Keep in mind he has no brakes on his bike:
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Snow Biking Pix
Pix from the excursion this weekend-
snowy and windy enough to bust out the old ski goggles:
untracked...
tracked...
Burly Surly Nate Tread!
getting a little deeper as I climbed the trail up
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Snow In The Hood
Saturday provided some great riding. There was about 3 inches of fresh snow in some areas and it was pretty much all about laying down fresh tracks ALL day! I rode from the house and hooked into some little dirt trails that parallel roads out to Thompson Park. The snow bike was definitely in its element and and the Surly Nate Tires were gobbling up the fresh and creating sweet nectar tracks along the way.
Once I got up to Thompson, it started to snow heavily for about 30 minutes and then the little system I was in cleared up and made for great riding. The riding was hard and it took a lot of work to get up some of the hills around Thompson but it was worth the serenity of having the trails to myself as the fresh snow just seemed to absorb all the sound. It felt like it was my own little playground with the only limiter being fitness. It was one of those days where the fitness level would cut what could have been an endless day, short.
ride info:
Once I got up to Thompson, it started to snow heavily for about 30 minutes and then the little system I was in cleared up and made for great riding. The riding was hard and it took a lot of work to get up some of the hills around Thompson but it was worth the serenity of having the trails to myself as the fresh snow just seemed to absorb all the sound. It felt like it was my own little playground with the only limiter being fitness. It was one of those days where the fitness level would cut what could have been an endless day, short.
ride info:
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Backwards Temp Trending
I woke up to 31 degrees this morning and immediately started to wonder how warm it was going to get today. I started contemplating what areas would be best for riding the snow bike as it warmed up during the day. Fast forward 30 minutes and the temps are down to 28 and it is snowing. These whacky temp changes that seem to trend the wrong way seem to not be totally infrequent this time of year (is that some sort of double negative - or pseudo double negative?). Needless to say it changes the game plan for where to ride.
The good news is that snow + snow bike = snowy goodness....so time to rally around figuring out where to go ride today. The plan is to get a couple of 'longer' rides in this weekend in prep for the Togwotee next weekend. The hope of gaining any fitness between now and then is futile which just means it will be time to lose the pull-up diapers and put on the big boy pants next Saturday and pony up in order to pay the price of not putting in much saddle time so far. The good thing about no apparent saddle fitness is there is no fear of having to taper - so one less variable to have to think about.
The good news is that snow + snow bike = snowy goodness....so time to rally around figuring out where to go ride today. The plan is to get a couple of 'longer' rides in this weekend in prep for the Togwotee next weekend. The hope of gaining any fitness between now and then is futile which just means it will be time to lose the pull-up diapers and put on the big boy pants next Saturday and pony up in order to pay the price of not putting in much saddle time so far. The good thing about no apparent saddle fitness is there is no fear of having to taper - so one less variable to have to think about.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Surly Nate Review 2
My first review of the knobbiness that is the Surly Nate tire was shortly after I had put them on the bike. I wanted to do a follow up review based on putting more miles on them and riding them in more conditions.
These bad boys have some serious bite to them! They really do excel in snow conditions. They maintain great traction in different snow conditions and they shed snow well enough such that the tires don't clump up - they generally clean themselves while riding as the knobs are spaced out far enough so the snow/mud does not collect..
They will even handle up to 18 inches of fresh snow! The snow was 'wet' but none the less I was amazed that they held a line and traction as well as they did in the deep stuff. The disclaimer here is that this was flat terrain. There is not much any tire can do in that deep snow at an incline.
When riding the Larry's on the rear I noticed that once you spun out, it was next to impossible to regain traction. With the Nates, the knobs (teeth) on the side & the V's on the tires hook right back up and will hold their line pretty well and also help in getting you out of trouble and back on your line. It definitely allows for more corrections if you get off line or start to spin out. A subtle adjustment in body position (weighting the rear tire or minor bunny hop to get through that section) will get you out of hike a bike mode.
