tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90015192968461341842024-03-13T02:58:08.984-04:00Tall Tree Cycles Ride LogWhere Long Rides Become Tall TalesMatt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.comBlogger401125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-71167165463271029392013-06-26T22:18:00.001-04:002013-06-28T14:36:24.390-04:00We'v launched the new blog! <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.talltreecycles.ca/blog">http://www.talltreecycles.ca/blog</a></span>Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-16264184522514492222013-06-18T22:10:00.002-04:002013-06-24T19:19:16.392-04:00Raffle Tickets are Available to All!<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">UPDATE:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"> Due to a high volume of raffle ticket sales, I switched to drawing actual names, not numbers. Many were on hand at the BBQ to receive their prizes, and the rest have been emailed directly. If you've not received an email, and were not present, better luck next time.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">M</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">=============================</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Raffle tickets for the Ride of the Damned can be purchased by anyone on the <b><a href="http://sportrecon.com/2013/RotD">reg site</a></b>! Alternatively, you can email me $ for tickets (msurch@gmail-dot-com). They are going for 5 for $10, 10 for $20, and 25 for $50. Winners do not have to be on site to win. The idea is to raise as much as we can for Julian, Vanessa, and Reya, so don't be shy!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">The raffle will go down at 5pm on Sunday. Winning tickets held by people who are not present will be announced here and on the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RIdeOfTheDamned">FaceBook</a></b> page. Prizes that are not claimed within 5 days will be given away via a draw of all the event's participants. Hang onto your tickets until you hear or see the winning numbers!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Here's the list of great prizes as it stands, thanks to the generous donations from our fabulous sponsors! </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: Aller, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', tahoma, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Bridgehead Gift Pack - courtesy of Bridgehead, Second Avenue - Caron Cheng; Summer Nesrellah </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Brodie Romulus frame (53cm) - courtesy of Brodie - Jenn Adams</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Chris King Rasta Headset - courtesy of Tall Tree Cycles - Allan Cameron</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">PRO Tools - courtesy of PRO:</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Chain Tool - Sean Ralph</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Mini-tool - Jamie McCabe</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">BB Tool - Chris Mullington</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Cassette Tool - Jay Heins</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Kona Longboard - courtesy of Kona - Peter Plaunt</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Timbuktu Tool Roll full of Filzer and Orontas - courtesy of MEC - Rob Orange</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Axiom Kompressair G200A Floor Pump - courtesy Axiom - Tim Douglas </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Specialized Trail MTB Shoes (42) - courtesy of Tall Tree Cycles - WILL REDRAW</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">JMB Musette - courtesy of James Brooks - Rob Parniak</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Bell Helmets (4) - courtesy of McCrank's Cycles</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Green - Rob Orange</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Silver - Jay Heins</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Black/red - Louise Hine-Schmidt</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Black - Sheri Jay</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Pair of Dugast Pipistrello 32mm tubulars - courtesy of The Cyclery - David Wright</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Pair of Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels with tires - courtesy of Mavic/OGC/Dave Shirley - Rob Orange</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Modrobes base layer - courtesy of Phat Moose Cycles - Kevin Fields</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Topeak mini pump - courtesy of Phat Moose Cycles - Tim Douglas</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Vega Gift Pack - courtesy of Vega and Liquid Nutrition - Rob Orange</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">$25 Gift Certificate for Rainbow Foods - Sean Ralph</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Stand Up Paddle Lesson for 2 - courtesy of Brent Schmidt - Marc Boudreau</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Stevens socks x3 - courtesy of Peter Metuzals - Rob Orange</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Fox Racing Umbrella - courtesy of OGC/Dave Shirley - Jamie Hopkins</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">1 hr Massage Therapy - courtesy of Angus Henry - Jamie McCabe</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Park Tools Sweater - courtesy of Espresso Sports - Ian Austen</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Specialized Jersey - courtesy of Espresso Sports - Dawn Prichard</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Stevens Socks x3 - courtesy of Peter Metuzals - Rob Orange</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Stand Up Paddle lesson for 2 - courtesy of Brent Schmidt - Marc Brazeau</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">1 Hour Massage Therapy -courtesy of Angus Henry, RMT - Jamie McCabe</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Liquid Nutrition Gift Card - Erwin Baertschi ; Andy Brown</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;" /><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: AllerBold, arial; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Wheelers Jersey - courtesy of the Wheelers - Lisa Meyer</span>Photos are up on the FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/RIdeOfTheDamned</strong></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"><br /></span>Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-44714176774215164842013-06-12T20:28:00.000-04:002013-06-15T16:25:52.725-04:00Mississippi Mills Grand Prix: Plan, Execute, Win?<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Things are hotting up as we approach the Ride of the Damned on the 23rd, and <b><a href="http://sportrecon.com/events/25-champlain-s-folly-cyclosportif">Champlain's Folly</a></b> on July 14th. For those who don't know, I am part of the organizing team for the Folly. I hope you all will join us for both events! But this post is about dorky racing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Have you ever seen these <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWU_V_TrFj0"><b>crazy videos</b></a>? Our team emailed them around a couple years ago and agreed we never wanted to be like these dudes. Ok, sure, it would be fine to be good at bike racing, but the attitude part; no thanks. However, despite the obnoxious exterior, there are some valuable nuggets embedded in the morass of ridiculous content in this series of videos. The 'concept' we tend to return to time and again, if more than somewhat ironically, is 'Plan, Execute, Win.' To date, we've done a lot of planning and executing, but not a whole lot of winning. This should not be a surprise, as the majority of others we race agains are also planning and executing. We can't all win. Some clearly neither plan, nor execute. I'm not sure what that's all about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For the <b><a href="http://www.ridewithrendall.com/events/mmgp2013/">Mississippi Mills Grand Prix</a></b>, from Pakenham, Ontario, the plan was simple: attack, attack, attack, try to win. Out of a field of about 100 riders in the Open A race, we were four: Alex Michel, Iain Radford, Mike Abraham, and yours truly, Surch & Rescue/Destroy. The course was 42k, two laps. Mildly rolling, with about 5km of dirt road, it would be tricky to break up the peloton. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Execute. The fun is in trying. That is how it went down, in machine gun format:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Big field. Men, women, boys.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Let's attack on the gravel, force a split."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Slow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to go now! No, wait.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gravel approaches; where are my guys?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's planned: attack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">45kph...frigg, still alone...and still...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Caught, counter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And so on: catch counter; rinse, lather, repeat.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Carbon flying...ugh...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We're ok, rinse, lather, repeat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lap 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bagged. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alex: "we have to attack before the gravel, then counter. I will go first."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Matt: "Ok, I'll counter."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Execute. Fairly feeble counter.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Iain goes; perfect.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Two companions, into the gravel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gap, holding; yes! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't have to work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some guy 15 feet away: "Hey asshole!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Who? What?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Me: "Who's the asshole? Can I be the asshole?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Peloton: "Haha."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alex is following attempts to bridge while I sit in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Carbon flying, female shriek. Ugh.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gap is 30s. Yes! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More sitting in while Alex is vigilant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mike is up there, he has done as asked, chased and countered, earlier. Up front and watching.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gap is 40s. Yes! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No organization, they will not pull Iain back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We will sprint for 4th place 'glory.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Be careful, position for the sprint, like on TV/the Internet.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3k to go.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moving up, Alex is ready. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">500m to go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right up, aggressive. Just like the PROs!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Time to get gnarly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">90 degree turn into the final. Totally aggro.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Can't get all the way out, have to lean hard.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Drift both wheels. Holy f#ck.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Accelerate 'hard.' Alex on the right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Two dudes, can't pass, not enough powa!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That's it. Third in the bunch, for 6th, Alex 4th for 7th.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Did Iain win?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2nd. Nipped by a junior.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A strong one.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/9027867431/" title="2013 Mississippi Grand Prix Open A Race Podium by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="2013 Mississippi Grand Prix Open A Race Podium" height="400" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2835/9027867431_2bf4693e40_o.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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1) Miles Eastman 2) Iain Radford 3) Connor Byway</div>
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Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com0Pakenham, ON K0A, Canada45.333032 -76.29043419.810997500000003 -117.599028 70.8550665 -34.981840000000005tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-64207768591560590872013-06-10T16:37:00.004-04:002013-06-10T16:37:41.511-04:00Ride of the Damned Registration is Live!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8981043870/" title="ROTD2013 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="ROTD2013" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8125/8981043870_56be105bd8.jpg" width="324" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We're rolling, folks! One team is in already! Sign up now and spread the word for lots of FB likes! Lets get 'trending,' #rideofthedamned !!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Resister here: </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://sportrecon.com/2013/RotD">http://sportrecon.com/2013/RotD</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Registration closed at midnight, Wednesday, June 19</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first 25 entries will receive free tire advice from the Bike Angel, Rodd Heino! The next 25 will receive hearty high-fives from Dave Stachon!</span>Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-33727008746404535262013-06-06T18:01:00.000-04:002013-06-06T18:01:04.368-04:00Ride of the Damned: Its Alive!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbcHi2bEN_8DnZYh4pB4wYsf77USQEfx8lHX7papOBs7apNpHBTXFB0YgKpYD3MbcySXgA9zj011iJYTlLgIwzpD9zulNkhU2OdzG5TqpHtA781nyFQBurBAAOik6i0N50PQsr026fYz1/s1600/ROTD2013_poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbcHi2bEN_8DnZYh4pB4wYsf77USQEfx8lHX7papOBs7apNpHBTXFB0YgKpYD3MbcySXgA9zj011iJYTlLgIwzpD9zulNkhU2OdzG5TqpHtA781nyFQBurBAAOik6i0N50PQsr026fYz1/s400/ROTD2013_poster.jpeg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 17.99479103088379px; text-align: left;">2013 Ride of the Damned poster, by our favourite graphic designer, Greg Cosgrove!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm getting close to launching registration, stay tuned!</span><br /><br /></div>
Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-83430831457198939932013-05-30T17:15:00.000-04:002013-05-30T17:17:48.146-04:00Ride of the Damned Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirduosVs7zaaDXKYjZ2YoVugy24iOamW0Y_dPhnIWRFb9nmRUPdQKoBqs3P5wo4P3IdRkfsjjMc_wxpfdZtKeRI-JdIsHtC8AC2dldj-B1BS5Ux0-1EMLqSojCgJc2yURgUVEdvcvX3lea/s1600/bate-island-park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirduosVs7zaaDXKYjZ2YoVugy24iOamW0Y_dPhnIWRFb9nmRUPdQKoBqs3P5wo4P3IdRkfsjjMc_wxpfdZtKeRI-JdIsHtC8AC2dldj-B1BS5Ux0-1EMLqSojCgJc2yURgUVEdvcvX3lea/s320/bate-island-park.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">I'm happy to announce that the Ride of the Damned will start and finish at <b><a href="https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=bate+island&hl=en&hnear=Bate+Island&t=m&z=16">Bate Island </a></b>on June 23rd. Smack in the middle of the Ottawa River, Bate Island has parking, a bathroom, and an enclosure that will cover us in the event of rain. It should be a great place to begin and end the ride!</span><span class="userContentSecondary fcg" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="userContentSecondary fcg" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">Now that siting is finally finalized, I will get registration up and running. Entry will be $40, due to the increased cost of permits and sanctioning. </span></span><br />
