Catharsis: The Domino Effect

from November...early post-concussion

Instead of flying on the night quiet
of neighborhood streets,
I dodged
demons
in the dark intersections of
the why of my life
until
Domino’s delivery
dabbed into my life
at the
dark intersection
of 28th and Hampshire.

I turned my headlamp into the windshield,
stared him to stop
and pedaled,
pissed
off.


- ob

Catharsis: Sea Legs

from November...early post-concussion

The bike lurched sideways
as studded tires clamped and rolled over icy bumps and patches
and I rehearsed my logic,
"be supple"
but my elbows stiffened
chest tightened
breath caught
...be
supple....
I rode past the turn for home,
tears freezing
because of fear
and freedom
and I wasn’t sure which was more terrifying.

-OB

My Fault

Last Thursday saw record high temps across the upper midwest. One area of MN recorded a 60 degree day, one of only ten 60 degree January days to be had in the last 120 years...one day out of a possible 3,720 January days to hit 60 degrees. Our chance of a 60 degree day in January is...well, it’s infinitesible. But that's the winter we're having.

And, hitting the mark this year is my fault...our fault.

Last February, we test rode fat bikes over piles of snow on the playground of the neighborhood school. I told Wheel, “If we do this, we’ll have the first brown winter in six years.” But, he was having none of that argument, and we put down our money.

In April we got our Fatbacks...

...that have seen 2” of snow...

...over the span of one afternoon.

Over the past eight months, we’ve had them out on bare trails, sand, gravel, singletrack, rail lines and a few fire roads. The bikes are a hoot. But I knew it would happen: we’d get snow bikes and then all of us would face down the brownest winter in a decade.

I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't make a big deal about it. We feel bad enough.

-TheOldbummerBag

Riding at 17 Degrees

between the eyes
headache
without the pleasure
of ice cream

- TOchillyB

Warm Up

- OB creek? trail? mudbath? luge run?

Savior

I was facing winter with the worst fitness I’d had in 15 years.

It was a tough fall. The comings and goings of everyday tasks were tiring. For anything but the essentials, I looked for simplicity...my days were broken into two pieces: work, hang at home. Errands had no place. Exercise wasn’t a player. Socializing? whatever. I hunkered down and rode it out.

Physically, I felt like a glazed donut: fried and squishy, but without the sugary outside. Shuddup! I feel like crap, my uncle is going downhill, and my cat died...damned cat, anyway.

I took the bicycle out now and again, but riding was more complex than I cared to undertake. The season was changing and the decisions were too many: glove liners? windstopper mitts? which tights? how many layers? lube? tires? batteries for lights, schmutz on the derailleur....

It was easier to just grab my trail runners and head out the front door for a jog. I worked up from a few blocks to a couple miles. It got me outside in what was left of the daylight with a minimum of prep and time. But I can’t say I loved it.

In December when I headed out on skis for the first time, it surprised me that my legs were in decent shape. I’ve been out a few times, but skiing just hasn’t captured my heart.

Awhile back, I headed out on the bicycle into a brief bout of crisp sunshine and did a flat ride on the trails near home. The 15 mph headwind surprised me when I turned toward home. Hmmm, my bad: I wasn’t tuned-in to the conditions. I lowered my head and geared down.

I felt alive.

Last weekend, Wheel and I went for a short ride to the ATM. We totaled about eight miles, with temps dropping into the low 20s and clouds rolling in. Gray lenses in my glasses made things drab. My toes were frozen slabs by the end of the ride.

It was exhilarating.

Running saved my fitness. Cycling saves my soul.


- TOB

Under the Influence

Wheel wants a fat bike. His interest has been growing over the past couple of winters. Admittedly, with the snowfall we’ve had last year and this, a fat bike would be the better ride...studded knobbies just don’t bite over a couple inches of snow. He has headed off to ride singletrack regardless.

Me? Winters are for skiing. Yes, a fat bike would broaden the possiblities for outside play, but the season is relatively short and I’m happy to make-do with what I’ve got, given the cost of a new bicycle. Besides, I put money down last August to hold a spot in line for a custom road frame (after considering Betty’s age and the current asking prices for stock bicycles), so that will be my next bicycle purchase.

After all, road cycling is my deal, right? There’s nothing quite like flying down the road at the speed of happiness...

...unless it’s bombing through the woods....

...in the snow....

He was off to demo a Fatbike.

I couldn’t really have him go without me, could I?

- OBoy!

