First ride on the Crossbow

The issue with my back and spine is improving every day and was going to go for a ride on Sunday but the weather wasn't cooperating so I had to settle for a ride after work on Monday. It's important to not push it and go all out so I took the Ridley down to the lake where I figured I would get some nice lighting for some bike pictures.

Needed a new wheel, got a new bike!

After the Farmer's Daughter Gravel Grinder I was cleaning up the Surly Cross Check and doing some light maintenance on it when I was truing the rear wheel and discovered that the hoop was cracked. I was planning on riding the Tour de Heifer in two weeks and now I needed a replacement wheel.  I scoured Craigslist and sent off a few inquires but no one got back to me.

Gravle Serendipty

For my 50th Bike Commute I rode the Cannondale to work and was planning on a big ride after work on the way home, assuming I left early enough. I had envisioned riding to Glover Street and then back on Pumpkin Hill and knocking out a good 35 miler. Due to a mechanical issue, somehow a chain link split and was causing the gears to skip, I had to limp home settle for 30 miles commute.

George who lives in Newtown

My original intention Friday morning was to ride in the morning on the Bianchi, swing by the bike shop and drop off the Cannondale and not commute, however, waking up Friday morning the Give-a-Shit meter was in the red, the night before I stayed up too late working on Lipstick's drive train for a Single Speed conversion that I bagged the morning ride and figured I could hop on the Cannondale after I picked it up from the shop and bang out a good ride.

However, late in the morning my manager came into my office basically told me to take off early for the holiday weekend.  With the Cannondale in the shop I hopped on the Bianchi when I got home and went out to ride 30+ miles on the Bianchi San Jose.  What luck!  I now have all Friday afternoon to ride. After hitting some of the trails at Fairfield Hills, I popped out on Mine Hill South and caught up to George who was riding a sweet Bianchi Eros.  At first I thought he was a bike commuter with that pack on his back but he was just out for a ride a beautiful Friday.

I contemplated riding the Orchard Hill Trails but forgot to put bug repellent on and wasn't sure how bushy those trails might be so I stayed to the basic loop down to Monroe, past Guske Pond, and back up Hattertown Road and then to Boggs Hill.

Newtown CX 2013-12-21: Paula Burton

 

 

 

 

Newtown CX 2013-12-21: Women's A & B Race

Elizabeth White

Cassie Maximenko 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacqui Dowd (l) and Monica Roberto (r) 

 

 

 

 

 

Newtown CX 2013-12-21 Men's Open & Master's 35+

 

 

 

 

 

Art Roti

 

 

 

 

2013-12-21 Newtown CX: Mud Fest @ F'Hills

It happened, Newtown CX and what a day it was!  It wasn't just in the 40s as the weathermen predicted, it got up to 60 degrees when the sun came out!  I have to say, CX racer I am not!  This is an incredible sport that I am in awe of what these cyclists endure in this sport. Monte Frank, Team 26 (Sandy Hook Ride on Washington), and the The Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program (CCAP) did an awesome job putting this event on.

 

 

The earlier races had a tough go through the snow and slush but by the time the CAT 3s and Women rode it turned into a mud fest.

I took pre-view spin and after that ride I was wishing that I had left my front mud flap on the Qball but the only thing that would have helped with is keeping the mud off my body and my Garmin.

 
This was just a warm-up but the best was yet to come!

  

Since Newtown CX was the official close of the New England and Connecticut Cyclocross season everybody came to race.  There were no hecklers in wild costumes and besides me wearing some festive attire, one female racer has some Santa like socks on but that was it.  No garish costumes, no Victoria Secret angels desguised as racers.  You could say that this was a family affair.  It is Newtown, afterall, and since I live here I decided to go conservative and not race in drag.

I just wore my antlers!
(Photo Credit:  Scott Livingston)

  

While it was fun, I realized that quickly that I am still a slug.  Even the high school kid, who was racing by himself kicked my ass.  The first lap was muddy but the second lap got muddier and by the third lap I think I had very little braking capability and it was all gone on the muddy descent!  On my last lap, since I had no more brakes I used the mud and slush to slow me down where possible and the one muddy descent, I walked it.  This is really tough!  The PBR, although warm and slightly shook up was still a nice reward post race.  

The Monster Cross was a muddy mess!

 

And so was I!