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<span class="userContentSecondary fcg" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;">I've created a RotD page here on the blog (under the banner up top), in an effort to help make all the information riders need easily accessible. Please let me know if there is anything missing, and I'll get on in. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span class="userContentSecondary fcg" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.99479103088379px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 17.984375px;">I've also created a <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RIdeOfTheDamned">FaceBook page</a></b> for the RotD. Please 'like' the page to help get the word out and catch wind of info coming through the pipe. This is the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/533279646724746/">FB event page</a></b>, which you can use to invite friends to the ride.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 17.984375px;"><br /></span></span>Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-3128582246978376892013-05-22T12:14:00.000-04:002013-05-22T12:15:51.593-04:00Race Report: Mont Tremblant Canada Cup #1<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8753711403/" title="Camera Roll-607 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-607" height="500" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/8753711403_7f2045ae84.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Intuition; what is it? In layman's terms, intuition is embodied thought. I like wikipedia's paragraph on Carl Jung's take:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">In </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Jung" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; line-height: 19.192707061767578px; text-decoration: none;" title="Carl Jung">Carl Jung</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">'s theory of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id,_ego_and_super-ego#Ego" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; line-height: 19.192707061767578px; text-decoration: none;" title="Id, ego and super-ego">ego</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">, described in 1921 in </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_Types" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Psychological Types">Psychological Types</a></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">, intuition was an "irrational function," opposed most directly by sensation, and opposed less strongly by the "rational functions" of thinking and feeling. Jung defined intuition as "perception via the unconscious": using sense-perception only as a starting point, to bring forth ideas, images, possibilities, ways out of a blocked situation, by a process that is mostly unconscious.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the years I've gotten a lot better about following my intuition, but I'm far from expert. In the realm of cycling, I've had to learn the hard way many times. The main thing I've learned is that I shouldn't force things. For example, if I have a race planned, but I don't feel motivated to do it, I shouldn't. In the past, saying I'd do a race, to myself or others, meant full commitment. I'd make it happen. But if my head was elsewhere, I was inviting disaster. Back when I raced downhill, that often meant injury. Hard-learned lessons....</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd planned on racing the Gatineau Grand Prix road race on the long weekend. Road racing was going well, keep it going, right? The Beachberg Spring Chicken enduro mtb race the prior weekend was fun. I came out of it saying: I want to race mtb again soon. Click. I'd not been considering doing Mont Tremblant, after a pretty unpleasant race there a couple years ago. After that race, I'd made a rule: no racing Tremblant without sufficient mtb riding beforehand. The course is too technical to do as a first mtb ride of the season. 50k of mtb racing in Beachberg set me up well. I was motivated, and confident. I had to break it to Alex that I was bailing on the GP, but I was going with my gut, my intuition, that this was the right thing to do. The fact that my family loves to go to Tremblant was icing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Matt: "How is it? Normal, or extra gnar? Do I need a <span class="il" style="color: #222222;">sick</span> front <span class="il" style="color: #222222;">tire</span>?"</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob: "Same as usual. Only muddy on the descent and it's no big deal. I don't think you need to bother with a bigger tread. We are not."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob and Neil were already in Tremblant on Friday when I checked in on tire set-up. With dry weather leading up, the course should have been mostly dry. However, melting snow was usually a factor in May. The first time I raced Tremblant's XC, three years ago, I used aggressive tires, and they worked well. The next year, I ran less tread, and almost ate it more than once. This time, I'd be on Maxxis Ikons, which I felt pretty good about. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arriving at 11 a.m. on race day, Saturday, the parking lots were full, and racing was underway. Rob and I would race at 12:45, Neil at 2:45, Master Expert 30-39 for the first, Elite for the second. Sunny and warm, all was good. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob and I warmed up by climbing all manner of roads around the base of the hill, keen to ensure we didn't stray too far and wind up staging poorly for the start. Speaking of starts, this one has to be my least favourite anywhere. Loose gravel and uphill. Yay. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Go time</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Senior Expert field and Cadet Experts are starting before us. Why? Expert; ok, some of them don't get caught. But Cadet? Really? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The start is fine, though, of course, clipping in doesn't come easy. Rob and I were wary of guys taking flyers off the start, then blowing up, as this often seems to occur at the Quebec races. You don't want to blow up too, following a no-hope move. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its fine. One guy is off the front a bit, but Rob is keeping it cool. I'm coming from behind, working up along the side, knowing I will be good if I'm at worst third wheel into the first singletrack, which comes after climbing for perhaps 1:30. The leader has a few meters on us as I pull up close to Rob. He's fading as the pitch steepens toward the mouth of the trail. Rob and I don't slow; Rob takes the lead into the woods, with me on his wheel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Relax. Breathe. We'd talked about this earlier. We knew it would be hard to close gaps, and there would be traffic. We'd want to be at the pointy end right away, and hold that. Rob's mantra: <i>smooth is faster</i>. That's exactly what he's doing, no mistakes, not manic, just smooth. After a few minutes I comment on the efficacy of this approach; it's working. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're moving through traffic already. Careful, be patient. Everybody has to deal with getting by these guys, but they are chasing. We are leading. The pace is letting me recover, I'm comfortable, but its hard to know if this is fast enough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Out in the open, Rob is slowing, so I take the lead and push into the next woods. I hope he will follow, but I don't look back. Passing, passing, smooth, passing....The intensity up the toughest climb, which ascends to the top of the hill, is brutal. I stay on the gas, knowing I can't be the best climber here. I can't give them (except Rob) hope. I have to appear as though I am too strong to chase, get out of sight and mind. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The descent is good. I haven't overdone it, so I've got my whits. Cadets, Seniors...they are everywhere. This is my first time down the descent in two years, and some of it is new. Overall, its good, I like it. I'm having fun. Smooth is fast. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Out on the bike path I'm fooled into thinking the two Cadets in front of me are going fast enough. I pass and realized that was not the case. This is just like cyclocross, where you can get lulled into thinking the riders in front are going fast enough. Then you pass and they're gone. The trick is the passing part. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Up through the village, my family is ecstatic, rocking the cowbells and cheering me on. I don't know whether the others will put up a fight yet; I just focus on doing everything right. Drink, pedal, shift. Just ride. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8754841314/" title="Camera Roll-629 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-629" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/8754841314_2953719a42.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lap two of four, I overcook the brutal climb and have jello arms on the decent. Ok, note to self....I'm monitoring the chasers, but its so hard to tell who is who as I pass other riders. Is that my guy? Can't tell, but I kinda think so. I'm up 45 seconds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lap three. I have the rhythm down. I'm doing the climbs and singletrack fast enough that closing is not happening. I'm up 60 seconds. Atop the brutal climb, I'm behind two Cadets. I'm patient, waiting. How long can I wait? I must pass now. Off a drop, crack! Pssssssssssss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shit. Its over. I claw my way out of the bushes; that was close, I almost ate it. My front tire is punctured. I cross the trail to high ground and get out of the way. Cadets and Seniors I've passed are coming by. I'm getting my tube out and my chaser, then Rob come by. My race is done. By the time I fix this I'll be down three to five minutes. But Rob can still win!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not pissed, not sad. I'm fine. Interesting. Why? I've never won a Canada Cup, but been twice second, and once third. I'd love to tick it off the list. Today was the day. But I'm not bummed. Why? I prepared well, I did the right things, I had the form. My focus was good, I made virtually zero mistakes. I did everything I could do, but it didn't work out. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8754840618/" title="Camera Roll-628 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-628" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7341/8754840618_50d7ca4698.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This had to be the most successful 'loss' I've ever experienced. Back in April, at the Calabogie Classic, something clicked. I decided I wasn't afraid of losing, and that liberated me to put everything on the line to win. This was about taking tactical risks, not simply riding as fast as possible, as I used to do in my youth. Winning races is hard, but getting into the headspace where you can feel good about not winning has to be the secret to true success, defined as <i>satisfaction</i>, not <i>rankings</i>. Matteo dal Cin revealed this to me as his secret a couple years ago, and I didn't understand what he meant. Now I do. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8753719253/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-630 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-630" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8264/8753719253_2e7fa46f2e.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure to where to go to say I'm out....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8754837962/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-620 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-620" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7359/8754837962_8faf3dfe2c.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My kids had a great day too.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ride in on my underinflated front tire, pull out, and refresh myself while I wait for the finish. My chaser comes in 20 seconds ahead of Rob. Second place for Rob and the team is fantastic. I wish he'd been able to make the catch, but he just couldn't close the gap, despite full effort. Congrats to Rob for a great race!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8754839930/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-623 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-623" height="300" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3789/8754839930_3f3845509f.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob Parniak rides to a 2nd place finish.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8754835100/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-612 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-612" height="344" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5325/8754835100_f2afe0a04a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1) Ian Carbonneau 2) Rob Parniak 3)Eric Morneau</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8754838716/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-621 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-621" height="283" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7373/8754838716_c6c3ee7868.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have only good things to say about my Kona Hei Hei Supreme. 4" travel certainly was superior to my hardtail here. Pilot error caused my flat; the bike was up to the task.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="http://app.strava.com/activities/54972400/embed/24a1e8214b5ac0d53fca84503865adc9cdb0ec85" width="405"></iframe></div>
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<br />Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-78686123010188940332013-05-12T17:19:00.001-04:002013-05-13T15:39:43.365-04:00Root Rockin' in Beachberg: 2013 Spring Chicken Enduro<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8732223293/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-579 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-579" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/8732223293_890d30ca1b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kona Hei Hei Supreme: XC Whip!</td></tr>
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How long did it take to get used to +25 degrees celcius in the Ottawa Valley? About a day. Summer. In May. Amazing. The gravy train was a-rollin. Three races down, regular Tuesday night leg-rippers going off without fail, all the guys on either refreshed or new bikes; all was aligned for the <b><a href="http://bikebeachburg.blogspot.ca/p/beachburg-spring-chiken-mtbike-enduro.html">Spring Chicken Enduro in Beachberg</a></b> on Saturday, May 11. Then the weather happened.<br />
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Rewind to, say, ten years ago, when Rodd, Pascal, Jacques, and I (as I recall...) fielded a team for a 12-hour race in Beachberg. Sweet little cabin, great singltrack, fun guys; we were all set for a great race. Then came the rain. Before long, the clay trails were virtually unrideable, and, eyes consuming mud, I missed a turn and rode 20k out and 20k back on a road before returning to the course. Surch and Rescue....<br />
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Summer in Ottawa, surely I'd return to the 'Berg to ride fast, dry trails! Not. 35mm of rain forecasted overnight meant it was back to tire deliberations, just like the spring classics. What to do?<br />
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If the clay would be INSANE, I'd need INSANE clearance. One option for that: my Niner, in VTT mode (drop bars), with my Clement PDX cyclocross tires. These could handle epic mud. If less than epic, and/or there would be too much rock and roots to handle, it'd be my swank new Kona Hei Hei Supreme carbon-xc-wonder-bike. Not wanting to trash the new bike, I prepared both in the event that EPIC was the order of the day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8732222491/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-578 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-578" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7291/8732222491_a1d4df0f3d.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niner MCR in VTT-mud-mode. Ugh...</td></tr>
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Looking at the course map, it seemed dirt roads comprised about 50% of the race. It looked like dirt road with some singletrack, totaling 50k. The Niner could handle the roads better than anything else, but I'd have to go slower on the singletrack. In that case, I'd have to attack off the start, and repeat for every road section. If the mud wasn't so bad (i.e., not clogging in the frame and fork). the Kona would be the better bet. I wouldn't know until we got there.<br />
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Iain was in the same boat, kinda. His VTT had Racing Ralphs on it, and his Intense some a weird Geax and a Crossmark.<br />
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On arrival, we were lucky to chat with Cameron Dube, race organizer, and another local rider. "Which set-up, guys? Mega-clearance-ass-chapper, or uber xc bike?" "Well, there first 6k of singletrack is rocky. The wheels will turn, the mud won't be crazy." "Ok, done, uber xc it is."<br />
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What a crew we had lined up: Rob (who has been trying to get us to this race for a couple years), Iain, Marcel, Andy, Mike, Brad, Noah, and Mike. With our numbers, many of whom have been racing this spring, the plan was simple: drive a hard pace off the start and establish the lead group going into the first singletrack, 5k up a dirt road.<br />
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VonBubbles was keen to hit out hard too, as was JC (The Flying Frenchman), and of course, Iain, Rob, Marcel, and Jarrod Forrest (Norco). A few minutes into the first woods, we were four: me, Rob, Iain, and Jarrod. Talk about technical! Awesome, full on mtb, but with more flow than Kanata Lakes. How's that for an introduction to a new bike? Fun!<br />
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Iain too the lead and was riding great. Clipping a stump with the bottom of my fork, I was launched. Boo. Back on before Jarrod and Rob passed, I had to jump back off to straighten the bars (tool free, perfect!), and follow. Jarrod was leading, and this revealed his achilles heal: singletrack. With Iain pulling away, Rob and I clearly wanted one thing: to pass.<br />
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We got by as the trail opened up into a transition, and I reeled Iain in (he let me). At this point, we'd not even covered 10k. Back together shortly. Rob, Iain, and I gapped Jarrod on the narrow stuff and new we would have him off our train if we could get onto a wide open section and work together. However, some ambiguous route marking tricked Iain into a wrong turn. Rob too was fooled, so it was two against one; I'd seen the arrow. Down a hill, a marshall told is we were off, so back up it was. Jarrod entered the woods just as we approached, not just regaining, but improving his position, and leading the singletrack at his own pace rather than following. Darn!<br />
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"There's still 40k to go!" It had taken an hour to cover the first 10k of the race. Wow, I only brought one bottle.... On we went, Jarrod hiding well, knowing he was where he wanted to be, but at the same time, a difficult position.<br />
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Fast descent into singletrack. Rob: "I've got a flat." Crap. I don't think Iain or I considered stopping for longer than a split second. If Jarrod got a gap, and we had any sort of drama, that'd be it. We had to keep on, but I think we both eased up a bit in hopes of Rob catching back on.<br />
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Tenacious. That's the word that came to mind for Jarrod. We just couldn't shake him. It was clear that he was strong on the climbs, and could hang well on the roads as long as the speeds were constant. We'd get a little gap, and he'd close it, over and over. "This has got to wear him down," I thought. "He'll crack."<br />
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Obvious tactics kicked in with 20k to go. I was pulling a lot, not wanting to concede my position into any singletrack, and never knowing when it would come. With the wind picking up, there was no was I was going to keep that up indefinitely. Being 2, we could 'force' Jarrod to pull, as he knew that if he slowed too much, we could attack, and repeat. Make him work, see if we could crack him.<br />
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Onto wide open stuff inside the final 15k, it was cat and mouse. "You know what we have to do, right?" Iain asked. "Yeah." The ol' one-two. I figured we'd get it going with about 10k to go. Sat up, let Iain pull, then Jarrod. Concerned about going to hard, Jarrod brought it down. That was my cue: attack.<br />
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One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight; look back. No chase. Hmmm, that was not expected. I figured Jarrod would come after me, then Iain would go, and we'd have to do it a few times. But nope, he didn't "Ok, 13k to go solo, that's fine."<br />
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I think that had to be the first time I've made a move in a race that felt like an assured win. Usually, you make a move, and pray right up until the line, or close to it, that it will work. That's probably because I have not spent a great deal of time racing with team-mates. In this case, Jarrod knew that if he chased, Iain would counter if he caught me, or even if he didn't So basically, he'd have no chance of winning. What he didn't know was that Iain had something in his eye that was clouding his vision. He couldn't see the course markings clearly enough to read them. Still he would have countered, but he'd have wanted me to get back to him so I could steer. So, Jarrod didn't chase. This left it to me to simply ride smoothly, avoid crashing or a mechanical, and ride it.<br />