One of the biggest differences I have noticed is how you can be more aggressive on turns with the Nates on. The Nates will not spin out and you can really pick a line and more or less hold it with out feeling like your tires will wash out. This obviously depends on speed, type of snow, acuteness of corner, etc...but all things being even the Nates excel compared to the Endo's or Larry's. A more confident rider also means a happier rider which seems like a win win all around....'Winning'
The only downside I have found with these tires is the rolling resistance if you take them on anything hard packed like dirt or road. The little riding I did on the road felt like resistance training on a stationary bike. The bike rolled but you had to work hard to keep the momentum going. The major peripheral bennie to this??? well besides the 'weight training' the coolness factor of the big rubber rolling on the road....the tires sound like a car! and the likelihood of running into more people while pedaling around town will get you some looks of bewilderment, bemusement, double takes, triple takes, comments like 'sweet ride bro', 'yeah doggggie', 'Wow, look at those tires!'....so the rolling resistance and weight training are offset by the coolness factor -
Here is to raising a glass to the rubber madness that is the Nate's.....
These bad boys have some serious bite to them! They really do excel in snow conditions. They maintain great traction in different snow conditions and they shed snow well enough such that the tires don't clump up - they generally clean themselves while riding as the knobs are spaced out far enough so the snow/mud does not collect..
They will even handle up to 18 inches of fresh snow! The snow was 'wet' but none the less I was amazed that they held a line and traction as well as they did in the deep stuff. The disclaimer here is that this was flat terrain. There is not much any tire can do in that deep snow at an incline.
When riding the Larry's on the rear I noticed that once you spun out, it was next to impossible to regain traction. With the Nates, the knobs (teeth) on the side & the V's on the tires hook right back up and will hold their line pretty well and also help in getting you out of trouble and back on your line. It definitely allows for more corrections if you get off line or start to spin out. A subtle adjustment in body position (weighting the rear tire or minor bunny hop to get through that section) will get you out of hike a bike mode.
One of the biggest differences I have noticed is how you can be more aggressive on turns with the Nates on. The Nates will not spin out and you can really pick a line and more or less hold it with out feeling like your tires will wash out. This obviously depends on speed, type of snow, acuteness of corner, etc...but all things being even the Nates excel compared to the Endo's or Larry's. A more confident rider also means a happier rider which seems like a win win all around....'Winning'
The only downside I have found with these tires is the rolling resistance if you take them on anything hard packed like dirt or road. The little riding I did on the road felt like resistance training on a stationary bike. The bike rolled but you had to work hard to keep the momentum going. The major peripheral bennie to this??? well besides the 'weight training' the coolness factor of the big rubber rolling on the road....the tires sound like a car! and the likelihood of running into more people while pedaling around town will get you some looks of bewilderment, bemusement, double takes, triple takes, comments like 'sweet ride bro', 'yeah doggggie', 'Wow, look at those tires!'....so the rolling resistance and weight training are offset by the coolness factor -
Here is to raising a glass to the rubber madness that is the Nate's.....
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
MC Phattie
To quote some Peaches and Herb 'Re-united and it feeeeeeels sooooo goooood'
El Phattie was back in its element, riding on the fresh white stuff and providing miles of smiles. It was a good day to be out on the bike and laying down some fresh tracks. Just call me 'MC Phattie' YO'
The snow was relatively good for riding although laying down freshies meant more work as the tires rolled through the unpacked snow. The railroad tracks were in decent shape and the singletrack was unscathed until the 4 inch wide Nates threw down their tread and marked their territory like an un-neutered alpha dog.
I was out for about 3 hours and felt pretty whooped at the end of the ride. The first tracks are always the hardest and yesterday's ride was no exception. It was some tough biking but as Marilyn Manson mentioned when making his video 'Beautiful People', sometimes you must suffer to make a thing of beauty....and yes those tracks are a thing of beauty!