Flying Down Xenwood

the Xenwood downhill

had been cleared of ice patches by the afternoon's sun

so I could hear the studded tires 

against the asphalt

I could hear the tempo increasing

hear the speed 

my numb fingers grabbed for the brakes

it was nighttime, after all

I was cold and cautious of the intersection 

the driveways between snow piles

that emptied onto Xenwood

near the bottom I let go

as the brakes eased off the disks

the bike relaxed 

and flowed into the straightaway

the rush was small

but not 

incomprehensible

I pedaled to the street's end where I turned

away from home

and I pedaled up Webster, over 29th

where I saw myself 10 minutes prior

in the tracks of the wet snow 

they wobbled left and right

I remembered holding my line

the snow lies

I coasted full-out the second time down

crouched

watching

tires buzzing

fingers ready to grab

but they 

didn't

the third time 

I stood pedaling up Webster

over 29th 

in the sloppy snow

I hit the big ring, pedaled over the top

I flew down Xenwood

spinning

body warm

toes freezing

smile spreading 

and this time 

at the bottom

turned toward home

- TOfinally satisfiedB

Just One of My "Jens" Rides

Watchin' the rat race during the deep freeze...

- The Bag is off to ski for the weekend...have a good one!

I'm a 5

Lifted freely from cyclocosm.com

- Ob what's yours?

And Then I Said No

Yep, that's sand on the trail...we may be wimpy but at least we're out there!

ice

it's a glamorous pastime

I stepped out the back door with four layers on. The foray to the garage was plotted out with wool baselayers and fleece under the jacket, wind pants, hat, scarf, and heavy duty mittens and boots who the hell came up with the idea of detached garages in MN ?!

I was surprised by the sunshine and relative warmth of the back yard. There was no wind. The day was crisp, but bright and pleasant. Although I was enjoying sitting on my backside after a couple days of skiing, I had to admit it felt great to be outside. Maybe a walk. Maybe Wheel'll wanna head out with the dog and me for a walk....

But he had a different ride in mind. So, let's head over to Wirth! he said to me when I got inside. We went back and forth while I considered some winter singletrack...at 6 degrees.

After all, I've got the studded tires now.

But six degrees!

In the end, life doesn't move too quickly for me on the last day of vacation, I was ready for some sit time, and I wouldn't be cajoled into a mountain bike ride. I told him no. It was damned cold and I just didn't want to be that far from home with no way to get back if there was a problem. While I have warm clothing, it's not quite that warm for that long. Whine. Moan.

Wait a minute! I proposed! He said. And YOU SAID YES!

Damn. He had a point.

I hesitated

but

stood firm. No, I'm ready for a down day. I'm going to head out for a walk.

So, Wheel suited up and rode off toward the singletrack.

And I sat on my backside and read the paper for a bit.

Drummed my fingers.

I'd fully intended to head out with the dog. His booties were on the closet shelf. But in the end I put my booty on the saddle. It was a quick spin down the trail system that passes our house to the north and south, a nice flat ride for the entirety of its 11 miles and never much more than three miles from home. I returned within an hour or so -- Wheel's bike wasn't hanging in the garage, so I figured I'd beat him home.

But as I hauled the bike to the basement, there he was cleaning his.

Busted.

- Bag pogies??

Back-to-Work Blues

Christmas Eve Ride -- St. Louis Park, MN

New Year's Day Ski -- Birkie Trail @ 00

Out for a Walk -- Long Lake, WI

Back on the Trail -- Near 00

6 Degree Trail Ride -- Hopkins/St. Louis Park, MN

- ob HOW long until I can retire???

Popped the Question

He proposed
that we mountain bike this winter
and I said YES

toss me yer tire iron, we haven't got all day!

- TOB

Christmas Eve

Sometimes the best part

is hearing the snow

examining what's behind

and imagining what lies ahead

- OB

Sulking

I barely rode outside all winter
I rode twice?
maybe twice
maybe more I don't remember
but fer-sure not much at all
because
this winter was damned cold
and everyone knows cold is supposed to be for skiing
until it got
warm....
then
cold again, but not just cold...it was cold
damned cold
snot-rockets-freeze-on-the-way-out cold
toes-only-good-for-a-half-hour cold
I-need-pogies-and-don't-have-them-because-it-doesn't-get-that-cold-here cold
but then
then it got farging warm
but not springlike warm, just melt-some-snow warm
and I was ticked because I don't want to be riding in the winter anyway
because winter is for skiing
except the skiing
sucked
because it was cold, warm, cold, warm, coldwarmcoldwarmcold
but if skiing is lousy then I'm happy to ride
happy
except when it's below 10
or 10 below
and I cried uncle
I guess
and so maybe I’ll take up
I don't know,
like crosswords or something
because now I'm all
waitingforwarmtemps then I'll ride
because last weekend we rode
thirty some miles in 60 sunny degrees
and I could smell
spring
I could smell it
and now I can't
but I could
and this week it's cold
~
again


- OB off pouting somewhere

Crabby

It’s easy to forget winter is still here when temps are in the mid-30s and the sun is blaring, but the reminders hit hard. By mile 16 of the ride, the clouds had rolled in, the wind picked up, and the temp started dropping. Without the sun, my feet slowly turned to blocks of ice.