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Meanwhile, Iain was following, not knowing what was coming and where. With 3k to go, I heard their voices, and then saw them across a quarry, so I knew Jarrod was chasing hard. I'd learn that he was trying to shake Iain, to no avail.<br />
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I rolled through the narrow finish at just over 2:30, just shy of 50k. The only way Iain could take 2nd would be if he was leading, as there was no room to pass at the finish. Nope...Jarrod was the one, rolling through with Iain on his wheel. Well played, Jarrod!<br />
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Next up was Marcal and then Andy very shortly after, rounding out 4 Tall Tree Cycles riders in the top 5! Amazing. Rob rolled through later on, and recounted his CO2 carnage, pathetic mini-pump performance, and good samaritanism (using his pathetipump to help another racer). Then Mike, Brad, and Noah followed up, all smiles.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27454447@N04/8735381483/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_0004 by Cyclosomatic, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0004" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7297/8735381483_f77061ca0f.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A half-blind, but happy Iain.</td></tr>
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Of course, a win for the team is great, but even better is seeing that our training together is really working well. Our core group of 'race' guys have been out all spring, week in and week out, hammering each other. Now, we get to bear the fruits (not to suggest this training hasn't been fun 'cause it has!) of our efforts and race together well. Generally, mtb racing is pretty straightforward: the faster riders go faster than the slower riders, and that's that. I think this is why it it feels so much more interesting and exciting to watch road and CX racing: the strategy is there to see play out. Now that we have enough strong guys racing together, we too can use strategy and tactics on the road, and certain mtb races, which is FUN. Its a whole other dynamic that makes the race more exciting for us, rather than just a slog. Its also really nice to get to do races with the guys who don't take racing so seriously, but love it all the same. If only we'd had more time to spend after the race to hang with the team and friends old and new.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8732262799/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-581 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-581" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/8732262799_0ec01c0143.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks BORCA!</td></tr>
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The consensus seems to be that we'll make the Spring Chicken a regular race on our schedule. The course, mostly build and set by Cameron Dube, was excellent. There was literally nothing that screamed: 'wack feature,' which is quite a feat for a 50k loop. In contrast, we were treated to many kilometers of superb singletrack, varying from rocky and rooty to smooth and piney. Diversity: check. Sure, there was some boggy stuff on account of the rain, but we were able to ride all but a few steep slick climbs; no problem at all. The best section of all was a contour trail that was literally perfect. We were hooting it up, it was so fun. Just outstanding, this is the stuff that makes us want to ride and race mountain bikes. Cameron should be commended for his design; thanks Cam!<br />
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While commendations are flying, thanks to all the volunteers who were out along the route keeping us (mostly) on track and safe!<br />
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Congrats to Iain and Jarrod, and thanks to Iain for being a loyal team-mate and covering me. It is time for me to set you up! Thanks also go out to the rest of our Tuesday night leg-rippers for helping me and each other get into race form. Bring on the Sunset Series at Camp Fortune, May 22!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8732220757/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-576 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-576" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/8732220757_3aafed9611.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bike path ripper! Thankfully, the bike cleaned up well, and looks like this once again.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On the tech front, for those who are interested, the Kona was indeed a supreme machine. This was my first ride on the bike (beyond a bike path shakedown), and it did not disappoint. On the contrary, it was flawless. I set up the suspension to balance the road and trail sections well, and that's exactly what it did. The rear end was so effective, I barely noticed it. That's a sign of an excellent design. The drivetrain, 2x10 SRAM XO was spot on, never missing a step. And the tires sure did impress, Maxxis Ikons in 2.2", which miraculously hooked up well on all manner of surfaces (literally!), AND rolled fast on the dirt roads and pavement. Yes, that is possible! Wow. I'll get into more detail on the bike over the summer, but initial impression is WOW.<br />
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<br />Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-73440030935038718602013-05-03T11:07:00.001-04:002013-05-03T11:07:18.255-04:00What to do on Sunday: Da Mufferaw Joe!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtITpehujaIc3Zr_c5wHLIk3rzkxI-0lW7PhOx5gK77neT0_TJ6I8dn9pXeyz7soyQi0tego3PU-8KKUPjrqhhSp39-FwgraOeEGVjQVUgkppwzS4oXYrYa3rV7HHGdGqz3XUIbGNnVHQx/s1600/547902_10151363369351931_864911957_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtITpehujaIc3Zr_c5wHLIk3rzkxI-0lW7PhOx5gK77neT0_TJ6I8dn9pXeyz7soyQi0tego3PU-8KKUPjrqhhSp39-FwgraOeEGVjQVUgkppwzS4oXYrYa3rV7HHGdGqz3XUIbGNnVHQx/s400/547902_10151363369351931_864911957_n.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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Fancy a scenic ride in good company on Sunday? Look no further than the Mufferaw Joe! Great company, great food, beer (carne and veggie chili, and John Large's famous bread). What more can you ask for? Its going to be a glorious day, c'mon out!<br />
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Tires recommended are 25mm or larger. There are some hard-packed dirt roads and some rail trail on the route, which are part of what make it special. The Tall Tree Cycles / Steelwool Bicycles crew will be out in force, both racers and ramblers. Ditch your aero gear and get on a comfy steed with a bit of volume, and lets RIDE!Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-76459637586098722222013-04-29T21:58:00.003-04:002013-05-02T09:26:58.550-04:002013 Almonte Roubaix: Yes!<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8693787501/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-501 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-501" height="266" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8254/8693787501_a368368456.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Larry Hagar, via John Large.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i></i></div>
<div>
<i>Act 1</i></div>
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<br /></div>
"Dave says he's fighting a cold, but I think everybody else is good."<br />
<div>
"Yeah, too late for anything to kick in now."</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Its lunchtime on Friday, April 26th, 2013. Iain Radford and I sip kombucha in the spring sun. Winter has flicked its tail for the last time, and we've arrived on the doorstep of the race. THE race, that which we most desire to win: the Almonte Roubaix. There is no other word for what we've been up to. Training. But we've had fun doing it, going out on Tuesday nights with the guys, streaking green across the landscape like a burnt eastern green mamba. Doing the right things, the little things, to be ready. Dreaming of winning...finally.....</div>
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<br /></div>
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My gut sinks at 2pm when I realize I am sick. To any other person in the office, the signs would go unobserved. I observe. Sub-optimal. No, sub-sub-optimal. </div>
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<br /></div>
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In years past it would be over. I'd stress so much about illness I'd be sure to work it deep into my body. Two kids later, I'm more composed. I have moves. I have potions. I have hope. </div>
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<br /></div>
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On the way home, I hit the store and restock. Vitamin C, North American Ginseng, more kombucha. Lentil dahl from the 'Oat. Relax. Mega-dose. Sleep.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Its Saturday, and I feel well enough to trek downtown with the fam. Energy wanes, and I'm back home mid-day, quality nutrition in hand, ready to lie down. My bike can wait, I'm sticking with my fatties: Clement LAS on the front, and Stan's Raven (custom shaved) in the back, both tubeless. Ready for anything. More mega-dosing of potions. Tune the bike, lay everything out for an early morning, and sleep.</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8694906672/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-496 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-496" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8694906672_dc2f37a282.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roubaix stylee: 50/34 - 11-28, mtb pedals, tubeless tires.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
Awake. Checking in: how am I? Mmmm, not sure. Wait, I have a rule for that: if not sure whether you are sick, you are not sick. Ok, good; I'm not sick. I'm fine. Lets move on. Todd arrives on time, we're off, and I'm eating my buckwheat breakfast of champions while we talk about resolve. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8694907172/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-498 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-498" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8261/8694907172_4015baa9d0.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">06:30, and lovin' it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<i>Act 2</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
The air is buoyant. Seldom do we find ourselves preparing for the Almonte Roubaix in comfortable conditions. Pushed to the end of April, and falling on the the most beautiful day of the year, its all rainbows and unicorns. No hurry, everyone's here from our spring classics team - save Alex - and seemingly at ease. Are all the big guns present? Derrick: check. Osmond: check. Doug: check. Warren: check. Aaron: not sure...is he here? Guess we'll find out. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Unlike in 2012, my legs don't hurt as we roll the neutral start. Excellent. It feels easy, the pace is slower. We pause for two minutes before being set off. I feel jittery. Must be adrenaline. Better put that to use.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Warren goes hard out of the blocks. He's on 28s and I'm pretty certain he wants to see where he's going. I follow, pass, and drive the pace. I'm on big tires, I'm not going to make it easy for anyone on skinnies. String it out, be disruptive. Keep them on their toes. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Not intending to ride away solo, we come together, and roll on. The<b><a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/1309629"> first sector</a></b> will be CRUCIAL. It is a <i>crux, </i>which means we go all-in and make the split. Because there will be a split, and we will be part of making it happen. I push off into the dirt road I think transitions to trail. But it keeps going. And going. And going. Iain has come up and is with me, but why is it still going? Did Ian Austen actually change the course? I'm confused. I don't want to go on and on off the front. Have I already botched this thing?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I swear, and Neil thinks I'm pissed at him for some reason. Just confused. We turn and there it is, the entry to the woods. I was wrong, just wrong. Idiot. Wasted energy. Don't squander it, go in on the front and hold it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Iain's in front of me, Osmond ahead, Neil's right there. Marc Boudreau, Derrick St. John, Doug Van den Ham. I have no idea who else is where; I'm looking forward. Iain's on slick 32s, and slides off the narrow ledge alongside <i>the puddle</i>. He's off the bike, runs a few steps, back on, barely slows. I dab, dab, push, still moving, fine. We both launch our sole bottles off the same bump. Shit. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This trail is awesome. I love this stuff. Its so FUN. I wish the whole race was like this. Ok, not the whole race; that'd be a mtb race. Just enough to require a CX bike. Yeah, I'd like that. Pa-paa-pa-pa-paa. This rocks. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We're out and its playing out as planned. The split is solidifying, we are peeling away as 7, just the right number. Osmond Bakker (OCCTO - Cervelo), Doug Van den Ham (Nine2FivePro.com), Derrick St. John (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery), Marc Boudreau (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery), Neil Schiemann (Tall Tree Cycles / Steelwool), Iain Radford (Tall Tree Cycles / Steelwool), and yours truly, Matt Surch (Tall Tree Cycles / Steelwool). Osmond and Derrick are the strongest, then Doug, according to our experience. All of our opponents are wily.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Collaboration is the best approach. We will work together to lock in our gap, and sort things out down the road. The priority is to stay away for the first hour. These guys are smooth and smart. We function as a well-oiled machine, pulling through like clockwork as we tick off the kilometers. 70k to go with the pack chasing; we can do this as long as we work. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There is little to think about. Its simple: ride as smoothly as possible, waste as little energy as possible. Don't work more than required, focus on the rhythm. This is like tunnel vision: focus is narrow and determined. There is no, 'Is that guy gonna go?' 'Can that stick?' 'Why are we braking?' 'Is that Dave?' Internal dialogue is quiet. There is no need to waste energy with mind-words. Iain, Neil and I barely exchange any, except communicating our lost bottles. Neil wasn't taking chances, he brought two. He unselfishly gives me one. I share with Iain. With so little water, we don't dare eat. Shouldn't be a problem, I'm fat enough to ride 2.2hrs without bonking. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"They are coming! Lets work!" </div>
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<br /></div>
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Ride.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
"He's getting close! Lets make him work for it!"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The chase group, containing our guys, Dave Stachon and Rob Parniak, has been putting up quite a fight. Aaron Fillion, a man who can time trial with the PROs, is driving it. Aaron (Ride with Rendal), has no team-mate up the road. Warren MacDonald does, Doug. He won't help Aaron chase. Likewise, our guys won't contribute to the chase, but they will remain poised to attack if the catch is made. That leaves The Cyclery and Euro-sports in the chase group to do the work. Aaron has broken off, desperately trying to bridge the gap. He won't. Its too much.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We all know where the next <i>crux</i> will fall: the switchback. Why doesn't it have a cooler name? I'll propose one: <i><b><a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/1306938">The Axe</a></b>. </i>One mistake, a lapse of power, and your life-line is severed. We won't know unti later how Neil comes to grief, attacking the inside of the turn, losing traction, and scrambling on foot. Chopped. Cut. He is gone. We are two against.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Derrick and Osmond attack, trading punches, feeling each other out for weakness. Iain follows closely, while I see them pull away. This energy-sapping double-track is both aged and undulating, ravaged by years of cart traffic and weather. Power is the only answer to the sandy surface that sucks wheels like a plecostamus. Doug comes up and I latch on. From here its all about smooth lines and power transmission. We regain contact and I've recovered enough to be able to meet any more accelerations. All good, except Neil is gone....what happened?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now its down to one final gauntlet, the final wooded sector. It always comes down to this one, the third <i>crux. </i>We roll fast on pavement, and we all know. The woods. Go in gassed and its over. Severed, there will be no getting back on. Falter and its over. There is no room for mistakes. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've been thinking I don't care, and this is exactly where I want to be. This is fun. We are 6. We've executed the tactic we wanted to, and it has worked almost perfectly thus far. I have no idea how we can win, but that doesn't bother me. Could we realistically have hoped for a better scenario? No. We're where we want to be, and that fact has to be respected. Negative thoughts have no place. I don't know how, but we've still got a chance. Just hang on through the woods and see. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm on the front and the others want to keep me there. I'm confident we have enough of a gap on the chase to soft-pedal and try to recover before we turn off into the <b><a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/1306778">Sugarbush sector</a></b>. I turn in and I know its coming, just not when. Right at the entrance to the trail is when. Osmond goes, followed by Derrick and Iain. I go, and its a gong show. Bouncing off rocks, its frantic, desperate. I am forced to the right and launch off a rock, boosting what has to be 3 feet into the air. My bike holds, I'm fine. I know how to do this, I can be there, just focus. Nothing else matters; later doesn't matter. Now matters. Get there. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have closed the gap to Osmond, and I am second wheel coming out of the woods. He takes the turn fast and pins it. I'm not sure whether to go or wait. I don't want to go with him alone; I don't think I can survive that. Derrick is coming, and he suckers me into pulling. I get low and claw us up to Osmond. Osmond has every interest in going hard from there, but I only wanted to neutralize him. I won't work. I want Iain to come up. