Forty Nine

Woke up today feeling great, back is all good even after yestrday. Wish I could have been HERE today, but my back is still not bike ready yet. It is amazing to me that WE can draw 60+ cyclist to do any of the crazy ass rides we come up with and put on. The best things in life really are free. I love being apart of such a great team, and cycling community. I have met so many cool people because of cycling, and I think we have a very bright future ahead of us here in the Midwest. As bad of a city St. Louis may be for cyclist, we sure have a lot of really cool cyclist here. I love the Death by Hills Route a CFR Creation that I will have to get all Mario Van Peeples on it sooner and later, unless any one wants a rematch?! Coach is one sick mofo for creating this route. The plan right now for the first week of March is to head back down south on Saturday afternoon for some backpacking and hillbike riding on Middlefork. A few more days off the bike, a Hike again on Tuesday, and then some Bpacking/biking on Sunday. Just bummed around today and watched USAvsCAN Hockey game. I also put a few videos of yesterdays hike on YouTube today for your viewing pleasure below.







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Forty Eight

Off the bike for the past two weeks per Dr. George's orders, but today was filled with nothing but amazing moments. 1) Day two with a completely pain free lower back, the new stretches are really working. 2) I hit the scales again and I am officially at the -15lb mark! I am 225 again for the first time in at least 6mos. 3)The weather today was too good to be true, and since Katie and I were not able to make the overnight with TTM we knew a day hike had to happen.
So We packed our bags, and headed South.








3) 10mi Middlefork loaded hike.











4) Dos Primos! 5) Baths for the dogs, and last but not least after 1 day shy of 2mos w/o any alcohol I knew the only way to celebrate such an amazing group of events was to toast the day with a ice cold tall 16oz can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.



It is hard to complain about anything after a day like today. To top it all off we also saw this Guy, and this Guy on the trail during our hike. It is kinda weird that 100mi from home in the middle of nowhere we run into friends! The OT is a special place for sure. I can't wait to see TTM's trip report. Slowly getting my back ready for the Pain Cave.
Good night,


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Forty Seven

The good news is I won't be needing one of these but...

The past few days my back has been getting worse, this is with rest and absolutely no riding of any kind. After My Dr. visit this afternoon it was pretty clear that we are dealing with a disc issue again. It's been two years since I have had any serious back issues, and I would like to keep it that way. I am pretty much just going to be strecting and taking it easy till I get the green light. The shitty part is I have a fully rebuilt 29er SS just sitting in the basement, my pack is actually packed/ready for it's first trip, and Katie's new pack arrived in the mail last night. I have to miss a trip this weekend, and the Death By Hills Ride, but hope to be at least cleared for some hiking next weekend. Pretty frustrated with everything back related, but better now than 1 month from now I suppose.
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Forty Six

Well my 2009 Kona Big Unit 2010 re-Build is finally complete. After a complete overhaul and a few select upgrades my favorite bike is back in action and ready for the epic 2010 season. The only bummer is it rained all day today and my back is still super stiff. I have been off the bike as per my Dr's orders since Feb 12, and I am getting sick of the lack of riding. I have however had tons of time to get all my backpacking gear together, and this Friday looks to be the maiden voyage to Bell Mtn. with Katie and some good friends. I am getting very eager for weeks filled with double chubbs, middleforks, Trifectas, and berryman rides. Until then enjoy some of the new build. Upgrades include new wheelset compliments of Mr. Fellet himself, and the one and only Whiteind Eno SS crankset and BB. Everything else has been on one or more of my mtbs for the past 3-7 years. I have always said if you only use the best shit it pays for itself down the road.





Holy shit I am ready to ride. More gear updates over the next few days as they develop for the ultralight pack setup. That is it for now.
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Forty Five

Tonight I made a stove that can boil 2L of water in under 10min, cost me about .50 to make, and weighs less than 3oz. It runs on denatured alc. and I only used 1oz of fuel to boil the water. In my ti 1.3L pot I am sure the process will be faster especially with my homemade windscreen. My pack now weighs in at 8.2lbs with the new cook system. Go here and here to see how to make your own.



