winters end review

I meant to do this ten days ago. And I really meant to blog more than once in the month of March. But I did not. So I'll write this post with much goodly goodly quality.
The winter was so so long. But I rode more than I would have ever dreamed I could. I commuted to school an average of four days a week, with another ride or two on the weekend. I learned a lot about riding in the cold through trial and error (by a lot, I mean I learned everything that I now know.) I put in great base for the upcoming race seasons, both mountain bike and running, and I learned to be tough on the bike.

January was bitter. As I look back through my ride journal, numbers like 2:05 hrs at 2*F, and 1:58 at -3* stand out at me. Here in my warm house, I can hardly believe I rode through crap like that. For added craziness, I recorded all my temperatures without the windchill. I can only imagine how cold it really was moving at 15mph through -3*F. If memory serves, for about 25 days of 2009's opening month, the mercury did not break 15*F. I logged 197 miles and 15 hours from 1-13 to 1-31. Brr.

With most days above 10*F, February felt mild. By the middle of the month, I started getting my clothing right. The recipe for success was toe covers with thick wool socks, wool tights under knee warmers with polypoo tights over top, all covered by windbreaking pants. On top a wool shirt squeezed under a wool jersey was comfortable down to 25 degrees. I put a soft shell on for really cold days. Ski gloves, hat and turtle fur neck warmer kept the extremities comfy. I only needed ski goggles in driving snow or hail (didn't ever have them in those conditions. of course.) The majority of the time, I was fine with regular sunglasses.

All most all of my winter miles were on the fixed gear. Until the day I had to chop off a canti stud because of a frozen brake, I was running a mountain tire in the front and a cross tire in the rear. I used a clip on rear fender and a homemade licence plate fender for the front. I stayed reasonably dry, and never had a problem with slipping in car snot.

Commuting every morning in the dark manages to somehow suck while being cool at the same time. I had to leave at 6:30 to make it to school by 7:20. On the especially dark, snowy mornings, I could hardly tell I was moving (except for the tingle my slowly freezing cheeks (the facial variety of course)) It was sort of like being in a deprivation tank. Very cool experience.

I did not get to ride many trails. On the rare days that a could hitch a ride with the lady bear up to hidden valley, I found myself wishing for a fat bike. On one particular ride, my front tire was punching through the snow about ever ten feet. I would just drop through and stop. Not fall over or crash, just stop. It got annoying. But the snow did make it easy to get the heart rate up. And toe covers are not good for hike a bikes.

This winter had its good moments, but overall it was rough. I'm so ready for hot and humid weather.

Stumping for parts

After 30 minutes of hell on the trainer, I found a neato sponsorship application on the Raceface website. After circumnavigating all the flash shit that they use to deter, I filled it out.



Current Sponsors?
Tenderfoot, my squeaky chew toy turkey.
So none.

Bikes?
Rigid Niner One9
1980 BCA fixed gear

Riding in the past two years?
I commute 23 miles everyday in snow, sleet, and rain. I’m dedicated. I raced my fist XC series last fall and finished 9th in the Expert Singlespeed division, with absolutely no training time because of the cross country running season. Currently, I commute, workout after my commute, and head to the mountains for training rides on the weekend.

Events you may be attending?
Wilderness 101
Big Bear Classic
24 hrs of Big Bear
High Cascades 100
Subaru 24hr Champion Challenge
With a little support, I'm up for anything

What movies/ mags/ websites do you expect to be featured in?
That depends entirely on my results. Which depends on my ability to race. Which in turn depends on my level of sponsorship support. With a little luck, someone will make a movie about me. (Ha! I lies good)

Why should Raceface sponsor you?
Raceface needs a new face. Being a young, aspiring endurance single speeder, I could provide that face. (by that I meant that they need to sponsor somebody who doesn’t look like a douchey skate boarder. not that all boarders are douchey, just most.) I would give raceface free advertising by sewing a large raceface banner onto my messenger bag, which is seen by dozens of good ol’ boys in pickups everyday. I could also fly a small raceface flag on the back of my cycle. I am even willing to tattoo that neat little eye thing on some part of my body, but only if I am guaranteed free chaining bolts for life.



I fully expect to be getting a nice fat check from the good forging canucks by the end of the week.