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Doug and Iain struggle to get to us, Marc in tow. They are gassed. Less than three kilometers to go, it will be over soon. Switching across the road, Osmond is itchy, but knows he can't just ride away. Nor can Derrick. Chess. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Frigg. Osmond and Derrick look primed. They are masters of acceleration, and they are cunning. We crest the final slight ascending grade, and I know it will come to the sprint now for sure. The final 2.5 or whatever kilometers are slightly downhill, turning 90 degrees into the final straight, which is uphill. <b><a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/3965500">Uphill sprint</a></b>...not good for us. What do I do?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ok, hang back and be the last wheel. Hope that nobody is in the way when the sprint winds up, and try to get a good wheel. Back. Everyone is looking at each other, not wanting to make the first move, as we approach the turn. Iain is saying, 'C'mon guys, lets do something!'</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It hits me. Yes! That's how, I CAN WIN!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I brake to drop further back, now 10 meters off the pack. Dropping to a higher hear, I explode from behind, aiming for the outside of the group, where there is room, setting me up for the right hand turn. I blow by without looking across and I know I have taken them by surprise. This is my chance, all in.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am going fast enough to be wary of the turn and brake slightly, but don't scrub too much speed. This is 100% effort now, and I <b><a href="http://talltreerides.blogspot.ca/2012/08/selfbelieve-beyond-reason.html">self-believe beyond reason</a></b>. This is THE move, I see the line, I CAN. I go to a higher gear to try to change the effort up, but I am fading. The cones are coming, I'm veering, head down, looking between my legs. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now I am close, but I can't go faster. This is it. This is me, everything I have. I hear them. Every muscle, every sinew I can control is in on this. It doesn't hurt, I just <i>can't</i> go harder. The line approaches, so close, and there it is: Derrick. He is passing. He got me. I stop pedalling as Osmond follows on his wheel, coming by as we cross.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Its over. Iain couldn't see, but he was hoping....nope. He's 5th, Doug ahead, Marc behind. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am happy. I didn't win, but it feels like I kinda did. Why? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is why I race. Not to win; its not <i>about</i> that. Its about the trying to win part. Just pedal harder? If it were that simple, we'd have been bored years ago. Its chess, gambling, psychologizing, meditating, thrashing, and striving, all wrapped up into one ball. A ball that, from the outside, looks like a caricature. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
WE, our team, did what we set out to do. We had a plan, and we made it happen. Neil, Iain, and I were committed to being up front, and we did it. Rob and Dave were where they had to be to cover us. Jim, Andy, Jamie, and Todd wanted to step closer to the front, and they did. Marcel flatted. taking the bad mojo for the team. From my perspective, we succeeded. Heck, we got 6 guys in the top 15, and four in the top 10. Solid.</div>
<div>
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<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8694907348/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-499 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-499" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8265/8694907348_c1318b9d16.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
My personal satisfaction comes from making the best decision I could, at precisely the right time, under pressure. I can't ask more from myself, nor can I magically make myself into a rider with the ability of Derrick, Osmond, or Doug. All I can do is <i>try. </i>If stronger riders beat me despite my <i>best </i>efforts, as did Derrick and Osmond, chapeau, respect. No victory will taste sweeter than one that comes from besting my betters. I'm going to keep on trying, and I have a feeling my team-mates will too. We live for this stuff, it is the glue that binds.</div>
<div>
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<div>
Full results: http://cyclocross.org/page5/files/PR2013GC.pdf</div>
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<div>
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="http://app.strava.com/activities/51204936/embed/36c377f69c5f91fc02a376c65f17d31c8ddb6ed0" width="405"></iframe></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i>
I'll leave you with the song that I had pumping in my head for about 60k:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nXPT8sw_FjU" width="420"></iframe></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-5871920860271147732013-04-26T14:38:00.001-04:002013-04-26T14:38:19.837-04:00RIDE OF THE DAMNED: NOW JUNE 23<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimKhKb0_U6Dq5qlGSG4A6nY9WwFJOHom0oG95gKLQNQ46K5dam5PBnrWMP8QPLcM754DEklwPWJ9-GjktD8t2Ue70eSPz2uctLhHCmf5VGx-4AK5FcHubNgYpdtin7hL5F8F_WZ9lLqPK/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimKhKb0_U6Dq5qlGSG4A6nY9WwFJOHom0oG95gKLQNQ46K5dam5PBnrWMP8QPLcM754DEklwPWJ9-GjktD8t2Ue70eSPz2uctLhHCmf5VGx-4AK5FcHubNgYpdtin7hL5F8F_WZ9lLqPK/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
It seems some have not heard about the date change for the Ride of the Damned, so I will keep trying to get the word out. It is no longer on May 19. <b>The new date is JUNE 23</b>, an that is where it will stay.<br />
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The date change was forced by the FQSC's inability to insure the event, because, according to them, we are raising money for a third party. We are not going to give up on the opportunity to raise money for the <b><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/myreyasunshine2013/">Reya Sunshine</a></b> and family, so, we have to adapt the event. This means launching riders from Ontario, and being sanctioned by the OCA. <br />
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I am presently working on the new start/finish location, hoping to land on Victoria Island. I will confirm this detail at the earliest possible time. It'll come together, I promise. I'm mainly trying to avoid adding any unnecessary kilometers for riders to take on. Due to the Ottawa start, the short ride from Wakefield will not be possible. Instead, we will route riders who don't want to do the full loop through Cascades and Wakefield, our typical 'Cascades Loop.' Hopefully, the extra month of riding will enable some would-be short routers to take on the full route instead. Registration will be up once I work out this and a few other details.<br />
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Please do what you can to spread the word regarding the date change. The sooner folks know, the better they will be able to plan. Remember, this is a team event (4-6 riders), so now is the time to start engaging your comrades!<br />
<br />
Thanks!Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-4521795094633267192013-04-22T20:37:00.001-04:002013-04-25T09:37:10.026-04:00Spring Classics 2013 Part 2: The Calabogie Classic<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8670760089/" title="Camera Roll-658 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-658" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8388/8670760089_3391c8a63e.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">Update</span>: photos here: <a href="http://www.pbase.com/robert_ottawa/calabogie2013">http://www.pbase.com/robert_ottawa/calabogie2013</a><br />
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What should have been the cap to April's three classics wound up being the monkey in the middle on Sunday, the 21st. After a blizzard bumped the Almonte Roubaix to April 28th, the Calabogie Classic waltzed in as the go-between, the bridge to the ultimate match, Almonte. At least, so it was from the perspective of us odd men in green.<br />
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After racing Calabogie for the first time in 2012, I knew what to expect: wind, nervous riding, mixed abilities, and crashes. In 2012, I raced the Senior 1/2 spectacle, which proved breakaways are indeed possible on the race-car track. It also demonstrated that I was ill equipped for the sprint. However, while isolated then, the scene was different for this edition; Iain Radford and Alex Michel, fellow Tall Tree root-rockers, were also in the M1 category I'd joined. Meanwhile, Jim McGuire and Todd Fairhead set up for the M2 race, and Andy Brown struck off solo in the S4.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8670760865/" title="Camera Roll-660 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-660" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8123/8670760865_d7b659a2a5.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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News came in just before our 14:15 start that Todd and Jimbo had struck out in their race. Bunch sprint, no dice. They stayed safe, but that was about it. Hmmm. Andy was already on his way home, having missed the break and finishing in the pack. Could Iain, Alex, and I salvage Tall Tree's honour? We were embrocated, we had matching helmets (mostly), arm and leg warmer (mostly), and I even had coordinating shoe covers on; no excuses. Except Iain had been sick for the last few days, and resorted to one of my potions: Kombucha....<br />
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Lets enter the <i>danger zone.</i><br />
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The start is mellower than 2012's S1/2 race. That's ok with me. In every turn riders seem to brake and steer unnecessarily. I note the guys who are proving to be dangerous, not in the bike race winning sense. In the crashing sense. John Gee, having won the M2 race in 2012, is in the field, looking to score another notch. Wheels of Bloor have about 6 guys, and there are about 8 Rouleurs, including Marc Brazeau, who always packs juice. 5km/hr wind? Not. Its windy. Riders are clearly labouring up front, while we hide and feel out the changes of wind direction in the turns. Plenty of time to work out the details.<br />
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John Gee is aggressive within a few laps, as is Brazeau and other Rouleurs, not to mention other guys we don't know. Lots of wild cards in the bunch form our perspective, as we don't race road around Toronto enough to get to know the guys. But we do know the WoB guys are good.<br />
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Plenty of dodging required to stay on two wheels, attacks are amounting to nothing, and its getting boring. Then not. Carnage unfolds on the back half, riders and bikes hurtled into the air. So many bodies in the way, its hard to see where riders are splaying. I overreact and lock up my back wheel as I slow, and feel a rider's bar hook onto my bike somewhere, somehow. Gawd, I hope he doesn't go down...I hear nothing more behind me, and all is well. Two seconds have passed. Alex is already standing, while his bike still bounced sickeningly across the grass. Iain and I agree he is ok; we can continue.<br />
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It seems like the pack is halved, but in reality, we lose something like 10 riders. Focus resumes. Only about 50 minutes have transpired.<br />
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Iain and I are both getting antsy, I can feel it. Nothing is happening. John Gee can't do it alone. Nobody else is showing the vital combination of aggression and power. With only 45 or so kilometers down, it still feels too early. I don't care about winning anymore. I'm riding at bike-path pace, if that. I just want to ride <i>hard</i>, somehow. Alex is out, we can't leave it to the sprint and roll the dice. 2 in 70 chance? That's crap.<br />
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A nonthreatening break is reeled in a lap later, and as I crest a rise, at the front, one of the guys remarks on the the pack's lack of attentiveness. That felt like the perfect segue into a full scale attack. No deliberation, pure pre-cognitive, reptilian reaction: GO. I skip my back wheel twice, holding back nothing, hoping only the strongest will follow. None do. Wider, wider, wider, the gap grows to 25 seconds as I realize my heart is pounding and I have to calm down. Breath. Breath. Just ride. Time trial mode is where I need to be; I tighten up my position, get narrow, and try to ride well. Not ballistic-fast; well. Tight lines, smooth effort, no braking, steady breathing. The little things. Nobody still after a lap, same gap.<br />
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After two laps I begin to understand nobody is coming up. It will be the pack or nobody. I feel good, smooth, but its still windy, and I'm averaging 42kph. How long <i>can</i> I hold this? Unknown. How long <i>should</i> I hold this? I can't lose here. There are better and worse ways to play this. I can bury myself and hope to hold on for the 30 remaining kilometers. Odds? Not great, this is work. If I let them catch before I'm cooked, Iain should be able to counter, and I can recover in case that doesn't work. I don't want them to think I'm letting them catch me, so I stay low, keep my cadence up, and hide.<br />
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The catch is made after either 15k out alone, I can't tell. Iain goes right away! Perfect! I sit in while others make the chase, watching. The catch is made again, and my chat with Robbie Orange is over; I counter. Once that's caught, Iain goes with John Gee, three in tow. I bridge up, smack Iain and John on the ass, and hope they can accelerate enough to get on. Nope. Sitting up, things come together again, and before we know it - like, seconds later - we attack again. Neither Iain nor I know how it happened. We are in the flow state at this point, totally focused; reptiles.<br />
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We are three, and four are latching on. This is it! Lets Go guys! We have willing wheelmen, and we work together, 25k to go. The gap is 25 seconds and holding. I don't expect the pack to get organized enough to catch if we don't slow. Our comrades, two WoB, three other one-offs, are of mixed ability. The largest man, well over 6'3", had the power, but the rises hurt him. The man with the fashionable hair is good all around, while one of the WoB guys is putting in strong pulls. Iain and I want it, and they know it. We pull hard, but as smart as we can.<br />
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The gap is holding. Two laps to go, the others are trying to avoid work. They are smart. Iain and I will not accept the possibility of a catch, and they know it. We hold.<br />
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Final lap, 5k. Negative tactics are on tap, as one would expect. Iain and I, perhaps through naiivete, think a catch is still possible. But it is unlikely. We pull hard, the others hide. With 2k to go I am unwilling to leave it to the sprint, feeling I can ride away. I try: overconfident. I tow one WoB with me, the stronger. Naturally, he is disinclined to work, as would I be in the same position. I force a pass in the fourth-to-last turn, which requires slowing. He accellerates, and I wonder whether the twinges in my hip flexors will culminate in seizure. I follow, but as he kicks into the false-flat straight, I have no punch, and am forced to sit and roll it in. My fate was sealed when I failed to shake everyone in my final move....perhaps.<br />
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I roll across the line and gain a good vantage point to see the resolution for Iain and the others. Iain kicks hard against three, and takes it at the line for third spot. Excellent! He thinks I pulled it off, but alas, not this time. No regrets, rounding out the podium is an excellent result in contrast to the likely outcome of a field sprint. Not to mention, we got a quality hour of riding in, and learned a thing or three.<br />
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Congrats to Chris Firek of Wheels of Bloor for the victory, and gracious conduct. Big up to Iain for riding so well right out of illness. You are welcome for the Kombucha tip, Iain. Thanks to the CycleLogik organizing team for putting on the race! And my best wishes go out to all the riders who hit the deck. I am aware that one of the women was airlifted, which caused all of us concern. Yariv Wolfe (RwR) suffered a punctured lung, and I know we are all wishing him a full and speedy recovery. Kris Westwood and Alex Michel both knocked their heads, but I think both are ok today, which is a relief.<br />
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This Sunday will deliver the culmination of our spring classic 'campaign' (I wish we really did have a campaign...) in Almonte. The route should be splendorous in its fullness, and provide a true test of resolve, skill, and cunning. To say I, and we, are pumped, would be a gross understatement. Tire talk consumes us....<br />
<br />Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-14681085299778162862013-04-12T11:32:00.001-04:002013-04-12T11:32:09.290-04:00Almonte Roubaix Postponed<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.spartanwrestling.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/snowpocalypse.jpg">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just in from Ian Austen, route master of the Ottawa Bicycle Club's annual Paris-Roubaix race from Almonte, Ontario:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Some of the forest sections were not usable before today's storm. Given that the unpaved roads are unlikely to have cleared out by 8 am Sunday, we decided to <b>postpone</b> rather than substantially shorten the circuit. Anyone who can't come on the new date can get their entry refunded, but <b>registration will not reopen as there are already 150 riders.</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While this will come as disappointing news to some, its indeed good news for those who enjoy the forested secteurs of the event's route. It feels safe to speculate that they will be in full effect come <b>April 28, the new date</b>. If you were geared up to hit the dirt roads on Sunday, why not head North and enjoy some of the delights around Wakefield? There's no better way to sharpen up for the 28th!</span><br />
