Insane

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

Lights that work, lights that don't work

Why is it that every year when you pull all the christmas lights out some work some don't. Half a string is good, half a string is not. Every year is the same thing, boxes full of decorations and lights that I end up throwing away after losing my patience, kicking them, calling them "names" and then just sitting there in the middle of the garage laughing at myself for acting like a little kid. But you know what, it is frustrating. I ended up throwing away 6 strings of gutter lights all my bushes lights and a couple more strings that didn't work. It used to be my house was the Grisswold house of the culdesac since not to many people puts up lights around here...grinches. You know what, I'm buying more and putiing them up, I like looking at them even if I have to do it all over next year.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. What are you thankful for?

Great weekend weather

Another great weekend weather wise for riding. Saturday had two spin classes plus and intro class for a good 2:15 workout. After the classes I hit the hot tub at the rec for 15 mins., headed home and put in 3 solid hrs of yard work. Went to Carrie Cerinos for dinner with the "old" guys and had a great time. The food was excellent and the company was better.
Sunday got up at 6am and after Ken decided to go to the knob, I headed down to Mohican for maybe the last time this year. The trail was in perfect shape with the rain early in the week. I took it easy for the first 11 miles until the covered bridge since the leaves were wet still from the rain or the morning dew. I didn't want the wheels to slide from under me and get banged up again because of being careless on a humid trail. After the bridge on the other side of the mountain it looked like it had never rained at all. The trail was drier and fast. I only ran into two other riders going the opposite way and they warned me about the hunters. I did hear shots in the parking lot before I took off, so every few minutes I was hitting my bell a couple times just in case. Made back it safe and with no holes to the parking lot and there was a lot of people out on the trail, counted 23 cars. Great day for a ride, all the cyclocrossers  had a great day in Cleveland also.

Upper 60's for the high today but rain and wind. Time to put the fenders on the 1x9 or the single speed.
Hoping to put in a few hrs on the saddle over Thanksgiving weekend.
Have a great day everyone and don't get wet.

I thought this was funny

Extreme riding

Where the trail ends... from NWD films on Vimeo.

Didn't have much to write about, no blogging for a few days.
Last Sunday Ken and I headed to Mohican for a lap, With Ken on his new Superfly 29er full suspension maiden voyage and me trying to keep up on my single speed 29er. We rode at what I would call a very controlled speed and ended up with a solid 2:35. lap. Monday I hitched a ride to work and rode home. Left at 4:30 and within 45 mins. the lights were on, it gets dark fast and the temps plummet faster than the stock market on a bad day. Had my toe covers on but riding with your regular summer shoes and wool socks is not recommended this time of the year. The rest of the week I've been taking it easy, 2 days at the gym for my spin classes (did I mentioned I'm a spin instructor) and 3 easy weight sessions sessions. The spin class has been growing steady and had the largest atendance Thursday with 10. Not many people want to make my class at 5:45am twice a week. With only 16 bikes, 10 spinners is a good day. Should get a few more in the next few weeks, there's still a couple of the regulars from last year that haven't showed every week. Next week is time to start serious training towards next year.
I'm really looking forward to next year, more news on that at a later date.
Saturday is a two class spin morning and yard work in the afternoon. Sunday we are heading down to Mohican again for a 9:30amd start. Join us for a lap, the trail should be in great shape. The afternoon will be spent watching the BROWNS play another good game.
Tonight, maybe an hr. or two on the bike path in Stronsville on the fixie.
Have a great day and weekend.

Danny MacAskill

Every time I watch this guy it makes me wish I had the guts to do some of the stuff he does. Enjoy.

Nice day yesterday

The temps hit 60+ yesterday in a beautiful sunny day. Thought about riding the SS since I got home early from the doctor (more later) but opted to rake leaves, and you say "what?". I had my spinning class and weights in the morning so I decided against riding, it had to get done before it rains again. Gutters need clean "again" more raking in the back yard and hopefully cut the grass for the last time. But then again, I'll like to cut it again in December  which it would mean the weather has been warm and not to rainy, bring it on. two 1.5 hrs lates the front yard was done, finished in the dark.
Got up at 4:20am this morning and jumped on the rollers for 45 mins and light core work

Yeah buddy, it is safer to put your rollers on the treadmill and ride. I can do it witout the treadmill but I do it this way because I haven't mastered drinking water while riding yet. I can ride with one hand but when it comes to drinking, watch out. This way I can stop hold on to the handles, drink, towell off and ride, all in less than 10 secs.
Anyway, I been having "man" problems so I decided to make an appointment and see what's going on.
Talk to the doc and after she did the "moooon river" on me and told me not to laugh while she s... her f... in my a... whoa woman, that just didn't feel right. Blood work PSA samples and seeing the urologyst at the end of the month. Noot too long but long enough to make you think.
Thoughts will be for a different post.
In the meatime, don't forget to make somebody smile.

