I was a newb I was a bath shaver.

I don’t always shave my legs, but when I do…

… I shave in awe.

SO, I’VE BEEN LIFTING WEIGHTS AT 6AM 2-3 TIMES A WEEK, M-W-F.  Here’s what I know so far:

My muscles are very tired the day after… but less tired if I can get in an afternoon spin the same day I lift.

I’m climbing seated more.  I think that’s due to all the hamstring, butt, back and core work… but it could just be that I’m too tired to stand.

I feel very stable and powerful in an aero position, going all out in group rides.

I’m stronger, definitely.  I’m lifting more weight than when I started, which isn’t saying much… but it’s true, I’ve maxed out my dumbbell set.

I’m spinning more, but I think that’s the soreness.

My endurance seems to be increasing.

I’m not too big on data.  I don’t use a power meter.  My battery in the heart rate monitor died, so I’m not tracking that either.  It’s all just anecdotal so far… except, I’m definitely a pound or 2 lighter.

What I still want to learn, is the best way to do the big Tuesday and Saturday rides I love and keep incorporating the weight lifting?

Time to see Kal.

IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO PLAN A GREAT RIDE.  This year I really wanted to ride Eric’s BLACK FRIDAY ride – 97k of country roads.  But, it just wasn’t in the cards.

Stuff happens.

And, it may happen again.

But, what I’ve found is if it gets on the calendar it’s likely to happen… and epic rides like Eric’s Black Friday need to be on the calendar as early as possible.

So, there… I’ve planned my last big ride for 2018, Black Friday.

The first big ride will most likely be the Santa Barbara Road Race.

Then, HUNKR OC in March.

April is gonna be big:  Sea Otter, San Luis Rey Road Race, and possibly Whiskey 50.

May will be CBR.

June will be HUNKR GMR.

July is always the unOFFICIAL TMWC.

Maybe, just maybe, September will be LoToJa.

November the final HUNKR of the 2018 series.

I love having big stuff on the calendar.  It keeps me looking forward and keeps me taking care of my body.

Basically, the big stuff makes the small stuff easy…

… and the small stuff makes success at the big stuff more likely…

… like burning off the stuffing and pie.

I HEARD A FUNNY TERM ON THE ASK A CYCLING COACH PODCAST: DAD SPEED.

Dad Speed is what happens to racers when the kids come along.  Your slower because cycling is suddenly a lot lower on the priority list.

Single Speed, was in the 20’s for me… and I won a lot of races.

Newlywed Speed was fast, too.

1 Kid Speed, I was still riding with the crew and racing occasionally.

2 and 3 Kid Speed, I still rode socially and tried to stay fit… but I gained weight with every pregnancy.

Teenage Kid Speed, I put that blubber to use and snagged a couple of stars and bars jerseys racing Super-D.

Empty-Nester Speed, has been really fun… there’s so much cycling information to read and listen and learn from, the schedule is mostly wide open, and the CoCo Puffs are gone from the pantry.

Whatever the speed, enjoy the ride.

THERE’S A LOT OF ANGST ABOUT THE INTERWEBS RUINING THE PHYSICAL WORLD, but it aint all bad.

Check it out.  We’ve been building two amazing group rides: one for about a year (Big Food Park), and one for 15 years (TheTMWC).  Both have them have grown because of the digital connections we can make.  Both Facebook and Strava make it easy to share what’s happening in a group, who’s part of the group, and encourage us to join groups.

For us cyclists, this is really cool.  We can find rides and be included in groups of like-minded bike addicts.  We can easily give each other digital high-fives, share pictures and videos, and include news and comments germane to us.

Are Facebook and Strava altruistic?  Not really.  They are making money off the service they provide.  But, I’m down with that because we are making lasting real-world friendships and connections.

This morning Brennan joined us for the first time..

Hey, I’m Todd.

I’m Brennan.

Nice to meet ya.  How’d you hear about our ride?

On Strava.

… and that’s pretty cool.

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Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

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I GOT WAXED TODAY, NOT THAT KIND… my bike got a brand new, waxed chain from WEND.  I picked up the chain when I ran into Ryan Dahl at the Swami’s team meeting.  He had a handful of his newest creation and I had to have it.  Why, because waxed is faster… watts faster.

He only had a few chains.

They aren’t even available on the website, so I can’t even tell you how to get one.

What I can tell you is this… my chain is a top of the line SRAM chain, professionally stripped and waxed at the WEND factory then shrink-wrapped and sealed.

With some assistance from my friend Jon, we cut the chain to the proper length… It had been a while since I cut a chain and I was a little hesitant, but I’ve decided it’s time to start being more self-sufficient with my wrenching and asked for some help.

Ryan told me it takes a good ride to break in the chain, so I spun 25 miles around town.

One thing I noticed right off is how quiet the chain runs.  It’s nearly silent.

What does a waxed chain promise… 2-5 watts in power saved, or 15 seconds in a 40k TT.

Do I need it?… I need every advantage I can find… Don’t you?

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Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

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TODAY I’M THANKFUL FOR HUBS.  Hubs are the center of the wheel.  They are the things that connect all the spokes and actually makes a wheel a wheel.  Without hubs, we wouldn’t get anywhere on a bike.

There are 3 hubs I’m particularly grateful for:

Our family… the five in our little tribe, my 7 siblings, 3 parents, 4 grandparents, gazillion cousins, and the awesome in-laws.  It’s always a party, even when it’s just two of us.

Our company… we all get along great, work very hard, inspire each other, and in the process make products we love to share with our amazing cycling community.

My friends… my friends make me smile.

What hubs are you thankful for?

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Do you recognize the hub above?

