Levee ride

Rode from Lee's Summit with my buddy Joe up to check out some gravel I saw on Google maps. Metric century, °F a few shy of a century. The levee was cool but washboarded and beat the hell out of us. Rode it for 2 (of 5) miles and bailed into a corn field farm road. Hot day. Cool stuff. Go discover something.

New dirt

There's a ~3 mile parkway extension in town that has yet to be wayed. I wish it would remain parked. I'll get in some traffic free packed dirt roads while it lasts... Saw upwards of 50 deer in 30 miles. 1.67 per mile.

Lots of riding planned for the 4th weekend. More gravel tomorrow, Clinton Lake mtb Sunday, roadie Monday. Give each bike some love.

Stay cool. Keep all your fingers. Ride yer bike!

Worth the wait

Hard to believe it's been over a year since I posted about my new bike build - Edwin Cycles 29er SS. But this was in the shop getting assembled the same time I was in the hospital getting my elbow assembled after the crash, so a long summer off the bike, eased back into some CX grass trail (no singletrack) last fall, then a winter and wet spring of trainer/road/trainer/road/road and finally, FINALLY!!! - I got to take the Edwin out this morning for its virgin trail ride.

My buddy Joe and I saw a window of opportunity in the busy schedules and between rains. Alarms set for 4:30am - on the trail by 5:30! No better way to welcome the day! We hit Landahl Park at first light - could have used a light but decided to go on instinct and roll the less-technical Will's Wanderer trail to warm up as the day brightened. Right off the bat, the bike felt great. Light True Temper OX Platinum, smoother in the rear (as opposed to my previous AL frame) and the White Bros Magic fork helped absorb some of the stress on the elbow. I hate to use the cliché, but "everything felt in the right place". I love the way this bike looks and feels. Last night I finally took the time to apply the script logo I designed for Doug (Edwin)... careful alignment then just COMMIT. The green against the patina is simple and elegant. Kinda cool seeing my work on a bike I own, too! Forgot how good GOOD steel rode. Awesome bike, Doug!!! Hope to have many more years and dirt miles on this thing - even if I have to get up with the roosters to sneak in a ride before work.

Ride yer bike!

Katy Trailing

Got out with best friends, old friends and new friends on a little Katy out-and-backer. Booneville>Jefferson City>Booneville

Just a photo dump for now, writeup to come...

cycling community

It's an interwoven one.

Last year I did some pro-bono work for a local startup Groody Bros Bicycle Restoration Project. They do fine powdercoating to give life to your favorite old shoes (bikes). One of the Brothers day job is at a printing company and had extra room on another client's press run to print off a few of my past artworks. A thousand+ copies were donated to me and have sat in my storage, waiting for the right time to be paid forward.

Now's that time.

My current race team shop owner and all around damn fine man, Chris Smedley, has recently began chemotherapy after being diagnosed w/pancreatic cancer. If you can make it by The Bicycle Shack, please pick up a set of my prints and postcards for a small donation of $5, and 100% of donations raised will go to help Chris' family endure his fight. If you can't make it by the shop, I can arrange copies to be mailed - just contact me at (me at kevinnierman dot com) and I'll take care of you.

Chris has been a nurturer of cycling in the KC community for over 30 years. Chris is the best kind of people you would ever want to know. Thank you for the support.

Ride yer bike!

Music Friday

The year is flying by - too much work, not enough cycling. At least the music is good.