well, that sucked... Tried to ride the roadie and i made it about a block before the first coughing fit. Rode back home and loaded up the mower. I figured i did ok mowing at home, i'd see how tranq goes. Get out there and it really is in good shape. Really not much to do. Thanks to the crew for keeping the trail up while i've been sick. Wish i could have been out there to help...

Guess nothing else to do but try and score a replacement zune off ebay and clean house....wheee....

Not much to report on this end. Been too sick to ride, finally got back to work at least. Been slow, so the beetle has been going together pretty well. It got the park lights re-wired today, new brakes all the way around and some new rubber. The front clip is all done. Just missing a park light that was boxed wrong and a headlight off ebay. After that it is down to some piddly stuff that got stolen off the car while it sat on the back lot for 6 years...

About the only excitement is blowing up clunkers. We drain the oil out of them, park them in the back lot and then add 2 qts of liquid glass to the crankcase. Bounce them off the rev limiter till the seize. Fords are holding the record. Most average around 3 minutes before they pop. Chryslers are the worst. Average v6/v8 is lasting less then 10 seconds. Start them up and hit the gas, boom, dead before it can hit the limiter once. Got 11 more to do tues before i leave for Denver for a few days. Heading to Subie school in Aurora. Sucks that i fly in Wed night and out Fri night. Then we get to load up and head to the race in Lincoln Sat morn. Should be sweet, haven't touched a bike sense Norfolk... Maybe i'll try tomorrow...

Woke friday morning with that tell tale tickle in the throat. Hit the meds but by sat morning i was feverish and couldn't take a deep breath. Kiddo wanted her points, so out we headed. Got in around 9, signed up and did a recon ride to show her the techie section after the start. We didn't have time for much else. K didn't like the course and was grumbling the whole time. I don't think we will have friends come to the races with us anymore. Seem to put us both in a bit of a neg mood for the day.

K was the only one in her class so she just cruized her own pace and finished it out. I decided to race even though i couldn't breathe. DFL at the start and the position i pretty much held the whole race. I rode the first lap and 1/2 behind Donna Holmes as she was riding a sustainable pace. Not being able to take deep breaths made recovery non-exsistant. Also not being able to swallow didn't help much either. Honestly, i was done before i started. I just rode along trying to talk my self into dnfing and going home. Ended up sticking it out and finishing the 3 laps.

The drive home was hell... Couldn't get warm but my face was beet red from the fever. Glad i brought ibuprofen. It kicked in around westpoint but i still couldn't regulate body temp well. I was either frying or freezing. Still feel like crap this morning. I'm going back to bed...

Man, i've been a slacker lately. I've ridden once sense the race @ tranq and the Norfolk race is next sat. Missed the last couple mnr due to work, weather or one of my projects. I was hoping the weather would miss us and i'd get to do the wnr but it has rained most of the day. That and i traded a beater for an old beast that will be my next project when time and funds allow it. I'm supposed to go meet the dude tonight to pick it up. Hope the rain holds off for a couple more hours...

So i've been trying to get my daughters beetle built in time for her b-day next week. Frame is straight, all the front end hass been replaced. Now if i could get some paint on it, i'd be ready to assemble everything and see how she goes. Still need headlights, parklights, tires, etc before she drives it...


On top of all that mess, we've been training for volleyball tryouts next week with my youngest. We've been rolling out to swanson all week playing to get her ready. It's been alot of fun, wish we played more often. With school back in session, things have been pretty busy. No more time to commute till someone get's their license. Oh well.... that's about it....

Wooo, big dog made it's maiden voyage up the street today. First time in almost 2 decades. Open headers rock!

amazing how fast a great weekend can turn to crap. Woke up this morning and got ready for work. Noticed the laptop was gone, no biggie. Kids sometimes take it to their rooms at night. Look around...no wallet, no mp3 player...crap, did i leave them in the car? Cell phone and keys are still there...hmmm... nope, not in the car. Wake up kiddies, nope no laptop. Great...someone got in the back door and stole my laptop, wallet and mp3 player. Call the cops, get told the usual, "you got insurance? you're never gonna see your stuff again." 1K deductable, pro-rated value at $800. Great. Call around, cancel cards, call bank, stand at dmv for 2+ hours to get a drivers license. Whole day killed because some punks just couldn't grab the cash and leave my wallet. Have fun with my stuff, dickheads. Karma sucks and you will get yours tenfold down the line....

Tom has his pics up...


Thanks Tom!

I'd have to call the TTT a huge success. I can't wait for the racer count. It had to be big. Full fields despite the heat. The trail was primo, thanks to a lil help from mother nature. Thanks to Bike Masters for hosting an excellent race and all the able bodies that help set up/tear down, registration, etc. Very organized and really a smooth event.

Wish i had gotten more pics of the cat 3, jr's race. My kiddo won her class, albit with no competition. She did come in second female, so i'll give her credit for riding within herself. My race went well, actually way better than i thought. I was guessing mid pack but ended up second. The start went off fast and i just hung back. The wnw we hosted worked out really well for setting a sustainable tempo for the race. As the race went on, people just kept coming backwards. I am a decent descender, so i tried to pass just before the downhills and tried to keep the gap up the next hill. As for the "speed killer" sections, they worked perfect. I made several passes when people blew the corners. Big props to all the racers. Everyone was doing a great job passing and allowing people by.

