Chicks on bikes.

After the last three days in the saddle the legs were pretty much useless today (not that they're ever much better.) But a ride was already planned and more importantly wifey was willing to join. I'm one of the very lucky few in that my wife LOVES to ride, she's more into MTBing but she understands the need for road training. Normally she does her thing and I do mine, but I convinced her that she'd do fine....after all it's just doing slow base miles and most of us were on fixies.

So wifey and I meet up with Girlwonder and Gary for a easy 20 miles. Nothing big, just down to the river and back up to D-town before the rain/snow rolled in. Most of the ride was Gary and I talking about packing list and timing for the drive down to Miami next week (with the "chicks" behind us talking about who knows....guessing their hair and nails) but at one point I got paired up with wifey. I can say it's a really cool thing to look over at your riding partner and it being a women for one, but it being your wife makes it all that much better.

So even thou most legs were shot, a nice easy spin was just what the doctor ordered. Plus knowing we were hitting the store on the way home for a tall bottle of Chimay blue.....what could be better.

Even thou the weather is turning to shit, a day on the couch watching some useless football games with a good beer is just what I need today.



Two more things:



One: I just scored by bottle of blue from the shop and guess what? Dud threw in two Chimay goblets. SWEET!

Two: Looks like we may be having a color change in the old Zoot Suit, aka that thing I squeeze myself into before each ride. More on that if talks go well on Wednesday.

Where are we?

Woke up this morning with a little ringing going on in the old melon, guessing the two tall bottles of Chimay (a blue and a white) had something to do with it. With this in mind the noon ride time was a gift to me, not to mention it rained all night therefore the roads were a mess.

Meet up with Alan at the shop and rolled over to Gary's for a ride on the fixies. With no real ride plan we head out as Gary says "let's get lost." Which is both easy and hard at the same time with the maze of roads that is Doylestown. If you head in any direction more then ten miles you'll hit a known landmark (the river or a major highway) but an endless maze of sweet backroads in the middle. A couple "wrong" turns from are normal rides routes and we're "lostish."

After 35 miles of exploring we roll back into Gary's place with smiles all around. A couple near misses by deer and one squirrel, but all was good as I loaded back up into the short bus for the drive home.

Plans are coming together for the race next weekend down in Miami. Looks like Gary, Girlwonder and I will all be driving down to meet up with the wife (she's flying down for the week to work.) More on that after tomorrows ride/fixed gear trip planning spin.

Till then wifey and I need to head out to a friends "holiday reason to drink party." SWEET!

A day late and a dollar short.

Or in this case a day later and 20 miles short.

Started out the day making the wife some homemade chocolate chip muffins. They smelled great but after my six days of eating, drinking and over all being a fat boy I said no (not that I've ever eaten one.)

Afterwards I meet up with Gary, Girlwonder and Bud for a ride on the old fixies. We headed down to the river from D-town and turned north toward Frenchtown. The busting of chops was going well (very thick skin is needed in this group) but little did I know the wheels were falling off the ride.

Just before Frenchtown the idea was thrown out to have a coffee break, not being a coffee drinking (but all in for a pitstop) I was in. Over the next ten minutes the the topic of "how you feeling" was pushing around. The next thing I knew we were heading back, which I quickly loved. The legs were just not feeling it, not sure why. But we ended up with right at 40 miles, short of what I wanted but this time of year I've got the listen to what the body is telling me.

All in all not a bad day, 40 miles in the books and the wife and I are headed to Los Sarpes for a good Mexican throwdown. Hoping the weather works out for a ride in the AM (looks like rain all night) so we'll need to play it by ear.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

First for the Good.

Back home in PA from a short trip to the parents place for Christmas. Was nice to see the parents and my brotha.....the niece...well she, we need to work on. Given she's eight and when I was eight I should have had a criminal record to hear my mom tell it. But like I said, we're working on her.

But on to the "Good" part of the story. Wifey and I were staying lite on the gifts for each other this year, just a couple small things she or I needed......so I thought. That is till I came home to this.

Funny thing is, this was two days after the Fat Man gave me the hook up with the Chimay. Something seams a little strange.......

Now onto the Bad.

Eight pounds......eight freaking pounds. That's what I "added" in the last SIX days. I know, six days. Lets just say visiting the parents homestead is a little hard on the waistline. I ate and drank for 36 hours and it was SO good. Everything from turkey to homemade cookies.......and yes, there was beer too.

And then there was the Ugly.

Need I say more, I think they speak for themselves.


But today was good, back in the saddle and starting to pay the piper for the "bad" of earlier. Meet up with Gary and Girlwonder for a easy 30 mile fix geared ride down to New Hope and back. The weather sucked (mid 30's and misting the whole time) but it was a good step one. Gonna meet up again in the AM for a longer spin. Hoping to put in 60ish, but we'll see have we feel.

Fixies, the Fat Man and flying.

Knowing I'd be without a saddle for a couple of days I wanted to get in a good couple hours in the saddle before the flight out to the land of the Morman.

I meet up with Girlwonder (aka Erica) and Pam for a nice 50 mile ride on the fixies. We started out in D-town, dropped down to the river and turn north toward Frenchtown and Milford. Up thru Milford along the river and climbed up Spring Garen Rd for a little work (great fixed gear climb) and turned back toward home. Great loop on fixies, nice mix of flats and workable climbs.

Speaking of post ride nutrition, take a look at what I came home to. Looks like I somehow made it on the Fat man's good boy list this year (FYI he takes bribes) and he came a little early too.


















And now it's off for a five hour plane ride.........joy, joy, joy.