That is all.
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Forty Four

Here it is fully packed with everything I will need to survive on the OT for as long as I could stand minus food, and water it weighs 9.6lbs. I know I can get this base lbs. down close to 6lbs. with a few upgrades/downgrades?! Then with the added lbs. of food/water I could be packing sub 10lbs total! Depends on how you view the risk vs reward I guess, but once I do a few test runs tweaks I will post gear updates/reviews. Ordered shoes today, and I went with an old standby. I have been wearing NB since 1996, and was stoked to discover these last night. I know my feet will be happy, and I picked them up for $60 BNIB! Thanks again Puncher. Looks like next Sunday is our Death Ride, so this trip may happen this Sat/Sun.
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Forty Three

I have been off the bike the past 3 days and have had a lot of time to rest and further plan my spring/summer/fall/winter backpacking trips. My back Dr. suggested that I try and find something that I can also use for training while still keeping me interested/helping strenghten my back. So I am doing two things to help improve my cycling habit. 1) I will be seeing a strength trainer 3 days a week for the month of March at my Dr. facility, and 2) I will doing at least loaded hike a week, and 1 1-2night trips a month starting in March. I will be going out on a few overnights next week, and the week after to test gear etc. I have been doing a lot of thought about getting it as light as I can, especially for my back. It will be nice to see the trails from a new perspective and should really help with my MTB training. The goal of this will be to crush out some serious trail on and off the bike this season. I ride a SS for a reason, and I will look at my hiking from that same mindset. Simple is better, and have fun no matter what.

1-3 Day Pack List
Winter Ultra Light
REVISED AS OF 2/18/10

PACK Golite Jam

INSIDE PACK
Mountain Hardware 600 down bag
REI lite core sleeping pad
Hennessey Explorer Ultra ASYM
Thermarest Compression pillow
Marmot Precip rain jacket/shell
Patagonia Nano Puff
Guyot Squishy bowl
Light my Fire spork
Tuna Can stove
6oz Dansani Bottle w/ Denatured Alc. fuel
Steripen Adventurer
REI Emergency kit(matches, sowing kit,Iodine tabs, etc. standard MacGuyver shit)
TP
Extra socks
Windstopper Gloves

On Me
Patagonia R1 pullover
Patagonia Base layer LS
Mountain Hardware windstopper vest
Bonfire base long underwear
smartwool socks
Carhart pants....the only pants I ever wear.
Gerber Knife
Ipod shuffle 4g......JAMS

So far that is it. First overnight will be sometime next week. TBD.
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Forty Two

Went to the DR today and I will be off the bike for a few days. I will be taking easy more often in order to stay healthy. Especially with whats up first in the MTB season. Ouachita, Bone Bender, and Syllamo just to name a few. I want to crush the shit out of all of those races. I am talking about destoying my previous years, complete destruction. In related news that is also awesome, I purchased what will now be my 5 pair of Smith sunglasses. The exact ones pictured above this post. I purchased them specifically for Penrose Velodrome. I can't wait for track to begin. I am also still waiting on the chainring for my new crankset to arrive at the Hub. It had to be anodized black so its taking a bit longer, but when it does I will post some pics of the 2009 2010 Big Unit facelift. In for a busy weekend at work, and a 430am rise means I am off to bed.
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Forty One

My back was still sore today, so I took another rest day and called my DR. I have an appointment after work tomorrow with the miracle worker, and will do what he says after tomorrows visit. I have learned that working out in any form hurt will get you nowhere. I know all the fixed riding I have been doing is the cause of this pain, becuase my hips are all tight from the punishment. Still worth the unplanned time off the past two days. The extra hours I have had off the bike I have been able to catalog all my gear and get my pack together. Here is what I have so far.

1-3 Day Pack List
Winter Ultra Light

PACK Golite Jam

INSIDE PACK
Mountain Hardware 600 down bag
REI lite core sleeping pad
Hennessey Explorer Ultra ASYM
Thermarest Compression pillow
Marmot Precip rain jacket/shell
Patagonia Nano Puff
Guyot Squishy bowl
Light my Fire spork
Jetboil 1 stove
Jetboil fuel
Jetboil base doubles as cup
Kleen canteen for coldpress jo
Nalene for water
Steripen Adventurer
Sawyer 2L water treatment system
REI Emergency kit(matches, sowing kit, etc. standard MacGuyver shit)
Gerber Hatchet/ Hand saw
TP
Extra socks
Windstopper Gloves

On Me
Patagonia R1 pullover
Patagonia Base layer LS
Mountain Hardware windstopper vest
Bonfire base long underwear
smartwool socks
Carhart pants....the only pants I ever wear.
Gerber Knife
Ipod shuffle 4g......JAMS
Boots...still looking for a new pair.

Food
Still working out the nutrition, but I will try to make a 1 day menu. I will then adjust the servings depending on days out.

Will post pics of gear set up in a few days.
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Forty

Off work today, and the bike. Ran a bunch of errands, watched the watchmen, and rested up. Ride torrow.