Brompton Challenge

Howard Venning, the Managing Director of our distributor in England is another bike nut. How do you know a bike nut, he owns 9 bikes.
Here he is competing in the Brompton (folding bike) challenge in London England taking a respectable 91st out of 532 competitors. This is a race where you have to wear a shirt and tie. Nice suit, Howard.

  

New camera

Have you noticed how nice the pictures I post look now. I finally bought a new camera... back in August.

I can take pictures riding and they don't come out looking blurry.
Have a great Wednesday and make somebody happy today.

Working late

Staying late tonite at work to help host the "SBE" meeting (Society of Broadcasting Engineers).
Changed clothes at 4:30 and went to the park for a 30 minute run. First time I run in a year and a half, just trying to get back into it. I forgot how much fun and pain running is, it took me 12 minutes to get going but once I warmed up I hit my stride and felt great. Recoverite and Ibuprofen and lets se how my knees and back feel tomorrow. I'll try a few more times and see how it goes and then decide if I ramp it up or not. I love running but it doesn't matter how much core work I do my back just can't take the pounding.
Hope you had a great day.

Weekend wrap up

I'll start with Friday. Nothing much, got up early and went downstairs for some upper body and core work for 45 mins. In the evening we went to my nephews b-day in Parma and what a shock when we came out of the house at 11pm. 2 inches of snow on the ground. Drove 5 miles to Strongsville and nothing, not even a flake floating in the air.
Got up fairly early on Saturday, got coffee sat down with the PD and headed downstairs again around 10am to get ready and do a short 1-2 hr ride. Never came back up until after 4pm. I started re-arranging everything, cleaning bikes you name it I did it. Before and after pictures.

Got a good no, very good deal that I just couldn't pass up, $184.00 for a pair of shimano SH-R310 custom fit road shoes. Now all I need to find out is who can do the custom fit for me.

Yesterday (Sunday) Ken picked me up an we headed to Oberlin to the "Red Flannel" ride.

32 at the start but it warmed up to a cozy 40 something by the time we finished. Very windy day but we rode with a group for most of the day. Afterward we head to Fresh Start restaurant in Oberlin for breakfast. Stop by sometime for some great food.

I don't want to speak for him but, it doesn't look like he's having fun riding that big wheel. it loook more like he's in pain.

Have a great Monday and don't for get to be nice to somebody, make their day.

Harms way

On my commute to work by car I see many runners on the road doing their early morning run. Must of the runners that run on the parkway road that has no paved path have their reflective clothing on or blinking lights and you can see them from a safe distant. Then there's the "stupid" ones that on a rainy dark day like today choose to run on the freaking road with no lights and a vest that should have been discarded 10 years ago, even though this section of the park in the Bedford reservation has a very good path to run on. They run on the freaking pavement and don't move to the side when they see you, well I can't see you either until I'm right on top of you, you stupid moron. I almost stopped to say something but why bother and probably get into a heated argument that's going to go nowhere because he or she will defend their "right" to run on the road. If you want to run on the road, make yourself visible, I have nothing against that, it's the stupidity that really gets to me. I ran for many years until my back gave up on it and never did put myself in harms way, didn't want to end up in the hospital or my kids grow up without a dad.
Be SMART out there people.
This brings me to another subject on riders riding with headphones on listening to music. Again you can do what you want but you are putting yourself in danger. It would be real bad if someone visited you at the hospital and leaned over you and whisper in your ear "car back" while you lay there with multiple broken bones. Sounds mean and callous, call it what you want. Why put yourself in harms way, be smart and don't get hurt and then blame somebody else for your stupidity.
Enjoy the run, enjoy the ride in a safe way.
Sorry but I needed to vent.
See you at the "Red Flannel".

The answer to our problems

Findley

Went to Findley State park Sunday and I couldn'e believe how dry the trail was. I thought it would be somewhat soft and mussy in some spots but it was completely dry. Ken, Ray and I started at 8am and Chuck showed up later. 3 laps later and another weird crash and I was ready to go home. Going up a short steep bump my front whel hit a small stump and down for the count. My thigh hit a root and it's been sore for the last 2 days plus I didn't wear my elbow guard and yes, I hit the elbow. It's never going to heal since I always afall on my left side.
Got a ride in to work and I'll be riding home in the afternoon on the 1 x 9. First time on it for a long ride, hopefully nothing will go wrong, I  never did tested on the road only on the rollers.
have a great sunny day.