2 days...

...of "Spring". 50's yesterday & 60's today then it goes to shit again...

this fellow celebrated St. Patrick's with a face full of mud, cheers...

we were saying it had been a while since we had been to Milford...

money shot...

Later,

TK

S.I.N...

PCL, L-?-L. The question mark between the two L's (earlier in the week) was to be filled in with Valpo & Ceresco as the gravel bound way (weigh?) stations for this gathering of like minded individuals on bikes. The PCL is adaptable & due to the generally crappy conditions of our local gravel the route was transfered to the road & became Lincoln-Seward-Wahoo-Lincoln. We're guessing 30ish or so gathered downtown Saturday for a 7:30am departure from The Coffee House. This was my first visit to this coffee outlet & I left there with a general understanding & new found affinity for chicory, I'll save that for another time. I've got some experimenting to do.

Looking out just prior to departure. FOB, Marc, CVO, & JB...

Saturday was a long, difficult, & generally pleasant journey. The first leg to Seward I found myself & Marc burying ourselves (actually myself) to rejoin with a few that had gotten away on HWY 34. Marc would take these really long pulls while I would come around him just long enough to give him about a minute breather which he really didn't need, I hope it helped to some degree:) I hadn't ridden that hard in a long time, that stretch from the airport until we made contact a few miles east of Seward was my first serious gut check of the year. It was sweet, I wanted cry or puke, unsure. One of those "I could just quit & the pain will be over" moments that you tell yourself "just hang on it'll be over soon" & when it is over it feels that much better because you didn't pull the plug.

Why do I always go to this store in Seward? This bathroom is in my top two worst restrooms category. The other one is the Cubby's on the West end of Columbus, I quit going there all together a few years ago. I can't mention any names for this Seward store because I'm not even sure what its called, but I'm not going back. It always looks this bad...

I needed something strong to erase the bathroom imagery clouding my brain...

The ugly leg, the S.I.N. leg (Safety-In-Numbers). If the 20 mph cross wind to Seward didn't beat you down, the next 20 mile leg to the 92 corner into a 20+ mph headwind sure would. With my water bottles filled with Jim Beam I bid farewell to the store I won't be back to & joined forces with JB, Aaron G., DK, & Brian D. for the upcoming headwind leg. It sucked, but we made it. Somewhere along the way we picked up this outcast...Rafal. Don't know this dude real well but he makes me smile, great energy.

Long live the PCL!

I struck out on my own for awhile after we made the 92 turn, stopped in Weston & talked Saunders County High School hoops with one of the locals. We tried to get the Lady Huskers game on the tv but he didn't have FSN on their satellite. The shoulders were moist all day & a lot of grit ended up on the bike & my person...

We regrouped at Weston & Brian flatted shortly thereafter. JB & Rafal either were discussing bikes or beer. Just a few miles to go & we would be in Wahoo with Mexican food as a reward!

The payoff...

Rafal & I were so stoked to be sitting down & eating that we joined together & started belting out Jay-Z's 99 Problems. "Am I under arrest or should I guess some mo'? Well you was doin' fifty-five in a fifty fo'. Rafal is a big Jay-Z fan, I was just wasted from drinking a fifth of beam...good times.

C-bread, EB, & Scott B showed up...

Bellies full & the last leg to come, 30 miles to Lincoln with a crazy strong tail wind. Motorpace time. We wound it up & arrived back in town in record time...

random...

Saturday was a blast. Glad I got to spend it with some different faces & some of the usual crowd as well. When I rolled out of the house @ 6:45 am I told the wife I'd be gone all day. Yep all day, returned at 4:40 pm. 100 & something miles, plenty. I felt great, I feel great, a great day.

Fast forward to this morning...I screwed up the time change, whoops. Supposed to meet C-bread at 7:00 to ride, I rallied & showed up around 7:30. Below: at rest at D Street this morning...
We managed a wet & windy 2 hour loop with stops at two coffee shops, always a good day to be on the bike...
Later,

TK

fools...

I'm a fool. A little warmer weather, some rain, snow piles are gone...optimism ensues. Day starts with this 4:30 am wet, heavy snow walk with one of the dogs (little one likes to sleep in). My optimism is being tested. Had big plans both days this weekend for some gravel riding/racing, but then again I had big plans last weekend also. All of a sudden I'm seeing the Boy's State Tournament being part of my weekend plan. For Monday's damp commute I donned full wet weather gear head to toe, arrived bone dry. At least I've got my PPE in order for today's journey. Winter's over...right? Fools.

Later,

TK

climbing out of the hole...

I think I'm almost back to the living. My appetite's not fully returned but I'm working on it. Managed to strain my back slightly on Monday to add to my general malaise, probably weak muscles from spending so much damn time in bed over the weekend. Just sore I'll get over it. Saturday I was so tired & had so little energy I ended up "watching" nearly 3 games of the Girl's State tournament, not because I love hoops but because I was to tired to change the channel in between naps. Pretty sad. Sunday I got on the trainer just to say I spun the legs, in the first five minutes of soft pedaling I was already breaking into a good sickness induced sweat.

This gloomy weather, ugh!. Sure its warmer but we need some sun to pick up my spirits.

PCL ride Saturday may be interesting, we need sun not rain, stay tuned...

Later,

TK

grounded...

no adventure's this weekend...sick:(

on a positive note, today is my wife & my 3 year anniversary. what better way to spend the day (weekend) then her watching me sleep & taking care of me when I'm awake. thanks honey, i love you:)

Later,

TK

thus far...

Every year about this time I'm obliged to do two things at work, #1 is purchase girl scout cookies from someone at the office & after waiting for their arrival comes the second thing...eating cookies until I want to puke. You know there not even that good but there's something about the ordering & waiting process that makes you look past that. So in my sugar stupor I headed out Tuesday night with no real plan but ended up in Malcolm at dusk. The old general store looks a little more lively with its neons glowing, not usually up there at this time of day.

All quiet at the PO...my return trip to Lincoln was made a little interesting with both my lights running out of juice. Gravel is so good right now that I just put my faith in the roads being smooth & they were, no problem...thanks Lancaster County road crews.

WNG - Wednesday Night Gravel. What are bridges out in the country good for? Apparently furniture dumping & deer kills. No deer carcasses off this bridge ( that I could see) but pretty common sights. Dumb f...'s. Actually a pretty good toss. They either landed it with the cushions in tact or managed to "frisbee" the cushions into position after the couch heave. Dumb f...'s.

"honey, I'm no where near home..."

bad picture number one...

and number two...

That would be JB, C-bread, AG, & then m-dub emerging from the blackness. New batteries in one of the lights last night & it was all good...the gravel, my company, & my illumination

you gotta love this: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Lincoln&state=NE&site=OAX&textField1=40.8164&textField2=-96.6882

we've been teased all week with possible 50's for the weekend...but now rain likely Friday night may set the tone for the whole weekend, son-of-a...

Later,

TK

crazy to a new level...

I'm constantly amazed by what people will attempt on bikes. Last month I was humbled by the folks that toed the line for the Arrowhead Ultra, that was a mere 135 in well below zero temps. Now I'm following this, the Iditarod Trail Invite. 350 or 1100 miles! WTF! I've noticed a few names that keep popping up on these super-endurance events, what do these people do for a living that they can get so much time away from work/life. As I sit here in my warm house typing this with a fresh cup from my french press I toast those that take crazy on a bike to a new level. I prefer my craziness to be in the Spring/Summer...at least for now:)

Later,

TK