Thanks again to the Tranq trail crew, THOR, Bike Masters and all involved in this event. Can't wait to do it again!

pic dump

busy, busy , busy. Trying to ride a bit and get the trail ready to race. Thanks to all that have helped at the trail days. I think the trail is in excellent shape for the race. With work, school registration for the kiddies, school shopping, riding, mowing, driving lessons, side work, etc. I'm freakin shot...

My kiddo is ready to race, wish i had her confidence. My goal is to go out, have fun and not be dfl if possible. It is gonna be hot, hot, hot!

Running out of time for bacon rides, hit me up if you wanna go one of these weekends!

WNW went pretty good i think. We had a rocket ship junior turning 25 min laps. We had some mid pack guys rolling 35-38 min and me running 3 laps @ 30 minutes a lap. I would guess most will average around an hour for 2 laps in cat3. It is longer than it should be time wise but first timers and jrs only do a lap. Everyone used to complain about the beginners race being too short, there ya go...

Going to back off commuting and see if i feel better. I rode to work mon and tues. Add in the mnr and trail work Sunday and i was totally flat for the wnw. I could ride descent tempo but no snap. As always i am probably over analyzing things. Between fiddling with seat heights, trying not to pedal squares and life stress, i should do as i've been told a few times latley. Shut the f up, shut off my head and just ride...

Wed Night Worlds @ Tranq!

Looking for cat 3 racers to do an unofficial, un-scored mock race 2 tranq. Meet at the trail head @ 6pm. We will ride out to the start/finish line to start the race. Great chance for new racers to ride the course race pace with a group.

Hope to see ya there!

wnr at manawa tonight. Come ride before the rain hits!

What a perfect week. Low temps and no humidity has made great commuting weather. Figures, my mtb is down for repairs, so i am stuck rolling the roadie... Got some minor trail work in while the weather is good. Did some water bar repairs and finished "Marc's berm". Turned out pretty well.

The tour has been interesting so far. Would have been nice to see big George in yellow today. That guy has earned the jersey after years of working for others. Sad to see Levi out after a silly crash as well.

Off to go wrench on gto's again. Hope to get the brakes done on the 67 and maybe even fire the 65 off. We need to take it for a spin to make sure the brakes, trans, etc work before we take it in for the exhaust system.

MNR @ tranq monday. Hope to pick up a loaner to ride. With any luck i'll have a 650b Haro Beasley for people to demo. If you want to try out some mid sized hoops, hit me up on the ride and i'll trade bikes with you...

Wow, been a pretty good week so far...

Got out for bacon Sunday with Dale and Paul. Sweet ride, the flow of the place is starting to come back the more i ride it. If you haven't been, ya should...

Commuted in Monday, flew home, grabbed the MTB and headed for the mnr @ Tranq. Played the no brakes game on the flats and climbs. Actually got a few to commit to it. Hope to keep pushing that game to get our newer riders more confidant in their abilities. Hooked onto a couple expert riders on a recovery ride. Took everything i had just to hang on to them. I'd hate to have tried keeping up at thier usual pace. It was a sweet ride...

Trail day tuesday tonight. 10 worked nailed the whole place out in 2 hours. Thanks everyone!

Wed night ride is Lewis and Clark for this week. Time for some suffering... Come join the fun!

Probably commute again thursday, if i can walk. Legs have been made of stone this week. This sit and spin stuff is killing me!

What to do on a wed night when you thought it was too muddy too ride? (it wasn't...) Go cruzing!





Yeppers, i talked my ex's dad into taking the gto out to the wed night car show. First time on the streets in over a decade. Stopped to get gas on the way down and drew a crowd. Funny listening to people start talking old cars as soon as one rolls on the lot. Made the show without issue, parked and walked the lot. Alot of very nice cars for just a cruise night. Decided to beat the rush and rolled out early with me behind the wheel. Got 2 blocks from the show and hit a yellow light. Stabbed the brakes and heard a "pop", brake pedal hit the floor and the car when hard right. Not what i'm looking for when driving someones baby. Got the car stopped in time and gave the pedal a few pumps. Nothing... Drove the rest of the way home nice and slow and used the trans to slow the car enough to get stopped. Time to tear into the brakes this weekend if we are going to drive it again soon...

Backstory on the car...

1967 Pontiac GTO. 400, 4spd originally marina blue with a white gut. Purchased in 1968 by my ex's dad. Painted crazy black metalflake sometime in the early 70's along with the funky chrome smoothies. Car is numbers matching, original metal, original interior. if it wasn't for the paint and wheels, it would be a true survivor. Now ya see why i was freaking about not wrecking this car...

Only bad thing is we were planning on working on his 65 gto that we are restoring. What to do, what to do, so many gto's, soo little time. We should all have it so rough...

On a bike note, BACON!!!!!!!!!!!! anyone wanna go?

wnr cancelled due to our lovely monsoon last night and this morning. Hope to see ya next week!

Trail day tues next week on the 14th for swanson and tranquility. thor-trails.blogspot.com for more info...

what to do this evening....