That's about all i can do after last post it seems.

Drop the mic and walk away.


But yeah I can't do that.

Scarf guy, the BOS/NECX transplant from the state with the 10,000 lakes, conveyed the tone of my last post on his podcast with Matt and Tim a bit not quite right enough that I feel like clarifying a bit.

And yes. I listened to the whole thing, because they mentioned i was mentioned in a tweet. So just before lunch, finished a couple phone calls, sent a few email, then started listening. At lunch while listening. Answered emails while listening, played some Euchre on line while listening...  In the 48:50 of the post cast before that last blog post was brought up I had more exposure to the Euro Pro cycling since maybe watch the end of the Paris Roubaix with Deano and Goldberg this year. So yeah. Pro Cycling has kind of lost me as a fan/follower what not. But I was still entertained. It wasn't painful, so just that means it probably is pretty good, my tolerance levels are kind of higher than most maybe, usually for the worst. But I made it to the point when this was brought up: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-slow-ride-podcast/e/40404025 

Point to clarify, and re-reading I think it is made but in my understated borderline cryptic style: I'm still going to race. I'm gunning for a full season and I'm planning and hoping to make it to nationals this year. Heck I have a two year USAC license now! Or, well, technically, i'm still waiting for it (yes I want a f'n hard copy). Point being more the push and the focus on the equipment. And the equipment is getting closer and closer to the MTB level.

Is it needed? That's also my emphasis, no, it isn't as much but also look at Ellison park, and Timmerman. He's on fancy new shit, night and day someone quoted him as saying, but he's still kind of kicking ass like he did before. But it is also early, maybe he'll kick even more butt as the season goes on.

Do we need disc brakes, electronics? Need? No. Do they provide an advantage? Yes.

In a sport where the minutia adds up, where marginal gains are meaningful. Yes. The little things matter. Can pure skill and training and [smart] hard work make a difference? yes of course. this is cyclocross. Will there always be people kicking carbon butt with steel and cantis? Yup. I'd say yes. Would those same people kick butt harder with the best shit? Yes.

But there is this arms race competition about it, and while not a ground swelling, it is noticed and people are all over the spectrum about it but the feeling that the blue collar racers are being displaced is real. It is happening.

There are a good core of people who still race for the right reasons. CX Will always be different.

I hope.

But where do we go from here?

My bikes are sorted out. Parts ordered are in, B bike is more swappable as a SSCX/commuter geared pit bike. The 'A' bike has the '96 XTR V-Brakes on there.  Yes I have two rideable bikes. That's the least one might expect from someone who's raced CX since 1997 right? or was it '98, long time ago. But then I've only ever owned 4 total CX bikes. including these two. I've been keeping the B bike going since '10. The giant TCX frame broke and the Croll was resurected once again but then relegated after the getting a cheap alloy bike that fit. The Carbon bike while lighter was purchased in the biggest size. Except it is too small. Didn't really realize it until riding the properly sized alloy one and wow. Big difference.

Noticed the difference at Riverpoint this week. I took the B bike (the black blue, the norcross EX) decked out in SSCX rig (44x17) and the downhills were sketchy as fuck and couldn't carve and handle the same. Same tires and pressure even as the previous week on the A bike (the white blue, the XL norcross SP).

The bike really does make a difference. But re-working the same brakes that were on the white blue and putting them on the black blue helped. they brakes at least work better now than they did.

But man is the carbon bike lighter. So much so. What didn't happen going into this weekend was the gluing of tubulars, i have a pair of alloys that will become mud wheels (to hopefully get the '11 zip 303s to last one more season - yeah i'm milking them, have only ridden them in CX races 4 seasons? getting use out of them at least this is starting season 5 if my math is any good).

Do i have some nice stuff? yes, I've been lucky. Is it still nice? pretty debateable. Does it work? Yes. Myette nailed it with this statement:
If racing is your thing, and being competitive is important, train hard with whatever gear you have. You'll beat a few guys with more expensive gear & smile because its not about the bike. You'll lose to others with more expensive gear & smile because well, shit, their gear is the difference. You'll also lose to guys on crap gear and those are the ones that should motivate you.
And yes. I need to remind myself this, and focus and keep moving forward, stay motivated.

Last night was rough. angry asshole in a pick up truck, insane morons all over the place elsewhere. Took the Klein out on the smackdown only to STILL get smacked, but then was chasing english david just drilling it, until i cracked. There were some fast dudes out there last night. And I'm glad tuesday's Riverpoint work was light and focused on the sorting out of the black blue.

because my legs are just smoked. totally cooked. but there was a huge mental toll paid and as much as I've fought back today, the lingering shadow remains. That or the fact that I didn't have enough coffee to make a full pot in the office and i'm just waaaaay low on coffee (yeah yeah just go to one of the dozen coffee shops w/in a 2 block radius - oh right - this is the cheap broke guy). Push through...  push through.

I am signed up for Quad this weekend now. just going to do the 40+ but could always be bribed with cases of beer to do the SSCX in the jumpsuit, but I'm not going to pre-reg for it. Although I did look at the race predictor and ugh, hoping I can regain some of the points lost last year.

Oh well, hey, I like that course, it is fun. Even when I was riding so poorly last year. It was fun. It will be fun to be back and to see everyone again. And maybe it won't be dusty.

heddwch
G