The best part of having done all that work yesterday is that I hope to reap the bennies throughout the week this week. The days are getting longer and the temps are moderate so heading out after work with some night lights will be the plan for play this week....
post-holing in the unpacked snow....
bike tire on the packed trail (from the snowshoe pack down beat fest the day before), while the calf/foot are in the un-packed.....
mmmmm - tastes great.....
tastes great.....less filling.....tastes great.....less filling
the tracks are from snowshoeing the same trail the day prior
btw - when was the last time you saw Peaches and Herb & Marilyn Manson mentioned int he same blog entry?
El Phattie was back in its element, riding on the fresh white stuff and providing miles of smiles. It was a good day to be out on the bike and laying down some fresh tracks. Just call me 'MC Phattie' YO'
The snow was relatively good for riding although laying down freshies meant more work as the tires rolled through the unpacked snow. The railroad tracks were in decent shape and the singletrack was unscathed until the 4 inch wide Nates threw down their tread and marked their territory like an un-neutered alpha dog.
I was out for about 3 hours and felt pretty whooped at the end of the ride. The first tracks are always the hardest and yesterday's ride was no exception. It was some tough biking but as Marilyn Manson mentioned when making his video 'Beautiful People', sometimes you must suffer to make a thing of beauty....and yes those tracks are a thing of beauty!
The best part of having done all that work yesterday is that I hope to reap the bennies throughout the week this week. The days are getting longer and the temps are moderate so heading out after work with some night lights will be the plan for play this week....
post-holing in the unpacked snow....
the tracks are from snowshoeing the same trail the day prior
Sunday, February 19, 2012
El Phattie Trail Prep
Mother Nature brought us some freshie white stuff yesterday and that meant it was time to dust off the snowshoes and hit the local trails to help pack them down a bit. It had been a few weeks since I had been up there so it was time well spent going up, walking the dogs and packing down snow.
All of the work to pack the trails down well back in November has paid off later in the year. The payoff is not having to pack the snow down as aggressively as there is already a good base. You can really tell where the trail has been packed down from prior snowshoe outings that we made up there. If you get off trail, the snow is much softer and much deeper.
It was actually deep enough in places that the dogs were up to there chests in snow. They were having a blast and enjoying being out on a long walk. The funny thing is the younger pup was out in front trail blazing and exploring while the wiser older pup stayed behind me and reaped the benefits of a nicely packed down trail from snowshoeing. They still got a great workout from working hard chasing a few select scents.
Friday, February 17, 2012
NPR Tiny Desk Series - Red Baraat
I can't quite put my finger on it, but I like it! It is definitely a little funkier than I was expecting and a nice way to wrap up a crazy week of re-adjusting and getting used to some trainer time again.
Friday Phunk Dosage.....
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Back In The Swing
It always seem to take a few days to settle back into a regular cadence at home after returning from being away for a while. Things are settling back down and it probably won't be until this upcoming weekend until things return more or less back to normal.
Unfortunately the time crunch (and shorter days) has not allowed for much outdoor riding but I have managed to get on the trainer and get the legs spinning again. It always takes more motivation to get on the trainer but sometimes it is a necessary evil if you want to carry some fitness into spring.
Weather permitting, the plan it to get out on the phattie this weekend and log some saddle time. Until that outdoor action comes, the mind will just have to find a way to motivate to hop on the trainer for another day or two...I see some Sufferfest training vids in my future...ohh the crystal ball is so clear sometimes.
Unfortunately the time crunch (and shorter days) has not allowed for much outdoor riding but I have managed to get on the trainer and get the legs spinning again. It always takes more motivation to get on the trainer but sometimes it is a necessary evil if you want to carry some fitness into spring.
