Along the Great Divide
Today at noon (mountain time) marks the begining of another GDR, or Great Divide Race. This is a really cool grass roots race that just has to be an adventure. I can imagine someday riding this route, that the Adventure Cycling Association developed as an off pavement long distance touring route, but it boggles the mind to contemplate racing it. If that isn't enough, apparently at least three of the competitors are doing it this year on fixed gear bikes. Wow! Go Rudi, Matt and Dave! I bought Rudi's artwork, Prisoner, a few months ago to support him in this ride.
In other news, I picked up a new bottom bracket for the Fuji on the way home yesterday. I was just going to get a new spindle, but ended up going for a whole new cartridge BB. I got that installed and and cleaned up the bike a bit. The bars, seat, fenders and front wheel were all a bit off kilter from Tuesday's crash, so I trued the wheel a bit, straightened everything out, and re-adjusted the brakes. I also went ahead and added a front fender mudflap, which I'd been too lazy to do for a while. That done, I should have ridden into work today, but since the weather is supposed to be severe thunderstorms pretty much all day, I wimped out again.
When I was at the shop, I should have picked up a couple of tubes. Wednesday evening I went to Schaeffer Farms with Todd and Craig. It was harder for me than two weeks ago. I think I was still recovering from Tuesday's crash, and I recently put slightly harder gearing on the QB in the quest for the perfect on and off road gear. Usually on any given MTB ride I'll have to bail off the bike once or twice and may have a slight fall or two. This time I just couldn't make things connect. Getting used to the powergrips that I had replaced my clipless with, I fell really hard three times, once reopening the elbow gash from the day before. So anyways, Todd is following me up one section of trail and says " How often do you get flats on those skinny tires?" I said I didn't want to answer because I would jinx myself. Didn't matter. Apparently even thinking about it was enough to have the front tire let go. It was slow a enough leak that I could ride and bit and pump it up, but I was hot and tired enough for it to really stink. I'll get over it. Bikes are still great, but I have a long way to go to not embarass myself in August.
In other news, I picked up a new bottom bracket for the Fuji on the way home yesterday. I was just going to get a new spindle, but ended up going for a whole new cartridge BB. I got that installed and and cleaned up the bike a bit. The bars, seat, fenders and front wheel were all a bit off kilter from Tuesday's crash, so I trued the wheel a bit, straightened everything out, and re-adjusted the brakes. I also went ahead and added a front fender mudflap, which I'd been too lazy to do for a while. That done, I should have ridden into work today, but since the weather is supposed to be severe thunderstorms pretty much all day, I wimped out again.
When I was at the shop, I should have picked up a couple of tubes. Wednesday evening I went to Schaeffer Farms with Todd and Craig. It was harder for me than two weeks ago. I think I was still recovering from Tuesday's crash, and I recently put slightly harder gearing on the QB in the quest for the perfect on and off road gear. Usually on any given MTB ride I'll have to bail off the bike once or twice and may have a slight fall or two. This time I just couldn't make things connect. Getting used to the powergrips that I had replaced my clipless with, I fell really hard three times, once reopening the elbow gash from the day before. So anyways, Todd is following me up one section of trail and says " How often do you get flats on those skinny tires?" I said I didn't want to answer because I would jinx myself. Didn't matter. Apparently even thinking about it was enough to have the front tire let go. It was slow a enough leak that I could ride and bit and pump it up, but I was hot and tired enough for it to really stink. I'll get over it. Bikes are still great, but I have a long way to go to not embarass myself in August.
posted by Hjalti at 9:50 AM
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