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<a href="http://cyclocross.org/"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://cyclocross.org/</span></b></a>Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-32703473176766358592013-04-07T20:20:00.000-04:002013-04-08T11:13:24.870-04:00Spring Classics 2013 Part 1: CRC<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8629721422/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-608 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-608" height="293" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8629721422_35397bbd12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mmmm, Saturday night's forecast was grim. My plan involved the 'bag-approach' in the event of cold rain.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ottawa's spring classics are underway. When I say 'spring classics,' I mean two races. That allows for pluralization, we're good. On Sunday morning, a bunch of us bike weirdos gathered for the first match of the season, to be contested over rough pitch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In case you are not on the up and up, the Clarence-Rockland Classic is put on by Ride with Rendall, a local race team/club. The roads out East of Ottawa are mostly flat, but there is some elevation change that derives from the old south bank of the grand Ottawa River, aka, the <i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">Rivière des Outaouais, </i>G<i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">rand River</i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">, Great River, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kichesippi/Kitchissippi, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">or </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">Grand River of the Algonquins. </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">Where the race transpires, the bank is not steep, but further West its pretty much a wall.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">So, flat, some relatively small climbs, and one more element prevails: wind. Obviously. The wind and relative flatness of the route makes the race more tactical than technical. I.e., its difficult for the strongest riders to separate themselves from the pack. Stronger teams can use their size to their advantage, sending off riders on breaks, and generally attacking often. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.192707061767578px;">Two aspects of today's race had everyone's palms sweating last night, and perhaps over the last few days: tire selection, and clothing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Tires: our online discussion on this topic was epic. Why? The unknown. Would the normal route be in use? If so, would be it be as rough, rougher, or less rough? Where? What would be the worst of the worst? I.e., what tires would be required to manage the risk of flatting effectively, while also being fast enough to hang with the guys who run 25s, and manage not to flat? Jim recon'd the route on Thursday, reported back, and we made up our minds. Until we heard there was an alternative route in play in case of snow. Now what? I landed relegated my tubeless Clement LAS and Stan's Raven in favour of latex tubes and Vittoria Randonneur Hypers in 32mm. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Clothing: WIth a forecast of snow/rain at about +3, we were looking at what is essentially the worst cycling weather possible. Below zero its not wet, therefore generally not hard to dress for. +15 and raining is likewise not hard to manage. Drop to and below +10 and rain, and you're in for suffering. +3? Horror show. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">My plan for that weather: the 'bag-approach.' Here's the description I sent out to our team on Saturday night, in case anyone was still looking for a horror show plan:</span></span><br />
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<i>1) gore-tex socks over skin, then wool sock, then winter shoe. No bootie, cutting down on wind drag an sponge effect.</i></div>
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<i>2) Roubaix knickers with Sugoi firewall tights over top, hot embro. Tights over top of gore-tex sock cuff.</i></div>
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<i>3) waffle base layer, then wool base layer, then waterproof Sugoi jacket THEN long sleeve jersey. I will trap the heat in with the jacket, and eliminate flapping with the jersey over top. Numbers on jersey. </i></div>
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<i>4) defeet wool liner gloves under Glacier Gloves, which are waterproof neoprene. Wind blocking is not an issue with them. These are essentially bags over hands. Sugoi cuffs over glove cuffs to keep water out.</i></div>
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<i>5) merino liner hat, cycling cap, helmet, glasses. Merino balaclava if its heinous.</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><i>Alternative equipment: plastic bags for feet; garbage bag for core; dish washing gloves for hands. Ideally, a thin liner would go under each, then insulation. Works for the Itidabike guys....</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Evidently, my horror show preparation interacted with the <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy's_law">Fourth Law of Thermodynamics</a></b>, tweaked the troposphere, and yielded mild and virtually no rain at start time, and most of the rest of the time (depending on whether you flatted, and rode slower than the pack). You are welcome, fellow racers. Dressing for not-rain still involved some agonizing, due to uncertainty about how the weather might change, but the bag-approach was cast aside, and wool prevailed.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing in the Knights of Columbus Hall was a treat, especially since it involved seeing Dave in his skin suit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8628612775/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-615 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-615" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8111/8628612775_fe60500959.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was an epicmerinowool hat kind of morning. Not really, but it could have been, had I not intervened.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8628612069/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-614 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-614" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8119/8628612069_2daa91028a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, that's weird, I didn't think I packed ladies underwear this morning....Hmm, this is a bit of a quandry: are they my wife's, having clung to my clothes in the dryer, OR, was it a wild night at the Hall? Uh, ok, I'm going to put these in this here envelope and see how this goes when I get home....</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, short story shorter, there were attacks, Aaron Fillion eventually separated himself, and the chase didn't happen until inside the last 10k or 82. We had a decent number of guys in the mix up to the final climb - Alex, Iain, Neil, and myself - but it didn't work out so well. I gassed myself leading into it, trying to get the pack to work with me to close on 3 guys up the road; this was a tactical error. I couldn't climb fast, then had to almost literally turn myself inside-out to leapfrog back up to the leaders, with the kind help of RwR's Martin Zollinger (who happens to take care of my back quite well at RE:FORM, fyi). </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Matt (me) followed by Alex. Photo by Zara: <br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Instagram Photo by @zara_vj_ina_ottawavelovogue</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maxed out but thinking: 'Hey who knows...', I did what I could to position well for the final sprint among essentially the who's-who of Ottawa's road scene. As was the case for all but Matteo Dal Cin, the victor, things didn't quite go well, and I did more of a '<b><a href="https://pvcycling.wordpress.com/">sprunt</a></b>' than a 'sprint.' That means I went up, then down, and pretty much stayed seated, you know, 'kicking it old school,' really 'planing' my steel bicycle. Good enough for <strike>8th</strike> 10th, which was a heck of a lot better than I'd have placed if I'd accepted what seemed to be utter failure as I 'climbed.' Here is Martin riding to the line before me: <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/retrospark/8629566556/">photo by Zara</a></b>. <i>He's</i> almost smiling....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iain, Alex, and Neil all landed in the top 20, with Todd, Jim, Dave, Andy and Martin (who crashed, but shook it off) scattered throughout the field of 112 finishers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.ontariocycling.org/web_pages/results/20130408-041253-R1oca13.html">Full results.</a></b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again, my trusty Steelwool Secteur 18 came through for me, flawless.</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8629716798/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-612 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-612" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8105/8629716798_0a46a2324c.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, somehow less muddy than others....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8629715730/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-611 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-611" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8629715730_87109d0f6e.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not like my legs and feet. Blame it on all the jerks without fenders! Wait....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8628608489/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-610 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-610" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8519/8628608489_8ea688f72a.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Face.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The race: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lots of action! shots by Robert Roaldi here: http://www.pbase.com/robert_ottawa/clarence_rockland_2013&page=1</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and Zara: </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/retrospark/sets/72157633190831022/with/8629566556/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/retrospark/sets/72157633190831022/with/8629566556/</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to Ride with Rendall and all the volunteers for a great race! Your efforts are most appreciated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next up, Paris-Roubaix, Almonte! Let the tire agonizing continue!</span></div>
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Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-91694415842915480732013-04-03T21:56:00.000-04:002013-05-23T13:23:31.697-04:002013 Ride of the Damned: NEW DATE, JUNE 23<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8027154098/" title="30_amenh and dave disappear by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="30_amenh and dave disappear" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8027154098_3cbc422d57.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Save the date,<b> SUNDAY JUNE 23</b>! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year's edition of the<b> Ride of the Damned has been pushed into JUNE! Apologies for any inconvenience, the change was unavoidable. We're hoping it will probe a better fit.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We will be starting the RotD from the Ottawa side of the River this year. Details are being worked out, stay tuned.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year is special, in that we have the opportunity, as a community, to use the RotD as a catalyst to raise funds for fellow cyclist, Julian Hine, and his family. Julian's wife, Vanessa, gave birth via C-section to their lovely daughter, eight weeks early, on March 11, 2013. Almost immediately, Vanessa began intensive cancer therapy. Julian is caring for both mother and child, and consequently, taking a leave of absence from work at<b><a href="http://www.chromagbikes.com/"> Chromag Bikes</a></b>. Thankfully, Julian's sister and fellow West of Quebec Wheeler, Deb, has reached out to the cycling community in Ottawa, engaging friends of Julian (who now lives in BC), old and new, to pitch in and help out the family. The Wheelers' Roller Race in March was the first event of 2013 to raise funds for the family, and all three of Tall Tree Cycles' events in 2013 will dedicate all revenue to them as well, beginning with the RotD. We'll raise funds and FUN together!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please visit the family's site for more info, and donation options:</span><br />
<b><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/myreyasunshine2013/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://sites.google.com/site/myreyasunshine2013/</span></a></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Wheelers and Tall Tree Cycles will ally at the Ride of the Damned, and provide the best post-ride BBQ to date! We'll have draw prizes for riders, and a great raffle prize (we'll open ticket sales to both riders and non-riders, aiming to bump up our contribution to Julian's family).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm working on the registration site now, and will open it up ASAP. <span style="color: red;">NEW THIS YEAR: ALL RIDERS WILL REQUIRE INSURANCE COVERAGE</span>. I am confirming the particulars with the OCA, but this will either mean a 'non-member event permit' or a Citizen's Permit. I'd rather avoid this requirement to maximize accessibility, but liable suits in Ontario have forced our hand on this matter, so all riders will have to be insured to protect both them and us. The necessary permits will be attainable online, and I will provide the appropriate link and info ASAP. <b>Online registration will close on Wednesday, June19</b>, and there will be <b>no on-site registration.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>(<strike>Following the success of our short-route from Wakefield, we will once again offer this option, departing from Vorlage. This route is 65k, while</strike> the long route is 135k.) <span style="color: red;">Update</span>: We will be working out a new short route, which will start from the Ottawa side of the river. We will use the Cascades Loop for this route, which is less technical and hilly than the old route from Wakefield. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are new to the Ride of the Damned, take a look over last year's posts for more details (side bar). Here is the rundown:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The RotD is part Randonnee, part Audax (latin for the audacious). Randonnees are typically ridden solo or in small groups. Audax events are ridden in large groups with a capitaine de route controlling the pace. Our first RotD was like that. With the team format we can incorporate the "allure libre" (free speed) format, thus mixing Audax and Randonnee genres. The result: <strong style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Raudax</strong> (Road-axe).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The route is a mix of dirt and paved roads, covering 130km, plus about 12km from the neutral start. Total elevation gain is approximately 2000m. The route favours tires 25c and larger; tread is not generally required.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teams of 4-6 members (5 is the target) are free to ride whatever speed they like. Best of both worlds. If you cross racing with this format, you get "gentleman's racing," an underground, honour system format. The RotD is not a race, but competition between teams does occur.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The route features a rest stop with food and drinks provided, but is otherwise unsupported. <i>Teams are expected to take care of each other.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All riders will be eligible to win a draw prize at the post-ride BBQ (included in registration). Guests are encouraged to attend the BBQ as well; meal tickets will be available online, as well as on-site.</span></div>
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<br />Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-53621781620388895292013-04-02T16:29:00.000-04:002013-04-02T16:29:35.265-04:00Wakefield 'Easy'<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8612179346/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-634 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-634" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8248/8612179346_b1f23049c1.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sh#t! How did we mess this up? Wrong turn....somehow.</td></tr>
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It was supposed to be an easy ride. Four hours or so, three dudes. In reality, hour-one was teeth-on-stem-hard, as Todd and I chased Iain up Erables. Are my tires slow? Well, Iain's on the same. Todd seems to be doing fine. Is he? Turns our we were both suffering while Iain drove it into the wind. Gawd it was windy. 27kph on a descent, PEDALING! Things had eased up a little by the time we hit the Connor Rd. detour off Ch. Mt. Cascades. If only there was more of this in our Spring Classics to justify our fat tires!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8612170574/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-623 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-623" height="241" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8380/8612170574_67b861efda.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three Steelwools: two generations of Truffle Pig and the original Secteur 18.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8611067601/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-627 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-627" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8247/8611067601_1b8d6eb16a.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay, lets snack before more snacking! 'I've gotta get some shots.'</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8611063729/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-622 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-622" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8522/8611063729_7acb77ce43.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8612166874/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-616 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-616" height="270" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8260/8612166874_45ba86a0d0.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charming.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8612166028/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-615 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-615" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8520/8612166028_460ec6b027.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At this point, we'd moved back into Pipolinka from the hallway, and were on coffee #2, somewhat terrified at the thought of returning to the out of doors. The temp was dropping and we were damp. WTF, isn't it April 1?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8612165616/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-614 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-614" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8111/8612165616_d9b4d48fc0.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keep the hat on to help it dry. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8611056811/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-610 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-610" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8251/8611056811_5705d5252d.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How many papers did I stuff down my pants? Three, the perfect number. With a tailwind, I was comfortable on the return leg. Phewf.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8611071235/" title="Camera Roll-632 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-632" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8519/8611071235_5aacf20e54.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The Spring Classics in the Ottawa-Gatineau begin on Sunday, while Paris Roubaix is contested over in Europeland. Like Roubaix, our route will be flattish and windy. Unlike Roubaix, ours will feature sharp gravel, rendering supple tubulars inadequate. It'll be a test of will and tread, a battle of whits and guile. We've been doing all we can to prepare, and on Sunday THE QUESTION will be answered: was it enough? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Here's<a href="http://app.strava.com/activities/46827657"><b> Iain's trace</b></a>. My Garmin wigged out, so this is better than what I've got:</span></div>