Weather permitting, the plan it to get out on the phattie this weekend and log some saddle time. Until that outdoor action comes, the mind will just have to find a way to motivate to hop on the trainer for another day or two...I see some Sufferfest training vids in my future...ohh the crystal ball is so clear sometimes.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Monkey Swing
Bored Climbers + Rigging + Climbing Ropes + Monkey Face Smith Rocks = Monkey Face King Swing
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Essploding Phatties
My Valentine's Day stream of consciousness to El Phattie:
The world of Phatties is on the cusp of smashing into mainstream consciousness. As I boned up on the world of el phatties I started to think that all bikers MUST already know about these crazy obese freaky bikes. Little did I know how way off base that train of thought was.
My point of reference became my own little world where I immersed myself into learning about the world of Phatt. The reality is that these rare beasts are creating a buzz and that buzz has not yet entered the vast majority of the biker world's radar. This became apparent to me as I was in Denver and chatted with a couple of different bike shops specifically about phatties.
Many of the bike shops did not even know who the players were in terms of manufacturing. It was a good reality to check of what becomes the norm for one person is far from other people's periphery. Generally the world of phatties are like an urban myth (or perhaps more like rural myth) where there have been alleged sightings and everyone seems to be absolutely hooked on getting their hands on one of these elusive beasts. But as with most myths, there is a lot of thirst for more knowledge and this thirst can really on be fulfilled once they are part of your quiver.
I highly recommend making these unique cult a personalities part of your riding arsenal...after all, they like to see others like them out there or else they start getting a little sensitive about their general 'el gordita-ness'....they are rather ummmmm 'Rubens-esque'.
Here is to raising a glass in honor of all you phattie addicts! Keep on pushing the phattie envelope as we all gain.
The world of Phatties is on the cusp of smashing into mainstream consciousness. As I boned up on the world of el phatties I started to think that all bikers MUST already know about these crazy obese freaky bikes. Little did I know how way off base that train of thought was.
My point of reference became my own little world where I immersed myself into learning about the world of Phatt. The reality is that these rare beasts are creating a buzz and that buzz has not yet entered the vast majority of the biker world's radar. This became apparent to me as I was in Denver and chatted with a couple of different bike shops specifically about phatties.
Many of the bike shops did not even know who the players were in terms of manufacturing. It was a good reality to check of what becomes the norm for one person is far from other people's periphery. Generally the world of phatties are like an urban myth (or perhaps more like rural myth) where there have been alleged sightings and everyone seems to be absolutely hooked on getting their hands on one of these elusive beasts. But as with most myths, there is a lot of thirst for more knowledge and this thirst can really on be fulfilled once they are part of your quiver.
I highly recommend making these unique cult a personalities part of your riding arsenal...after all, they like to see others like them out there or else they start getting a little sensitive about their general 'el gordita-ness'....they are rather ummmmm 'Rubens-esque'.
Here is to raising a glass in honor of all you phattie addicts! Keep on pushing the phattie envelope as we all gain.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Semblance of Normalcy
The past couple of weeks have been crazy busy and hectic but as will most hectic spikes, they tend to not last forever...alas, some breathing room. I was in Denver for a couple of weeks trying to work the regular job and trying to get things done after work. Unfortunately it meant little to no ride time since most waking hours were accounted for.
Here is to remedying that abberation in the riding schedule as of late - time to get back on plan and get good and proper scared for having signed up for the HC hundie and the TransRockies...DOH...also need to find some legs to try to finish the upcoming Togwotee Winter Classic on the phattie....where is all the time going?
Here is to remedying that abberation in the riding schedule as of late - time to get back on plan and get good and proper scared for having signed up for the HC hundie and the TransRockies...DOH...also need to find some legs to try to finish the upcoming Togwotee Winter Classic on the phattie....where is all the time going?
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Denver SnOMG
Denver was just recently hit with about 12-17 inches of snow which made for prime phattie riding around town. I brought the gordita snow bike down and mother nature smiled kindly on el phattie it snowed and snowed and snowed for about 2 days creating awesome opportunities for urban snow riding.
The gordita tires were hungry for the white stuff and it made for a couple days of super fun riding around D-land:
The gordita tires were hungry for the white stuff and it made for a couple days of super fun riding around D-land:
