Adrenalin Junkie

My Thoughts, Riding experiences, Industry experiences, and Life experiences that all somehow involve bikes

Archive for the 'Bacon and Bikes' Category

Bacon Bits and Tire Knobs

Posted in Bacon and Bikes on June 24th, 2009

For no particular reason I haven’t written. We actually there is a reason…work, bikes, beers, and babes. I have been riding a bunch and having fun while doing it. The last two days have been very easy/slow rides for me because I have pulled some sort of leg muscle…not sure what it is called but it sucks.

I have come to terms that I need to do more stretching and I need to force myself to do so. I stretch very little and work my muscles a lot. They get angry and bit me in the ass when I am just starting to feel really good on two wheels. I wish I could  blame it on something else but it really comes down to stretching.

Either way I have been enjoying the bike despite the rain. I just looked at the weather and the electronic weather man told me that it would be another week plus before we see a true break from the wetness. Arrrrrgggghh! although the temp’ will be rising. Yay!

I took my friend Kenny out on a very very low key ride on the road bike and he was immediately hooked. He has never ridden a road bike before…only fat tire style.  He and I have been tediously searching for an old steel road frame with horizontal drop-outs to make a single speed for him. Sooooo if you know of one (for as little money possible… maybe free????) let me know. He needs a 54cm. He is an amazing rider and deserves to get some road miles…needs to get some road miles. He is going stir crazy not being able to ride all the time.

Recently I have been riding mostly road with some MTB action thrown in there for good measure. I am once again an insured/registered driver in the state of MA so I will have more chances to ride the MTB in cool and different places.

Stay tuned for some pics and some new strories. I have some words in my head that need to come out.

Cheers!

Stroke Away!

Posted in Bacon and Bikes on April 26th, 2009

My alarm goes off this morning at the same time is does every work day. I shutter my eyes due to the beaming light coming through my blinds that I forgot to close last night. I roll to the left side of my bed and almost fall out. Tripping over the heap of still sweat soaked clothes left on my floor from last nights drunken fixie ride around Stoneham.  Almost smashing my head on the door jam. That was close.

The need to piss hits me. Couldn’t make it to the lid fast enough. I almost fell back asleep while standing there. It was definitely too early for me to be awake on a Sunday. Wait! No wooosh from the throne…I forgot to flush.

Stumbling to the kitchen to brew some java I step on something. Friggin’ vavle stem cap. Those fuckers hurt when you get ’em just right.  Still cursing as I get to the coffee pot and realize my good shit is gone…guess I gotta brew the standby grounds. Ehhh caffine is what I crave not yumminess.  As it brews I zone out on the glowing digi-lite on the perk.

Within a second or 30 my stomach moans for substance. I open the drawer to my left and see some tasty cliff bars. Then realize that they alone may not be enough to satisfy this hunger.  It is time to break out the griddle and the ingredients for one hell of a pancake. We have “Aunt Jemima(sp) Just Add Water” pancake mix, a jar of some PB, some cinnamon, and of course fuck ton of butter. Well on my way to having a great ride in to work today.

I haven’t had cable for a while and I have watched the shit out of all my movies. Sooo I listened to some Slayer. Nothing like coffee and Slayer to wake you the fuck up in the morn’.  The pancakes sizzled and the coffee bubbled the boys from Slayer got me amped and ready to toss the gear on and hit the trails. I slid the grub down my throat. Par took in some extra activities and suited up.

The begining was a bit windy. Good warm up though. Got to the Fells in 5 and started my usual journey through my usual route. Exited and slammed over to Horn Pond. This is were disaster was a pedal stroke away. One of the hills I usually climb had something else planned for me. A stick, maybe it was a full tree, decided it wanted to get comfortable in my rear wheel and play with my derailleur.  Luckily I am bit wary about these issues and stopped pedaling almost immediately.The derailleur was already pulled into the spokes and the hanger was already twisted. The particular bike I was riding is extremely beefy so it takes a bit to fuck it up. I got off and pulled aside the trail. Did a pro job of bending, cursing, twisting, and hammering and got it back into somewhat pedalable condition. It got me to my destination and I was sooo happy for that. It could have been a long walk back, that is for sure.

besshang

At the end of the work day I threw Bess into the stand and checked her out. As sexy as she is she needed a bit of surgery. She is all fixed up now and ready to shred again. Hopefully my night ride home will be a bit more pleasurable. I know you can do it Bess! I am trying some new lights and a new saddle on her. My existing saddle is fucking killing me.

Here we goooo!

Rooty

Posted in Bacon and Bikes on April 15th, 2009

I have always said that I am a “mountain biker” at heart. But, the more and more I saturate my life with bikes I realize that I am really, truly a “cyclist” at heart. A year ago if you could have hung out with me. Smoked a bit of subherban and drank a beer or 10 with me…you would have said to your self “Shit this guy hates everything that doesn’t have a knobby tire on it”. This was very true.  If it didn’t have 26″ wheels and wasn’t called a “mountain bike” I would have laughed at the thought of riding it. “Skinny wheels just lead to shaving legs and lycra” is something I would have said.

Luckily, shaving of the extremities hasn’t even entered my mind after this road filled winter. Even with copious amounts of road rash to speak of…I just don’t see the need.  With Canadian lineage I think it is proper to stay hairy. I certainly see the reasoning behind shaving my sticks. But I hate shaving my face so much I can imagine how much I would dred shaving my legs.  Just not worth it.

Sooo back to my first thought. Mountain biking! Yup it is that time of year when I have to choose wisely were I ride because of mud season. It is that time of year were snow and ice are no longer the problem. Those pesky wooden limbs that grow underground and find their way to the surface. Just enough showing to make it interesting when wet. Just annoying enough to make you curse them.

Roots, rocks and the type of dirt we have here in New England may make this the only place worthy of the term…technical. I know, I know there are other polaces in the world that is this techinically difficult. I am not that close minded people. But damn NE has it’s own flow and feeling. The terrain makes me feel at home.

I stopped the other day while commuting through the local woods and sat atop a rock that I usually stop to take a “break” at. The trees (with roots) in front of me showed glimpses of the green to come. The dirt smelled (with rocks) just right. And there were birds-a-singnin’ and and squirells-a-scroungin’. It made me fell whole again. During the winter, especially this one, I long for these signs. This tells me it will only get better for the next 6ish months.

If you are not a Dirt rider then I suggest you get some sort of a bike with knobbies and give it a whirl. This weekend there will be a ride for “Opening Day” at the Fells Reservation. If you are a Dirt rider then I hope to see you there on Saturday. You may have fun, you may meet some cool people, you might even discover a type of cycling that you have always said “Ehhh I will never like that… it is silly!”.

Really! It is an amazing discipling that everyone should get a taste of. It will change your life! Just like road riding and all the other disciplins involving non-motorized movement. We must believe bikes can do great things for us…because they can!