time stamp and ski

A multi-topic post. Yes, the time stamp setting on this blog is set to the correct time zone. I really do most often post between 3 and 6 AM. The reason? My toddler wakes up some time in this zone and I often cannot resettle myself. I went for a good ski yesterday. It was -1 F but didn't feel too bad between being bundled up and moving about. Took some photos when I was out today on a trail I cut on our land this fall. It was a lot of fun. Once I get it tracked out good it'll be even more so. The section in this image is actually an old road that I cleared out. Other sections are more single track size. I now find myself wishing that I had finished up the loop. I can get all the way through it, but the sections with the 2 ft. tall fir trees are sticky. It is so exciting that we are getting snow again. Up to my knees and we are still supposed to get another foot or so. My buddy Mike (littlecircles.blogspot.com) and I went for a little adventure up Mt. Philo last week. It was beginning to look like winter, but now I can truly say that winter has returned after a three year hiatus!

the bike

The plan is that this will be THE bike. The one that does it all. It pretty much is already. Yummy lugged steel. An old mtn. bike frame converted to roadness. My current focus is on fit and comfort. I have solved my elbow pain issues which caused me to stop riding years ago. So simple. Stop putting 70% of your body weight on your hands! And yes, that stem is safely installed according to the max. height line. Now I am working on my butt which seems to give out somewhere around 60 miles. My plan is to 1) lose 10 lbs. 2) get a new seat(s) 3) pedal harder and 4) ride more. I decided that last year I was practicing excessive moderation in my riding efforts and have since modified that to moderate moderation. The harder I pedal the less my weight is on my butt. Amazing. I am looking at these tires http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=10156 as all time tires except maybe using my WTB slickasaurus for century rides and such. Where I live it is pretty much all gravel to dirt to bad pavement to gravel to dirt. The road shoulders are not so good either. So I plan to stick to back roads and roads less travelled. I think that will make all the difference.

no snow, i can still go...

The last few years the cross country ski experience in Vermont has been very skimpy. It seems like there are only a few days each year that have been any good. SO, in come the winter bike tires. I must get out and be active. I have gotten old enough that the winter pudge does not come off easily any more, therefore I aim to prevent it. I understand that this change is part of the 30 year warranty on the human body.
These excellent custom tires took 2 hours to make. Ingredients: one old pair knobbies, 180 3/8" sheet metal screws, cloth tape and viola! They work awesome!! Just like riding on non-ice. Fun.
Double row in front, triple row in back. Vroom!

fresh turkey

They really don't get any fresher. Watching turkeys does not rate nearly as high on the 20 month old kid's wowometer as deer do. I thought it was fairly interesting though.

Commute...

Rolling along Rt.2 between Montpelier and Middlesex in the foggy morning.

aliens vs. wolves...

My theory on aliens is as follows: Back in the olden days everyone liked to make scary etchings of wolf/goat/animal beasts of many different configurations. Europeans and other agricultural folk were genrally scared of the woods and their fears were expressed through their depictions of what scared them. Now that people think that they are the most dangerous and scary things around how do we depict our fear? The creatures look a lot like a certain point in human embryonic development and have amazing technological powers.

less is more unless you always want more of less...

On a recent trip out of town Michelle and I were in the midst of travel exhaustion and noting how fortunate we are even in the most difficult times we face. I made the observation of how we were so grateful when I started working less hours (at my old shop 50 hours was normal), but lately how we had been feeling like we still work too much. I realized that less becomes another form of wanting if you always want more less.

a wee thaw

Spent excellent time with Keenan all day. When his mom got home I hopped on the bike for a quick muddy/icy/slushy fun time down our road and the VAST trail. Good fun!

This is a photo looking down our road from our driveway from this past weekend. Unreal...it was warm and no snow. I actually bundled up and went for a bike ride on Rt. 2! Absurd! I don't really think you can call it a January thaw if there is no freeze. I have to admit, it was very enjoyable.