The new Scalpel

That's right the pictures you see in the previous entry show the new ride, for now. I managed to break the frame on my old Scalpel and since a replacement is not ready yet they sent me this frame to use until my Scalpel 1 comes. Very nice ride! This one (Scalpel 3) is about 1/2 lb lighter than my old Scalpel 1 but has more rear end travel. The new Scalpel 1 should cut another 1/2 lb as it is all carbon.

At first it felt a little bouncy in the rear but with the longer travel I needed to set the shock a little stiffer to get it to feel right. It feels lighter and climbs better. One down side is the seat tube is shorter that the old one so I have to run my seat post all the way up to the limit, not sure if that is good to do being as heavy as I am I could snap it off. I have about 6 hours on it now and no issues so that worry is going away.

I rode the North Loop tonight and got in two laps. The trail is in great shape (what is open) and is riding fast for spring.

I looked up in my Polar software last years Mountain biking and I rode 53 laps at the North loop. Only 51 to go after a slow start.

I got done with my lab tests yesterday at SCSU. Got a nice bag of schwag and hopefully a check soon. All togther I spent almost 7 hours riding on the lab bikes, 5 finger prick blood tests, 5 VO2 tests, 14 viles of blood donated, one 40k and 2-60k time trials on a computer course that has a nasty hill every 20k and about 4 liters of two different sports drinks.

Mountain biking rules!

Today was my first mtb ride since Thanksgiving, I forgot how much fun it is. I spent a couple hours on logging roads, forest roads and 4-wheeler trails in Chippewa national forest and Paul Buyan state forest.

Dynamic duo

Tami and I teamed up to do the relay at the Apple Duathlon yesterday.
Tami did the running legs and I did the bike. We finished the 5k run, 33k bike, 5k run in 1 hour 56 min, good enough for 9th in the coed relay and 17th overall in relay, pretty good for our first time.

Testing 1 2 3

I had my first of two 60 km time trials last night at SCSU's human performance lab. It was hard, almost two hours as hard as I could ride. I felt ok after but today it really hit me. Not really sore, just really tired.
They have a computrainer that runs a course on the computer and it varies the resistance based on the terrain and your speed. Really a cool toy for indoor training.
I am going to bed now I am achy all over and getting chills.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

I pretty much felt like crap all day today. I am pretty sure it wasn't the 12 New Castles but the 1/2 bottle of pre-mixed Margaritas I drank when the 12 pack was gone and Amo and I were still thirsty.

My partner in crime.

My evening

Here is what I did tonight, polished of 12 of these babies.

Spring Doldrums

Tonights group ride really fits in with the way my cycling season has gone thus far.

I left work late and hurried home, quick changed, mixed up some Accelerade, grabbed the bike and sped out the door. I rode hard to get to the shop by 5:30 as I hate to keep everyone waiting. Well I made it on time but we ended up waiting for someone else anyway.

I managed to get 9 miles and broke my chain. I patched it together and rode back to the Shop for a new one.

A few days ago I headed east into a hard headwind. I really pushed it into the wind really looking forward to the big push home. Well right after I turned around I double flatted and had to call for a ride.

It seems a little early to be sick of road riding but it is setting in. Adding to my frustration is not getting my new road bike yet and riding a demo (nice bike but a to small for me) and being without my mountain bike for going on 6 months now. Hopefully one of those will spark my interest again otherwise I may take up golf this summer.

Value

I am a value minded bicycle racer. Take Saturady's Synergy time trial. Everyone paid the same entry fee but some did the 40k fast and some did it slow. I like to think of it this way, I was near the top in regards to cheapest dollars per minute of ride time.
I use the same rationale when I golf, cheapest $ per stroke.

Lab Rat

I wasn't going to do testing that they usually have at SCSU every summer but they upped the anty to $125 plus bonuses for fastest 60k time trial. It's really hard but you get free lactate test and VO2 test plus the cash so I am in. It will probably similar to a Tuesday night ride but indoors, nose plugged, breathing through a tube and constatly getting your finger pricked. Wow, is it too late to back out...

After the ride last night I was surprised to see I am starting to get a nice tan line on my legs already, after only 2 rides in shorts this year!

Every spring when I start riding out side I lose a few pounds of winter weight. Why is it the extra weight goes quicker in my legs, arms and neck and I can't lose any in my torso?

Here is a picture from the Pork Chop Cyclocross last fall I had to pay a handsome ransom for. Taken right after I fell going into a set of barriers (note bloody left knee) and almost got pulled for taking a beer hand-up (who knew?).

I am getting used to getting shelled

A good hard tuesday night ride again. I got my but kicked.

I did manage to set new average power output personal records for 5 and 10 minutes though, and no it wasn't when I let Jim ride my bike.

Marty road race summary

I hate wind.

Fun

Ride #2 on the BMC, pretty nice bike. here are some pics from my ride. See if you can guess what I am doing while sending this.

oh yeah the Power Tap works on this bike too...

I am going so fast the cranks are bent...

Made in Switzerland... like my knife...

Glass is like Kryptonite...

Alright who forgot to close my water bottle?