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Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-80104008131291215772013-03-21T01:01:00.002-04:002013-03-21T01:18:19.500-04:00Carolina Frolics and the Wakefield Slacker<br />
<span lang=""><span lang="EN">Greetings cycling enthusiasts back in the homeland. Just thought I would take a few minutes to tally up a tiny tall tale on the tall tree tabloid.<br /><br />Back for my seventh year in South Carolina and as always it is a good time so far even though the weather has not been up to the standards of the past two years. After an arrival day 35 k spin followed by a sophomore 85 k in the lower hills we decided to tackle a big AND newish route. Much of the route follows the Table Rock up to Blue Ridge parkway route, but with a left hook a couple km from the Blue Ridge onto Explorer Road, followed by Canada Road (281) and back to the 215 at Balsam Grove via Wolf Mountain, Tanessee Creek and Joe House roads.<br /><br />Those familiar with the area will all too well know the big climb straight up the 178 from the golf course at Jocassee….not exactly a warm up…but that and the second one are mere warm-ups to what will follow. The day is the warmest expected this week (about 65 at the bottom) and pure sun. We got a late start just after 1 pm expecting a 5+ hr ride and not completely sure of the distance. After the first big warmup climb is the drop to Rocky Bottom (where many Canadian teams stay to train) then up up up again along the sparkling Oolenoy river….a fly-fisher’s paradise to the top of the second warmup before descending towards Rosman NC were a much needed stop for drink refill and high fat fudge covered coconut granola bar (only 50 cents !!!) was the order of moment. We knew what was next was basically 20 km of climbing (with a few down-hills thrown in just to taunt us for losing the altitude we would gain just prior. Then comes about 5 km of heinous climbing before hitting Explorer road….where we just happen to meet Mr. Bilenkey and the Gee Gee’s (Jon and Derek) who had come up and around some of the loop we were headed on.<br /><br />This new to us road opened up after a couple of steep long drops and one steep climb to a beautiful hidden valley of cozy balsam farms….just lovely in the high altitude sunny blue sky. Lots of lovely homesteads dotted the remainder of the road….completely unlike the ramshackle lots often seen on our routes. Finally we make it to Canada road after a longer than anticipated jaunt on aptly named Explorer….here it is pretty much all down to the hook back on Wolf Mountain road where we are greeted by a wall. Grunting up this wall I am made acutely aware of the fact that my road bike (now a 10 speed) low gear is a 26 tooth vs. the 27 that I usually used…..I REALLY miss that extra 4% !! Just as the road curves north again I stop at a nondescript looking road and realize it is our turn point….looked really like nothing more than a driveway so it was good we checked. Another arduous wall but the remainder of the road was mostly along valley shadowed by beautiful cliffs and pastures. Eventually we got back to Balsam Grove on the 215 (the road up) about one hour behind anticipated sked. Down to the nearby country store for another bottle a quick snack and on our way. Still pretty up and down back to Rosman and the ski legs and couch bum are feeling it ! From Rosman there are basically three climbs, one shortly out of town which then drops precipitously down almost to Rocky Bottom, then an evil teasing climb before the final drop to RB, and finally a long but slightly more gradual climb out leading eventually back to the descent to highway 11 and our car. All told it was 134 km and about 3000 m of ascent. I was pretty beat and my legs were weak and like rubber….but for what was essentially my third ride of the year (for me winter is all about the sticks on the feets) I was pretty damn happy with the 6+ hour achievement.<br /><br />My first real ride of the year had been a week earlier - the Wakefield Slacker. This was an easygoing group ride to Wakefield and Pipolinka consisting of myself, Chris, Pascal, Glenn and Jeff on the same day (tho at a much later warmer time period) as the Tall Tree Hardmen were doing the Wakefield Cracker. (Story by Matt Surch below <a href="http://talltreerides.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-wakefield-cracker.html">http://talltreerides.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-wakefield-cracker.html</a>). This was a great ride on a local favorite route, the weather was good, scenery nice and company great. The roads were even drier than expected and me, as the only guy without fenders, was able to contribute going to the front on enough occasions to earn my keep…..I think. Everyone on the Wakefield slacker ride pretty much relegates the bike to the closet and breaks out the skis for winter so we were all in about the same boat….all tired and happy to have completed a fun ride and get ourselves into the mode of the upcoming season. Alas I hear that winter has made a less than welcome return to O-Town. I won’t mind coming back to a few more skis, tho I’m not sure if my backcountry love will be requited, I’m sure the parkway and major trails will be going til mid April for sure. And now I have also remedied my fenderless situation…..!<br /></span></span><br />
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The route we took was similar to that found here: <a href="http://www.strava.com/activities/45164359">http://www.strava.com/activities/45164359</a> but instead of Silversteen road (south portion of the loop) ours was higher up - closer to Explorer....and we started at the junction of hwy 11 and 178 as opposed to Table Rock.</div>
Madmountainmikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215474927972800563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-56224669016068646942013-03-18T22:26:00.001-04:002013-03-18T22:27:02.760-04:00The Wakefield Windfest: HTFU<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim's all-road ripper, shod with 35mm Contis.</td></tr>
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With the first spring classic, the <b><a href="http://cyclewaterloo.com/steaming-nostril/">Steaming Nostril</a></b>, within striking distance, Iain and Jim were not about to embrace the warm confines of their basements on Sunday morning, despite the emails flying about the drama unfolding between Milan and San Remo. No, cold be damned, they'd ride, as would I. Because its March.</div>
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-17 degrees celcius at 09:00 was the forecast. We didn't have to wait until morning to agree that was not going to be productive. Have breakfast, embrocate, drive to Wakefield, and roll from Pipolinka at 11:30. It'd only be -9 or so. </div>
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-9 or so is ok with a bit of wind cover. Part of the rationale for riding from Wakefield, rather than from home to Wakefield, was the cover provided by the ridgeline along Mountain Road, then the hills and tree cover further north and along Lac Bernard. Did I mention hills? Yeah, they are important to ride in March.<br />
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Once again, I was proven an optimist, as the wind prevailed far more than 'planned.' Overdressed as we were, I was the only one without cold feet. That might have had something to do with my front wheel calamity. </div>
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Iain and I were testing our VTTs on these roads for the first time. Expecting a decent dose of ice, this seemed prudent. Tubeless tires are generally pretty straightforward, but the odd time you can get thrown a curve-ball. I reduced pressure at the covered bridge, then noted a 'very flexy fork' on a fast descent. Sure enough, my cognitive bias (Brad had remarked on his impressions of the same fork a week prior) had me fooled: my tire was running low. I must have broken my valve's seal. I added air, but 10 minutes later, it was soft again, so I decided to install a tube. Thankfully, I was the only one to leave my tools at home. Jim produced his 32mm tube.<br />
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Valve off, tube in. Waitasecond. Valve lock-nut not un-locknutting. Not even Jim's Bowflex-Power could break the aluminum-brass welded interface. Goddammit. Iain and I brainstormed, thinking out loud, spitballing, just letting it flow, while Jim attended to some inconsequential issue with his bike. Eureka: shear it off. Cool, with what? My spokes are aluminum. They are like, $5 each or something ridiculous like that. Ok, so kicking it's a bad idea. Aha, jam it into a pedal and snap it off. Bingo, success. Perfect shear. Its off, tube's in, and I'm getting my third upper body work-out of the day: PB!</div>
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Weeee, a descent to set the chill right deep! C'mon, lets climb! Iain pumps the pedals to 'warm up,' which is code for 'drop us, and tune up for the Sreaming Nostril.' I get that, its cool. No really, its <i>cool</i>. I rode a bike at 129kph on rollers on Saturday night, I don't have anything to prove today (no, I'm not kidding. Separate post to come). That's code for 'I am a lightweight, drank two beers last night, rode a bike for 01:30, and feel weak.' Jim and I talk about Dave.</div>
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Iain's hammering, while Jim and I skinned ourselves, was ok. After all, it was windy, cold, and scenic. More importantly, it was <i>necessary.</i> The reality is that the conditions were just part of the story. Iain needed more than an endurance pace, and we chased, until we didn't. And in all truth, there was many an occasion that we remarked how good the conditions were. It was just hard. As in, 70km hilly mountain bike ride hard. Why not just ride the trainer? Jim's summed it up:</div>
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<i>Today we do what others won't; tomorrow we do what others can't.</i></div>
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Its really that simple. If racing is on the menu for spring, you have to put in some really hard days before you can get to the good ones. It simply has to happen. We all need a good dose of HTFU once in a while, especially in March.<br />
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More:</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8566370375/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="My Photo Stream-978 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="My Photo Stream-978" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8252/8566370375_6fb619a35c.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obligatory covered bridge shot at the Gatineau River. My Niner VTT's maiden voyage.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8567468450/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="My Photo Stream-979 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="My Photo Stream-979" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8567468450_08d7c6f387.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot water in bottle; fingers crossed....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8566374969/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="My Photo Stream-987 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="My Photo Stream-987" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8386/8566374969_b346e0966a.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iain leads our trio over a short stretch of snowmobile trail from the Low Gazebo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A different perspective of the Paughan Dam. 'Finally' we crossed and completed the RotD loop.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bikes and the lake at the Dam. Same bars, rather different tires. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8567475920/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="My Photo Stream-993 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="My Photo Stream-993" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8567475920_396cd1fb4f.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">VTTs and wind-swept farm field, about to head into the tree cover....finally.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iain and Jim, about to head into the trees.</td></tr>
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Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-40461528416573409512013-03-11T10:20:00.003-04:002013-03-11T10:21:43.575-04:00The Wakefield Cracker<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8545719065/" title="Camera Roll-23 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-23" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8252/8545719065_0ffd3f9bbc.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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The seal has been broken. On Sunday, a gaggle of Tall Tree Cycles team members, Imad, and Marcel, launched the first official Wakefield + group ride of the season. The 'Alcove Loop' was the plan, a paved ride to Wakefield via Mine, Scott, 105, and River Road, then beyond Wakefield on the 105 for a bit before kicking West at Alcove, and bridging over to the 366 to return to Wakefield. Road bikes with fenders were the order of the day. When I say road bikes, I mean bikes with 28mm or larger tires, not your typical carbon dream-crusher. Proper bikes for spring riding, frienders, fender flaps.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">40k in, and its time for Pipolinka stop #1. They've always got the coffee ready to go; I can't imagine a better bakery to punctuate a ride. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob surveys Jamie's steel steed. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolling the good stuff about 60k in. Buff!</td></tr>
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Rather than completing the Alcove Loop as planned, I suggested we roll onto Parent instead to achieve the full 120k targeted. Soon enough, it transitioned into nice hard-packed dirt, just right for our plump tires. Ok, the frozen rut I caught wasn't too cool, but that was an isolated incident....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8545717307/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-21 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-21" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8239/8545717307_a991ff0abe.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four steel bikes and one aluminum in this photo. Steel is real. Iain rocks his Steelwool Sweet City in 1x9 format.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three rides in, and I was finally able to get a decent shot of a dogsled team.! Mush!<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">A little over 120k for the day, two Pipolinka stops; outstanding. Marty was hardman of the day (HotD), riding his fixed gear and NOT imploding or exploding, and that's with over 1000m climbing. Chapeau! Jamie was also exceptional considering he was ill, budgeting his energy very well. Props. </span></div>
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Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-58401155461012960522013-03-03T21:10:00.000-05:002013-03-03T21:10:12.884-05:00The Wakefield Iceduster<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8525989358/" title="Camera Roll-18 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-18" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8103/8525989358_0913e195f0.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Back at it in Wakefield early Sunday morning, Iain, Andy, Marcel, Chris-from-the-internet, and I rolled out on all manner of bicycles to put in some base miles on snow dusted dirt roads. With wet snow packed down, ice covered some of the stretches of our route, but all was well, even for Andy on his touring bike shod with Continental reptile tires. Chris and Marcel brought 29ers, while Iain and I represented the fat bike community.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8525970568/" title="Camera Roll-5 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-5" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8112/8525970568_ce56f4b13f.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8526139956/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="My Photo Stream-974 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="My Photo Stream-974" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8379/8526139956_b7dd6f9ed7.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris' first ride in the area, LOVED it.</td></tr>
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With temps hovering around -5 today, and little sun, the roads remained frozen and unchanged over the 3.5 hours we rode. Traction was consistent, that is, consistently somewhat slippery, but easily manageable for all. The worst thing that happened was we had to sit on some climbs to avoid spinning. Oh, and Marcel's snow drift bail was, by Andy's report, pretty spectacular! Unfortunatly, like the dog-sled team we saw, I was unable to capture the moment in pixels for you all to enjoy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Paughan Dam. We revered course here for the sake or Iain's marriage.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8525981770/" title="Camera Roll-13 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-13" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8228/8525981770_62b73257f6.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Two data points don't constitute a sufficient sample, but I think its fair to submit that the dirt roads around Wakefield will generally be great for fenderless riding as long as the temp is below zero. Once it heats up, the little snow and ice will thaw, the roads will get wet while remaining hard-packed for a bit, then the frost will come out and they will be slow and soggy for a while. So as a rule of thumb, the roads should be excellent any time next winter not immediately following (or during) a significant snowfall or freezing rain. Any bike with 35mm tires and some tread should typically work well, though my personal preference looking ahead is likely to be my VTT drop bar mountain bike, with fast rolling mtb tires in the 2.2-2.4 range. The thinking is that you want to be able to control the bike when you hit frozen icy ruts here and there, and thereby stay upright, rather than bail for the sake of less rolling resistance and grip.<br />
