2013 mejores exitos
It's that time of year, time to reflect on all the meatballs I ate yesterday, and the amount of gnashing of teeth I'll have to do to still fit in the current size of pants.
In not particular order (well, they end of sort of chronological, sorta):
1. I partook of several nice mixed-terrain rides this year, with highlights including the Marengo Mixed-Terrain, which for me was difficult 36 with a great course Timothy designed, a Fall HenryCo ride, a particularly nice visit to Muscutatuck in late Oct., and a rough-but-gratifying effort out of Holland in November. I felt like real shit that day, but it was one of the best MT courses I had ridden. And, finally, Dave and I visited Mucutatuck again in the ice and snow in December. That was a cold, short, slick trip. Fun, though. Fatness in all its glory.
2. Cyclocross Worlds- a week of festivities beginning in January with the course prep, the mid-week Singlespeed Worlds in the snow at Seneca Park and then crescendoing with Sven's victory at the Saturday, not *Sunday* worlds, due to the impending flood conditions. The entire week was just nuts, as was the post-race. Fact is, the Sierra Nevada was flowing at 9.30 that morning. Nuts. But I did not make it to the #FoamParty.
3. Early March provided the platform for a Ferdinand SF Camp+Gravel out at Ferdinand Forest in IN. We finally found Timothy and the campsite and proceeding to freeze pretty much all night. We awoke to a layer of snow, some ominous buzzards, a sick Timothy, and 30 miles of delightful mixed terrain. A good one, that was, regardless of fitness.
4. Not revelatory, but PJ and I did a few training rides on the traditional Covered Bride/Sleepy Hollow loop. That's a great loop and one worth using as a fitness marker. Maybe 2014 can or should act as that, a monthly Covered Bridge loop to show where the body is.
5. Skyline Metric in late June. I sort of forgot about this ride until I read my post, and I'm adding it here remembering how great the roads east of Jeffersonville and Skyline are. It was the kind of ride that needs a sporty road bike. And, no, I didn't ride the IF enough in '14. Once a week. C'mon, Man!
6. S24Os- For some reason I thought that I hadn't done as many in '13, but I had some nice ones in the summer: 2 solo stealth camps during which I woke up at stupid times in the morning and bailed. Fun, though. A longer trip with David to Clark SF in mid-June. That one started poorly but improved. And this past weekend with an excellent time in JeffForest.
7. I've been doing more birding beginning in '13, and my July bike-n-bird roll on the QB represents the best of that vibe. I don't know. It's just peaceful, and I/we need more peaceful.
8. Highlights are always going to include tours, especially mixed-terrain tours in Daniel Boone NF. Patrick and I undertook another 3-day tour in August. Day 1 was short and hot, Day 2 a robust lollipop and the return on Day 3 probably my favorite portion of the weekend even with the 2-mile climb. Did I mention the rain?
9. I have to include the wacky jeep route Dave and I found west of New Albany. It's on googlemaps as a "bike trail", but it's more like a goat trail. I don't know what else to say except that that was a nutty day on the bike.
10. The Family Camp Hundy returned this year. 105 miles in mid-90s heat. I did it, and damn glad of it.
11. Rides with NavyDrew. I did the BiketoBeatCancer in September, which was awesome and I want to again than folks for donating. Drew and I did several rides building up to the BtBC, and then continued through October, during which I probably had my best fitness of the year.
12. Finally, 2013 was a year in which I picked up 2 new bikes. In spring I picked up an RBW Atlantis frame with the proceeds of the Troll sale and some tennis $$. I was my most-used bike in 2013 and serves, obviously, as a nice ride. So far I've used it more for a country bike than a tourer, but '14 should serve as a platform for some touring fun. In the Fall, I then was gifted a new Salsa Mukluk. Quite the bounty. No, we don't have that much snow here, but it hasn't stopped me from taking numerous all-round rides on the Mukluk. It's fat and will go anywhere: trails, snow, curbs, alleys, you name it.
I have some bike sales and bike tweaks to come in '14. I'd like to do 5k in miles. I'd like to lose some weight, as ever. I'd like to pull off a reasonable tour. I'd like to have some piece of mind.