Thirty Nine

This photo was taken yesterday during our ride. Scott and I had to seek emergency shelter at the Arch during some serious freezing rain. During the 20mi ride yesterday we were rained, snowed, and sleeted on for the entire thing. It was a fun ride, but it came with a price.....pain.....freeing pain! I thought well they can't all be that bad, until today. Today I only rode 17mi and it featured some snow covered trails in fopo, the fopo cx course, the west end, clayton, and one last climb up Southwest home. Rode again with my buddy Josh, and we both froze our asses off. Coldest I have been on the bike all year, colder than the last snow ride for sure. It was only because of the winds, and there was some wind. In other news today was 1 month since I started this whole Blog/mission and I am 10lbs down in weight, and I have lost about 4-5%BF. I feel pretty stoked on the results, especially since it was never hard. I stuck to my diet, Rode or Ran 6 days a week, and no alcohol at all since Dec 31 2009. I can't wait to crack into a 6 pack, so don't think I have gone soft on you. I will be enjoying one on March 1st. Then it will be only after a race, or a 6er a week in off weeks. The only way to meet some of my goals will be to shed some serious lbs. and March, April, and May for me will be when the real training will start to take place. Right now it's all about base and good eating. I have also only ridden my trainer 6 times since I started this blog, so I sold my trainer earlier today on STLbiking. Got enough cash to get a few upgrades to my existing backpacking gear, so it looks like I will be going sub 15lbs for the 2-3day trip on the OT in Feb. I purchased a new bag, and will be getting some new boots tomorrow. Will post all the details(gear, food, mileage) of that trip soon. I may even have some company on it. Our "Death by Hills II" coming soon. Go HERE for the details. Should have the Big Unit built back up by end of week, just waiting on the cranks to arrive at the Hub.....pics will follow. That is all for now.
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Thirty Eight

Rode today with Scott and I was cold, wet, and nasty. Will post some pics from ride tomorrow, but right now I'm too tired.
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Thirty Seven

I have been doing some research on my trip in two weeks. I know now I will be hiking here, but still not sure on which section. I would like to do 60mi, 3days, and super light. I may stick with the sections I know well for this first trip, and Middlefork may be the one. I am planning the first Non-Race of 2010 on the Middlefork, so this may be the recon trip needed. Should be fun/interesting training. I will leave you tonight with another great qoute, from a not so great man.
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"Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream"
-George W. Bush

Thirty Six

Check out this screen shot of Judah Friedlander's hat from last nights 30 Rock. Amazing find by Katie, and I think I may need to make my own version of that hat. The weather today was not good, so the gravel ride this Sunday has been cancelled for good reason. I am bummed but hopefully a ride of some sort will still go down around town. Working a half day tomorrow and if this weather keeps It looks my ride will be a snowy one in the park tomorrow.
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Thirty Five

Well it look like if the weather has its way this Sundays ride should be extra sloppy/snowy. I am not to worried either way because all of the sand has been removed long ago from you know where on you know who. In other news things are not looking good for my planned winter trip out west to shred the gnar with Brad and Amy, so I am currently thinking of a few back ups. I don't really feel like making the solo drive out to CO, and it will cost much more without splitting the gas with another. I will however still be off work so I need to do something, so I came up with my top 3. 1)Ride from home to the Katy then to Columbia MO, and back in 3 days. 2) Backpack 3 days of the OT. 3)Drive south to AR for a few to scout some of Syllamo. One of the 3 will go down. Depending on the choice I may be in it solo, or with Katie. Either way it will still be a much cheaper get away than the solo mission out west. Looks like the board will have to wait yet another season. Things of this matter would be much easier if I lived out west....maybe one day I will call CO again. Who knows. Eagerly awaiting the day I can go ride Chubb. Dry. I have also been listening to a lot of old hardcore albums I have from highschool and found this great quote I still love on BANE's Holding This Moment EP. Enjoy.

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing it's best, night and day, to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting."

-E. E. Cummings

Thirty Four

Today I was hoping for a 4hr ride, but I got in about 2hrs. It was however some quality riding with my friend Josh, and I must also add my 2nd on the Major Fixed. I have been riding fixed gears since 2000, and have done everything from my daily commute to a fixed centuryon them. The Major as a fixed gear is truly something special, and I think once the weather warms I will throw a slightly bigger gear on it and some slicks and get some serious fixed road rides in. I think that I might have to attempt this Sundays Gravel Grinder fixed?! We shall see.
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Thirty Three

Lost is back! Off tomorrow, and will be on the bike for at least a 4hr ride. Just got off work, and I am tired.
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Thirty Two

REST! Yesterday after getting home from a crazy 12hr day at work I pretty much went straight to bed without posting. The wifi at my house is out thanks to Hank for somehow yanking the wire out of the wall. Ride today before work, and a big ride on Wednesday.
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