Festivus got the bestivus

...of me, anyway. Took the $150 Craigslist Univega tandem I got a couple years ago out for it's longest journey yet. Only a planned 25 miles. Weighed before I started was #49lbs... 11 miles in, main synch chain shatters a link and I'm SOL, until I realize I can slam my seatpost down, swivel around and do a Superman stretch by pedaling the rear crankset. Felt like I was on some sort of wheeled proctologist's table. Rode several miles toward home like that then stopped along the road, cracked a can of beer in the 17° wind chill to keep me company until my buddy came and picked me up. I GOT SOME PROBLEMS WITH YOU, BICYCLE!

Ride and air your grievances toward your bike. They can take it.

A good year

I didn't race my bike in 2011, but I still feel like I'm standing atop the podium.

A ride for the rest of us

Dust to dust

That time of year again. So goes the cycle.

Ride yer bike (without going anywhere)!

Orphans

Got lots of cool parts that still need to find a home on one of my bikes. This one is so adorable.

Acorns

Collecting more than my share this Autumn. Unbelievable weather. Ride yer bike!

Full Moon Monty

Nice weather (40°) for a little full moon (waxing gibbous, technically) gravel goodness on the Little Blue Trace last night. Pace was fast on the way out but Ye Olde Schwinn Limestoner kept pace with the 2 other guys up front. Rode easy and chatted more on the return. Pale Ales, lights, bikes, good times.

Ride yer bike in the dark!

Gunn City Grandeur

Had fantastic weather and a fantastic group of 20 riders show up to wander around Cass county on a late October day. I had fun marking up the return home with some stencils to aid in the map and cue sheets I printed up for everyone. Small glitch in the cue sheet sent the Texans off course (sorry!) but they found their way back on relatively quickly and finished the course a few hours after the rest of us rolled in. The three Texans had just come off racing the Berryman Epic (50miler mtb race) the prior day so they rode their own pace and had a great time.

It's tough finding gravel close to the 'burbs and to KC as we started, but I managed to link together some dirt, rail trails, country gravel and singletrack to keep it interesting, I think. Hope to make this an annual event, if only to pay respects to the fallen Old Drum.

More Landahl goodness

This trail and this weather just keep on giving. Not to be rude, I accept!

Find those acorns. Stuff those cheeks. Ride yer bike!

Gunn City Gravelrie

details on FB

Crystalline

Forgot my clear lenses that I usually ride with when cycling off road. Had some tinted cheap pair in the car but I decided to head out w/o eye protection. Not sure if it was the lack of lens glare or what, but I feel I had the best day ever out at Landahl park hitting everything technical - I could see everything so clearly. Hell, I was seeking new technical lines through trail I'd ridden 100 times through - just because I had the confidence to nail it. Huge wheelie-ups, wheelie drops, floating over roots & rocky embedded technical sections left a HUGE grin on my face all day long. Legs didn't even feel the effort until the very last climb out to the parking lot after 2.5 hours of hammering. Flow.

Days like this are bittersweet. Sweet for obvious reasons, but clearly it's gonna be so hard to beat.

Ride yer bike!

Floating in a most peculiar way

Resurrwrecktion

Getting nostalgic, thinking about building up the old Roadster again. Been sitting for over a year - moved parts over from my BMC after the wreck but it mostly saw trainer time. Now it's stripped and other parts went to the gravel bike. Might have enough scrap parts lying around to at least build up as a 1x9. This bike took me places. Some good places.

Ride yer bike!

Each of them.

Gotta have more cowbell

Pinched the stays enough to fit 38c tight, 32c w/good clearance. No bottle bosses. They will hand you beers. Pure CX!

Laboring Day

65 mile gravel recon east cass county. Battery died early, but snapped a couple. Accidently made my first crappy Youtube vid. Got home exhausted, drank some pickle juice, then family wanted to go ride bikes. Ride 'em!

Swope on a Rope

Love this trail.