Damn.

We’ve had an odd winter with more sub-zero stretches than usual. However, those intervals have been broken up by spring-like temps, some in the 40s, even. There’s been little middle ground. It’s 35 or it’s below zero. It wreaks havoc on the ski trails.

It wreaks havoc with my brain.

Logically I know spring is still a couple months away, but on warm winter days, it’s easy to fall into the belief that snow-melt is around the corner. Just as hope rises though, the single digits arrive. It would be fine if snow came along with those cold temps -- cross country ski places have been doing what they can with what they have -- but flakes have been sparse lately. What results is a frozen slab of dirty slush on the roads and on the trails.

It’s an ugly time of year.

And it’s playing games with my sanity.

- The Old disgruntled Bag

The Greenway in February

It was an unusually warm afternoon. The Loppet events were underway on a 45-degree day...great for spectators, probably not so great for skiing. The Greenway was busy as we headed home after watching the skijorers and the ice bike races.

- TOB

Just Fine

I rolled down the alley toward the garage and hit the remote. Done it a thousand times before. Half of those thousand times I've surprised Sherrie, my neighbor across the alley, for one reason or another...most times because she's expected to either hear a car coming or see me heading out from the inside. When neither has occurred, she's looked around with big eyes, seen me arrive on the bicycle, and said oh THERE you are, Hon! I didn't know what to think!

She's finally getting used to my stealth arrivals: sometimes back from a ride, now and again ending my commute, at times hauling baskets of groceries.

This time, I was pedaling up to the garage through nearly three inches of snow-covered slush while heavy, wet flurries were still coming down. Sherrie and her daughter were across the alley unloading groceries in their garage. They looked at me.

I was a tad embarrassed at being caught, snow piled on my shoulders, hands and helmet. I didn't want them to think I was some crazy lady who goes riding in a blizzard, so I rattled away I wouldn't NORMALLY be out riding on a day like today, but my car is dead over in the Cub Foods lot and I was so lucky that my bicycle was actually in the car since I'd not unloaded it after returning from SD, and the NAPA store was still open so I headed home to change then went out again and picked up a part that the guy at Batteries Plus said I'd need -- shoulda done that one weeks ago -- and I've got AAA so everything will be fine....

Truth was, I was having a ball.

Sure, I fretted initially -- it's always a pain to have car problems -- but then it all hit me: my car was dead, but I pretty much knew what was wrong and figured I'd be able to fix it; the car hadn't died while on the road traveling back from SD; the bicycle had been in the car sparing me a walk home in a sloppy wet snowstorm; my clothes were fleece, tights, travel pants and boots instead of my normal denim and wool clogs; the parts store had still been open.

All I had left to do was to call AAA and head back through the slush and storm to the grocery store to meet the repair truck.

Sherrie wanted confirmation that everything was OK and that I'd let her know if I needed anything because that's what neighbors are for, Hon. You call us!

I assured her I was just fine.

- The adventurous OB

On Being Stranded in Cub Foods' Parking Lot during the New Year's Eve Snowstorm

always always always have a bicycle in your car
for times the car won't take you home after you've gone thar'
for when you hear that click click click and plan to go plantar
always always always have a bicycle in your car

always always always have a bicycle in your car
the motor quits and there ya sits but in the rear mirrar
surprise! you look around and realize you've got a spar'
always always always have a bicycle in your car

always always always have a bicycle in your car
tho' children point at you and say that lady is bizarre
ya ride off through the snowfall 'cuz the parts store isn't far
always always always have a bicycle in your car

always always always have a bicycle in your car
tho' AAA will rescue you not wanting a dinar
don't care if it's a Honda or an XKR Jaguar
always always always have a bicycle in your car


and have your cell phone with you and next time when the guy says you need a new battery clamp right away, get one right away




criminy


- TOB's own fault since she knew better

Have WE got a Winter Race

Tour de Skyway

Only 20 degrees out? We're takin' it to the skyways of St. Paul! (if the vid is no longer the featured one on the page, hit the search tab and enter skyways -- you'll find two).


To find the full headcam of the race, hit the search tab and type in full headcam -- about 4 minutes worth, with the best section riding down the flight-o-linoleum-stairs! St. Paul Pioneer Press has articles from 1/15 and 2/9 and one more video.


- TOB's thinkin' Minnesota's alright