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Next winter we'll try to rally the troops and throw an informal <a href="http://sportrecon.com/2012/2012RotD">Raudax</a> from Wakefield. Or two...!<br />
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Click through the pics to access the rest.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8525115623/" title="Camera Roll-41 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-41" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8525115623_2b3ff312cc.jpg" width="379" /></a><br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="http://app.strava.com/activities/43060748/embed/51c6782ecd1b55118acd4ce9ec549df1d7c7f556" width="450"></iframe>Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-63242810298147710782013-03-02T15:03:00.001-05:002013-03-02T15:03:26.232-05:00February Fat Challenge (via STRAVA) Winners!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8522434188/" title="Camera Roll-4 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-4" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8522434188_4303891bc7.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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Ok, you all want to know who won before anything else, right? By random draw, here's who takes the Strava Premium 1-Year Subscriptions:<br />
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<b>Marco D</b><br />
<b>David Bilenkey</b><br />
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Winners were drawn from a mug by my daughter.<br />
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I will drop off the voucher cards inside a handy Strava JerseyBin at Tall Tree Cycles for pick-up any time after Monday. If either are unclaimed by the following Tuesday, and I've not heard from either winner, I'll redraw.<br />
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Now for the stats.<br />
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Iain Radford pulled massive mileage, totaling 322km for the month of February, almost exclusively on singletrack! Yariv Wolfe and Brad Kukurutz flirted with 200k at 196 and 190, respectively. Here's the rest, in no particular order:<br />
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Jay Heins: 168km<br />
Janine Gorman: 110km<br />
Marco D: 147km<br />
Rod Diaz: 147km<br />
David Bilenky: 117km<br />
Thom Johnson: 134km<br />
Matt Surch: 140km (no, I was not in the draw).<br />
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Our grand total was thus 1669km, the distance between Ottawa and Little Seldom, Newfoundland, you know, if you could ride there in a straight line.<br />
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All in all there were many more miles logged on fat bikes in the Ottawa area, but not everyone is logging rides on Strava, and not everyone on Strava submitted totals. Better odds for those who did. It was clear form comments I received that this Challenge was a good motivator through the month. That's exactly what I was hoping for when I set the point of entry at 100k, which could be attained in 10 rides of 10k. Doable, it adds up. Thanks to Strava for providing these prizes; I'll aim to repeat the Challenge next season, and I will keep the focus on participation, and away form competition.<br />
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Thanks to all for being part of the Challenge! Lets see if we can shatter our collective total in 2014!<br />
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<br />Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-22449857219801823672013-02-24T20:01:00.000-05:002013-02-24T20:02:25.219-05:00The Inaugural Wakefield Icebreaker<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fat road.</td></tr>
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Its late February, as you likely know, and that means what it always means: its time to get some miles in on the road, one way or another. Today's way broke with tradition: we drove to Wakefield to ride the good stuff, the snow roads. Iain, Marcel, and Robbi-from-the-internet gathered at Pipolinka, obviously, to kick off the ride.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8504361797/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-10 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-10" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8089/8504361797_f7f34d4052.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahhh, home away from home, Pipolinka. Is the coffee a-flowin? You bet it is! Vegan choc-chip ginger muffin to boot!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8505470310/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-9 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-9" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8233/8505470310_dffa0c5707.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robbi, Marcel, Iain. Matt behind the ol' SLR, i.e., iPhone 4S.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8504358343/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-8 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-8" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8504358343_5f5162e27a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We remembered our bikes....phewf. Robbi's mtb was smaller.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8504363015/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-11 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-11" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8506/8504363015_50bc96dffb.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obligatory covered bridge shot. Marcel, on the way out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8505477904/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-16 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-16" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8505477904_428d007439.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Its tough riding packed snow on a fat bike with 20psi. Huge difference versus 5psi.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8504369165/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-17 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-17" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8504369165_18ff154bb0.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our foray up an unplowed road from the bridge was ok for the fatties, but not Robbi's regular mtb. Back down to try another link up to the 366. That one was also ok for us; Robbi had a solid hike.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8505475958/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-14 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-14" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8529/8505475958_13a48213b0.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marcel cleared the bank too, ready for the next challenge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8504391147/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-41 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-41" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8504391147_fa786904bf.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marcel rolled on a Larry and Endomorph, ideal tires for the snow roads, which were quite hard-packed, idea, really. With a temp above zero, some sections were quite wet. Under zero, they'd be perfect.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8504386833/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-35 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-35" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8247/8504386833_bee56f9e32.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First ride of the season on the open roads, you gotta stay on top of eating. You don't want to bonk out there.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8505496048/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-34 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-34" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8235/8505496048_bd6e2b3079.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrong turn, good for a pic.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8505494100/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-32 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-32" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8250/8505494100_3bf078b6f0.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All-day pace....except up Woodsmoke! Here we pass through the Wakefields.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8505484814/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-23 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-23" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8092/8505484814_53b28dca16.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staying dry(ish) required staying on the snow.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8505502900/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-43 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-43" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8518/8505502900_d5744a5013.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading back into town, after about 3:20 out on the roads, and 55k.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8504394307/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Camera Roll-45 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Camera Roll-45" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8519/8504394307_ef89ff708f.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well earned coffee and smoothies at La Foret, a brilliant compliment to Pipolinka, just next door.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="http://app.strava.com/activities/42147257/embed/28464d55a04a18cdeea9ebf1c824a8d737ccd212" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The verdict? Amazing ride. We've talked about trying the roads in the winter before, but never driven up to try. Riding from home and back is 80k, so that would be the whole ride, and a wet, flat one. Driving up to Wakefield puts you right in the good terrain and salt-free snow covered dirt roads, away from traffic and spray, as long as its below zero. The fat bike is extremely stable on this sort of surface, and shockingly efficient with 20lbs pressure in the tires, even aggressive Surly Nates. Yes, climbing roads that are tough on the best of days are yet tougher on a 26-35lb bike, but the traction is good, and there is no pressure to hit a PB. Its all about putting in some beautiful hours on the bikes with good company. I can't think of a better way to build the fitness required for the challenges spring brings.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Next winter we'll get up to the Wakefields to ride more often. If there is interest, we'll put together a group ride or two. Between -10 and 0, it won't be hard to stay comfortable out there, especially with wind buddies!</span></div>
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Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-16475181101085811372013-02-19T14:56:00.000-05:002013-02-19T14:56:08.091-05:00Understanding the Cyborg Cyclist<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/5982519988/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1030126 by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="P1030126" height="300" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6027/5982519988_007819ff59.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryan Atkins atop his Steelwool in a pretty serious stage race.</td></tr>
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Jan Heine talks about '<b><a href="http://curiousrandonneur.blogspot.ca/2011/01/jan-heine-on-bicycle-planing-againon.html">planing</a></b>' without saying the word in his <b><a href="http://janheine.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/laws-of-physics/">latest blog post.</a></b> The human body is a dynamic 'motor' upon a bicycle. The way the machine receives power feeds back into the source of the power, UNLIKE the manner in which an engine delivers power to a drive train Engines don't tire; they run out of fuel. In my view, this is the fundamental misconception that large bicycle companies perpetuate in their marketing copy espousing the structural design of their products. They lead consumers to believe that the most efficient bicycle system is the one that deflects the least under pedaling load. They use test apparata to quantify their claims. Riders are thus conditioned brainwashed into believing that the stiffest platform is the fastest platform.The paradoxical thing is that in the end, the <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-fulfilling_prophecy">prophesy might be self-fulfilling</a></b>.<br />
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Humans tire; the question is: how fast? Heine discusses his findings: stiffer and lighter bikes are not faster by virtue of these factors. Rather, they seem to fatigue the rider sooner (due to lack of yielding to the power input), reducing the overall power available for propulsion. Heine thus tacitly references planing. The titanium bike in his experiment does not harmonize with his body's pedaling rhythm, but instead loads his legs with lactic acid prematurely. He is not able to produce as much power on the lighter, stiffer bike. This is thus a slower bike than its heavier steel counterpart.<br />
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One might blame <b><a href="http://www.arizela.com/archives/73">perceptual bias</a>,</b> but I suspect Heine's protocols are sound. Heine and his co-tester, Mark, ride steel bikes a lot. They are attuned to the rhythm and resonance of 'flexy fliers.' They know how to work with them. The both believe they are fast bikes, and prove it by riding them fast. On stiffer bikes they are less efficient. At the same time, riders who have grown up riding stiff bikes believe <i>they</i> are faster. These riders are attuned to the resonance of stiff bikes, and feel slower on bikes that yield more to their input. Feeling slower can mean you are slower; the rider's perception of speed versus effort can either enhance or diminish one's power output. <b><a href="http://talltreerides.blogspot.ca/2012/08/selfbelieve-beyond-reason.html">That is, if you feel like a hero, you can eke out more power</a></b>. In contrast, if you feel like a 'zero,' access to your power will be diminished; you will undermine your ability. Cue the excuses.<br />
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In the final analysis, I would contend that the fastest bike for a given rider is that which harmonizes with the rider's belief and ability. PRO racers probably really are faster on ultra stiff bikes than they would be on lively steel rigs (it would be fascinating to involve PRO racers in the same experiment Heine undertook).<br />
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Rando masters like Jan Heine probably really are faster on flexy, heavier bikes. When you get down to the bottom of the matter, there is no one set of design parameters that is ideal for ALL riders. A great bike is one that the rider feels comfortable and fast on, regardless of how that is accomplished. If you want to change it up, you are going to have to be willing to take the time to get intimate with a new platform in order to get the most from it.<br />
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This said, 23mm tires really are slower than 25s on the road. ;)<br />
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<br />Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-22676886884370270792013-02-15T19:57:00.002-05:002013-02-15T19:57:29.620-05:00Winter Fat Biking: What to Wear<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8473634110/" title="Thursday night fatting. by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Thursday night fatting." height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8383/8473634110_d23d4f8f72.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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I've been meaning to write a post on dressing for fat biking in the cold for a while, so here it is. I welcome comments about what you all find works. I hope this helps orient those who are new at the whole cycling-in-the-freezing-cold thing.<br />
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If you live in Alaska, or anywhere else polar, you should refer to Fatbike.com for advice. Minus 40 degrees Celcius demands different gear than the Ottawa Valley and other similar climes. Here, winter kicks in somewhere between November and December. It has been pretty variable over the last decade or so. Consistent temperatures below freezing tend to begin in late November, if not early December. At the coldest, we get down to about -35 degrees Celcius on occasion, but a typical 'cold' day is about -25 Celcius. Those days have not been terribly frequent over the last few years, with this year as an exception. I rode to work one day at -32...not pleasant.<br />
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If you are new to riding in the winter, you will have to start with your hands and feet. While many in very cold climes opt to use thick boots and platform pedals to get the power down, that set-up has tradeoffs. Likewise for clipless shoes or boots. If you will be riding actual singletrack trails, you might like the added control clipping affords. I can attest that switching from platforms to clipless last season made a noticeable difference in control. The challenge is now staying warm.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8420013697/" title="Only -12ish on the bike today; quote tolerable. by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Only -12ish on the bike today; quote tolerable." height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8096/8420013697_4f5e3c2f46.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Lets establish a few principles:<br />
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- You can be dry and warm or wet and warm; take your pick, depending on:<br />
--- how long you are going to ride<br />
----- if for only 1 hour or so, close to a car or warm house, you don't need to worry too much about being wet.<br />
----- if you are going out for longer than an hour or so, and/or won't be very close to a warm space, you will want to stay drier. If you get all worked up and wet, then have to ride home on a windy road, you will suffer. OR, you can opt to be wet and keep it in. This is the 'garbage bag method,' used by some endurance fat bikers. You trap in the heat and moisture with plastic, then cover that with insulation. As long as you don't stop for too long, you're good. I don't think this approach makes sense for us Ottawa-area riders doing 1-4 hour rides.<br />