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Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

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HOW THANKFUL WILL YOU BE ON FRIDAY?  I know you’ll be grateful tomorrow, you’ll probably post some cool pics with the family out playing or around the table.  Lots of us will head to someone kind soul’s home who is willing to host the feast.  The rest of us will bring all kinds of goodies… I’m holding out for the trophy wife’s scalloped potatoes.

In the morning, we will get out and ride our bikes… sometimes really far.  A good portion of my family will do a Turkey Trot, or go for hike, or a surf session.  When we get together, it’s likely there will be some sort of Turkey Bowl where it’s also likely there will be some over stretched hamstrings… we’ve even had an achilles tendon burst.

Then we’ll eat, and talk, and eat, and talk, and eat, and talk… such good and wonderful feelings will be flowing and sharing.

BUT, there’s a good chance that when I jump on the scale Friday morning I’ll be 5 pounds heavier…

… and, I’ll be really grateful Thanksgiving only comes around once a year…

… I hope you’ll join me in a belt-bursting manner, too…

… we’ll all be so grateful!

#gobbletillyouwobble

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Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

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IT WASN’T REALLY THAT COLD THIS MORNING, BUT IT WAS COLD ENOUGH TO SLUR WORDS.

Brett asked, Where’s Bob Frosty?

Who’s Bob Frosty?

(It’s kinda early for Christmas… well not really… but still, who or what is Bob Frosty?)

Is that the Snowman’s name?

No, you know who I’m talking about… the guy in the red.

In the red?… that’s Santa Claus, not Bob Frosty.

What are you talking about Santa Claus… are we doing a Christmas ride?

No, it’s Thanksgiving this week… and we might do the Harding Turkey Climb.

Yeah, he’s the guy that can climb super fast.

Santa?

No, Steve Bobrofsky.  Where is he?

RACING MAKES YOU A BETTER RIDER, ALWAYS.  Let me show you just one simple way.  Tonight I picked up my spanking new frame – more on that later… it’s so purty.  The shop put my parts back on, but I still needed to mount a few things:  the Garmin, the RaceRepair Bag, and the lights.  Once pedaling, I realized my rookie mistake.

My headlight was pointed down at too sharp of an angle.

I see this mistake all the time this time of year.  Guys are riding with the beam of the light pointed about 5′ in front of the front wheel.  It looks great in the garage, it’s terrible when you’re up to speed.  How terrible?… Well, check it out what Kyle calculates:

At 20 miles an hour you travel 29.33 feet per second.

20mph is nothing on a road bike.  Most days I come back with a max speed approaching 50 miles an hour.  If your beam is pointing straight down you have no time to react to any road garbage you’re likely to find.

But, there’s another huge advantage to pointing your beam down the road.

A beam that is pointed down will not show you any shadows.  Shadows are what give you depth perception when it’s dark.  So, if you point that beam farther ahead you’ll get a much better feel of the terrain.  On a road bike you’re good with one solid light.

I learned all this racing mountain bikes through the night.

On a mountain bike, you much better off with two lights.

My preference is a very powerful wide beam, mounted as low as possible on the bike.  This will light up the terrain and cast all kinds of shadows.  The second beam is a helmet light.  I want this light to be more of a spot light, with a weaker beam than the light on the bike.  This spot light allows me to see around corners on single track sooner by turning my head quicker than the handle bars which typically lag.  Keeping the beam power down and concentrated on the helmet light allows me to keep seeing all those shadows which so I can quickly adjust to fast changing terrain.

You’ve been enlightened… now go ride your bike Grasshopper.

PETER AND SEAN SPLIT OFF FROM OUR GROUP AT DIFFERENT TIMES THIS MORNING.  Each had the same sentiment upon parting, it’s one I share… often, not just on bike rides.

Which way are you heading?

Wherever my bike wants to go.

Peter explained that having no plan is a great way to get to know a city.  He’s totally right about that.  He also shared that sometimes you find something cool… a view or shop of some sort… only to realized you can’t get there the same way by car.

Roads are awesome and efficient, but they also determine the only way you’re going to see the city or the country side.  The paths our ancestors laid down, have become wagon trails and then dirt roads and then paved roads and in some cases highways.

And so, we go on seeing the world as they saw it.

We climb Palomar from the South side or the East side, but we’ll never climb it on a bike from the Southeast because there is no road or trail.  Sometimes that’s a great thing, sometimes it’s quite stale.

It is what it is… just remember that it is because someone did it that way first.

I’m reminded of this as I’m guided through the history of science in Bill Bryson’s book, The Short History of Nearly Everything.  Standout thinkers, such as Newton, ruled thought for generations until a better thinker came along and gave us a new way to understand just what’s going on here.

It is what it is… just remember that it is because someone figured it out that way first.

Which is why it is so fun to go wherever your bike goes… down a sidewalk and through an alley, on a bike trail to secret beach, and so on… you’re guaranteed to find something most of your friends will never know.

It is what it is… because you figured it out, and now it’s all yours.

One of the things I figured out once was what a pleasant place Kaylani’s is to hang out after a bike ride.  The ocean breeze is fresh.  An occasional train rolls through picking up and dropping off people so different from me in my lycra.  Inside, you’ll find a very non-corporate, non-cookie-cutter experience:  coffee and pastries and weird “energy” bars and shave-ice.

It is what it is… because a local family figured out just the things people like me and beachgoers are searching for.

If you don’t go wherever the bike wants to go you risk only see the world through a cars eyes.  And sometimes, these treasures like Kaylani’s disappear forever.

It is what it is… let’s just hope Starbucks doesn’t move in.

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Save the dates:  HUNKR 3/17, 6/9, 11/10 – TMWC 7/10

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