And Peace to you too, for a fulfilling 2014. On two wheels, 2013 wasn't too bad.
In not particular order (well, they end of sort of chronological, sorta):
1. I partook of several nice mixed-terrain rides this year, with highlights including the Marengo Mixed-Terrain, which for me was difficult 36 with a great course Timothy designed, a Fall HenryCo ride, a particularly nice visit to Muscutatuck in late Oct., and a rough-but-gratifying effort out of Holland in November. I felt like real shit that day, but it was one of the best MT courses I had ridden. And, finally, Dave and I visited Mucutatuck again in the ice and snow in December. That was a cold, short, slick trip. Fun, though. Fatness in all its glory.
2. Cyclocross Worlds- a week of festivities beginning in January with the course prep, the mid-week Singlespeed Worlds in the snow at Seneca Park and then crescendoing with Sven's victory at the Saturday, not *Sunday* worlds, due to the impending flood conditions. The entire week was just nuts, as was the post-race. Fact is, the Sierra Nevada was flowing at 9.30 that morning. Nuts. But I did not make it to the #FoamParty.
3. Early March provided the platform for a Ferdinand SF Camp+Gravel out at Ferdinand Forest in IN. We finally found Timothy and the campsite and proceeding to freeze pretty much all night. We awoke to a layer of snow, some ominous buzzards, a sick Timothy, and 30 miles of delightful mixed terrain. A good one, that was, regardless of fitness.
4. Not revelatory, but PJ and I did a few training rides on the traditional Covered Bride/Sleepy Hollow loop. That's a great loop and one worth using as a fitness marker. Maybe 2014 can or should act as that, a monthly Covered Bridge loop to show where the body is.
5. Skyline Metric in late June. I sort of forgot about this ride until I read my post, and I'm adding it here remembering how great the roads east of Jeffersonville and Skyline are. It was the kind of ride that needs a sporty road bike. And, no, I didn't ride the IF enough in '14. Once a week. C'mon, Man!
6. S24Os- For some reason I thought that I hadn't done as many in '13, but I had some nice ones in the summer: 2 solo stealth camps during which I woke up at stupid times in the morning and bailed. Fun, though. A longer trip with David to Clark SF in mid-June. That one started poorly but improved. And this past weekend with an excellent time in JeffForest.
7. I've been doing more birding beginning in '13, and my July bike-n-bird roll on the QB represents the best of that vibe. I don't know. It's just peaceful, and I/we need more peaceful.
8. Highlights are always going to include tours, especially mixed-terrain tours in Daniel Boone NF. Patrick and I undertook another 3-day tour in August. Day 1 was short and hot, Day 2 a robust lollipop and the return on Day 3 probably my favorite portion of the weekend even with the 2-mile climb. Did I mention the rain?
9. I have to include the wacky jeep route Dave and I found west of New Albany. It's on googlemaps as a "bike trail", but it's more like a goat trail. I don't know what else to say except that that was a nutty day on the bike.
10. The Family Camp Hundy returned this year. 105 miles in mid-90s heat. I did it, and damn glad of it.
11. Rides with NavyDrew. I did the BiketoBeatCancer in September, which was awesome and I want to again than folks for donating. Drew and I did several rides building up to the BtBC, and then continued through October, during which I probably had my best fitness of the year.
12. Finally, 2013 was a year in which I picked up 2 new bikes. In spring I picked up an RBW Atlantis frame with the proceeds of the Troll sale and some tennis $$. I was my most-used bike in 2013 and serves, obviously, as a nice ride. So far I've used it more for a country bike than a tourer, but '14 should serve as a platform for some touring fun. In the Fall, I then was gifted a new Salsa Mukluk. Quite the bounty. No, we don't have that much snow here, but it hasn't stopped me from taking numerous all-round rides on the Mukluk. It's fat and will go anywhere: trails, snow, curbs, alleys, you name it.
I have some bike sales and bike tweaks to come in '14. I'd like to do 5k in miles. I'd like to lose some weight, as ever. I'd like to pull off a reasonable tour. I'd like to have some piece of mind.
And Peace to you too, for a fulfilling 2014. On two wheels, 2013 wasn't too bad.
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