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- Layer.<br />
-- Thin layers out of breathable fabrics against the skin, insulating layers as you move out, then windblocking layer on the outside for exposure to wind. In the woods, at low speeds, windblocking layers are not always required. Try a vest over a couple layers to allow the arms to vent excess heat. Keep a shell in your pocket or pack to retain heat once your intensity goes down. That might be the end of the ride, as you are about to drive off, or perhaps at a point where you will be exposed to greater wind and speed for a long descent or road ride home.<br />
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- Don't be warm before you start moving.<br />
-- You should not feel toasty in your riding gear while you are standing outside, stationary. If you are comfy, you are overdressed for riding. Lose a layer.<br />
---- If your effort level will be pretty constant for your whole ride, and conditions are expected to remain consistent, you won't need to worry much about changing your layer; assuming you get it right to start with.<br />
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- Wool.<br />
-- Specifically, merino epic wool, from a source that treats their sheep with respect.<br />
---- Thin base layers against the skin work really well to regulate your core temperature. High quality merino socks work well too. Merino skull caps and neck buffs likewise work well in most conditions.<br />
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- Silk.<br />
-- For glove liners, silk seems to work better than merino for regulating temperature and moisture. Some use it for base layers; I don't have any, so I can't testify to that.<br />
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- Cashmere.<br />
-- I am not advocating cashmere in general (being opposed to the subjugation of animals). However, like Iain, you might have a sweater or vest hanging around. According to Iain, it works incredibly well as a mid-layer. Repurposing old pieces is better than buying anything new, in ecological terms, which for some, are also ethical terms.<br />
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- Neoprene for wet.<br />
-- If you are going to be wet for a while, you will be cold if your energy output is not really high. You need neoprene.<br />
---- Use neoprene gloves to trap water and keep it warm, as in wetsuits.<br />
---- Use a neoprene face mask when you have to cover up. They have holes in them for CO2 and vapour to pass through.<br />
---- Neoprene socks actually work pretty well too.<br />
---- Some shoe covers are neoprene. They are ok.<br />
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- Oversize.<br />
-- Shoes/boots, to fit larger socks with room to spare. You need some air space in the system.<br />
-- The same applies for gloves and mitts; don't make them tight.<br />
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Goggles over your eyes when its cold.<br />
-- Eyes and skin around the eyes are sensitive. Cover up with goggles on the cold days, and you'll feel much warmer overall, and protect your eyes from branches and attack squirrels.<br />
---- Look for models with <b><a href="http://www.lakesuperiormotorsports.ca/shop/item.aspx?itemid=2473">nose and upper cheek coverage</a></b>, this makes a big difference.<br />
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- Bring spare stuff.<br />
-- When the weather is changing, and/or your speed and/or pace will change frequently.<br />
-- Along with clothes, bring:<br />
---- spare socks if there is danger of a soaker,<br />
---- an emergency blanket and chemical warmers if there is a chance of an injury in an exposed or remote(ish) area.<br />
---- enough water and food to cover a bit more time out than planned, if not close to home.<br />
---- a multi-tool, glueless patches, a pump, a master link for your chain, and a tube.<br />
---- Its good to have a cell phone.<br />
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There are a variety of offerings out there labeled 'winter cycling shoes/boots.' I have a pair of <b><a href="http://www.bicycling.com/mountainbikecom/featured-stories/tested-shimano-mw81-winter-riding-revelation">Shimano</a>s</b>, which are GoreTex. I primarily purchased these for fall and spring riding and racing, but pressed them into service for fat biking. While they make riding clipless possible, they don't make it warm. I use a pair of Superfeet 'insulated' insoles to bump up the warmth, and sized them large enough for thicker than usual socks; ski socks fit. However, if I'm out for longer than one hour in colder than -5, my feet will get cold. At -15, they'll be quite cold. -25? No go, I'll freeze, so I can't ride. Adding booties would bump up the heat a bit, but they tend to get mangled when you step off, so you have to resort to taping them to keep them in place. I use a pair of <b><a href="http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Footwear/Gaiters/PRD~4010-774/mec-short-gaiters-unisex.jsp">short gaiters</a> </b>to cover both the tops of my shoes and the cuffs of my <b><a href="http://www.endurasport.com/Product.aspx?dept_id=110&prod_id=101">Endura Singletrack</a></b> pants.<br />
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The Endura pants are not waterproof, barely water resistant. Generally, that's not an issue; if its raining I'll ride inside. These afford enough space in the knee to fit in the <b><a href="http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/protection/knee-pads/product/review-sixsixone-kyle-strait-knee-guard-10329">661 Kyle Strait knee pads</a></b> I always wear. After nearly ripping my knee cap off on my first ever fat bike ride a couple years ago (on Brad's bike), I decided knee pads were essential. Rocks are hidden by snow, and knee-to-stem impacts are not uncommon. Better to be proactive.<br />
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Ski socks and a pair of knickers with chamois go on under the pads and pants. Rather than cinch the pants super tight, I use a pair of <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chums-60610-Suspenders/dp/B003CK2HC4">Chums suspenders</a></b>, which work great.<br />
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Up top I wear multiple merino layers, as outlined above. I'll often wear a poly-something long sleeve jersey on to of 1-3 base layers, then either a jacket or thick vest over that; our Tall Tree team kit works well. Its all fine tuning, depending on the weather and where I'll be riding. In Kanata Lakes I always layer for more breathability and less windstopping than when I ride the local paths in the city. The intensity in Kanata is much higher, yet the speed lower and exposure to wind minimal. In contrast, riding the local paths is often quite windy, and about twice as fast (self-made windchill).<br />
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On my hands I wear a variety of gloves, from <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/SSG-Silk-Liners-Gloves/dp/B0002T8ZHE">silk liners</a></b> with <b><a href="http://www.manzella.com/index.php/products/detail/o397m">WindStopper fleece gloves </a></b>over top, to WindStoppers inside <b><a href="http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRjeatDQK-XmiB__9HLfkhr8GiK0w_r0DQBwbrV6dxSqiyoJVg5_ScvgjZl3AFkqR5W2tmEPqn8puKSlAlpSs4nV1iG4a0ra7AsVIccxrsJ4vUioNSDu7qIrpu0W-xUiipUnfKEvevcY/s1600/craft-lobsterclaw.jpg&imgrefurl=http://robonza.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-craft-thermal-split-finger-glove.html&h=600&w=624&sz=122&tbnid=nDgT6WAnvglQ_M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=94&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcraft%2Blobster%2Bgloves%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=craft+lobster+gloves&usg=__XgTyscmRP5Is0OSfxX4ZM3csLaM=&docid=PQ9TBruQdrqiIM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CNYeUYmLHuTD0AGZs4CQCw&sqi=2&ved=0CFEQ9QEwAw&dur=1146">wind blocking lobsters</a></b>, to my new <b><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/gloves/guide-lobster-mitt/">Black Diamond Guide</a></b> monster mitts, and about 63 other combinations in between. While <b><a href="http://fat-bike.com/2012/01/pogies-keeping-the-digits-warm/">bar mitts/pogies</a></b> are practical for trekking-type riding, I don't consider them practical for singletrack, or anywhere else where crashing is expected. If your hands are always cold, and you don't grab trees or crash much, these could be for you.<br />
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On my head I either wear a merino scull cap or merino toque, depending on the cold. These are encased by a <b><a href="http://www.louisgarneau.com/ca-en/product/342894/1406032/View_All/DUSTER_II_HELMET">snowboard helmet</a></b> with visor and goggle clip, perfect. Goggles are an old pair of Oakleys with an add-on shield.<br />
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I think that covers it, head to toe. Did I miss anything? Don't say chemical heaters, that's cheating!<br />
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Enjoy the snow, spring's on its way!<br />
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<br />Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-76823194122424604182013-02-11T15:16:00.001-05:002013-02-11T15:16:14.424-05:00Winter Projects: SRAM overhaul and VTTsBeing winter and all, and an icy one at that, I've had some time to revive a slew of bike parts in the ol' man cave lately, which I quite enjoy. I thought I'd do a little post on what I've been up to.<br />
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First up, wrenching on SRAM road shifters with <b><a href="http://www.muc-offusa.com/">Muc-Off</a></b>. I've used a set of Rival hand perches for 4 seasons, and they've served me well. However well protected the internals of SRAM shifters are compared to Shimano's offerings, the fact remains that lots of contamination finds its way inside over the course of all manner of riding, not least, cyclocross. Horrible? No. Deserving of attention? Certainly.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8464982097/" title="SRAM Rival, pre-disassembly by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="SRAM Rival, pre-disassembly" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8464982097_b4dbf8baed.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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First, remove the hood from your shifter, off the bike. You need new cables and housing anyway, right? This is going to work way better if the shifter starts like this.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8466080496/" title="Lots of contamination present by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Lots of contamination present" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8099/8466080496_d4aed3c1b5.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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See the filth? Nasty. That stuff is not good for the function and durability of your shifters. Remove this plate under my thumb with the proper small Phillips screwdriver. Don't lose the screws.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8464983711/" title="Clean! by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Clean!" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8247/8464983711_b241bc7f16.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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Here's where the Muc-Off comes in. I didn't want to use a harsh solvent, so I took <b><a href="http://www.muc-offusa.com/muc-off-biodegradable-bike-cleaner.html">Muc-Off's terrific pink cleaner</a></b> and diluted it in hot water in an old granola container. Go ahead, I've been called a 'granola' before. Whatever. Soak the shifter.<br />
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Grab your spouse's toothbrush and scrub away at the internals, removing all the contamination you can. Rinse, lather, repeat. Know that you are cleaning away some of the grease that is/was in there from the factory. This means you might well have to add some lube periodically. Know that.<br />
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Rinse with warm water. The Muc-Off is designed to come off this way. If you are paranoid about residue, flush it with rubbing alcohol.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8465116753/" title="Pick your poison. by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Pick your poison." height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8374/8465116753_b6e27ac34c.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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As you can see from the photo of my tool chest, I have a lot of lube options. Muc-Off's lubes are great, but I've not been using them long enough to try one in my shifters. Instead, I used <b><a href="http://www.triflowlubricants.com/Tri-Flow_Superior_Drip_Lubricant.html">Tri-Flow</a></b>, which is indispensable in the shop. It is not sticky, so it won't collect contamination. It's pretty durable too. Lube it up. Word of caution, if you have Muc-Off's ceramic lube (pink top), DO NOT use it for any parts with small moving parts. It gums up and restricts part function. It can be used on cables, where it is quite slick, and of course, chains. However, it collects a lot of debris, which then hinders performance. Its an odd one.<br />
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Ok, now you need to dry out the shifter. I use a compressor and blow-nozzle to blast air in, moisture and dirt out. If you don't have a compressor, air dry the part, then lube up all the moving bits and re-install the covering plate. You are now ready to re-install the hood and mount the shifter back onto your bike. If you are worried about getting the positioning right, tape the bar where the top of the shifter sits before you remove it, then line it up again.<br />
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Now you are ready for cabling. Remember, new cables and housing alone can make a tired bike feel fresh. Replace them at least once a season on a bike you ride regularly to maintain solid performance. Note that excess friction in the cables and housing loads makes your shifters work harder, and wear out faster. I will do a post specifically on cable and housing in the near future.<br />
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While your shifters would likely be going back onto your road or cyclo-cross bike, mine are now adorning my Velo-Tout-Terrain (VTT) machine. 'VTT' is what the French call 'mountain bikes,' and, with all honesty, that name is far more appropriate for our fat tire machines than 'MTB.' The truth is, the minority of mountain bikers ride mountains....ever. Hills, sure; mountains, not so much. Perhaps like the Beta versus VHS battle, the term 'All-terrain Bike' vied for supremacy back when I was a kid ripping around on a Sears POS (no, that does not denote 'point of sale'). The english-speaking fat tire crowd settled on MTB, and ATB died away. Meanwhile, in Europeland, VTT was the term that stuck.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8459912734/" title="Its a monster. Its an abomination. Its alive! Niner MCR in VTT mode. by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Its a monster. Its an abomination. Its alive! Niner MCR in VTT mode." height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8377/8459912734_919aaa8414.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Driving home from <b><a href="http://talltreerides.blogspot.ca/2012/04/spring-classics-double-bill-new-york.html">Battenkill </a></b>last April, Iain and I decided he should convert his custom steel Waltworks hardtail to a 650b drop-bar rig. Why not try it? What to call it? We settled on VTT, because 'monstercross' just didn't apply; there is nothing cyclo-cross about the format. We're talking John Tomac -ripping-it-up-up-with-a-Tioga-disc-wheel style here, minus the disc wheel. See, Tomac was a phenom. He raced BMX at a high level as a kid, then raced both PRO road with Bob Roll on 7-11, and MTB for a few teams, perhaps most well known, Giant.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nMb5p0W1t5g" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Iain's bike came out great, and he put in a few hundred kilometers on in over the fall. Since we both like to do long off-road rides, and the majority of trails in Gatineau Park that are open to bikes are wide open, we are keen on seeing how we make out on this platform. Cyclo-cross bikes handle a lot of the trails in the park, but since we both like to stay off the brakes, and we don't like flats and dented rims, working with a MTB platform and running drop bars will get us into a comfortable position with multiple hand-holds, out of the wind on the road sections we ride, and generally allow us to ride wherever we want, fast. 650b and 29er wheels lend themselves to this set-up, 650b being ideal for smaller riders.<br />
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My bike is a Niner MCR, which is a Reynolds 853 steel frame. I'm using an XTR crankset with two rings, SRAM X9 10 speed rear derailleur mated to the Rival shifters, and Avid BB7 Road mechanical disc brakes. I've mounted a short and shallow drop bar on the same stem I used with a riser, and its 2cm wider than usual. This gives me the same reach and drop I use on my cyclo-cross bike.<br />
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I'll use a variety of tires, but nothing extremely aggressive. The key to fast rolling tires with minimal tread will be the Stan's Flow EX rims I'll build up, which feature 25mm wide bead hooks, setting up the tires with more volume than usual. Rims are getting wider across most disciplines, and MTB and VTT are no exceptions, especially with the mainstreaming of tubeless tires. Look out for a future post specifically on this topic.<br />
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We'll be taking these bikes to <b><a href="http://talltreerides.blogspot.ca/2012/08/d2r2-2012-you-gotta-get-up-to-get-down.html">D2R2</a></b>, and we'll ride them during our own <b><a href="http://talltreerides.blogspot.ca/2012/10/double-cross-redux.html">Double Cross </a></b>too. <b><a href="http://veloflaneur.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/underbiking/">Underbiking</a></b> has its place, but we're pumped to ride these bikes a lot in 2013! Are we alone here, or are any of you intrigued? Would you like to convert an MTB you've got to a VTT? Drop in at Tall Tree Cycles; the guys can help.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8170811297/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Velo Tout Terrain! by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Velo Tout Terrain!" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8208/8170811297_19c26c89ce.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iain and his Waltworks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44666134@N04/8170796853/" title="Velo Tout Terrain! by Tall Tree Cycles & Steelwool Bicycle Co., on Flickr"><img alt="Velo Tout Terrain!" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8198/8170796853_1c2700cd5d.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
<br />Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.com0