I would love to fill your heads with tales of racing and long rides, but I can’t. I could probably talk about U.S. Cyclocross Nationals, but cross really isn’t my thing, so I won’t. Instead, I will fill your head with sausages, because lately many have come to expect very little from this “cycling” blog and I aim to please.
The past week has been a wonderfully shitty patchwork quilt crafted from varying levels of ennui, boredom and suck. It has included family scheduling issues, missed races, and a snow/freeze/rain/thaw/freeze weather cycle that has made nearly all– but the heavily used town roads– un-rideable, ski trails un-skiable and even something as simple as walking into town (or to my mail box) a treacherous ice field that should only be attempted sporting crampons. Fucking weather, man.
I had been scheduled (and entered) in the Farmer’s 3 Hour Fat Bike race but ended up having to bail due to some re-scheduled events that were thrown at me (which were of course then cancelled again last-minute due to icy roads). I really wasn’t all that upset since the rain and thawing snow didn’t make me feel real comfortable borrowing a fat bike for the race. I have no problem screwing up my own bike, but I didn’t think it was too cool jack up someone else’s.
Anyway, I spent a lot of time the past four days either on the trainer, at the gym or simply working on my man-blubber by making (turkey) sausage sandwiches (as you can see above). I go with the turkey sausages because they have 134 fewer calories per link than the last pork sausages I bought. Thus I can eat more. Win.
Grasping at straws for something cycling related to talk about...
On a possible fatter note: a friend of a friend might be selling his Surly Pugsley as he upgrades to a Salsa Beargrease, and another friend of the same friend might be selling one as he upgrades to a Trek Farley that is due in the shop soon. Both are my size, and should have dibs one of them. If I can get one on the cheap I’m pretty sure I will go for it. I am not huge fat bike fan, but the race down at Pando was silly fun and I would like to take advantage of the healthy winter race schedule we have here in Michigan. It may also help to stave off the desire to drink myself into a coma in the attempt to get through winter. The race at Pando proved to me that riding my bike in the snow is WAY more enjoyable than my sorry attempts at cross-country skiing. A used Pugsley should be in the price range that would allow me to get me outside, but not feel like an idiot for spending too much on a bike that I would only ride in the snow or occasionally go ‘splorin’ our vast network of sandy snowmobile and ORV trails in the summer. We’ll see that happens, it’s a seller’s market now and my cash flow is moving about as freely as a seventy year old’s prostate inflamed urine stream. Might have to wait ’till next year, then I can be sure I REALLY jump a shark (as if riding a bike of ANY kind can ever really jump the shark).