Commute Day 4

Morning Commute:
Conditions: 18 Deg F with 10 Deg windchill.
Head: A very sharp Sheila Moon "TmonT style" cap, polypro face mask, helmet with cover.
Upper Body: Nike sleeveless base layer, Nike long sleeve jersey, Nike coat
Hands: Pearl Cyclone gloves, Bar Mitts.
Lower Body: Thermasilk bottoms, Trek wind front tights,
Feet: Mysterioso fleece socks with Woolie Boolie socks on top and toe warmers wrapped around toes between socks, Lake MZ302 boots.

Observations: left the glasses off and that was a bad idea. Also, the roads were a mess from the many inches of snow on the day before.  A few times, I found exactly how narrow the shoulder is when you cannot see it.  Thank you for that, Brookfield.

Evening Commute:
Conditions: 19 Deg F.

Head: A very sharp Sheila Moon "TmonT style" cap, polypro face mask, helmet with cover.

Upper Body: Nike sleeveless base layer, Nike long sleeve jersey, Nike coat

Hands: Pearl Cyclone gloves, Bar Mitts.

Lower Body: Thermasilk bottoms, Trek wind front tights,

Feet: Woolie Boolie socks on top and toe
warmers wrapped around toes outside of socks, Lake MZ302 boots.



Focking Miserable!  After having to leave Frank outside all day, the
morning's slush was froze right proper into the cassette.  In
particular, around the couple of gears that I wanted to use.

Day 3

Morning Commute:
Conditions: 15 Deg F with 5 Deg windchill.
Head: A very sharp Sheila Moon "TmonT style" cap, polypro scarf, helmet with cover, and Specialized glasses.
Upper Body: Nike sleeveless base layer, Nike long sleeve jersey, Nike coat
Hands: Pearl Cyclone gloves, Bar Mitts.
Lower Body: Thermasilk bottoms, Trek wind front tights,
Feet: Mysterioso fleece socks with Woolie Boolie socks on top and toe warmers between socks, Lake MZ302 boots.

Observations: Had to remove the glasses about 7 miles in due to fogging up. The scarf was nice, but it lets too much warm air onto the glasses.  These studded tires are getting old.  I will leave them on in respect to the impending approach of the white death.  For the record... cold = slow.

Evening Commute:

Observations: This evening's commute was canceled due to the need for sushi and adult beverages.  Please check back later.

Day 2

Morning Commute:
Conditions: 16 Deg F with 10 Deg windchill.
Head: A very sharp Sheila Moon "TmonT style" cap, polypro mask/neck gaiter, helmet with cover, and Specialized glasses.
Upper Body: Nike sleeveless base layer, Nike long sleeve jersey, Nike coat
Hands: Pearl Cyclone gloves, Bar Mitts.
Lower Body: Thermasilk bottoms, Trek wind front tights,
Feet: Mysterioso fleece socks with Woolie Boolie socks on top and toe warmers between socks, Lake MZ302 to wrap it all up.

Observations: Per recommendation of the lovely Gretchen, I wrapped the toe warmer around the front of my toes.  Oh yeah, that is the ticket. I left the house early in an attempt to catch Da Sug on his ride into work.  Evidently, he gets on the bike much earlier then me.

Evening Commute:
Conditions: 20 Deg F .
Head: A very sharp Sheila Moon "TmonT style" cap, polypro neck gaiter, helmet with cover, and Specialized glasses.
Upper Body:  Nike long sleeve jersey, Nike coat
Hands: Pear Cyclone gloves, Bar Mitts.
Lower Body: thermasilk bottoms, Trek wind front tights,
Feet: Woolie Boolie socks on top and toe warmers, Lake MZ302 to wrap it all up.

Observations: Same as the day before.

Day 1

Alright, so this is going to be more of a commuting log now. There is a reason for this, and perhaps I will let everyone in on it in the future. That said, it is my blog and I reserve the right to put down whatever I like.

It isn't a New Year's resolution, just a numerically convenient spot to start.

Morning Commute:
Conditions: 10 Deg F with 7 Deg windchill.
Head: A very sharp Sheila Moon "TmonT style" cap, turtle fur neck gaiter, helmet with cover, and Specialized glasses.
Upper Body: Nike sleeveless base layer, Nike long sleeve jersey, Nike coat
Hands: Pear Cyclone gloves, Bar Mitts.
Lower Body: pepper skins poly bottoms, Trek wind front tights,
Feet: Mysterioso fleece socks with Woolie Boolie socks on top and toe warmers between socks, Lake MZ302 to wrap it all up.

Observations: Stayed warm until about 9 miles in, when my feet started to get cold. Evidently, people in Chevy Cavaliers don't understand hand signals for turns.

Evening Commute:
Conditions: 19 Deg F .
Head: A very sharp Sheila Moon "TmonT style" cap, polypro neck gaiter, helmet with cover, and Specialized glasses.
Upper Body:  Nike long sleeve jersey, Nike coat
Hands: Pear Cyclone gloves, Bar Mitts.
Lower Body: thermasilk bottoms, Trek wind front tights,
Feet: Woolie Boolie socks on top and toe warmers, Lake MZ302 to wrap it all up.

Observations: Nice and toasty.  Of course, there was a tail wind and the ride was broke up by a stop to swim.

The Iceman Cometh

I hear there is a pretty good race report here.  But the good story will be up shortly.

Know it was a weird night when

this is your recollection of the evening.

I was there

With the apocalyptic weather last week, the WCA races shut down to wait for the impending end. The Curtes boys had other plans. Those plans included obstacles of fire wood and tree limbs, a barrier of unusual height, a beer pit instead of a wheel pit, S turns of doom, the figure eight of death, suicide alley, high speed turns which were definitely not UCI regulation, and random matches of dodgeball. To top it off, there were no fewer than 10 obstacles on the course.

Eighteen hardy souls lined up on a perfect autumn day to start not just another race, but perhaps to start a new adventure in wisconsin cyclocross. Perhaps it will be a return to the roots of the sport, or perhaps it will be the next step forward. The Le Mans start left me somewhere near the back of the pack and wondering why people in the south of France are required run and jump into/onto their vehicles all of the time.

As the terrain and oxygen deprived madness worked their magic, I worked my way closer to the middle of the back of the pack in the first lap. Or was it the back of the middle? As the next few laps came and went; so did my strength, speed, and any drive to actually race. Midway into the fourth lap, a well placed shot in the dodgeball section sent me to the beer pits with a bad wheel.

I arrived in the pits to find the need for proper hydration had claimed a pair of victims already. The rest of my race was spent as a superfan and pit official. We issued several stop and go penalties for infractions ranging from overzealous racing to judicial prerogative. Despite our best efforts, the men's and women's races were won by riders who were trying way too hard.

Afterward, came the telling of tales and sacrifices of flesh to the pagan wheel gods on the great fire.